Olivia White Hospice Home Garden Volunteers: June 2010

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, June 26, 2010

Workday 6/24/10 and Plant Sale

This week was a successful one for the gardeners at Olivia White. On Thursday in the am several volunteers came and helped us get ready for the plant sale. Cynthia Katte, Judith Chaddock, Julie Holmes, Becky Lewis, Bethany Page, David Hockman, Kay Balzer, Cindy Murray, Linda Guarino, and Marilyn VanWagner. Kay and David worked on the corner of Switzer and Turquoise thinning moonshine yarrow and weeding. Becky, Julie, Judith, Bethany and Cynthia did some thinning and getting plants ready for sale. Marilyn watered some of the beds. Linda and Cindy resanded our back patio.

On Thursday afternoon Kay came back and helped me with some much needed supervisory assistance on the last day of the Upward Bound group. They watered, weeded, stained a bench, filled bird baths, and cleaned the sunporch. Thanks again to Upward Bound and especially Verlinda Folgheraiter for their help this month.

On Saturday, we held our 1st Annual Plant and Garden Sale. We sold many plants and garden tools/art. We made a nice profit so we may do this again. All the plants were extras in the garden and our only expense was for soil. The leftover plants will be available for the next couple of weeks on Thursday AMs. Extra garden tools/art will be donated to Hodge Podge. The profits will go towards upgrading our sustainability - composter, and a couple of rainwater collection devices for our gutters.

Special thank yous to: Julie Holmes, David Hockman, Becky Lewis, Cynthia and Alan Katte, Marilyn VanWagner, and Kay Balzer for helping on the day of the sale. Thanks also to Laura Davis for providing some herbal tea. Thanks also to those who came and spent their money to improve the gardens at Olivia white.

On a side note, a couple of years ago we were given a donation of several amaryllis which Cynthia Davis planted in a big pot on our sunporch. They were beautiful the first year, but with so much going on in the garden somewhat neglected except for occasional watering. The sun porch the last two years has been cold because of our winters. We even lost a few plants. On Saturday after the plant sale I went through the sunporch to clean up and to my surplrise found several of the red amaryllis boldly blooming. Another example of the magic in growing plants at Olivia White Hospice.

Next Thursday, we will continue to weed on the corner of Switzer and Turquoise and begin to move plants in the beds on Switzer just north of the house. The drip will need to be added to the newly moved plants. We always have watering to do as well. Come join us for any or all of the time in the garden - 8am-12pm.

Upcoming:
Warner's 10% day - July 17th, 2010

"The man who has planted a garden feels he has done something for the good of the world." Charles Dudley Warner - My Summer in the Garden (1871)

Thanks,
Loni

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Plant and Garden Sale

Every year many of our perennials expand - especially this year with all the winter moisture. Because of that we thinned many of our plants. Some were put in newer parts of the garden and others will be available for purchase. Some of those available will be snow in summer, yarrow, native geranium, germander, gallardia, vinca, penstemons (Rocky Mt., clutei, and mat), and many red hot pokers.

In addition we will have some slightly used extra pots, tools, and garden art from the home and some of our gardeners. We are considering it Olivia White Garden's garage sale.

What: Plant and Garden Sale
When: Saturday, June 26, 2010 from 1-3pm
Where: Oliva White Home
752 N. Switzer Canyon Drive
No parking at the home which is reserved for staff and families. Park on Turquoise or at the 1st Congregational Church.

All proceeds to benefit the gardens at Olivia White.
For questions contact Loni Shapiro (cnslds@q.com or 928-522-8635)

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Workday 6/17/10

On another beautiful day in the garden we focused on digging up plants to transplant or pot for our first plant sale (Saturday, June 26th, 1-3pm). David Hockman spent his day digging up a large grass (pampas) which will be gifted to Joanie Abbott. It was so large it took 3 of us to get it in a temporary pot. Linda Guarino worked on setting timers for the drip and adding a few new plants. Kay Baltz, Becky Lewis, Cynthia Katte, Judith Chaddock, and Nancy Palmer all worked on transplants. Kay also found time to weed, and Judith cleaned up our geraniums that spent the winter on our sun porch. Marilyn VanWagner watered, and Laura Davis worked on several things. We had some visitors who came to see our varieties of clematis. Crys Wells also worked on transplants and made a flyer for our plant sale.

