By Melanie Petrucci, Contributing Writer
Photos/Melanie Petrucci
Shrewsbury – Throughout the long, hot summer, gardeners faced many challenges. But for one Shrewsbury resident, Joe Macchi, 94, who lives at Westbrook Crossing, there was one special reason he persevered. His beautiful garden, that he designed and maintains himself on the lawn in front of his immaculate home, is a way to honor his beloved wife, Patricia.
Patricia, 91, suffered a massive stroke roughly a year and a half ago. She is now in nursing care at the Coleman House in Northborough.
“She will never come home because the stroke took her arm and her leg… so she will never walk,” he said.
The flower bed is surrounded by a rock wall that he built himself with stones he has collected. The flowers change every year and he noted that this year he went for a brighter palette.
“People have been coming up and taking pictures and getting out their scratch pads and writing down this flower and that flower,” he reflected. “One lady told me yesterday, ‘Thanks for making this place look beautiful.’”
When asked what flowers he has in his garden, he replied: “Ageratums, begonias, sedums, mums of course and I’ve got new guinea impatiens and irises, but they are gone now.”
His wife was an interior decorator and especially likes roses, but he hadn’t had much success with those until this year. He has one, he noted, that is doing well in his backyard.
Macchi lives independently with his pet cat and keeps very active. As such, he is already planning next year’s garden.
“I’m going to start it after these are all gone and start building the [rock] wall up a bit higher,” he said.
