Walking along Broad Street, you may have noticed the silvers, pinks and blues that intertwine right in front of Selma City Hall or along the Edmund Pettus Bridge.  From marigolds to vincas to kale or pansies that enliven patches of dirt across the city, you may not have taken a second thought as to whose hands are behind the works of art.

For 30 years, Selma resident and florist Linda Harrell, has been planting her flowers with love. Harrell, who supervised five nurseries at the Cahaba Center for Mental Health and Mental Retardation for 30 years, retired Dec. 31.

Touching each flower with delicacy and pleasure, Harrell’s passion for flowers began as a youth.

“When I was raised up with my grandmother, she had all kinds of flowers in her yard,” Harrell said.

“I grew up with that. I love flowers and making different arrangements in pots for people; I like designing the beds; I like putting colors together … I love (the) garden.”

As Greenhouse supervisor, Harrell and her team planted flowers along Broad Street around such locations as Selma City Hall, the Edmund Pettus Bridge, behind the Downtowner Restaurant and where Dallas Avenue and Broad Street intersect, to name a few. Harrell has also placed various arrangements throughout the city of Orrville.

“When we first opened the first greenhouse we did it as a trial for consumers (patients) to have something to do — it went well,” Harrell said. “A second year, another greenhouse was built. We later got a call from Church Street United Methodist to do some flowers around there. The second call was from People’s Bank (now BankTrust).”

Word quickly spread, Harrell said, as more clients wanted her expertise.

“We were doing homes as well as businesses throughout the years,” Harrell said. “We ended up with 30 contracts. We were fulltime working with contract bids.”

Harrell said the Cahaba Center later contracted with the city of Selma with plans to beautify its landscape.

“In the spring we plant stuff like marigolds, vincas, petunias and begonias and, in the wintertime we plant assorted color pansies and we plant snap dragons and ornamental kale and cabbage,” Harrell said.

“Mainly the program was about working with consumers, training them and teaching them a trade so they could go out and get jobs. I enjoyed it.”

Harrell won two awards for her work within the city. In 1987 she was named “outstanding employee of the year” and in 1997, the Alabama Council of Community Mental Health Boards awarded her “outstanding service in community mental health in the state.”

Harrell said the award meant a great deal to her.

“It was a surprise and a great honor,” Harrell said smiling. “I felt real blessed that they would think enough to honor me.”

Harrell has also worked with Cahaba’s group home and Day center, which helps consumers with their fine motor and self-help skills.

Harrell is married to her husband Clarence, a retired educator for the Dallas County Schools system, and has two sons Clarence III and Keidrick.