Anywhere you go right now, the trees are turning, sharing their brilliant hues in the afternoon sun, and cushioning our paths with a mosaic of leaves as the year comes to a close. Our planet is a pretty place and keeping it that way is very important to caring organizations like the Arbor Day Foundation. Focused on protecting our world by educating people on reducing carbon footprints and learning the value of trees, their mission is one we can’t help but to respect.
If you’re thinking of doing some last-minute fall planting or waiting until the spring, the Arbor Day Foundation can be your guide. Their website is full of tips on what to plant and how to do it. Still hesitant about taking the gardening plunge? We promise you, they keep it simple. You can even buy trees on their site, making your money work harder. When you purchase products through their foundation, you support environmental preservation.
Free trees? Yes, please!
Have the yard space for, say, 10 trees? With a $10 membership donation, the Arbor Day Foundation will ship 10 free trees to your home. Yes, 10! That’s $1 per tree, which is super savvy on your part. They’ll even ship you trees that are native to your planting zone. Just put in your zip code, and the correct plantings will pop up with a robust list. Get enthused about the environment, invest in planet Earth, and—wait for it—watch that investment grow.
Members have it made in the shade
Once you become a member of the Arbor Day Foundation, you’ll benefit from significant discounts on any tree from privacy evergreens to flowering plants. They have a gorgeous selection of beautiful botanicals that will surely enhance your home. Not only that, planting trees and shrubs provides a shelter for birds and other cute critters. If you’re looking for florals that attract pollinators, certain varieties of hydrangeas bring out the butterflies and bumblebees. Those little guys need our help in this world, so why not plant a few of these fabulous shrubs. They bloom for months and make everyone a little happier—including our sweet winged wonders.
If you need to add more fruit in your diet and, like many of us, dislike going to the market, try planting a fruit tree! Plus, if you live in a warmer climate, then your yard is destined for some fruity goodness. Planting an apple, pear, or peach tree will save you money on your grocery bill and benefit the environment.
Deciduous and coniferous for the rest of us
Totally unsure about how to plan your plantings? the Arbor Day Foundation offers free landscape design sketches on their site. And if you’ve ever gotten an estimate from a landscaping company, you know that this is kind of spectacular. Study their suggestions and get to work! And don’t worry. You can do it!
And…pssst….before you plant, be a smart gardener and make sure your call your local dig-safe place. Remember, we want to save the earth, not combust it, capisce?
Branching out and extending kindness to nature, your health, and future generations just feels great. To learn more about trees and the unexpected ways they do us good, take advantage of the interesting information on the Arbor Day Foundation website. Oh, and keep smiling, sunshine.