Keep Noblesville Beautiful handed out 200 tulip seedlings for free on Arbor Day. KNB’s Dan Gaither said the organization began offering seedlings on Arbor Day back in 2008. Since then, Gaither said the organization has given away 1,400 redbud, oak and hickory trees.
“It doesn’t take long. We usually run out by noon,” Gaither said of the giveaway, which begins at 10 a.m. “We try to do a different tree each year. It’s always a tree native to Indiana.”
Gaither said KNB has wanted to provide tulip trees for a while because it is the state tree of Indiana, but the nursery has been sold out the past couple years.
“They thrive in our environment,” he said. “They’re naturally adaptive to Indiana’s weather changes.”
The trees are offered for free thanks to a grant from the Hamilton County Master Gardener Association. The Noblesville Tree Board also handed out 200 white dogwood seedlings. KNB uses the event to get the word out about membership.
“Several people don’t know we exist,” Gaither said. “Some are aware of us and know about the cleanup blitz.”
On May 19, KNB will host its 2012 Spring Blitz – the annual time members roll up their sleeves and help our neighbors, showing the group’s commitment to “Keep Noblesville Beautiful.” This year’s Spring Blitz neighborhood is bordered by North, 10th, Evans and 16th streets.
Keep Noblesville Beautiful, in cooperation with the Noblesville Street Department, City Hall, Hamilton County Master Gardener Association and IDNR Tree Stewards conducted its fifth neighborhood cleanup blitz in 2011. At that time, volunteers assisted 36 homes in the designated area, provided removal of more than 240 yards of trash, filled a box truck from DAO Recycling with reclaimed materials and removed several old trees that were becoming hazardous.
Those interested in volunteering can contact KNB at keepnoblesvillebeautiful.org or [email protected]. Sign in is 8 to 8:30 a.m. May 19, and volunteers can work a half or full day cleaning up the city. Lunch and materials will be provided, but volunteers can also bring their own.