Re: Garden for Alzheimer's Patients

Edibles I can vouch for - Hemerocallis, bud & bloom, dark colors can be
bitter, most have a bland, slightly sweet taste  - Violas, flowers, again
dark colors can be bitter - Alpine strawberry, foliage & fruit - Nastursium
blossoms, spicy peppery - Angelica, licorice - Lavendar, tastes like it
smells - Calendula, bland -Herbs: Rosemary, upright & prostrate, -Salvias,
some beautiful flowers & foliage on culinary varieties, -Nepeta some lovely
forms -Thymus, upright & prostrate forms
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wendy Swope" <wendyswope@mindspring.com>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 11:20 AM
Subject: [CHAT] Garden for Alzheimer's Patients


> Hello, All,
>
> My garden club is working on a plan to plant perennials in a garden
> space behind the Alzheimer's Care Unit of a nearby nursing home. The
> existing garden is strictly foliage at this point. The facility has good
> bones in place, with empty areas waiting in both sun and shade for us to
> fill with low-maintenance perennial ornamentals and groundcovers. The
> patients already love the garden and we're looking forward to making it
> even more special to them.
>
>
> It's been fun brainstorming, like planning a garden for kids. Plants
> that are soft, sweet-smelling, exceptionally colorful, or a fun shape
> will be given preference. Plants selected have to be tough enough to
> take handling once they're established. Parts of the plants will no
> doubt be picked, stripped, or broken on a regular basis. But the
> trickiest part of deciding what to plant is figuring out which
> perennials are nontoxic, since the folks who will be enjoying the
> flowers also eat them! I've been through my books on poisonous plants
> and will do a web search on each of the club's final selections to make
> sure--to the best of my ability--that we are not creating any risks.
>
>
> I believe the following plants *are* toxic?: hardy geranium, lily,
> hemerocallis, lily of the valley, hosta, Chinese lantern, poppies,
> tulips, tansy, narcissus, vinca, hosta, aquilegia, ivy, baptisia, and
> boxwood. But what about Russian sage, phlox, solidago, chrysanthemums,
> Japanese anemones, heuchera and heucherella, brunnera, pennisetum
> alopecuroides "Hamelyn", ribbon grass, lambs ears, violas, buddliea
> davidii, spirea, perennial snapdragons, alliums, lilac, honeysuckle,
> achillea, dianthus, silver mound, and balloon flowers? (mishmash of
> latin and common names appearing as they come to mind) All the above
> have been suggested.
>
>
> Comments?  Favorite "children's plants" that might work well?  Input would
be greatly appreciated!
>
> Wendy
>
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