Marshall County ODOT will be receiving 42 pounds of the 600 pounds ordered by ColorOklahomafromWILDSEED FARMSinFredericksburg, Texas due to the Color OklahomaWildflowerGrant.
MarshallCountyCommissioners gave hardy support to the Madill Rose Garden Club’s grant. Commissioner Salty Melton gave the motion to support the endeavor and Nick Hartin seconded it. Melton said he liked the idea.
“Sounds like a fantastic deal and don’t cost us nothing,” he said.
FundsforColorOklahoma come from the sale of Specialty License Plate featuring wildflowers and supporting native plants with the $20 additional fee for the plate.
Monica Bartling, President of Color Oklahoma, explained the grant application begins with the support oftheOklahomaDepartment of Transportation’s (ODOT) District Manager for the area. Similar projects will be in Tishomingo, Durant, Duncan, Marlow and Waurika.
The seeds will be planted in late November or December 2025 and should be in bloom early spring and summer of 2026. Bartling also showed the commissioners and the audience that the state provided green sign with the Oklahoma’s state flower the bright red and yellow wildflower, Gaillardia, with the words “Color Oklahoma”.
Two signs will be positioned north and south of Highway 70 along the access to the Marshall County Expo Center south of Archard Road. This site was chosen for its visibility and midway point between Madill and Kingston.
It is also across the highway at the Little Glasses turn off where a wildflower project was started in the late 90s, to this day wildflowers bloom in the spring. It will be north of the bluebonnets that bloom each year south of the railroad trestle.
The Madill Rose Garden Club paid A $250 grant fee to Color Oklahoma. The grant is matched by Color Oklahoma as well as a personal match by a Color Oklahoma board member and will purchase $1500 worth of seed. Anticipating success with this program, the Madill Rose Garden Club (MRGC) anticipates annual funding of the grant.
Jayson Pruitt, Madill Rose Garden Club President, also applied to Oklahoma Native Plant Society for a one pound of native to Oklahoma wildflower seeds in support of Celebrate America with Wildflowers1776-2026 Project.
The selected site is in front of the Fran Drummond Community Daycare Center and near the Health Alliance Madill entry way, Marshall County EMS and doctors’ offices. It is also across from one of our town’s newest housing additions.
The planting and growing of the seeds will be an experiential learning opportunity for the children and with proper planting, mowing and replanting, will be enjoyed for generations. It will also be a way for them to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary.
Besides Bartling and Pruitt, Judy Parkey, Secretary of the Madill Rose Garden Club, attended the Commissioner’s Meeting. The group will attend the Madill City Council Meeting in October to share this information.