My Sept/Oct article for Richmond, Virginia’s Chesterfield Living, West Ends Best, and Hanover Lifestyles is about trees. Why are they important? What role do they play in the environment? How are trees best used in landscape design?

Some of my favorite childhood memories are of our yard, trees, and garden. Among others, we had two mimosa trees that seemed enormous to me at the time. From my adult perspective I suppose they would actually look small. But such is the innocence of experience from a child’s perspective. Everything is novel and special! Those trees were just the right climbing size for us little ones. Their puffy pink flowers are still today quite the stunner, and they attracted busy hummingbirds to amaze. My friends and I used to make mud pies with the tiny mimosa leaves, pods, and seeds.

Mimosa trees will always hold a soft spot in my heart. Some people are not so fond of them and I suppose they have their drawbacks in the landscape. Because of my fond childhood memories, I’ll always love them!

Is there a favorite tree from your childhood memory? I’ll bet there is! I remember enjoying this poem as a little girl, with its stirring ideas and imagery. Does it bring back memories for you?

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

“Trees,” by Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918)

Photo Credit: Tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) at Maymont, Richmond, Virginia. Cover photo of Remarkable Trees of Virginia, by Nancy Ross Hugo and Jeff Kirwan; photograph by Robert Llewellyn. All rights reserved.