Red Wing Flower Baskets

In 1989, the Planning Department, Public Works Department, and Noontime Kiwanis Club came up with the idea of hanging flower baskets around Red Wing. In 1990, flower baskets went up in LaGrange Park.

Hallstrom’s Florist and Greenhouses and Sargent’s Nursery create the flower baskets each year. Both nurseries begin growing in January and, by mid May, the flower baskets are constructed and hung throughout Red Wing. The flower baskets are watered everyday by seasonal employees, rain or shine.

This year, the City of Red Wing and volunteers took the baskets down in September. Downtown Main Street, Inc. (DTMS) Vice President Shannan Harris said, “This is a perfect time to transition from summer to autumn. After the baskets came down, DTMS decorated the light poles with corn stalks- perfect for all autumn visitors to enjoy.”

Because of budget cuts, the decision to take the baskets down in September rather than October was made at a spring meeting between Noontime Kiwanis, the City of Red Wing, DTMS, the Chamber of Commerce, Hallstrom’s, Sargent’s, and the Visitor and Convention Bureau.

Funding the Flower Basket Program
The City of Red Wing and Noontime Kiwanis came up with an agreement to fund the project in which Noontime Kiwanis supplies all the baskets and needed accessories (brackets, chains, pans, etc.) and makes a substantial donation toward the purchase of planting and growing of the flowers. The City of Red Wing installs and maintains the baskets throughout the summer.

This year, the City of Red Wing maintained 320 flower baskets at a cost of approximately $130 per basket. These figures include the cost of growing and preparing the flowers, labor and equipment charges for hanging, removing the baskets from the hangers, and watering the flowers daily.

For this year’s flower baskets, Noontime Kiwanis’s provided about 70 percent of the cost and, in the past, has contributed 100 percent of the aforementioned costs. For next year, a cooperative decision was made to have 160 flower baskets because of the inability to raise funds needed to cover the costs associated with the flower basket program. This is directly tied to the City of Red Wing’s continued fiscal crisis and cutbacks that all areas are experiencing. The exact location of baskets has not been determined, but a committee of Kiwanis members, DTMS, and city staff will be identifying the location of the baskets.

Flowers and Hardware

Red Wing's Noontime Kiwanis Club supplied all of the baskets and needed accessories (i.e. brackets, chains, pans, etc.). They also made a substantial donation toward the purchase of, planting and growing of the plants in the baskets. The City picks the baskets up and installs them approximately the third week of May. Once the baskets are picked up and hung, the City does all of the needed maintenance and daily watering.

16" Wire baskets with added wire for strength come from:
Topiary Art Works and Greenhouses / Phone: 316.584.2366
PO Box 574, Clearwater, Kansas 67026

Aluminum pans were custom made by:
Acme Metal Spinning, Inc.
98 43rd Avenue North East, Minneapolis, MN 55421
Phone # 612-788-9051

Thomas Betts Corp of Hager City, Wi. made the hanging brackets, and painted the brackets and baskets.

Local greenhouses* start seeding in January, then transfer seedlings to the baskets in mid-March. Soil used in the baskets is Metro Mix #500.

* Hallstrom's Florist (Dave Hallstrom) 651.388.7178
* Sargent's Nursery, Inc. (Bob Louis) 651.388.3847

Red Wing's Noontime Kiwanis Club supplied all of the baskets and needed accessories (i.e. brackets, chains, pans, etc.). They also made a substantial donation toward the purchase of, planting and growing of the plants in the baskets. The City picks the baskets up and installs them approximately the third week of May. Once the baskets are picked up and hung, the City does all of the needed maintenance and daily watering.

16" Wire baskets with added wire for strength come from:
Topiary Art Works and Greenhouses / Phone: 316.584.2366
PO Box 574, Clearwater, Kansas 67026

Aluminum pans were custom made by:
Acme Metal Spinning, Inc.
98 43rd Avenue North East, Minneapolis, MN 55421
Phone # 612-788-9051

Thomas Betts Corp of Hager City, Wi. made the hanging brackets, and painted the brackets and baskets.

Local greenhouses* start seeding in January, then transfer seedlings to the baskets in mid-March. Soil used in the baskets is Metro Mix #500.

* Hallstrom's Florist (Dave Hallstrom) 651.388.7178
* Sargent's Nursery, Inc. (Bob Louis) 651.388.3847

• Top 1 Lemon Gem Marigold
• 1 Hurrah Blue Petunia
• 1 Carpet Pink Petunia
• 1 Hurrah Red Petunia
• 1 Carpet Sky Blue Petunia
• 1 Vinca Vine in center
• Middle 3 Bright Ivy Cascade Geraniums
• 1 Hurrah Pink Flare Petunia
• 1 Carpet Buttercreme Petunia
• 1 Hurrah Plum Petunia
• 1 Babylon Lilac Verbena
• 1 Babylon Neon Rose Verbena
• 1 Babylon Pink Verbena
• Bottom 1 Terra Cotta Million Bells
• 1 Hurrah Carmine Petunia
• 1 Yellow Million Bells
• 1 Hurrah Coral Flare
• 1 Hurrah Blue Vein Petunia
• 1 Hurrah Red Petunia
• Top 1 Lemon Gem Marigold
• 1 Hurrah Blue Petunia
• 1 Carpet Pink Petunia
• 1 Hurrah Red Petunia
• 1 Carpet Sky Blue Petunia
• 1 Vinca Vine in center
• Middle 3 Bright Ivy Cascade Geraniums
• 1 Hurrah Pink Flare Petunia
• 1 Carpet Buttercreme Petunia
• 1 Hurrah Plum Petunia
• 1 Babylon Lilac Verbena
• 1 Babylon Neon Rose Verbena
• 1 Babylon Pink Verbena
• Bottom 1 Terra Cotta Million Bells
• 1 Hurrah Carmine Petunia
• 1 Yellow Million Bells
• 1 Hurrah Coral Flare
• 1 Hurrah Blue Vein Petunia
• 1 Hurrah Red Petunia

Watering System

NETAFIM TORO

• One (1) MLT TEE
• Two (2) MLT ELBOW
• 14’ of ½” BLACK POLY PIPE
• One (1) - ½” GARDEN HOSE END
• One (1) WASH MACHINE SCREEN
• One (1) NELSON MALE BRASS QUICK COUPLER

CUSHMAN

• One (1) ¾” ELBOW BOOM VALVE DELAVAN P/N 50665
• One (1) DELAVAN TURBO 90 PUMP
• One (1) NELSON FEMALE BRASS QUICK COUPLER