GREENFIELD — Greenfield in Bloom is on a mission to replace the aging flower baskets that sit atop the light posts throughout downtown Greenfield.
The local nonprofit is seeking the public’s support to bring the project to fruition.
The group is seeking roughly $2,500 in donations to purchase 21 two-sided baskets, which cost $120 each.
“We wanted to replace all of them because they are the original baskets and have been welded and repaired in every way we can, but they just can’t be repaired anymore,” said Bobbi Anderson, who oversees Greenfield in Bloom on behalf of the Greenfield Parks Department.
“Beyond that, we really want to focus on maintaining the existing hanging baskets and pots we have,” said Anderson, who also hopes to increase the ranks within Greenfield in Bloom this year.
The group’s membership is waning, she said, as some volunteers have aged out or moved on to other things.
Anderson hopes to tap into a whole new generation of floral enthusiasts willing to help beautify the city, especially the downtown.
“We’re losing a lot of the original members, and we really need another two or three really good members to help out with the workload. It’s not a huge time commitment,” she said.
Each spring, Greenfield in Bloom hosts a Day of Planting for which 20 or more volunteers turn out to plant hundreds of perennials in downtown pots, baskets and flower beds.
Michelle Hogue, owner of Sunnyside Greenhouse north of Greenfield, said the fresh blooms add a beautiful pop of color to the city streets, making a big impression on residents and visitors alike.
“The flowers make everything look much more homey and inviting because otherwise all you would see is concrete and pavement,” said Hogue, who has been supporting Greenfield in Bloom for the past 15 years.
Anderson said she hopes the nonprofit can raise enough funds to purchase and install the light post pots in time for the annual Day of Planting scheduled for May 15.
In addition to planting and maintaining the downtown perennials each spring and summer, Greenfield in Bloom also grants awards to houses with especially eye-catching landscape displays each year. Volunteers hang hundreds of door hangers on worthy homes throughout the city, selecting a winning home in each quadrant annually, along with an overall champion.
Anderson said it’s a fun way to recognize those who go the extra mile in using fresh flowers to make their landscape shine.
Greenfield in Bloom also focuses on one service project each year, transforming the landscape around downtown buildings. Past recipients include the Greenfield Area Chamber of Commerce building and the former Hancock County prosecutor’s office.
For the past two years, the service project focused on creating a garden in memory of Ron Marlin, the longtime owner of Marlin Plant Kingdom, who passed away three years ago.
The lifelong plant enthusiast played a big role in bringing Greenfield in Bloom to fruition, paying the entry fee to get the city registered for an America in Bloom beautification contest in 2004.
Greenfield took the top spot in its class that year and again in 2006, which led to the start of a local competition and beautification initiative called Greenfield in Bloom. Marlin donated a utility vehicle, water tank and pump to the cause, for keeping flowers hydrated downtown.
Anderson is thankful for the volunteers who continue to keep Marlin’s dream alive by landscaping the downtown streetscapes with fresh flowers each spring.
Those who wish to support Greenfield in Bloom’s purchase of new light post planters this year can mail a check to: Greenfield Parks Department, ℅ Greenfield in Bloom, 280 N. Apple St., Greenfield, IN 46140.
