NEWS FROM THE = GABLES

News from The Gables

By Betty Little

When the = Gables opened in=20 2002, residents were encouraged to create their own gardens and to = maintain a=20 common garden for flowers for the dining room. The private gardens continue = with help=20 from the outside. The common garden is being refurbished by The Gables, = but=20 residents can still cut and arrange the flowers.

This year, a = number of=20 people noticed the unsightly condition of the garden at the south = entrance and=20 took action. Winkie Hamilton and Avis Turner formed a Gardening = Committee. Avis drew up a design, Jeff = Freeman=20 removed the rosa rugosa which had been allowed to grow without attention = and=20 prepared holes for transplanting some mugo pines. Avis, Winkie and Carol = Freeman=20 bought coral bells, astilbe and lady=92s mantel, a trellis for existing = clematis=20 and additional mugo pines. = Avis=92s=20 daughter donated two peonies. The committee still wanted to buy a = burning bush=20 and more annuals and perennials. Pat Job, Terri Whalen and Ellie Lee = reviewed=20 the plans with the committee and went to the Activities Committee for=20 funding.

They were = impressed with=20 the Gardening Committee=92s design for the south entrance and gave funds = to cover=20 all costs to date and more to ensure that they could complete the project. = Now on=20 evenings after hot dry days, Winkie and Jeff can be seen watering the = planting=20 at the south entrance. Everyone admires the new garden and the new south = entrance which are intended for public enjoyment. Thanks to Marcel Cye, = Gables=20 staff, who designed and installed signs in the individual gardens which = read,=20 =93Privately Maintained.=94

The Gables = Activities=20 Committee holds a yard sale every spring to raise money for activities = including=20 the gardens. To be able to make choices and work collectively for = changes is=20 part of our definition of =93indepen- dent living.=94 Thanks to our = Activities=20 Director Sheila Gedney, her husband David, and to the many friends and = neighbors=20 who shopped at our sale, we will be able to continue to support our own=20 activities at the Gables in the coming year.