On Friday, Phyllis Hogan from Winter Sun stopped by to meet with Laura to look at the new site for the Michael Moore Native Medicinal Garden.

New blooms:
Several clematis, more penstemons, fireweed, robusta and John Cabot roses, native geraniums, and centaurea rothrocki (Rothrock's knapweed)

New from the CSA:
Zucchini, sage, tomatoes, and peppers

We have several rock squirrels who are eating all the bulbs - even alliums - and are looking at possibly trapping and relocating them. Today I spotted an abert squirrel sitting on the bird feed seed catching tray eating all available droppings.

I also have never seen so many lizzards about. Animals are fun but some like the rock squirrels do so much damage in the garden. Dan Caputo an animal control expert said you need to remove the temptations, but if we did that we wouldn't have a garden.

Upcoming:
Thursday workday - June 24, 8am-12pm
Plant and Garden Sale - June 26, 1-3pm
Monthly Saturday workdays only by request as we have not had anyone interested for May or June.

This Thursday we will work on pricing items for the sale on Saturday, weeding and watering areas needed, and checking drip emitter placements. Come for any or all of the time.

Thanks,
Loni

Friday, June 11, 2010

Workdays 6/8 & 6/10, 2010

It was a great day for gardening on Thursday. The temperature was cooler and we had a nice breeze. We also had a large crew to help. Becky Lewis, Cindy Murray, and Kay Baltz worked on weeding the inferno strip and near the birdhouse trellis. Joe Harte and Carol Lease both worked on the drip. We had a couple of major repairs and emitters were added to the gazebo hanging baskets. Nancy Palmer worked on pots for annual color and planted some of our new perennials. Cynthia Katte worked on the compost piles and deadheading. She also transplanted some pine penstemons for the plant sale. David Hockman spent his time working on fixing one of our redwood benches. I am sorry to say their is not much life in them anymore. We are looking for sponsors for new green benches.Crys Wells watered the front beds.

On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons the group of kids came from Upward Bound. They watered, weeded, fertilized trees, fed and watered the birds, washed pots, and cleaned the greenhouse.

Special thank yous to David for all the hardware to fix benches and Carol Lease and Joe Harte for taking extra time and travel to make sure our drip was running. Joannie Abbott from Foxglove Gardening gave us a piece of drip line so we would not have to buy 500 feet.

New blooms:
Several penstemons (desert, mat, rocky mountain, etonii, Austrian copper rose), Flag and Dutch iris, succulents in the rock garden and sulfur buckwheat.

Austrian Copper Rose

Rock Garden

New plantings:
Color pots throughout the garden (salvia, alyssum, sweet potato vine, calendula, petunia, lobelia, cosmos, marigold, geraniums, etc). Several things were also added to the sensory pots, Moon Garden, Rock Garden to fill up or replace perennials that did not make it through the winter.

Come join us next Thursday morning any time between 8am and 12pm. We will be cleaning up some geraniums and focusing on digging up some of our extra plants to sell at a plant sale on June 26th. We will have germander, penstemon, lambs ear, snow in summer, yarrow, iris, and red hot pokers. There will also be extra pots available and other garden items.

No parking at Olivia White. It is available on Turquoise or at the 1st Congregational Church. Water and snacks provided. Just bring a hat, sun screen, and closed toed shoes are recommended.

