The healthcare systems have begun to recognize the benefits that nature can bring when incorporated into a Healing Garden within their Medical Centers.  This realization has been supported by statistics showing that there are direct and beneficial health outcomes attributed to access and views to nature.  The evidence as it relates to gardens has proven to the healthcare community that patients heal faster, need fewer medications, lowers stress levels for staff and administrators, and develop more favorable image of the medical center¹ in Communities nearby.  These all translate in more income to the healthcare providers.  These health and capital outcomes have  raised the priority for all healthcare systems to include healing gardens, therapeutic gardens, outdoor gathering areas and a wide variety of opportunities to access nature on new expansion projects. 

I tend to address these and Healing Environments because there are so many different types of garden areas found on the medical center campus’ all of which contribute to a healing outcome.  The Healing Garden though, is one that should be central to the campus with access to multiple facility buildings.  At Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, the healing garden is central to the Heart Center, Ambulatory Services Center, the new West Tower and main hospital.  It offers opportunities for many participants to take a break, find respite, watch the waterfalls and garden landscape, or get physical therapy.  The healing garden will provide patients, visitors and staff access to Nature and its power to heal.

1. Health Facilities Management, “Great Outdoors-Developing a master plan for exterior spaces” by Julie Manning and Laurel Macdonald, February 2007, page 26

The Healing Environment Master Plan was developed to guide the Samaritan Health Services facilities in the provision of healing environments on a system-wide basis and delivered site specific needs.  Understanding what constitutes a “healing garden” is the foundation of this plan.

A philosophy was developed to identify these “Each of the Samaritan Health Systems facilities incorporates healing principles into the environment, ensuring the presence of tranquility, beauty, comfort, and safety for the benefit of patients, families, visitors and staff.  Now we were able to identify the different types of healing environments like; Borrowed Landscape, Covered Garden, Front Entry, Landscape Grounds, Meditation Gardens, Healing Gardens, Therapeutic Gardens and etc.

Each of five community hospitals and two senior communities were visited and evaluated with regard to the condition of the landscape, the access to nature and what kinds of healing environments existed and were lacking.

The Master Plan developed a system-wide action plan which identified healing gardens, healing environment and specific opportunities to be pursued that elevate the level of healing environment development throughout the system.  These were then costed out and prioritized so that funding sources could be identified.

McMinnville, Oregon

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Our landscape design for the new Oncology Center at Willamette Valley Hospital features views to the natural environment from the treatment rooms while careful placement of ornamenal trees screen the patients from view, a fully landscaped therapeutic health track with picnic tables for visitor and staff breaks, and a donor funded birdbath and fountain.

Oregon City, Oregon

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A new ER, Imaging and Pharmacy addition provided the opportunity to re-image and unify the whole campus landscape.   Patients now feel more connected with their natural environment through beautiful views and visitors are greeted with a soothing water feature and entry plaza where families can sit and wait for loved ones.

Klamath Falls, Oregon

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The Sky Lakes Medical Center incorporated a  number of Healing Environments both inside and out.  Visitors are greeted in the lobby with a beautiful courtyard garden and water screen.  Here the lobby completely surrounds this garden with views and access to the natural setting.     A center piece of this design is a 5,700 square foot healing garden on the second floor.  It features a variety of seating areas,  a shading arbor, quiet meditation areas, as well a labyrinth, all on the rooftop over the operating rooms.   Another rooftop terrace which overlooks the lobby courtyard is for the staff so they can get some fresh air and a break from their duties.  All of these gardens and the site landscaping were designed with plantings that were tolerant of the cold winters and hot summers characteristic of the Klamath Falls region.

The Wallowa Community Hospital project was a new ground up healthcare facility located in Enterprise, Oregon.  The landscape included a water feature at the entrance of the new medical center, site landscaping and a Healing Garden with walking trails and seating areas for staff, visitors and patients to gain access to the beautiful Wallowa views.  Our approach was sustainable in taking the stormwater runoff into naturalized creek/swales then flowing into a wetland pond.  Careful plant selections focused on native plants that would withstand the cold and snowy winters and fend off roving wild life.

Eugene, Oregon

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Macdonald Environmental Planning was engaged on this University District campus to design the pubic courtyards for patients, staff and family members to enjoy.  The courtyards were planned to promote access to natural plantings, water features and gathering areas for healing purposes.  Three water features were designed to make the gardens tranquil and meditative in order to increase mental outlook during recovery time.  Sustainable features were used as well with the addition of living greenwalls and a rain fed spillway was incorporated for viewing from the public cafeteria.  Also, a Behaviorial Health garden was developed for the safe and guided access for patients having difficulties with mental stability issues.