America In Bloom Advisors To Tour Newtown Square In June

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA — As part of Newtown Square in Bloom membership in the national organization, America in Bloom, Newtown Square in Bloom will host two America in Bloom advisors to inspect and tabulate their Newtown Square findings against all other member towns and villages of approximately the same size.

This year’s America in Bloom (AiB) advisory team of Teresa Woodward and Debbie Hamrick will be arriving in Newtown Square for their evaluation tour on June 19 and June 20. Woodward is the team leader.

The two specially trained advisors will review and evaluate the town in seven categories: floral display, landscaping, urban forestry, environmental efforts, celebrating heritage, community vitality, and overall impression.

A key part of AiB’s mission is gauging citizen and local business participation and community effectiveness throughout the township. Their evaluation report with expert suggestions and evaluations will be sent to the township in early fall.

In the past, Newtown Square has won the America in Bloom Champion Award for Population Category (10,000 – 14,000 residents), Recognition Award for Urban Forestry in this population category, a Special Award for their Hanging Basket Container Displays, and a Special Mention for Heritage Preservation.

Each award is given to only one-member town and is a great honor.

A long-time AiB advisor, Woodard, of Galloway, Ohio, brings a background in magazine writing and gardening experience. She is co-author of the "American Roots: Lessons and Inspiration from Designers Reimaging Our Home Gardens" and author of "Garden to the Max." During her 16-year writing career, she has written and produced garden content for regional and national publications including "Better Homes & Gardens" and "Country Gardens" and currently serves as contributing garden editor at "Midwest Living" magazine and content creator for digital garden media.

Newtown Square’s other AiB judge, is Debbie Hamrick, from Decatur, Illinois, now of Raleigh, North Carolina.

Hamrick’s high-profile career with Ball Horticultural Company in West Chicago, Illinois, includes founding "FloraCulture International" magazine in 1989. Her publishing career also included being Editorial Director for Ball Publishing. In that role, she grew the company’s leading title, "GrowerTalks" magazine, and launched "Green Profit" magazine targeted to United States horticultural retailers. In midlife, she transitioned to became Director of Specialty Crops for the North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, the state’s largest agricultural organization.

With Newtown Square in Bloom Chairman Paul Seligson as guide, the advisors will meet and tour
locations with members of the Township government, Newtown Township Environmental Advisory
Council, The Historical Society, Garrett Williamson, Newtown Township Parks and Recreation, several local businesses and corporations, and residential gardens.

Newtown Square in Bloom, a 5013c committee, raises funds for a number of planting projects such as the floral hanging baskets on the town center streets, the Newtown Township Welcome Signs, bus stops, and the St. Albans Circle. Volunteers from many of the Township’s residents, organizations and businesses join in to help plant flowers and trees, develop our trail network, clean up parks and streams on Arbor Day, weed and maintain the Drexel Lodge Park Pollinator Garden and help enhance the significance of our historic buildings.

Monthly Newtown Square in Bloom meetings are open to all Newtown Square residents. Monthly meetings for 2025 are held on the third Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. Contact Paul Seligson, selador@verizon.net, for more information.