AIB connects community with plants

By Linda Cromer

Cities participating in America in Bloom compete in eight categories to win our coveted awards, and they're all important, but community involvement is the bedrock of the program. It's an important factor in assessing the other seven judging criteria.

Remember that broader promotion translates into better participation from the entire community, which gives you better chances to win. Here are my top tips for getting involved.

Let people know what you're up to: Highlight your town's AIB activities on your website and include a link to AIB's homepage. Ask local churches to mention the program and related projects in their weekly bulletins. Enlist civic organizations like the Lions Club, Rotary and Kiwanis by asking them to put AIB on their meeting agendas as a talking point. Contact the various scout councils and invite their ideas and participation.

Read more of Linda's tips here.

And see our entire special section on AIB here.

Photo courtesy of Castle Rock, WA, and AIB participant.