Winter is finally over and Spring has arrived! The grass is turning green, tulips are blooming, and pear, cherry, dogwood and redbud trees are displaying their Spring grandeur.
Speaking of trees, we love our trees in Derby! For the 29th time, Derby has been awarded the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA award. Derby also received the Foundations Growth Award for the 13th time. Anyone who drives throughout the city can see how important trees are to our urban forest and landscape.
To assist residents with their trees and shrubs selection at home, the Parks and Urban Forestry Board is proud to provide the 2022 Tree and Shrub List and Planting Guide. This guide provides tree and shrub recommendations for our area and as well as planting tips to give plantings the best possible opportunity to grow and thrive in this Kansas climate. The new guides are available at City Hall, Library, Public Works and DerbyKS.com/trees. You can find past planting guides on the webpage as well. The guides are updated every three years.
We will celebrate Arbor Day during the Spring into Art event on April 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Madison Avenue Central Park. We will plant a tree in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day.
Joe Loflin, Parks Superintendent, will hand out 300 redbud and lacebark elm saplings to attendees to take home and plant. Bonnie Thieme, Horticulturalist, will be having fun helping our younger attendees plant small marigolds in biodegradable cups for them take home.
There will also be a Sprig the Squirrel sighting at Spring Into Art! Sprig, the popular Parks Department mascot, has come out of hibernation and will available for pictures with those of all ages.
We look forward to seeing you on April 24! Happy Spring!
Steve White
Director of Parks
Published in The Derby Informer on April 20, 2022.