The Arboretum Gift Shop
Reminiscing with Mary Ellen Mulder
M
B y N iall D unne
ary Ellen Mulder has been a treasured
member of the Arboretum family
for decades. She first joined the
Arboretum Foundation in 1971 and is cur-
rently a member at the Arbor Circle level. She
has been one of our most loyal and dedicated
volunteers, helping out at events, participat-
ing on our Board of Directors (2008–11), and
working as a long-time member of Unit 24 to
support the Arboretum.
She may be best known, though, for her 30
years of volunteer work in the Arboretum Shop,
where she served as the very first book buyer.
In spring 2019, to honor the catalytic legacy gift
of Mary Ellen and her husband, Gordon (see
“Restoring Rhododendron Glen,” in the Spring
2019 “Bulletin”), the Foundation renamed the
24 v Washington Park Arboretum Bulletin
shop the Mary Ellen Mulder Arboretum Gift Shop.
The shop, which sells a selection of gifts,
books and greeting cards for plant and nature
lovers of all ages, provides a steady source of
funding for the Arboretum. I sat down with Mary
Ellen to talk about her experiences in the shop
and some of the history around its evolution.
Niall: Was there any kind of gift or book shop
at the Arboretum prior to the opening of the
Graham Visitors Center in 1985?
Mary Ellen: No. I did help edit an Arboretum
cookbook for the Unit Council, which we sold
during plant sales to raise funds.
Niall: Whose idea was it to include a gift shop
in the design of the new building?
Mary Ellen: I think it was actually the archi-
tect’s. There was resistance to the idea in some