Staff and volunteers finished putting the Buttrick Gardens to bed for the winter in late December. A fresh layer of pine needles will protect the garden’s historic irises over the winter as they wait for a bed of snow in the new year.
Iris respond well to a light mulching of pine needles as it allows moisture and air to circulate and does not promote the rot of the exposed rhizome. We also love that the pine needles are harvested and reused from other parts of the park!
Photo by Kiah Walker, Minute Man National Historical Park’s Biologist. Pictured are volunteers Karen and Ed along with Ada Fox, MMNHP’s Biological Science Technician.
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Click here to learn more about the iris in the Buttrick Gardens.