Seriah Rein tends to her plants in the new garden at the Four Seasons Metedeconk Lakes adult community in Jackson. DAVE BENJAMIN JACKSON — Members of the new garden club at the Four Seasons Metedeconk Lakes adult community are hard at work making their garden grow. What began with spring plantings has turned to a summer growth spurt.
“The garden club is a multifaceted organization, providing club members with educational and recreational opportunities to enhance their love of gardening and flowers/ plants, improving the quality of life, stimulating social interaction, preserving green space, and providing inter-generational connections,” said Chuck Labelson, club president .
Labelson said the garden club expects to host educational seminars about plant care, flower arranging, landscaping and organic gardening. The club currently has 126 members .
A fenced-in garden area in the adult community features 32 beds that are 20 feet by 20 feet in size. Some beds are cared for by a single club member, while other beds are cared for by several individuals.
“Wheelbarrows full of compost were delivered by each gardener to his or her garden bed,” said club secretary Seriah Rein. “The poor soil was further enhanced with peat moss, manure, fertilizer and garden/potting soil, and though it has been only a couple of weeks, already the variety and beauty of the beds are drawing much praise and giving much pleasure.”
Even with some different gardening methods and ideas being used, there is a sense of uniformity in the layout of the beds and the garden paths, which gives a sense of beauty and order to the eye as it drinks in the results of the creativity of each gardener, Rein said.
Gardeners have planted long-stem rose bushes, marigolds and zinnias. There are several different varieties of tomato plants, as well as eggplant, green peppers, hot peppers, yellow peppers, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, okra, watermelon, cantaloupe, green cabbage, red cabbage, parsley, basil, dill, cilantro and chives.
Many of the garden club members come early in the morning to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the garden while caring for their plants and bushes. Others prefer the evening, after the heat of the day has departed.
“We want everyone to have fun and a great time doing the garden,” said garden club treasurer Mel Goldberg. “We are all going to grow vegetables and have a lot of fun.”
Goldberg said that if possible, some produce could be donated to a food bank.
Labelson, Rein, Goldberg and Bill Langweil, vice president, are making plans for the club, including field trips, seminars and guest speakers.