and the Ronald McDonald House Backyard Garden

Since 2005, Master Gardeners have enjoyed creating therapeutic garden spaces at two local hospitals.

At the Johnson City Medical Center, visitors, patients, and staff members enjoy gardens that are designed to reduce stress and provide a sense of hope and renewal.

Tropical plants have been added indoors in several high traffic areas, providing a calm and interesting diversion for those who view them.

The Master Gardeners are on site once a week throughout the year. Because the gardens are located near entrances to the hospital, the gardeners are very visible and easily accessible to anyone who has gardening questions. They field a variety of impromptu and wide ranging inquiries.

Woodridge Hospital is a 75-bed facility that provides mental health and chemical dependency services for children, adolescents and adults. The Master Gardeners plant and maintain several gardens on the property.

An entrance garden welcomes patients and visitors.

The gazebo garden offers a pleasant place for visitors to rest and relax.

A butterfly garden provides interest in a patient courtyard.

Fall asters brighten the landscape.

Ronald McDonald House Backyard Garden

Our newest work location is the Ronald McDonald House, which is a temporary housing facility for families whose children are patients at the Niswonger Children’s Hospital. It is on the JCMC property, so it is easy for us to incorporate work there into our regular work schedule. 

We were asked to give some guidance on improving the backyard family garden. We were able to clean up some overgrown plants, and remove some vigorous ivy. 

Colorful annuals, perennials and shrubs were added around the perimeter of the yard and in the large raised bed.

Ronald McDonald staff members and visiting families are enjoying the improvements to the backyard garden.

All hospital garden volunteers have attained Master Gardener certification

and have completed the Hospital Volunteer Orientation Program.