Grade 11 SDSS student Samantha Cowan does some planting in Elgin Lodge’s front flower garden, June 12.

Hub Staff

A vegetable and memorial garden were just some of the touches that the Saugeen District Secondary School Greenhouse class left at Elgin Lodge June 12.

Greenhouse teacher Keith Day said the students have been doing a lot of community planting recently with the gardens of Southampton’s Hampton Court and the Southampton Care Centre being completed earlier in June.

During their day at Elgin Lodge students were pruning, weeding, maintaining the front flower beds, and adding plants that they've grown with a heavy emphasis on perennials. “So we get colour for the next few years in these beds,” said Day, adding that cedar, cut and milled locally was used. “There will be a raised bed vegetable garden right beside the kitchen for the chef and his staff,” he said.

A memorial herb garden was also created by the students in memory of Deb Wallace, former Director at Elgin Lodge, who passed away in March. Wallace had worked at Elgin Lodge for about 12 years.

Executive Director Marie Gagnon said the memorial garden was great and something that staff and residents who worked with Wallace will be able to remember her by. “She loved the gardens so that’s why we chose that bed to make a memorial garden,” added Gagnon.

Saugeen District Secondary students spent a day at Elgin Lodge in Port Elgin putting their green thumbs to the test by pruning, weeding, and planting. They also built a special memorial garden for Deb Wallace, former Elgin Lodge Director, June 12.

A herb and vegetable garden is situated beside the kitchen where the chef can grow to his heart’s desire.

The SDSS students were busy making the Elgin Lodge gardens look beautiful.

The end result of a hard day’s work.