Serenity Garden

Grow Serenity Garden

The Serenity Garden is a multi-year project to provide a place of respite at the hospital for community members, patients, family, friends, and employees. Located near the Cancer Center, it will be funded by the McMinnville Garden Club, community contributions, and a partnership with WVMC.

Detailed information and contribution details follow.

Upcoming Serenity Garden Activities

Serenity Garden Work Session - Thursday, May 20, 2025

Vision

The Serenity Garden at the Willamette Valley Medical Center is designed to enhance the well-being of the community, patients, their families, friends and WVMC employees through exposure to calm restorative effects of nature.

Mission

To provide our community’s hospital, Willamette Valley Medical Center, with a Serenity Garden which will be available for community access and to those served by WVMC as a respite for contemplation, relaxation, and healing of the mind, body, and soul.

The Serenity Garden at the Willamette Valley Medical Center is being provideveloped ille Garden Club in coordination with the WVMC through a five Phase Plan.

It is located adjacent to the WVMC’s south side and to the west of the Cancer Center. WVMC has graciously provided the site. Patients undergoing cancer treatments look directly at the Garden, also others who enter the South door of the facility as well as users of the community walking path located there.

Contributions, grants, and Garden Club funds will be used to purchase trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs, grasses, a water feature, pathways, benches, a pergola, garden art and limited signage. Irrigation, lighting, and ongoing maintenance will be funded by the McMinnville Garden Club, community contributions, and a partnership with WVMC.

Detailed information and contribution details follow.

Implementation Phases

Click to expand the sections below

Agreement Signed: 2019
The McMinnville Garden Club team visited and researched hospital “healing” gardens and Selected the title of “Serenity Garden” for this project. They discussed site and possible landscape/art plans, selected landscape plan, and determined an initial budget.
Phase 1: 2021-2022
1. Installed three flower baskets from Country Gardens for the Cancer Center back windows beginning Spring/Summer 2021 and Fall/Winter 2021-2 (WVMC placed hangers and irrigation lines.
Funding:
- 2021-2: $2,500 Garden Club Funds 4 baskets, changed to 3 in 2022 due to sun exposure.
- 2022+: $1,200+ yearly from designated Garden Club Funds.
Phase 2: 2021-2023
1. Plant trees on the west side berm to block the view of the loading dock and near entry. Place seven donated large boulders. Plantings will continue throughout the phases.
2. Publicity plan developed. Led by PR team member presentations made to several groups.
3. Large national AARP grant written for plants.
4. McMinnville Garden Tour participant.
5. Weeding, pruning and adding bark dust completed by club members.
Funding: Garden Club, hospital, and public contributions/donations
Phase 3: 2023
- Completed area for a 7-foot donated pagoda to be placed in the center of pressed rock area as one of the seating locations.
- Coordinated the placement of a large art piece donated by the McMinnville Committee for Public Art.
- Installed concrete pathway on north end.
- Added concrete pad for gazebo.
- Installed Entry Arch.
- Installed dressed rock circular seating area with donated pagoda at the center.
- Added lighting to pagoda.
- Installed Red Art Piece from McMinnville Art installation WVMC built cement pad.
- Purchased 3 donated benches $900 +each 2 seaters.
- Installed Entry Arch designed and built by local tradesman $3,000 Stained by club members.
- Daylilies were removed throughout the site by HS Lions Club members/garden club members.
- Purchased $200 worth of daffodils and 200 donated bulbs planted Fall 2023.
- Continued to plant perennials, shrubs, and bulbs in Serenity Garden area.
- Grants were written from local and national groups by team chair. 3 local and 1 national were awarded.
- Received a grant for $1058 awarded by the National Garden Club’s Plant America Community Grant.
- Weeding, pruning and adding bark dust completed by club members and volunteers.
Phase 4: 2024
- Purchased 3 seat donated bench, $1000 each.
- Planted additional shrubs, groundcover and perennials from National Garden Club grant.
- Included vegetable annuals in preparation for the McMinnville Garden Tour.
- Participated as a McMinnville Garden Tour garden.
- Partnered with pottery studio for a pottery plate art piece. Members who had personal wellness involvement with WVMC painted the plates. Members designed and created the art installation.
- 4 more trees and 6 more boulders were added.
- Added a gazebo and bench seating west of back hospital door area with wheelchair access.
- Coordinated the building of the gazebo with the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Team.
- Moved trees/shrubs not thriving in wet conditions.
  Built the existing berms higher.
- Spread chips around the sidewalk entry and beds.
- Weeding, pruning and adding bark dust was performed by McMinnville Garden Club members and volunteers.
Phase 5: 2025 (Current)
- Recruit a new PR team member.
- Install stained trellis for plate art along slope walkway, securely attach plates.
- Install a small gravel pathway up to plate art from gazebo.
- Work with WVMC to discuss future additions and try to resolve irrigation issues.
- Add annuals to berms.
- Research adding main pathway from pagoda area to south (cement or gravel? Cost?).
- Add chips over additional planting areas to eliminate grass Fall 2025.
- Weeding, pruning and adding bark dust by club members and volunteers as needed.
Phase 6: 2026 (Planned)
- Add Grid 1 shrubs/plants as possible if irrigation solved.
- Add plantings Grid 2 as funding becomes available.
- Add plantings Grid 3 as funding becomes available.
- Finalize grassy area (metal edging?).
- Finish gravel pathway on hill west of gazebo (costs?).
- Research accepting donated planned plants as needed.
- Design and add signage Serenity Garden.
- Hold GRAND OPENING celebration!
Budget to be prioritized annually as funding becomes available.

