More in Bloom

As summer kicks off, preparations are well underway for Holliston to host the national America in Bloom Symposium this coming October.   Over 200 convention attendees are expected from all over the country to convene at the Framingham Sheraton Tara from October 5 – 7, 2017.
A special downtown floral display HIB subcommittee led by Deb Moore, included Bobby Blair, Cherry Fenton, Anne Huntington, and Jill Malcolm met over the winter months to choose plants. Pleasant View Gardens of Loudon, New Hampshire, regional grower of premier Proven Winners garden plants, agreed to grow over 1,700 plants for Holliston in Bloom, Downtown Marigold Project, and Pinecrest Golf Club.   
Another phase of the Big Border in front of the Congregational Church was completed last month. Phase 1 was done in October 2016 with the removal of 353’ x 5’ area of sod along the back of the split rail fence and compost was added to the area.  In May (Phase 2) two Tree Specialist employees and John Moore planted fifty 10-gallon Hydrangea ‘IncrediBall’ shrubs which were purchased by HIB and partly funded with donations from local charitable organizations, businesses, and individuals.  
Recently on Saturday, June 3, over 30 volunteers representing HIB, Holliston Garden Club, Lions, Downtown Marigold Project, Historical Society, and others, split overgrown clumps of Siberian iris and daylilies, and weeded the 353’ full stretch, prior to the much-anticipated plant delivery. Hundreds of annuals and perennials were planted that day. Clumps were given away to residents who were lucky enough to spot the “Free Plants” sign. The Downtown Marigold Project crew quickly filled the window boxes along Washington street, Smith Row and both the Arch Street and Exchange Street bridges on the Rail Trail.  Tim Smith of MoistureTek donated a drip irrigation system for the Big Border area. For now, the hose must be manually set up and disconnected the following morning but the water is controlled a timer. Tree Specialists donated and spread all the mulch along the front and behind the fence.
More plants will be appearing in downtown planters in the coming month!  For a complete list of Proven Winners plants used in our displays, please visit www.hollistoninbloom.org/projects.html. HIB is run entirely by volunteers and is funded by donations. Please donate!
The Walking Tour
Attendees will be walking along a specially guided tour on Saturday afternoon on October 6.  The Symposium’s theme is “History. Horticulture. Holliston.”  Kathy Shore and town historian Joanne Hulbert worked closely to determine the stops along the tour. Not only must the stops be of historical interest but serve as possible inspiration to attendees who may wish to implement the same ideas in their home towns or cities.  Holliston has won Best of Population Size in the national America in Bloom competition three times since 2012 for achieving the highest cumulative score for Overall Impression, Historical Preservation, Landscaping, Floral Displays, Urban Forestry, and Environmental Efforts. 
The tour will include the following streets:  Washington Street (near Central Burial Ground, Town Hall, Congregational Church, library), Green Street to Goodwill Park to Exchange Street, Smith Row, Central Street near Fire Station and municipal lot, Union Street, School Street, Arch Street, up to Rail Trail, down to Water Street, Hollis Street up to Pinecrest, Community Garden, Oak Street, and Woodland Street near 8 arch bridge.  We encourage residents on the streets along the route to jazz up your front yards for hundreds of visitors from across the country! HIB has chosen red, orange, yellow and purple for most of our plants.  Most plants should survive well into October and will complement fall decorations such as pumpkins, gourds, cornstalks, and bales of hay.  
Speakers and other volunteers will be dressed in period costume for the afternoon.  If you are interested in helping either in advance or during the symposium weekend, please contact HIB through our website www.
hollistoninbloom.org. We will have a complete list of volunteer opportunities in the coming months. We will need many hands and smiling faces!