Village Residents with a “Green Thumb”

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Thursday mornings, Chalet residents throw on their gardening clothes for a unique experience called “Gardening with Mel.” Residents have a chance to beautify their home with the sweet scents of pansy, columbine and iris while enjoying fresh herbs and homegrown vegetables.

The program was created by Melissa LeBlanc, administrative assistant of the Chalet building. “I enjoy gardening and believe it’s a great way to give something back to the residents,” said LeBlanc. “I’m aware of the therapeutic quality of gardening and also try to use aromatherapy using the different herbs and flowers we plant.”

The gardens have an array of herbs and flowers which are planted in three by ten foot white boxes, specifically built to be senior friendly. Herbs such as thyme, oregano, dill, basil and marjoram along with flowering planets like trailing petunia and rock cress are planted.

Chalet resident Richard Servoss, 88, attends every Thursday and says “it’s a positive thing for everyone that shows up.” Servoss says through the gardening club, "residents get a chance to meet and know the people with whom they live.”

A larger fenced in garden can be found in the back right corner of the yard where residents grow tomatoes, corn, sugar snap peas, Chinese peapods, cucumbers, radishes and beets.

The surrounding areas are sprinkled with hanging red geraniums that decorate the large back yard of the Chalet. Bird feeders are also hung while flowers like bee balm attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds to help pollinate surrounding flowers.

Once the vegetables and herbs start to grow, LeBlanc plans to use them in hors d'oeuvres and light lunches for Chalet residents. “The garden club is open to everyone and doesn’t exclude. It’s stress free and a way to give back with chats and laughs” says LeBlanc.

The Garden Club meets three times a month on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. at the Chalet building.

Labels: flowers, gardening, herbs

posted by The Village at Waterman Lake

0 Comments :

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

« Blog homepage