When people hear the words “public works,” they probably think of bridges. Roads. Stormwater controls and traffic signals, even. Sunflower fields? That probably would not even crack the Top 10.

But right in front of Knoxville’s new Public Works Service Center grows a 1.5-acre field of sunflowers, making the daily commute on Interstate 40 a little brighter for motorists.

The City's Horticulture Division, part of the Public Service Department, saw a massive field of grass underneath power lines that they mowed every week. Why not give the vacant City-owned tract some life and a little color, instead?

David Brace, Senior Director of Public Works, noted that the sunflowers added something special while also eliminating some maintenance work.

“Nothing says summer like a field of flowers,” Brace said. "And the option of beautifying while decreasing the spaces we have to mow makes a lot of sense.”

Plus, sunflowers are self-sufficient.

“We just let them grow," he said. "They need direct sunlight and no real watering during normal weather patterns.”

It was a win-win for City efficiency and for the enjoyment of passersby.

“I am proud of the project,” Brace said. “They took a large, open field and turned it into a space that adds character to our city."

 -Communications intern Jarrod Nelson
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