Flower Basket Program enters its 12th year Donations being accepted
Master Gardeners representative Barbara Davidson presents a check to Downtown Decorah Betterment Association representative Andy Nelson to help pay the costs of maintain the Decorah flower baskets. (Submitted photo)
Hanging flower baskets will soon grace downtown Decorah and the West Side.
It's the 12th year of the program, which is run by Downtown Decorah Betterment Association but requires the support of dozens of volunteers.
The program started in 1998, and in 2000, Decorah businessman Norm Smith outfitted a golf cart with a tank and watering wand, and a summer employee was hired to water the flower baskets every day. The program has expanded every year since then.
This year, 200 flower baskets will be hung along College Dr., Water St., Main St., State St., Washington St., Winnebago St., Court St. and Day Spring Lne. The flower baskets are grown at Decorah Greenhouses during the winter, then set out around Memorial Day by city street employees, with help from volunteers. Each and every flower basket receives more than a gallon of water twice daily.
In addition to Downtown Decorah Betterment Association, other groups contributing to the program include the Decorah Street Department, Decorah Greenhouses and the SSMID District Board.
It will cost over $15,000 this summer to buy the flowers and maintain them. The program relies on donations from businesses and individuals to pay those costs, as well as the DDBA's own funds and money from the downtown SSMID district.
Donations of $50 can be sent to DDBA in care of the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce, 507 W. Water Street, Decorah.
