Lewes in Bloom Beauty Spot Award nominations due now

The Lewes in Bloom Beauty Spot Award successfully launched last year and is open for May and June nominations now. Designed to honor beauty throughout the greater Lewes community, the award also serves to thank gardeners for their efforts to enhance beauty on their properties. A LIB Beauty Spot winner can be based on overall landscape, planted beds, containers, front door, patios - or even a beautiful corner! It doesn't have to be an entire yard or property. It can be any size spot in the ZIP code 19958.

Awardees received the Beauty Spot Award sign to display in their yard for a month; an award certificate from LIB; a $25 gift certificate from Wharton's Garden Center; acknowledgement in the LIB newsletter, website and Facebook; as well as coverage in the Cape Gazette.

All residential properties or spots in the greater Lewes 19958 ZIP code are eligible to participate. Lewes in Bloom membership is not necessary. Residents can self-nominate their property, and the general public can also nominate a residential property that catches their eye. Members of the LIB Board of Advisors and LIB Beauty Spot Selection Committee are not eligible. Candidate residences can be either owner or professionally designed and planted, but must be owner-maintained. Nominations are submitted to the Lewes in Bloom Beauty Spot by email to lewesinbloomde@gmail.com . The nomination form can be found at www.lewesinbloom.org under "Hot Off The Press."

LIB created the Beauty Spot Award on the recommendation of America in Bloom Champions Category Selection Committee feedback. In September 2015, during the America in Bloom Symposium in Holland, Mich, Lewes was named the winner of the Champions Category for small towns. Judy Hanson, LIB co-chair, then challenged the club's Horticulture Committee to research how to establish a Beauty Spot program for Lewes.

Hanson said, "The Beauty Spot program is a great example of how LIB members collaborate to enrich the city we love and care about. Nancy Phillips, LIB co-chair, said, "This program provides opportunities for Lewes residents to be recognized for their efforts in gardening." The Beauty Spot Award Committee is led by LIB members Betsy Hansot, Linda McDonald, Ann-Marie Rooney, Lois Sechehay and Dolores Wardell.

Lewes in Bloom is a volunteer organization of more than 170 members. Each year its members volunteer hundreds of hours planting thousands of bulbs and plants throughout the city. It promotes the beautification and maintenance of Historic Lewes and the community at large. It is dedicated to helping Lewes boost its attractiveness through a variety of efforts including historical preservation, environmental awareness, a children's garden, floral displays, and more.

Once finalized, Lewes in Bloom will oversee the Garden for All Ages. With Lewes in Bloom's assistance, Lewes won the America in Bloom Circle of Champions Award for small towns at the 2015 America in Bloom Symposium in Holland, MI. Information on membership and support can be found at www.lewesinbloom.org, or facebook.