Allegra Boverman/Gloucester Daily Times. A new 12-foot-high purple leaf plum tree was planted on Wednesday at the Major Fred W. Ritvo Veterans Center on Emerson Avenue. The previous tree was found to be half dead from sunburn, and then the rest of the tree followed. It was taken down. However, Robb Benjamin, of Benco Landscaping of Gloucester and Heather Peterson, owner of Audrey's Flower Shop of Gloucester, got together and donated a new tree and services to plant it. Benjamin and two of his employees planted the tree on Wednesday. The old tree had lovingly been called the Tony Verga tree; the new one will also be known as the same ; the new one will also be known as the same, though it's also known as the "Welcome Home Tree."

120927ABONEWTREE

From October 2012