Eagles Manor picked for Garden of the Week by Bullhook Blossoms club

By Bullhook Blossoms

Garden Club

This week the Bullhook Blossoms Garden Club is featuring the Eagles Manor Retirement Home as Garden of the Week.

Eagles Manor is an independent living apartment that is very much a home to those who live there. As people enter Eagles Manor they are welcomed by a profusion of flowers, purchased, placed and cared for by resident Ed Lipp.

Ed has returned to the Havre area after an amazing journey traveling and living in some picturesque places, including in Bitterroot Valley where he lived near the bank of a world-famous fly fishing river and he spent time growing and enjoying flowers.

Ed purchased a number of 14-inch baskets for areas where they could hang in the full sun. The baskets are filled with colorful sun-loving annuals that include several varieties of petunias and geraniums.

They were chosen as they will last all summer and are available in a a wide range of beautiful colors.

The focal point of this area is a windmill which is more than 6 feet tall. Not a basic metal windmill, this organic construction is made of dark-stained wood and built so that several levels of colorful, sun-loving flowers burst from the windmill. It is an eye-catching welcome to visitors and residents alike.

Ed had the windmill moved from Hingham, his prior home, where he was mayor many years ago. The windmill and flowers were Ed's part of getting the Manor ready for the open house.

The open house was held to introduce Eagles Manor to those in Havre who have not visited there. It was also an opportunity to introduce Dee Miller, the new administrator. Dee has worked at the Manor for years helping to make it a home for all who reside there, not just a place to live. She said that one of her goals is for the residents to be as involved as they chose.

Many things are offered onsite at the Manor: a library, card games, Bingo and comfortable areas to socialize both inside and outdoors, to name a few.

Ed and his dog, Sadie, were spending time on the hill sitting under the trees and enjoying the weather the day of his interview. Several residents were sitting outside the door in an area planted with sunflowers, daisies, roses and salvia. The gardens were accented with whimsical creatures like a pair of pink flamingos and rabbits which seemed to delight a little girl visiting there.

This garden area was designed and is maintained by Barb Schroder, the Eagles Manor gardener who cares for the common area.

Barb has also planted flowers under the windows of each resident's room on the main floor, where garden patches stretch the full length between the brick supports around the building.

Dee said she wanted to create a homey environment for the residents; and she certainly succeeded in that goal.