PROJECTS

2015

LINCHESTER MILL PROJECT — BIS members were invited to plant a garden at the Linchester Mill “Miller’s House” on the mill campus at Preston, MD. The plot was inundated with wire grass, so the area was sprayed with roundup a couple of weeks in advance of preparing the ground in July. Then we did the hard work of digging out as much of the grass as we could before fertilizing and mulching the garden plot in anticipation of planting irises later. We used rhizomes that were left over from our 2nd Annual Rhizome Sale in late August, and planted them in September.  It took three work sessions to complete the project.  We all look forward to seeing them grow and bloom as we maintain the garden!

Members who helped at the first of three work sessions at the Linchester Mill Project are, L-R, Chris Eareckson, Sarah Williamson and Ed McNeal.  Absent from the photo was Pat McNeal who took the picture.

POTTED PLANT PROJECT — After we planted leftover irises at Linchester Mill, we still had irises left.  John Iwanski and Chuckie offered to pot them up and place them in local nurseries on consignment.  The nurseries can sell them for whatever they want, and will pay BIS just $3 per plant that they sell.  Great idea, John, and thanks for potting them up, you two!

FUTURE PROJECTS

PRESTON POST OFFICE — The Post Office in Preston has an empty garden space in front of the building and BIS has been given permission to plant it with irises!  We think a mass planting of Helen Collingwood will look great blooming in front of the brick building and plan to plant it in 2016. Maybe a border of Maui Moonlight in front.

PRESTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL — Preston School has a neglected, traffic/parking lot island garden that the school is anxious for BIS to renovate and plant with irises.  In the process, we hope to get a Classroom Iris Project started at the school as well, then the students can enter irises in our shows!  It is planned for our July, 2016 work meeting.