“NoAH originated in about 1985 and this was one of the first projects that we took on,” NoAH President Joan Bailey said. “Our thought is it’s the first thing they see – people getting off the train. … It’s great to look at the flowers and just have something nice.”

“We have gotten so many compliments from people getting off the train,” said NoAH member Barb Matteson.

Geraniums, begonias and hostas are among flowers that will grace the planters around the Amtrak depot this summer. Volunteers also worked to thin out and transplant perennial daylilies to freshen the east side of the depot.

Bailey said ever popular are the yellow bidens, calibrachoa that add a pop of color, and salvia to draw bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Over the years, NoAH has experimented with different types of flowers.

JILL SCHRAMM/MDN Barb Matteson with the Northwest Association of Horticulture holds a pot of flowers that is ready to be planted at the Amtrak Depot in Minot. NoAH volunteers have been beautifying the depot with plantings annually for about 40 years.

Bailey recalled hiccups with a couple of flower varieties that were tried last year, including marigolds. Whether a gopher, squirrel or another garden pest, a hungry visitor made lunch of the marigolds.

“We’re not doing marigolds this year,” Bailey said.

NoAH members grow and auction plants twice each year to raise money to support scholarships and the depot project. Lowe’s Garden Center in Minot and Mohall’s nursery also have donated plants.

In addition to planting, NoAH members sign up for weeklong shifts to keep the flowers watered, weeded and cared for.

The depot staff have welcomed the project, offering short-term storage for plants awaiting planting day and assisting with the watering over the summer.

JILL SCHRAMM/MDN Northwest Association of Horticulture member Sandy Horob presses soil around a new geranium planting at the Amtrak Depot in Minot on Saturday, May 30.

“They’ve been real good partners,” Bailey said.