Veterans Home, East Ventura

Veterans Home, Ventura

Veterans Home of California, Ventura is a residential assisted-living home for 60 retired veterans. The location offers veterans an opportunity for interesting and creative outdoor activities. There are several inviting gardens for enjoyment or opportunities for interested residents to try their hand at gardening.

The showcase garden is a memorial rose garden that has over 100 roses. It is surrounded by a native garden planted as a habitat for migrating birds, bees and butterflies. This pollinator garden is recognized and supported by the Xerces Society, an invertebrate conservation non-profit organization. There is also a Rosie the Riveter Memorial Rose Garden and an Honor Rose Garden.

The large established orchard is home to citrus, stone, and other fruit trees.

Master Gardeners in partnership with residents installed the original succulent garden which was named by a resident “La Madonna” Succulent Garden. A statue of a native women, La Madonna, sits in the garden overlooking the three Chumash grinding bowls that were found on the property. MGs have since expanded the use of succulents in other areas of the garden.

A large section of the property, called the phenology gardens, is devoted to California native plants and various landscape trees that provide food and shelter for wildlife. Also, a Chumash garden area honors the site’s history of once being the site of a Chumash village.

Due to budget constraints, the gardens are generously supported by community donations and volunteers who love this site and the CalVet residents.

Master Gardeners  who choose to volunteer at this site  are responsible for maintaining the gardens including weeding, trimming, and giving advice on proper care for trees, shrubs and other plants. MGs continue to create new planting areas.

Objectives:

- To support the vision and goals of the Ventura Veterans Home.

- To provide a comfortable and engaging setting for volunteers working with veterans.

- To promote and demonstrate UC science-based gardening practices.

- To support the goals of the UCCE Master Gardener program by hosting public workshops and continuing education trainings.

Activities:

- Practice and maintain regular gardening practices, including weeding, cleaning, deadheading, planting as needed.    

- Interact with retired veterans, the first and foremost focus at this site.

- Have fun, and encourage veterans and volunteers at the site.

Volunteer Workdays:

- Tuesday and Friday – 8:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Veterans Home of Ventura Website