Members of the Ceres Garden Club recently observed Arbor Day in the new community garden located on the corner of Magnolia and Sixth streets in Ceres.

The Ceres ceremony included planting of a tree, proclamations and summaries of the benefits of planting, nurturing, and celebrating trees. Trees can reduce the erosion of topsoil, cut cooling and heating costs, clean the air, and provide habitat for wildlife. Trees are a renewable source giving us paper, wood for homes, fuel for fires, and countless other products. Trees in our city increase property values, enhance economic vitality of businesses, and beautify our community. The celebration concluded with a poem about trees and the planting of a bare root Eastern redbud tree.

Arbor Day has been observed worldwide since it originated in Nebraska in 1872 when J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of trees. The first Arbor Day resulted in the planting of more than a million trees. Many planting zones celebrate the day in April. Ceres planting zone is 9b so it was commemorated the first week of March.

Ceres Garden Club meets at 10 a.m. on the third Thursdays of the month (except for July and August) at the Ceres Community Center. All meetings include an educational presentation. All persons with an interest in trees and gardening are welcome to attend the meetings and join.