Regular Garden Crew Workday 4/8/10

We had our first regular outdoor garden workday on Thursday. I spent my time getting our raised beds ready for planting. Cynthia Katte made sure house plants were watered and helped with cleaning the beds/street in front of the house. Linda Guarino worked on deadheading and cleaning the beds in front of the house. Al Katte did some much needed repairs and construction of a small raised bed for vegetabiles. Vicki Goodwin returned to help fill bird feeders and also helped Linda clean beds in front of the house.

New blooms included species tulips in several parts of the garden along with many more daffodils.

Our next workdays include next Thursday (4-15-10) and Saturday (Earth Day 4-17-10) from 9am until noon. On the list is continuing clean-up (plants and the shed), placing hardscape, placing bricks, and feeding the birds. On earth day we may plant a small tree if the ground is soft enough and sand the raised beds.

On Earthday we will also orient people to working in the garden. Come join us!

Loni Shapiro
Volunteer Garden Coordinator

Earth Day Clean-up

On Saturday, April 17th from 9am-12pm the Olivia White Gardens will have a clean-up day and orientation for gardeners who want to help in the garden this season. Clean-up includes sweeping, removal of cinders from the Switzer Canyon beds, putting out hardscape, and beginning deadheading of last years perennials. We have one glider that needs to be restained, and several shrubs that need to be pruned of broken branches.

The orientation will begin at 10am and include a tour of the garden, procedures for outside (including keys for the greenhouse and shed) and inside (bathrooms and entry). Procedures also include signing in and out when working.

For those new to the garden we ask that you wear a hat, sunscreen, and bring gloves if you have them. Long sleeves/pants, and close toed shoes are recommmended. We have tools and provide water and snacks.

Parking will be limited on this day due to house procedures and many visitors in the neighborhood (the YMCA openhouse/a service for Karen Cooper at the First Congregational Church). Parking is available on the East side of Turquoise in allowed spaces and at the Gastro-Entrological offices on Switzer Canyon Drive. NO Parking at Olivia White/patient's families and staff only.

For any questions or concerns contact Loni Shapiro at maxmaddy@infomagic.net.

3rd Garden Planing Meeting Minutes 3/25/10

Switzer Canyon River looking north

Attending: Loni Shapiro, Linda Guarino, Val Bryant, Joe Harte, Julie Holmes, Crys Wells, Marcia Lamkin, Judith Chaddock

Before the meeting a tour of the garden revealed some of the beginnings of spring!

Miniture Dutch Iris

Crocus
Also visible were Siberian squill, snowdrops, yellow Dutch iris, and the beginnings leaves of a variety of tulips.

1. General updates

A. MG Class orientation – April 6/Loni & Cynthia at 1pm at East Side Library
In garden orientation - General orientation will happen on Earth Day, Saturday, October 17th, from 9am-12pm. Thursday work in the garden will be dependent on weather in April.
B. Update on grants
Michael Moore grant approved - start time undecided - Laura Davis in charge.
Home Depot grant - April 1
C. New and returning volunteers (Ed Skiba/Val Bryant/Julie Holmes/Judith Chaddock)
D. Resident participation - participation by new residen one time but too ill to repeat. We have a second good candidate to help water indoors.
E. Shady climbing rose for arbor bench - from David Austin roses two (Shropshire Lad) ordered (Zone 4, climber that does well with part shade)
F. Update on group participation
1. CREC - possible work on Native Medicinal Garden, let Loni know if you have any
other big projects. This crew often does trail work. I may have them redo part of the native walkway.
2. Outward Bound - 10-12 students who will be in the garden for the month of June on Tues/Thurs afternoons. Last year I had them water, fill bird feeders and baths, stain benches, weed, and some planting. I will need help in supervising this crew on some of the dates, or leading our crew on Thursday morning so I can be there in the afternoon. If your interested let me know.
3. Arizona Leadership Corp. (Americorps and CREC) on July 29th (luckily a Thurs. in the am) I will need help with transporting them from NAU to the garden. The only big project I gave them was the new Native Medicinal Garden, but may add walkway repairs, and clean-up. Again if you have a big project you want done let me know.
4. Grand Canyon Youth Corp - probably work in the fall for clean-up
5. Coconino High School - need to ask Jacque where this is.
G. Update on greenhouse - talked with Joe Costian and we cannot remove the floow. He suggested we paint with porch paint or tile. In addition we need to insulate the back wall and cover with wood. John from our old jail crew will stop by when the weather improves to see what it might cost.
H. Update on rocks - moved to new Native Medicinal garden for backing and larger rocks behind the OW sign to give it more emphasis
I. Reporting MG hours - you can now report hours on our blog site for the MGs. You still need to sign the weekly sheet.
J. Info circulated on herb classes offered in Flagstaff (foraging and making things from them (salves, tincatures, etc).
K. Info circulated on Warner's 10% day (e-mail out to Misti on a request for a date)

2. Plans for 2009

A. Look for people to adopt gardens/activities
Birdbaths/Feeders?
Native Garden - ?
Norm’s Front Beds - ?
Saturday workdays?
Upward Bound students?
Watering pots/front garden until drip in?

