Every year, city greenhouse employees grow a crop of over 1,200 poinsettias for display at City Hall, City Park Recreation Center and additional city facilities. However, due to COVID-19 many city facilities are closed, so greenhouse staff got creative and decided to pass the pretty plants out to the community.

“We ordered the plants in January and have been growing them since mid-summer with the plan to create our annual ‘poinsettia trees,’” said Greenhouse Crewleader Chris Borchers. “However, my team pivoted and decided to spread the poinsettia love to our community instead.”

Several colors/varieties of poinsettias were grown, including red, white, peach/gold, lipstick pink and red with pink mottling. 

Borchers and her crew delivered poinsettias to the open city facilities: City Park Recreation Center, West View Recreation Center and the Swim and Fitness Center. However, they also delivered them to volunteers for the Police Department, Fire Department and Open Space.

In addition, they delivered them to staff and volunteers at Growing Home, a neighborhood food pantry and family services organization, and staff and patients at St. Anthony’s Hospital near 144th Avenue and I-25.

“Everyone who we gave one to was very appreciative and thankful to the city for bringing them some joy,” said Borchers. “With everything that’s happened in 2020, our staff was thrilled to be able to thank the volunteers and bring holiday spirit to the hospital patients.”