While wandering downtown Fort Collins this summer, you may have noticed the abundance of freshly potted flowers and plants. You can thank the Fort Collins Parks Department for those colorful displays! Each year, the Park Dept. team refreshes the flowers in Downtown Fort Collins through their Flourishing FoCo project, sourcing flowers and plants from local growers and designing the landscapes with sustainability and community in mind.
Fort Collins Downtown Flower Project
About 45,000 flowers and greenery are planted each summer by Parks staff, spanning 270 different species. Last year, the project established the “Pollinator Parkway,” transforming downtown into a haven for bees and butterflies alike by adding perennials like the Sapphire Blue Aster, Alaska Shasta Daisy and more to the mix.
Flowers are sourced locally from nearby greenhouse, Plantorium. A few common species of flowers included in displays are Dahlias, Petunias, Coleus, Calibrachoa, Petchoa, Zinnia, Strawflower, Canna, Verbena, and Gomphrena.
The Parks Department works diligently to provide and maintain the flower beds in Downtown Fort Collins. The beautiful and memorable displays take a great deal of planning, partnerships with local organizations, sustainable and environmentally friendly efforts, and provide a sense of place for the Fort Collins community.
The Parks Department collaborates with Colorado State University’s Horticulture and Landscape Architecture team to select the best varieties of plants. Each season, staff from the Parks Department visit the nearby Annual Flower Trial Garden and choose flowers that are grown for optimum performance in Colorado’s climate.
While wandering downtown you’ll notice a strong resemblance to Disneyland’s Main Street USA. We’re proud to say that it is modeled after our very own Downtown Fort Collins. If you haven’t already, head Downtown to experience the beautiful floral displays – and don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers!