On any given morning, Claudia Sprague can be found in the Chapel Ridge gardens pulling weeds and pampering plants in her dirt-stained green garden gloves and well-worn rubber boots.
Sprague, who could be called the resident gardener at the assisted living facility on St. Francis Drive, planted and cares for one of the raised flower beds, and helps with two other flower gardens on the property. The gardens, under her care and nurturing, have blossomed out so well that Chapel Ridge may be included in the upcoming community Garden Tour and Garden Gala at the end of the month (see related story.)
For Sprague, who had gardened at her home in the past and had owned the former Carol’s Flower Shop at the Bradford Mini Mall, her latest hobby at Chapel Ridge has been a saving grace.
A resident of the facility for almost two months, Sprague said the raised flower gardens, located along the walking trail behind the residential area, inspired her when she first laid eyes on them.
“At first I didn’t want to come here to live,” but working in the gardens helped soften the transition to her new home, she admitted.
Sprague said another related project she conducted was the painting of small rocks found among the flowers that contain inspirational words such as faith, hope, charity, believe and love.
“I really enjoy this,” Sprague said while pausing from her work Tuesday.
She noted her horticulture endeavors are nothing new as she maintained gardens at her previous home on Lang Maid Lane in Bradford.
“I always had a garden out there and it was always beautiful” with flowers in front of the house and on the banks, she recalled. Sprague said that after her husband, Walter, died she lived with her daughter in New York state and had gardens at her homes.
In addition to her former flower shop, Sprague said she also had worked as a manager at the former Montgomery Ward store, as secretary at the former Hanley Brick plant and the Bradford YMCA. She also worked at Bradford Regional Medical Center and as a substitute teacher for elementary classes in the Bradford Area School District. Her children, Katie Sprague and son Tracy Sprague, live in Bradford, and another daughter, Marcie Mallett, lives in New York state.
As Sprague was weeding her garden, resident Lynette Graham and her daughter-in-law, Cindy Graham, also stopped to look over the garden while walking the trail.
“Is this your garden,” Cindy Graham asked Sprague. “This brightens the place up a lot with the pretty flowers.”
Lynette Graham added, “I think the word is getting around” about the garden.
Nicole Wells, administrator of Chapel Ridge, said Sprague’s gardening has been a plus for the facility.
“Oh my gosh, she has been (wonderful), and to me the most important part has been that this is something she obviously loved at home,” Wells said. “She didn’t have to give (gardening) up, she can continue doing the things she enjoys doing. And it keeps (her) physically active.”
Wells credits Sprague not only with planting the garden, but thinning the flowers, transplanting them as needed and weeding.
“(She) and her rubber boots are out here everyday,” Wells said with a smile. “She tells us what she needs and we go get it.”