B. Immediate material needs
Compost (Loni to call our usual source because they will load with bobcat - also need to contact Leslie for help with truck) , soil for pots (Warner's)

C. Additional goals for season
Plant & Garden Sale - possibly in July if garden not ready to take transplants

D. Re-plant house plants, clean sun porch area.
Thanks to all, all but 1 plant transplanted (several cylamens, pothos, spider plants, schefflera and palm. Loni gave the ficus a haircut and it will be transplanted when we find an appropriate pot. Loni to see if Julie has one we can use.

Schedule April meeting: Schedule to be advised. Next meeting may be in the garden weather dependent. Workday on Earth Day from 9am-12pm for garden clean-up and orientation to new gardeners.

Garden Update 3/18/10

Looking southeast from the house



Looking towards Turquoise

On Thursday I stopped by at Olivia White Home to check on houseplants, and to try to get into the greenhouse to get some large pots. I had to jump a couple of large moguls and the raging Switzer Canyon River in order to get there. Along the way I spotted damage to some of our hardscape (apple tree trellis, bird feeder hangers, a birdbath in front of the house, and some of our solar lights).



This has been a tough winter for the garden. The good news is the new green benches look great and the gliders work fine. I also took a photo of the first sign of spring. Some beautiful Dutch iris planted in the fall of 2009 by the Grand Canyon Youth Corp. were visible in the gardens in front of the house.



Reminder:
Our next meeting is on Thursday, March 25 at 9am at the Olivia White Home. We will have a short meeting followed by transplanting 3 large pots in the home. We also will transplant some cyclamen donated by the cancer society.
I will bring a treat and some fruit, so just bring yourself to share ideas for 2010 and get started with indoor planting.

2nd Garden Planning Meeting for 2010

We met at the Olivia White Hospice Home for our 2nd meeting. First on the agenda was General Updates:
A. A discussion of what to do about the rocks on the corner opend the meeting. They will most likely be used for the Michael Moore Medicinal Native Plant Garden to line the back and define the garden. Other possibilities include surrounding the sign area or a rock garden.
B. The CSA is set with Linda, Laura, Loni and hospice spliting a full share beginning in May.
C. Loni and Cynthia K will present to the MG Class on April 6 - time to be advised.
D. Michael Moore Grant is approved for $500 - Laura Davis in charge. The Home Depot grant is completed and we will hear about it by April 1st. Shelves for the greenhouse were added.
E. Jennifer Rummery a nursing student from CCC who has expertise in greenhouses has agreed to help us this season on Saturdays. John Gordon will help us remove the floor if approved by Joe Costian.
F. New Northland Hospice Director to start on March 15 - Sam Younger who comes from Banner Health in Phoenix.
G. New Northland Hospice Volunteer class to start on March 20. If interested contact Jacque Auxier at the office.

2. Plans for 2010
A. Look for people to adopt gardens/activities
Greenhouse - Jennifer Rummery
Saturday Workdays - working on sharing the load (May-Sept) regulars one month
Upward Bound - Jacque contacted/interested but need to clarify 3 or 5 hours
AmeriCorps- Jacque contacted will call later
B. Immediate material needs - April/May
Compost, soil
C. Additional goals for season
Worked on group workdays for AmeriCorps (Jacque), Grand Canyon Youth (Loni), Coconino High School (Jacque), Upward Bound (Jacque), Earth Day (Loni)
Resident involvement (Jacque to advise if appropriate patients)
Thin plants for plant sale (Lambs Ear, Germander, Yarrow, Iris)
Improve climber care surrounding gazebo
Add more plantings to rose garden walkway
Find shade tolerant plants for arbor bench

3. Provided plants for each room, repotted large palm, and added two new plants to
home.

Next Meeting: March 25, 2010 9am-12pm
Short meeting followed by repotting 3 large plants and cleaning sun porch.

