Outdoor Healing Garden a Sanctuary for Residents

By Jennifer Stuttss

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For years, residents of the Weinberg Village Assisted Living Facility in Tampa, Fla., longed for an outdoor space to call their own, a place where they could interact with friends, connect with nature and enjoy the warm, fresh air. Facilities and infrastructure consulting firm Reynolds, Smith & Hills, Inc. provided pro-bono landscape and hardscape planning services to create a safe and attractive ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Although the Village sits on a nature-filled, 21-acre campus with a pond, its lawn remained underused and lack of shade made it an almost unbearable place for residents to relax or congregate, particularly during Florida?EUR??,,????'?????<

A shaded arbor was designed to protect residents from the sun. Assorted herbs such as purple and silver Lovegrass, Fountain Grass and Society Garlic were used to engage their senses of sight, hearing, smell and touch.

Many residents attempted their own makeshift accommodations, like sprawling potted plants on top of high wooden tables so they could garden throughout the seasons. Mismatched chairs and benches dominated most of the paved area that made up the small, crowded patio, and two bare picnic tables stood in the middle of the lawn in patches of green and brown grass.

In 2005, Dr. Barry Zeltzer, director of the Weinberg Village at the time, contacted national facilities and infrastructure consulting firm RS&H in hopes that its team of landscape architects in Tampa could come up with a plan that would transform the space into an outdoor sanctuary.

According to Ron Sill, RLA, ASLA, LEED???????(R)???????+???????(R)??????oe???? AP and Community Design Service Group Leader at RS&H, residents and staff at the Village knew they wanted an attractive outdoor seating area, but lacked a clear vision or plan for achieving it.

The RS&H team decided on a ?EUR??,,????'?????<

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The outdoor area was redesigned with a centered fountain along with new fencing which provides a protective environment; an easily navigable route and paved sidewalks, which allow residents in wheelchairs to enjoy the facilities.

RS&H carefully selected safe plant material and surface treatments (i.e., plants that aren?EUR??,,????'?????<

Additionally, the paved sidewalks and raised planter beds allow residents in wheelchairs to move about freely and partake in gardening as therapy. Barbara Gerson, current director of the Weinberg Village, says, ?EUR??,,????'?????<

RS&H also assisted Weinberg Village by corresponding with contractors and suppliers to provide labor and materials at a lower cost or as a donation, Bryan said.

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