Fall Cleanup at Farrell Court

The Driftwood Garden Club was at the Farrell Court last Thursday and Tuesday, to help the elderly and disabled winterize their lawn.

The project at Farrell Court was one of the Driftwood Garden Club’s civic outreaches; they also maintain the Secret Garden at Abbot Public Library. By doing fall cleanup, the seniors and disabled could look out of the windows and see the change of seasons.

Palma Bickford of the Driftwood Garden Club plants a mum along a walkway at Old Farrell Court.

The garden cleanup was a partnership between the Driftwood Garden Club with Marblehead Housing Authority (MHA). Farrell court is a residency for senior citizens and disabled under the MHA. Two helpers from MHA maintenance participated in the cleanup for heavy garden jobs.

A small crew from The Driftwood Garden Club brought two pots of mums, moved them into the soil bed by the pathways right by the two benches which were donated by the garden club.

“Some residents love to take care of the place, some can’t do it,” said Lisa Biggio,  past President, and Chair of civic beautification of the Driftwood Garden Club.

They started this project by giving out surveys to the residents, asking them what to improve in their garden. There are approximately 90 to 100 replies.

“People want us to come and enhance the property,” said Biggio

Driftwood Garden Club member Lisa Biggio, chair of the civic beautification committee, trims back an unruly rhododendron for a resident of Old Farrell Court.

In the survey, a resident at 61-64 Farrell Court asked to trim the rhododendron outside the window. Because of the wild-growth plant, the sun barely could come through the window. The Garden club also removed plants for snowplows passing through in the upcoming winter.

“Lawn is done by a company but that is it, they are not trained to do gardening,” said Chicki Curtis, a resident at Farrell Court. She is glad that someone can come to take care of the garden.