Nearly 200 New Trees Coming to Overton Park
Overton Park certainly has its share of incredible trees. From hundred-year-old tulip poplars in the Old Forest to the majestic magnolias around the formal gardens, there’s no shortage of beautiful colors and textures to enjoy year-round.
Of course, there’s plenty of room for more! As some older trees near the end of their lifecycles, and others fall victim to occasional weather events, gaps are created in the landscape. Next week, you’ll begin to see some of those gaps filled in, thanks to the generosity of several park lovers.
Planting will begin Tuesday on nearly 200 new trees and shrubs thanks to funding by The Miriam and Ernest Kelly Family Foundation and individual members of the Kelly family. A diverse mix–including five varieties of magnolias, three types of maples, and five different oaks–is being provided at a generously discounted cost by Greg Touliatos & Associates. Landscape designer Tom Pellett donated his expertise by touring the park and selecting planting locations for each different variety. His planting plan–shown below–takes into consideration everything from the historic placement of trees in the park, to available water levels at specific locations, to how the trees’ fall colors will create a beautiful palette when viewed as a whole.
If you’d like to be a part of the planting, we’ll be hosting a volunteer event on Saturday, December 15 from 10:00am – noon. Beginning at Overton Bark, we’ll be planting bottlebrush buckeye, a beautiful native flowering shrub. Bring work gloves and a shovel if you have them. For more information and to RSVP, please email [email protected].
Below is a general outline of which varieties of trees will be planted throughout the park, with multiple trees and groves indicated in parentheses. Click on the image below to see a larger version.
