The community, which includes 240 units, covers 90 acres in the town, and before the recent initiative almost 80 percent of the landscape was unused.
In addition to the garden, there are five miles of walking trails, woods and wetlands open to the public.
The garden provided two residents in particular, Pat Pope and Betty Hollister, an opportunity to share their love of plants with their peers, as they put together a booklet identifying the various flora on display.
"I like to call it a living laboratory because it is a great place to learn," Hollister told the news source. "It's an actual representation of what we have out here. It's a great way to learn about individual plants and groups that grow in masses."
The news garden can serve as a way for the older adults to stimulate their mind as they age. According to USA Today, recent studies have shown that an active mind may be able to delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
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