Earth Day has been held every April 22 nd since 1970. The very first Earth Day led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency
and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts.
What better way to celebrate Earth Day then to plant more trees? And the Arbor Day Foundation can help. For a 6 month or 1 year membership, you’ll be able to chose 10 free trees. Membership for 6 months is $10 and the 1 year for $15. Last year members planted 8 million trees.
Saucer Magnolia
This pretty flowering tree is available for purchase. Photo from Arbor Day Foundation.
Here are some more nice flowering trees you can chose from: Dogwood, American Redbud, Crape Myrtle, and Goldenraintrees.
Along with the free trees, they also have a variety of other trees & shrubs for sale. The prices are very reasonable. Shipping is a flat fee of $4.95 for your entire nursery order. Unfortunately for me , the Department of Agriculture does not allow any of the retail trees to be sent to California. Other restricted states include Ak, Az, Hi or any U.S. territories. But the 10 free trees are still okay to send out.
In addition to your membership, you’ll also get:
- Receive a 33–56 percent discount on over 100 trees and shrubs. Our selection includes shade, flowering, ornamental, fruit trees, evergreens and more.
- Free subscription to our colorful bimonthly newsletter. Arbor Day is a gardener’s handbook and tree information guide in one.
- The Tree Book is a treasury of genuinely useful guidance about planting and caring for trees in a cheerfully colorful format.
Important Foundation programs are sustained by nearly a million members nationwide. You’ll become part of the Foundation. Together, we’re making a difference.” - Arbor Day.
If I had the space to grow 10 trees, I would definitely sign up. I was also thinking of donating the trees to the local Buddhist temple. But last summer, they’ve already cut down a giant mulberry tree to make room for more parking space. And the monks already have their own idea of maintaining the temple grounds. I don’t think they want to hear my suggestions.
In the meantime I thought this would be a great reminder for anyone who would like to grow more trees in their yard. It’s great for the environment too. Arbor Foundation notes, “Trees can add value to your home, help cool your home and neighborhood, break the cold winds to lower your heating costs, and provide food for wildlife.” I also like how they provide shade in the hot summer sun.
Happy Earth Day!
7:56 pm on April 8th, 2010
The Saucer Magnolia are so pretty, I planted one at my dad’s house a while back and it’s in bloom right now. I do wish that I have more land.
Our local temple has many persimmon trees, I think over 200 trees and the monk loves to plant. It’s sad to hear that your local temple cut down a giant mulberry tree, we’ve one also at our local temple and it gives nice shades during the summer.
7:49 pm on April 9th, 2010
Thanks for the infos. I heard of the foundation, but did not really pay much attention. One thing I noticed though is that ordering trees online, they really come small; I’ve order from Gurney’s, Jung, etc; but find buying from Lowes and Wal-Mart to be cheaper and not to mentioned bigger tree. I must have planted over 10 trees already this year, all fruit trees. I added honey berry and Goji berry as well, something different. Hope they will take on. One of my Tartarian cherry seems to not be taking on, but I have a one year return with Lowes.
Now, if I were to win tomorrow’s lottery…wow! I’ll plant a 1000 perhaps:))) How many acres will that take? Wish me luck. And thanks for the infos:))
9:44 pm on April 11th, 2010
Hi Nye,
200 persimmon trees! That is more like an orchard. Maybe they could do dried persimmons and sell them. The Japanese have one and it’s very expensive. But they use Hachiya persimmons.
The good news about our local temple is that they grew lots of veggies last year. But there’s one lady that won’t let anyone go near them. And there are also tons of bamboo shoots, but the monks are telling people it’s off limit. I always think that it’s odd for a temple to act that way, being that we all make donations and the religion preaches generosity and kindness.
10:01 pm on April 11th, 2010
Hi PaNoy,
Wow - pretty soon you’ll have an orchard. Maybe Nye can visit and take a few photos for us to see, sometime in the summer.
I was just browsing Raintree Nursery catalog and wanted to order a few exotic plants. But I would hate for it to not survive the winter. So where did you get your Goji from? As I was thinking of planting those at my mom’s place too. We eat dried Goji all the time and it would be neat to have our own plant.
8:08 pm on April 12th, 2010
I got the Goji berry from Gurney I think. Henry’s Field has it as well. I need to get 2 more. Thank goodness the Goji was not a rocket root, but a nice little plant with some dirt; rocket root is a waste. The last one I got made me not want to order online anymore. Hope the Goji will take off; maybe I need to fix the soil to certain condition. Take care.
4:49 pm on April 13th, 2010
Our local temple is not like that, the head monk would tell us to go get the vegetables and bamboo shoots all the time. One time we were there painting and didn’t have time to go get the spring onions that he offered, he made his novice monks to go pick it for us. It was kind of funny seeing them cutting out the roots and the bad part, and some were in tears.
9:30 pm on April 13th, 2010
Hi PaNoy,
I just went online to check out Gurney and Henry’s. And I’m glad I did as the price is 1/2 of what Raintree charges. I just hope shipping isn’t too expensive. And good thing it’s a potted plant. Thanks for the info.
Btw, never heard of “rocket root”… that is something new to me. Then again I didn’t have much luck with bare roots either.
9:34 pm on April 13th, 2010
Hi Nye,
Novice monks cooking? I don’t think that is very common out here.
If I am ever in NC, I will have to pay your local temple a visit. The 200 persimmon trees alone is worth a visit. Thanks.
8:12 pm on April 15th, 2010
Cambree, I don’t think the monks are allowed to cook for themselves, even after growing their own vegetables, they would have a layperson to cook for them, or someone would bring them meal.
I’m not sure how this work, if no one were to bring them meal, some would go out to eat in a restaurant. I think it would be odd to witness this.
12:55 pm on April 18th, 2010
Hi Nye,
I’ve heard the Monks (at least in our area) do cook their own meals. One monk even made bamboo soup from the garden.
But I agree, it would be odd to see monks having lunch in public restaurants. Or driving SUV’s.