Healing Garden at Groves hospital at peak bloom
Elora and Salem Horticultural Society seeks maintenance volunteers
ABOYNE – After four years of sweat and toil, the Healing Gardens behind Groves Memorial Community Hospital are in full bloom.
The Elora and Salem Horticultural Society held a social event there on Aug. 16 to celebrate its success and to invite other local gardeners to help maintain these ones.
The hard work is done, explained president Ann Ironside.
“Ellis Don (the construction company) had graded the lot but it was all heavy clay soil,” she said. “Clay holds water and we have had problems.”
To combat that, the society recently installed a rain garden in one area that was especially problematic with standing water after a rain.
After consulting an expert, the society planted plants that like wet and dry conditions. And some of the plants have roots that can penetrate that hard clay base.
All this has improved drainage on the site. Adding good soil and mulch has also made a vast improvement to the grounds.
The hardscaping was installed by others. There are paths, patios, a covered gazebo and a water feature.
Ironside said society members divided the space into two areas – a pollinator garden, where members volunteered to take on a section to plant and maintain on their own; and the healing garden near the fountain and gazebo, with a more manicured look.
This is also maintained by teams of society members.
The manager of the hospital’s cafeteria asked for some garden space to grow a salsa garden. There are tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs growing there that are used by the cafeteria.
The remaining space is maintained by the horticultural society, and it could use some help, Ironside said.
“We’re getting older, and this is a big space,” she said.
The society has received grants from the Grand River Agricultural Society that helped purchase soil, mulch and some plants over the years. It also offers workshops on the site for new gardeners, with sessions on composting, rain harvesting and other gardening matters.
For more information about Elora and Salem events, membership and ways to volunteer, find them on Facebook or email elorasalemhort@gmail.com.
