Serenity Garden | McMinnville Garden Club
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.
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 developed by the McMinnville 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 provided by WVMC.
This is to be a long-term project of the McMinnville Garden Club. Phase 1 began in the Spring of 2021 with flower baskets being placed outside the Cancer Center’s treatment windows which face the Serenity Garden site. Winter baskets were also installed in the Oct. of 2021 then again Spring ones in March 2022. These will be provided yearly. Phase 2 added trees in January of 2022 to help block the loading dock on the west side of the berm. More trees as well as boulders in December of 2022 were installed. Additional phases are being implemented as funds are available.
Current Serenity Garden Planning team members are Jan Clay, Linda Hansen, and Patty Sorensen (chair). The financial committee members are Stephanie Janik and Else Carpenter.
The site is located adjacent to the WVMC’s south side and to the west of the Cancer Center. Patients undergoing cancer treatments look directly at the garden.
This is a long-term project of the McMinnville Garden Club that will be rolled out in 5 phases:
Phase 1 (2021+)
Install flower baskets for the Cancer Center back windows beginning Spring/Summer 2021-22.
To Do:
- Baskets to be continued with Garden Club Budget funds yearly.
Completed:
- 2021: $2,500 Garden Club Funds Hospital drip system/water (4 baskets)
- 2022+: $1,500 yearly Designated Garden Club Funds (3 baskets)
Funding: Garden Club, hospital, and public contributions
Phase 2 (Fall/Winter 2021-22)
Begin initial plantings as per Serenity Garden landscape plan
To Do:
- Plantings and bark dust as needed yearly.
Completed 2021-22:
- Plant 8 trees identified in the landscape plan on the west side berm to block the view of loading dock.
- Install seven donated large boulders.
- Bark dust as needed.
Funding: Garden Club, hospital, and public contributions
Phase 3 (Winter 2022+)
Coordinate and install to main area of the site the majority of the landscape plan projects which can be implemented in short increments.
To Do:
- Install concrete pathways throughout the garden.
- Add pathway and landscape lighting throughout.
- Renovate plantings around current water feature once it is repaired by hospital. Continue to plant trees, perennials, shrubs, and bulbs.
- Bark dust and compost as needed.
Next:
- 6 steel benches $900 +each
- 3 benches Dec. 2023
Completed:
- PR presentations at several organizations and the local Farmers Market as well as TV coverage.
- Plant 3 Zelkova trees near the Serenity Garden sign to begin grove.
- Add QR Code and Donate button on Serenity Garden section of website.
- Coordinate the placement of large art piece donated by the McMinnville Committee for Public Art.
- Volunteers from middle/high school service groups helped remove hundreds of old daylilies.
- Complete area for a 7-foot donated pagoda to be placed in the center of pressed rock area as one of the three seating locations.
- Lighting for pagoda.
- Install entry arch.
- Bark dust and plants.
- 470 donated daffodil bulbs planted and added compost.
Funding: Designated Garden Club funds plus entry arch request; hospital; grant; public contributions.
Phase 4
- Install a small water feature in center of lower berm, visible from the Cancer Center, covered seating area and pergola seating area.
- Install small water feature at base of berm.
- Continue plantings, bark dust and compost.
- Budget Estimate $3,500
Funding: Garden Club, hospital, grants, and public contributions
Phase 5
- Add pergola and concrete base to create covered seating west of back hospital door area with wheelchair access.
- Add pergola and concrete base.
- Continue plantings, bark dust and compost.
- Budget Estimate $10,000
Funding: Garden Club, hospital, grants, and public contributions
Project Expenditures as of 10/2023
- McMinnville Garden Club: $8,312
- Other organizations’ donations: $1,268
- Community donations: $4,254
- TOTAL: $13,834
For more information, contact:
Patty Sorensen
Serenity Garden Chair
McMinnville Garden Club
pdsorensen@comcast.net
Updated 10/2023
