DAVENPORT, Iowa — The streets of Davenport are getting an upgrade this week with the planting of several in ground flower beds, 180 flower pots and 680 hanging flower baskets. Green Thumbers has the bid on the project this year. As for choosing the flowers for downtown, the company likes to mix it up. Andy Kay, owner of Green Thumbers has been looking forward to this project.
"It's always exciting to come out and come down and plant because it so beautifies the downtown city of Davenport, so we always look forward to it, we have a lot of fun."
Normally hanging the flower baskets is a Mother's Day weekend tradition, but because of this spring's cool and cloudy weather, the potted flowers weren't quite ready. They'll be hung on Saturday May, 21st. A 14-person crew will begin work at 5 a.m. and have all 680 flower baskets filled by noon. Kay said it is quite the operation.
Shades of pink Supertunia flowers will be planted in the hanging baskets; they will be in full bloom in July. There are four different versions of the large flower pots. One version has a type of palm plant as the middle plant. Kay said the flowers that line the streets of downtown Chicago often inspire what plants are used in Davenport.
The Downtown Davenport Partnership, a division of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce pays for and maintains the flower beds, flower pots, and hanging baskets all summer long.
A ribbon cutting celebrating the hanging of the flower baskets will be held on Wednesday, May 25 at 1:30 p.m. on the Figge Art Museum Plaza at 225 W. 2nd Street in Davenport.