It began with a tree giveaway: the tradition that started it all

Macon transforms into a slice of cherry blossom paradise each spring when more than 350,000 Yoshinno cherry trees bloom in vibrant shades of pink and white. Locals know the story of how the city became a hub for all things pink. 

It began with Macon resident and local realtor William A. Fickling Sr., who discovered a cherry tree in his backyard. Following a trip to Washington D.C. in 1952, he propagated the Yoshino and shared it with others in the community.

Fickling later teamed up with Macon resident Carolyn Crayton in 1973 to organize a community-wide tree donation and planting project by Wesleyan Woods, Guerry Drive and Oxford Road. 

What started with a single tree in one Maconite’s backyard grew to 500 trees. In 1982, during peak bloom season, Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission launched the first Cherry Blossom Festival and birthday celebration for Fickling.

The Fickling Family Foundation honors his legacy by continuing to donate cherry trees to the Macon community each year.

Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful and Macon-Bibb Parks & Beautification planted more than 200 new trees along the Cherry Blossom Trail in the last year. Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful also keeps the Fickling tradition alive with tree giveaways and sales. 

This year’s new trees and giveaway event is funded with a $30,000 grant from the Fickling foundation.

Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful will give away more than 120 Helen Taft cherry blossom trees Saturday, March 14 in an event held in honor of late master gardener and Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful volunteer Wayne Woodworth.

The Helen Taft variety is more resistant to heat and disease, making it a resilient choice for Middle Georgia weather, according to executive director Asha Ellen. 

Ellen said she anticipates a line of people at the park and that the organization will run out of trees within 30 minutes. 

The event is from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Spirit of Macon Park on the corner of Fifth and Poplar streets.