Discover Venice 2021-2022

T op honors for the prestigious 2021 America in Bloom awards were announced in September. The city of Venice was the winner of the "Eye Popping Pots – Best use of Containers in the Landscape" Special Award. Venice has had an explosion of flowerpots and containers thanks to Venice Area Beautification Inc. and the Venice In Bloom Team volunteers. Since 2013, the city has gone from no flower displays to more than 100 in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The initial efforts were to use ceramic pots at corners and crosswalks. After a couple years, officials decided to add multi-tier fountains as flower displays. These initially were placed at crosswalks but later expanded to parks and highly visible entry locations. VABI plants year-round so they are continuously changing plants. One of its goals is to give the public a lot of different looks, maybe to help give them an idea of plants or color combinations. They try in the pots to have different thrillers in the center. Many of these are one of a kind. and beach access areas. The Monty Andrews Arboretum Crew (bright orange tops) works in the city's Arboretum at West Blalock Park). The Urban Foresters, a group of volunteers in light aqua shirts, labors every Saturday in the Urban Forest. Past significant projects that VABI has completed in partnership with local governments and donating entities are: the Venetian Waterway Park (a 10-mile linear park along both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway), downtown beautification with the addition of hanging baskets, large pots, and landscaped areas, and restoration of many public areas like beach access points and other public parks in the Venice area. The VABI Public Art Committee is another initiative beautifying the community with the many murals VABI has created downtown. The latest major project undertaken by VABI is installing an Urban Forest on the 1.75-mile railway corridor that lies east of the Venetian Waterway Park and west of the Industrial corridor on the mainland. So, the next time you see a bright color-shirted volunteer in the median, in the arboretum, or any other public area its VABI at work. Venice wins national America in Bloom award Staff Report PHOTOS COURTESY OF VENICE AREA BEAUTIFICATION INC. Venice In Bloom crew 2021-2022 DISCOVER VENICE 17

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