March 22, 2020 – Memorial Tree Update

If it continues with the healthy growth it exhibited after a seemingly slow start last year, the still small Memorial Tree of Felton Covered Bridge Park should be happy now, in its fifth season. It was pruned, groomed and relieved of weeds last Friday. Its first dose of fertilizer will be applied today, before fresh new foliage starts to develop. New binding should remain until autumn.

The last update for the Memorial Tree was on August 10. An update regarding its horticultural concerns posted earlier this morning on my other blog, where this post will be reblogged to. This little tree has certainly been through some difficult times. It is gratifying to see that it is recovering and doing well. As it grows, it becomes more resilient and less susceptible to damage.

The Memorial Tree is actually the fourth tree to be planted on its spot since Felton Covered Bridge Park was developed. That is a long story that I wrote about earlier. Although the original oak was not a memorial tree, all of the surrounding redwood that were installed with the rest of the landscape are memorial trees that were sponsored by family and friends of the deceased.

There was no intention for this little oak to become a Memorial Tree when it was installed to replace the three trees that had preceded it. At the time, we were contemplating a location for a Memorial Tree for Jeff Scofield who had passed away the previous spring. Ultimately, the still new oak became designated as the Scofield Tree. Its species and location are so appropriate!

Shortly afterward, a lifelong friend of Mr. Scofield also passed away. Before we could dedicate another Memorial Tree, another friend passed away! The little oak became the collective Memorial Tree for those who lack Memorials.