By Peggy Alaniz
Do you like playing in the dirt? Maybe you’re a bit of a novice when it comes to plants, but you enjoy taking walks in neighborhoods that have been enhanced with beautiful flowers, or even learning more about them from an expert. Do you think of ways that plants and flowers can create beauty in a public place in need of some love and care? What about arranging flowers? Are flowers your go to for a loved one suffering from an illness? Would you like to help students who have a passion for botany or in improving the natural environment? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then read on to learn more about Ann Arbor Farm and Garden, an organization that has been giving back to the community for more than 75 years.
Most people know Ann Arbor Farm and Garden through their annual Garden Walk held annually on the second weekend of June. Even the current president, Barbara MacKenzie, discovered the organization through the garden walk in 2013. However, she did not think about joining the organization at that time because she wasn’t an expert gardener. According to MacKenzie,
“A year or so later [after the 2013 Garden Walk], I attended a class on growing and using herbs at Matthaei Botanical Garden sponsored by Ann Arbor Farm and Garden. Again, I was impressed by their work, but becoming a member didn’t seem possible since I wasn’t much of a gardener at that point, and I erroneously believed that was a requirement for membership. I finally became a member when I discovered that my neighbor across the street was actually the new president of Ann Arbor Farm and Garden, and she was able to dispel all the misconceptions I had about the organization. I didn’t need to be a master gardener or even a good one—I only needed to be interested in and care about nature.”
MacKenzie discovered the organization was about much more than just a walk in nature or digging into various beautifying projects around Washtenaw County. Their roots go back to 1914 and the Woman’s National Farm and Garden Association. In 1946 and 1947 the Ann Arbor branch of the Woman’s National Farm and Garden Association came into existence, and they have been serving the community ever since. According to their motto, “The mission of Ann Arbor Farm & Garden is to promote and support local gardens, the benefits of horticulture, and community beautification through grant and scholarship awards, related educational programs, and service opportunities.” They have fulfilled the terms of their motto by providing informative lectures on gardening that are open to the public, various beautification projects around Washtenaw County, providing grant money to other 501c non-profits to improve horticulture and advance education, as well as providing floral therapy for families with loved ones in local hospitals. Their members range in age from 40 to 100, but they serve all—regardless of age or station.
On the second Thursday of the month from September to May, you can find the members of Ann Arbor Farm and Garden at the Ann Arbor City Club. Meetings begin at 11:30 a.m. with lunch and the lecture begins at 1 p.m. Meetings are open to the public and the organization posts information about the lecture topic as well as the featured speaker on their website. In November, Ellen Holste who will talk about “American plant hunters” who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. Plant hunters traveled the world to discover plants that were not known to exist by Americans at the time. The upcoming lecture in March features Naturalist and Master Gardener Carol Gagliardi who will present on native plants in the garden. Then in April, Tantre Farm will be presenting. Some of the previous lecture topics have included the use of herbs in the garden as well as how gardening helps the development of young children.
When spring and summer arrive, Ann Arbor Farm and Garden is always looking for volunteers to play in the dirt at various beautification projects around Washtenaw County. Perhaps you have seen or enjoyed a few of them? The group has contributed funds for the Ypsilanti District Library to build raised garden beds so that people with disabilities can enjoy planting and getting their hands dirty, too. At the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum, they helped with a plant-oriented exhibit. Perhaps you’ve seen the vegetable gardens at Edible Avalon, Project Grow, or the Washtenaw County Youth Detention Center? The group has planted therapeutic gardens such as the ones that can be found at the Catherine McAuley Health Center or the Glacier Hills Nursing Center, not to mention their many beautification projects for Ann Arbor Hospice, Cobble Stone Farm, and Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley. It seems the hands of members have been in the dirt of nearly every corner of Ann Arbor.
In 2022, Ann Arbor Farm and Garden awarded over $9,400 to local garden projects. They also award an annual scholarship of $1,500 to a graduate student to support the U-M Biological Station in Pellston. Past award recipients include Tappan Middle School, The University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Garden, and Nicholas Arboretum. You just can’t go anywhere in Washtenaw County without seeing some form of benefit from these enthusiastic gardeners.
The organization doesn’t just make outside areas more beautiful and provide garden therapy. They are also known for their flower therapy programs at local hospitals and wellness organizations. Beginning in 1981, their flower therapy program started lifting the spirits of the young patients at U-M Mott’s Children’s Hospital. Volunteers would come in twice a month to help the children make their own floral creations. Flowers are uplifting. Who doesn’t like to see something colorful when stuck in a hospital bed? The activity also provided the children with much needed bonding and community support from other patients, families, and volunteers.
Sadly, the floral therapy program had to be discontinued due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They also had to temporarily discontinue service due to the surge of H1N1 in previous years. According to flower therapist Karen Mikus, “At some point, we hope to return flower therapy to Mott Children’s Hospital. We remain in contact with Volunteer Services at Michigan Medicine and will work closely with them to make it possible to once again bring smiles to the faces of the children and families at Mott.”
However, the flower therapists were not to be deterred. In 2021, they decided to reorganize. Taking all the necessary health precautions, volunteers began to deliver bouquets of flowers to places in the community such as The Ronald McDonald House, Alpha House, and Safe House. All the flowers used for these arrangements were donated to them by local florists and businesses throughout the Washtenaw County area. In 2021, they took 440 total bouquets of happiness to individuals. In 2022, they expect to deliver an amazing 855 bouquets.
Flowers, gardening, and taking a walk-in nature are terrific ways to be mindful and improve your own well-being. The communities in the Ann Arbor area have an amazing well-being resource in Ann Arbor Farm and Garden. They not only help to beautify our neighborhoods but provide us with information to help even a novice enjoy time in nature. You do not have to be an expert in gardening to join them, you just need to love playing in the dirt and have a desire to serve others. They are always in need of more volunteers, but if volunteering is not for you, you can give them financial support by participating in, or donating to, their upcoming silent auction in May. And mark your calendars for June 10, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for their annual Garden Walk. It’s a wonderful way to meet the members of Ann Arbor Farm and Garden and to spend much needed time in nature.
The mission of Ann Arbor Farm & Garden is to promote and support local gardens, the benefits of horticulture, and community beautification through grant and scholarship awards, related educational programs, and service opportunities. Ann Arbor Farm & Garden is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Visit their website at annarborfarmandgarden.org
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