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Friends of
Burlington Gardens & the Vermont Community Garden Network
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enhancing, and preserving community gardens for all
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Accessible gardens and
senior gardens
Gardening
is a life long healthy physical activity that is enjoyed by
people of diverse ages and abilities. Within the city of Burlington,
there are many gardens that are adapted to meet the needs of seniors
and people with special abilities. Working with plants, and growing and
harvesting one's food in an accessible community setting, can help to
improve self-esteem and provide a general sense of well being for
participants.
Here are a few examples of accessible gardens in
Burlington:
 From
2002-05, FBG volunteers helped to establish a kitchen garden at the
Lakeview Community Care Home in Burlington. The
garden adds beauty to the grounds at
Lakeview and provides therapeutic and nutitional benefits for the
residents. The garden is located 100 feet from a small
community garden managed by Burlington Parks and Recreation at the
Lakeview site. In 2006, FBG was able to transtion its role to Lakeview
residents and staff, who have assumed full responsibility for the care
and maintenance of the garden.
 During
the winter months, Champlain Senior Center members and staff take part
in an
indoor gardening program using a plant stand and fluorescent lights. As
part of the program, the seniors
have enjoyed reading Seedfolks, by Paul
Fleischmans.
FBG offers several models of indoor
gardens which are well suited for accessible gardening with seniors
or people with disabilities. Please
click on the link above for details.
Tomatoes
and peppers started indoors are transplanted in early summer to the
outdoor raised bed garden at the Champlain Senior Center in
Burlington's Old North End. The
garden is made from the bottom of a concrete septic tank donated and
transported to the Senior Center by S.T. Griswold Inc. The concrete
tank was painted by volunteers and filled with Intervale top soil.
The raised bed is at an ideal height for the seniors to lean
against while they garden. During the summer, a "salsa celebration" is
held using the fresh harvest.
The raised garden beds are assigned by lottery. Gardeners often share
their produce and fresh flowers, which helps build a sense of community
and neighborhood within the senior housing complex.
 The
Winooski Valley Park Community Garden at Ethan Allen Homestead includes
two accessible garden beds that grow an array of herbs, greens,
vegetables, and flowers. These gardens are lovingly maintained by K.K.
Wilder (seated) and K.K.'s mother, Ada Devenow (left), who have
gardened at the Homestead
since 2003. Burlington Parks and Recreation made the arrangements
for the beds, S.T. Griswold, Inc. donated the concrete septic tanks,
and Intervale Compost Products provided compost-enriched top soil.
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Friends of
Burlington
Gardens & the
Vermont Community
Garden Network
180 Flynn Avenue Studio 3
PO Box 4504
Burlington,
Vermont
05406-4504
802-861-GROW
www.burlingtongardens.org
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