Louise Ellis of Fort Oglethorpe holds a Peace Lily inside the greenhouse behind Fort Oglethorpe City Hall. A Begonia plant and a Broken Heart plant are also for sale in the greenhouse to raise money for senior programs at Constitution Hall.Fort Oglethorpe Seniors and Friends members tend to a greenhouse behind City Hall that is filled with tomato, aloe and spider plants, Begonias, Purple Passion, Hibiscus, ferns, jade and Geraniums.
“I talk to plants in the garden,” said Louise Ellis of Fort Oglethorpe, who tends to the garden mostly on Tuesdays and Saturdays with the help of LeMerle Rizzo of Rossville. “I say, ‘You’re mighty pretty, here’s some water and fertilizer.'”
The lush greenhouse once was a haven for therapy for patients at the former Mountain View Hospital. The plants that are grown there are sold in support of the Wednesday senior programs at Constitution Hall. The $3-$6 price for each plant helps pay for the bingo, card games and meals offered free of charge to attending seniors.
“The seniors took over the greenhouse five years ago,” said Ellis. “We need more volunteers to take care of the plants. To work the garden you have to belong to the Fort Oglethorpe Seniors and Friends.”
Seniors water the plants twice weekly and add mulch and plant food as needed.
“LeMerle and I enjoy sitting in the greenhouse,” said Ellis. “If something goes wrong I say LeMerle did it and she says I did it. We like to joke around while we take care of the plants. I’ve worked with plants for many years.”