Riot of Color…

Lake City’s historic downtown commercial district is ablaze with color this week following multiple deliveries from the Monte Vista-based Catlin’s greenhouse.
According to retired Colorado Springs florist Kathy Koehn, who is heading up a second year of the “Lake City Blooms” project on behalf of DIRT and Town of Lake City, Catlin’s has provided a total of 50 14” and six 10” hanging baskets, together with nine barrel inserts, a portion of which are shown far left at delivery and, near left, displayed in barrels and hanging at downtown businesses.
For the second year, Town of Lake City and DIRT’s “Lake City Blooms” program is funded in part with grants from Pioneer Jubilee Women’s Club, Lake Fork Community Foundation, and Region 10’s Small Chances Grant, and a variety of private contributions and business sponsorships.
2018 summer floral season in Lake City marks an expanded program for “Lake City Blooms”. In addition to hanging baskets and barrel planters at a variety of public locations and non-profit organizations — including a majority of the cast iron antique lamp posts, Lake City Park, Lake City Arts, library and museum — new this year are four profuse flower baskets which now adorn light poles on Henson Creek Bridge on Highway 149.
Henson Creek Bridge flower baskets are sponsored by local businessowner Annegret Gaidry. Also integral to the flower display are the custom-made iron brackets on which the hanging baskets are displayed. The brackets are the creation of Powderhorn blacksmith Terry Klug.
A variety of Lake City’s downtown businesses have also arranged for flower arrangements as part of the program; also new this year with charitable funding is a trailer and water pump which have been acquired to water the flower arrangements on a weekly basis.
Lake City businesses with flower arrangements will take on the responsibility of weekly watering, while hanging and barrel flower arrangements in public areas will be watered using the trailer and pump by personnel from Lake City Area Recreation Dept.
The watering schedule for the flower baskets is approximately one gallon of water per day per basket, Liquid Fence as a deer deterrent, fertilize once a week and keep a sharp eye out for invasive aphids.
Kathy Koehn is heading up a volunteer group, tentatively to be called the “Dead Heads,” who will inspect the flower bouquets on a regular basis throughout the summer.
Koehn says this year’s flowers are especially vibrant, the flower mix including hanging petunias, geraniums, Lobelia, daisies, green and purple sweet potato vines, pansies Begonias, Fuchsia, Verbenia, Cosmos, and other mixes.
Catlin’s greenhouse was once again selected to supply this year’s “Lake City Blooms” flowers following competitive bidding.