The Story Behind This Year’s Christmas Tree at the Taylor Conservatory

Every holiday season, the Taylor Conservatory & Botanical Gardens proudly displays a live Christmas tree at the center of its open-air conservatory Structure — a tradition now in its 14th year. But this year’s tree is unlike any we’ve ever showcased before. It didn’t come from a tree farm, a supplier, or a seasonal nursery. Instead, it was donated in the most meaningful way possible: as a gift rooted in five decades of love.

In the early 1970s, newlyweds Melvin and Wilma of Taylor, Michigan, spent their honeymoon exploring the beauty of Yellowstone National Park. During their trip, Wilma noticed a tiny baby blue spruce and immediately fell in love with it. 

Melvin, wanting to bring a piece of that memory home, gently dug up the small seedling, tucked it into a coffee tin, and drove it all the way back to Michigan. They planted the tree in their backyard, where it took root and began to grow — year after year, just like their marriage.

Over the next 50 years, the couple cared for the spruce lovingly, decorating it for the holidays and marking life’s milestones in its shade. “As the tree grew, so did our love for each other,” they shared.

Today, the blue spruce stands nearly 20 feet tall — a beautiful giant, but one that had begun to outgrow its space. As it neared nearby power lines, the couple faced the difficult reality that it would soon need to be cut back.

But Wilma’s sister had an idea: what if the tree could bring joy to others the way it had brought joy to them?

She contacted the Taylor Conservatory to ask whether the tree could become this year’s display centerpiece. It was an easy yes.

“This is exactly what the Conservatory stands for,” said Kyle Wright, Executive Director. “We’re honored that people see this as a place where they can share their most meaningful memories, traditions, and moments. This tree is more than a decoration — it’s a lifetime of love shared with our entire community.”

This year, instead of purchasing a tree, the Conservatory is proudly displaying Melvin and Wilma’s spruce, a symbol of love, family, and the beauty of memories that grow deeper with time.

The couple will join us to officially light the tree during the 14th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Saturday, November 22 at 5:30 PM, the first time they’ll see their beloved spruce shining in its new home.

What began as a tiny honeymoon keepsake has now become a symbol of love and community connection this holiday season. 

We invite you to join us for this year’s ceremony and help us honor Melvin and Wilma’s beautiful gift to the Taylor Conservatory.

Santa, the Grinch, and the Taylor High School Choir will join the celebration, along with families from across Downriver and Detroit. Light snacks will be available, hot chocolate will be available for purchase, and donations will support the Conservatory’s mission to preserve and share natural beauty year-round.