BEAUTIFICATION IN BLOOM: Newton Main Street plants flower pots downtown with the help of local entities

Seasonal flower pots have been installed in downtown Newton by various local entities to help “beautify” the town’s main street district.

In total, 14 flower pots — 10 rectangle-shaped models and four square-shaped models — have been placed in specific areas between West Fourth Street and East Fourth Street. Stylized with mid-century modern cosmetics, the slate black pots are filled with blooming flowers and other greenery.

Newton Main Street Executive Director Erin Yeager said the idea to include more colorful and eye-catching aesthetics to the downtown area originated from her organization’s design committee, which had also determined where these new flower pots would be installed. It’s important to brighten up downtown, she said.

“When I go to a downtown, I want to see color, vibrance, life,” Yeager said. “Flowers bring that. The heart of your community is your downtown. So you want your downtown to be inviting and be filled with color. We’re just trying to add these little flower pots here and there to bring some beautification to downtown.”

Seeing the value in beautification, the Downtown Newton Self-Supporting Municipal Improvement District (SSMID) Board purchased the portable pots. The placement of the plants and flowers in the pots — and the concrete bunkers — were developed by individuals from Iowa State’s Master Gardener Program.

Newton Main Street routinely maintains the pots and will remove them by winter.

“These pots are really unique because they’re self-watering,” Yeager said. “They hold 30 gallons of water. We’ll keep them until probably October and then they’ll all be taken away and then brought back out in springtime.”

Seeing flowers in the downtown space is rather common this time of year. Normally, the Newton Community School District’s Red Pride Service Day prompts students to plant flowers in the concrete bunkers in the four corners surrounding the Jasper County Courthouse. But that service day was cancelled.

However, TPI staff filled in this year and planted flowers in the 12 concrete bunkers — eight in the corners and four individual bunkers along the town square — in celebration of Earth Day. The flowers, too, were donated by TPI, who have sponsored all of the concrete bunkers.

TPI also helped plant all of the 14 new pots strewn throughout downtown.

Of the 14 new flower pots, Yeager said five have been fully sponsored, which means there are still open sponsorship opportunities. Yeager said a sign with the sponsor’s name will be installed in the pots. With the visibility the flower pots bring to the community, Yeager said it’s a good way to showcase a business.

It costs $200 to sponsor a flower pot.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com