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Anilla Belcher and Lulu Hensley, members of Girl Scout Troop 746 in Bluff Park plant a moonglow pear tree at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021, with the help of Belcher's mom, Emily Belcher.
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Afif and Carla Kanafani choose an eastern red cedar tree that was among 16 species of trees being given away at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Chris and Martha Wise join others in checking out trees being given away at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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People pick out trees being given away at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Traci Ingleright talks with Josephine Parker of the Bluff Park community about the rings in various tree cuts at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Christie Orr, her daughter and son-in-law Brittain and Jamey Simmons and granddaughter Reese Simmons pick out a white oak tree and two flowering dogwoods at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Hoover High School students and Hoover Belles Carys Gonzalez, left, and Sophie Anderson greet visitors to the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Chris and Martha Wise of the River Highlands community check out trees being given away at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Tonia Trotter, her children Leland and Elise Trotter, and Griffin Price, all of the Bluff Park community, check out trees being given away at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Hoover Councilman Mike Shaw and his wife, Shelley, check out trees being given away at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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People check out trees being given away at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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People check out trees being given away at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Alexandria Erickson, a Hoover Belle and senior at Spain Park High School, greets visitors to the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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A man picks out a tree among 250 trees being given away at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Susan Higgins, left, and Amy Benschoter, both of Hoover, Alabama, check out trees being given away at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Holly Fondots, co-chairwoman of the Hoover Beautification Board's Arbor Day Committee, speaks at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato reads a proclamation declaring Saturday, March 6, 2021, as Arbor Day in Hoover, Alabama, during the city's 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens. At left are Louise Billings and Holly Fondots, co-chairwomen of the Hoover Beautification Board's Arbor Day Committee. At right is Hoover Councilman Mike Shaw.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato presents a proclamation declaring Saturday, March 6, 2021, as Arbor Day in Hoover, Alabama, during the city's 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens. Receiving the proclamation is, from left, Louise Billings and Holly Fondots,the co-chairwomen of the Hoover Beautification Board's Arbor Day Committee.
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Katie Wiswall, the urban and community forestry partnership coordinator for the Alabama Forestry Commission, presents a Tree City USA sticker to the city of Hoover at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Laurel Stokes, a fourth grader from Bluff Park Elementary School, reads her essay about trees at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021. Stokes was the winner of the Hoover Beautification Board's essay contest for fourth-graders in Hoover public schools.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato presents an award to Bluff Park Elementary School fourth-grader Laurel Stokes for winning the Hoover Beautification Board's Arbor Day essay contest at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Green Valley Elementary fourth-grader Olivia Creed reads her Arbor Day essay at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Greystone Elementary School fourth-grader Ellis Byrne reads his Arbor Day essay at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Riverchase Elementary School fourth-grader Adriana Hayes reads her Arbor Day essay at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Rocky Ridge Elementary School fourth-grader Ayden Henderson reads his Arbor Day essay at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Hoover Beautification Board Chairwoman Mary Ross Searcy welcomes people to the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato talks about Arbor Day at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato reads a proclamation declaring Saturday, March 6, 2021, as Arbor Day in Hoover, Alabama, during the city's 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens. At left is Holly Fondots, one of the co-chairwomen of the Hoover Beautification Board's Arbor Day Committee.
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Brock's Gap Intermediate School fourth-grader Coco Parker reads her Arbor Day essay at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, as Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato holds the microphone in place for her on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato presents an award to Brock's Gap Intermediate School fourth-grader Coco Parker for winning an honorable mention award in the Hoover Beautification Board's Arbor Day essay contest at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato presents an award to Green Valley Elementary School fourth-grader Olivia Creed for winning an honorable mention award in the Hoover Beautification Board's Arbor Day essay contest at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato presents an award to Greystone Elementary School fourth-grader Ellis Byrne for winning an honorable mention award in the Hoover Beautification Board's Arbor Day essay contest at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato presents an award to Riverchase Elementary School fourth-grader Adriana Hayes for winning an honorable mention award in the Hoover Beautification Board's Arbor Day essay contest at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Shades Mountain Elementary School fourth-grader Josephine Harper reads her Arbor Day essay at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato presents an award to Shades Mountain Elementary School fourth-grader Josephine Harper for winning an honorable mention award in the Hoover Beautification Board's Arbor Day essay contest at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Winners of the Hoover Beautification Board's 2021 Arbor Day essay contest listen during the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Aldridge Gardens Executive Director Rip Weaver talks about the community fruit orchard at Aldridge during the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at the gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Peopel attend the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Claire Larkin of the Shoal Creek community in Shelby County speaks about finding the world's largest oak leaf during the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato presents an award to Trace Crossings Elementary School fourth-grader Ava Collins for winning an honorable mention award in the Hoover Beautification Board's Arbor Day essay contest at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Trace Crossings Elementary School fourth-grader Ava Collins reads her Arbor Day essay at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato presents an award to Rocky Ridge Elementary School fourth-grader Ayden Henderson for winning an honorable mention award in the Hoover Beautification Board's Arbor Day essay contest at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
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Drew Bishop-Patty of the Riverchase community and his mother, Karen Bishop, plant a pear tree at the 2021 Arbor Day Celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
Hundreds of people came out to Aldridge Gardens today for the city’s annual Arbor Day celebration.
The city had 250 trees to give away for people to plant in their yards, and the community this year was invited to help plant 26 fruit trees near the entrance to Aldridge along Lorna Road.
Trees given away came 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.
They were in containers small enough to carry away by hand but can grow up to 10 to 80 feet high and 8 to 80 feet wide, depending on the species. Specialists were present to advise people on the right type of tree for the location they have in mind.
Aldridge also had five varieties of apple trees, three varieties of pear trees and a true Southern crabapple tree for people to help plant at the gardens entrance, Executive Director Rip Weaver said. All of those were purchased from The Wildlife Group in Tuskegee.
The trees were planted next to some blueberry, raspberry and blackberry shrubs, fig trees and Oriental persimmon trees that were planted there in 2020, Weaver said. He expects the trees to bear their first apples, pears and crabapples in about a year and a half.
The community orchard is open for people to come and pick fruit as they please, but Aldridge asks that people not abuse the privilege and take a limited amount, leaving fruit for others to enjoy as well.
The Hoover Beautification Board also honored winners of an Arbor Day essay contest for fourth-graders in Hoover public schools. Students were invited to write 300-word essays, describing what makes trees in cities and towns so terrific, identifying their favorite tree or tree place in Hoover. And explaining how planting and preserving trees is helpful to Hoover.
The winner was Laurel Stokes of Bluff Park Elementary, who received a one-year family membership to Aldridge Gardens.
Stokes — along with nine honorable mention winners from other schools — also received a guide to trees in Alabama, a cash award from Ace Tree Service, a tree cookie from Good Neighbor Baking and gift certificates from Chick-fil-A, The Whole Scoop, Brixx Wood Fired Pizza, Tip Top Grill and Hoover Climbing & Adventure.
The honorable mention winners were Coco Parker fo Brock’s Gap Intermediate School, Ava Horne of Deer Valley Elementary, Olivia Creed of Green Valley Elementary, Ellis Byrne of Greystone Elementary, Kaileigh Grace Whitt of Gwin Elementary, Adriana Hayes of Riverchase Elementary, Ayden Henderson of Rocky Ridge Elementary, Josephine Harper of Shades Mountain Elementary and Ava Collins of Trace Crossings Elementary.
