> Features > Pg 2 Feature Stories > Volunteers makes Grandmothers' Garden bloom
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Volunteers makes Grandmothers' Garden bloom
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Lorraine Thompson and Lisa Gariepy weed one of Gariepy's flower beds at Grandmothers' Garden on Smith Street. Reminder Publications photo by Lori O'Brien
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By Lori O'Brien
Correspondent
WESTFIELD Grandmothers' Garden has had its ups and downs over the years but there is always one constant dedicated volunteers who adopt "beds" to ensure its continued vibrancy.
Master Gardener Patricia Steele-Perkins and two volunteers, Lorraine Thompson and Lisa Gariepy, recently spent a late afternoon providing a tour of the grounds that still needs some tender loving care.
"Many people have lots of memories about living near, going to high school across the road, visiting with parents, and attending the annual Grandmothers' Day," said Steele-Perkins during an interview with Reminder Publications. She is a member of the Grandmothers' Garden Board of Directors.
Steele-Perkins oversees the "Adopt A Bed" program at Grandmothers' Garden on Smith Avenue and encourages anyone who likes to work with the earth to get involved.
"If several people adopt a bed, a small amount of work from each can make a huge difference," she added.
In the 1920's, Albert Steiger, a prominent local businessman, inherited a 10-acre parcel from his father-in-law, Chauncey Allen. Over the years, Steiger groomed the property and in 1930, presented Chauncey Allen Park to the City of Westfield. By 1934, the city had created in a corner of the park an award-winning garden designed in the colonial revival style. A living memorial was established at the park for Steiger's mother, affectionately known as Grandmother Steiger, who loved gardening and sharing the flowers with her friends, family and city residents.
Grandmothers' Garden was constructed in the 1930's under the watchful eyes of landscape architect Thomas Desmond of Connecticut and Elizabeth Bush Fowler, then head of the Westfield Parks Department. Fowler was a seventh generation of pioneering settlers in the city and her interest in colonial history and gardening provided her with the insight she needed to see the project to completion.
Today, Grandmothers' Garden prides itself in being a colonial revival garden along with today's most popular perennials and annuals.
Currently, there are 32 flower beds that need to find someone to care for them. Flower beds range in size from 1 ? yards in diameter round to 50' x 12' rectangular beds to small triangles. Once a volunteer signs up to adopt a flower bed, Steele-Perkins marks it with a white-painted stone with a number on it which corresponds to the order of adoption.
"When someone comes to me to take on a bed, I point out what needs to be done," said Steele-Perkins, noting that weeding and deadheading are always at the top of the list. She also familiarizes volunteers with the perennials that are in the flower bed and the proper way to prune or cut them back if needed. There is also an opportunity to infuse one's own tastes by adding annuals throughout the season as well as stylistic garden decor. One gardener has a simple "Hope" stone placed neatly in a corner of a flower bed.
"Volunteers can always call me or come on Saturday mornings for help," she added.
Seventeen area residents have adopted beds for the season with some taking on more than one bed. Gariepy is one of those volunteers who oversees 11 flower beds and spends approximately four hours a week lovingly tending to her plots. This is her fourth year volunteering at the sprawling garden that features a gazebo and meandering walkways.
"You meet a lot of nice people here," said Gariepy, who noted that the volunteers love to share their ideas and explain how their flower bed has evolved.
For Thompson, her reasons for being at Grandmothers' Garden are twofold - she loves to garden and volunteer.
"I get a lot of satisfaction here and it's a nice atmosphere," said Thompson.
Both women encouraged area residents to consider adopting a flower bed for the season.
"It's not overpowering," said Thompson, adding volunteers make their own hours so there is no pressure with timelines.
"Volunteers mostly work on their own at any time," said Steele-Perkins, noting the more people working at different times can cut down on vandalism. In the past, vandalism has ranged the gamut from broken lights to benches smashed. A security camera now overlooks the garden to ensure that violators can be caught in the act.
Steele-Perkins seems right at home with her bucket and weeding tools as she looks over all of the garden's flower beds.
"What I enjoy most is watching the garden develop over the seasons, working with a splendid group of gardeners, doing a bit of teaching, and helping beautify that corner of the city," she said, adding, "there's a lot of satisfaction from seeing a well-tended plot."
For more information on adopting a flower bed, contact Steele-Perkins at (413) 562-2022. There are no costs associated with overseeing a flower bed.
"All we ask is that volunteers are attentive to their plot," she added.
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Steele-Perkins also asks parents to encourage their children to nominate their grandmother for the "Queen Grandmother Award" as part of the Grandmothers' Day festivities on Sept. 9.
"We celebrate this day with music, refreshments and old-fashioned fun," she said.
Every grandmother attending the festivities from 1 to 3 p.m. at Grandmothers' Garden receives a gift and all nominated grandmothers are recognized during the Queen's presentation. In addition to the celebration in the garden, the Queen is chauffeured at The Big E in West Springfield on "Westfield Day." The deadline to submit nominations is Aug. 24. All grandmothers must be in attendance to win. For a nomination form or for more details, visit www.grandmothersgarden.org.
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> Features > Pg 2 Feature Stories > Volunteers makes Grandmothers' Garden bloom
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