Oct. 27 marked Keep Denton Beautiful, Inc. (KDB)’s 20th Annual Community Tree Giveaway! 700 Dentonites received free trees from KDB at the drive-thru style event in just five hours. This year, seven species were given away: Bald Cypress, Brandywine Maple, Burr Oak, Chinkapin Oak, Lacebark Elm, Mexican Plum, and Shumard Oak. Take a look at the gorgeous event photos taken by local photographers, Gabriel Lee and Trejon D’Angelo.
Painted Flower Farm has been a Pecal Level Business Member since 2015. A local, family-owned nursery, they specialize in native and adapted herbaceous perennials. They have long been a vendor at the annual Denton Redbud Festival, where festival-goers are able to choose from their variety of flowers, shrubs, and herbs. Their store in Denton is overflowing with pots and hanging plants – waiting for you to take home! Visit them at their store a 3801 Lariat Rd, Denton, TX 76207, or give them a call at 940.382.3789.
We asked the owner, Don, a few questions about Denton and why he chooses to support Keep Denton Beautiful.
How long have you been in Denton?
Lived here since 1990. Painted Flower Farm started in 1995 as a small horse farm. The nursery started in 2003.
What’s the most inspiring place in Denton?
The improvement in the Square and the “near Square”.
What impact do you think KDB has on the Denton community?
Urban encroachment in the last decade has changed Denton significantly. Whether that is good or bad is a matter of opinion but it is real. Urbanization can lead to decay and unattractiveness. KDB and their activities have fought against the decay that is inevitable. It is hard to quantify what has been the effect of this fight since we don’t know what Denton would be like without KDB. My belief is that KDB has helped greatly to slow the decay associated with urbanization.
What does “Keep Denton Beautiful” mean to you?
Environmental activists volunteering to keep their community from suffering too much from the effects of increased populations.
What causes or other activities do you support in the community?
Native Plant Society; Master Gardeners; Community Market; Environmental action groups at UNT and TWU.
Is there anything new your business is working on this year, or seasonal projects?
Evaluating Hosta species as pot plants for shady patios, determining interest in Do-it-yourself succulent and other indoor potted plants.
We are so appreciative of Don and everyone at Painted Flower Farm for their support of Keep Denton Beautiful! Interested in being a member? Check out our Business Membership options.
What is the Community Appearance Index & Why is it Important?
This month, KDB completed its annual Community Appearance Index, which is a visual litter scan to determine how littered our community is (or appears to be) and where coordinated community cleanup efforts should take place. Two teams, made up of volunteers, KDB board members, and staff, teamed up to score litter prevalence along ninety-six different roadway “zones” in Denton. As an affiliate organization of Keep America Beautiful (KAB), we must complete the Community Appearance Index each year, along with a comprehensive cost-benefit report, to remain an affiliate in good standing.
Each zone was rated by district covering 96 roadway zones
How Does the Rating Scale Work?
Keep America Beautiful (KAB) designed a rating scale to determine rate of litter prevalence on a scale of 1 to 4, with “1” indicating the least littered and “4” being extremely littered. The highest score of “4” on the scale indicates extreme litter prevalence, to the point of requiring a coordinated community cleanup effort or even contractor removal of large dumped items.
Litter Index Scale 1: Minimal or No Litter
Litter Index Scale 2: Slightly Littered
Litter Index Scale 3: Littered
Litter Index Scale 4: Extremely Littered
This year, Denton’s overall score increased slightly from 1.4 to 1.5 (on a scale of 1 to 4). Looking at the scores by voting district, District 4 averaged on the low end, with a score of 1.1, while District 2 saw an increase from 1.5 to 2 due to some illegal dump sites.
What Does this Mean?
While it’s difficult to attribute the increase to a single cause, growing population numbers, weather conditions (wind, rain), and frequency of litter cleanup efforts can all play a role in increasing observable rates of litter. Overall, 1.5 is an excellent rating, and we are proud of how clean Denton looks. However, we did see some areas where we’ll need to coordinate more cleanup efforts in the future to ensure our community is the best it can be.
How YOU Can Help
