Ruth Denyer

Special to The Lake Report

My friends were looking for something meaningful to give me for my 60th birthday and, knowing my passion for trees, came up with the idea of planting one in Ryerson Park here in Niagara-on-the-Lake. 

So, ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce Tula, the tulip tree!

The tulip tree was chosen because it typically towers above the canopy, as it grows 35 metres tall (at over 6 feet tall myself, she will mimic the way I look in a crowd of people), will live about 500 years and both pollinators and birds love these trees due to the beautiful flowers that bloom on them in spring. 

Tula is not the most drought tolerant tree (her leaves will turn yellow during extreme drought), but I think it will give me a purpose in my old age as I stagger down the street with buckets of water to ensure she remains healthy and happy, leafy and green.  

I truly believe everyone should plant a long-lived gorgeous canopy tree to celebrate at least one major event in their life. 

I feel happy knowing that Tula will still be here several hundred years from now, witnessing history as it unfolds, providing shade and beauty for visitors to the park and sustenance for the pollinators. 

A big thank you goes to Shauna Press for skilfully handling the bureaucracy required to get this tree planted in Ryerson Park.