Re: Garden for Alzheimer's Patients

violas have edible flowers and I've used yarrow (achillea) flowers in
tea myself. If they have room inside w/ a sunny window - plant a small
gardenia in a big pot. I know they aren't hardy up there - pity. Ah, the
fragrance!!


---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: cathy carpenter <cathyc@rnet.com>
Reply-To: gardenchat@hort.net
Date:  Wed, 28 Jan 2004 15:09:39 -0600

>Chrysanthemums should be ok.
>Cathy
>On Wednesday, January 28, 2004, at 01:20 PM, Wendy Swope wrote:
>
>> 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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--
Pam Evans
Kemp TX/zone 8A



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