New trees provide fresh setting for blooms at First Presbyterian Church of Greensburg
First Presbyterian Church of Greensburg has upped its curb appeal this year by replacing overgrown foliage on it grounds at 300 S. Main St. with new landscaping elements.
It was time to refresh the plantings of rhododendrons and yew trees after more than two decades, according to the church’s pastor, the Rev. Martin R. Ankrum. “They were getting to the point where you couldn’t trim them back anymore,” he said. “They were just too large.”
Beginning in late spring, he said, about 10 members of the congregation contributed their labor to replace the “aged-out” landscaping with new fir-type trees and other flowering varieties, including Japanese maple.
The revitalized grounds along Main Street provided an ideal setting this summer for beds of red and salmon geraniums, plants that are donated annually by Edgar and Joanne Highberger of Hempfield and are maintained by church sexton Keith Huey.
Edgar Highberger is the church’s minister of music emeritus.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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