Pictured from left to right: Sean Payne, Sam Shedd, Nina Bendo, Logan Salanger, Emma Tucker, Anatole and Lucient de Nevers, Eli Majors, Jude Scanlon, Odin Cridge, Alison Pangborn, Nyasa Williams, Mai Siwinski, Ian Bryant, Nick MacNaughton.
Mills Rose Garden wins second prize
All-America Rose Selections (AARS, rose.org) announced the winners of America's Best Rose Garden Competition 2010. After an admirable journey of restoration and community support, the historic San Jose Municipal Rose Garden has been awarded the title of "America's Best Rose Garden" in the All-America Rose Selections' national competition, which garnered over 21,000 votes from rose garden lovers across the nation.
Two New York State gardens rounded out the top three spots, as Dr. E.M. Mills Memorial Rose Garden of Syracuse was deemed the runner-up, while Central Park Rose Garden of Schenectady earned third place in this year's competition. Winners were determined by total votes from visitors and rose enthusiasts, overall garden condition, and community programs, including tours and volunteers days that engage visitors and promote each respective garden. Kudos to the many volunteers, visitors and parks personnel who earned this award!
If you take the short walk or drive in Thornden Park between the Greenwood Place and Beech Street entrances you will notice that a series of new trees has been planted along the sides of the road. On Saturday November 7th a group of 13 SUNY ESF students along with several community volunteers and the Thornden Park Association Board gathered in the pool parking lot at 9AM to plant 6 approximately 10 ft. tall bare root maple trees and 6 potted oaks of smaller size. The planting project was inspired and motivated by a continuing awareness of the diminishing tree population in Thornden Park and a desire to restore the canopy according to its original historical landscape. Heeding a previous informative and helpful consultation by Chris Capella Peters from the State Historic Preservation Organization (SHPO) and Brian Liberti our recent former arborist for the City of Syracuse, planting these particular species of trees in linear formation respected the park’s historical integrity and original landscape design.
As the saying goes, “Many hands make light the work”. In just one hour’s time our group of volunteers accomplished the job. We gathered together once again before going separate ways to view the sight of newly planted and mulched trees which a neighbor of mine once aptly described to me as “flags of pride.”
Even though the planting is done the story however is not yet complete. The Thornden Park Association has experienced somewhat of a discouraging history of a poor survival rate in comparison to the numbers of trees we have planted over the years. There are several possible reasons for this lack of survival, but we have realized that when a person “adopts a tree” for as long as possible up to three years, that tree has a much better chance of surviving and thriving. Therefore I would like to take hold of this opportunity to say in all earnestness that we need your help by volunteering to adopt a tree to help ensure that it will grow. Caring for a tree does not need to include any more than the very basics of weeding, mulching and most importantly regular watering from spring through the beginning of the fall. If you are interested in adopting a tree, please feel free contact me at either dwellman4@verizon.net or 877-2147. I will acknowledge your interest and then get back to you in the spring of 2010.
I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the SUNY ESF students and friends of Thornden Park who showed up on the early side of a Saturday morning and got the job done. What an exhilarating experience to visualize these trees growing into stately maturity and to imagine the positive impact they will have on the environment and beauty of the park giving back so much to us all for years and years to come!
Over the past 25 years the Thornden Park Association, in partnership with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Youth Services, has been working to address Thornden Park’s mature tree canopy. Many of these old trees date back to when the Thornden was transformed from a private estate to a public park in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
For many reasons the survival rate of the trees we have planted has not been good. This year we are asking residents to help in our effort to ensure that more of the young trees survive. Our dream is for each young tree to receive tender loving care for the first five years if its life.
This week children, in grades 1 through 3, from Thornden’s Discovery Camp joined in this effort. They removed the sod from around a sugar maple, replaced it with mulch, and carried gallons of water to place in the “gator” that we placed around their tree.
Pink ribbons tied on the trees indicate they are being loved. Thank you to Ellen Somers, Andy and Amy Ford, Miranda and Jonas Hine, Grace Flusche, Dale Avers and the Discovery Camp children. If you would like to take care of a tree call Miranda Hine, 478-5164 or e-mail miranda@twcny.rr.com.