Photos: Senior Condo Owners Create Gardens At The Ridge at Elm

A group of retired women have spent the last few years building a garden behind their condominium complex, and this week they invited Patch down to view their creation. 

About five years ago, the women who live at The Ridge at Elm wanted to beautify their neighborhood. With a little help form their husbands, they started removing Poison Ivy, weeds and brush behind their homes, so they could build their own gardens on the condo complex property.

"We cleared everything," said Jeanne Schumann on Monday afternoon.

The ladies said they designed the gardens themselves and used common household items and antiques to bring out the true beauty of the flowers. One husband even built bird houses for one section of the garden.

"We used to work and now we do gardens," said Elenor Whalen.

Elaine Paladino agreed with her fellow gardener.

"This is relaxation time," she said. "It is therapy."

Each of the gardens has a different style and embodies the character of the woman who lives in front of it. Paladino said she for example has more of "an English garden" with day lilies and perennials.  

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"We had to finish what the builder started," she said. "The builder built the house and we built the gardens."

On June 14, the women held their second annual garden walk where people from the surrounding area visited the gardens. More than 50 people turned out for the event and enjoyed an easy walk through the gardens. The women said people still visit the gardens and they encourage residents, without dogs, to view their hard work.   

"It is the labor of love," Schumann said.

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