Let's Be Thankful for Trees
By Kay DiVerde
At this time of year when we think about all the things we have to be thankful for, don't forget to add trees to your list. Until you take the time to think about it, you might not realize how important trees are in our lives. The best way to show your gratitude to your trees is to give them proper care.
What's not to love about trees? As kids, we ran to trees to climb and hide behind. The leaves from trees give us those huge piles to rake up and then jump in. Who would want to live without that memory? Trees became our base while playing tag-a safe haven. Trees are our friends. As adults the trees in our yard greet us when we come home from work each day and welcome visitors to our homes. Trees can be very comforting.
Trees add character to our landscaping and value to our property. Mature trees add a touch of grandeur to even a small lot. It's not uncommon for people to associate their neighbors with the types of trees in their front yards. Many trees outlive most of us and can create a sense of security. With our transient society, trees stay with houses longer than most homeowners do!
| "In order to show our gratitude and enhance our trees beauty and growth, we need to provide them with proper care." |
Trees give our landscape variety. Deciduous trees start out the year bare, and it's always exciting to watch the new growth start and turn into healthy, thick leaves. Blossoming trees give us beautiful color and fragrance in the spring. We welcome the shade leaves provide our yards in the summer heat. When the leaves start to show off their brilliant colors, it's hard not to recognize all the beauty nature gives us. Evergreens provide us with a constant all year long. While they may not change much throughout the year, it's good to look outside in the cold winter months and see something able to live and endure the blistering cold.
On the practical side, trees provide us with wood to build our homes, offices and furniture. It's thanks to trees that we have paper for our books and that endless pile of papers on your desk! Many homes have depended on wood to heat their homes on cold winter days. And what would our lives be like without sharing cozy fires in our fireplaces?
It's obvious that trees are such an important part of our lives. In order to show our gratitude and enhance our trees beauty and growth, we need to provide them with proper care. Water and fertilize your trees as needed. Prune your trees on a regular basis with quality, sharp tools to maintain their form and encourage new, healthy growth. The care you provide your trees will be returned to you many times over throughout your life.
Kay DiVerde is a freelance writer, horticultural researcher and consultant for Orchard's Edge. DiVerde also writes for a variety of newsletters and publications in the Midwest.
