By Khalida Sarwari
Vying for an America in Bloom award for the second consecutive year, a group of dedicated volunteers in Saratoga are pulling out all the stops ahead of a visit by judges in early May.
“If you see a plethora of red geraniums, it is all part of the campaign to win the contest again,” said Saratoga Historical Foundation president Annette Stransky, adding that Saratoga is the only city in California that’s participating in the 30,000 to 40,000 population category this year. The city will be competing against Henderson, N.C.; St. Charles, Ill; and Midland, Mich.
Saratoga won in that category last year and also went home with the “Most Beautiful Canopy of Trees” award. The city’s America in Bloom committee is hoping to repeat that success at the symposium and award ceremony in Arroyo Grande, Oct. 6-8.
The first step to doing that, of course, is impressing the judges when they visit May 2-4. That’s where the geraniums come in. As part of the judging process last year, judges suggested proposals for building a stronger sense of community and identity, and the designation of a city flower was one of them. Earlier this year, the city council adopted the red geranium as Saratoga’s official city flower, and the America in Bloom committee launched a contest encouraging residents to find fun and creative ways to display the flower at their homes.
Judges will evaluate participating cities based on overall impression, heritage preservation, environmental efforts, urban forestry, landscapes, floral displays and community involvement.
During their visit, the judges will visit Hakone Gardens, Montalvo, Mountain Winery and West Valley College, as well as downtown Saratoga and every park in the city, according to Jill Hunter, who heads the Village Gardeners group that spearheaded the America in Bloom initiative last year.
“We are determined to get Saratoga into the Circle of Champions of beautiful American cities,” said Hunter, urging residents to “take a stroll around the Village to see what we have accomplished, all through the volunteer efforts of our residents.”
America in Bloom judges come from a cross-section of professional backgrounds, including horticultural, arboreal and the civic and business sectors, and receive special training each year for the role. The two assigned to Saratoga are Pam Turrell of Columbus, Ohio, and Karin Rindal of Centreville, Va.
Turrell holds a sustainable landscape certificate from Dawes Arboretum in Newark, Ohio, and is studying landscape design and maintenance at Columbus State Community College. Rindal has been involved at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum as well as the U.S. Botanic Garden and recently completed the requirements for the New Jersey environmental stewardship program.
American in Bloom is a national nonprofit program founded in 2001 and promotes nationwide beautification through education and community involvement by encouraging the use of flowers, plants, trees and other environmental and lifestyle enhancements. About 230 cities in 45 states have participated in the contest, held annually to promote civic pride and the beautification.
The America in Bloom committee is holding a luncheon on May 4 to discuss Saratoga’s strategy for winning the contest. The luncheon will be attended by the Hakone Foundation’s board, along with the America in Bloom judges, and will be followed by a tour and topped off with a community dinner at Bella Saratoga.
Link: Saratogans are preparing for May visit by America in Bloom judges
