Donations Keep Holliston Blooming

Photos by Kathy Shore
Issue Date: 
June, 2017
Article Body: 

Holliston in Bloom has received several large donations, both monetary and in-service, from local organizations last month. Our projects are 100% funded by donations and run by volunteers. HIB is not part of the town budget and must rely on fundraising efforts each season. 
We received a generous grant request check from the Holliston Newcomers at their Community Outreach grant awards night. The money was put towards the purchase of 50 hydrangea shrubs along Washington Street in front of the Congregational Church. The Holliston Garden Club also donated a generous amount to fund the materials to have new self-standing window boxes built. HIB will donate the plants and designs and hopes to install them along the walking tour route in the downtown business area. 
Resident John Moore and two employees from Tree Specialists spent several hours last month planting the hydrangea shrubs behind the split rail fence. Resident Tim Smith and owner of Moisturetek Irrigation Systems will be donating the labor and materials for installing a drip irrigation system for the new plantings. Also, Rolf Briggs of Tree Specialists will be donating all the mulch for the giant border this summer. In front of the fence, there will be new annuals and perennials installed in early June. 
This year’s America in Bloom National Symposium will be held in New England for the first time and Holliston is hosting a lunch and walking tour on October 6, 2017. 
HIB takes pride in building collaboration between local organizations and municipal government. We work alongside other groups and individuals such as the Downtown Marigold Project, Holliston Garden Club, Agricultural Commission, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc. as well as many individuals to improve public spaces. Since our inception in 2012, projects have included town-wide clean-up days, new plantings at the Senior Center, new pollinator garden at Adams Middle School, new walkway from municipal lot to Central Street, new hosta garden at municipal lot, repair of retaining walls and public art at Municipal Lot/Fire Station, new patio and new steps to parking lot at Town Hall, new foundation plantings and flower beds at Town Hall, wheelchair-accessible raised beds at Mission Springs and Timothy Daniels house, Rossini Corner garden, donations of planters in downtown area and a picnic table at Blair Square. 
Read about us at www.hollistoninbloom.org. Your tax-deductible donations are always welcome via PayPal or by check. Friend us on Facebook too!
We’ll need many hands this year to help make our tour of Holliston a success.