During National Garden Week (June 1-7) gardeners, who have a passion for nurturing the beauty and resources of the earth, acknowledge the importance of gardening and the numerous contributions of gardeners. This year in honor of National Garden Week, Lucile MacLennan, Betty Floyd, Betty White and Rita Donato presented a Lucile MacLennan Maple tree to Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., who was thrilled with the approximately 3 feet tall tree, as it was a beautiful specimen. This maple was one more added to his pledge of planting 10,000 trees in our city during his administration. The tree has been planted at Hampton Park and can be seen across from the main entrance to The Citadel behind the “Welcome to Hampton Park” sign.
Lucile Gaines MacLennan, who has been an active member of The Garden Club of Charleston for 47 years, contributed the Lucile Maple Tree which has a history of its own. It is a “descendent” of maples planted in the 1890’s at 2 Meeting Street, the childhood home of Sallie Carrington Chaney, friend and mentor to Lucile. Since planting maples in her own garden, Lucile has shared countless seedlings with others and took great pleasure in presenting Mayor Riley the maple tree.