The 5pm Post – “Dear PoP: national arboretum to destroy mature azaleas exhibit because it draws too many people”

Photo of Azaleas by PoPville flickr user J Y W Obviously not from the arboretum but a good example of azaleas.

I’ve been getting a lot of emails about this.

“Dear PoP,

I find this outrageous. Read it and weep. I think I love the azaleas at the arboretum more than the cherry blossoms on the Mall. It always seemed like a secret treasure known only to locals. Judging from the arboretum’s proposed actions, apparently not.”

The Washington Gardener has the full story:

“On November 8, 2010, Aaron Cook, the President of the Azalea Society of America, learned that the U.S. National Arboretum in NE Washington, DC, plans to remove the mature azalea display on Mount Hamilton. The Garden Unit Leader at the National Arboretum, Mr. Scott Aker, announced that the azaleas will be cut down in the summer of 2011 and their stumps painted with herbicide. Many of us are upset by this decision.”

Contact info from Washington Gardener for who you can write to express your concerns after the jump.

You can still advise USDA officials of your concerns:

1. Dr. Judith St. John, Deputy Administrator, National Program Staff, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705 Phone: 301-504-6252 Fax: 301-504-4663
Email: [email protected]

2. Dr. Joseph Spence, Beltsville Area Director, 10300 Baltimore Blvd. Bldg. 003, BARC-West, Room 223, Beltsville, MD 20702 Phone: 301-504-6078 Fax: 301-504-5863
Email: [email protected]

3. Dr. Ramon Jordan, Interim Director, U.S. National Arboretum, 3501 New York Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002 Phone: 202-245-4539 Fax: 202-245-4574
Email: [email protected]