We missed Ann Caraway who has helped with our Arbor Day event for so many years. Her talks about trees are inspiring. Paul Wierzbicki, Missouri City's City Forester, did a great fill in as we admired the Sugar Maple planted this year, not too far from last year's Shumard Oak. Both are near the number 5 Pavilion in Ridgeview Park and across the trail from the Power Line Friendly Tree Demonstration that Paul mounted with Center Point Energy.
Joyce in her horticulture time, pointed out how beautiful plants are starting to flower this year and that you can see some good specimens of various shrubs and trees, as we did in the park.
It was fun to get out in the park and enjoy the nice day and a picnic!
Paul's talk was extremely interesting and made you think how nature has a "civilizing" influence on individual's behavior, as well as how trees really appreciate in value.
His talk made me feel proud of the contributions we have made and are making to the beauty and quality of life of our neighborhood.
With the exception of the native trees and the Power Line Friendly Tree Demonstration project, we have planted most of the trees in the park as well as landscaped and maintained the arbor.
Talking to the group and then doing a walk through the park, helped bring home several points about the benefits of trees.
In the Power Line Demonstration area, the trees (as well as all trees in the park) have been selected for diversity, color, contrast, fragrance, fruit and blooming. It's really about getting the Right Tree in the Right Place.
The demonstration trees are well-marked as is the signage explaining the concept, which was a pilot project Paul "sold" to Center Point Energy to "fund". It cost Missouri City less than $190.00 and will save maintenance costs of misshaping trees to protect power lines.
Most of the trees are in the 15 to 20 foot range in height when they reach maturity.
There are some beautiful side benefits as well such as seasonal color. Paul is pictured with the Oklahoma Redbud starting to "show it's stuff."
Others like the Yaupons have berries; the Vitex has wonderful summer purple blooms, the Bottlebrush, red "bottle brushes"; the Mexican Persimmons, fruit in the fall, the Sweet Olives a pleasant fragrance . . . and the list goes on.
We could smell the flowering Mexican Plum more than 25 feet away.
Paul brought us some small trees that we enjoyed. We will put the Mexican Persimmons and Black Gums to good use. They were left over from the Freedom Tree Park dedication a few weeks ago. The Freedom Tree is a 300 year Live Oak that Colonel Granger stood under to tell his slaves that they were free people--on June Teenth. It is across Glenn Lakes in Lake Olympia. We learned that Missouri City, through Paul's City Forestry group's tree farm, is growing "Freedom Tree Oaks" from acorns from the Freedom Tree. President Nancy Lindsay was intrigued that we might plant a "Freedom Tree" and so was the group.
The picnic and food served by Betty Vickroy, Jo Altenbern, Karen Meier, Joan Fox, Linn Wells and Janice Scanlan provided time to enjoy the day and fellowship with others.
Paul has numerous other talks of a more specialized nature and provided some great pamphlets on various aspects of tree care. You can reach Paul at (281) 403-8645. His love of people and his subject comes through in his talks . . . along with his knowledge. And the Tree Donation program is an investment you can make in our future as well!
The following list provides information on the trees, which ones attract butterflies, requirements and how to choose for other characteristics . . . for smaller trees in the landscape that are Power Line Friendly.
Download a list and characteristics of Power Friendly Trees in Ridgeview Park
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