
Learn the History Behind Arbor Day—and Plant a Tree!
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This week I planted an apple tree (replacing one the critters got to this past weekend.
This weekend I am helping to plant 1,000 potted trees (MN native cedar, pine and plum
on conservation lands I share with cousins in southwest MN (near the Birch Coulee Battlefield site (1862)
Some trees I have planted over the years: Pink smoke tree, shademaster locust, sunburst locust, Siberian elms, snowdrift tree, hybrid poplars, dappled willow, & dawn redwood.
In my yard in Conway, SC, there are 6 trees I planted that were sent by the Arbor Day Foundation: 2 hawthorns, 2 crabapples, 1 white pine, and 1 redbud. There are also other trees I planted, either given to me or bought other places: a bald cypress, a magnolia, a flowering plum, a Bradford pear (though I would prefer a true pear tree). I have cultivated or transplanted a few "volunteer" trees: another bald cypress, 3 maples, several oak trees (willow oak and water oak). When I bought my land, there were also pecan trees already here! I love the shade that all my trees provide and I've seen a number of bird nests in them over the years. They make my yard a haven for me and wildlife. Most of all, I love looking at them because they are SO beautiful.
List of my trees I planted.
Bing cherry
Queen Anne Cherry
Red Plum
Maple
McIntosh Apple
Hazel Nut
Christmas Tree
Dozens of other tall growing varieties.
Earlier in April I planted a kousa dogwood, Scarlet Fire, in the small memorial garden I started last year in memory of my parents. I have always loved dogwoods, especially the pink ones, but living in Maine makes them very marginal. The little memorial garden overlooks the vegetable patch my parents started many years ago and aptly named, "The Bee Garden". I still farm their original original plot. Rutgers University developed the Scarlet Fire kousa dogwood as a hardy, disease and pest resistant variety and released Scarlet Fire in 2016. The National Arbor Foundation offered it in April of 2018 as part of their program to promote tree planting.
Arbor Lodge is a wonderful place to visit in Nebraska. Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Arboretum is a mansion and arboretum located at 2600 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, Nebraska, United States. The park is a National Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1969. It is a wonderful way to celebrate Arbor Day any day of the year.
I was aware of Arbor Day as a young child as my Mother's birthday was on April 22nd. We have planted a lot of trees over the years. Our farm now has apple trees, peach trees, black walnut, coffee tree, maple trees, Oak trees, Cottonwood trees, locust trees, weeping willow, blue spruce, rosebud tree, hackberry, red cedar and many more pine trees. We go almost every year to Nebraska City to get apples at the Morton Orchard. Love Arbor day but wish it still was April 22,
Arbor Day sounds like a fantastic opportunity to plant some fruit trees in my backyard, which is something I've been wanting to do for quite a while. I do have one apple tree, and am thinking a peach and pear would also do well in my Zone 5 climate.
Just reread article of Julius Sterling Morton. Enjoyed it soooo much.
We have 2 very large redwoods in our backyard. We planted 26 yrs ago.
And have Modesto Ash in front yard. And a Japanese maple in front yard.
Really enjoy them.
And thank you for the wonderful article. I am new to Farmer's Almanac.
Dolores in Castro Valley, Calif.
Thank you, Dolores, for your nice comment! We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed our Arbor Day article—and boy, what a great collection of trees you’ve got!
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