Visitors to Downtown Knoxville this fall will see several improvements to the landscape and streetscape. Crews from the Public Service Department have been busy on Market Square and Gay Street, along with help from several local businesses.
Trees
The sawtooth oaks on the south end of Market Square are having their canopies trimmed, in work donated by Wolf Tree, Inc., who contacted the City about adopting all of the trees on Market Square. The trimming thinned out the branches and shaped them for building clearance. This will allow better air flow through the trees, and increased filtered sunlight for the grass area below the trees. In addition to the sawtooth oaks, Wolf will also be conducting maintenance on the Square's other trees during the coming months.
Fencing
The trees on the paved portion of Market Square are now enclosed by protective and attractive low iron fences, which will ensure their long-term health and allow the installation of attractive ground cover. The fences were fabricated by L&M Ornamental Iron Company located on Bernard Avenue.
Planters
Landscape architects Carol R. Johnson Associates assisted the City with the renovation of Market Square's planters. CRJA solicited and coordinated the donation of plant materials including shrub roses and liriope along with drip irrigation components for each of the eight planters. Flowerwood Nursery's Tom Smith donated more than $1,200 in roses and liriope for this project. All of the roses and liriope donated are part of the Southern Living Plant Collection, which includes two shrub Roses, Majesty and All-a-Flutter and the lirope variety, Cleopatra.
Irrigation
Rainbird Irrigation provided components for a new drip irrigation system and assisted with its installation. This included approximately 700 linear feet of drip tubing, and other connections and fittings. Rainbird is a nationally recognized leader in irrigation technology for both commercial and residential landscapes.
Gay Street streetscape
Planters and trash receptacles along Gay Street have been given a new powder-coating of black paint, funded by the Central Business Improvement District.