Are You a Tree Hugger like me? The Benefits of PlantingTrees

Apr 25

One of my favorite things about spring is noticing all the trees springing to life. I’m especially drawn to all the gorgeous flowering trees that seemed to pop up overnight as if by magic.

We have the most amazing weeping cherry tree in our front yard whose blossoms 🌸 are so fleeting they require presence or you will miss them.

This tree looks equally as lovely during the day as it does in the evening. I’m sharing it with you today, in honor of Arbor Day.

Arbor Day originated in Nebraska in 1872. On the first Arbor Day, it is estimated that one million trees were planted in Nebraska. It then became a national holiday that today is recognized in all 50 states in the US, and several countries throughout the world.

Arbor Day shares the same objective as Earth Day of making our planet a better place for all living creatures but Arbor Day focuses on planting trees.

Arbor Day’s Mission:

“Inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees”

Close up of the blossoms. Iove the soft shades of pink and the bright, vibrant greens.

Why plant trees?

One of the most universal ways to help the environment is by planting trees. Not only are they beautiful to look at there are many benefits.

According to the Arbor Day website here are some of the benefits of trees:

Trees help clean our air and improve air quality
Increase mental health
Provide us with oxygen
Help clean our drinking water
Provide habitats for wildlife
Increase property values
Provide much-needed cooling
Reduce crime
Save energy on heating and cooling
Reduce climate change effects
Provide beauty

I love seeing the magnolia trees flowering. Their blossoms are so HUGE!

How to celebrate Arbor Day?

Plant trees in your own backyard.

First, research which type of tree would be the best fit for where you live and the amount of shade or sunlight in the specific area of your yard you plan to plant.

As you plant your tree, you can follow these steps to help it thrive: How to Plant A Tree the Right Way.

Donate to an organization that plants trees.

Besides planting your own tree, there are also many worthy organizations to support that plant trees throughout local and global communities. Click A Tree is one of those awesome organizations.

What makes Click A Tree so awesome? Two reasons: They plant trees in some of the most vulnerable places globally and they create jobs for locals by planting trees.

When you donate to Click A Tree, you have the option to plant trees for elephants in Thailand, Kenya, and India, trees for entrepreneurs in Ghana or trees for the seas in the Philippines and Madagascar. How cool is that?

Visit a nature center or community garden.

There are so many beautiful places in nature to explore and hands-on experiences are one of the best ways to learn about the environment.

Plant something small.

An alternative to planting a tree is planting something small like an indoor herb garden or patio planter. Every little bit of greenery helps!

Resources for Children (& adult children)

Teaching art in public schools for many years gave me a deep appreciation and love of picture books. They provide such a beautiful and expansive way to learn for both adults and children. I thought I would share a few of my favorite, amazingly beautiful books about trees with you.

Beautiful Picture Books about Trees:

The Lorax

The Tree Lady

Strange Trees

Listen to the Language of Trees

Tree: A Peek-Through Picture Book

Kate who Tamed the Wind

The Giving Tree

Enchanted Moment (left) & Looking Up (right) are available in the shop

In the end, we’re all sharing the same planet and it’s the only one we’ve got. I believe it’s worth caring for and I imagine you do too. Every little thing we do collectively contributes to keeping our planet beautiful, healthy, and productive. Maybe you will be inspired!