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.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Last Official Workday for 2011

Thanks to all who came to work on Thursday. It was cold when I arrived at 8am and I didn't end up taking any layers off before I left at about noon. Linda Guarino was the 1st to arrive and she worked on compost and the drip.We have 2 new composters from Home Depot and she finished getting them up and running. She also added some compost from the house which we will continue to do throughout the winter. Judith Chaddock arrived next and she worked on watering indoors and deadheading lavender. Watering indoors will continue throughout the winter 1x a week. I have put a sign-up on the wall in the OW office. It is filled for November Thursdays. I will send out a list of task that need to be done and some basics. The calendar is open for December and 2012 so sign up if you want to help. Julie Holmes and Becky Lewis arrived next and they spent their time deadheading. Nancy Palmer tied up our larger rose bushes. Joe Harte and Linda worked on emptying our rain barrels and cleaning them. Worth noting if you are buying one the ugly black plastic one was very clean inside and the beautiful Fiscars tan barrel was filled with algae (we are guessing the sun got through). I spent my time putting up parking lot reflectors in hopes the snow blower stays out of the gardens this year. I also fed the birds and will continue to do that until we run out of seed. We have placed many suet feeders out and I saw several nuthatches, a woodpecker, and a flicker busy on them yesterday. We actually finished early today at 11, with a good sized crew.

Thanks to the Whites (Ray and Joan) for coffee from Starbucks. We needed it today. Joan won a gift package at the volunteer lunch and she donated it to the garden crew. It contained coffee, tea, a mug, and a gift certificate which was used today.

I will be in the garden occasionally for the next couple of weeks feeding birds, tying up a glider, and putting a small bag of winterizer out, but otherwise enjoying some time off. In January we will have our first meeting for the 2012 season. We will meet monthly after that until April when we began all over again. Watch this blog for dates and times. I will also add a review of 2011 goals and accomplishments.

Thanks for a great season of gardening at Olivia White. As usual "It takes a village". Flagstaff did not disappoint with 18 regular volunteers, 7 occasional, and 4 group workdays.

Loni Shapiro
Volunteer Coordinator
Olivia White Gardens

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