Hello.
Have you looked at the calendar hanging on your fridge?
Father’s Day comes this weekend. Hint hint.
I’m taking a gift idea for my Dad from a piece I wrote for The Inquirer Home & Design section in February about historic trees you can buy for your home landscape.
My Dad, Jack, is one of those naturally gifted gardeners, with an evergreen touch. Plants flourish under his care.
His one-acre in Monmouth County, NJ is a mini-arboretum: Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), Corkscrew Willow (Salix matsudana ‘Tortuosa’), Weeping Norway Spruce (Picea abies ‘Reflexa’), Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobes), Japanese Laceleaf Maple (Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Ever Red’), cherry, plum, lilacs, rhodos, roses, and too many perennials to list.
As a gardener, he puts me to shame. This guy is two decades my senior (and I’m no spring chicken), works long hours in construction, and still finds time and energy to keep his landscape meticulous.
My Dad has influenced my passion for and knowledge of gardening.
So what do you give a gardening Dad like mine?
How about a tree grown from the Honey Locust Abe Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg address under in 1863? View image Perhaps a Wright Brothers Sweetgum View image, a JFK Crabapple View image, or Charles Lindbergh Red Maple? View image Or give that old hound dog an Elvis Presley Southern Magnolia from Graceland. View image
You can buy these and other trees with pedigrees from the Historic Tree Nursery, 800-320-8733.
The online nursery store sells saplings grown from seed or cuttings of trees that shaded presidents, authors, adventurers and other famous Americans.
Prices for historic trees average about $40 for one to three-foot saplings. Each tree purchase comes with a certificate of authenticity.
Best of all, you’ll be doing something to fight global warming. The sale of historic trees supports tree planting programs of American Forests, a nonprofit conservation organization that’s been around since 1875, says Deborah Gangloff, the group’s executive director.
American Forests plants trees for environmental restoration projects throughout the country. The group claims to have planted more than 23 million trees through 500 projects. American Forests also promotes urban forestry in cities, and serves as a resource for information about the benefits to the environment of trees and forests.
It’s not too late. Send a Historic Tree Nursery e-gift certificate to Dad.
Photos courtesy of American Forests.
