Despite the cold and rain Wednesday, six members of the Hill and Dale Garden Club planted a cherry tree at Frontier Park to commemorate Arbor Day.

This marks the tenth year that representatives from the club have gathered at Frontier Park on this special day to plant a tree, which now line the main entrance into the park from Meridian Avenue.

In past years the Hill and Dale have planted crab apple and plum trees, and most have rooted and survived.

As in years past, Frontier Park Director Erin Benedict also joined the ladies, and following what is also becoming part of the tradition, one of his Park and Recreation workers, Jason Rowland, dug the hole for the women.

Frontier Park Director Erin Benedict steadies the cherry tree as Hill and Dale members add fertilizer and soil.

Participating in the ceremony were Eatonville residents Mary Bewley and Kathy Smith, and Graham gardener Sheryll Slayton, while Lady Jo Peterson and Sylvie Howard came from Parkland and Jan Hurley from Edgewood.

The Hill and Dale Club is a consortium of nine, more localized gardening groups, such as the Dogwood Garden Club of Eatonville, Root and Bloom in Puyallup and Country Gardens in Graham.  All together, the Hill and Dale Club has over 270 members and is affiliated with the National Garden Clubs of America.

Standing next to their planting, Hill and Dale Garden Club members are, l-r, Lady Jo Peterson, Kathy Smith, Sheryll Slayton, Jason Rowland, Jan Hurley, Sylvie Howard and Mary Bewley.

 The Hill and Dale group has a strong commitment to community activities and their projects over the years have included planting 800 daffodils at the Orting Soldier’s Home, helping build ecologically enhanced rain gardens in Eatonville, and organizing the flower shows and contests in the Floral Pavilion at the annual Pierce County Fair in August.

 In addition, these gardeners have organized wreath –making projects that have raised considerable funds for their organization and they have also donated much time, money and gifts at senior centers, most notably the KATS Care adult facility in Parkland.

 For more information, contact Rosie Trujillo, President of the Hill and Dale Garden Club at http://www.wagardenclubs.com/washington_clubs .

©  2011  The Mountain News WA

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