Green-thumbed Care Home Residents Grow Their Own
Residents at Whitegates Care Home in Sandown are reaping the rewards of a ‘grow your own’ project, which has seen them grow various types of fruit and vegetables in the home’s garden.
From a few enthusiastic seeds the initiative has blossomed into a large group of keen, green-thumbed residents who have shown a great interest in growing and harvesting their own produce, which so far has consisted of everything from tomatoes and runner beans to parsnips and strawberries.
Left: Kathleen (resident) Jovey and Meg (staff); Right: Emma (resident) Sana (staff)
Whitegates’ garden is also home to a small orchard of apple trees that residents harvest. This year there has been a bumper crop, and the first few homemade apple pies of the year have already been enjoyed by residents and staff alike.
Since the catering team at Whitegates have incorporated the ongoing harvest into the seasonal menu, residents have had the pleasure of eating the food that they watched progress from the earth to the plate.
Earlier in the year the Whitegates garden had a new decking area installed, which has provided residents with accessible outdoor seating around garden tables and a place to plant flowers in pots.
Care home manager, Clint Farmer, said: “I think the project is fantastic, a real team effort from both residents and staff. Engaging in the project has had a great effect on our residents and makes a meaningful difference in their daily lives. Their families have enjoyed following their progress both in person and via photos on our Facebook page. The residents have already started to talk about what to grow next.”
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