More flowers will brighten the landscapes around Englewood this
year, now that more people have volunteered to tend them.
John Kohring, parks specialist in charge of the program, said he
was surprised by the responses to the call for volunteers to tend
city-owned flower beds.
He said volunteers tended seven flower beds last year. But, the
city has already added three additional flower beds and could
possibly add two more before planting time.
Kohring said the request is that volunteers plant the flowers by
Memorial Day, keep the bed weeded and maintain it until the first
freeze of the fall, which usually is in October.
The volunteers are individuals like Colleen Burke, who maintains
the bed on the south side of Broadway at the on-ramp to U.S.
Highway 285. The Kiwanis Club that maintains one of the flower beds
at Romans Park.
Other volunteers include a Cub Scout Pack, the Englewood Lions
Club and the Keep Englewood Beautiful Commission.
Flowers in Englewood is nothing new. The city had cultivated
flower beds through the city for decades but, a 1998 budget crunch
brought the call for volunteers to plant and maintain the
flowers.
In the first few years, individuals or organizations
volunteering for the project prepared the bed, bought the plants,
planted them and maintained the beds throughout the summer. The
city provided the ground and irrigation.
Starting in 2003, the city provided the flowers for the
volunteers.
Kohring said the volunteers can prepare their plan for the
flower bed and the city will try to provide the colors and types of
flowers they request.
However, if volunteers need help, parks employees can provide
assistance in developing the flower bed plan.
