Seniors residing at the Gardens at Friendswood Lakes apartment complex have decided to plant a garden behind the Perry Museum in Friendswood as a tribute to the Perry’s and for everyone to view.
The Gardens at Friendswood Lakes is an apartment complex for active seniors. These are men and women who love being involved in special activities and really enjoying their lives.
Vice President of the Friendswood Historical Society Board Mel Measeles discussed the significance of the garden.
“Nathan and Mary Perry, they came in and so they had a garden like this so when we restored the house and everything we wanted to make sure that we had a garden here also, but we’ve had a hard time getting people to help keep it going and these great folks came in and said we’ll do it! So that’s why they’re here,” he said.
Thanks to Councilmember Steve Rockey for discussing his interest about the garden to the Property manager at the complex, Susan Cavendar, the seniors have one more thing to keep them occupied and full of joy.
“I had talked to Steve Rockey prior to this…he expressed his interest with the Gardens, doing some things for the Heritage Society and then the residents have always wanted to have a gardens and things like that and we couldn’t figure out a place that we could do it on the property. He approached me with this idea and Pat Lodder, she drives the van. She helps me in the office,” Cavendar said. “She’s the assistant there, that’s what she wanted to do and I told her to go for it…so it gives them a little bonding time and you can say they’re just loving it. I just think it’s cute. They’re out here and it just helps provides stuff for our seniors and the heritage.”
Cavendar is thrilled about the garden and loves how the seniors are enjoying themselves and one another while gardening. She said the motive behind the garden was a blessing for them.
“Well, it’s funny, you know how they say faith? You know it does, it just kind of intermingles you, the residents were wanting a garden and we were talking about it and how we could set it up on the property and it just so happened that Steve Rockey showed up and said we have a place behind the Perry House and we would be interested in having a garden and I said thank you God! It was just coincidently; it was something they wanted, something he wanted and so I told Pat you know what just go ahead and put it together and so she is. She’s doing a wonderful job of keeping the ladies going and the ladies like it.”
Resident Jane Townsend, explained her love for the garden: “You’re closer to God when you dig in the garden and I think it’s just an excellent opportunity, the food is so much better tasting and we share it with everybody even the one’s that aren’t well enough to come out and play in the garden. So then for Mother’s Day we did the big salad from the fresh greens from the garden… and each time we come and harvest, we plant some more seeds so we’ll have continuing plants that are coming up and some of us are city folk and we don’t know what we’re doing, but it’s really a good experience, we’re having fun.”
They have planted cucumbers, different types of lettuce and tomatoes, onions, egg plants, bell peppers, basil and much more.
Townsend said they planted squash and fig trees as well. “We’ve been doing the garden since 2 months, 2 ½ months, something like that.”
Resident Mary Samford said that her ex-husband helped with the garden and is responsible for laying down the landscaping fabric in the garden. He “helped out here a lot; he put down this landscaping fabric…which helped specifically when it was so muddy, we can walk on it and he helped plant these tomatoes and all the lettuce and then really one of the most important things that he (did was) blessed our little field here. Our little plot that it would be bountiful and produce a lot of good vegetables for us this summer.”
Vicky Glaisyer, resident of the complex, loves the garden so much that she will find any means necessary to come to the garden and work, even with her disability.
“She cares enough about the garden, when she can’t even walk to it and she has to kind of scoot to get here and she cares enough to do that for us and with us and she of course as 100 percent accepted as she is; we all are and she digs hard and works hard while she’s here,” Townsend said.
She said that anyone who is feeling well enough to come to the garden will come, but the core group that maintains the garden consists of about seven residents.
The garden is directly behind the Perry Museum and anyone is welcome to view the garden and see all of the hard-work and dedication that the residents have put in daily. The Perry Museum is located at 109 W. Spreading Oaks, Friendswood, 77546.
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