One evening last week as I was driving home after a nice visit with my mother, I turned alongside the Charleston Post Office and made my way onto Court Square.
A golden sun bathed the western exposure of the Tallahatchie County Courthouse in a soft, warm glow.
As I rode past the grounds of the county government building, I admired the immaculately trimmed lawn, the wonderful synchrony of the landscaping, and thought to myself, “What a beautiful courthouse we have!”
It was not as if I had an epiphany — mine was not a newfound appreciation — but the evening sun seemed to shine an especially pleasing spotlight on the scene at this particular time of day.
Perhaps many of you have driven around the Square in Charleston without taking any time to “stop and smell the roses” there on the courthouse lawn.
Since our place of business is situated on the Square, we at the newspaper office have watched on a great many early mornings and throughout the day as members of the Charleston Magnolia Garden Club, the Charleston Arts and Revitalization Effort and others — ladies, one and all — have labored many long hours to pull weeds, till the soil, plant bulbs, pour water and, generally, just share their passion for horticulture and natural beauty with the rest of us.
Members of the Plantation Garden Club in western Tallahatchie County have for many years worked to beautify the grounds of the county courthouse in Sumner.
Since both facilities are county-owned, inmates from the Tallahatchie County Sheriff’s Work Center at Sumner provide much appreciated brawn and skill to trim the grass and shrubs and to provide assistance with other beautification work as called upon.
The result is that, traditionally, the courthouse grounds of our two county seats, Charleston and Sumner, have been among the most well-tended in the state, if I do say so myself. I might be a tad bit biased, but I don’t think anyone could make a viable case to the contrary.
Some of those who volunteer their time and efforts to work on our courthouse grounds are certified master gardeners, meaning they have received intensive horticultural training and are qualified to the utmost degree to produce an aesthetically-pleasing and environmentally-friendly blended natural palette of flowers, plants and trees.
Many of these same civic-minded individuals work on other projects around the city, including the planters that adorn sidewalks around Court Square — my favorite displays feature tulip bulbs in a rainbow of vibrant colors — the memorial garden at Tallahatchie General Hospital Extended Care Facility, the healing garden at the James C. Kennedy Wellness Center, entryways to Charleston, plants and flowers along George Payne Cossar Boulevard and much more.
Now, we hear that the Charleston Main Street Association is about to begin a painting project (Main Street Reimagined) to revitalize and beautify buildings downtown and along Main Street.
Kudos to all involved with these and other efforts to make our little corner of the world more appealing to residents and visitors alike.
Clay McFerrin is editor and publisher of The Sun-Sentinel.
