Promote wellbeing: plant a tree
Apr 22, 2025 11:17AM ● By Cassie Goff
Krauter Vesuvius was the first to sell out for the Cottonwood Heights Sapling Sale. In spring, the tree bursts with profuse pale pink to white flowers, while its deep purple leaves provide season-long interest. Their compact size and adaptability to various soils make them a good choice for urban Utah environments. (Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Heights)
Continuing celebrations for the city of Cottonwood Heights 20th birthday this year (being incorporated on Jan. 14, 2005), the city council recognized Arbor Day as the first Proclamation of 2025. This follows a handful of spring time traditions for the city.
Proclamation 2025-01: Celebrating Arbor Day was recognized and dated by the city council April 1 during their council meeting at 7 p.m. Councilmember Suzanne Hyland read the proclamation. Residents of Cottonwood Heights were encouraged to celebrate Arbor Day on April 25, for the 20th year in a row.
“In 1872, J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of trees.” The first observed Arbor Day resulted “with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska.”
“To celebrate Arbor Day 2025, the city council…. desires to express its support for… the related activities… including a community tree sale event and planting of any surplus trees on city property.”
The council and staff are excited to “plant trees to gladden the heart and promote the well-being of the city’s current and future residents.”
This year, Cottonwood Heights continued a newer tradition with the recurrence of the Community Tree Sale, making it the second annual Sapling Sale after a successful event last year. Saplings were purchased at a discounted price from a local gardener ahead of time, and then sold to residents at cost.
City residents were able to pre-order and pick up a youngster tree from city hall (2277 Bengal Blvd.) on Saturday, April 26. Sapling choices included flowering pear trees, silver linden trees, Princess Diana serviceberry trees, and crimson sunset maple trees.
Whitmore Library, just finishing its 50th birthday celebrations, joins Cottonwood Heights in the Arbor Day and spring time celebrations with their Seed Library.
Visitors to Whitmore (2197 Fort Union Blvd.) can utilize the seed library just like any book library. Seeds can be picked up, taken home, planted, and grown into vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers. When it’s time to harvest the seeds closer to fall, return them so the next person can check them out next year.
“We want people to be thinking about harvesting seeds for this to be a self-sustaining project,” said Branch Manager Maggie Mills on April 1.
Radish, squash, lettuce, pea, tomato, and more miscellaneous seeds are available free of charge at supporting Salt Lake County library branches, while supplies last.
Continuing one more annual tradition, Cottonwood Heights has partnered with Utah Rivers Council to offer discounted rain barrels to local residents as part of their Rain Harvest program. Rain barrels allow for rain water to be harvested at home, which is legal in Utah, to help reduce demand on municipal water systems.
Residents can order their rain barrels for $57 through the Rain Water Solutions website. Address verification will be required to receive the discount. After purchase, rain barrels will need to be picked up on Saturday, May 10.
To read our previous coverage of the Cottonwood Heights 20th birthday celebrations, visit the “Recapping 20 years of Cottonwood Heights history” story in the February edition of the City Journal. This, and our other stories, can also be accessed by visiting our website at: www.cottonwoodheightsjournal.com.
