Keeping downtown beautiful

For the fourth consecutive year, Stratton's Greenhouse, of Bluffton, donated 24 potted petunia plants to downtown Bluffton.

"America in Bloom is what inspired it. It's a program that promotes adding flowers to downtown areas," said Steve Stratton. "There are different classifications for small towns like ours and bigger areas also."

Stratton said the first year they added the potted containers to downtown was the year of the flood in Bluffton and that the flowers seemed to improve the mood of those in and around town." 

"It was a depressing time around town," said Stratton. "The flowers seemed to help."

Stratton employees and volunteers maintain the flowers along Main Street. They water the plants when needed in the early morning and replace broken or vandalized containers.

"We have a few extras on hand," said Stratton. "People sit on them or put garbage in them and we do our best to keep them clean."

"The village is very grateful to Stratton's," said village administrator Jamie Mehaffie. "The flowers add a lot to the overall look of Main Street."