Mums are out, tulips are in, and we can't wait for spring!
Tulips donated by the City of Albany have been planted in multiple locations along Central Avenue in anticipation of spring.
Hundreds of Orange Emperor bulbs were planted by Jessica Morgan, City gardener and her team in Townsend Park earlier this week. The city also donated bulbs to local businesses to plant in public areas in front of their storefronts along Central Avenue. Equinox's Youth Outreach Center received and planted nearly 1,000 bulbs in tree beds and garden beds along Central Avenue.
It was a big project and with recent frigid temperatures, a finger-numbing one, but Equinox said, they just couldn't resist. "Seeing them bloom once spring rolls around, I just couldn't pass that up," says Dan Pickel, supervisor for the youth outreach center.
In October, Equinox and the Central Avenue Business Improvement District partnered with the College of Saint Rose and Townsend Park Homes on the Central Avenue Beautification Project, a clean-up and planting project for lower Central Avenue. The volunteers cleaned 14 tree beds, cleared debris from public spaces, and planted 144 mums, with the help of local businesses, including Central Florist, Constantine Farms, and Trustco Bank. Food and refreshments were donated by Albany Housing Authority, Honest Weight Food Co-op, and Albany Ramada Plaza hotel.
"We were just so excited after putting the mums in, walking down the street and seeing that impact, we wanted to do it over again," says Pickel.
The orange tulips, which are Albany's official color, should come up in time for Tulip Fest, so be sure to drop by and see them!
Still interested in planting bulbs? We have few left. Contact the CBID offices today--there's not much time to get them in the ground before it freezes! (518) 462-4300.
