Gardening Angel Greenhouse

In the Valley of Plenty, it is time to celebrate spring, time to plant and time to discover that you can find over 50 different varieties of tomatoes and 73 colors of Petunias right here in Emmett at Gardening Angel Greenhouse. New blooms and blossoms are springing into color every day.

“I’m always trying to get something new,” said owner, Ruth Grider. “I enjoy seeing what I can succeed at. I add new variety of tomatoes every year and more flowers. I can’t help myself. Sometimes I get amazing new flowers by accident when I mis-order like the Gazania. What a happy accident that was.”

Grider doesn’t just grow flowers and veggies, she grows relationships. Her FaceBook page, Gardening Angel Greenhouse, is evidence of her close relationship to her many followers. Grider shares her flower-follies, gives tips on growing and even warns customers of impending weather threats to their “adopted” plants.

“I’ve been growing plants since 1985,” said Grider. “When I started Gardening Angel in 2001, my original thought was to go wholesale. It turns out that the best part of this job is the people I meet. I have the most fun when I visit with someone who comes up to see the flowers. I asked a lady how she was doing and she said to me ‘good now that I’m here’. It’s good to make other people feel good. Who doesn’t love flowers?”

With 5 greenhouses and over 2,000 flats per greenhouse on 5 acres, Grider’s work is never done. Ordering starts in September along with clean up, organizing the shop and making lists. Planting starts in December, filling flats and prepping. By January, Grider calls in the staff including a Transplanter, more clean up and flats to fill.

“May is our busiest month,” said Grider. “We are only open for 4 crazy months and we don’t have much that doesn’t sell. Flowers sell first and by mid-May people feel safe to start planting their veggies. I never thought I could do what I’ve done with this place; I wasn’t a real ‘business’ person. I had friends I trusted give me good advice who told me to go for it and I did. I didn’t know what a greenhouse was until I met Lance. I owe all this to him.”

Grider is focused on her customers’ needs including adding heavy-duty weed mats throughout the greenhouses as well as outside. Customers in wheelchairs or with strollers easily maneuver about and weeds are nowhere to be found.

“Come see us and be happy,” said Grider. “We’ll let you adopt some of our flowers, too.”

Gardening Angel Greenhouse, 1990 W South Slope, 398-7741. Open M-Sat: 9-6 and Sun: 10-4.

River’s Edge Rehabilitation and Living Center

“We try to change the day in the life for our residents,” said Owen Hammond, Administrator. “We focus on the ‘right’ care, appropriate care. We’re here to beef up our patients and get them healthy so that when they go home, they aren’t readmitted shortly after.” 

River’s Edge was recently chosen for as the “Spotlight” by the Gem County Chamber. In 2011, Qualis Health, a non-profit improving healthcare, did a pilot study to help decrease the readmit rate from skilled nursing facilities and Rehabs back into acute care hospitals. River’s Edge is one of two sites, both in Idaho, for having the lowest rates in the entire nation for re-admission.

 “Some people have the perception that you get better care ‘over the hill’”, said Doug Bodily, Operations Manager. “At River’s Edge they can get not only good care but great care.”

 River’s Edge, formerly Emmett Rehab, is licensed for 74 patients yet remains underutilized by local residents needing short term rehabilitation or long-term care.

 “There are so many benefits for our locals to choose to get care, to rehab, locally,” said Hammond. “We want you to know that it is your choice to decide where you ‘discharge’. If you are admitted to an acute care hospital over the hill, the discharge planners often push a local facility to them rather than the patient. Patients have rights and need to have family and friends close to them. We will pick them up at the hospital and bring them “home” to Emmett to rehab here as well as customize their care.”

 According to Hammond and Bodily, any care offered in Boise is available at River’s Edge. The list of services offered includes Skilled Nursing, Nursing Rehabilitation and Therapy.

 Skilled Nursing Services include Stroke Recovery, Orthopedic Care, Wound Management, Post-surgical Recovery, Post-operative Ostomy care, Injections and IV therapy.

 Nursing Rehabilitation includes Pain Management, Diabetes Management, Neurological and Neuromuscular Care, Restorative Nursing, Advanced Care Planning and Discharge Planning with an extensive network of community resources.

 Therapy services after surgery, stroke or other trauma include Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy. Individualized Therapy Services are also available.

 “It’s all about the transitions of care,” said Hammond. “Acute care in a hospital is short-term and expensive. Skilled nursing care, like at River’s Edge, is short-term lasting an average of 25 days and is transitional. We focus on the small things, the little details, to make it easiest to participate in their therapies, get stronger and go home.”

 River’s Edge is licensed by the State of Idaho and is certified by Medicare and Medicaid to provide skilled nursing care.

River’s Edge, 714 N. Butte Ave, 365-4425, www.RiversEdgeRehab.com.