A pair of mature shade trees in our circle of houses died two years after we moved in. A perky fig shrub gifted to me by a friend did fine for several years after that, then died. Then I saw this post on Facebook: "Visit Dunbar Garden for a free tree this Saturday (Sept. 26)."

Well, why not? I thought.

Dunbar Garden, 1720 S. Chester St., Little Rock, is a three-acre teaching space by the Dunbar Community Center in downtown Little Rock. It provides educational opportunities for healthy living, environmental stewardship, and sustainable urban agriculture while growing fresh produce for the community.

"Planting a tree is one of those small acts that has many benefits--shading our homes and sidewalks, improving air quality around busy streets, and improving the urban environment for folks who will live here long after us," according to the Facebook post. "Come pick out a tree, say hello, and help us put down a few more roots in the neighborhood."

A visit to the garden netted us two tall, skinny saplings. One is a sycamore, said to be valuable for quick growth and attractive white bark, hardy in Zones 4-9 (central........

© Arkansas Online