Behind Leavenworth's iconic summer blooms

LEAVENWORTH – Every spring, as the snow retreats from the mountains and visitors begin filling Front Street, another familiar sign of the season appears overhead. Hundreds of vibrant hanging flower baskets transform downtown Leavenworth into the colorful Bavarian village that residents and tourists have come to expect. 

While the baskets of petunias, geraniums and purple fountain grass have become one of the town’s most recognizable features, keeping them lush throughout the summer requires planning and daily care from the City of Leavenworth's Parks Department.

Flowers have been a part of Leavenworth’s downtown identity since the village’s transformation into a Bavarian-themed destination in the 1960s and 1970s. According to Miracle Town author Ted Price, the widespread use of fresh flowers throughout the community began in the early 1970s with the efforts of Karen Dean and her mother, Virginia, who helped establish the tradition of decorating the town with seasonal blooms. 

Today, the city maintains 170 hanging baskets and 250 ground pots throughout the downtown area each year.

“The use of flowers, hanging or potted, have been a longstanding tradition for Leavenworth,” said Kara Raftery, communications and human resources manager for the City of Leavenworth.

Although visitors often notice the finished display, much of the work happens behind the scenes.

Each year, the city’s Parks Department receives its flower delivery from Creach Greenhouse in Spokane Valley during the first week of May. The goal is to have all pre-made hanging baskets installed by Mother’s Day, while additional flowers are transplanted into 16-inch pots over the following weeks.

The entire Park crew participates in the process, from selecting color combinations to installing the baskets and caring for them throughout the growing season. Parks Supervisor John Schons oversees the annual program. 

Maintaining the displays is a daily commitment. Staff spend five to six hours each day, seven days a week, caring for the flowers during the growing season. Hanging baskets not connected to drip irrigation are hand-watered every day, while the baskets are typically fertilized once a week unless extreme heat makes fertilizing impractical.

The flowers remain on display for as long as weather allows, with the city aiming to keep them blooming through the third week of October.

Keeping the baskets looking their best is not always easy. According to Schons, the biggest challenges are “heat, wind, and worms,” with worms proving especially fond of eating the blossoms.

The maintenance is funded primarily through the city’s lodging tax revenue and Parks Department budget, reflecting the important role the floral displays play in Leavenworth's tourism economy.

For many visitors, the baskets are simply a beautiful backdrop for photos and strolls through the downtown. For the Parks crew, however, they represent months of planning and thousands of hours of work to preserve one of Leavenworth’s most enduring traditions.

Year after year, those colorful blooms continue to welcome residents and visitors alike, serving as a seasonal reminder of the care and attention that help define the character of Leavenworth. 

Hazel Eschen: 509-731-4392 or hazel@ward.media