Tuesday, September 26, 2017 – Planters Removed from Main St & VC, Flowerbeds Pulled Too, Smith Family Cemetery, Wm Weeks Flowerbed

We worked hard and got a lot done on a very warm day. First we pulled out all of the large terracotta pots down Main Street and at the Visitor’s Center. Even though the days are warm now, the first frost will do them all in anyway so they have to come out. The planters and flowerbeds we removed today have another strike against them; they all have to be hand watered with the two Water Trucks. The seasonal staff is dwindling and it isn’t practical to continue watering so many planters every day. 

Thankfully all of those pots, planters and flowerbeds won’t go to waste. Of course all of the terracotta pots are recycled and saved for next year. All of the plants and soil are sent to the compost pile where it decomposes and will be used again. Recycling is a very good thing.

Next we started pulling flowerbeds on Old Main Street. First we pulled the flowerbed beside the Scovil Bakery.  

We aren’t the only ones that are preparing for the first frost. Rick MacGregor, the head groundskeeper at the Community of Christ asked for our assistance to pull the four flowerbeds at the “Smith Family Cemetery.” 

 FM and the Community of Christ work closely together to help make sure all of Old Nauvoo looks beautiful for all of the guests. We planted the cemetery’s four flowerbeds last spring for the Community of Christ but FM does get paid for its labor and materials. The “Smith Family Cemetery” is funded by a charitable foundation which raises money and pays for all maintenance of the cemetery.

After lunch we continued pulling flowerbeds. We had enough time left to pull the parking area flowerbed by the Jonathan Browning Home and Gun Shop. Then we finished our day pulling the large flowerbed at the corner of Partridge & Young. This final flowerbed was a particular favorite of mine because the guests that drive to the Visitor’s Center drive right past it and it was kind of a huge, colorful “Welcome To Nauvoo” sign.