Olivia White Hospice Home Garden Volunteers: November 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.

_________________________________________________________________

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.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Last Workday of the 2010 Season 11/11/10

We spent the last workday of the garden season at Olivia White Hospice Home trying to stay warm. The temperatures the night before were below 20 and today not much warmer until about 11am. Many of our regular crew braved the cold to help close up the garden for the season.

Most of the crew worked on spreading the remaining mulch throughout the garden (Linda Guarino, Marilynn VanWagner, Becky Nelson, Julie Holmes, Judith Chaddock, and Debbie Crisp (a master gardener trainee)). Marcia Lamkin took care of the birds and watered inside. Crys Wells cleaned out our rainbarrel and planted some leftover bulbs with Debbie. Linda added the last of the food waste to the compost. During the off season it will be gathered once a week and added to the pile. Leslie Penick stopped by to say hi and visit a resident. Dave and Terri Hill came with their dog Zane to visit residents. I spent my time emptying the rain barrels (already had ice) and putting hardscape away.

Thank you:
Joanie Abbott and her crew from Foxglove Gardening for getting in the last of our drip system's main line before the frost came.
Al Katte for repairing our standing raised bed and painting our new plant stand.

We had a long but very productive season this year with all the winter snow and monsoon rains. Much was accomplished!

Usual garden maintenance (weeding, watering, planting (annuals and lost perennials), repairing drip lines and walkways, general garden maintenance))

Work at improving sustainability
Installed 2 rainwater collection barrels
Added 2 new composters
Began adding food scraps from the house
Began using a new chipper for cuttings from the garden

Re-doing some of the front gardens to decrease water use
Reduced size of the north bed to what is believed to be the property line
Began clustering plants and adding mulch to decrease water use
Added drip lines

Educational items revised and added for visitors and residents
Sign on back patio with:
Food available to pick
What’s blooming?
Rainwater levels
What’s new in the garden?
Revised Scavenger Hunt, General Info about the entire garden and the native garden

Worked on a grant for a new garden from Donna Chesner (widow of Michael Moore), who visited the site. This is $5oo for the 1st year and and may include more next year. Money will provide plants, signage and needed improvement to the existing beds. Planting scheduled for spring of 2011.

Michael Moore Native Medicinal Garden 2010 Moved rock to line garden with help from Norvel Owens and his bobcat
Moved some non-native shrubs/plants to other parts of the garden
Planted some aspen and a native Walnut tree
Developed a plan and began creating a plant list
Installed a stone bench donated by Dave Hill

We added a cedar split rail fence on Switzer Canyon Drive for safety near a large sink hole on the property. Lee Treece filled that hole with rock for us and we topped it off with mulch.

Work groups who helped this year:
Regular crew of master gardeners and hospice volunteers (12 regulars and 3 new volunteers)
Coconino High School Seniors
Upward Bound students from NAU
CREC – Coconino Rural Environmental Corp
AmeriCorps
Grand Canyon Youth Corp
Northland Prep Honor Society

Publicity:
2 articles for the Master Gardener Column in the Daily Sun
2 articles for the Northland Hospice newsletter
Coconino County Fair Display
2 photos in the 2011 Master Gardener Calendar
Created a blog for weekly updates on the garden (owhospicegardenvolunteers.blogspot.com)
Front page article in the newspaper on recent vandalism in the garden.

Fundraising:
Cards, bookmarks, and bricks for gazebo
Plant and Garden Sale in June (over $800)
Annual 10% Day at Warner’s (over $1900)
Wish List Book Donations
Electric Chipper and Stone Bench for the new garden – Dave and Terri Hill
Willow Bench for the Faerie Garden – Susan Roe and Family
Other items donated (see 2010 Donations at right)
Helped put in for a Home Depot grant for continued greening of the garden (shed, composter, rainwater collection, wheel barrows, and a weed whacker)
A $500 grant from the Bountiful Alliance foundation to honor Michael Moore

Goals for 2011:
-Plant seedlings in the spring in the newly fitted greenhouse. We may need to borrow space from Linda Guarino until the greenhouse is emptied in the spring.
Look at adding a tile floor and growing some of our own veggies and annuals
-Regular workday 2 days a week – Monday/Thursday with 1 Saturday a month if supervision help available
-Finish work on redoing the front beds including drip lines
-Add drippers to the new main lines in back of the house
-Begin planting and create signs for the Michael Moore Native Medicinal Garden
-Hold a 2nd Plant and Garden Sale with the goal of improving sustainability in the garden
-Work with the city on revising the corner garden with the new FUTS trail and sidewalk
-Continue articles for the Daily Sun and the Northland Hospice newsletter
-Update educational materials
-Look at seasonal scavenger hunts
-Continue to look for bench/glider donors

Thank you to all who helped with donations or time this year. It takes a village.

Loni Shapiro

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Garden Workday 11/4/10

On a warm day, we had a small crew helping in the garden today. Crys Wells, Vicki Goodwin, and Marilynn VanWagner all deep watered tree and shrubs in the garden. We turned off the water a couple of weeks ago and their has been no rain and warm weather. Linda Guarino worked on taking hanging baskets down from the gazebo. Marcia Lamkin watered inside and took care of the birds (feeders and birdbaths). I spent my time cleaning up the standing raised bed, working on the compost, and putting away hardscape. After lunch I finished watering the trees and shrubs.

Someone dropped by some materials as a donation - wildflower sheeting, herb indoor planters, and paper whites. They did not leave a name for the donation but we thank them.

Several people stopped by to place their bricks in the gazebo floor.

Next week plans are to finish placing the mulch pile, put away remaining hardscape, and paint a donated plant stand to use on the sun porch. We also need to finish filling a sink hole just east of the street on Switzer Canyon Drive. This should be our last day in the garden except for winter watering if needed. We will meet in the winter, beginning in January (once a month) for planning. If you want to join us send me your e-mail address at cnslds@q.com.

We will also have Joanie Abbott and her crew from Foxglove Gardening here to finish our main drip lines in the back of the house (yeah). So all the beds will have the possibility of drippers and cut our work down considerably. Our regular garden crew will add drippers in the spring. It is such a huge garden we hope we have enough pressure to get it watered successfully.

Thank you:
Anonymous donation of paper whites, herb pots, and wildflower meadow cloth
$500 from Fishing 4 FUNds which will go towards our new drip lines and purchase of safety equipment for the garden.

New in the garden:
A new arbor trellis
Solar motion sensitive lights

"Seeds of discouragement will not grow in a thankful heart."
Anonymous

We can't thank you enough for your generous donation and support following our story in the AZ Daily Sun.

Loni

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

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