Special Saturday Workday 4/16/11

A special workday was held today thanks to help from the Flagstaff Leadership Program. We had 16 visitors and 2 guests, along with some of our regular crew to help supervise (Laura Davis, Nancy Palmer, Judith Chaddock, Julie Holmes, Cynthia Katte, and Linda Guarino). The group was divided into teams and worked on:
The Michael Moore Native Medicinal Garden - sandstone pathways and removing shrubs and plants



Composting - reworking the compost after a long idle winter. The crew managed to get 3 wheelbarrows of good compost out of our winter additions.
General Clean-up - trash on Turquoise, pine needle pick-up and cleaning the Faerie Garden.
Cleaning out the sun porch - windows, floors, woodwork and plants
Bringing out Hardscape - mostly in the Tea and Faerie Gardens.
Assembling 2 arbors and a new turning composter.
Stained a redwood glider, and sanded and sealed our raised beds.
Gathering rocks for the new Zane Hill garden.
Much was accomplished in just 3 hours.
The leadership program also did fundraising for us at the 1st Friday Art Walk ($1150) in April. Purchases already made include a large shed, composter, and 2 wheelbarrels. The program has also helped us find a source for a sandstone sign for the MMG, and manure for our beds this summer. Thanks!!! to a generous crew of volunteers. The city will be in good hands if these are our future leaders.

"It takes a village."

New blooms: Pasque Flower and many species tulips and for the 3rd year our amaryllis kept on the sun porch.



New in the garden: turning composter, large "Big Max" shed, and 2 wheelbarrows. A ceramic dog for the new pet area in the garden.

Additional thanks to Peter Craven and his crew from Hodge Podge for transporting all our new equipment from Home Depot.

Plans for next week: watering, bringing out hardscape, deadheading, mounting birdhouse on trellis, putting out bird food, work on north walkway to prepare for a new shed, front 1/2 circle garden (getting ready for replanting), creating Zane's
garden bed, spray new birdhouses.

Join us for our regular workdays Monday & Thursday. Parking is available on Turquoise just past Switzer Canyon Drive or at the 1st Congregational Church.

Loni Shapiro (cnslds@q.com)

Workday 4/11 & 4/14

On Monday, I found Laura Davis working in the Michael Moore garden digging up plants in preparation for the workday on Saturday. I spent my time watering plants indoors for the week. It was a cold day with wet ground from the snow on Saturday and no other volunteers made the workday.

On Thursday we had a large crew busy getting the gardens ready for spring and the Saturday workday. Laura Davis, Nancy Palmer, Rebecca Moore and Marcia Lamkin worked in the MMG moving rock and plants in preparation for the workday. Joe Harte delivered a couple of loads of soil from the Landscape Connection for them.

Betty Marcus, Judith Chaddock, and Marilyn VanWagner all worked on deadheading. Judith also potted up some germander that had spread in the rose garden. Julie Holmes worked on the faerie garden, raking up leaves and bringing out some of the hardscape. Vicki Goodwin helped me and Julie get out some of the large hardscape pieces (Angel statue, willow bench, standing raised bed, and outdoor furniture. Kay Balzer returned from her winter in Nevada and was helped by a new master gardener, Hedy Thomas. They worked on removing plants from the front 1/2 circle. We have begun to amass many plants for our June plant sale from that garden (spirea, campanula, shasta daisy, daylily, penstemon and germander.

Blooming:
Daffodils, squill, hyacinth, species and hybrid tulips
Amaryllis on the sun porch

Donation:
Dog statue for Zane's Memorial Garden

Upcoming workdays:
Saturday, April 16, 9am-12pm, Flagstaff Leadership Program Workday
Monday & Saturday, April 18 & 21, 9am-12pm

Work on the agenda:
General clean-up
Clean-up of the sunporch
Bringing out hardscape
Front 1/2 circle garden (removing plants and soil)
Compost spring clean-up
Sanding and restaining raised beds and aredwood bench
MMG creating a sandstone path and removing large shrubs

Come join us for any of the above activities

April 4 & 7, 2011 Workdays

This week was our first official week in the gardens at Olivia White. On Monday, we had a small crew that worked on the Michael Moore Garden (Laura Davis and Nancy Palmer) and Becky Lewis who helped water our very dry garden. Joe Harte came with Pesha and removed tent caterpillars while trimming trees.

On Thursday we had 10 people who worked on the MMG and getting the rest of the garden up and running. Laura Davis, Nancy Palmer, and Rebecca Moore worked on setting up the workday for next week for the MMG. Joe Harte and Linda Guarino got sandstone and soil for the new garden. Cynthia and Al Katte returned to help bring out some hardscape, plant potatoes and onions, and install a new trellis. Vicki Goodwin returned and began deadheading and cleaning up the front garden beds. Linda in addition to getting sandstone worked on the compost and the front 1/2 circle garden. We are removing plants in anticipation of replanting this garden. David Hockman, moved soil placed bird baths, and helped remove plants from the 1/2 circle garden. Betty Marcus has joined the garden crew and began deadheading the Inferno Strip. I spent most of my time finding jobs for everyone and bringing out some hardscape.

