Where can you go to see whimsical splashes of color that expertly blend in with fire hydrants, traffic lights, and asphalt and concrete? In downtown Columbia, you can go to the bank. More specifically, Commerce Bank, Simmons Bank, and Central Bank.
In addition to mosaic benches that display milkweed, canna lilies, petunias, and coleus, among other bright annuals and perennials, Simmons Bank at 801 E. Broadway also has a cozy pocket park and the stunning Suspended Globe sculpture. The twenty-foot-tall structure imbues strength and resolve, casting reflections that meld with busy street scenes.
One block down at 901 E. Broadway, the botanical selections outside Commerce Bank also include petunias, lilies, zinnias, coleus, and milkweed — the only plant where monarch butterflies lay their eggs. Across the street at 720 E. Broadway, Central Bank’s sky-reaching windows perfectly reflect Columbia City Hall. The exterior colors come from garden mums, black-eyed Susan, taro, wax begonias, hydrangeas, coleus, a neatly trimmed evergreen, and more.
As autumn sets in, and the leaves change to spectacular colors, don’t forget about the downtown spots that display color year-round. And be sure to pause long enough to reflect on the reflections.
