May 22, 2007 By Frances Borsodi Zajac 3 min read

Downtown Uniontown is looking good with the recent addition of plants and flowers that have brightened city streets. Volunteers from the Green Gardeners held their annual planting day Monday, installing more than 1,000 plants in gardens and planters throughout the city.

“It’s show time,’ smiled Donna George, president of the 54-year-old civic organization that plants and maintains gardens throughout Uniontown.

The Green Gardeners planted the gardens at the Uniontown parking garage on the corner of Church and Morgantown, George C. Marshall Memorial Plaza at Five Corners, the shade garden on Pittsburgh Street and planters that included long troughs on Church Street.

Valerie Sesler, who coordinated the planting for the Green Gardeners with Ellen Ulmer, explained the troughs were being planted with blue salvia, licorice plant, Algerian ivy and sweet potato vine while the parking garage has marigolds, flowering vinca and wave petunias. The plaza is being planted with wave petunias, coleus and celosia while the shade garden has elephant ears, begonias and flowering vinca.

The Green Gardeners hosted their planting day just two days after Fayette Progress Council held its planting day Saturday, partnering with Community Foundation of Fayette County and assisted by volunteers.

Jennifer Eicher of Fayette Progress Council explained, “We planted Nemacolin Courtyard, Storey Square, Main Street from Gallatin Avenue to Five Corners, and Morgantown Street from Main to South.’

Fayette Progress Council filled planters with wave petunias, celosia, coleus, sweet potato vine and verbena, making flower and plant choices with the help of the Green Gardeners.

“The flowers bring color and excitement into town and give you something to look forward to,’ said Eicher, explaining this is the second year the Fayette Progress Council has hosted a planting day.

The council hopes that downtown merchants will adopt a planter and water the plants that are in front of their establishments. Some merchants participated in the planting day on Saturday.

Both organizations enjoyed good weather for planting.

“We have a beautiful day and we’re praying for rain tomorrow – not today,’ Sesler said Monday.

Joanne Young planted petunias at the parking garage. She’s been participating in the Green Gardeners’ planting day for nearly 20 years.

Asked what she likes about it, Young said, “Just making everything beautiful. It’s rewarding.’

Suzanne McMonagle said she likes “the transformation in the gardens. You have that anticipation that it’s going to fill in and be beautiful.’

Sesler said, “I love to garden. There’s something about getting your hands in the earth.’

McMonagle said, “And there’s pride in our hometown.’