On the Path to Successful Programming

A shady path through the woods on the Willow Springs property... what could be better on a hot summer day?

Thanks to an energetic worker employed onsite over the summer months, this woodland path was created, fulfilling part of the "concept garden" that guides our overall vision for the property. The path was brushed out and mulched to create a wide path that will be wheelchair accessible.

In no time, the path was put to good use as a display area for the finished artwork created during Opening the Doors With Art, an all-day workshop for youth participants. The workshop was planned in partnership with Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore.

Donated doors from the ResSore became exciting "canvases" for young artists. The doors will be returned to the ReStore for a silent auction to raise money for the next Habitat for Humanity House Build.

The woodland path illustrates how improvements to the Willow Springs property will support and enhance arts programming.

Finding the Perennial Treasure

There was a time when gardens were tended with love on the property that is now Willow Springs Creative Centre. The perennials flourished until the gardener could no longer weed and water the plants into blossom. Daylilies and peonies faded into the long grass. Daffodils languished.

One of the tasks this summer was to locate and mark as many of the perennials as possible. It was like hunting for treasure in the overgrown flower beds. Holly, a Grounds Committee member, used flagged stakes with labels to mark the existing plants.

The established perennials include white and fushcia peonies, yellow daylilies, baby's breath, white malva, phlox, scarlet lychnis or Maltese cross, and many delphiniums. We are fortunate to have so many "heritage plants" with which to build our future gardens.

Over the summer, our plant inventory grew through the donation of several perennials. We put these plants in a holding garden and they are doing well. We received rose campion, monarda, echinacea, lamb's ears, heuchera or coral bells, euphorbia, artemesia, iris and cranesbill. We plan to mulch these plants carefully to help them through the winter. And we are most grateful to the people who donated them.

Plant donations will continue to be important to the garden project. For now, we hope you will look after the plants for us until next year. But if you have plants to share, we will take them and add them to our holding garden as long as these mild days last.

Restoring the Roses

During our first work party at Willow Springs (July 10), Darlene and Robin got to work on the shrub roses. It was amazing to see how bravely the roses were blooming given how much they longed for some attention.

It's an understatement to say the bushes were quite overgrown. Robin took this before picture to document the way things were growing before some TLC was applied.

Darlene had the good idea of pulling the roses up so that it was easier to see and prune out the old wood. A scratchy job, but Darlene and Robin were a great team.


And here is the restored rose bed, nicely mulched and given a new shape that will allow them to breathe and fill in over the coming seasons.

Good work, you two!

A Well Grounded Garden

The garden project at Willow Springs Creative Centre reflects the growth that has taken place since creative programs were first offered at the old Lappe store. Whether it was a willow workshop or a creative camp for children, the activities at the centre have aimed to explore the transformative effect that "creating" can have on the lives of individuals.

There is a natural link between "creating" and "growing" which the garden project hopes to foster. The field of horticultural therapy - a therapeutic approach that that uses plants, horticultural activities and nature-based art activities to improve the social, educational, psychological and physical condition of participants - will inform how the garden is used. We are already studying what this field can teach us about the ways in which gardening experiences can build self-esteem and team skills, greater physical fitness, and nurture other profound personal changes. As Judi Vinni explains, "In developing this accessible therapeutic garden program we would bring this powerful healing tool to many."

The garden space will be for children, youth and adults. It will be a venue for community-based organizations, volunteers, artisans, horticulturists, food advocates and community members of all ages to come together. As the garden grows, so will new strategies for positive community development.

Building a garden is a long term project. It takes many seasons of commitment. The vision for the garden is big; that's why we have assembled a Grounds Committee to help coordinate the work needed to get the garden plan underway.

The members of the Ground Committee are Darlene Craig, Lea Hayes, Heather McLeod, Mary Ellen Ripley, Holly Rupert, Robin Sadko, Julie Whalen, and Judi Vinni. Werner Schwar, who created the desing for the garden project, is a much-valued advisor to the committee.

Documenting the process is important. The Ground Committee will maintain this weblog so that our online visitors can read about our progress. We welcome any comments you wish to send via this blog.