Dec 20, 2016 5 min read

Gardening Partners, a committee of the Penn State Master Gardeners of Washington County, with chairwoman Kathleen Madigan, has been working on gardening projects at the Washington County Health Center for more than six years. Using elevated garden boxes that are wheelchair-compatible allowed the residents to have access to the plants and raised beds.

Gardening activity can be a beneficial, cost-effective method of involving nursing home residents in the maintenance of their mental and physical well being. For many residents, gardening recalls lifelong behaviors that are familiar and reassuring. This can help residents to focus on an activity that sustains their dignity yet challenges their cognitive capacities. Not only can this benefit residents and caregivers, but it can be a source of comfort and reassurance for visiting family members.

This year, the group started out with a more ambitious project: the installation of a therapeutic garden in an interior courtyard accessible to, or viewable by, long-term care residents, including those suffering from some form of dementia. After a year of planning and lining up approvals and funding, the gardening work finally started in mid- October. The first-year goal was to complete site preparation and plant 11 ornamental trees before fall ended.

The first job in site preparation was removal of the sod cover. A sod-cutter machine was used to remove the top layer of sod/roots and soil down about two to four inches. This was then rolled up and wheelbarrowed out to a collection point. Then, composted horse manure (donated from the Washington County barns) and topsoil were spread over the soil. Well-composted manure should be, as this was, quite odorless. Rototillers were used to mix this thoroughly into the top several inches of the garden bed. This sounds easier than it really is and could not have been accomplished as quickly as it was without the support of Washington County in the persons of the Washington County FITS/Community Service supervisors and workers who showed up each day.

Now it was time to start planting trees. One of the goals of a therapeutic garden is to engage the senses in as many ways as possible. The plan, designed by landscape architect Jeffrey Moyer, called for 11 trees of seven different types, chosen to offer interesting features at different times of the year. When the trees were purchased in September, the planting season was coming to an end and nursery supplies were limited. We were fortunate to find all the varieties we wanted at Sugar Run Nursery in Venetia and doubly fortunate in that they agreed to hold the trees and deliver them when we were ready for them in October. Trees planted included:

• Kwanzan cherry for the beautiful spring flowers

• Flowering crabapple for the spring flowers, followed by bright fruit, which will attract birds

• Japanese tree lilac for the fragrant flowers of early summer

• Trees such as laceleaf Japanese maple, weeping white pine, weeping copper beech and river birch chosen for their interesting conformation or appearance.

When planting trees, a good general rule is to dig the hole twice as wide but no deeper than the root ball. If you loosen the soil too deeply, the heavy root ball will sink as it compacts the soil. The root flare (point where the trunk flares out just above the root ball) should be visible at ground level. If a tree looks like a utility pole coming straight out of the ground, it’s planted too deeply. If the root ball is wrapped in burlap, remove it or at least the top third (if the root ball is very heavy) along with all string or twine. A wire cage should likewise be removed, or if only partially removed, the remainder flattened in the hole. Potted plants should be removed from the pot and examined for any encircling roots. Remove or straighten any circling roots before planting, as these may, in time, girdle and kill a plant much like twine or a wire cage can. Absent any large rocks, put back in the hole the soil that was dug out. A tree’s roots can stretch out two to three times the diameter of the crown, so a tree has to learn to make its way in the soil that it’s planted in. A newly planted tree should receive about an inch of water a week, whether by rainfall or watering. I’ve continued this schedule through the first full year after planting with good success.

Next season, we’ll continue with shrubs, perennial flowers, veggies and herbs.

Through this whole process, we’ve been grateful for the financial support of WashArts, the commitment of the health center administration, as well as the unfailing support, encouragement and involvement of the health center caregivers.

Have a question? In Washington County, call the Master Gardeners office at 724-228-6881. Follow us on Facebook. Also, consult the Penn State Extension website at extension.psu.edu for additional information.