Wesson’s Youth Garden Club -- the Butterbeans -- learned how to properly plant trees and shrubs and pot bulbs in an Arbor Day celebration last month at Wesson’s Splash Park and pavilion. The Butterbeans, including third, fourth, fifth, and sixth graders, planted six trees -- red buds, a flowering crabapple and sweet olive -- and forsythia and spirea shrubs. Two of the trees, which will be dedicated in the near future, memorialize Belle Cowen and Dottie Mercier, recently deceased Wesson residents who were active members of the Wesson Garden Club.
After their gardening experience, the Butterbeans enjoyed refreshments and a story time at Dumps BBQ Restaurant. Wesson Garden Club members talked to the group about the importance of trees in the environment and the many products made from trees. In a reading of Celebrations in My World: Arbor Day by Lynn Peppas, the Butterbeans learned that Arbor Day was first celebrated in the United States in Nebraska in 1854, was founded by American Julius Sterling Morton and spread to other states and countries around the world.
Children participating in the celebration took home bulbs to plant at their homes and received wooden hearts to decorate and give to a love one for Valentine's Day.
Garden Club members involved in the Arbor Day celebration were Beverly King, Pam Owens, Jennifer Peets, Debbie Smith, Lisa Smith, Nancy Sullivan and Dixie Thornton. The Town of Wesson’s Public Works Department dug the holes for the trees in the park and a Lowe’s Community Partner Grant helped make it possible for the Club to purchase materials.
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