A number of garden clubs in the Heart of Virginia, as well as representatives of the Town of Farmville, gathered Saturday morning to honor retired Town Horticulturist David Fowlkes through dedicating a bench.

The bench was from Green Front Furniture. The bench will include a plaque with Fowlkes’ name by autumn.

Driving through the town of Farmville, participants observed it’s difficult to miss Fowlkes’ work. Fowlkes is responsible for the plants that surround the Town of Farmville entrance signs, the Town Office and the area of the High Bridge trail behind the farmers market. It was in that site behind the farmers market the bench dedication was held.

Fowlkes was also integral in Farmville becoming a Tree City USA location, Ruth Adams Garden Club and The Garden Study Club Representative Nan Colvin said. Tree City USA is a program with the Arbor Day Foundation that requires that towns commit to having a community tree ordinance, maintain a tree board or department, spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and celebrate Arbor Day. The town celebrates by having an annual tree giveaway.

“We all thank David for … sharing his many talents with us,” Colvin said.

Town Mayor David Whitus spoke during the event and said Fowlkes’ creative design magnified the beauty of an area that has seen a lot of history relating with the Civil War and Civil Rights. Whitus said Fowlkes’ horticulture abilities within the town was a “huge part of making Farmville a great place and a unique place.”

Representatives from garden clubs throughout the Heart of Virginia spoke during the ceremony, thanking Fowlkes for speaking at meetings and offering his knowledge and kind attitude toward garden club members. Garden clubs represented included Longwood Garden Club, Nora Lancaster Garden Club, Weyanoke Garden Club, Heritage Garden Club, Redbud Garden Club, Ruth Adams Garden Club and The Garden Study Club.

Harlan Horton, immediate past president of the Longwood Garden Club, in collaboration with other area garden clubs, presented Fowlkes with a resolution thanking Fowlkes for his impact in the town. “We wanted to honor David,” Horton said after the event. “He’s really done a lot.” Longwood Garden Club was the lead organizer for the bench dedication.

“I was honored and humbled,” Fowlkes said after the event. He retired in December 2017. He said he knew about the bench a few weeks prior to the ceremony, but felt surprised and supported by participants who attended.

Charlean and Billy Fowlkes, David Fowlkes’ parents, attended the ceremony and expressed pride in David’s achievements within the town. Billy said David’s work “needs to be recognized.” Billy joked that David’s positive and creative characteristics came from his mother.

“I think it’s good,” Charlean said about the ceremony.

This article has been corrected from its original version.