BLUEFIELD — By JAMIE PARSELL

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

In a city already known for icy, tart lemonade, twinkling Christmas lights and a rich history in the coal industry, one group of residents is aiming for another eye-catching Bluefield tradition — a window box of thrillers, fillers and spillers, also known as flowers.

Downtown Bluefield is already blooming with fixed and hanging containers full of rich red, bright purple and delicate white flowers. From local businesses to the wall dividing the town from Norfolk and Western’s rail yard, the flowers add to summer’s landscape, making a trip downtown a garden paradise. But the Bluefield Beautification Committee wants to expand the splash of color from downtown Bluefield to the residential communities surrounding the area using window boxes.

Suzanne Bovenizer of Bluefield came up with the idea for a window box community after visiting her children in parts of North and South Carolina. Another trip to London, England, provided even more inspiration. The flower lover noticed a majority of the houses in the South and across the Atlantic Ocean had window boxes full of flowers.

“I would see them down there (the Carolinas) and thought it would be so great for Bluefield. We could be known as a window box community,” Bovenizer said. “I just kept thinking about it.”

When she joined the Bluefield Beautification Committee a few years later, Bovenizer recalled the window boxes from the southern part of the U.S., and spoke about her desire to create a new tradition in Bluefield. The committee ran with the idea. Now in their second year, the group is encouraging more residents to display window boxes during the summer months.

“I am so tickled with what we have done. It is a good thing for Bluefield. I wish we could get more people to participate,” she said. “This is for everybody and every section of Bluefield. No matter where your business or where you live or rent.”

This year, the committee has purchased window boxes and flowers for interested residents who want to join in the community project. Members have also created displays for local businesses. Committee member Faye Darby said these particular boxes have a watering system, which keeps the flowers watered for days. The Bluefield resident has six window boxes at her home.

“I am so excited,” Darby said. “This is my favorite thing in the entire world. It is a way to add instant charm and curb appeal.”

Not only will the committee put the boxes together, but they will help elderly and handicap residents maintain their thrillers, fillers and spillers. Betsey Sorrell, a horticulturist and member of the committee, said residents can also create their own window boxes and combine their personality and creativity. She suggests using a good potting mix specifically for containers. Potting soil is just too heavy, Sorrell said. Then, pick a color scheme. The thrillers are the centerpiece, followed by fillers in the middle and finally, spillers down the front of the box. From the more formal English garden to the wild side, the boxes can be tailor made for each home. Residents can also control the price of a window box. A small window box can cost as little as $30, but more elaborate displays can climb more than $100.

In the downtown area, the Beautification Committee uses red dragon wing begonias, margarita lime sweet potato vine, sky blue petunias, Purple Heart Wandering Jew and sun coleus. The combination of texture and color has caught the eye of local residents, but also visitors and tourists, Sorrell said.

“It gives us so much pleasure when someone tells us that they go out of their way to drive through our downtown to see the flowers. The improvements made over the past four years are overwhelming. Our hope for the window box community is that people from near and far will come to see our city and perhaps, they will decide to stay,” Sorrell said.

Both Darby and Sorrell believe possibilities for the project are endless. Darby said residents can really use window boxes all year long and create fall and holiday scenes or fill the boxes with greenery. Another great advantage is homeowners don’t need to know everything about gardening to plant window boxes. Both women said window boxes can be portable and fixed at comfortable heights for easy care. Plus, homes with little or no yard space can use window boxes as an easy fix for landscaping.

“If someone thinks they haven’t got a green thumb, they just haven’t found the right plants for their lifestyle,” Sorrell said. “Just recently, I saw a lovely lady’s window boxes done with asparagus fern and variegated vinca vine. Two very easy plants to grow and maintain and create a very simple, yet elegant combination.”

To help locals establish a window box community, the Bluefield Beautification Committee will be holding a workshop on Thursday, June 17, at College Avenue Baptist Church from 6-8 p.m. Sorrell, along with other members, will be able to answer any questions and even assist residents in obtaining their own window boxes. Those unable to attend can call the city of Bluefield to reach the Bluefield Beautification Committee.