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Date: 11/3/2022
WEST SPRINGFIELD – There’s a new and fun activity in town to not only connect seniors with nature but also benefit others.
A new raised-bed garden was planted on Oct. 26 on the Senior Center grounds with a variety of plants and pollinators that will attract bees, butterflies, insects and hummingbirds. The “Memory Lane Garden” was created to be mutually beneficial to those with memory issues, their loved ones and the community.
West Springfield resident Anne-Marie Mascaro came up with the idea for the garden this summer and was the lead organizer. She was inspired to create the garden after looking after her father, Louis Mascaro, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
“The impetus for the garden was to create a local activity that caregivers and seniors could do together that might simultaneously benefit people and pollinators,” she said.
Mascaro has experience organizing Global Day of Giving events with Connecticut nonprofits and helped to plan opening day activities at the Senior Center. In addition to planting the garden, seniors painted river rocks with artwork and wrote inspirational wishes of hope on tags that will hang on the fence behind the garden.
“I have an interest in projects that connect people with nature and volunteer work, so it was a natural step to ask to take on this project,” she said. “When I contacted the Senior Center, they were already working on other projects that would benefit the same population of seniors, so the timing to start this garden was ideal.”
The garden consists of three raised planters measuring 6 by 3 by 2 feet, made of galvanized steel for outside durability. They are arranged in a U-shape at a height that provides easy access for people with mobility issues. Mayor William Reichelt, Mascaro and Stephen A. Roberts, a local architect, were key planners of the project that was funded by the town’s Council on Aging. The work isn’t done.
“The long-term idea is to get various parties involved, like youth groups, that can collect citizen science data on the pollinators, and trades groups that can create engraved plaques, stones and bird houses as the garden expands,” said Mascaro
Roberts and Mascaro helped seniors plant the garden on the east side of the building. Although the perennials won’t come to fruition until spring, the annuals will give the garden a short “splash of color” before dying off. Among the plants in the garden are echinacea, allium, a butterfly bush, bellflower, perennial geranium, bee balm and Nepeta.
A small magnolia tree, which will bloom in the spring, was planted in the center of the garden. Wishes tags will be hung on the tree, as well as on the fence. A river rock painted with the name of the garden by local artist Heidi Drake will be placed in a prominent location in front of the tree. Other rocks – decorated by seniors at the center – will adorn various areas of the garden.
“Some of the ideas for the garden were borrowed from art installations done by Yoko Ono, who invited participants to write down wishes on tags, and then tied them to trees so hopes and dreams were in full bloom,” explained Mascaro.
“We invite collaborations with the Alzheimer’s Association, assisted living facilities looking for a free activity, and local garden and youth clubs. The Memory Lane Garden is open to the public – you don’t need to be a member at the West Springfield Senior Center,” she added.
The garden will be managed like a community garden. It will be self-funded and donations will help to make it sustainable. Mascaro hopes it will inspire similar memory lane gardens around the area and beyond.
Mascaro will serve as volunteer organizer for garden activities on a regular basis, while the Senior Center will contribute basic outdoor maintenance.
“We invite people to donate their time through volunteering to run it on a monthly basis out of the Senior Center. We’re also looking for donations of art materials, such as rocks, paper and paint, as well as food catering and plants from garden centers,” she said.
Roberts, who has a 30-year history of installing memory gardens in Western Massachusetts, provided guidance on the garden and free labor to start the garden. Mascaro owns a Massachusetts nonprofit that functions as an online networking and educational site to connect non-scientific and scientific people so they can collaborate on wildlife projects.
Anyone interested in volunteering or collaborating can contact Mascaro at annechimp@yahoo.com.