Piedmont Gardens earned the Happiest and Healthiest Gardens Award from Eldergrow, a Seattle-based start-up that offers therapeutic gardening and enrichment programs to seniors. Our Oakland, Calif.-based community was selected as the best out of more than 100 gardens across 19 states.
“We are delighted to see our resident’s efforts in the garden get acknowledged,” says Tammy Williamson, memory support program supervisor at the Grove, our memory care residence. “Our residents love working in the Eldergrow garden and they’ve reaped the benefits from Eldergrow’s classes.”
In 2018, Piedmont Gardens partnered with Eldergrow in support of developing an in-depth program and indoor garden for the Grove. That’s all thanks to $7000 in total donations from the HumanGood Foundation, the Yusa Charitable Fund and Paul Jepson Memorial Fund.
Led by Eldergrow educators, our residents and the Grove team participated in various engaging classes and activities on horticulture, culinary and garden art. The Eldergrow educators also helped the community to build and maintain the health of its indoor sensory garden, which has everything from the Coleus and maidenhair fern plants to fresh basil and lemon verbena. Fresh basil is a favorite among the residents, Williamsons says.
“Eldergrow brings nature indoors in an interactive and purposeful way,” says Williamson. “It engages all five senses; not only does the indoor garden visually illuminate an area, but the therapeutic program stimulates residents through touch, fragrance and taste.”
