Though Austin has already been through about a month of wintry weather, a group of Austin leaders is asking residents to look ahead to spring a little early.

On Wednesday, Austin leaders gathered at Steve’s Pizza to kick off the drive to raise $20,000 to help support the flower program, which is readying for its 21st year of beautifying downtown Austin and other city property with hanging 240 flower baskets and by planting other flowers.

“This year is a big year for us,” former mayor Bonnie Rietz said. “We do need to bring in the $20,000 to be able to do the program.”

That money is the last part of the $40,000 needed for the program, which, along with the baskets, funds all the flowers planted on public land in Austin, including on Main Street, the Sterling Shopping Center and East Side Lake.

The city of Austin donated $10,000 to the project, and Hormel Foods Corp. also donated $10,000.

“Our roots go deep in Austin, and the flower basket program has been one we’ve supported for many, many years,” said Julie Craven, Hormel’s vice president of corporate communications.

Craven promised exciting things in the future. Preliminary work to build a new Spam Museum on Main Street between Second and Fourth Avenues is already underway. Last month, crews demolished the former buildings at the site, and a groundbreaking ceremony will likely be held in January before work kicks into high gear later next year.

“You’ll see a lot of construction and a lot excitement next year on Main Street getting ready for the museum opening in 2016,” Craven said. “So the flowers are going to be a wonderful touch, and when the museum is completed it’s going to be spectacular.”

Hilltop Greenhouse, located just north of Hollandale, will start growing the flowers in February, according to owner Gretchen Boldt. That gives the plants time to set their roots and grow strong enough to withstand the entire season by mid-May when they’re set to debut along Main Street and other downtown areas.

“Our family is so proud and privileged to have this opportunity in working with the community,” Boldt said. “It’s just wonderful for us.”

While Hilltop will grow the flowers, Boldt praised the city for its work maintaining the baskets. Each year, the flowers are maintained by seasonal workers, many of them college students home for the summer, according to Austin Parks, Recreation & Forestry Director Kim Underwood.

The flowers, Underwood said, are a hit in Austin and with other communities.

“I think they look wonderful,” she said. “We get a lot of towns calling to find out how we go about our process and what is in them.”

Mayor Tom Stiehm said people always comment on how beautiful the flowers are when they come to town, and Steve’s Pizza owner Steve Davis said he gets a lot of comments from customers on the baskets.

“This is developing into a tradition,” Davis said. “I know in the spring when you see the baskets, you say, ‘Wonderful, summer’s coming.’”

Residents can send a tax-deductible check made out to the city of Austin with “Flowers 2015” written in the memo to Tom Dankert at City Hall, 500 Fourth Ave. NE. Each flower basket costs about $100.

Rietz thanked the city and Hormel Foods, but she also thanked all the people who support the program.

“Any amount of money is welcome,” she said. “And we’re very thankful. We want to thank the citizens also for the many years of support for the flower program.”

By the numbers

164 — Number of baskets in the flower program’s first year, 1995

240 — Number of baskets planned for 2015.

410 — Peak number of baskets in Austin in 2002.

21 — next year will be the flower program’s 21st year.

$40,000 — Cost of the 2015 flower program. The city contributes $10,000, Hormel Foods Corp. donated $10,000, and the remaining $20,000 is raised by the community.