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October 16, 2009

Olivia White Hospice Garden Project 10/24/09

The colors on the trees and shrubs continue to change in the garden. The aspens this year are not as vivid due to a fungus but many other trees are quite vivid. Our 'Blaze' maples and the mountain ash are very colorful along with the cutleaf staghorn sumac.

Mountain Ash donated several years ago by Native Plant & Seed. Photo by Loni Shapiro.

Cutleaf staghorn sumac planted in 2008. Photo by Loni Shapiro.

This may be our last entry for this blog which may be ending on October 19. Watch for future entries on our own blog in a couple of weeks - Olivia White Volunteer Hospice Garden Project.

Last Thursday many of our regular volunteers came to help put the garden to bed for the season. Nancy Palmer spent most of her time feeding and providing water for the birds. David Hockman finished spreading our mulch and helping me move some heavy granite bird baths under shelter for the winter. Linda Guarino did some work on the drip (repairs and winterizing) and helped Marcia Lamkin put away hard scape from the Faerie Garden and the Birdhouse trellis. I planted some white bulbs in the Moon Garden, and Leslie Penick worked on the compost pile.

While working on the drip Linda came across some unusual fruits, It seems our flowering quince decided to fruit this year. It has been in the garden for probably 6 years and we have never seen fruit - but it was a very warm summer. After talking to several people at the Master Gardener Association meeting I have decided to try some quince jelly. If it works we will sample at the next meeting.

Thanks to an anonymous resident family for bird seed, a garden book, and some other garden supplies.

We will continue in the garden at least until the end of October on Thursdays from 8a-12p. Workdays in November will depend on when we are done. Our Saturday workday has changed to October 24th from 9-12, due to a change in schedule for the Grand Canyon Youth Corp. We will work on planting bulbs and whatever is not finished with clean-up on Thursday.

October 22, 8am-12pm workday:
Deadhead lavender
Wash pots
Put away hardscape
Assemble new benches

"How silently they tumble down
And come to rest upon the ground
To lay a carpet, rich and rare,
Beneath the trees without a care,
Content to sleep, their work well done,
Colors gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly
Until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
Till all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
To wait, like children, for the snow."
- Elsie N. Brady, Leaves

Thanks,
Loni

Posted by maxmaddy at October 16, 2009 4:33 PM