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November 4, 2007

Oliva White Hospice Garden Project

On Thursday we had a small crew of our regulars working on cleaning up the garden and finishing installing emitters for our drip system. Linda Daugherty came from Ash Fork again and helped plant the last of the fall bulbs, installed drip emitters, and helped make a tree out of a plum bush we have. Karen Kent brought her husband Gary and the created a compost area behind the house with cinder blocks. Karen also supervised the pruning and staking of our plum bush into a tree. This is not the ideal time for pruning (better in Spring when we will revisit), but minimal work was done on growing parts of the tree. Bottom branches were removed, now that the trunk is larger, so that its energy can go into growing the higher branches. We are trying staking to one side as the trunk is growing south from the tree, and will revisit that again in the spring.

Santa Rosa Plum after staking and pruning. Photo by Loni Shapiro.

Leslie Penick also helped with the pruning, emitters and compost. My Mom, Elsie Ellils, came and did her usual cleaning work - birdbaths, sweeping and she cleaned our tools before putting them back in the shed. Nancy Palmer came and added bulbs to the Faerie Garden. She also helped me continue to put away breakable items from the garden. Our greenhouse is full of hardscape. Next spring we will begin to floor and shelf it for plants.

Pygmy Nuthatches and finches at the garden feeders. Photo by Loni Shapiro.

Thank you this week to:
Nancy Palmer for planting bulbs in the Faerie Garden and putting away breakables for the winter.
Linda Daugherty for planting the last of the dafodils
Karen and Gary Kent for creating a compost bin
Karen, Linda & Leslie Penick for adding emitters and pruning our plum bush into a tree
Dana Prom Smith for more of that black gold for one of our raised beds.

Plans for 11/8/07 - 9am-12pm:
Repair sand and edging along Rose Garden walkway (post drip installation)
Continue installing drip emitters in the Rose Garden and surrounds
Most of our drip emitters are installed but the lines need to be buried
Continue to mulch and dead head the gardens as needed for winter
Continue fencing the aspen

We hope to see you on 11/8 in the garden. Parking is at the First Congregational Church on Turquoise just past Switzer Canyon Road. If you have questions please contact Loni Shapiro at 522-8635 or maxmaddy@infomagic.net.

Thanks,
Loni Shapiro

Posted by maxmaddy at November 4, 2007 6:56 AM