Our team visited multiple hospital gardens in the Willamette Valley noting what we felt made them successful and what their challenges were. In addition, we consulted with professionals who had previously worked on such gardens.
Most of these gardens were called a “Healing Garden”. The name “Serenity Garden” was selected for our project to match our vision statement which evolved to creating a peaceful respite for the public and those who found themselves involved in medical journeys.
We also were struck by how cluttered some gardens appeared. They contained lots of art, signs, and bright colors. To us this did not encourage users to enjoy a calm retreat. Therefore, we chose to limit art, memorial signs and keep the color palette simple.
We felt this did not encourage the type of calm garden we were striving to create. By limiting signage and not designating items as memorials we hoped the garden would allow users to relax and reflect.
Once our vision and mission statements were finalized, the garden club’s membership approved them, and we began our journey.