Events this month:
Plant and Garden Sale June 26 1pm-3pm

Thanks,
Loni Shapiro
new e-mail cnslds@q.com

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Workdays 6/1 & 6/3, 2010

The first week of June was a warm and busy week for the gardens at Olivia White Home. On Tuesday, we had our first visit from a group of highschoolers from throughout the state (Upward Bound). There were 11 from Coconino High, schools in Williams, Winslow, Window Rock and Hopi, along with their supervisor for the month. They are living at NAU, taking classes and doing volunteer work. On Tues & Thurs. they watered, weeded, fed the birds, planted, and helped the house clean the garage.

On Thursday, many of our regular crew came and 10 college students from CREC that Laura Davis supervised. The crew from CREC got our new Michael Moore Native Medicinal Garden started - weeding and moving some non-native shrubs and plants. They also helped Linda Guarino unload some compost from Equestrian Estates. Linda also set the timers on our drip system and planted some perennials. Vicki Goodwin worked on weeding, Cindy Murray, Cynthia Katte, and Judith Chaddock watered and moved mulch from the roses, Carol Lease worked on the drip and the roses, Marcia Lamkin on the Faerie Garden, Marilynn V. watered & weeded, Crys Wells planted potted some red hot pokers and iris taken out of the beds by CREC, and David Hockman dug a hole and worked on a bench that needs to be repaired. I spent most of my time trying to keep everyone busy.

New blooms:
Dutch Iris, Evening Primrose, several succulents in the rock garden, and some penstemons.

New plants:
Too numerus to list, but many annuals in pots.

Come join us next week. We will be planting more annuals, and digging up some plants for our planned Plant & Garden Sale on June 26th. If you have any garden plants or tools you want to contribute, please contact Loni Shapiro at 928-522-8635 or cnslds@q.com.

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Reporting OWHH Volunteer Hours

For the 2015 garden season all volunteers will report hours in the book on the back patio at the garden. If you are there on a scheduled workday the book will be on the table. If you come on a non-workday, maybe to water or complete something you wanted to finish, the keys and sign-in book will be inside the home in the table drawer to the left as you enter.

Please record all hours in the garden, at meetings, and for home activities.

At the end of each month the sign in sheets will be sent to the office so please get your hours in by the end of the month.

Wish List 2015

Wish list book is kept on the table in the lobby of the Olivia White Home. Check the book for further details. Contact one of the gardeners if you want to donate.

General plant related materials not available at Warners (where we have an account from a yearly fundraiser) – up to $250 (cash/gardeners will purchase as needed); includes special fertilizers, perlite, sand, soil, and other repair items. Purchase of unusual plants at other nurseries (Viola’s, NP & Seed & HCG).

Special feed for roses (we have 50) - $250 per season or what you want to donate. Gardeners will purchase.

4 Pruners/clippers - $10-40 (see book for ideas)

A variety of long/short handled, cut and hold, small and large diameter.

Craftsman Handi-cut for irrigation (see book for details)

4 Weeders – variety of long and short handled (see book for ideas)

4 Trowels – variety

Mud Gloves (8 Pair – 1 small-5 med-2 light weight) (see book for details).

Spray nozzles for hoses – prefer short handled with multiple settings.

Birdhouses for trellis (new or used in good condition).

Bat or butterfly house for grounds.

Hulled sunflower seed or chips for bird feeders ($28-85 depending on size).

We only use this type of seed, because of clean-up requirements for millet or black oiled sunflower. We also need niger seed (cost ?) for the goldfinches. This takes more than $500 out of our garden budget.

Replacement wheelbarrows-prefer metal with no-flat wheels. (1 needed)

Welcome to the Gardens at Olivia White Hospice Home

The gardens surrounding the home were created for all who find themselves here. The history below reflects the many hands that have worked in the gardens. The volunteer gardeners have worked to create a quiet, peaceful place to experience alone or with those you love. The garden design enhances the sensory experience. You can hear zipping hummingbirds, water fountains, and the sound of wind chimes. It is a place to stop and smell the roses or the soothing fragrance of lavender. The many vegetables and herbs grown allow residents and staff to taste the gifts of nature. You can feel the gentle embrace of the wind and touch the soft leaves of lamb’s ear or bunny tail grass along with other more prickly plants in a ‘touch pot’. Another design consideration was providing universal access to all visitors and special beds/pots that allow interested residents to participate in gardening. Sitting and standing raised beds, and ‘sensory pots’ accessible to wheelchairs are enjoyed by many residents.
Peace to all who enter…

