LOUISVILLE, Ky. — One August morning, just after dawn, Tajah McQueen tended to her new plants outside her Louisville home.

Her new nursery sprouted up after she posted on Facebook about the time she enjoys spending in the west end. But, she said, while people take pride in their homes, it can sometimes seem neglected by the rest of the city. So she had an idea.

"Beautification is such an important part of a city and our psyche," she wrote in her July 6 post. "With your help, I'd like to order plants and leave a single plant per household (in the west end) for as long as I have the funding."

When we arrived at her home, she told us she had received $1,000 within a few hours of posting her message. She searched for black-owned nurseries and pot providers and quickly potted more than 60 plants ready to be displayed. 

Her boyfriend Bryan Jones and friend Melissa Manzo helped with the project.

"The city puts so much into beautifying 'white neighborhoods,'" Manzo said. "I think it’s important for everybody to feel invested in."

The trio loaded up their cars and set out to place a potted plant on every doorstep until they ran out; complete with instructions and a message of encouragement attached to each plant. Mcqueen tried to do it all before Louisville woke up.

"I just want to be able to give that gift to them and kind of disappear, and it’s a surprise," McQueen said. "They don’t have to pretend to like it or accept it."

She added that one reason she wanted to act in secrecy was to avoid possible negative reactions. She said there are many more impactful projects that should be done to improve Louisville's neighborhoods - especially in the west end — and that hers was a small way to make people smile and feel loved.

Despite her efforts, some recipients witnessed their deliveries.

"Thank you so much, I appreciate it!" One woman told McQueen as she held up her new plant. "I’m sure a lot of others appreciate it."

One man stopped his car in the middle of the street to speak to Mcqueen and Manzo.

"It is a nice thing to do, I appreciate it!" He said out his car window. "Thank y’all!"

McQueen is still accepting donations in hopes of filling the west end and other neighborhoods with potted plants. She also wants to provide seed planters for families with young children to help teach them horticulture.