ALCOA, Tenn. — Many hands make for light work, and the hands of the employees of Special Growers are planting the flowers of East Tennessee for the world to see at McGhee Tyson Airport this week.
The Maryville company hires adults with disabilities to do floral work and cut herbs for businesses and restaurants in Knoxville and Blount County. The airport switches out its display a few times every year and wanted to work with local growers, which is why they contacted Special Growers, said spokeswoman Caitlin Darras.
"So each quarter, we rotate out the flowers and the color to represent what is blooming in our region and in East Tennessee," Darras said. "And so it was a wonderful fit for us to partner with Special Growers this summer, to change the colors and to add some natural beauty to our terminal building."
Special Growers Director of garden operations said they placed begonias, palladiums, coral bells and other plants along the water sculpture located near the TSA check-in at the airport.
Laughlin said the flowers, many of them pink and purple, are strong enough to thrive indoors.
Special Growers gives people with disabilities the opportunity to find employment. The business grows all of the flowers, plants and herbs they use.
"We provide them job training, so if they want to work at a grocery store, we are providing that training for them to go out and work in the community," Laughlin said. "It gives them a purpose."
Harrison Inman, an employee with Special Growers, worked with Laughlin planting flowers on Tuesday.
He said there's a way people can check out the work Special Growers does in the community.
"Check us out at SpecialGrowers.com," he said.