Too often we simply plant a landscape and then forget it. The shrubs and trees we plant tend to grow, bloom, cast shade, etc, always in the background and never reaching their full potential of enriching our lives.
A few years ago when my 3 grandsons arrived to experience their first solo stay with us, the boys and I planted a Sunburst Locust in the far corner of our backyard. They live in a high rise apartment in the city so I thought the experience would be good for them. They were enthralled as I explained every step in the process, how trees grow, and the importance of helping and nurturing plants to improve our environment. We had a lot of fun to boot. That was 5 years ago and the locust tree has now grown to almost 24 ft. high. The boys come to visit several times a year now and the first thing on their agenda when they arrive is to run out to see how well ‘their tree’ is doing. They weed around the base and the youngest, Dillon, always insists on watering it. It’s become part of our lives and a focal point of every visit.
