Prof. Joel Flagler demonstrates the use of adjustable planting tools to Ed Rosenhaft, a recovering stroke victim and member of the Union County Rotary club, at the Rutgers Floriculture Greenhouse’s enabling garden launch in March 2012.
The Rotary-Rutgers Enabling Garden Initiative for Central New Jersey, which promotes barrier-free, accessible gardens, was launched in March 2012 at the Rutgers Floriculture Greenhouse on the George H. Cook Campus. This initiative is led by co-coordinators Nick Polanin, agricultural and resource management agent, Somerset County, who is also state coordinator, Rutgers Master Gardener Program, and Laura DePrado, Rotary International member and chair of the joint Rotary-Rutgers project. Since its launch, the initiative titled, “Growing Lives One Seed at a Time,” has launched several pilot gardens in several counties. The latest pilot site is the AristaCare of Cedar Oaks, a long-term care facility in South Plainfield, NJ, which is hosting a kick-off social on Dec. 19, 2012.
Long-Term Care Facility Joins Rotary-Rutgers Enabling Garden Initiative
AristaCare at Cedar Oaks embraces initiative that promotes barrier-free, accessible gardens
EDITORS’ NOTE: You are invited to send a reporter, photographer or camera crew to the “Rotary and Rutgers Enabling Gardens: Growing Lives One Seed at a Time” event. Please contact Nick Polanin, Somerset County agricultural and resource management agent and state coordinator, Rutgers Master Gardener Program by (cell) 908-472-7855, (office) 908-526-6293 ext. 2535 or by email at polanin@njaes.rutgers.edu. Or contact Laura DePrado, founder of the Rotary and Rutgers Enabling Garden Initiative, who holds a certificate in Horticultural Therapy from Rutgers, at (cell) 908-872-8387, by email at lauradeprado@gmail.com or laura@finaltouchplantscaping.com.
WHAT: Premier sub-acute and long-term care nursing facility AristaCare at Cedar Oaks partners with Rotary District 7510 and Rutgers University to host a kick-off social of the “Growing Lives One Seed at a Time” enabling garden initiative at its facility.
Interior plants for the long-term care unit will be delivered and funded by Woodbridge, Edison, Metuchen and South River-East Brunswick Rotary Clubs. Rotarians and students from area high school Interact clubs will present interior plants to residents and staff, and participate in planting activities.
WHEN: Wed., December 19, 2012, 3-4:30 p.m.
WHERE: AristaCare at Cedar Oaks, 1311 Durham Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ. 732-287-9555. www.aristacare.com.
WHO: Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Al Murray, New Jersey Department of Agriculture.
Rotarian Dwight Leeper, representative for Rotary International District 7510 Governor.
Rotarians and Rutgers faculty.
About the Rotary and Rutgers Enabling Garden Initiative
The Rotary and Rutgers Enabling Garden Initiative promotes the creation of barrier-free, accessible gardens that allow anyone to grow native flowers, vegetables and herbs in a non-threatening environment. In turn, some of the product grown will be given to groups and people in need. The garden can be any size from a customized raised planter or planters to a larger space (indoors or outdoors). These spaces are built with modifications, the availability of lightweight adaptable, adjustable and interchangeable tools to maximize the opportunity for all individuals to participate in and draw connections to the garden. Read more at visit http://www.rotarynj.org and drag your cursor over Club and Community Service in the left side column for the Rotary and Rutgers direct link.
University expertise in this initiative includes consumer horticulture, agriculture and plant science, soil sciences, landscape design and volunteer development.
Rotary International District 7510 consists of 42 clubs and over 1,200 members throughout the five counties of central NJ. Learn more at www.rotarynj.org.
An example of an Enabling Garden exists at the Chicago Botanical Garden and is available online at http://www.chicagobotanic.org/explore/enabling.php.
Rutgers offers both a degree and a certificate program in Horticultural Therapy that prepare students for work in various settings where plants are used to help people. Learn more about the Rutgers curriculum in Horticultural Therapy at http://aesop.rutgers.edu/~horttherapy.
