Fantastic Floral Design at Centerra
As the chilly season approaches, we couldn’t help but reflect on what a beautiful summer and fall we had at Centerra. Days spent at the splash pad, shopping at The Marketplace and Promenade Shops or dancing at the Sounds of Centerra were certainly among some of our favorites. However, the stand-alone best feature of this summer season that caught the eye of commuters was the unique floral display created at the entrance of Rocky Mountain Avenue and Highway 34. We want to extend a special thank you to everyone who lent a hand or creative influence to create this beautiful colorful arrangement at the gateway to Loveland. Learn more about the design team that brought this landscaping floral design to life and don’t forget to peek at the beautiful photos below!
Colorado State University Alumni Lance Oles and Eric Sabin played a huge role in designing and creating this beautiful floral focal point, with some help from CSU Professor Zach Johnson. Oles graduated from CSU in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Horticulture with an emphasis in Landscape Design and Contracting while Sabin graduated the same year with a degree in Environmental Horticulture with an emphasis in Landscape Design and Contracting.
These classmates set out to design a community floral display, like the one found in Centerra, while being guided by their Professor. Three CSU groups participated in the design process and had approximately four weeks from start to finish to plan, present, and revise their project plans. They worked closely with Professor Zach Johnson, a Landscape Design and Contracting Professor at CSU to create a unique design that would be featured within Centerra’s plant beds. When asked about what it was like to work on this project, Oles said, “We had a specific budget, as well as specific flower species that we could use that were being grown in a local greenhouse. We had to do the entire design (main entrance, round-a-bouts, pots, etc.) within a specified scope.” Their favorite part of the project was being able to come up with their own ideas and execute a thoughtful design installation from start to finish.
According to Lance and Eric, their project inspiration came from the state of Colorado itself. They understood how much pride Colorado locals have and wanted to portray that same sense of community pride in the final design. First, they pulled the color palette which was inspired by natural Colorado elements and colors, then they found plant materials that matched their vision.
The group’s design was selected and installed in Centerra in 2019, quickly garnering attention from the public as they passed through. One Loveland resident commented, “The floral depiction of the snow-capped mountains, sun, and rays of sunlight is beautiful! Kudos to your landscape designer and thank you for investing in the beauty of our community.” Check out some photos capturing the outstanding work completed by CSU.
