By Mark Abromaitis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
At Ann’s Choice, beautifully planted gardens are everywhere. But you might be surprised that the community’s award-winning grounds crew isn’t responsible for all of them. Almost 70 different gardens are voluntarily maintained by residents who belong to the Garden Club on campus.
The organization’s president Charlie Gysi says that, while providing a group focus, gardening also serves as a framework for friends to remain connected. “Green thumb or not, this club is all about a common interest,” he says. “We enjoy plants of all sorts and each other’s company.”
Best practices
During Garden Club meetings, members share their tried-and-true gardening tips and learn from botanical experts about topics like spring ground preparation, fall garden maintenance, and plant and flower species.
“Maintaining a garden isn’t something that’s just done on a whim,” Gysi explains. “It takes years of tending and adding nutrients to the soil to make sure it has the best ingredients. So it’s a process to get a garden started and up and running.”
In addition to its meetings, the Garden Club sponsors monthly movie events that bring members together. The group donates proceeds from its events to the Scholarship Fund for Ann’s Choice employees.
Social branches
“We love to get together,” Garden Club member Barbara Fabiani says. She adds that the group recently hosted its first-ever club cookout among the gardens.
“Each person brought something special to add to the feast.” Barbara’s husband Toni Fabiani says, “It was a beautiful day. The weather cooperated, and we were able to grill some hamburgers and hot dogs and take a stroll around to really get a good look at each other’s gardens.”