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 …
March 18, 2019 WHY POLLINATORS? The recent surge in scientific and popular interest in pollinators has spawned a new curiosity about the habits and cycles of the bees, moths, bats, hummingbirds, and other insects we had previously taken for granted. Bee colony collapse and the disappearance of monarch butterflies are topics once the province of …
March 15, 2019 the All Hallows Guild Carousel Caliola Since 1963 All Hallows Guild has owned the historic traveling carousel (circa 1890) that appears each year at Flower Mart. Before catching a glimpse of the carousel, Flower Mart visitors hear the music of the 1937 Wurlitzer caliola calling them to ride. The caliola itself, though …
February 6, 2019 During the February 3, 1939, meeting of the All Hallows Guild Executive Committee, a Board member proposed the idea of having a Flower Mart on the Pilgrim Steps. It is believed that the idea for Flower Mart came from an All Hallows Guild member who spent time in Rome – often visiting …
February 5, 2019 stonework Repairs Needed in the Gardens From the very early years of All Hallows Guild, our visionary leader, Florence Brown Bratenahl, had as her watchwords, “Historic Trees, Boxwood, Yew and Stone.” Indeed Mrs. Bratenahl wrote a booklet with this title in 1932, highlighting examples of all these materials on the Cathedral hillside. …
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 …
December 8, 2018 With holiday decorating in full swing it is tempting to reach for beautiful boxwood clippings to augment fir and hemlock greens inside and outside our homes. The fragrance and vibrant green of boxwood are wonderful additions to swags and garlands, table trees and wreaths. Unfortunately, the current spread of boxwood blight is …
Holiday Décor: Boxwood Blight and Safe Practices Read More »
November 6, 2018 Bas-reliefs embedded in Stone Walls The lovely and historic 15-century stone sculptures collected by Mrs. Bratenahl have given the garden a look of antiquity during the century since they were placed in the walls and planting beds. The wall behind the Upper Perennial Border, the Norman Court, and the Hortulus all are …
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 …
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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