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Asher-Robert Murphy helps Hoover City Forester Colin Conner plant a sourwood tree as part of the city's Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Sarah Morgan, at left, and Pi-Ling Chang, both of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, take home American hazelnut trees from a tree giveaway at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama during the city's 2017 Arbor Day Celebration on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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A man checks out the trees being given away at Aldridge Gardens as part of the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Hoover City Forester Colin Conner talks to Laura Price about the trees the city is giving away at the city's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Jay Carrigee of Hoover's Green Valley community, at left, and Ben Nolan of Helena check the longleaf pines being given away at the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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These red mulberry trees were among 11 species of trees being given away at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, as part of the city's Arbor Day celebration on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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The Hoover Beautification Board honored nine Hoover elementary students for outstanding Arbor Day essays as part of the city's Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017. From left are Zuri Gagakuma of Green Valley Elementary, Ashleigh Dinkel of Gwin Elementary, Maddie Bedsole of Deer Valley Elementary, Yuri Nukaya of Greystone Elementary, Micah Breland of Shades Mountain Elementary, Rebecca Stafford of Riverchase Elementary, Nola Davenport of Rocky Ridge Elementary, Brannan Trotter of South Shades Crest Elementary and Judson Touchstone of Bluff Park Elementary.
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Hoover Beautification Board Chairwoman Ann McAdams welcomes people to the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Jennifer Gregory, chairwoman of the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration, leads the ceremony at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato talks about the importance of trees during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, third from right, reads a proclamation about Arbor Day during the city's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017. With him, from left, are Hoover Councilmen Derrick Murphy, John Lyda and Gene Smith.
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Maddie Bedsole, a fourth-grader from Deer Valley Elementary School, reads her Arbor Day essay, which won the Hoover Beautification Board's essay contest, during the city's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and his wife, Frances, present a plaque to Deer Valley Elementary School fourth-grader Maddie Bedsole, who won the Hoover Beautification Board's 2017 Arbor Day essay contest.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and his wife, Frances, present an honorable mention plaque to Bluff Park Elementary fourth-grader Judson Touchstone for his Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and his wife, Frances, present an honorable mention plaque to Green Valley Elementary fourth-grader Zuri Gagakuma for her Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Greystone Elementary fourth-grader Yuri Nukaya reads her honorable mention Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and his wife, Frances, present an honorable mention plaque to Greystone Elementary fourth-grader Yuri Nukaya for her Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Gwin Elementary School fourth-grader Ashleigh Dinkel reads her honorable mention Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and his wife, Frances, present an honorable mention plaque to Gwin Elementary fourth-grader Ashleigh Dinkel for her Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Riverchase Elementary fourth-grader Rebecca Stafford reads her honorable mention Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and his wife, Frances, present an honorable mention plaque to Riverchase Elementary fourth-grader Rebecca Stafford for her Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Rocky Ridge Elementary fourth-grader Nola Davenport reads her honorable mention Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and his wife, Frances, present an honorable mention plaque to Rocky Ridge Elementary fourth-grader Nola Davenport for her Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Shades Mountain Elementary fourth-grader Micah Breland reads his honorable mention Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and his wife, Frances, present an honorable mention plaque to Shades Mountain Elementary fourth-grader Micah Breland for her Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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South Shades Crest Elementary fourth-grader Brannan Trotter reads her honorable mention Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and his wife, Frances, present an honorable mention plaque to South Shades Crest Elementary fourth-grader Brannan Trotter for her Arbor Day essay during the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Hoover City Forester Colin Conner talks about the proper way to plant a tree during a tree planting ceremony that was part of the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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A boy helps plant a sourwood tree at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, as part of the city's 2017 Arbor Day celebration on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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A boy helps plant a sourwood tree at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, as part of the city of Hoover's 2017 Arbor Day celebration on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
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Hoover Councilmen Derrick Murphy, Casey Middlebrooks, Mike Shaw and John Lyda took part in a tree planting ceremony at Aldridge Gardens as part of the city's 2017 Arbor Day celebration on Saturday, March 4, 2017.
Trees were the center of attention at Aldridge Gardens this morning as the city of Hoover celebrated Arbor Day.
City forester Colin Conner had 135 trees of 11 species to give out for free, and nine Hoover elementary school students were honored for having the top essays in an Arbor Day essay contest.
People who came by the gardens on March 4 were able to choose from blueberry, American hazelnut, American fringe, dwarf Chinkapin oak, red mulberry, common persimmon, Eastern red cedar, bald cypress, white oak, bur oak and longleaf pine trees. The trees ranged from 3 to 6 feet tall.
Laura Price, a teacher from Green Valley Elementary School, picked out an American fringe tree for her home in the Shades Mountain community.
“They look like sticks to me,” she said, but Conner told her it’s a pretty tree when it blooms, has nice curb appeal and won’t get too big for her front yard.
“I have no trees in my front yard,” Price said. “I hope when it flowers, it will look really nice.”
Sarah Morgan and Pi-Ling Chang of Vestavia Hills didn’t realize today was the Arbor Day celebration and had just come for a walk at Aldridge when they stumbled upon the tree giveaway. Each took home an American hazelnut tree.
The Hoover Beautification Board conducted the Arbor Day essay contest and received entries from 935 fourth-graders at nine of Hoover’s 10 elementary schools, said Jennifer Gregory, the chairwoman for this year’s celebration.
The students were asked to imagine they were a small animal living in a tree and to describe how the tree would support their needs and how they would show appreciation for their home.
Maddie Bedsole, a fourth-grader from Deer Valley Elementary, was this year’s winner. Honorable mention awards went to Judson Touchstone of Bluff Park Elementary, Zuri Gagakuma of Green Valley Elementary, Yuri Nukaya of Greystone Elementary, Ashleigh Dinkel of Gwin Elementary, Rebecca Stafford of Riverchase Elementary, Nola Davenport of Rocky Ridge Elementary, Micah Breland of Shades Mountain Elementary and Brannan Trotter of South Shades Crest Elementary.
Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, who attended Arbor Day tree plantings at various elementary schools this past week, congratulated each of the students and said Arbor Day is a great opportunity for young people to learn about the environment, plants and trees.
Brocato encouraged all Hoover residents to plant one or more trees this year. The Beautification Board also celebrated Hoover’s 18th year as a “Tree City USA” city, which means the city has an Arbor Day celebration, a tree board, a tree care ordinance and a budget for tree care.
To close out the ceremony, Conner and Aldridge Gardens Executive Director Rip Weaver led a tree planting ceremony in the gardens. They and others helped complete the planting of a sourwood tree, which Weaver said is a native tree that normally grows to be 35 to 40 feet tall with great fall colors.