Loni Shapiro

2nd Garden Planning Meeting for 2010

Our 2nd planning meeting for the 2010 garden season will be held at the Olivia White Hospice Home on February 25th from 9am-12pm. We will have a short meeting followed by repotting houseplants in the home and cleaning the sunporch. On the agenda for the meeting: updates from 1st meeting, call for help for specific gardens/projects, and scheduling groups for the season. Refreshments will be provided. Parking is available only at the 1st Congregational Church on Turquoise just past Switzer Canyon Drive. Parking at the home is reserved for resident families and staff.

Anyone interested in attending or helping this season should contact Loni Shapiro at maxmaddy@infomagic.net.

Master Gardener Column 1/23/10

Olivia White Garden Gazebo in the Moonlight
Theme Gardens

Organization is something I enjoy. Indeed, family and friends have been driven crazy with my obsessions. I love lists. One of the reasons I became an Occupational Therapist was that I could help people who'd suffered illness or injury reorganize their lives under new circumstances. When confronted with changes in our physical or mental abilities, we often need to find new ways of doing ordinary things like eating or dressing.

So when I began to spend more time gardening in retirement, it was only natural for me to find a way to organize it. In Flagstaff, I began by cataloging all the plants in my yard by their needs. A difficult task because I'd lived in Oregon for 20 years and didn’t recognize most of the plants. I soon began clustering them by their needs for water and sun.

Most gardeners go to the nursery, see a plant they like, buy it, and find a place for it. I found that to be overwhelming with so many wonderful plants, so little space, and even more work. When I began working as a volunteer at the Arboretum in the greenhouse, Jan Busco the horticulturist, had a great project for Suzanne Carney and me for Christmas. She had us put together “theme container bowls” (Italian, Thai, scent, and cat) for the Christmas plant sale. What a concept! All the frustrated gardeners got to garden happily through the winter. Also, it was useful, actually quite attractive and, need I say, organized.

A few years ago, I took some classes in Horticultural Therapy. In one of the classes we spent time creating “theme garden lists” that might be utilized for programming. One of my favorites was a cat garden – cat mint, catnip, pussy toes, cat’s claw, pussy willow, and cattails, only many of them have very different needs regarding water, sun, and soil. However, there are ways of doing theme gardens successfully with a little organization.

First, find an interesting theme. The possibilities are endless – countries, such as English Cottage. Some are hardscape, such as rock, and others by type of plant, such as bonsai. Still others use senses, like color, aroma, taste, and touch. Sometimes a hobby works, such as a model railroader with a Garden Railway with dwarf conifers and rock plants.

The second step would be to decide on the design, size, and location of the garden. It could be very small, even a container. Loyalton once did a pizza garden in a very large pot with peppers and herbs used in pizza.

The third step consumes the most time along with being the most enjoyable, finding plants that fit the theme and need similar light, water, and soil.

The last step is actually planting the garden and adding hardscape features fitting the theme.

At hospice in the fall of 2008, we began creating a moon garden after hearing a lecture at the Coconino Center for the Arts. With many different kinds of moon gardens, our goal was to have a white/silver theme, visible from our new arbor bench at night. In the fall of 2008, we created a small garden bed with white/silver rock, filling it with compost from the garden. In the spring, we transplanted sun loving Shasta daisy, snow in summer, white elfin thyme. Then we added new plants, phlox, carpet rose, heather, linaria, bellflower, evening primrose, and creeping baby’s breath. We used drip lines. Most are perennials with a few showy annuals, like dusty miller, licorice plant, and cleome. Then in the fall we added tulips, daffodils, and crocus. Two solar gazing balls with moons were added for daytime beauty and night light. On a walk during the full moon, the white flowers were visible, but the silver shone.


Moon Garden fall 2010

For anyone thinking about a theme garden and having trouble coming up with an idea, try googling “theme gardens” or the book Theme Gardens by Barbara Damrosch. Public gardens like the Arboretum are also a good source for ideas. Stop by Olivia White Hospice Home during the garden season to check out our Inferno Strips, Tea Garden, Faerie Garden, Rock Garden, Native Garden, and Moon Garden.
(Loni Shapiro is a Master Gardener volunteer. Dana Prom Smith, a Master Gardener volunteer, is coordinating editor for the Master Gardener Column. He can be contacted at stpauls@npgcable.com. For more information about the Master Gardener Program, call Hattie Braun, Coordinator of the Master Gardener Program, at 774-1868 ext.17 or visit our Web Site: highelevationgardening.arizona.edu.)