These nurturing souls tend a treasured garden at Highland Park
Retired high school English teacher Barb Parisien and retired nurse Kirsti Groess lead a team of gardeners from the Garden Club of Ramsey County in caring for the garden at Montreal and Edgecumbe near the disk golf course. They chair a committee of 18 members who work May-Oct, signing up for two weeks stints. A few volunteers have been with that garden since it was established in 1993.
Tell us more about the Garden Club.
The Garden Club of Ramsey County is the oldest garden club in the state. We celebrated the 100th anniversary in 2012. It started as The Men’s Garden Club of Ramsey County and changed the name in 1931 to acknowledge that women were always active in the projects and to formally include them as members. These days we have between 160-200 members. The Club is very active with garden tours, plant sales, travel opportunities to nearby gardens and have monthly educational meetings with speakers.
The club sends volunteers to the 4H building and the flower show at the State Fair. The club also supports horticulture and botany students at the University of Minnesota and Century College.
Volunteers like Barb start vegetables under grow lights indoors to sell in spring. Our Fall bake sale proceeds support local food banks. Without the plant and bake sales during the pandemic, we’re starting to get creative on fundraising!
Tell us about your garden.
The club has maintained gardens near Sunray and one at Hillcrest Highland Library in addition to this garden at Montreal and Edgecumbe. This garden is an evolving mix of mostly wildflowers and some native plants. annuals and perennials (which tend to take care of themselves) and beautiful crabapple trees.
Having maintained the garden for so long, we’re always in a process of making adjustments as weather and wildlife develop.
Over time we’ve had to thin out daylilies and other items. We used to plant tulips until the deer population discovered the garden. These days Japanese Beatles are a persistent pest and we’re getting more voles.
There is no longer a water source except for the golf course across the street, so during the drought or annual planting season, we all come with our empty milk jugs to fill up with water.
What do you enjoy about gardening with others?
It is wonderful to meet other gardeners. We learn a lot from each other. Barb’s mother was an avid gardener of both vegetables and flowers, and she still does both in her own garden. Barb also tends a garden at St Kate’s/Sisters of Carondolet. That garden contains vegetables as well that are donated to a local food shelf. Kirsti also tends the United Hospital Memorial Garden.
What has been most rewarding about the work?
Walkers are always complimenting the garden when they go by, which feels good. What the gardens really give us is the feeling of hope all the time. Especially during Covid when we had to make so many tough decisions about how to manage health while getting the work done.
We both worked in nurturing professions, and tending these gardens nurtures us in return.
What are your favorite parks?
We are both big fans of Como Park and the beautiful Hidden Falls Park. Barb and her husband rediscovered Hidden Falls during COVID, frequently walking all the way down to Crosby Farm Park. “When you don’t have little kids to go out with all the time, you forget how much access to the Mississippi river we all enjoy,” says Barb.
Inspired? Volunteer in Saint Paul parks! From Coaching to Wildlife Monitors to Park and Garden Stewards, there are ways to make a difference that connect you to health and wellness. Learn more.