WESTFIELD ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY
York Manor Garden Club’s (YMGC) partnership with the Westfield Assisted Living Community was initiated in September 2025, with the goal of bringing beauty through flowers to the residents. Members of the YMGC enhanced the floral landscape through a two phase initiative. Phase 1 focused on container planters. In spring of 2026, Phase 2 expanded the partnership by creating a 600+ sq. ft pollinator garden that would encourage butterflies, birds and bees to visit the garden. This phase was a monumental endeavor that created a two-tier pollinator garden, measuring 9ft X 68ft, bordering one side of the property. It was designed to welcome residents and visitors through an accessible short walk, as well as being observed from the facility’s activity/great room. Realizing the scope of this project during the planning phase, YMGC members looked for support. As a result of key members’ initiatives, YMGC was awarded a matching grant, “Gifts for Great Gardens“, through the District III of the Federated Garden Clubs of MD. Benjamin Bell, from St. Isaac Jogue’s Boy Scout Troop #124 developed and implemented an Eagle Scout Service Project Plan to assist YMGC. Through Ben’s active engagement in working with YMGC, his request for donations from local nurseries, and organizing volunteers from Boy Scout Troop #124, the project was completed by April 2026. Coined “The Big Dig”, volunteers removed overgrown shrubs, stumps, roots, poison ivy, vines, and completed major weeding of the area. Cleanup was followed by soil prep using organic compost for the two-tiered garden that was anchored by a slope and steps. Members from Boy Scout Troop #124 and parents assisted YMGC members and their spouses in the “Big Dig” and massive planting of more than 120 evergreens, shrubs and perennial plants.
Enjoy the photos of our two-phased project. Stay tuned, we are already discussing what we will do for Phase 3.
PHASE 1: Container Planters
In 2025, York Manor Garden Club members purchased and provided porch containers of evergreen, plants, and seasonal flowers at the front door and on the deck.
PHASE 2: Pollinator Garden
In spring 2026, YMGC members created a pollinator garden that expanded 9ft X 68 ft in partnership with Benjamin Bell’s Eagle Scout Project and St. Isaac Jogue’s Boy Scout Troop #124. The border area was transformed into a 600 square foot pollinator garden. In “The Big Dig” we removed overgrown shrubs, roots, weeds, poison ivy and vines with the assistance of volunteers from YMGC Members, spouses, Boy Scout Troop 124, parents, and the facility’s owner. In the afternoon, the team prepped the gardens with six cubic yards of compost and soil conditioner.
The Boy Scouts and YMGC Members returned to plant more than 120 shrubs and perennial plants after cleaning and prepping the garden. We even had enough perennials to plant an additional garden strip along the walkway.
YMGC acknowledges, with deep appreciation, the donations made by the following garden nurseries:
Manor View Farm
Maryland Flower and Foliage Co
The Perennial Farm
Cavanos
Herring Run Nursery/Bluewater Baltimore
McLean Nursery
PHASE 3: Coming 2027!