Promoting beauty and pride in Polk County, the Beautification Awards are given annually to recognize projects that include landscaping improvements and/or structural improvements to the street view of properties. In granting the awards, the criterion is to recognize diversity of locations throughout the geographic area of Polk County. Any project in the county, a town or township can be considered.

Selection criteria include:

uStreet appearance
uTasteful landscaping including but not limited to trees, shrubs and flowers
uWell maintained property
uEffort rather than cost
uCreativity and effort combined
uStructural improvements
uProperty in compliance with existing codes, taxes, etc.
uAlso includes signage, awnings, planters, fountain features and similar elements

Any property owner or renter of a commercial or residential property located in Polk County can nominate their own property or another property if that property is visible by the general public from public roads or sidewalks. The Appearance Commission will award up to six awards this year, of which, a maximum of three will be for publicly owned properties. The deadline for nominations is October 1. Any nominations submitted after this date will be held for consideration next year. Awards will be presented the end of October.
Previous year’s awards can be seen in the Tryon Daily Bulletin Archives and on the Polk County Appearance Commission website, www.beautifulfoothills.org .
Award winners in 2011 were Millard & Co. for the renovations to the historic Tryon Depot, City of Saluda for the landscaping of the West End Parking Lot, Hunting Country Trails for the landscaping to the property entry and North Carolina DOT Environmental Engineer Richard Queen for the landscape trees at the I-26 ramps in Saluda.
2012 winners were the Daffy Jills Garden Club for the landscaping of several public sites including the Doughboy Statue in Columbus and the Tryon Post Office, Town of Columbus for the double row of Gateway Trees lining the sides of West Mills Street, the House of Flags for turning the old fire station into an important museum, Bob Lane for the complete renovation of the log cabin know as Sunnydale which he donated to the Tryon Little Theater, Walnut Creek Preserve for the Anne Elizabeth Suratt Nature Center and the Saluda Community Land Trust for removing kudzu in numerous area in Saluda including the corner of Ozone drive and Thompson Street.
2013 winners were the Town of Tryon for streetscape improvements in downtown Tryon, Polk County Republican Party for building the Sarah Ernst Danall Republican Headquarters in Columbus and the Tryon Fine Arts Center for the outdoor amphitheater and landscaped grounds.
Each year the winners are announced at a Commissioners meeting, certificates are awarded and an article with pictures of the winners is in the Tryon Daily Bulletin.
To submit an application, follow the procedure below. Call 828-817-5743 with questions.
To enter, download and complete the form on the website (www.beautifulfoothills.org)
Provide pictures of the property, before and after
Mail to the following address by Oct. 1, 2014: Appearance Commission Beautification Awards, Polk County Government, P. O. Box 308, Columbus, N.C. 28782

-article submitted
by Cathy Brettman