May 25 – 26, 2019 – Memorial trees are the focus at this years 57th Memorial Day celebration at Watters Garden Center. More and more homeowners are planting a tree to celebrate the birth of a grandchild, mark a wedding, remember those from the past or a pet at final rest in the back yard, but not all trees are created equal when it comes to mountain landscapes.
No matter which month commemorates that special someone, during the week leading up to Memorial Day, Watters is featuring the perfect trees for Memorial Day. For example, the tree for a May memorial is the locally famous Purple Robe Locust. Covered with Wisteria purple flowers, it’s known for its longevity, deep summer shade, fire-wise stature, and low water use.
“We chose twelve trees the commemorate each month of the year and look their absolute best in that month. If you want a mountain hardy tree that looks it’s best the month you want to remember your loved one, then this is the right Memorial tree list for you,” says Lisa Watters-Lain, owner of Watters Garden Center.
Here are the trees chosen for each month. See all 12 on Watters Pinterest Board.
May – Purple Robe Locust (Robinia) Grows just about anywhere it’s planted. A fast-growing tree that thrives in tough, barren, even sandy, soils. You can count on hundreds of purple wisteria-like flowers to cover this tree every Mother’s Day, filling the yard with a heavenly scent that is bound to bring back memories – more on Purple Robe Locust.
June – Golden Locust (Gleditsia) is proven as a hardy street and shade tree, being fast-growing, heat and drought tolerant, and well-suited for the demands of mountain landscapes. It grows with an open, spreading canopy with attractive, elegant, somewhat weeping foliage. The ‘Sunburst’ variety is thornless, a versatile small to medium size, and is distinctive for its color – bright yellow shoots turning to yellow-green and yellow autumn colors – more on Sunburst Honey Locust.
July – Mountain Magnolia ( Magnolia grandiflora) Its lustrous, leathery foliage is a rich, dark green topside and cinnamon brown underneath. Large, 5-6” creamy white flowers are exotically fragrant. A hardy magnolia that transplants well and does not lose as many leaves as other varieties, it exhibits evergreen-like cold tolerance — more on Magnolia Trees.
This Memorial Day Watters will be open with events for the entire weekend to recognize the lives of loved ones, past and present. On Saturday, we are partnering with United Animal Friends to show dogs and cats seeking adoption.
Watters Garden Center is a locally owned garden center celebrating Memorial Day in this unique way for the past 57 years.