Vickie and Walt Wolanski always knew they had an extraordinary tree in their front yard, but now it’s been made official.
The longtime Northglenn residents were awarded this month with the city’s magnificent tree award, a tribute to the massive hackberry that towers over their home on Emery Road. Northglenn recognizes a magnificent tree in the community each year, a tradition since 2006.
The Wolanskis have pruned, primped and nurtured the tree since moving into their house in 1973, Vickie Wolanski said. Since then, it’s survived more than a few close calls, she said. In the mid-1980s, their son, Ivan, attempted to chop it down after he heard about the famous story of George Washington and the cherry tree in school, she said.
“Unfortunately, he retained that part of the story, but forgot about the moral, which is not lying,” Wolanski said. “I was hysterical because we had worked so hard on that tree.”
The hackberry tree, which was probably planted in the early 1960s, has always needed a little extra TLC. The Wolasnkis gives it extra water to keep it looking healthy, even during the winter months.
“I didn’t know a thing about hackberrys until we moved here,” Wolanski said. “But I learned to keep it watered very well. The sprinklers alone won’t do the job.”
The hard work has ultimately paid off, she said.
“I couldn’t get shade on the front porch until 9 in the morning when we first moved in,” Wolanski said. “Now it gives shade until 3 p.m. or so. It was a good choice by whoever decided to plant it. It’s really benefitted us nicely over the years.”
A group of volunteer judges selects a magnificent tree each August in Northglenn, said Jenni Murphy, the city’s community outreach coordinator. The winner receives a discount on their water bill in September, she said.
Joey Kirchmer: 303-954-2650 or jkirchmer@denverpost.com
