Gardens Founded in 2001 - Home in 2002

Echinacea - Photo by Laura Davis

The garden began in 2001 with the help of Norm Erickson, a Northland Hospice volunteer, at the corner of Switzer Canyon Drive and Turquoise. At that time the home had not been completed but a beautiful sign was placed on the corner. Norm continued to work on the beds on the east side of the sidewalk along Switzer Canyon Drive and in front of the home, until 2008. The rest of the gardens were developed by a core of Coconino County Master Gardeners initially led by Laura Davis and since 2007 by Loni Shapiro.

The garden crew is active from April-October and sometimes in November weather permitting. Work happens weekly throughout the garden season on Monday and Thursday mornings from 8:00 am-12:00 pm. It also is scheduled for one Saturday a month from April through October. Cancellations due to weather will be posted by 6:00 am of the workday on this blog. You must attend a spring orientation to the garden and Northland Hospice & Palliative Care in order to work. A summary of the work that has been done is included on the blog. Look for weekly postings on this blog during the garden season.
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Volunteering in the Garden

2015 Calendar

April 13, 11:30-1:30 Lunch and orientation for new volunteers at hospice and TB testing for all

April 16, 9:15-10 TB tests read and 10:00 garden orientation. First Thursday workday 9-12

April 20, First Monday workday 9-12

May 2, Saturday workday 9-12

If you are interested in volunteering, please email CrysWells@gmail.com.

Please note: TB testing is required annually for all garden volunteers.

If you have current TB results that were done by a physician or at a hospital, these may be submitted to Northland Hospice.

If you are unable to attend the meeting, please contact the volunteer coordinator Kathy Simmons (ksimmons@northlandhospice.org) to schedule a time for testing and orientation.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Hospice Garden Meeting Minutes 2/24/11

Attending: Sam Younger, Christine Pierce, Loni Shapiro, Linda Guarino, Nancy Palmer, Laura Davis, David Hockman, Karen Kent, Crys Wells, Marcia Lamkin, Rebecca Moore, Julie Holmes, Judith Chaddock.

I. Updates
Dave Hill and Zane’s Garden
Plans for garden continue. Zane’s water dish and paver shown to all, along with a copy of the memorial service from Tempe. Plans are for a garden dedication on the 5th of May weather permitting at 11am. The garden will be defined and a shrub planted on that day. Sam Younger will advise if ashes can be scattered in the garden.

Michael Moore Garden
Laura reported plant lists will be done in the next week. A blessing is planned with Michael’s widow. Nancy is working on typing the plant list and the ceramic sign for the garden. Laura is checking to see what another garden’s sign will look like. 5 people will help with the planning (Laura, Nancy, Marcia, and 2 new MGs (Maret Mitchell and Rebecca Moore). There may be 3 additional signs done by our sign maker for the 3 gardens. Loni requested a needed plant list for her planned trip to Santa Fe.

Mice in home
Sam reports that the problem seems under control with Simply Nolan working on mice and other animals (skunk). Garden staff was requested to make sure no food or seed items are placed in the garage without being contained in plastic or metal. Handles on seed cans must be up to prevent entry. Garden staff will monitor during the season and if problem returns will remove all seed feeders from around the home (just hummingbird food).

Garden materials updated except the Scavenger Hunt (Native Garden/General Info Sheet/Rose Book and Donor Book)

II. New
Ordered tags for last years donations – about 10 should be here in the next week.
Ordered 2 arbors and roses for parking lot area (6 roses ordered from David Austin (3 Falstaff and 3 Shorpshire Lad (red and peach/rose). Nancy, Linda, and Marcia each paid for 1. Remainder to be in the wish list book for donations.
Wish list book updating - List updated for display in the home. Gardeners requested to get any additions to Loni in March so a final list will be in the house April 1. Sam offered to check for donations on some items. Loni will get him dimensions for
the shed for a home depot donation. Sam to check on the Home Depot grant.
Possible group from Flagstaff Leadership Group (25). They are meeting on March 2 and
Wendy will advise if we are their project.
Schedule Plant & Garden Sale - Saturday or Sunday, June 25, from 10am-2pm. Christine will add a flyer to the race packet which is that morning. Loni to keep Christine up to date on project.
Loni to Santa Fe in April – probably 3rd week. Send any needs to her by the 1st of April
Loni to cover Mon/Thurs workday supervision need volunteers to sign up for 1 Saturday workday a month (April/October)except June. Dates needed, April 23, May 21, June Plant Sale, July 16, August 20, Sept. 17, Oct. 15th. Please advise Loni if you can supervise on one of these days from 9-12.
Loni to do a herb garden class for CCC June 18th – we will plant a small herb garden at OW. Laura to help in the garden.
Jobs that need help! (We now have 12 regulars and several part-time people so I would like more help with specific tasks. Several new MGs have also expressed interest in helping this year and they can do some of these. Saturday supervision should be people who have been here a couple of years.)
Revising garden map to include front gardens – look for a new MG to do this.
Need someone to keep track of garden volunteer hours for 2011 – Julie Holmes
Need someone to visit the spring MG Class to solicit volunteers (I have materials you can use) – Cynthia K and Crys ? need to check with Hattie on day.
Linda & Carol would like 2 more people to help with the new drip lines. They will teach and supervise. Good learning experience. David offered to help on this.
Coming up with 2 seasonal Scavenger hunts (Summer/Fall) – Marcia will work on.
Need someone to adopt the front ½ circle bed for replanting. We can all help with this but someone needs to plan and organize it. Discussion about plants. Will schedule a planning meeting with Nancy, Karen, Linda and myself.
Michael Moore Garden – All will probably help with this garden at some point, but Laura & Nancy could use a couple of others to help with planning. Two new MGs to help with this (Maret and Rebecca).
Zane’s Garden – Loni is planning but could use one other person to help plan the garden and the ceremony tentatively scheduled for the first Thursday in May. Nancy &
Marcia to help Loni with the planning. Discussion about plants – those with Golden in their name, possibly teal for RAG, some grasses (stipa like a dogs tail), and a ground cover succulent.
Brief meeting once a week (Thursdays) during the season for updates and sharing garden tips (no more than 30 minutes). Purpose to fulfill educational piece requirement of MG Program and have gardeners all on the same page (pruning, planting, feeding, etc).

III. 2nd half of meeting at OW to clean sun porch and repot needed plants. Weather permitting we will also tour Michael Moore Garden, Zane’s Memorial Garden, and take a look at the compost. Cleaned up plants on sunporch, planted plants so each room has a plant again, repotted some plants that needed it. Unable to tour gardens due to snow.

IV. Scheduled March meeting for March 17th at 9am at the office (452 N. Switzer Canyon Dr.) We will have an update meeting and then work on some craft items. Items include, GreenMan boxes, updating some hats, painting birdhouses, making lavender sachets.