The sun was shining brightly on Saturday, April 24, 2021, when Sustainable Saratoga celebrated our community’s resilience and hope for the future by planting trees at the homes of 15 excited Saratogian families. This most recent outing by our fabulous volunteers brings the total number of Tree Toga plantings to 270 trees since 2014.

We had to take into account COVID-19 precautions, and do things differently this year. At previous Tree Togas, we gathered our 100 or so volunteers for camaraderie and orientation before dispersing them around town to the planting sites. This year, we were grateful that we could depend on our most experienced lead planters to meet the Tree Hosts directly at their home. These small crews planted trees that will be nurtured and cared for by the homeowners for all to enjoy for generations to come.

Photos from the planting day, including our youngest planter and planters young at heart.

Peggy Brown, long-time Tree Toga volunteer, and part of a three-generation team who planted a Tree Toga tree this year, shared these thoughts:

I’ve been involved with Tree Toga for several years and have planted with friends, family, and neighbors all around Saratoga. For all of us, it is so much fun to see the trees grow and really add to the community. To me, the trees feel like a legacy that will live on and give back to us. But this year in particular, with all that the world has been through, planting a tree seems even more important. Planting is a hopeful act, and a sign of rebirth and resilience after a dark time.

Spring is a great time to plant your own tree. So why not join Tree Toga in spirit by planting one in your own yard, and sharing a picture of your new tree using the hashtag #NextGenTree? Sustainable Saratoga recommends planting a variety of trees native to our local forests, as well as a few of those from the wider region, that are adapted to our soils and climate and provide food and shelter for a variety of insects and wildlife. CLICK HERE for a wealth of practical information on choosing, buying, planting and caring for trees.

Hopefully our next Tree Toga will again be an event open to the entire community of tree-loving volunteer planters. We hope to see you there! 

Sign up to request a Tree Toga tree from your yard.

Four generations of family will enjoy hosting the tree they planted.