Today, we’re celebrating the installation of a new sign at Bethany Cemetery for the Bethany Iris Garden. The garden is a project of the Plano Garden Club, founded in 1947. The garden is intended to showcase named varieties of iris, such as Victoria Falls right here. They will bloom later this spring and most likely a few will be entered in the Garden Club’s flower show, scheduled for April 15–16 at Collin Creek Mall. The public will be able to see begonias, orchids, ferns, terrariums and other foliage displayed by club members.
The Garden club designed and purchased the sign to let folks know about the continuing partnership of the club with The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation. The two organizations work hand in hand to improve the public spaces of historic interest within Plano. Bethany Cemetery is the recipient of numerous preservation efforts, including the restoration of the monuments and the installation of this wonderful restored MISSIONS sign. The Club has planted iris and roses in several locations in the cemetery and plans future plantings at Plano Old City Cemetery as well. The cemetery is currently being restored and now has a new fence and will get more loving attention in the coming year or so.
There are many unknown varieties of iris planted at Bethany as well, which we have left without ‘name tags’ but are just as beautiful and hardy as the ones in this particular bed. Plano Garden Club also partnered with the Blackland Prairie Master Naturalists to plant two large areas of wildflower seeds, and they will bloom and increase over the years. All of these projects are designed not only to increase the curb appeal and beauty of this historic Texas cemetery, but to showcase low water use plantings and pollinator-friendly natives for our birds, bees and butterflies.
