Seed Money Overview
2013 to Date
Award Recipients
2013 to Date
The "Seed Money" Award to be given to an applicant(s) who submits a project that best exemplifies the mission of the Beautification Committee, "honoring the natural beauty of the surrounding mountains while seeking to reflect that beauty on the streets and in the lives of the citizens".
Focus of work must be gardening related, within Black Mountain, and adding a little something extra to our town. The money for this project is raised at the Black Mountain Garden Show and Sale. The amount of money awarded will not exceed $1,000. The award amount is generally divided between several application projects.
On-going maintenance will not be a responsibility of the Beautification Committee. Members and relatives of the Beautification Committee are not eligible.
Process
Award Recipients
2013 to Date
The Seed Money Committee meets in January to start the process for the new year. The application process starts in January with information posted in The Black Mountain News, Facebook and this website. Applications are sent to everyone who had previously applied.
We allow about six weeks for applications to be received so that we can review and make recommendations before the entire committee. All applicants will be contacted in mid-March.
Award Recipients
Award Recipients
Award Recipients
- Swannanoa Valley Museum - garden in front for educational experience
- Julia Stout, a local artist - a garden at Town Hall (Julia is now deceased)
- Local book club - so they could plant milkweed
- 3rd Grade Elementary School Reading Class - created an outdoor reading area garden
- Primary School - landscaping around school
- Owen High School - environmental landscaping around campus
- Black Mountain Home for Children - drip irrigation system for vegetable gardens
- Own Middle School - plantings for an Appalachian Heritage Garden
- Black Mountain Elementary School - adding a recycled garden section in the current garden
- Adults and Students from Invisible Hands at Christ Community Church have plans to build a raised garden bed at Nana’s Place.
- Swannanoa Valley Museum and History Center - built a geological garden
- The Curiosity Shoppe, upgrade garden
- First Christian Church, install pollinator garden
- Kate Shawgo, install community meadow garden
- Lakeview Center at Lake Tomahawk, installing new landscape
- The Old Depot Association, installing east garden sites
- Black Mountain Center for the Arts, creating mosaic pots with flower power by entrance
- Black Mountain Home for Children, creating gardens by Thrift Store
- Black Mountain Library will plant and care for a rose garden
2020 Award Winners
Black Mountain Library
Black Mountain Library will plant and care for a rose garden on the northeast side of the library along North Dougherty Street.
The Old Depot Association
The Old Depot Association will continue its long term landscaping plan by reworking the Depot East garden plots. There are eight garden areas that will utilize a variety of plants, shrubs, and perennials.
Black Mountain Home for Children
Black Mountain Home for Children, Youth, and Families will create a bed of flowers and planters around a retaining wall at the Mountain Home Thrift Store and Thirteen Pennies Cafe.
Black Mountain Center for the Arts
Black Mountain Center for the Arts will be creating mosaic pots in their pottery studio that will be filled with seasonal flowers and plants. The completed pots will be placed on the steps leading up to the Center.
Lakeview Center at Lake Tomahawk
Lakeview Center volunteers will be enhancing the entrance to the Center by creating a bed with new plantings.
Thank You!
The Black Mountain Beautification Committee would like to thank all applicants for the 2020 Seed Money grants. The interest to help make Black Mountain even more beautiful and serve the community is inspiring! Jean Chamberlain, chairperson for the Seed Money subcommittee says “It was a very challenging decision as we try to review the applications with a mind as to how the available monies can best be used, and how they fit in to our mission statement. This year’s applicants had wonderful proposals and we encourage them and others to apply for awards in 2021.”