Ever wonder about some of those trees that are neighborhood landmarks, or have unusual foliage, beautiful flowers?  Come join your neighbors for a walking tour of some of the special trees that grace Crown Hill’s private yards and public spaces. You’ll see remnants of an old orchard sprawled across what are now multiple single family lots, trees that rank among Seattle’s largest for their species, including a few recorded nowhere else in the City, and many other significant neighborhood trees.  Arthur Lee Jacobson, author of Trees of Seattle and Wild Plants of Greater Seattle, and a renowned local expert will lead our walking tour of some of the interesting trees in Crown Hill.

The walk begins at 9 AM, on Saturday, September 11th, 2010. We’ll gather at the large oak tree at the corner of 13th Ave NW and NW 95th street by the Crown Hill Center (formerly Crown Hill Elementary School).  The walk will be about 90 minutes long, and will be conducted at a leisurely, family-friendly pace to allow all to participate. Please wear comfortable walking shoes.

This walking tour is one of the results of our recent project to conduct an inventory of the significant trees of Crown Hill,  funded in part by Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ Neighborhood Matching Fund grant .  We engaged Arthur Lee Jacobson’s services to identify and measure many of the trees we thought were significant. He pointed out many more trees, and gave us some of the cultural significance of the various trees. We will soon have a set of online maps available to allow you to create your own self-guided tours, and satisfy your curiosity about the trees growing in your neighborhood.

SPECIAL UPDATE:  Pipers Creek Nursery (at 3rd and Holman) will be giving away FREE conifer tree seedlings to the first 25 customers who have participated on our walk beginning at 11 AM on the day of the walk. Just stop in and bring along your handout from the walk. The seedlings are in one-gallon pots and the selection is first-come, first-served from among Shore Pine, Grand Fir, Subalpine Fir, Mountain Hemlock and Silver Fir.  Please stop by and see what they have to offer and pick up your seedling. Thanks to Alan Hensley of Pipers Creek Nursery for this generous offer.

After the walk, Small Faces Child Development Center will be dedicating their brand new play structure, and holding a 35th Anniversary celebration from 11 to 1. Come for the tree walk and stay to help Small Faces celebrate!