One Seed at a Time: Bucks Beautiful

Actress and avid gardener Audrey Hepburn once said, “to plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” Those words couldn’t ring truer for Bucks Beautiful, which works to beautify the county and enhance the health of our environment, one seed at a time. As spring arrives, Bucks County will be filled with bursts of color from the emergence of flowers and greenery on many public properties. There has always been natural beauty in this area, and Bucks Beautiful has contributed to taking it to the next level.

In the late 1980s, Bucks County couple Robert and Joyce Byers, founders of the figurine company Byers’ Choice, traveled through Europe and saw many public spaces with gorgeous gardens. They were inspired to beautify small towns back at home with similar public gardens. The Byers were joined by John and Carol McCaughan, who shared the same vision. Together, the two couples created Bucks Beautiful, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization, in 1991.

Bucks Beautiful Executive Director Denise Sezack started as a volunteer when the group was founded. “We call it a seed of an idea, because it’s something Bob Byers had in his head and then made happen,” she says. “It started as a beautification mission, but we have now expanded to work with other grassroots nonprofits to develop sustainable and attractive landscapes throughout the county.”

An Idea Blossoms

Since its founding, Bucks Beautiful has impacted the county by planting flowers, gardens, shrubbery, and trees around towns, schools, parks, historic sites, and roadways. One of its standout initiatives is to help enhance local landscapes through a biannual grant program where it provides a 50-50 cash grant match up to $5,000 a year. All applications are reviewed by a committee, and the organization tries to accept as many requests as long as they meet the criteria.

“The funds can be used toward any plant materials, annuals, perennials, bulbs, shrubs, trees, or gardening materials like mulch and soil, and we highly recommend the use of native plant materials,” Sezack says. “We provide these grants because it’s an opportunity for us to work with townships and other nonprofits to beautify and plant sustainable plantings in Bucks County.”

Friends of Washington Crossing Historic Park has been a recipient of the grants since 2021, starting with its Hibbs House Kitchen Garden project. The most recent grant the group received was directly invested in the rehabilitation of the historic Thompson-Neely House Kitchen Garden and Orchard, after the grounds were disturbed due to much-needed building renovations.

“With Bucks Beautiful’s support, we were able to rebuild soil health, reestablish historically accurate plantings, and redesign pathways and orchard elements that invite visitors back into the space,” says Anna Davis, Friends of Washington Crossing Historic Park’s historical horticulturist. “Thanks to Bucks Beautiful, this garden is once again a place of learning, beauty, and connection.”

Creating a Sea of Yellow

When driving through Bucks County during the spring months, one may see rows of bright-yellow daffodils along local highways and in community spaces. The Bulbs for Bucks program was started in 2010 by Chuck Gale, former Bucks Beautiful president, with 40,000 bulbs planted along the Route 611 bypass near Doylestown. Today, the program has grown to include over a million plants throughout the county.

“The planting of the daffodils was brilliant because they are self-propagating, so you get more and more daffodils over time, and it adds to the beauty of the county,” says Bryce Sanders, current Bucks Beautiful president. “It is a feeling of accomplishment that we have put 1.6 million daffodils in the ground over the years, and I have an appreciation for all the people who made this happen.”

Upper Makefield Township has applied for and received grants from Bucks Beautiful to plant daffodils at Lookout and Brownsburg parks and Washington Crossing National Cemetery. April is the perfect time for residents to start enjoying this plethora of yellow color throughout the community.

Education is another important aspect of Bucks Beautiful’s mission. The organization hosts a variety of lectures for the general public and offers school programs. This past October, a grant was awarded to Sol Feinstone Elementary School to be a part of the Bulbs for Bucks program, with third graders planting 5,000 bulbs. Upper Makefield Township Supervisor and PTO Treasurer Elizabeth Thompson, who has a third-grade daughter, helped lead the project.

“The children were able to have a hands-on learning opportunity,” she says. “They got to identify the parts of the bulb and learn the science behind it and the long-term benefits. The kids were very inquisitive and excited to dig in the dirt. Now that it’s spring, they will have the rewarding experience to see the fruits of their labor.”

The daffodil plantings have had a ripple effect throughout the towns and the county. “Around March, April, May, every square foot of Bucks County looks great when you drive through; it just has incredible beauty,” Sanders says. “It’s great for the real-estate industry—everybody wants to live in an area that looks as good as this. Therefore, it’s good for local businesses and homeowners who see this and then want to improve their properties, which increases property value, which is then good for garden centers and landscaping companies.”

Beyond the Flowers

With Earth Day and Arbor Day on the calendar in April, this is an ideal time to reflect on the importance of preserving the environment, promoting sustainability, and taking action to protect the planet. Bucks Beautiful started its RePlant Bucks initiative in 2018, with the goal of planting 10,0000 new trees throughout Bucks County after losing many to disease and storms. To date, 2,528 trees have been installed in 47 locations.

“Trees are so important to our community,” Sezack says. “We need them for clean air, to provide shelter for our animals, and for their natural beauty. We’re planting so many seedlings that may not benefit us today or tomorrow, but they will for generations to come. Somebody has to do that, and we’ve taken it upon ourselves to do this to better the environment.”

Thompson says that Upper Makefield Township is dialed in on sustainability. “We’re really focused on keeping Upper Makefield bucolic,” she says. “The township gives out tree grants and provides reimbursements for people who plant native trees to help keep Upper Makefield Township beautiful.”

Growing Into the Future

Bucks Beautiful raises money to pay for its programs and grants with two major fundraisers. It holds a Spring Fling Gala every April and a Kitchen & Garden Tour in June. Donations also help fund the organization.

For further support, Sanders created a membership program, which a few hundred people have already joined. Members pay a fee, which helps the organization; in return, they receive special benefits.

“We hope members take advantage of their free Kitchen & Garden Tour tickets because you meet remarkably nice people, get to see the gardens before the crowds, and get inspiration for your own properties,” he says. “We also hold a complimentary member-recognition event that brings people together who are like-minded and share a lot of the same interests.”

Looking toward the future, Sezack sees the organization continuing to grow. “I’m very proud of what we’ve done—everything from little container gardens all the way up to planting a thousand trees,” she says. “It gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment when you had an area overrun with weeds and invasives, you cleaned it out, and now there’s new growth and hope. We’re getting stronger as an organization. We continue to work hard to enhance the landscape not only for us but for the future of Bucks County.”

Dari Kotzker resides in Bucks County with her husband and four kids. She has worked as a reporter in television news and print media since 2001.

Photograph by Jennifer Janikic Photography