Lendonwood Fall Workday Draws Community Volunteers

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Volunteers gathered to help “Put the Garden to Bed” at Lendonwood Gardens on Saturday, November 4. The workers tackled a number of fall tasks, including working on fences, mulching flower beds, installing lighting, staining sign structures, and more.

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Lendonwood volunteers Darlene Berge, left, and Judy Lowry gathered up the pumpkins that decorated the garden for the last few weeks. The pumpkins will be used to feed some hungry goats in the area.

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Longtime Lendonwood volunteers Sharon and Tom Dittmer of Grove gather garden debris for disposal during the garden’s “Put the Garden to Bed” Fall Workday on Saturday, November 4.

About 70 area residents showed up on Saturday, November 4, to help prepare Lendonwood Gardens for a long winter’s sleep.  Although the garden remains open year-round, there were many tasks to be accomplished during the annual Fall Workday.

Among the workers were Scouts, members of Grove Rotary Club, Lendonwood Board members and volunteers, supporters from a Tahlequah garden club, and many other community members of all ages.

“We are so indebted to these volunteers who help keep Lendonwood going and growing,” said Pauline Hale, Lendonwood president.  “We couldn’t do it without them.”

Hale said the workers did everything from spreading gravel on walkways in the recently renovated Azalea Garden to mulching flower beds to harvesting zinnia seeds for next year’s planting.  Others collected pumpkins used for décor, now destined to feed some goats in the area.  Still others installed electrical lights along pathways to the Angel of Hope Statue, weeded flower beds, removed dead tree branches, and more.

“It’s always wonderful to have youngsters join us for the workday,” Hale said.  “They bring an excitement and joy to this special day.

“And, of course, our Grove Rotarians show up year after year and make a big difference in the garden.  They bring specialized skills we could not otherwise afford or access.  Thank you, Grove Rotary!”

Following coffee and donuts at 8:30 a.m., the volunteers split up into work groups assigned to specific jobs with direction from several Lendonwood Board members on hand.  Later, a lunch of hot dogs, baked beans, chips and cookies was served.

Lendonwood is an eight-acre botanical garden located at 1308 Har-Ber Road.  The garden is known for its botanical collections of azaleas, rhododendrons, peonies, dogwoods, hostas, daylilies, Japanese maples, and more.  Lendonwood itself is open year-round from dawn to dusk.  The Welcome Center is open from mid-March to early December Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.