Mary Ann Miron, Waller County Master Gardener
Recently I was reminded about honoring friends and loved ones with trees at a funeral for a close family friend. That took me back to 2010 when my mother-in-law sent two very dried out branches from a Rose of Sharon bush that had belonged to her husband who had just passed away from a long battle with Lymphoma. She wanted us to have a memory of him, knew that I had always admired the flowers, and thought that I could grow it. My skills were average with reviving plants, but only if there was a hint of green on the stem. Since her English was limited, my husband told me to just smile and say thanks if she ever asked about it. He put them in a bucket which was then hidden by another plant. Several months later I was cleaning out that area. The bucket had water in it from the rains we had and those branches had little leaves coming out of them much to my surprise. I planted it in front of the house, and in a year grew 6 feet tall which is NOT common for that bush. It was said that “Dad” was taking care of it and wanted to make sure we would think of him every time we passed by it.
In the following years, we lost several family members and friends, and I usually gave branches from that bush to those who wanted something in memory of that person. There are currently Rose of Sharon Memorial Bushes growing in Missouri for my Uncle Dave, in the Dallas area for my cousin Randy, for several friends throughout Texas, and for an employee at Krause Elementary in Brenham. There were well over three hundred branches given out before we had to move the bush due to space. We thought the terrible freeze killed it until several months had passed by before a sprout started back up. Unfortunately, the goats thought it was for them and destroyed the bush.
Trees are not only used for memorials, but also for special events: Births, weddings, purchase of a new home, etc. We know that two trees in our yard were purchased by a neighbor for the original owners when they built this house so we know exactly how old they are. Some people take pictures by trees with their family for special events, and you can see how much they have grown through time.
You can gift the tree by giving branches from specific types, seedlings, saplings, or even through various organizations that will plant them in national forests.
By gifting a tree, you not only honor a special person but provide connections between people and nature, improve air quality, provide beauty to the landscape, help control soil erosion, and provide habitats for wildlife. Being around trees can have a positive impact on your mood and general sense of well-being.
October and November are perfect times to plant trees/shrubs before the year ends. The Waller County Master Gardeners currently have an online sale for trees, shrubs, etc. Orders can be placed at txmg.org/wallermg from now until October 5 at 5 p.m. You can pick up your order at the Community Christian Academy located at 1016 6th Street in Hempstead on October 25th from 8 am until 11 am. If you cannot be there for the delivery date, check with a friend who might be able to pick your items up for you. (Note: The Prime Ark Blackberry, Mexican White Oaks, and Texas Lilac Vitex have been sold out.)