Memorial Gardens Bloom Across the Country

Across the United States, in schools, town squares, sports fields, and elsewhere, people have been planting memorial gardens to remember those who died or were injured in last year’s terrorist attacks. Among them are countless Liberty Gardens that have been planted as part of the Great American Cleanup, a project of Keep America Beautiful, a nonprofit group in Stamford, Conn.

The organization suggests that the Liberty Gardens have a flag, but other than that doesn’t try to dictate how the gardens should be planted.

Gail Cunningham, vice president of Keep America Beautiful, says a wide

range of gardens have been planted. “It goes from a very small window box at an elementary school to a red, white, and blue garden with a little falls to acres and acres of gardens with stone walls and fountains.” (Shown here are Liberty Gardens in Gainesville, Fla., at top, and in Memphis.)

Many of the gardens were dedicated on Memorial Day, and many more will be dedicated next week, on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Still more are just being planted.

Another nonprofit group, American Forests, is coordinating the planting of thousands of memorial trees for the victims of the attacks. The trees will be planted in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania this fall, starting with a coral burst crabapple at Yankee Stadium. The tree, which will be near center field, was chosen because it doesn’t grow very tall and will not obstruct the view from the bleachers but it will blossom every spring, says Rachel Brittin, director of communications.

The trees and the gardens are an important way to help people heal and memorialize the lives lost, says Ms. Cunningham. “We believe the creation and dedication of the gardens addresses a national need to express our feelings,” she explains. “They capture a renewed spirit of hopefulness and pride that America represents.”