BELLEFONTE — Every Tuesday morning, at 9:30 a.m. sharp, a group of eight or so intrepid gardeners. including myself, descend on Centre Crest, a nursing facility in Bellefonte, prepared to inform, entertain and otherwise provide joy to the residents through our garden club programs.
The group is diverse and ever-changing, though many have come consistently for years. Some of them are Master Gardeners who volunteer for Penn State extension, and some are relatives of current or past residents. Others are international Humphrey Scholars attending the university from places such as Afghanistan, Brazil or Belize. There are also volunteers who just wish to spread camaraderie and good feeling, as well as their own enthusiasm about gardening and nature.
There are two garden club groups: the dementia residents of Stanton Court are one and a second group is in an area called Kline Way. The kinds of activities done with the residents vary from week-to-week, but over time we have discovered there have been any number of horticulture-related activities to which residents respond.
We start each session with some simple yoga moves to stretch. This is led by one of our group who makes us all laugh by relating the escapades in the “yoga for older people” classes she attends. Sometimes she brings in her tap shoes from her dance class, too. One week, she tapped to a vintage YouTube video of the song “Tip Toe Through the Tulips,” which elicited more than a few laughs.
Following our exercise session, something educational is presented, such as how a particular plant such as pineapple changed the world, the traits of hummingbirds or the lives of seeds. We use videos, speakers or the members of our creative group to stimulate conversation and provide humor. Our Humphrey Scholars have presented interesting information on the vivid flora and fauna of their home countries to the delight of all those who are present.
Next is some kind of hands-on activity or craft, always tailored to the members of the groups. Here’s just a tiny sampling: taste-testing types and peeling apples to make applesauce, pounding flowers to create wall art, making Grange Fair entries with pressed flowers (these are actually entered at the fair), designing holiday ornaments using lamb’s ear, planting flowers in containers to be used in the outdoor gardens and making seasonal floral table arrangements for the dining room. These programs are presented both indoors or outside, depending on the weather.
And, while we work on a craft, we often sing traditional songs from our past, led by another of our members with singing ability. It’s heartening to realize that, whether 35 or 70, everybody remembers the lyrics to a song like “You Are My Sunshine.”
We have also at times presented what some would consider bizarre programs. Once, we had a day at the beach, complete with portable carted sand in which to dig and inflatable beach balls to toss. An educational segment dealt with shells and a live hermit crab was the special guest; we set the mood with Beach Boy tunes. Another time, we shared a lovely outdoor tea party complete with hats or wristlets crafted by the residents. We’ve also all dressed up in nature-themed Halloween costumes, like insects or jelly-fish, and always in color-appropriate attire when we celebrate holidays such as Valentine’s Day. It was startling to learn that Blarney Castle in Scotland has a poison garden, but we talked about it and looked at its photos for St. Patrick’s Day as part of the “wearin’ of the green.”
We always have special thanks to the administration and staff of Centre Crest, especially Barbara, Brenda and Shelby, who offer weekly support for our endeavors.
The staff also accompanies us as we meet with some of the residents at the Penn State Arboretum for field trips each year. We wander with them through the gardens, note the sensory characteristics of trees and shrubs growing there, along with the container plantings, and enjoy the whimsical children’s garden features. Our group members find the experience every bit as meditative as those we accompany.
We’ve seen that these programs and activities have had a positive effect on the seniors. Aside from fostering a sense of usefulness and hope, it improves the quality of their lives. I’ve read on one psychology site that horticultural and garden settings “help reduce pain, improve attention, and lessen stress.” I’d say that we have seen evidence of this in the smiles and hand clasping during our sessions. One lovely woman has recently told us repeatedly that, “You are all wonderful.”
There is no doubt that we have benefited as well. I joined the group out of a great sadness for a close friend who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I felt I wanted to offer support for others with a similar diagnosis, but I never imagined the payback would be as rewarding as it is. Not only because of the close friendships I have forged with members of the gardening group, but also because of the satisfaction of providing closer ties with the natural world for those who can no longer readily experience it firsthand.
In other gardening news, I’ve been asked by Larry Campbell, one of the organizers of the Penn State Master Gardeners 2016 Garden Fair and Plant Sale, being held on Saturday, May 21, to remind vegetable gardeners that Centre County’s last spring frost date can be as late as the end of May and to delay planting until then.
