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.

Monday, November 4, 2013

2013 Goals/Accomplishments

Olivia White Hospice Garden
Goals/Accomplishments for 2013 Season

Usual garden maintenance (bringing out hardscape, weeding, watering, planting (annuals and lost perennials), repairing and adding drip lines, repairing walkways, general garden maintenance, composting, harvesting vegetable for the home).  Worked 2 weekdays (Mon. & Thurs.) and one occasional Saturday a month.
-Drip lines repaired and added to the north Switzer Canyon Bed, and all new plantings
-Drip in front ½ circle partially dug up with suspected leak  (near mailbox). Bed replanted and                      mailbox repaired and moved to north Switzer Bed.
-All walkways and brick pads repaired.
-Repairs done on 3 rain barrels – leveled and supported ground areas
-Added two new stone paths – corner from Turquoise to Switzer Canyon Drive sidewalk and Switzer sidewalk to rose garden.. Each lined with malapai rock.
-Produce harvested for the home included:  tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, kohlrabi, potatoes, onions, squash (variety), Hopi corn, beans, sugar snap peas, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, and herbs
-Continued tree care – pruning, removal of Elm, and protecting from animal damage. Several new trees planted
-Cleaned the garden and weeded throughout with frequent rain during July/August
-Replanted and landscaped the corner or Turquoise and Switzer Canyon
-Landscaped the area surrounding the sheds
-Landscaped shade garden along Switzer Canyon
-Landscaped the north Native Garden

Orient master gardener program and new volunteer gardeners, and provide education individually.
-Orientation done for the Master Gardener class, groups, tours, and individual new volunteers

Replanted and landscaped the corner of Turquoise and Switzer Canyon
-Weeded a large area frequently due to extensive rain
-Pruned ponderosa pine and several other trees
-Put stone back on corner and added some perennial flowers and grasses
-Rock pathway put in by Boy Scouts from Turquoise to Switzer
-With weeds returning quickly on the path, weed cloth was added
-Area behind the sign weeded and bunch grass seed added to cut down on weeds          

Landscaped the shed area
-Boy Scouts built 2 new trellises.  One to block the view of the parking lot and another to camouflage the shed.  Donor sign added to the project.                            
-Red runner beans and clematis planted on the shed trellis.
-Clematis and honeysuckle planted on the large 8 foot trellis to block the view of the parking lot
-AmeriCorp put in a sandstone pad with material donated by Diana Watt
-Bench from anonymous donor refurbished by Diana Watt and placed on the sandstone pad
-Bird feeder/bath added to the area to cut off walking in between trellises          
-Small shrub donated last year placed at front corner

Landscaped the Native Garden where sheds were moved last year
-Wildflowers scattered on the south side of the walkway
-Weeded north side and removed many New Mexican Locust that had spread
-Sandstone pad done by the Palmers on the east end of bed
-New bench donated by Crys Wells
-2 colorful pots added to that pad area
-Rock garden added at the west end of the bed S of the walkway. Plants transplanted from other
parts of the garden.
                
Work on improving storage and safety in the garden, and adding additional hardscape.
-Two page orientations to the garden updated for seasonal gardeners and a one page for one day   volunteers with new requirements by Northland Hospice.  32 volunteers cleared for work
-New green bench donated and assembled by our crew
-Moved 1 rain barrel and leveled all three with cinder blocks
-Mailbox repaired and moved. All mailboxes cemented in for safety
-Removed outdated chemicals.
-Removed pine needles from canyon in water flow area again    
               
Add and revise Educational items for visitors, residents, and volunteers
-Sign on back patio with:   Food available to pick, What’s blooming?, Rainwater levels, What’s new in the garden?
-Revised general info about the entire garden, the individual garden plant lists, garden map, Rose Book, and Donor Book                            
-Individual plant lists added to the blog
-2 Garden Lectures for volunteers (Composting-Linda Guarino & Weeds-Dorothy Lamm)
-Continued to add new signs for plants throughout the garden.  Special sign added to recognize the Master Gardener contribution in the gardens                                                .

Continue to schedule group workdays
-Regular crew of master gardeners and hospice volunteers (10 new seasonal)
-Earth Day (6)
-Boy Scout Troop 7129 – 2 crews (15 & 12)
-AmeriCorps/ACA (9)
-Girls for Good (Seasonal Bird Care)
-Girls for Good (Make a Difference day -14)

Publicity
-Tours for special groups - Flagstaff Garden club, Peaks Bungalow Residents
-Continued the blog for weekly updates on the garden - (owhospicegardenvolunteers.blogspot.com)
-Donations:  Arboretum Soiree Basket ($100), Seeds and potpourri Coconino County Fair
                                
Fundraising
-Cards, seeds, potpourri, jewelry, and bricks for gazebo
-Sold fundraising items at:  CMGA Plant and Garden Sale, 1st Friday Art Walk
-Annual 10% Day at Warner’s
-Wish List Book Donations - Garden Bench ($600), Other items donated (see attached for detailed list)
                                   
                

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