Workdays 4/25 & 4/28

On Monday I was in Santa Fe, plant shopping at High Country Gardens, Plants of the Southwest and Agua Fria Nursery. Not sure what the weather was like here but Santa Fe had gale force winds, rain and snow, but I had a good time anyway. All these nurseries have so many drought tolerant plants it is fun to browse. My husband read almost a complete book while waiting for me just at HIGH COUNTRY GARDENS. I made purchases for our new Native Medicinal Garden, Zane's Garden (former therapy dog), and a new Meadow Garden in front of the Olivia White Home. While I was gone Betty Marcus and Laura Davis watered some plants we have dug up.

On Thursday, we had a small crew but managed to as usual get a great deal done. Laura Davis worked in the Michael Moore Garden and made some purchases at the Landscape Connection. I spent my time filling the standing raised beds and Zane's new garden with soil and compost. Cynthia Katte and Vicki Goodwin both worked on putting tulips and daffodils in the garden from the beds on Switzer Canyon. Cynthia also got the last of the potatoes in. Linda Guarino and Kay Balzer continued to work on the 1/2 circle garden plant removal. Christine Orr removed the last of the phlox and transplanted them to the Inferno Strip. We all did a bit of watering, but the beds other than the inferno strip are still moist. Water should be turned on next week.

New Blooming:
Moon flower, quince, and pansy. Peeking up the sweet peas planted on St. Patrick's Day by Joe Harte.

Visitors:
Kay McConagha, Director of Northland Hospice
Cheryl Metzger, Non-patient Volunteer Coordinator

Upcoming:
Zane Hill's Garden Dedication 5/5/11 at 11am

Plant & Garden Sale 6/25/11 from 11am-2pm

Come join us next week on Mon. & Thurs. from 9am-12pm
Watering
Composting/chipping
Front 1/2 Circle Garden soil preparation
Zane's Garden planting
MMNM Garden
Deadheading and weeding
Planting

Thanks,
Loni Shapiro

Thank You to the Flagstaff Leadership Program from the Daily Sun 5/1

The volunteer gardeners of the Olivia White Hospice Home would like to thank the Flagstaff Leadership Program for getting the 2011 season off to a good start. The first thing they did for us was at the 1st Friday Art Walk, raising more than $1100. We were able to purchase a new larger shed, 2 wheelbarrows, and a new composter, and still have funds available for other needs during the season. They have provided us with resources for a sandstone sign for the new Michael Moore Native Medicinal Garden and manure to feed our beds this season. On Saturday a large crew (18) came and helped us get the medicinal garden started and the rest of the garden up and running. It was a beautiful day and after they left many residents came out and were able to enjoy the garden because of their work. Some of the work accomplished included: a sandstone pathway, removing large shrubs, general clean-up (trash and pine needles), putting together a composter and two arbors, clean-up of the sun porch, staining a redwood glider and sanding/sealing our 2 raised beds, organizing all the compost neglected over the winter, and gathering some rocks for the new garden to honor our longtime therapy dog “Zane”. It would have taken us weeks to accomplish all they were able to do. If these are Flagstaff’s future leaders we are in good hands. Maybe we should send them to Washington. Many of our gardeners and those who help us would like to think that there is “Grace from the Garden; changing the world one garden at a time”, a book title that is so appropriate to what happens in the gardens at Olivia White Hospice Home.

Loni Shapiro
Volunteer Coordinator
Olivia White Hospice Home Garden

Workdays 4/18 & 4/121

On Monday, Nancy Palmer and Marcia Lamkin came and worked in the MMG. They also began hanging birdhouses on the trellis. I spent my time deadheading and watering while pulling a few dandelions.

On Thursday, we again had a large crew spread thoughout the garden. David Hockman worked on moving the north pathway in preparation for the new shed. Becky Lewis, Debbie Crisp and Christine Orr all worked on deadheading and weeding (dandelions again). Vicki Goodwin worked in the 1/2 circle garden removing grasses and other plants. Rebecca Moore transplanted phlox from the 1/2 circle to the Inferno Strip. Linda Guarino worked on the drip and the compost pile. Joe Harte cemented in a new mailbox. Cynthia Katte, Betty Marcus, Julie Holmes, and Marilynn Van Wagner all watered throughout the garden. Al Katte put up our new solar fountain, hooked up the rain barrels, and turned on the fountain. On our break today Linda Guarino talked about how the compost is organized and what people should do with compost-able material (no weed seeds please). She will provide a sheet of instruction that we will keep in our educational notebook.

On Friday, I stopped by to finish watering (the rose garden) and to create the rock outline for the "Zane" Hill garden. The crew last Saturday provided more than enough rock. The bed needs to be filled now with soil and compost to get it ready for the dedication day. I will be purchasing plants with the name golden (red and yellow) as well as some tail-like grasses in Santa Fe next week.

I will be in Santa Fe and not in the garden on Monday. If you have had your orientation you are welcome to come and continue deadheading, weeding (dandelions on the corner of Turquoise and Switzer Canyon, and watering pots by the parking lot and behind the house near the standing raised bed. The Zane Hill garden frame has been created and you can fill it with what is left of the compost by the parking lot and the large pile on the northwest end of the house. The pine needles near the birdhouse trellis need to be bagged and placed in the garbage if there is room.

Reminder:
Next Thursday the last opportunity to sign a card for the Flagstaff Leadership Progrm. Check our volunteer list for errors and sign up for treats on Thursdays for May.
May 5, 11am, dedication of the Zane Hill Garden
June 25, 11am-2pm Plant and Garden Sale

New blooms in the garden:
Many of the species tulips, hyacinth, squill, daffodils, Pasque flower, creeping phlox

New in the garden:
Solar Fountain donated by Dick Wilson

New mail box now cemented in
Beginning revision of the north pathway

Come join us next Thursday from 9am-12pm for our regular workday. I will be in Santa Fe and not in the garden on Monday. If you have had your orientation you are welcome to come and continue deadheading, weeding (dandelions on the corner of Turquoise and Switzer Canyon), and watering pots by the parking lot and behind the house near the standing raised bed. The Zane Hill garden frame has been created and you can fill it with what is left of the compost by the parking lot and the large pile on the northwest end of the house. The pine needles near the birdhouse trellis need to be bagged and placed in the garbage if there is room. Pine needles can also be raked on the other side of the birdhouse trellis and arbor bench area.

Thanks,
Loni

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