Just when the Inaugural Committee thought that the opening ceremonies leading to George W. Bush's inauguration were a go, something was missing.

Bush's box at the Lincoln Memorial stage was lacking plant material that would screen and beautify the area. In a short amount of time, Merrifield Garden Center, located in Merrifield, Va., about 20 minutes from the Capital, responded to the frantic request of the committee.

"It was fun," Merrifield Garden Center manager Kevin Warhurst said. "We received a call indicating a need for evergreen screening-type plants for the stage areas at the opening ceremonies."

Like fleet-footed Secret Service agents, Merrifield Garden Center manager Tim Guy and delivery manager Dan Fontaine loaded a truck on January 17, the day before the event, with 7-gallon Leyland cypress and headed off to screen the 25-foot stage area.

The Leyland cypress

(x Cupressocyparis leylandii) is a large evergreen used extensively in the Southeast. It forms a nice pyramid shape with dense branches and fine foliage. The foliage is dark green or blue-green. The tree can grow 60 to 70 feet and up to 20 feet wide.

Several entertainers performed on the stage, including Lorrie Morgan; Sammy Kershaw; Brooks & Dunn; Charlotte Church; and Wayne Newton. The highlight of the event came when Ricky Martin pulled Bush on stage in a failed attempt to get the president to "shake his bon-bon."

Also in the crowd were Muhammad Ali; Secretary of State

Also in the crowd were Muhammad Ali; Secretary of State Colin Powell; chief of staff Andrew Card; Attorney General John Ashcroft; and Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris.

"It invokes a sense of pride," Warhurst said. "We are all patriotic American's here, and whether you are a Republican or Democrat, it is a nice event to be a part of."

Bush and his wife Laura, along with Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife arrived at the event at 4:30 EST. Shortly thereafter singer Sandy Patti sang the national anthem.

In a short speech, Bush thanked everyone in attendance for coming out on a chilly night and promised to treat his responsibility as president "with care and never take it for granted and always remember to whom it belongs. The presidency does not belong to any one person, but to all of us, the American people."

The morning after the ceremonies, the trees were picked up after their moment in the spotlight and brought back to Merrifield Garden Center, no doubt serving their country well.

"We definitely felt a sense of patriotism," Warhurst said. "We were happy to lend the trees to them, and happy to have been a small part of this event."