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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, OCTObEr 9, 2026 Page 9 Saugus Gardens in the Fall Here’s what’s blooming in town this week to make your walks more enjoyable By Laura Eisener T he change in the leaves is precipitated by the lengthening nights and cooler temperatures, but each tree, shrub and herbaceous plant species responds a little differently so that we may see some species turning color in September while others may be green for several more weeks. Microclimate, or the immediate environment of the plant, will also have a strong effect so that in one Saugus location a tree may have entirely green foliage, while in another location the same species may be loaded with color. The red maple (Acer rubrum) I see from my dining room window is still mostly green, but this week I see that some leaves on the tips of the branches are red. When I drive down Walnut Street, a stretch of trees, including several red maples and a few birches between Elm Street and Birchwood, could be described as “at peak” since they have a beautiful color on almost all their leaves, while others in the area are still mostly green. This narrow section of land between Walnut Street and the reservoir known as Birch Pond is fairly low in elevation, meaning that cold air tends to settle in a “frost pocket” here. At the same time, it is subject to winds coming across the road and the pond, which encourages the leaves to turn ELECTION | FROM PAGE 2 vices to support veterans statewide. Gayle-Bennett has been a Lynn resident since 1981 and attends church in Saugus. She recalled a time when she asked Wong for help getting a certifSOUNDS | FROM PAGE 8 ing. American flags may be sponsored through the Parson Roby Chapter DAR at a cost of $5 each. The flags will be placed at Veterans Park prior to Nov. 11 and will wave throughout the week until Nov. 12 with your veteran’s name on the earlier here than elsewhere in town. Visitors to the Breakheart Fall Festival were treated to some glimpses of orange leaves on a sugar maple (Acer saccharum) nearby as well as the hay bales and pumpkins “selfie spot” set up with flowers and cornstalks to showcase the bounty of fall. For the next few weeks, walks in Breakheart will show increasing foliage colors as the nights and days become cooler. Sugar maple is one of two common maple species in this area and can be distinguished by looking at the indentations, called sinuses by botanists, between the lobes of the leaves. They are curved in sugar maple and pointed or v-shaped in red maple. Another spot that is colorful and photogenic right now is Saugus Center with its honey locusts (Gleditsia triacanthos) turning yellow at the rotary. A walk around the center, with the big pumpkin patch at the Congregational Church, colorful chrysanthemums at the front of the public library and on the town hall lawn and the lemon-yellow leaflets on the honey locust which frame the civil war monument make this a gorgeous fall destination that most people don’t get to experience unless they live here in town. Speaking of pumpkins, they are appearing on steps and porches in growing numbers as people decorate their gardens with symbols of the seaicate honoring a military pastor at her church. She figured Wong would just send over the paperwork. “But no, he came [to the church], he stayed for the service, he read the certificate, so he’s just so supportive, and flag. Flags may be sponsored to honor a family member, friend, neighbor or employee who has served or is currently serving our country. The deadline to sponsor flags is Oct. 30. You may send a check ($5 per flag) made payable to Parson Roby Chapter along with the information of the veteran (Name/ Rank/Branch of Service/Years Sugar maple leaves near the Visitor’s Center at Breakheart showed off some beautiful color for the Fall Festival last Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) Pumpkins and haybales on a porch in Lynnhurst (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) son. Pumpkins are the fruits of several species of squash, including Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita maxima and Cucurbita argyrosperma. Questions and arguments often arise between people at this time of year. Is this a pumpkin or a squash, or maybe he’s really, truly someone who cares,” Gayle-Bennett said. Wong spent the evening moving from table to table, chatting with friends, family and community members who have been personally impacted by his actions. or War if known) and mail it to Treasurer, 27 Pearson St., Saugus, MA 01906. After 12 noon on Nov. 11, you can pick up your sponsored flag to either keep or put on a grave. “2021 was our first year sponsoring the Field of Flags and it has been a huge success. So many members of the community stopped by to thank us even a gourd? It’s a tough argument to win, since they are all in the gourd family (Curcurbitae) regardless of what the sign at the farm stand calls them. They are all actually large berries, although announcing this might result in your getting a pumpkin thrown at you since When asked about his dedication to the veteran community, Wong said that it’s important to celebrate veterans, not just in Saugus, but across the nation. They “were willing to sign on the dotted line that they would give their life in remembering our veterans this way. There were over 140 flags sponsored with veteran’s names waving in the wind and we hope for many more veterans to be sponsored this year. All proceeds from the Veteran’s Field of Flags will support the Daughters of the American Revolution’s mission to preserve American history and semost non-botanists don’t think of them this way. Most of the readily identifiable pumpkins are several subspecies of Cucurbita pepo, which includes what we might describe as most orange pumpkins, crookneck squash, summer squash and zucchini, scallop squash, acorn squash and ornamental gourds. Cucurbita moschata includes butternut squash, which has a distinctive pear shape and usually a pale golden rind, but also the wide and flat Long Island cheese pumpkin variety and a less-well known summer squash sometimes called Korean zucchini for its flavor, shape and color. Varieties of Cucurbita argyrosperma are often called cushaw or kershaw, with a green and white striped rind. Within the species Cucurbita maxima are Hubbard squash (usually with a green rind), buttercup squash and several varieties grown by Native American populations in the West that are not often found on farms here. This species also includes the famous variety ‘Dill’s Atlantic Giant,’ which produces most if not all of the Topsfield Fair giant pumpkin weigh-off winners. A blind taste test of canned pumpkin pie filling will likely get you even more confused, since some very popular canned pumpkin varieties actually are from the berries we would usually call squash if we saw them on their vines. for our freedom,” he said. “And some of them have given their lives.” This story is part of a partnership between the Saugus Advocate and the Boston University Department of Journalism’s Newsroom program. cure Americans’ future through education and promoting patriotism. For more information on how to sponsor a flag or in joining the Parson Roby Chapter DAR, please email parsonroby.saugusdar@gmail.com.” SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 10

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