April 14, 2022 The Olmsted Woods Restoration Plan In this year celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of the visionary Frederick Law Olmsted, we recall the Cathedral Close was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., for whom the Woods are named. it is fitting, as we are the Stewards to all the gardens and …
June 10, 2021 The Woodland Bridge sat astride the ravine in the Olmsted Woods for some 60 years. With its rustic wooden pilings and charming gazebo sited mid-span, it held memories for decades of students crossing over and countless visitors entering the woods to ascend the Pilgrim Way. All Hallows Guild had the bridge reinforced …
June 17, 2020 Our intrepid Olmsted Woods volunteers are back at work for the first time since November June 10, 2020 Despite the heat they were glad to be out and safely seeing each other in the midst of the pandemic. The Woods seemed quite different: no sounds of trucks or traffic, no interns, no …
November 7, 2019 Survey work is underway in the Woods Have you noticed orange survey markers in the Olmsted Woods? Lovers of the Woods have been concerned that they indicate a plan to build on this dedicated five-acre urban forest. Quite the contrary! All Hallows Guild’s 1998-2008 project of Woods preservation and erosion control was successful …
September 12, 2019 Dedicated Olmsted Woods volunteer Virginia Egan is a part of our Olmsted Woods crew. This group of volunteers meets regularly on Wednesday mornings to maintain the five acre urban forest that exists within the Cathedral’s grounds. An enormous on-going project is the removal of invasive ivy in the Woods. Virginia typically sends …
Summer Dispatches from the Olmsted Woods Volunteers Read More »
April 11, 2019 Recent warm weather has caused the Olmsted Woods to “spring” to life! Not only are leaves popping out on the trees and the spring blooms appearing, but our devoted group of Olmsted Woods volunteers has resumed their work removing invasive plants. Take a Walk in the Woods or join our Volunteers any …
December 30, 2018 The record-breaking rainfall of 2018 may have lowered water bills and minimized use of irrigation, but all that water took its toll on our landscape nonetheless. Increased runoff has affected the Olmsted Woods and at times overwhelmed the water-control measures we installed some years ago. We are addressing this with engineers and …
October 1, 2018 The All Hallows Guild Garden Committee is busy during this autumn season identifying areas on the Cathedral’s grounds that require attention, selecting plants for the gardens, and working with the Horticulture staff to plan new projects. Here are a few of the things the Garden Committee is working on: – The Committee …
september 27, 2018 Pilgrim Road Crossing to the All Hallows Amphitheater A long-awaited piece of the Cathedral Close landscape has just been completed. It has been either 100 years or only ten years in the making, but either way we are so very pleased. A stone crossing of Pilgrim Road linking the Bishop’s Garden …
August 23, 2018 All Hallows Guild sponsors two or three garden interns each summer for a double mission: their young and energetic work helps our staff during the intensive growing (and weeding) season, and they receive both practical experience at our gardens and education through field trips to local public gardens and at horticulture …
All Hallows Guild was founded in 1916 to provide for the care and beautification of the grounds of Washington National Cathedral. The Guild works closely with the horticultural staff to preserve this historic landscape and raises funds for renovation and renewal of the gardens.
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