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.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Workdays 4/15 - 18 & 20

On Monday, I worked on the front 1/2 circle, with Julie Holmes, and Leslie Stone. We deadheaded, weeded (yes they are back already), and added a bit of rock to areas that were sparse from last year where the area was dug up. The two front beds were watered thoroughly. I put out another birdfeeder, but havwaterede not seen any hummingbirds as yet.

Diana Watt stopped by to update me on the cities plans for construction in the area over the next few years. They will put in a new water line next year in the middle of Turquoise - going up the hill from the corner. They are exploring traffic changes for the corner of Switzer/Turquoise. They will do one of 3 options - a circle, a light, or stop signs. All will take another piece of our corner garden - the circle taking a very large piece requiring moving the sign. This would happen within 5 years. Keeping that in mind we will make less extensive changes to the corner garden. I still want the large juniper removed and Diana will see if Norvel can help us with his bobcat.

On Thursday, we had a small crew but got a great start on deadheading in the garden. Betty Marcus came and filled birdfeeders and watered . Joe Harte worked on leveling a rain barrel & removing tree trunk covers. Nancy Palmer worked on putting out hardscape in the Faerie Garden and finished hanging birdhouse on the trellis. Rebecca Davis came for the first time and spent her time deadheading the inferno strip and watering the back gardens.I spent my time deadheading and with general clean-up.

On Saturday, we had a very successful Earth Day with 9 people helping to clean up the garden. Many of them were new to the garden. Betty Marcus and Laura Davis two of our regular joined us and Diana Watt came to help and orient people to hospice. We sanded the 2 raised beds, moved some day lilies, watered, and bagged up many pine needles while deadheading. More than 25 bags. Deadheading happened in the Inferno Strip, some of the Rose Garden, and many of the beds east of the Switzer sidewalk. You may not recognize the place. We also stabilized a bench in the Faerie Garden, got out hardscape including the umbrella, water feature (unfilled as yet), and moved the rain barrel and standing raised bed. Cleaning up revealed many bulbs blooming in the garden - species tulips, grape hyacinth, daffodils, and our 1st spring blooming plant a Pasque flower. The plums and nectarine are already blooming.

Species tulip
Pasque Flower





Visitors this week included: some residents, Dave and Murphy, and the Ciritello's who donated a bench and added a tag for it.

Ed Ciritello and Diane Stearns and their daughter
Donors of a Glider in Memory of her Mother
Workdays this week Mon./Thurs. 9am-12pm.
Work for this week includes:
More deadheading
Sealing the raised beds
Planting potatoes and lettuce
Adjusting the standing raised bed
Watering indoors and outdoors (the drip is off)
Orientation for new gardeners on 4/25 at 10am. This will also include HIPAA/Hospice orientation from Megan for regular gardeners who have not done it as yet.
David if you  are available we have a bench that needs to be fixed.

I heard from Kay Balzer and she will be in the garden in mid-May.

Loni

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