Raleigh, North Carolina is a city with a rich, interesting history. It has many landmarks and historic sites to mark its topography, and it is home to museums, colleges, and sports events. This city was intended from the beginning to be the capital of the state. It was built for that purpose in 1792, and it continues to fulfill this purpose today. What is it that has made Raleigh almost a historical monument of itself?
Raleigh was named after an English nobleman, Sir Walter Raleigh, who had been rather unfortunately executed by James I. However, he was one of the first explorers of Virginia and helped make way for the settlers who came later.
When the city of Raleigh was first established to be the seat of the government for the state, it was incredibly small. Eight years after the founding, the population was less than 700. Few houses lined the streets. Growth in the city was prolonged. Several fires decimated the city leading up to the Civil War. The railroad came to Raleigh in 1840. In '53, the first state fair took place close to Raleigh.
When the Civil War began, North Carolina was the second to last state to secede, but that didn't mean it was any less determined to fight than the other states. Around 5000 Confederate trainees were concentrated in the city to prepare for the conflict. When the Confederacy was finally defeated, Raleigh fared better than many other southern cities. It surrendered before it was razed to the ground by the invading army. It was ready to grow.
In the 1870s, retail began to take off. The city started a gradual climb upwards once again. The first world war and an influenza epidemic made little difference, and the prosperity of Raleigh increased until disaster struck.
In 1929, the stock market crash brought the beginning of the Depression Era to Raleigh. It also brought building projects and many other things to the city to create jobs for the population.
After World War II, there was a boom in housing. Over the next 20 years, the population grew and expanded. The Civil Rights Movement brought much-needed changes to the public institutions of Raleigh.
Now, the city is filled with centers of advanced learning, research, and technology. It is a metropolis nearing half a million in population. However, this change has not prevented it from being home to many historical sights and landmark. Oddly enough, one such landmark is oak trees.
Raleigh has been called the City of Oaks almost since its inception. Many oak trees still line the streets in Raleigh. Although the pine tree has been considered North Carolina's state tree, the tree that may always be the most well-known in Raleigh is the oak.
There are many different types of oak trees. There are 29 in North Carolina alone. Twenty-eight of these are native to the region. Oaks are large, stately trees that are primarily planted for their ornamental appeal. They can grow 80 feet high or taller, and some varieties end up being about 80 feet wide as well. This is why they should only be planted if you have plenty of space.
Most oak trees are deciduous, although oaks known as live oaks are evergreens. Evergreen oaks trees will drop leaves throughout the year, whereas deciduous oak trees will generally require leaf removal only in the colder season. The main appeal of deciduous trees is that the leaves turn beautiful colors in fall. Oak trees are well known for their acorns.
The state tree, the pine, also comes in many varieties. Just a few are the eastern white pine, the loblolly pine, and the longleaf pine. Each of these can grow up to 100 feet, but they are smaller in diameter than most oak trees, which makes them a better tree for home planting. All of these are evergreens, but pine trees are well known for dropping large numbers of pine needles. If you don't want your yard covered in brown needles, it is recommended that you do regular leaf removal. Pine trees tend to do very well in the cold, and although they have no showy blossoms, they are still a beautiful, popular tree.
The final type that will be mentioned here is the American holly. Most of us are only familiar with this plant in terms of Christmas, but the title of holly covers a wide range of species. American holly is evergreen and is usually seen as small trees or bushes. The leaves are a beautiful, glossy green color. The fruits are well-known, but although they are generally called berries, they are drupes. A drupe is a stone fruit rather than a typical berry. For instance, peaches are drupes. The fruits of American holly are glossy red, and they are also highly poisonous. The bright color, while so enjoyable, should be a warning to stay away. While the plant is not edible, it is very ornamental.
Whether you have deciduous trees or evergreens, you probably know how much trouble leaf removal can be. The beautiful fall colors may seem to be hardly worth all of the work! Raking leaves and then disposing of them can be difficult and time-consuming, and especially with pine trees, it is hard to decide which is worse: leaving your yard with an unsightly blanket of leaves as a home for the bugs, or dealing with the problem yourself.
We recommend that you outsource your leaf removal to a landscaping company. However, this can be troublesome when it involves researching which company to hire and getting someone out to your house to give you a quote. Frankly, many people just don't have time. Here at Lawn Love, we offer professional leaf removal services for the City of Oaks. Get a customized, online quote for your service for leaf removal services in minutes. Contact Lawn Love today.
