News

Chives and cucumbers kick off
growing challenge at PWL Cold Lake

April 12th, 2017

April 10th marked the first gardening day of the year at Points West Living Cold Lake. At this point, to keep the seeds and soil warm, gardening is an indoor activity, but once the conditions are right, likely in late May, residents will transplant and tend their seedlings outdoors. 

Getting a little dirty to make it happen

A handful of ‘green thumbs’ gathered to get the chives and cucumbers started, along with PWL Cold Lake’s new recreation coordinator Angela Benoit. “The residents enjoyed getting a little dirty to make it happen,” Angela says. “Linda and Gordon were in charge of dumping the dirt so everyone could help drop in the seeds. Alice is a big fan of gardening and she explained how far apart the seeds should be. Lawrence was a big help with the watering afterwards.”

They will keep an eye on the containers to over the next few weeks to watch for seedlings to emerge. According to Angela, “It’s ‘Gardeners versus Angela’. Whose cucumbers and chives will grow first? Stay tuned!”

Forget-me-not

The gardeners will also be keeping an eye on twelve red cups of forget-me-not seedlings. They were started by outgoing recreation coordinator Heather Mitchelmore to let residents, families and care partners know she will not forget them, as she moves on to a new opportunity. Heather had been with PWL Cold Lake since it welcomed its first residents in 2013, and her care, energy and humour will be missed.

“When the warmer weather gets here we will transfer the forget-me-nots outside into the warm shining sun,” says Angela. “Every year in the spring they will come up and bloom for us to remember Heather and her big heart.”

Photo: Resident Lawrence Noel and recreation coordinator Angela Benoit will be watching to see whose seedlings emerge first as spring planting gets underway at PWL Cold Lake

More photos at Flickr: Chives and cucumbers kick off growing challenge at PWL Cold Lake