Benches to be installed at serenity garden

Funding & Expenditures

total project cost: $50,000

Funding	Amount
McMinnville Garden Club	$13,302
McMinnville Garden Club	$13,302	Donations (Organizations, Community, Grants)	$14,744
Total Expenditures (Phases 1-4)	$28, 500	Donations (Organizations, Community, Grants)	$14,744

funds on hand: $1,660

remaining need: $19,840

Ongoing Expenditure Commitment

Item	Amount
Flower Baskets (2024 +)	$1,100/yr

Future Projects | Costs fo Complete the Serenity Garden

Item	Amount
FIRST: Drainage: adding pipe and catch basins.	$3,000
FIRST: Drainage: adding pipe and catch basins.	$3,000	SECOND: Install West path to continue sidewalk with ¼ minus rock and edgings	$3,600
THIRD: Install East path to continue sidewalk with ¼ minus rock and edging	$3,120		$3,600
	$3,120	FOURTH: Install shredded cedar path without edging amongst trees	$1,428
FINAL: Completion of Gazebo	$2,640		$1,428
FINAL: Completion of Gazebo	$2,640	FINAL Addition of Art	$2,200
FINAL: Completion of plantings and finishing touches	$3,854	FINAL Addition of Art	$2,200
FINAL: Completion of plantings and finishing touches	$3,854	TOTAL	$19,840

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the history of the Serenity Garden Project?
In 2019 three members of the McMinnville Garden Club began researching developing and designing a local public garden project. The idea of a garden at the hospital near the Cancer Center was at the top of the list as two of the members had successfully completed cancer treatment and the other’s son had recently passed away from a rare form of leukemia.
How did you go about designing the Serenity Garden?
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.
How did you select the Serenity Garden site?
With our basic plan developed, we approached the Willamette Valley Medical Center (WVMC) in McMinnville to ask them to partner with us to create the garden at their site.

After selecting the most appropriate site, an agreement was reached for this partnership project. The Serenity Garden would be located in an area viewable from the Cancer Treatment Center on the backside of the WVMC next to their southern entrance and across the street from their public walking path.

The garden club is very grateful to the WVMC for this partnership!

Aerial Image
Who actually designed the layout of the Serenity Garden?
The original team worked with another garden club member whose background is in landscape design to formulate a basic concept for the garden’s plan. This allowed us to break the implementation plan into various phases and create a beginning budget knowing it would need to be adjusted as the landscape plan was implemented throughout the five phases.

Three additional garden club members volunteered to be on the Serenity Garden team and a financial team established.

The membership of the garden club is updated regularly about the project and also votes for support various parts of the plan. They have been actively involved in donating and working at the site.
How were the Serenity Garden development phases determined?
The Serenity Garden team worked to detail the opportunities and challenges of the site, funding options, and the communications necessary between the two partners for implementation. With these in mind, logical phases were developed to match the project’s vision and a feasible timeline. We are mindful that as we progress through the phases, revisions will need to be implemented as challenges present themselves.

Phase One added flower baskets near the treatment windows of the Cancer Center (which are replaced two times yearly). What has been accomplished by the end of 2023?

Phase Two began with the planting of trees at the top of the berm to block the sunken bay where large delivery and treatment vehicles parked. The placement of donated boulders and fresh bark dust in the flower beds were added in the Spring. Cleanups and various plantings occur throughout all of the phases.

Phase Three started when a large art sculpture installation was placed on site by the McMinnville Committee for Public Art. Next we added a circular seating area near the hospital entry with a large lit donated pagoda in the center. Then one hundred and seventy donated daffodil bulbs were planted in September. Finally, in the late Fall of 2023 the entry arch was installed.

Phases Four and Five are not expected to be accomplished quickly. Revisions and funding will determine our timeline. Please check our website listed below for additional information.
What are the next steps for the Serenity Garden?
In 2024 we plan to complete a section of the concrete pathway, install three donated benches, and plant a number of plants funded by our selection as a recipient of a National Garden Club’s Plant America grant.

Donated benches will be designated by a small plaque with the name of the family on the side of the bench. We have three more benches to purchase. The garden will also be on the 2024 Garden Tour as the Bonus Garden on June 9, 2024.
How is the Serenity Garden funded?
Many details are provided in the documents on this site, but our primary funding sources are:
- McMinnville Garden Club’s tour funds
- Hospital partnership components
- Local fundraisers
- Local and national grants
- Gifts from individuals
We also receive “donations of labor” from hardworking folks in our community for various projects.
Can I make a donation to the Serenity Garden Project?
Certainly!

If you would like to make your donation via credit/debit card, Donate Here

If you prefer using a check, it should be sent to:

McMinnville Garden Club Serenity Garden
PO Box 386
McMinnville, OR 97128

You will receive a letter which can be used for your taxable dollars.

If you are a member of a service club that would be willing to have a presentation given at one of your meetings, please contact us below

Thank you for your support. We have a lot more we hope to achieve, as more funds become available.

Don’t forget to drive by the site to watch it develop!
How can I get involved with the Serenity Garden?
Just send us a note below and we’ll get you plugged in!
How much progress has been made on the Serenity Garden Project?
Phase Two began with the planting of trees at the top of the berm to block the sunken bay where large delivery and treatment vehicles parked. The placement of donated boulders and fresh bark dust in the flower beds were added prior to Spring.

Cleanups and various plantings occur throughout all of the phases.

Phase Three started with a large art sculpture installation was placed on site by the McMinnville Committee for Public Art.

Next we added a circular seating area near the hospital entry with a large lit donated pagoda in the center. Then one hundred and seventy donated daffodil bulbs were planted that September.

Finally in the late Fall of 2023 the entry arch was installed.