Is there any better time to hug a tree?

The National Arboretum Canberra is getting all warm and cuddly with the fifth year of the Warm Trees project.

Knitters and crocheters from around Australia - and the world - have contributed scarves and squares to adorn the trees and lure in more visitors to the arboretum in winter.

A team of about 30 volunteers from Friends of the National Arboretum have volunteered about 270 hours to install the winter woolies, which are officially on show from Sunday, July 2, for a month.

Warm Trees convenor Jocelyn Plovits said about 2000 scarves had been sent in this year.

She even co-opted her sister Dorothea, who lives in London, to be the UK arm of the operation, organising a team of elderly knitters.

"One of whom was 104-years-old," Jocelyn said.

At the end of the installation, the knitted items are then fashioned into blankets and donated to local and international charities.

"I have even seen a photograph of one of the blankets around the shoulders of a little girl in the Middle East after it was given to Rotary," Jocelyn said.

The Warm Trees was a quirky way to encourage more people to the arboretum in the coldest month.

"We engage a different demographic with the project. I mean, you'd expect horticulturalists usually but not necessarily knitters," she said.

"And other people come too to see these mad colourful scarves."

The scarves are dotted around the arboretum - even to the top of Dairy Farmers Hill. Adding to the whimsy is a crocheted lollipop installation on the fence of the Pod Playground and scatterings of chrocheted cherry blossoms.

Just more reason to visit the arboretum.

"It's just such an uplifting place to be," Jocelyn said.