History
The gardens were started by Norm Erickson, a hospice volunteer, before the home was built in 2001, on the corner of Switzer Canyon and Turquoise where the Olivia White sign is found. Norm also created the gardens directly in front of the home. In 2001 Laura Davis, a master gardener began designing and planning for the gardens that surround the home. Loni Shapiro assumed responsibility for garden coordination and planning in 2007. The first project in 2002 was to lay the cement pathway which was done by NAU’s Construction Management class led by Dave Grider. A flagstone patio was created east of the home by Joanie Abbott of Foxglove Gardening with the help of Heber Trunnel. The first two plantings by the master gardeners included an Inferno Strip on Switzer Canyon led by Terra Crampton, and a Rose Garden led by Hattie Braun with a large donation of roses by Bill Brechan. Coconino County Park and Recreation at Fort Tuthill donated many truckloads of compost, and Bill Eichinger used his bobcat to help edge with rocks the gardens you see today. In 2004 a core of master gardeners and hospice volunteers (Loni Shapiro, Karen Kent, Cynthia Katte, David Hockman and Nancy Palmer) joined Laura and began creating the many gardens here today. Today we have a regular crew of master gardeners and hospice volunteers, with two workdays each week throughout each spring and summer. They are supported by many other church groups, scout troops, AmeriCorp, college - high school - middle school groups, Coconino County Adult Probation Community Service, Upward Bound, and businesses throughout Flagstaff. Warner’s Landscape and Nursery needs to be singled out for their continuing support for the gardens since their inception with yearly fundraisers and discounts on plant and hardscape materials. In 2006 the gazebo designed by Jill Morris was completed with the help of Terry Payne and John Adams, from Christ’s Church, and Loven Contracting. John Adams along with the help of the Sunshine Lion’s Club finished it with a brick pathway. Foxglove Gardening installed the drip system over three years from 2008-10. Most of their time was donated. From 2010-2012 we received grants from the Bountiful Alliance to create a Native Medicinal Garden in honor of Michael Moore, writer and naturalist. The work on that garden continues along Switzer Canyon Drive. The garden was dedicated by a Navajo elder in 2012. A small garden was dedicated in 2011 to our long time therapy dog “Zane” Hill. Plans for 2013 include continued revamping of some front gardens, work on the corner of Turquoise with the installation of the FUTS trail, and landscaping our new shed area.

The gardens continue to evolve each year. Some have already been altered from the original plan, such as the Rose Garden, east front and ½ Circle gardens, and north Switzer Canyon beds. In addition, many other trees, shrubs, plants and hardscape items have been donated. A list of donors is located in the library of the Olivia White Home. The library also includes a binder of all the roses found in our garden (over 40). A map of the garden was completed under the direction of Cynthia Katte and Kathy Pate that includes the location of most of the gardens and the special features. This will be updated in 2013 to include the changes along Turquoise and Switzer Canyon. A copy of the current map is included with this handout and can also be found in the Rose binder.

Donations/Volunteering
A “Wish List” for donations is provided in the home that includes yearly needs as well as special projects. Our main fundraisers to help pay for materials and water are memorial bricks (brochures available in the home), an annual 10% of proceeds day at Warner's Nursery, and a summer Plant & Garden Sale at the home. In addition, we sell note cards made from original paintings of the garden, photo note cards, and earrings made from Job’s Tear seeds grown in the garden. All can be found on the table in the entry of the home. We are always looking for new volunteers to help in the garden. Our weekly garden activities during the year can be found on the Volunteer Blog (owhospicegardenvolunteers.blogspot.com) or by contacting,Sierra Gadsberry, Volunteer Cordinator at sgadsberry@northlandhospice.org.

Revised 11/12