Miranda from Rainbow's End and the Flagstaff Leadership Class presented the gardeners with a check for $1,154 that they had raised at the 1st Friday Art Walk. These funds will be used to purchase some much needed equipment (greenhouse, composter, and wheelbarrow).

New planting:
Potatoes (Purple Majesty, Russian Banana, Yellow Fin)

Schedule for next week:
Mon. & Thurs. workdays from 9am-12pm
Tuesday, Orientation to the garden
Friday, Pre-med students from NAU
Saturday, Group Workday for the Flagstaff Leadership Progrm

Plans for next week:
Removing plants from front 1/2 circle
Deadheading
Bringing out hardscape

Thanks,
Loni Shapiro
928-522-8635
cnslds@q.com

Beginning Workdays in the Garden for April

1st Workday will be Monday April 4, from 9am-12pm
Work will be beginning clean-up of the gardens which will be mostly raking and sweeping, bringing out some hard scape and watering as needed. On Thursday, April 7, we will remove plants from the front 1/2 circle garden and continue our watering. Work will continue each Mon. & Thurs. morning from 9am-12pm.

Orientation to the gardens for those people newly interested in helping will be on Tuesday, April 12 at 11am. If you are unable to attend contact Loni Shapiro cnslds@q.com to arrange for your orientation.

Our 1st Saturday workday will be on April 16th. We have a group coming (Flagstaff Leadership Program) and will have a variety of activities from digging to clean-up.

In addition, work has begun on the Michael Moore Native Medicinal Garden. The crew is looking for help hauling sandstone with a truck and large tree pots for transplanting some trees and shrubs out of the garden. If you can help, contact laura_s_davis@q.com or nanceigh@hotmaill.com. This needs to be done before 4/16 workday.

Thanks,
Loni Shapiro

Minutes for Meeting 3/17/11

Hospice Garden Meeting Minutes
March 17, 2011
Attending: Loni Shapiro, Cynthia Katte, Judith Chaddock, Julie Holmes, Crys Wells, Nancy Palmer, Karen Kent, David Hockman, Laura Davis, Rebecca Moore.

I. Updates
Dave Hill and Zane’s Garden
Dedication of this garden will be on May 5th at 11am. The perimeter of garden will be created and a shrub planted that day. Loni will bring photos and the memorial from the RAG newsletter. Dana Prom Smith will do the dedication. Come ready to share stories about Zane. The planning committee is meeting on April 4 in the garden at 9am. Anyone is welcome to join.

Michael Moore Garden
Marcia reports that Zack Zdinak will be helping with drawing some symbols for the garden signs. The committee will meet with him today. Marcia has asked Mountain Meadow Farm for some greenhouse space – no response as yet. Cynthia Davis has some greenhouse space.
Rebecca reported she has been working on a final plant list. Done but needs approval of Phyllis Hogan. Loni reports she has the catalog from Plants of the SW and may be able to get some seed from them on her trip to Santa Fe.
Nancy reported about the sandstone they found at Landscape Connection. They need to purchase before the FLP workday. Loni will find out by next Monday when the workday is and if they are helping with the sandstone or engraving. If not, the owners at Landscape may give us a discount. Nancy stated that they need to pick out the pieces. Nancy also showed a picture of the native American bear symbol they may use. MM was a large bearsized man.
Laura will be meeting with Phyllis Hogan and she reported activities planned for the workday. Loni suggested that we try to get the bobcat before the workday so that more work can be accomplished. The bobcat would also be helpful in moving large rocks out of the ½ circle garden.

FLP Workday & Fundraising
Loni reported that the workday will be either the 9th or 16th of April. When Wendy returns she will give us a date and Loni will check on the status of the sandstone. There are 25 people as part of the FLP but not all will be able to attend. The group is also doing a fundraiser for the OWG during the 1st Friday Art Walk at the Rainbow's End and other small businesses in the courtyard area. Loni will provide them with our sign and some fundraising brochures. She will also see if they want seeds to distribute to those who donate. They will also sell note cards.
Workday tasks beside the MMG
Sweep walkways removing cinders especially along Switzer Canyon
Put arbors together
Stain one bench
Sand standing and sitting beds
Bring out hardscape
Clean sun porch – removing plants
Water
Raise sheep troughs
Drip?

