NUTLEY NJ -- APRIL 13, 1961 -- In the campaign for funds for the completion of the UN Garden launched recently by Nutley Chapter of the American Association for the United Nations, an extensive effort will be made to obtain contributions from as many Nutley residents as possible. “This will emphasize,” said Mrs. Louis Zocca, chairman of the current drive, “the community-wide nature of the project and make the UN Garden a symbol of the UN itself – people working together just as nations are struggling to work together in achieving world order.”

This aim has been uppermost in the minds of the UN Garden of Nutley Committee from the beginning.

One hundred and more specimens have been contributed over the past two years by Nutley citizens, many of them using the opportunity to honor some friend or kinsman.

For example, a Chinese dogwood was given in memory of Lt. Charles W. Tillou, who died while on a mission in the Air Force. A European plane tree and a sawleaf Asiatic Zelkova are in the garden to honor the memory of Sgt. Larry Di Vuola, who also died in service.

In memory of Abraham Jaffe, Norway spruces were contributed by a group of his neighbors and an Austrian pine by the Nutley AAUW Chorus.

The Neighborhood Circle of Kingsland Park, a group of residents near Kingsland Park, raised money through card parties and a hat sale to underwrite the Japanese holly hedge surrounding the center of the garden.

A variety of other groups in town also contributed specimens among them Spring Garden Parent-Teacher Association, ITT Laboratories, Nutley Park Shop Rite, Nutley Police Reserves, the employees of the Guarantee Supermarket, St. Paul’s Couples Club, Nutley Elks Auxiliary.

Nutley Girl Scouts are donating two specimens of the newly developed yellow Girl Scout rose which will be set out at an appropriate time.

Nutley Home Garden Club accepted the task of spearheading the project and members of the landscape committee of the garden are all members of this organization.

Theirs has been the task of securing and setting out he specimens in accordance with the landscape map prepared by Roy Blair in consultation with Milton Anderson, landscape specialist, and Lawrence D. Little Jr., Essex County Agricultural Agent.

Their task, too, has been the weeding and general care of the budding garden; even the Boy Scout and Girl Scout organizations have at times helped with these chores. Mr. George Stoothoff, chairman of the UN Garden of Nutley Committee, has led this work, with Miss Ann Troy serving as contributions chairman.

The Home Garden Club of Nutley last year won a prize in contest for its entry, the UN Garden, which was voted one of the ten outstanding projects in the state. The prize of $100 was turned over to the UN Garden.

The garden is quite unique in the United States in its aim to bring together specimens of trees and shrubs from as many member countries of the UN as possible. Some of the specimens have been described in a series of articles by Milton H. Anderson which have appeared from time to time in The Nutley Sun.

Among them is the metasequoia, a dawn redwood, the offspring of seeds taken out of a remote Chinese valley before that country was taken over by the Reds. Some day, it is hoped, this tree will tower in Kingsland Park.

There are also specimens of the temple cedar, a picturesque tree which takes its name from the fact that it is widely utilized in the building of temples in Japan and China.

There is also the ginkgo, representing Nationalized China, whose graceful leaves resemble the maiden hair fern, hence its popular name – maiden hair tree. It bears fig-like fruit and is very resistant to insects and disease.

Among other majestic and beautiful trees of the garden are the English oak, the Lebanese cedars, the Italian poplar, the Japanese cherry, all varieties – which have rich tradition in the history of civilized man.

Among the shrubs, according to Mr. Anderson, are chaste tree, representative of Iran, a long blooming and fragrant bush with unusual leaves, shaped like a maple leaf.

There are also Japanese lilacs which grow into trees distinguished by unusually wide leaves; Korean Azalias, mauve-colored and which bloom long before other varieties. In the garden, too, are specimens of deutzia gracilis, a low growing shrub which in the Spring becomes a mass of beautiful white blossoms. There is also the fragrant snowball, a miniature shrub which gives quantities of bell-like flowers.

All of the specimens in the garden are tagged for easy identification. Later in the Spring, when the weather is favorable and the shrubs begin to bloom, the Home Garden Club will undertake a guided tour of the garden, and other tours will be arranged.

The funds which are being sought in the current drive of the American Association for the United Nations will be utilized for the completion of the garden. The center area will include a six-foot Venetian glass mosaic replica of the UN emblem, designed by Rolf Myller of New York and executed by the House of Rambusch, New York specialists in decorative crafts. The American Association for the United Nations has pledged to contribute the mosaic, which will cost $1,000. An additional $1,500 will be needed to provide the foundation and the hexagonal cobblestone area which will surround the centerpiece.

The AAUN Garden finance committee consists of Mayor Harry W. Chenoweth, Carl A. Orechio, Charles A. Roepell, Edward J. Savage, Miss Ann Troy, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Wedemeyer, Mrs. Stanley C. Yorton, Dr. Louis R. Zocca, and Mrs. Zocca, who is serving as chairman.

Contributions may be made to UN Garden – AAUN, Care of Mrs. Louis Zocca ... Nutley.