flowers – Salem Main Streets

Be a Part of Salem’s Beautification

Jul 172016

Green thumbs or not, the residents and businesses of Salem are being invited to once again take part in the annual Window Box Competition.

What is a Window Box? It is just as it sounds, a container in the shape of a box, showcasing live flowers or plants. It hangs (sometimes sits) from a window of a home, office or street-side business.

But, you’ve never built one? That should not deter you from the competition. This is Salem Ma! Anything’s possible (especially with this link offering do it yourself instructions).

Key thing to be aware of is the choice of wood. According to the DIY network:

“Certain types of wood aren’t suitable for this project. Pine rots easily and oak turns black when wet, so they are not good choices. Cyprus has a high oil content which makes it weather-resistant. Cedar is both decay-resistant and affordable; it can be left natural or can be stained, and it is available in smooth or rough finishes. Teak and mahogany are beautiful, but expensive.”

Ready to show off your gardening and/or creative design skills?

Register by phone at 978-619-5676 or by email at etalkowsky@salem.com with the subject: Window Box Registration, and include your name, street address and telephone number. Deadline is July 28^th.

Judging will follow on July 30 – Aug. 2. Then the awards ceremony and reception are set for Aug. 10 at 5:30pm (during our Heritage Days Festival) in the garden of the Pickering House at 38 Broad St.

There will be light refreshments served and attendees also will be able to tour the interior of the Pickering House.

This event is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the City of Salem, the Salem Beautification Committee and the Salem Garden Club.

Creative Window Boxes To Be Honored For Helping Beautify Salem

Contests, History, New Businesses, Salem Event, Volunteer Opportunities No Responses »

Jul 202015

Windows have an artistic value beyond the utilitarian of keeping cold out and letting fresh air in. Walk down any street in Salem and you’ll see windows as the backdrop and support for creative & colorful flowered window boxes. To honor the businesses and homes that go the extra mile to help beautify Salem, the City has been holding an annual Window Box Competition since 1993.

Modesty aside, did you work hard on your window box design and placement? Then you deserve recognition and an award. The Salem Beautification Committee, along with The Salem Garden Club and Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, have issued an open invitation for submissions.

Or if you are very creative, you’ve got time to make one very quickly for the Window Box Competition.

Wood of course is the traditional material with which to build a window box. But what kind of wood should be used? For example you might want to remove pine, which rots relatively quickly (and we do get a lot of rain & snow) from your options. And add cedar or redwood because of their rot-resistant qualities.

Of course people have gone away from wood totally with fiberglass, brick, metal, vinyl, and cellular PVC!

But time is running out! Registration for the Window Box Competition concludes Wednesday, July 22, 2015. Judging will take place July 25-31. Then the Awards Ceremony & Reception will be held during Heritage Days on Thursday, August 6th at 5:30 pm. in the garden of the Brookhouse, which is located at 180 Derby St.

For more information, rules and to register, call 978-619-5676. Or email: etalkowsky@salem.com with the subject: Window Box Competition registration. Please include your name, street address and telephone number.

The mission of the Salem Beautification Committee is to assist the City in developing and pursuing initiatives that promote the beautification of the City. The goal of the Committee is to create civic pride and to motivate the City’s diverse population to participate in the beautification process.

(Photo courtesy of the Salem Beautification Committee Facebook page)

Contest Looking to Grow New Crop of Window Boxes

Contests No Responses »

Jul 212014

Photo Courtesy of the Hawthorne Hotel

Window boxes are next up to be honored in Salem. Window boxes? Yes, the long narrow box in which flowers and other plants are grown and then placed on an outside windowsill— Salem has been holding an annual Window Box Competition since 1993. And this year is no different as Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, The Salem Beautification Committee and The Salem Garden Club have issued an invitation to residents and businesses to “help beautify our City and show off your gardening talents.”

Wood of course is the traditional material with which to build a window box, but people have used fiberglass, brick, metal, vinyl, and cellular PVC!

The simple container brings life and color to a vintage home, no matter the season. For example, in the summer go with brightly colored flowers and vegetables. But by autumn switch to small pumpkins and gourds. Definitely adds some spice to the look of the home’s exterior.

Registration concludes Wednesday, July 30, 2014. Judging will take place July 31st – August 3rd. Then the Awards Ceremony & Reception will be held during Heritage Days on Thursday, August 7th at 5:30 pm. in the garden of the Brookhouse, which is located at 180 Derby St.

For more information, rules and to register, call 978-619-5676. Or email: etalkowsky@salem.com with the subject: Window Box Registration; include your name, street address and telephone number.

Window Boxes Flower All Over Salem

Uncategorized No Responses »

Jul 152013

What is one of the first things you see when looking at houses in Salem Ma? Shutters? Doors? Windows? Mostly likely it is a colorful window box. Salem is well known for this lively bit of exterior appendage to our structures. And to encourage as well as honor those who go the extra mile to dress up the city, Salem has been holding an annual Window Box Competition since 1993.

This year the Salem Beautification Committee, The Salem Garden Club, and Mayor Kimberly Driscoll are inviting all of you residents to once again help beautify the city and show off your gardening talents. Registrations are required by Friday, July 26.

Ellen Talkowsky, Special Projects Coordinator for the City’s Department of Public Services, tells Salem MainStreets “We have a residential and a business category plus a ‘new entry’ category for participants who have not entered the competition before. Winners receive an award certificate, prize ribbons to put on their window boxes and a framed picture of their award winning box.”

Judging takes place July 27-29 with the Awards Ceremony & Reception to take place on a day during Heritage Days. Interested participants should call 978-619-5676 or email etalkowsky@salem.com by putting “Window Box” in the subject line. Include your name, street address and telephone number in the email.