All garden programs: RSVP is required at least 24 hours in advance, as parking is limited.
Volunteers Needed in our Accessible Gardens:
Help with hospitality programs (weekly during the week or monthly during 2nd weekend)
or light gardening/lawn & trail maintenance (Thursday morning Garden Crew)…
Bulb Parade Begins
Our April Bulb Parade is in loving memory of John Hanlon of Rowley, MA, who we lost 3/19/18, at age 54.
Date, Time, Program Name
4/4, 1pm – 4pm, Garden Rx
4/6, 9am – 12pm, Garden Crew
4/6, 1pm – 4pm, Garden Rx
4/8, 10am – 12pm, Memory Cafe in the Garden
4/8, 12pm – 1pm, Meet & Eat
4/8, 2pm-5pm, AMC Talk, Walk & Wheel
4/9, 10am – 2pm, Sunday Stroll
4/11, 1pm – 4pm, Garden Rx
4/13, 9am – 12pm, Garden Crew
4/13, 1pm – 4pm, Garden Rx
4/13, 7pm-8pm, Group Support (Caregivers)
4/18, 1pm – 4pm, Garden Rx
4/20, 9am – 12pm, Garden Crew
4/20, 1pm – 4pm, Garden Rx
4/25, 1pm – 4pm, Garden Rx
4/27, 9am – 12pm, Garden Crew
4/27, 1pm – 4pm, Garden Rx
Program Descriptions
Garden Rx
Weekly Open Garden; Tuesday/Thursday, 1-4pm; A Therapeutic Garden Program. Volunteers assist with hospitality and/or light garden maintenance. Caregivers enjoy respite (take a break in nature or at The Cottage). Individuals enjoy engaging with flowers, birds & fish.
Garden Crew
Weekly Therapeutic Garden Crew; Thursday, 9am – 12pm; Adults with differing abilities help maintain the wheelchair-accessible garden trails and garden beds.
Group Support for Caregivers via Zoom
Monthly Support Group; 2nd Thursday, 7-8pm; Care-partners caring for a middle-aged (age 30s – 60s) loved one with memory changes, FTD, Young-Onset Alzheimer’s, Brain Injury, Down Syndrome…gather online via Zoom
Memory Cafe Program in the Garden
Monthly Memory Cafe; 2nd Saturday, 10am – 12pm; People with memory changes and care-partners gather for coffee, flower fun, bird & fish watching.
Sunday Stroll
Monthly Open Garden; 2nd Sundays; hourly appointments in the Garden.
AMC Talk, Walk & Wheel
Seasonal; Spring, Summer, Fall & Holiday: Enjoy a small group gathering, discussion & slideshow featuring our history, photos and information about seasonal plants, an Accessible Gardens tour (0.4 mile), and social time. AMC = Appalachian Mountain Club. This event is open to all who RSVP.
Respite Retreats & Individual Support for Caregivers
By Appointment; with Mary E MacDonald, interfaith chaplain.
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Consider a donation to our cause! 3 Easy Ways to Donate:
1. Online – Facebook.com/reststopranch; Venmo “Rest-Stop-Ranch”
2. Check – made payable to “Rest-Stop-Ranch”; mail to:
202 Haverhill Road, Topsfield, MA 01983
3. Cash – Locked Boxes Onsite
The Accessible Gardens are at the home of Karl R Ackerman and Mary E MacDonald, who have designed and built the landscape architecture, with the financial help of the local community. The gardens are private, and open to the public (RSVP Required) during events listed, and by appointment.
