By Kathy Hubbard
Reader Contributor
Every gardener in the panhandle has been itching to don their gloves and set their trowels to work planting, but the weather forecasters keep cautioning against it. Well, it now looks like the wait is over, and Panhandle Special Needs, Inc.’s greenhouse is more than ready to provide them with an abundance of plants for all gardens.
Opening Monday, May 6, the Greenhouse, at 1424 N. Boyer Ave., in Sandpoint, will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week.
“When I took over the greenhouse six years ago, the clients and I had 50 baskets to sell. We now have 400,” Work Services Manager Kim Derr said.
Derr and PSNI clients — all adults who are developmentally challenged — made 87 of the baskets. The rest were procured, but it’s been the diligent watering, deadheading and gentle caring that has made them flourish and ready to grace your home.
Derr said that between two and four clients are working in the greenhouse with her every day, learning skills that may one day be applied toward working in the community.
“Besides gardening skills, clients are taught customer service skills, how to be on time and how to follow directions,” Derr said. “Along with learning employment skills, they learn good hygiene. That’s a big one.”
The greenhouse features hanging flower baskets, along with vegetables, perennials, annuals and tomatoes.
“When I first started, we planted some onions, sunflowers and nasturtiums. Now we’ve expanded with Early Girl, Sun Sugar and cherry tomatoes, which are all very popular. There’s also zucchini, peppers, radishes and peas,” Derr said.
PSNI’s Work Services is dedicated to developing opportunities for people with disabilities in Bonner and Boundary counties. They help more than 200 clients each year learn to live, work and play more independently.
For more information about PSNI, visit panhandlespecialneeds.org.
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