Residents taking a stroll through downtown DeKalb soon will be treated to a more colorful experience.

Forty planters were placed throughout DeKalb and the Northern Illinois University campus Tuesday morning as part of an initiative spearheaded by the Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission to beautify the area.

The three-foot-tall planters feature a shrub surrounded by colorful flowers such as surfinia red petunias, snow princess and superbena royale iced cherry. Logos from NIU, the city and Proven Winners, which provided the plants and soil, are displayed on each container.