Laurie Miles and Rich Erickson moved to Eclipse Mill during the early spring at the height of the pandemic. Fortunately for the Mill, they brought their love of gardening with them.
Having sold their home of 30 years in Ipswich, they couldn’t wait “to get their hands back into the dirt.” When spring finally warmed they were among the first to adopt some of the abandoned riverside garden plots, which soon were thriving under their care. They both brought great energy to gardening, and were eager to take on more. They proposed and crafted a beautiful trellis on the right side of the front entrance made of entwined branches, which is now covered with Morning Glories. They also pruned and mulched other areas in the back garden that needed tending.
Soon afterwards they volunteered to take on a larger challenge: restoring areas around the building that were neglected and overgrown. Since then they have dedicated many hours of their time on weekends cleaning up, weeding, pruning, and relocating hidden plants to new locations, allowing them to grow and flourish.
On behalf of the mill, a BIG thank you to Laurie and Rich for sharing your skills and expertise! The many hours of hard work you have contributed has had a huge impact, and has enhanced the beauty of the Eclipse Mill grounds in many ways. Bravo!!
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More Eclipse Mill residents than ever took an active part in gardening this year:
Gail and Phil Sellers were up at the crack of dawn planting new bulbs along the sidewalk and filling their window boxes with flowers. Jim Bechtel filled our entryway with exotic potted Begonias, Geraniums, and others.
Astrid Hiemer’s flower beds, and Opie and Linda O’Brien’s vegetable gardens were thriving. As new(er) residents Laurie Miles and Rich Erickson, Diane Sawyer, Suzette Martin, and Nancy Hotchkiss joined in caring for the back garden plots, the back garden was flourishing from west to east. Ralph Brill’s lineup of potted herbs and flowers graced the mossy retaining wall, lending a European feel.
Dawn Nelson, Catherine Dunning, Astrid Hiemer, and Rob Gall kept the Mill’s fledgling trees watered and healthy for a second year. Sarah Sutro and Michael Bedford planted an abundance of basil, a new butterfly bush, and tended a line-up of potted tomatoes along the eastern river wall. Becca Perea-Kane and David Kessel built a tiny green house that was soon overflowing with plants.
Its been wonderful to be part of this garden renaissance. Thank you to all who have participated!