Ruth Bowling Nichols Arboretum dedicated

Ruth Nichols doesn’t know exactly why or when she developed her love of plants and flowers.

It’s just always kind of been there.

The 95-year-old mother of a Texas senator has been a garden club member for more than six decades – 10 years in Pasadena and another 54 in Jacksonville.

She even carries the title of Master Flower Show Judge Emeritus.

“My mother was interested in plants, I grew up in a home that was interested in plants,” Mrs. Nichols said.

“I certainly liked trees. I’d hate to live in a part of the country without trees. East Texas has plenty of them. That’s why we choose to move to Jacksonville — because of all the hills and trees, too, and the people.

“I brought my children up to appreciate plants and trees and they’ve always helped me in my garden club work, always carried and toted and fertilized. I had four boys.”

Mrs. Nichols was recognized recently as the namesake of the Texas Forest Service Ruth Bowling Nichols Arboretum in Jacksonville.

She was in attendance, as was her son, state Sen. Robert Nichols; Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples; Texas Forest Service Interim Director Tom Boggus; Jacksonville Mayor Robert Haberle and scores of others.

The dedication came more than a decade after the idea for the arboretum was first conceived.

Land for $1 per year

It was 1996 when Sen. Nichols, then a local businessman, donated 3.5 acres of land to house a regional office for the state agency. He then leased an adjacent, similarly-sized parcel of land to the agency for just $1 per year.

Texas Forest Service officials decided to create on the adjoining land an arboretum devoted to educating school children, Boy Scouts, Master Gardeners and other educational groups.

The new office opened its doors in May 1999 and the arboretum followed suit shortly thereafter.

Featured plants

The arboretum features 10 American forest historic trees including the Stephen F. Austin Live Oak planted in memory of Ruth Nichols’ husband, Tally Nichols.

Also at the arboretum are various types of pines that can be found throughout East Texas.

Texas Forest Service District Forester Jason Ellis has overseen the arboretum since 2006. Since his arrival, Mr. Ellis has worked with area Master Gardeners to develop a large display garden that can be used for conservation education.

The group has also helped solicit funding to replace signage throughout the facility and purchase tools and a tool shed for the garden.

Once the garden is complete, vegetables grown there will be donated to the HOPE Foundation.