Eagle Scout’s Raised Beds & Water Feature Attract Birds for Seniors

At only 16-years-old, Adler Kullman has a real heart for gardening, nature, and most of all people! He tied all of that neatly into one package when he designed a senior-accessible garden for the Amity Place residents in Douglasville to enjoy. It just might inspire you to create your own raised bed (…not the kind you sleep in!) Warning: Hearing about Adler might deepen the smile crinkles on your face!

Adler needed a project to become an Eagle Scout. Growing up, he had several great-grandparents in nursing homes. Their happy place was the garden. Gardening is one of their legacies in his life. Adler’s plan was to create an accessible garden for the Amity Place Residents in Douglassville to enjoy. https://inspiritseniorliving.com/amityplace/  His plan for raised flowerbeds also incorporated a water feature. His project slogan? Creating a place outdoors for making memories.”

Kullman involved the residents in the planning. Residents were asked which plants they would like. They enthusiastically responded by forming a gardening club.

Adler started from scratch. That meant creating a new spacious concrete patio. It had to be large enough for wheelchairs and groups of people.

Think of the challenges in that process for this sixteen-year-old:

• Remove the sod
• Excavate at least 8 inches
• Get rid of the extra soil
• Make a gravel base
• Create a frame for the concrete
• Pour the concrete and level it.

The patio was the foundation for the real project. Raised flower beds are perfect for the residents Amity Place! The older we get, the further away the ground is. Once we get on the ground, we want to accomplish everything we could possibly do while we’re there! Kullman’s raised flower beds are at standing height; no more getting on the ground. They are also wheelchair accessible. Little “parking spots” provide a place for wheelchairs to be surrounded for flowers. His layout creates a natural flow for visitors. I can picture grandparents and their grandchildren creating many gardening memories together!

Kulman’s pièce de ré·sis·tance? The water feature! In the hot, dry summer months, it can be difficult for wildlife to fine water. Be sure to offer the birds and critters water…even more than food. Water is free. Unless you’ve planted your garden especially for the birds, the food is not free.  Bird baths are probably the most familiar water feature. The smaller the bird, the shallower the water in the bird bath. However, standing water is probably the least preferred by birds. Running water is the real magnet for birds and butterflies. The sounds and glints of running water are much more noticeable. Running water naturally stays cleaner. It’s also a refreshing natural sound to add to your backyard.

Susan Biedeman, a Penn State Master Gardener has been instrumental in supporting the project. Master Gardeners are required to fulfill fifty hours of volunteer service. She tends the garden on an ongoing basis. (Find out more about the Master Gardener Program here: https://extension.psu.edu/programs/master-gardener/join)

Kullman’s project is gorgeous and over-the-top! What are some ways you can slowly implement some of his ideas at your house?

Offer water:

• Offer shallow water in a large plant saucer or upside-down trash can lid. Consider placing some sand in the bottom and add a few rocks so birds can drink without getting wet.
• Remember when indoor fountains were the rage? Get yours out of storage or buy it used and put it outside. (That’s what I did.  and the birds LOVE it!)
• Pedestal birth baths – new or used
• Solar Bird Fountain for the bird bath (From Amazon:  https://rb.gy/08j8ec )
• Leaf Mister (From The Birdhouse Chick: https://rb.gy/calz6m )
• Water Dripper (From Duncraft Wild Bird Superstore: rb.gy/pmukks)
• Outdoor Water Fountain
• Backyard pond…if you want to go really big!

Raised Flower Beds:

• Home  Depot has one made of wood on wheels https://rb.gy/04zzkz
• Alternate Choice from Home Depot made of galvanized steel https://rb.gy/rtmv14
• Use vintage items like a claw foot bathtub, wash tubs, row boats, or a bed frame to create one-of-a kind eye-catching raised beds.
• Make your own from railroad ties, stone products, or treated lumber.

Note: The examples listed are sample ideas to get you started; not endorsement for the products.)

At sixteen-years-old, Adler Kullman is an inspiration! He used his talents and interests to create a raised garden that will be enjoyed by grandparents and their grandkids for years to com. It would have been practically impossible for just one person. He built a team around him to get it done. Kudos to the people and business who supported Adler in this venture:

• Boy Scout Troop 595
• PROformance Concrete Services LLC https://proformancecrete.com/
• Monty’s Mulch https://montysmulch.net
• Fisher Rental https://www.fishersrental.com/
• Liv’n Green Landscaping https://www.livngreenstore.com/
• Spring Garden Farms https://springgardenfarms.com/
• American Legion Post 626
• Susan Biedeman of Penn State Master Gardeners Program https://extension.psu.edu/programs/master-gardener

Many thanks to Jessica Kullman (Adler’s mom) and his grandmother, June Walter, who first told me about Adler. What a wonderful son and grandson you have!

Enticing the birds and critters sets you up to take photos similar to AzarElGreetings.com . Check ’em out!

Smiles! Donna

Reading Eagle Newspaper Article: https://www.readingeagle.com/2024/06/29/boyertown-eagle-scout-builds-gardening-area-for-amity-place-residents/