Flower Barrels from Fini’s Plant Farm brighten up sidewalks

June 24, 2019 | Stephanie Trombley
stephanie@thereminder.com

WEST SPRINGFIELD – West Side is celebrating spring with barrels of bright flowers thanks to the help of Fini’s Plant Farm and the West Springfield Garden Club. Al Fini, owner of Fini’s Plant Farm, located at 217 James St. in Feeding Hills, and his staff have placed 50 flower barrels on sidewalks and islands in West Springfield including in the area of Elm Street and Park Street.

The barrels will remain until mid-September, at which time Fini will pick them up and bring them back to Fini’s Plant Farm. Fini and his team will be responsible for maintaining the flowers throughout the summer.

Charlotte Pasquerella, president of the West Springfield Garden Club, told Reminder Publishing that the barrel project aligns with the overall mission of the club. “The mission of the West Springfield Garden Club, which is 53 years old, is to help beautify West Springfield,” Pasquerella shared.

With the upkeep of 15 gardens in town and the maintenance of their own greenhouse, Pasquerella explained that the West Springfield Garden Club works to beautify West Side year-round. “We do a lot to beautify West Springfield. I believe we are the only garden club in Massachusetts that has a greenhouse. We have over 70 members. It’s a very active garden club and we like to get our hands dirty,” Pasquerella said.

According to Pasquerella, the barrel project existed in the past, but it was a fellow West Springfield Garden Club member who recently worked to start it back up. “Many years ago, we had a program like this. The DPW went around and watered them. Just recently, Pat said, ‘I would really like to see a return to doing flower barrels in town,’” Pasquerella said.

The West Springfield Garden Club was inspired by similar barrels found in the town of Agawam. “They have these beautiful flower barrels all around Agawam. We contacted Al Fini to see how it works. We now have gotten him to do the program and he grows [the flowers] and provides the outer barrel and places them all around. He said he would be more than willing to do what he does for Agawam for West Springfield,” Pasquerella shared.

Pasquerella said she feels that the flower barrels will improve the town of West Springfield. “I think it’s a quality of life thing. There’s something about flowers. There’s a reason why Home Depot or even your local grocery store sells flowers, because it does something for you. It lifts up your heart. It provides a moment of beauty when you drive by or you’re in a store. Psychologically, it improves your mood,” Pasquerella said.

Pasquerella shared that the West Springfield Garden Club is already looking to the future of the flower barrel project. “Next year, we’d really like to do 100,” Pasquerella said.

The West Springfield Garden Club is currently accepting sponsorships on each of the barrels. Each sponsorship costs $120 and includes the barrel, soil, watering from June 10 to Sept.15, and a 4 by 10-inch all-weather sign inserted in the barrel to display the name of the sponsor. Sponsorships can be purchased by a donor, company, group or in honor of a loved one.

Signs will be collected in mid-September and kept by the West Springfield Garden Club for use in future years. If a sponsor chooses to participate in a future year, the same sign will be used and the sponsorship will only cost $100.

At the time of publication, 35 of the 50 barrels had been sponsored. To sponsor a barrel, contact Kate Parrow at kfparrow@comcast.net.

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