Public invited to plant fruit orchard at Arbor Day celebration

The city of Hoover and Hoover Beautification Board are inviting people to the city’s annual Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens on Saturday, March 6.

This year, people are invited to help plant trees in a fruit orchard at the entrance to the gardens, said Aldridge Gardens Executive Director Rip Weaver. There will be five varieties of apple trees, three varieties of pear trees and a true Southern crabapple tree — all purchased from The Wildlife Group in Tuskegee.

The trees will be planted next to some blueberry, raspberry and blackberry shrubs, fig trees and Oriental persimmon trees that were planted there in 2020, Weaver said.

The city also is giving away 250 trees for people to plant at home, said Colin Conner, the city’s forester.

The trees will come from 16 species, including hazel adler, Southern crabapple, wax myrtle, American fringe tree, dahoon holly, flowering dogwood, trident maple, Eastern red cedar, sweetbay magnolia, river birch, basswood, red maple, bald cypress, black gum, white oak and bur oak.

The trees will be small when given out but can grow up to 10 to 80 feet high and 8 to 80 feet wide, depending on the species. Specialists will be at Aldridge Gardens to advise people on the right type of tree for the location they have in mind.

The Arbor Day celebration will take place from 9 a.m. to noon. The Hoover Beautification Board will lead a ceremony at 9:30 a.m. at the new education building at Aldridge and honor winners of an Arbor Day essay contest for fourth-graders in Hoover public schools, Beautification Board member Aimee George said.

Students were invited to write 300-word essays, describing what makes trees in cities and towns so terrific and identifying their favorite tree or tree place in Hoover. Winners will receive an engraved plaque, cash and prizes from businesses and sponsors.

The celebration also will include information about tree care, crafts for kids, coffee and light refreshments.