BERLIN- Town officials approved plans for an expansion of the pollinator garden at Henry Park.
The Berlin Town Council on Monday approved plans from Assateague Coastal Trust’s Coast Kids program to enlarge the pollinator garden at Henry Park by adding a rain garden to it. The project, which is contingent upon receipt of grant funding, would be located in the northwest corner of the park near Route 113.
“The Berlin Parks Commission is totally in favor of this,” said Mike Wiley, chair of the commission. “I viewed the property in person and it’s definitely not conducive to anything else.”
Verena Chase, director of the Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT) Coast Kids program, told officials her organization wanted to expand the existing garden, which is located on the side of the park closest to Route 113, to include 100 native perennials, some small shrubs and a border of river rocks. The rocks, she said, would border the entire garden—the pollinator portion as well as the rain garden portion—so town staff could see it as they were mowing grass in the park. ACT also wants to add signage outlining the garden’s purpose.
Chase said the signage could also acknowledge the grants that funded the garden. While she hasn’t gotten approval yet, Chase said she’d applied for grants from the Keep Maryland Beautiful program as well as the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore.
“I’ll know by March if one or both get approved,” she said.
If funding is received, Chase said garden preparations could begin in March. Planting would not occur until May.
