Volunteers keep Merrill blooming all summer long

Summer is winding down in Merrill. Technically it’s already autumn, but temperatures in the low 80’s this week make it feel as though summer is still in full swing. Many of the plants already know the jig is up, though, and we can clearly see they are beginning to prepare. The annuals are dying off with cool nighttime temps and the perennials are beginning to go dormant.
As the vibrant colors of summer give way to the warm colors of autumn—with red, yellow, gold, and rust leaves; orange pumpkins on display on porches and steps; and the rusty and golden brown hues of crunchy fallen leaves beneath our feet, we bid a fond farewell to summer.
This is also a great time to recognize and thank the volunteers and donors who make the bright and beautiful summer season even more so, creating a floral showcase that greets Merrill residents and visitors alike with a display of color throughout the city. From carefully tended garden beds throughout the city to cascading hanging baskets lining downtown streets, these blooms represent countless hours of work by dedicated volunteers and a shared commitment to making Merrill beautiful.

Park City Gardens brighten Merrill
The volunteers who make up Park City Gardens have created stunning flower beds throughout town that welcome everyone who passes by. These garden spots, including the eye-catching display in the center of the roundabout, serve as sources of pride for the community, and many—like the roundabout display—extend beyond summer, beautifying the community with daffodils and tulips in the springtime and a bounteous display of pumpkins in the fall. The volunteers tend these beds throughout the growing season, ensuring that both visitors to Merrill and residents who pass them daily can enjoy their beauty.

Hanging baskets require teamwork
The lamppost hanging flower baskets were hung this season on June 2, 2025, continuing a longstanding tradition. This marked the third year that Holli at the Plant Garden Center in Merrill supplied Merrill-grown flowers for the 104 baskets that decorated downtown areas from the east Hwy. 64 entrance to Merrill all the way to the 6th Ward, including the Normal Park Gazebo.
“This is the perfect example of ‘many hands make the load light,’” said Jane Ann Savaske, a member of the Hanging Flower Basket Committee.
The project brings together the Hanging Flower Basket Committee, City of Merrill, Plant Garden Center, Merrill Chamber of Commerce Foundation, volunteers, and generous donors.
Committee member Darrel Dengel brings his large trailer to the garden center, where volunteers and committee members attach hanging chains to the baskets before loading them up. The baskets are transported to the Lincoln County Courthouse lawn, the Culvers area, and the library parking lot, where Kevin and Gary from the Merrill Street Department use a front bucket loader to hang them. About six baskets fit in the bucket at a time, with Kevin driving while Gary is lifted to place each basket on its hanger.

Watering the baskets presents a unique challenge in Merrill, which has four separate business areas: the east Hwy. 64 area, the east business district/downtown area, the westside business district and the 6th Ward business area. The route covers nearly five miles. The Merrill Park and Recreation Department supplies the watering truck, which is filled at the Merrill Water Department. Then Jerry Burnett waters on weekdays and Gregory Radke handles weekend watering.
The project depends on generous donations from community members, many of whom contribute year after year. The Merrill Chamber Foundation assists by printing letters, acknowledging donations, recording contributions with tax-exempt status, and handling bookkeeping duties.
Committee members include Jane Ann Savaske, Darrell Dengel, Ginny Drew, Marcy Barney, and Nancy Dabbert. Volunteers and Street Department employeeswho helped hang the baskets this season also included Dave Barney, Steve Drew, Keith Donner, Warren Anderson, and Gary Osness.