Brian Sallerson, celebration coordinator, and senior lifestyle coordinator Yousef Al Halabi attend to the coming butterfly garden. (Martin Lenkowsky)
Residents of Aston Gardens at Parkland Commons wanted their own patch of green space to relax, read, meditate, and tune in with Mother Nature.
They—along with help from a few senior living community staff members —didn’t mind getting dirt under their fingernails, and for the past year, they dug, planted, and ultimately created “Garden Escape,” their very own peaceful setting adjacent to the community’s clubhouse.
Today, the fruits of their continuing labor are evident as colorful flowers, including a beautiful coleus, a host of succulents and cacti, and an array of garden herbs, which residents use for cooking, adorn this small rectangular slice of nature. Some herbs include oregano, rosemary, pepper, sweet basil, and dill. These herbs are only for residents’ personal use.
Resident Paul Markowitz planted the multi-colored coleus and cactus, using cuttings for both.
Yousef Al Halabi, senior lifestyle coordinator at the complex, leads, organizes, and assists Aston Gardens’ Garden Club members. “It was all done by residents,” said Halabi, who added that these efforts were enhanced by donations they received from area nurseries. “It’s a great way of getting residents engaged and doing something they love.”
Sitting atop a large pot is a tall, stately, and sharp-spined San Pedro Cactus. Surrounding the San Pedro, at the planter’s base, are gentler-to-the-touch monkey-tail cactus.
Complementing the diverse vegetation, colorful, fine-detailed sculptures of ducks, all handcrafted by resident Jim Robb, are scattered throughout the garden complex. Plus, the gentle notes emanating from a hanging wind chime add to the zen ambiance permeating through the garden.
Eugenie Kelley sniffs some rosemary from their herb plantings. (Martin Lenkowsky)
Hanging her first bird feeder, resident Eugenie Kelley said this garden club is the first group she’s joined in her community. “I enjoy it,” she said. “It’s therapy, and it’s beautiful.”
Halabi has worked at Aston Gardens for five years and is a full-time Florida Atlantic University student. He will graduate in December. “Gardening is something I do enjoy, but I’m going for dentistry,” he said.
In addition to the garden escape, there’s good news for the butterflies flying around Aston Gardens. Planting has begun for a separate, larger butterfly garden. Several orchid cuttings have already been placed on trees, and plans are being made to fill the garden with butterfly-friendly bushes. “Hopefully, by next year, we will have it all done,” said Brian Sallerson, celebration coordinator at Aston Gardens.
Yousef Al Halabi tends to a cactus cutting. (Martin Lenkowsky)
Resident John Macbeth has been actively involved in planning the coming butterfly habitat by researching the plants most attractive to the colorfully winged insects. “We’re taking baby steps,” he said.
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