Downtown hanging baskets

Every year from May to October, the city of Hot Springs Parks and Trails Department’s downtown hanging baskets surprise and delight citizens and visitors to the Spa City.

The idea for the hanging basket program came about in 1992 from Bill Goodwin, a former local downtown merchant, after he returned from a visit to Victoria Gardens in British Columbia, Canada. He presented the idea to now-retired Parks and Trails Department Director Jean Wallace, who enthusiastically embraced the idea, researched logistics, developed labor and material costs and presented the project to the Central Business Improvement District 2. CBID 2 approved the project and set up the first budget. An inaugural 88 baskets graced the historic district light poles on Mother’s Day weekend in 1993. That number has grown to 150 hanging baskets.

Over the years, the city has experimented with various plant material and color schemes, but have found that the Madness Series multi-colored Petunias create a beautifully stunning display that is both hardy and long lasting. Every two years the baskets are rebuilt with fresh, clean hard goods, and annually Parks personnel along with volunteers from the Garland County Master Gardeners build and plant the baskets during a February/March timeframe. The baskets are watered and maintained in shade houses until they are finally hung downtown the first week of May. They are watered three times a week and fertilized once a month.

A little known fact is that the downtown historic light poles have been retrofitted to hold the weight of the baskets, which can be up to 80 pounds each after watering.

Anyone interested in learning how to grow a basket of their own visit www.cityhs.net and click on the Hanging Basket Recipe link on the Parks & Trails page. Through the years, many representatives from various cities in Arkansas have requested a personal tour of the greenhouse, downtown area, light poles, and adapted equipment to learn all they can about Hot Springs’ Hanging Basket Program. “Imitation is the highest form of flattery and Hot Springs citizens are very proud of our ‘signature’ baskets. They have become a constant in our community and continue to exemplify Hot Springs’ celebratory commitment to the beauty of nature, and personify our role as the City of Water, Foliage and Flowers.”