We’re excited to share a very special project that’s close to our hearts here at Del’s Garden Center. Together with the Clay County Fair, we’ve helped design Plant the Future— a 10-year tree planting plan that will restore beauty, shade, and natural spaces all across the Clay County Fairgrounds.
If you’ve ever walked the fairgrounds on opening day, you know how valuable a patch of shade can be. A single mature tree can cool a sidewalk or become a ritual meeting spot year after year. Plant the Future is all about creating more of those moments for generations to come.
What Is the “Plant the Future” Tree Initiative?
Plant the Future is a long-term, community-driven plan to add carefully selected trees throughout the fairgrounds over the next decade. The staff at Del’s Garden Center has worked hard to map out where new trees will bring the most benefit. Along walkways, near gathering spaces, around buildings, and in areas that need more color and life.
Every Tree – Individually Sponsored
- A $2,000 contribution plants one tree in a designated location on the fairgrounds.
- That same gift helps fund the care and maintenance the tree will need to thrive over the long term.
- Every donor will be honored on a new “Plant the Future” recognition wall, celebrating the people and families who chose to leave a living legacy.
This isn’t just about adding a few saplings and hoping for the best. It’s a thoughtful planting strategy designed to improve the fairgrounds’ shade, beauty, and environmental health year after year.
Why Trees Matter at the Fairgrounds
Trees do far more than look pretty in photos (although they certainly help with that too!).
At the fairgrounds, each newly planted tree will:
- Provide shade and comfort for visitors, vendors, and volunteers, especially on hot fair days.
- Create inviting gathering spots where families can pause, relax, and make memories together.
- Improve air quality and soil health, making the fairgrounds a greener, more sustainable place for future events.
- Add four-season beauty with blossoms in the spring, lush canopies in the summer, brilliant color in the fall, and graceful structure in winter.
For many people in our community, the fairgrounds are more than just an event space. For most, they’re a landmark full of traditions and stories. Planting trees there is a way to invest in that shared space so it continues to feel welcoming and vibrant for decades.
Del’s Garden Center’s Role: Growing a Lasting Legacy
At Del’s Garden Center, landscaping is our everyday passion.
Our team has helped:
- Select tree varieties just as we would for clients, which are well-suited to the fairgrounds’ soil, climate, and usage patterns.
- Design a long-term planting plan that balances shade, views, walkways, and building locations.
- Plan for ongoing care, something we make sure all our customers have, which includes proper planting, watering, pruning, and monitoring techniques as the trees mature.
When you donate to Plant the Future, you’re not just funding a tree purchase. You will help ensure that the right tree is planted in the right place, in the right way, so it can grow strong and healthy for years to come.
That’s the difference our team makes rather than simply planting a tree and truly growing a legacy.
How Your $2,000 Gift Makes a Difference
Every contribution at the $2,000 level sponsors one tree within the Plant the Future plan. Here’s what that gift represents:
- A living, named legacy – sponsored trees will be part of a carefully mapped “forest” across the fairgrounds. You’ll know that your generosity helped bring that particular tree to life in that specific spot.
- Professional planting and maintenance – From selecting the tree to planting it properly and caring for it over time, your gift supports the full process of helping that tree thrive.
- Recognition on the “Plant the Future” wall – Donors will be recognized on a new wall celebrating the individuals, families, and organizations who chose to invest in the future of the fairgrounds.
- Joy for future generations – Kids who visit the fair in ten, twenty, or thirty years might sit under “your” tree for a snack, a rest, or a photo with their family — and they may never know how far back that kindness stretches. But you will.
If you’re looking for a meaningful way to honor a loved one, celebrate a family milestone, or give back to a place you love, sponsoring a tree is a powerful option.
How You Can Get Involved
If you’d like to learn more about sponsoring a tree through the Plant the Future initiative, you can:
- Contact the Clay County Fair Charitable Trust for sponsorship details and giving options.
- Reach out to us here at Del’s Garden Center if you have questions or want to talk more
- Share this initiative with friends, family, and local organizations who care about the fairgrounds and might be interested in leaving a lasting legacy.
Whether you’re an individual or business, your support will help Plant the Future grow from a plan on paper into a canopy of shade, beauty, and life.
Let’s Plant the Future Together
As gardeners, we know that the best time to plant a tree is always sooner than you think. We invite you to join us in planting the future – one tree at a time.
From all of us at Del’s Garden Center, thank you for helping us nurture a fairgrounds that will be greener, shadier, and more beautiful for generations to come.
You’re invited to participate here: https://claycountyfair.kindful.com/?campaign=1388783