Making Lovell main street beautiful, one flower at a time

Eighteen planters were filled with plants on Saturday, May 18, and are set to grow into beautiful flowering displays throughout the town of Lovell this summer.  Thanks to the flower lady brigade, those plants, once fully nurtured into maturity by their loving hands, will beautify Main Street from Shoshone Avenue to Oregon Avenue.

The work of the flower lady volunteers is a long-time tradition in Lovell, originally organized decades ago by Beverly Moody after she read a disparaging comment about the town in a book written by a local author. When Moody moved away from Lovell, others rose to the occasion, planting flowers every spring, making the town look spruced up all summer and into the fall. 

Phyrn Opp joined the group more than 30 years ago and has led the charge since then. She said the task of planting, watering and deadheading the flowers has been both fun and rewarding. With no shortage of volunteers, Opp schedules the tasks required to maintain the planters.

“I love the way it puts a smile on people’s faces,” said Opp. “People tell us they look forward to seeing the beautiful planters in full bloom every year.”

“This wouldn’t happen without the volunteer efforts of these ladies,” said town administrator Jed Nebel. “I’ve seen them out working in 100-degree heat and all sorts of weather. I don’t think people realize how much work they put into the planters.”

Opp designs the layout of the planters and submits a list to the local greenhouse every spring. The town pays for expenses connected to 15 of the planters. Three are paid for by local businesses.

“We’re really grateful to the town for supporting us, supplying a truck and keeping it filled with water all summer,” Opp said.

Nebel said he hopes to create a beautification committee someday to lead an effort to keep the town looking its best. He also plans to organize a community clean-up day to help keep things in order.

“The flowers symbolize our pride in the community,” explained Opp. Volunteers rotate duties in groups of three or four. The spring planting is only the beginning, with regular watering and deadheading taking place throughout the spring and summer months until the first frost in the fall. About a half dozen ladies volunteer their efforts to plant and maintain the planters.

 “It’s been a joy to do this for all these years, and it’s very relaxing,” Opp said. “It makes our little town look pretty, and it’s a reason to get out of the house.”

Opp said there is no secret to the success of growing flowers in Lovell. 

“You just need to give them the right amount of sun and water,” she said.