Aldridge Gardens promotes greenery with Arbor Day

Add some leaves to your life at the annual Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens.

This year’s celebration will be March 4 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the gardens. The event will include a tree giveaway, recognition of the Hoover City Schools’ Fourth Grade Arbor Day Essay and a ceremonial tree planting. Attendees can also enjoy food and other items from sponsors and access to the entire gardens and Roots Gift Shop, said Hoover forester Colin Conner.

Conner said this year’s giveaway trees include American fringetree, American hazelnut, bald cypress, blueberry, bur oak, common persimmon, dwarf chinkapin oak, longleaf pine, red cedar, red mulberry and white oak seedlings. The trees will be about 2 to 3 years old and between two and five feet in height. 

Conner said the city also anticipates recognizing its 18th consecutive year as a Tree City USA honoree.

“Through the planting of giveaway seedlings, Arbor Day adds native trees back to Hoover’s urban forest.  Over the years, I’ve met numerous residents who have ‘treed’ or ‘re-treed’ their yards with Arbor Day seedlings alone,” Conner said.

The Arbor Day celebration is a chance for education, as different Hoover City Schools host their own events and the Aldridge Gardens event will include an on-site arborist to help residents select a tree and plant it correctly. Conner said he expects to see several hundred people at this year’s event.

“We recognize not only the aesthetic value in trees but also the significant economic and environmental values trees add to our city,” Conner said.

Go to aldridgegardens.com for more information.