½ Circle Garden Planning
Loni, Karen, Nancy, and Linda met to plan the beginning work on the ½ circle garden. The crabapple, juniper, red osier dogwood will be left in the garden. All other plants removed to be used for the plant sale or other parts of the garden. We will try to get this done before the FLP crew comes so they can help us remove the rocks and some of the soil to bring it to ground level. The garden will become a meadow garden with several grasses and flowering plants (reds and purples). The reds will be 2 types of penstemons (pine/barbatos) and a Japanese Blood Grass. The purples Rocky Mt. penstemon, lavender and salvia. Other grasses will include 2 already in the gardens Karl Forester and a mulenbergia, and boutoula. Chrys has two grasses that may work for us a penistemon (zone 5) and a red grass similar to Japanese Blood Grass.

Saturday Workday sign-ups
Dates needed, May 21 (maybe Marcia), June Plant Sale, July 16 (Cynthia K.), August 20, Sept. 17, Oct. 15th. Others may be able to help but dates uncertain. Please advise Loni if you can supervise on one of these days from 9-12.

Jobs that still need help
Revising garden map to include front gardens (mention to the MGS)
One more person to help with the drip lines. We have enough to do this – Linda, Carol, Cynthia, David, and Joe.
Seasonal scavenger hunts – 2 – help Marcia Lamkin. See Marcia if you want to help.
½ circle garden replanting and adoption – The garden prep will begin in April, but not planting until later. Loni to see if Kay Balzer might be interested in heading up this project once the planting starts.

MG Class Orientation
Crys and Cynthia will do on March 29th. Loni will get materials to Cynthia before that date. Orientation to the garden will be sometime in April on a Tues. morning before they go to class. Loni to check with Hattie on the best schedule.

Running tally for work hours in the garden – Julie
Julie will do monthly. Make sure you sign in legibly each week. Julie may work with Crys on signing in on-line. Loni will need to get approval from hospice for this.

Green-man plaque done by Karen Meyers - donated by Loni.
Faerie Garden – tree door and lady bug donated /donors unknown. Loni will do a brief donor form for the house to use when things are dropped off – so we can thank them.

II. New
Tools purchased – trowels, weeders, 2 shovels. Will make sure all hospice shovels have blue tape for ID.

Wheelbarrow repair – Joe replaced a tire on one wheelbarrow. We will have only 3 this season unless a grant comes through. The 4th is in poor condition and not worth replacing a tire. Al says we need to sand and paint and treat the wood handles.

Arbors have arrived
Loni will have FLP put these together, but they will need to be placed by the drip crew because of lines.

Scheduling group workdays (Coconini High School, Warner’s, AmeriCorp, CREC?)?
Loni will try to schedule Coconino for weeding and garden clean-up (May). She will also tell AmeriCorp to come again in July (project later). If the MMG wants additional help after the FLP is here we can contact them to see if they can help. Loni will also contact Peggy to see if FALA wants to do something. There is much garbage on Turquoise.

Greenhouse help – Cynthia Davis has some and Marcia is checking with Chuck McDougal for more.

Confidentiality forms – all signed forms which will be required each year in the garden for non-hospice volunteers only.

III. 2nd half of meeting to work on crafts:
Updating some hats – Thanks to Judith we finished all the hats.
Green Man boxes for volunteers – Several people did a green man boxrs and others took materials home. Opportunities will be provided again.
Painting birdhouses – people took home birdhouses to paint
Lavender sachets – all bags filled with lavender and lavender combination (rose buds/lemon verbena, chamomile). Loni to see if Celia wants to work with patients to fill the remaining. She is looking for simple projects to do with them – minimal hand function.

IV. Schedule for April
Workdays (Mon/Thurs 9am-12pm starting in April). Saturday workday for April still to be determined.
April - 2 garden talks (tool care - compost?) Loni will start with tool care for the 1st Thursday workday and Linda will talk about compost care next.
Monthly volunteer sign up for snacks. This will be done on the 1st workday. We will try to get 2 to sign-up for each (fruit/sweet). Since we have 2 workdays this might mean about every 6 weeks.

Submitted 3/17/10
Loni Shapiro

1st Friday Art Walk Fundraiser for Olivia White Gardens

The Flagstaff Leadership Program has chosen the Olivia White Hospice Garden as their project for 2011. They will be spending a workday in the garden, helping us to get the garden started for the season in April.

In addition they will be doing a fundraiser for us on 4/1 in conjunction with First Friday Art Walk in the courtyard in front of Rainbow’s End, Black Bean, Flag Brewery, etc. There will be music at Rainbow’s End, which is always packed full of people in that small space. There may be music on the outdoor stage at Flag Brew. They will have members of the class at each of the businesses, with OWH brochures and a donation jar. The members will solicit funds and the amount gathered will be matched by the businesses up to a certain amount (which has not yet been determined).

Please come and join in the fun while supporting the gardens at Olivia White.

Loni Shapiro
Volunteer Garden Coordinator
Olivia White Hospice Home

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.