Photo by Judith Carder. GOMPS Garry oak seedlings at the Little Spirits Garden in Royal Oak Burial Park. May 2026.
We are delighted to share an update on several Garry oak seedlings that recently found a new home at the Little Spirits Garden in Royal Oak Burial Park.
Earlier this year, retired minister David Spence visited the Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society nursery, made a donation in support of our work, and selected a number of locally grown Garry oak seedlings for planting at the Burial Park.
On April 22, Earth Day, after the seedlings had been planted by Royal Oak Burial Park staff, David conducted a Tree Blessing ceremony to mark the occasion and celebrate the beginning of the trees’ long lives in this special place.
The photographs below show the young oaks leafing out in their new home. Seeing fresh growth on these seedlings is always rewarding, particularly when they have been planted in a setting dedicated to remembrance, reflection, and connection with the natural world.
As Garry oak ecosystems continue to decline across their range, every new planting contributes to the future of this remarkable species and the hundreds of plants, insects, birds, and other organisms that depend upon it.
We extend our thanks to David Spence and the staff at Royal Oak Burial Park for helping to create a lasting legacy through the planting and stewardship of these young Garry oaks.
We look forward to watching them grow for generations to come.
Tree Blessing
ROB P / ROYAL OAK BURIAL PARK
TREE BLESSING on Earth Day 22 April 2026
LITTLE SPIRIT GARDENS
Under the waning Moon above
(moving from New to Full, as opposed to waxing)
and upon the soil of the Sacred Earth beneath;
where all people hold scared memories, stories, and future hopes.
We gather to bless the young Garry Oak tree saplings
that have been planted in this Little Spirits Garden,
and now are emeging into leaf and fresh vegetation.
We bring our dreams and aspirations
that are grounded in the terra firma —
the terrain — of this Garden of Beauty
This Garden also holds the life of young children
whose Spirits roam in a far and distant realms.
We bring our hearts and souls into this space and this moment
as a sign, a symbol, indeed even a sacrament
to befriend the ancient wisdom of the trees and other living beings
who have brought us to be who we are
and how we are to be one with another.
This is our story. This is our song.
Let the rhythm of the drum be the heart beat of Life and Vitality
Of Resurrection……Reincarnation…..Reviresence……Reciprocity
As we come to meet the Garry Oak
and become acquainted with each of them
in all their manifestations…….the species…….the geniuses
Theses young saplings are today
what is known as those beings who are an integral part of the
UNDERSTORY
who compose a melody wtih mycelium …..
and are bursting forth with energy.
They are not yet the OVERSTORY
of the great canopies of anicent elders…..and memory holders
They are young pioneers
seeking to embody and embolden life
with their particulraity of genes, DNA, Chromosomes
They are playfully engaged with “fungi”
with nutrients, ferns, wildflowers, and other souls;
seeking to find their own voice in this Garden
for they live and move
with a different logic and a different way of knowing.
This is our story. This is our song.
GARRY OAK BLESSING
May the rains fall softly upon your branches and leaves
May the winds blow gently in all your days
May the sunshine radiate warmth on your face
May the soil bring you nourishment to your roots, your trunk, your canopy
May love and kindness, joy and peace,
always abide and abound in your soul
Until we meet again
May the Holy Spirit and the Sacred Quaternity SACRED QUATREAUX
bless you,
and keep you comforted and free among all your siblings
to live in Faith, Fullness of being, and Future ways of wonder and wisdom
This is our story. This is our song
Let your touch remain forever as a kiss upon your cheek
And a prayer in your body.
As we give a BLESSING to trees; the TREES in turn send a blessing back
to those who give in Reciprocity, Conviviality, & Symbiosis.
…….acorns to be distributed…….
