The Del Ray GardenFest 2026 is Sunday, April 26st from noon – 4 pm at the Colasanto Park baseball field at Commonwealth Ave & Mt Vernon Ave. GardenFest is a fun, free, educational afternoon of garden-centric demonstrations, informational booths, and interactive activities. The neighborhood is invited to come out and learn about all sorts of gardening topics, such as the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia plant clinic, at-home composting, growing native plants, and beekeeping. They’ll be giving away hundreds of native tree seedlings and seed packets to anyone who wants them! Plants will also be available for sale for you to bring home. Stop by the Tree Stewards of Arlington and Alexandria tent to learn about site and plant selection and learn more about what our group is doing in the community.
GardenFest is hosted annually by the Del Ray Citizens Association (DRCA). More information can be found on their website, Del Ray Gardenfest 2026.
This year they will be giving away free trees and shrubs, courtesy of Fairfax ReLeaf. Click on the links below to explore these wonderful plants.
Available Plants
- Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
- Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
- American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
- River Birch (Betula nigra)
- Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
- Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
Learn more about site selection, planting, and ongoing care here.
Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
Characteristics
- Size: 10–35 ft tall in Virginia (larger in southern range) with a spread of 12-30 ft.
- Leaves: Simple, oblong; glossy green above, silvery white beneath; semi-evergreen in Coastal Plain, deciduous farther inland.
- Bark: Smooth gray, lightly aromatic when scratched.
- Flowers: Creamy-white, fragrant, cup-shaped; late spring–summer.
- Fruit: Cone-like structure with bright red seeds in fall.
- Longevity: Frequently exceeds 50 years in natural settings.
Native Virginia Habitat
- Swamps, wet woodlands, pond edges, floodplains.
Ecological Benefits
- Attracts birds and other wildlife species; larval host for the Eastern Tiger and Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies and for the Promethea and Sweetbay silk moths. Seeds consumed by birds.
- Flowers pollinated by native beetles.
- Valuable canopy species in wetland forests.
Care
- Conditions: Full sun to part shade; acidic, moist to wet soils
- Maintenance: Minimal; no routine pruning required once established.
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Characteristics
- Size: 15–30 ft tall, often multi-trunked with a spread of 25-35 ft.
- Leaves: Heart-shaped; green turning yellow in fall.
- Bark: Thin, dark brown; scaly with age.
- Flowers: Pink–magenta pea-like flowers on bare branches; early spring.
- Fruit: Flat seed pods persisting into winter.
- Longevity: Typically 50–75 years.
Native Virginia Habitat
- Woodland edges, limestone slopes, stream terraces.
Ecological Benefits
- Early-season nectar for native bees.
- Host plant for butterfly and moth larvae.
- Seeds eaten by birds and small mammals.
Care
- Conditions: Sun to part shade; well-drained soils.
- Maintenance: Low; avoid root disturbance once established.
American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
Characteristics
- Size: 5–12 ft tall, multi-stemmed shrub with a spread of up to 10 ft.
- Leaves: Opposite; pinnately compound with serrated leaflets.
- Bark: Light gray-brown with soft pith.
- Flowers: Flat-topped white clusters in late spring–early summer.
- Fruit: Purple-black berries in late summer (edible when cooked).
- Longevity: Long-lived through continual resprouting colonies.
Native Virginia Habitat
- Streambanks, wet meadows, roadsides, pond edges.
Ecological Benefits
- Exceptional wildlife value: birds, mammals, pollinators.
- Excellent erosion control and riparian buffer species.
Care
- Conditions: Sun to part shade; moist soils preferred.
- Maintenance: Periodic stem thinning encouraged; tolerates hard pruning.
River Birch (Betula nigra)
Characteristics
- Size: 40–70 ft tall; can be single or multi-trunked with a spread of 30-50 ft.
- Leaves: Diamond-shaped, doubly serrated; yellow fall color.
- Bark: Exfoliating, cinnamon to salmon colored.
- Flowers: Spring catkins (wind-pollinated).
- Fruit: Small winged seeds in late spring.
- Longevity: Commonly 50–75 years.
Native Virginia Habitat
- Rivers, floodplains, wet bottomlands.
Ecological Benefits
- Host plant for ~ 300 species of butterflies and moths. Excellent food source for birds.
- Stabilizes streambanks, resists flooding.
Care
- Conditions: Sun to part shade; acidic, moist soils.
- Maintenance: Minimal; avoid spring pruning due to sap flow.
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Characteristics
- Size: 40–70 ft tall (often larger in wetlands) with a 30-50 ft spread.
- Leaves: Three-lobed; red, orange, or yellow in fall.
- Bark: Smooth gray when young, developing plates with age.
- Flowers: Small red clusters; late winter–early spring.
- Fruit: Red-winged samaras in spring.
- Longevity: Typically 80–100 years.
Native Virginia Habitat
- Wetlands, floodplains, mixed forests.
Ecological Benefits
- Critical early pollen source.
- Seeds support birds and mammals and larval host to ~274 butterflies and moths.
- One of Virginia’s most adaptable native trees.
Care
- Conditions: Sun to part shade; moist soils ideal.
- Maintenance: Low; shallow roots may limit understory planting.
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
Characteristics
- Size: 50–80 ft tall; pyramidal form with a spread of 30-60 ft.
- Leaves: Simple, glossy, finely toothed.
- Bark: Dark, scaly “burnt cornflake” plates with age.
- Flowers: White racemes in late spring.
- Fruit: Dark purple-black cherries in late summer.
- Longevity: Often 100 years or more under favorable conditions.
Native Virginia Habitat
- Old fields, forest edges, fencerows, mixed hardwood forests.
Ecological Benefits
- One of the top native host trees for caterpillars.
- Fruits eaten by many bird species.
- Key early-successional species.
Care
- Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soils.
- Maintenance: Minimal; may self-seed in open landscapes.
Sources
The Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia was the primary resource for most of this information, excluding the American Elderberry. Other resources include:
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Home | Natural Resources Conservation Service
- PlantNative.org | Native Plant Database, Nurseries & Gardening Guides
Site Selection, Planting and Ongoing Care
Providing the best environment for your tree or shrub to thrive starts with selecting the best location for your tree type. The projected growth size, soil and sunlight needs, and the distance from structures and power lines all need to be considered. The following resources provide great information to help you select the best place for your new tree or shrub.
- Planting the Right Tree in the Right Place (Arbor Day Foundation)
- Choosing the tree location (Plant NOVA Natives)
- Do you have room for a shade tree? (Plant NOVA Natives)
Planting and Caring for a Seedling
The seedlings will be small, about 12 inches tall. The great news about seedlings is that they are very easy to plant and the primary requirements are making sure the hole is deep enough and ensuring that they get plenty of water over the next couple of weeks. Make sure the soil is moist but not overly wet. The first video below shows how you can use an empty soda bottle to protect your seedling.
- How to Plant a Bare Root Tree Seedling (Chesapeake Bay Foundation – YouTube)
- Tree Sapling Planting and Care (Montgomery Co. Parks – YouTube)
- Tree Seedling Planting Guide from Utah State University
Ongoing Care
The TreesAreGood website is a great resource for tree care and finding an arborist, when needed. Plant NOVA Trees is another good resource, in both English and Spanish. Several good links can be found on this site, under Tree Care.