~ September 17, 2025

Last week we had the joy of watching our partnership with the Roselle Park District grow in a new and meaningful way. After seasons of planning, mapping, and planting, we returned to Roselle to continue building on that canopy together. We had the pleasure of being part of the hands-on work of planting them alongside the community.

Volunteers gathered, shovels in hand and smiles on their faces. Neighbors came with gloves, and the park district staff welcomed everyone. One by one, trees were laid out across the park and given a new home in the soil. White Oak, Swamp White Oak, Red Jewel Crabapple, and Jefferson American Elm was the palette carefully chosen to beautify Chatburg Park! Roselle Park District has been planting SGN trees these past few years and their commitment to shade, beauty, and resilience for the next generation of Roselle families is commendable.

We like to say that at Spring Grove Nursery, we grow healthy trees, deep roots, and strong communities. Participating in planting projects, especially ones that are volunteer-led, is one of our favorite things to do! We are able to get connected to the communities in which our trees are planted and help cultivate that connection with local tree enthusiasts; connection to the land, to each other, and to a shared vision of their parks and hometown that will grow and thrive for generations to come.

Heading home later that morning we left with a renewed sense of gratitude – for the work we do, the chance to grow trees, and for the people who showed up with the energy and enthusiasm to make it possible, one tree at a time! These trees planted in Chatburg Park don’t just belong to the Park District or to us as the growers; they belong to the whole community that came together to plant them! The canopy in Roselle is filling in season by season, volunteer by volunteer, tree by tree. And with each planting day, we’re reminded that the strongest roots aren’t just the ones underground, they’re the ones we grow in community.

~ Maggie Thomas Harper