The Gazebo at Ed’s HouseNorthumberland Hospice Care Centrre
Northumberland Master Gardeners and volunteers at Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre (Ed’s House) partnered up this year to plant a colourful garden bed for hospice patients and their families to enjoy. After the generous donation of a gazebo to Ed’s House by Petra Becker in honour of her late parents. The plan was made to surround the Gazebo with colourful flowers, like those her parents enjoyed growing in Northumberland County. Following a meeting with Ed’s House staff and their garden volunteers; a plan was laid out, beds were prepared on hot June afternoons, and soil was generously donated. Then Ed’s House garden volunteers and Northumberland Master Gardeners got to work moving 4 cubic yards of soil, spreading it evenly around the gazebo. Months before some Northumberland Master Gardeners started a variety of seeds, including rudbeckias, sunflowers, zinnias, asters, yarrow, cosmos, and pincushion flowers.
A profusion of annuals bloom in the Gazebo Garden
Perennials were dug up from Master Gardeners own gardens and on two very warm early June afternoons the garden came together. Seedlings were laid out and moved around, larger plants were transplanted and some nasturtium seeds were added near the walkway entrance of the gazebo. In the days that followed the garden has been cared for by staff and volunteers of Ed’s House. Northumberland Master Gardeners stopped by sporadically to answer questions and offer advice. Some seedlings were lost to critters but as summer set in the garden has really flourished and is now a place of serenity and reflection. Plans are already in place for next year’s garden.
authored by Claire Blahnik