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Flowers for downtown

By Dale Liesch (Contact) | Alex City Outlook

Published Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Gardening veteran Bette Anderson is sharing her green thumb with everyone who visits downtown Alexander City this summer.

The board of Main Street Alexander City recently asked Anderson to help with a beatification project for the downtown area by planting flowers.

MainStreet put her on a six-month contract to do the work, which started in May, according to director Richard Wagoner.

“This was one of the shortterm goals for the board,” Wagoner said. “We wanted to work for the beautification of downtown.”

Wagoner said the project infuses the area with color, which can be important when attracting people to downtown shops.

“Color is very important because it attracts attention,” Wagoner said. “The more color you can add makes it look more homey. It encourages people to come back downtown and shop.”

Wagoner said Broad Street, Calhoun Street and the roundabout at Court Square have all received new landscaping since May.

Anderson, who has been in gardening for about 30 years, said the idea with the downtown area was to plant flowers that could be easily maintained.

“I tired to plant bright colored flowers that would do well in this environment,” Anderson said.

In addition to drought tolerant periwinkle, Anderson has planted impatiens, lantana, marigolds, wave petunias and knock out roses.

“I’ve always done this kind of work and I enjoy it,” Anderson said. “I enjoy doing what I do.”

In addition to planting the flowers, Anderson makes sure they are maintained properly. She spends about three hours each day watering the flowers.

“If you’re going to plant flowers you have to maintain them,” Anderson said. “I usually start watering them after 5 p.m. when merchants close. I fertilize once a week so the flowers will keep blooming and the foliage will green up.”

Local merchants, like Vicki Ballard from The Spectacle Shoppe, support the idea that will help positively impact the area.

“I support the idea because it helps make downtown look better,” Ballard said. “I think it’s a good idea.”

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