Let’s Talk about Flowers

Apr 2

Hi! My name is Mary Lou Nichols. I have been on the MACC Board since 2016. I love the planters and the barrels in downtown Morrisville. Lucky for me I was asked to volunteer to fill the wooden round barrels back in 2016. At that time, high school students were doing a lot of the dirt shoveling and planting of flowers and vegetables. I might add, that we did this in the rain under a tarp in the old town parking lot on Maples Street. At that time MACC had about 25 wooden planter barrels some in need of dire attention.

Let’s go back in history about 20 years ago.

Morrisville had about 20 small plastic pots placed about town in front of businesses that requested and would care for them. The wooden barrels replaced those. The idea of mixing veggies and flowers was short-lived. The veggie plants looked leggy and despite " Help Yourself" signs, the Board decided to return to just flowering plants. Coincidentally one of our Board members noticed the area at the side of the Green Dragon could benefit from planters in front of the recesses. Brian Yeats offered and built with MACC sponsored cost the long raised white planters. Over a few years, he added small raised wooden planters to his building projects. Now Portland Street has very attractive raised planters one in front of Artistic Roots, three at the Green Dragon one in front of Winters Chiropractor.

Then... as we all know came Covid in 2020 and the town decided outside seating would work for Lower Main. This gave MACC the opportunity to really ramp up the downtown beautification. Small raised white planters were placed between the Jersey barriers in front of Black Cap, Pizza on Main, and Taco and Taps (formerly El Toro). With added lighting, picnic tables, umbrellas, and outside music, Lower Main became a very welcoming outside area for visiting, eating, and congregating. The planters were placed between the barriers to add to the safety guidelines suggested by the town officials.

Thankfully Trish Follert had her own greenhouse and started early plantings of Marigolds, Coleus, and Snap Dragons that she donated to our flower planting efforts last summer.

MACC loves the downtown and making it beautiful and welcoming is something all members approve of in our budget. Over the years we have learned more and more about what kind of plants thrive in certain areas. The Coleus thrive in the Green Dragon planters. The ornamental grasses poke through the centers of the wooden planters surrounded by purple, pink, gold, and yellow flowers.

Bridge Street is another spot where our driving and walking folks can enjoy the bridge planters. These get the most direct sun and do require the most attention for watering. The brilliance of the pink petunias flowing out of the boxes catches many an eye.

We have come a long way and we do not forget our veterans as MACC enjoys the responsibility of filling the four planters at the Memorial. It takes a few long days and lots of shovelfuls to refill the planters and replant the new growth. We are fortunate to find the volunteers and the help in watering and caring for the planters throughout the summer.