Elaine & I Planting River Birch Trees

This picture was taken on April 15, 2006 right after we had planted 3 (2-trunk) River Birch trees where our old Purple Ash was located. The challenge was not the planting but rather, the cutting out the old Ash root system. The chain saw was a help but it was still a big job. The Birches have now been though 7 growing seasons and are over 30 feet high. Having a flower bed around the trees helps them grow faster, mainly because of the extra water that is put on the flowers and secondly, no grass competition.  The cooling unit of the Air Conditioner and the yellow water hose have both been replaced. The spade and shovel that we are holding are still with us. The spade goes back to my days of working at Nebraska Nurseries but we bought the shovel new about 30 years ago. While spades and shovels  generally depreciate over time, the Birch trees keep getting more valuable.
 (PS) Elaine says she still has the same blouse and I still have the same shirt.
Happy Arbor Day