The City of Sherman is planning major capital improvements to downtown! This year we can expect expanded pedestrian plazas and street trees at the square and Travis Street, and private donations of over 60,000 dollars are contributing to the street scape improvement project! But it occurred to us that there’s still one more very easy way that we can make Downtown Sherman look even nicer and improve the quality of a pedestrian’s experience: Potted Plants! On June 4th, our panel of three judge’s braved the heat and toured the downtown neighborhood to rank the efforts of downtown businesses in three categories: potted plants, hanging baskets, and beds or planters. Criteria included scale, creativity, and composition. At the end of the day, it was the projects that combined scale and volume of planting with creative presentations that were relevant to the specific businesses that impressed the judges most. Awards were as follows:

Judge’s Choice Award: Sandi’s Boutique
First Place Pot: Interior HomeStore
Pot Runner-up: Funky Monkey
Pot Runner-up: Touch of Class Antique Mall
Pot Runner-up: Risk Shoe Store and Repair
First Place Basket: Satin and Associates
First Place Planter or Bed: Hannah’s Florist
Planter or Bed Runner-up: The Boardwalk Building

We wish to extend a special thanks to Janet ventura and Carol Davis for helping coordinate the event, and to our panel of judge’s for giving us their time and expertise. Willie Steele, a local landscape designer and deputy mayor, Barb Grisham, a Grayson County Master Gardener, and Herald Democrat city editor Kathy Williams reminisced about Downtown Sherman’s past as they strolled from among the downtown storefronts.

Thanks also to all who participated in the contest. The excitement and enthusiasm was overwhelming, and the results have made a significant impact on the quality of a pedestrian’s experience. Those who participated in the contest included: Auto Color Specialists, Bella Fontana Spa, Blue Willow, Boardwalk Building, Boiler Room Coffee Bar, Elite Physeks, Escape Salon, Frame Team, Funky Monkey, Garland Insurance, the Garden Gate, Garrett Patton Salon and Associates, Hal Pilcher Accountant, Hannah’s Florist, Interior HomeStore, Kelly’s Restaurant, Knight Furniture, LeCrone Law Firm, Little Italy Ristorante, Maw Maw’s Place, Native Signs, North Texas Bail Bonds, Platinum Construction, Rafael’s Custom Upholstery, Richardson Law Firm, Risk Shoes, Ronald Schnitker, Ron Huff and Juerena Huffman, Sample Insurance, Sanders, O’Hanlon and Motley Partners, Sandi’s Boutique, Sartin and Associates, Shabby Chic Salon, Special Occasions Florist, Sweet Side Candy, Substance Abuse Council, Texas Laundry, Texoma Neon, Touch of Class Antiques, Thompson Frame and Alignment, and Travis Lofts.

Prizes for the contest were provided courtesy of Lasting Images Photography, Bella Fontana Spa, Quin Studio, Kelly’s Restaurant, Touch of Class Antique Mall, Knight Furniture, Garden Design, Interior HomeStore, Lupe’s Tamales, and Sandi’s Boutique.

We look forward to next year’s competition, which is sure to be even bigger and better than this year!