Tranquility blooms at Iredell Memorial garden

Credit: Bruce Matlock photo

The Iredell Memorial Hospital meditation garden was designed and built as a team project by the hospital’s volunteer staff.

By: Bethany Fuller | Mooresville Tribune
Published: October 03, 2009

The small garden at the entrance of Iredell Memorial Hospital has produced different kinds of rewards.
For patients and family members, the Lillie B. VanHoy Meditation Garden is a small retreat from the various health-related issues bringing them to the Brookdale Drive hospital. Staff members use it as a getaway during their lunch breaks.

The garden was also rewarded by North Carolina Hospital Volunteers by being named the 2009 Community Related State Project Award winner. The garden was a group project chosen by the volunteer staff at Iredell Memorial.

"It was a volunteers project, but we had a lot of help from employees in the hospital, which made it a team project in my point of view," said Iredell Memorial Volunteer Services Coordinator Frankie Coggins. "I think they really enjoy it. It's really peaceful."

The meditation garden, which boasts a variety of flowers and bushes, sitting areas and a large water fountain, was financed through a series of fundraisers held by the junior and senior volunteers. The garden was dedicated to honor Lillie Van Hoy, who has been a charter member of the hospital volunteers since 1954.

"We think it's wonderful," said Nurse Messenger Gladys Austin. "It's such a relaxing area."

Austin said she enjoyed the wide variety of colors and blooms used in creating the space.

"Just that fountain running gives you peace and tranquility," said Volunteer Helen Ferron.

General Surgeon Dr. Roger Roark, an avid gardener, worked with the hospital volunteers to design the garden.

He said he wanted to capture the feeling he often gets when exiting the hospital. The open expanse of blue sky often relieves some of the heaviness that comes from being in the hospital, he said.

"It is just a real contrast to that feeling in the hospital," Roark said. "It was a wonderful project. I'm just happy that it really turned out and people like it."

Roark said the entire process of working with the volunteers and the hospital staff to find the right plants and layout was a fun experience.