Nature’s Rx: A tranquil space

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/07/2023 (1183 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Through the ages, scientists have explored every aspect of nature – plant species, fungi, soils, wildlife, landscape, climate – but new discoveries are still being made and we continue to learn. Research is also leading to new knowledge about the impact of nature on people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing. With mental health issues on the rise, the healing benefits of gardens are becoming an integral part of hospital-based services. Championed by dedicated hospital staff and funded by passionate donors, gardens within a hospital setting support wellness programs and can be accessed by patients, staff, and visitors. Victoria Hospital is a leading example.

Situated on 14.7 acres in south Winnipeg, Victoria Hospital has two outdoor plant-filled gardens that are restorative environments — the Miracle Garden which opened in 2014 and now Tranquility Trail which opened July 20. Recently I had a chance to walk through Tranquility Trail with Nicole Chammartin, chief executive officer, Victoria Hospital Foundation. “We see the evidence building about the link between nature and wellness and how people not only stay well but recover and continue to be resilient,” she says. “The Miracle Garden was designed to support the oncology program at the Vic and is an early example of how a natural environment can benefit people. We saw Tranquility Trail as an opportunity to expand on our vision with programming that will include arts and crafts, yoga, cultural ceremonies, and opportunities for gardening. It’s a very different space. There is much more greenspace, more area for walking and for being in nature in a different way.”

Tranquility Trail is located on the grounds of Victoria Hospital at the corner of Pembina Highway and Dartmouth Drive. A linear pathway of crushed gravel winds its way beneath a leafy canopy of deciduous and coniferous trees. The garden is framed by a low cedar fence. There are benches and large granite boulders for sitting, a beautiful cedar arbor with open beams, lush green grass, a forage garden, built-in garden boxes that will provide an opportunity to engage in gardening, and a unique art space. There is lighting in the garden for evening use but it is subtle – a kind of glowing, night-sky friendly lighting that is meant to create ambience.

Both the Miracle Garden and Tranquility Trail were designed by HTFC Planning and Design who worked closely with the mental health team at Victoria Hospital. Monica Giesbrecht, principal, has specialized in designing healing gardens for much of her career. “The two sites have different climate conditions,” she says. “The Miracle Garden has less shade and more opportunity for sun loving plants and water features which act as a soothing, calming element. Tranquility Trail has many mature shade trees and more of a woodland feel.

“Our goal was to select plant species that are native and adaptive and attract pollinators and also tactile plants that engage the senses.” A wide range of edible plants that have been planted in the new garden include Smokey Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia), a tall shrub that produces white flowers in spring, an abundance of tasty berries in early summer, and leaves that turn an outstanding yellow in fall. Also known as serviceberry, saskatoon fruits can be eaten fresh or dried. In addition to the sweet fruits, the leaves are used by many Indigenous peoples to make teas.

Aurora Haskap, Honey Bee Haskap, Northblue Blueberry, and Seascape Strawberry will also provide colourful and delicious edible fruits throughout the growing season. Highly productive, Seascape Strawberry sets fruit from midsummer through early fall.

Tranquility Trail has been planted with many plants that will offer a succession of blooms from spring through fall. Shade tolerant perennials include Common Bleeding Heart, Astilbe Vision in Red, Ostrich Fern, and Japanese Painted Fern. The latter is a colourful fern with silvery-grey fronds with purplish-red stems. Sun-loving perennials include Achillea Peter Cottontail Yarrow, Agastache Anise Hyssop, Geranium sanguineum Cranesbill, Caesar’s Brother Siberian Iris, Physostegia virginiana Miss Manners Obedient Plant, and two sedum varieties, Golden Stonecrop and Vera James Stonecrop.

Foliage plants notable for their texture and intriguing colour include Thriller Lady’s Mantle with velvety-soft, light olive-green leaves that sparkle with water droplets after a rain and Double Play Blue Kazoo Spirea, with shades of blue green that turn red in fall.

Fragrant varieties include Dark Purple Bloomerang Lilac which blooms in late spring and again in mid-summer, and Candy Stripe Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata), a ground hugging with cheerful pink, star-shaped flowers.

In addition to existing mature deciduous and coniferous trees, a bushy Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) has been planted along with two Amur maple trees which will provide a beautiful display of red fall colour. The new garden provides cool respite on hot summer days. Natural wood mulch and gravel pathways are permeable surfaces that help excess moisture to drain quickly.

The art space is planted with Echinacea angustifolia Purple Coneflower, Eutrochium maculatum Joe Pye Weed, and Ribbon Grass (Phalaris arundinacea), a perennial bunchgrass with green blades striped with white. A mass planting of Joe Pye Weed, a tall variety that will grow to a height of 1.5 metres, will serve as a screen or buffer. Joe Pye Weed has many traditional uses and grows in damp meadows across southern Canada. Echinacea angustifolia coneflower is native to Manitoba.

The art space is sponsored by Artbeat Studio and includes two massive boulders. “Local artist Kathleen Crosby who does beautiful work has created a painting that will be used for replicating onto the boulder,” says Chammartin. “It will bring art into the garden and be an inspiration for people who are engaging in art therapy.”

Prior to the development of Tranquility Trail, it felt very much like a place you walked through or past, says Giesbrecht. “It was a bit of lost space. I’m excited that we had a chance to transform it into something that really serves the community of patients who need it.” But Tranquility Trail also facilitates a healthy transition back into the community, says Giesbrecht. “It’s a place where people can spend more time in nature, learn coping techniques through activities such as yoga and forest bathing, participate in cultural ceremonies with elders, and have community interactions. The garden is a transitional space where people feel safe as well as an important step towards regaining their independence. If you’re driving down Pembina Highway, you will see Tranquility Trail. It’s a corner garden that reaches out and reaches in.”

Tranquility Trail is open to everyone. “Mental wellness is for all of us,” says Chammartin. “We want to create a space that anyone and everyone can use. The inception of this space really came from Victoria Hospital’s development as a leader in mental health services. Tranquility Trail is an innovative and creative way to support mental wellness for everyone including patients, families, and hospital staff.

The next step will be to look at ways to enhance programming for improving mental and emotional health, said Chammartin. The Will and Mavis Tishinski Tranquility Trail was made possible because of generous donations. To donate, please visit www.TheVicFoundation.ca .

colleenizacharias@gmail.com