Members of Girl Scout Troop 41724 and Carol Dieckman with Historical New Richmond designed the third place flower pot for the Roadside Beautification Flower Pot Contest. From left are Elizabeth Simons, 11, Dieckman, Sarah Simons, 11, Caitie Biehle, 11, and Abbi Sammons, 11.

Members of Girl Scout Troop 41724 and Carol Dieckman with Historical New Richmond designed the third place flower pot for the Roadside Beautification Flower Pot Contest. From left are Elizabeth Simons, 11, Dieckman, Sarah Simons, 11, Caitie Biehle, 11, and Abbi Sammons, 11.
Members of the River Trails Garden Club in New Richmond awarded the winners of the Roadside Beatification Flower Pot Contest June 25.

Sharon Enderle, one of the members of the club, organized the contest this year as an effort to get local business owners and residents involved in making the village more visually appealing.

Enderle said Diane Mott, another member, came up with the idea for the contest several years ago and the contest has been held for four years.

“We had a whole big movement with the community and businesses getting together to improve this area,” Mott said.

Mott said she was familiar with the Bikes in Bloom contest held annually in Milford and wanted to do something similar in New Richmond.

She said they decided on large flower pots that businesses or residents could purchase and then place near the street.

Enderle said there were six entries in the contest this year. She said the entry fee was $15.

Enderle said members of the garden club who did not participate judged the flower pots based on specific criteria including creativity, color and more.

She said most of the flowers used by contestants came from either Grant Career Center in Bethel or The Cottage Garden Greenhouse in New Richmond.

First, second and third place flower pot contestants were awarded with cash prizes June 25.

The flower pot created by Carol Dieckman and Girl Scout Troop 41724 received third place in the contest. The flow pot is located at the Gowdy House on George Street in the village.

“I thought it looked great,” Dieckman said about the flower pot.

Dieckman said Girl Scout Troop 41724 helped with all the landscaping at the Gowdy House and several girls put together and took care of the flower pot for the contest.

“We planted it and made sure it got watered,” Caitie Biehle, 11, said.

Diane Mott created the second place flower pot located outside of her home on Front Street in New Richmond.

Mott said she was excited to be able to participate in the contest this year since she let Enderle organize the contest.

The winner of the 2012 contest was Chuck and Marcie Ware with Hunter Custom Homes who created a flower pot that was place outside of Rivertown Market IGA off of US 52.

“I was really surprised,” Marcie Ware said about winning the contest.

Enderle said more businesses participated in the contest this year compared to years past, but she is hoping to continue to grow the contest so that many of the businesses and residents participate.

“We are hoping to increase participation,” she said. “Maybe match a garden club member with a participant. We do plan to grow it within the community.”