Indoor garden at seniors residence

**"Donna Dawson" d*@icangarden.com**

Good morning, I am in need of help...received this email and I know there is
someone out there that can provide some assistance...perhaps a website or
two?

Donna,I would like to know if you can recommend a good source to obtain
knowledge  (help ! ) to change an indoor garden. 

Many years ago in the U.K. I enjoyed and cared for my garden - mainly "MUMS"
and Tree Roses - then in 1960 work brought us to Canada and the shock of
Winter !. My garden became mainly a series of annual's and shrubs until last
year when we moved to a "Seniors Residence" .

Now, due to the move of the "Floral Room" caretaker to that "great garden in
the sky", I have been asked to look after the indoor watering at our
residence. My problems are :-

1.. No experience of indoor plants --beyond a few African Violets --
2.. The "Flora" room is an obvious graveyard for plants "donated" by
relatives of "dear departed", these are invariably un-named,overgrown and
unhealthy.( the plants :-) ) 
3.. The aprox.  11ft.x11ft.room faces west, has a large area of double
glazed windows, fluorescent lighting, and electric heating.
4.. Few visitors because of the grubby, depressing atmosphere.
5.. "Watering" alone is not going to improve the existing situation.

I would like to introduce colourful flowers, both "quick" and "long-term",
to encourage residents to visit, but am not sure what to start with.
Miniature roses would be a good start and there is ample room out in the
residence garden for them when they have finished blooming inside. Aromatic
plants to please the visually impaired who get little joy in the winter
would be popular .  Mature plants, cuttings or seedlings, where can an
ignoramus, with a rather small budget, start with any hope of success ?  

Donna Dawson, Master Gardener
Member Garden Writers Association 
Affiliate Member Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors
Member Royal Horticultural Society
http://www.ICanGarden.com 
http://www.gardeningtours.com
See our 2005 Garden Tours - Chelsea, Philadelphia, Hampton Court Palace,
Amsterdam/Nice and Portugal
phone 780-460-1578
fax number 780-460-1528
address 1 Fenwick Crescent, St. Albert, Alberta,  T8N 1W5 Canada

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