Residents of the Waters of Martinsville have had extra reasons to smile recently with 12 wishes being granted by Never Too Late, a senior wish-granting organization in Indianapolis.

And the smiles should just keep coming with one of the latest wishes - a hanging garden in the courtyard, complete with tomato plants and plenty of flowers.

"The residents watched every minute as it went up," said Erin Canada, Activities Director at the nursing home.

The garden was installed by Morgan County Master Gardeners Neta Phelps, Marilynn Bickley, Ruth Phelps and Catherine Luker. Never Too Late provided more than $400. Ace Hardware donated tomato plants, Kroger gave flowers and Bender Lumber and Lees Supply gave discounts on the materials.

"While we were putting it up, so many people stopped and said "Wow! Flowers," Bickley said.

The wish came about at the request of Merlin King, 89, after NTL Founder Bob Haverstick visited the nursing home soliciting wishes.

"They were looking, deciding what to do and I said, 'put out a hanging garden," King said. "They had never heard of a hanging garden. I had to tell them what it was."

The garden was completed about 2 weeks ago and residents' mouths are watering as tomatoes can already be seen sprouting.

"They were asking about getting the tomatoes before we were even finished," King said, adding that next year they want to make it even bigger.

While King's wish will likely make residents happy for quite a while, it wasn't the only one being granted in the last couple of month's. Haverstick's organization has funded and helped grant 12 wishes, one of which was detailed in April when Herschel Fischer turned 100 years old.

Other wishes include $275 for new outfits for Rick Simmons, who was paralyzed from an auto accident; $350 for a new wheelchair for Sharon Brooks; $471 for John and Vera Hamblin to take the honeymoon they didn't get when they were married 51 years ago; and many others.

Canada hopes these wishes are just the beginning, because there is so much need at the Waters.

"I worked at Miller's Merry Manor in Mooresville where we did a lot with Bob," Canada said. "When I came here I saw that there was an incredible need here."