{I realize I’ve been on a bit of a flora and fauna kick of late…I get this way when spring is upon us, I’m antsy for Spring’s arrival, how about you?.}  

It’s Arbor Day {week} in California, March 7-12.  Does it seem odd to anyone besides me that Arbor Day {week} is held on different days, depending on the state you reside in?

Bottom line, I’m a huge fan of trees, always have been.  I grew up living on a 4 lane street lined with Maple trees.  It would have been ideal had it been a 2 lane road but I do recall loving the trees and the seasonal change to the landscape they brought.

When my landscape partner and I started our Blooming Borders business some years ago, we found ourselves waging battle (always subtle and subdued) with our clients to keep the trees they had.  More than once we lost the fight and we were sad to supervise the removal of old Sycamore or Alder trees—taken out to allow more light into the yard or to avoid the “messy leaf cleanup” in autumn. Many in our community keep their trees trimmed to roof height to comply with the community Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs). This rule usually stems from view issues of one kind or another.

Our son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter recently moved into a home in Austin that enjoys a tree-house feel thanks to the many trees on their lot…

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~Austin, Texas~

*Note: these pictures were taken in the heat of summer just after the kids bought the home.  The seller had decided to skip watering the yard while the house was listed…really?!  Fortunately, the yard is so much prettier now that the kids have done some yard clean-up, and Austin has had some beneficial rain this past winter.

…the Hotel Saint Cecilia in Austin value the historic trees on the grounds of this lovely hotel located in Austin’s South Congress District…

I have kept all of the trees on our postage sized lot and they provide shade in the summer and a pleasant back drop for our suburban tract house…

My favorite communities have an abundance of trees.  Palos Verdes, California, parts of Marin County, California, Bainbridge Island, Washington and my own community here in Irvine, all seem more inviting and lovely for their abundance of mature trees.

There is a park across the street from our home and the mature trees there break up the monotony of house after cookie-cutter house, not to mention the birthday parties, soccer practices, and sand lot playground they shade.

About a mile down the road is a community park that offers a stream and plenty of trees.  There’s even a Nature Center offering programs on the local flora and fauna.

Aside from the aesthetic, trees benefit a community by cleansing the air, even pollutants are partially controlled by trees.  In one study of an urban park, tree cover was found to remove 48 lbs of particulates, 9 lbs of nitrogen dioxide, 6 lbs of sulfur dioxide and 1/2 lb. carbon monoxide.

Mostly, I just love the beauty trees provide around a house.  To make my point on this Arbor Day {week}, here are a few lovely examples…

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In California our official tree is the Redwood…

Happy Arbor Day, or week.  I hope you’ll take a moment to enjoy the trees in your neck of the woods.