Nebraska
Gardens - An Historical Vignette
Originally
called "the Great Desert" and part of
the province of Louisiana ,the roots of Nebraska history
run back over 300 years to the struggle between France,
Spain, and England for possession of the Mississippi Valley.
Contrary to popular notion, Nebraska is a state rich with
natural flora. Many wild species of flowers abound with
some 300 native species including lilies, buttercups,
violets, evening primroses, poppies, mallows, cacti, lupines,
pentstemons, prairie clover, sunflowers, goldenrod, and
roses. Goldenrod was made the state flower by legislative
act in 1895.
You wouldn't know now that Nebraska once lacked trees.
The idea of setting aside a specific day on which to plant
trees was proposed in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton, an early
Nebraska City settler with an avid interest agriculture.
April 22nd, his birthday was made the official day. In
1923, Arbor Lodge, the Morton mansion and park of 65 acres
was bestowed to the state as a memorial to J. Sterling
Morton in 1923. Arbor Lodge is now visited yearly by many
thousands of people who delight in its magnificent trees
and shrubs.
Bibliography
and Acknowledgments
Shown: Goldenrod ( Soldiago
gigantea )
