The Columbus Park of Roses continues to be a welcomed respite for thousands of visitors — even more than usual — during the Covid-19 pandemic. And the garden has never looked better.

This is, in large part, due to more than 120 volunteers who worked a total of 2347.5 hours this season to keep these iconic gardens looking their best! These individuals were willing to conform with our social distancing protocols for everyone’s health protection, which often made for an additional challenge in gardening.

As a gesture of sincere gratitude, the foundation has dedicated the majestic American Sweetgum, or Redgum), Liquidambar styraciflua tree, pictured here, with a marker conveying much-deserved recognition for these volunteers, their time commitment and hard work during a very trying year. It is located adjacent to the Volunteer Office.

Both leaves and stems  of the Sweetgum are fragrant when crushed, thus it’s common name, Sweetgum. Sweetgum’s golden, pleasant-smelling sap also is responsible for it’s genus name of Liquidambar. The sap is used to scent gloves in France. The sweet, resinous sap was also used to make gum, which was used both medicinally and as chewing gum. As such, the gum was chewed to ease sore throats, coughs and colds. The gum was also used during World Wars I and II to produce soaps, drugs and adhesives. Ointments made from Sweetgum were used on wounds, cuts and skin disorders. The inner bark was often boiled in milk to cure diarrhea. In the southern states, twigs were dipped in whiskey and chewed for the same purpose. (hort.cornell.edu/)