We have made our selection. I want to thank all those for making such fine and thoughtful suggestions, and all the other useful input.
We have selected a pair of apple trees, one ‘Gala’, and one “Red Delicious.’ They tell me one needs two slightly different types in reasonable proximity to guarantee flowering.
There will be some prayers at the dedication, a plaque carved by his son, and some short readings. Mine will be the line spoken before that, “Anyone can count the seeds within an apple, but only God can count the apples within the seed.”
A remarkably beautiful and appropriate thought.
We visited a local super-good nursery, and due to the time constraints, we needed to make the decision today.
Olive, fig, cherry, and several others were all viewed, but the apples looked the most robust, and for this spot, should do just fine.
The only things that led us away from crepe myrtles, longleaf pines, magnolias, and a few others was either that they are so very plentiful around here, or some are questionable in winters — even as mild as we have here.
You all made me proud to be a Freeper. This discussion is now closed, with my thanks.
Maranatha.
If you plant them now, then you better hope for lots more rain in the next 8 to 10 weeks; otherwise someone will need to trek out to wherever and water them on a regular basis.