The cost of maintaining downtown flower boxes and landscaping in Hinsdale has decreased substantially over the last the last several years, according to a village official.

Village forester Dan Hopkins estimated the cost of keeping the downtown gardens and flower boxes in shape has gone from $107,000 in 2007 to $17,000 in 2011.

Hopkins said the decrease is due to the village staff doing the design, planting, watering and other maintenance of flowers and plants in the business district instead of using a contractor as it had done previously.

“When the economy went south, I offered to do it,” he said.

He said he thinks the village’s flower boxes are not looking that much different than when the village used a contractor to design and maintain them.

“We’ve cut a few corners, but overall I think we get the same effect,” he said.

The village, for instance, does not use Mums in the fall as they had done previously because they only last a week or two, he said.