Welcome to Maude’s Garden

Maude's Garden is a therapeutic memory garden designed for people living with dementia and their caregivers. We are open to the public.

What is a therapeutic memory garden?

A therapeutic garden is an accessible, plant-filled environment purposefully designed to engage people with the healing and restorative elements of nature. A memory garden is a type of therapeutic garden that offers a protected botanical space for dementia-friendly programming and opportunities. Maude's Garden at the Memory Hub is Washington State's first public memory garden.

A memory garden is also defined by the participation of professionals who lead nature-based activities that encourage sensory exploration, social connection, and emotional well-being. Some of these professionals have specific training in a field called horticultural therapy. You may hear these professionals called horticultural therapists. Those who have worked in Maude's Garden programs include Laura Rumpf, HTR, and Margaret 'Peach' Jack, HTR, who are Registered Horticultural Therapists and Dawn Robinson, who is a Horticultural Therapy Practitioner. All of these passionate individuals have also collaborated with Genevieve Wanucha, Maude's Garden Project Lead, to contribute to the original garden plan, design, or ongoing development of the garden.

About Maude's Garden

A project of the Memory and Brain Wellness Center, Maude's Garden opened March 2022 at the Memory Hub, located beside the Frye Art Museum. Named Maude's Garden in honor of our late community member and advocate Maude M. Ferry, this therapeutic memory garden is designed to enhance the lives of people living with dementia and their families, as well as provide a relaxing, restorative space for all. Maude's Garden is the site of the Garden Discovery Program offered by the MBWC and Seattle Parks and Recreation. We applied and built on the key features of therapeutic landscape design in our process of creating a garden for people living with memory loss and their loved ones, working with Stone Soup Gardens as the contractor for Maude's Garden. The garden's development and upkeep are ongoing and incorporate feedback from community members living with memory loss and caregivers.

Garden Discovery Program

Sensory Engagement

Volunteering

Events & Workshops

Covered Area (Pictured: Dawn Robinson and Peach Jack, HTR)

Therapeutic Horticulture / Nature-Based Activities

What's Growing in the Garden

Study seeking participants for a pilot of a new garden experience
February 20, 2025

You are invited to Maude’s Garden at the Memory Hub. We hope to enroll adults with memory loss and their care partners for a garden experience and focus group on March 19th.
November Garden Discovery Program
November 01, 2024

In today's November Garden Discovery Program, the group explored the fall garden full of flowers and seed heads, savored herbal tea, and shared thoughts about what they noticed and felt grateful for.
September Garden Discovery Program
September 06, 2024

In today's September Garden Discovery Program, we explored the theme of "always alive," which is the translation of "Sempervivum" (Hens and Chicks plants). After the mother plant blooms, it dies; yet little plants growing around its base continue growing, reminding us of the enduring legacies we can all create during our lives.
A Magical ‘Garden of Inspiration’ Art Show!
September 03, 2024

On August 23rd we enjoyed an open-air exhibit of nature-inspired art that was a collaboration between the Memory Hub, UW Memory and Brain Wellness Center, and Elderwise, with support from Era Living Memory Care. The colorful, eclectic art show celebrated nature-inspired art created by the Memory Hub greater community and Elderwise participants, friends and family. The idea was originally inspired by how often Maude's Garden becomes the inspiration for artwork.
Registration for the FALL Garden Discovery Program Open (Oct . - Dec.)
August 02, 2024

Connect with nature and engage in horticultural therapy activities at Maude's Garden with others living with memory loss and friends and family.

Program and Activities Schedule

Garden Discovery Program - Summer

Friday, July 18, 2025 at 10:30am

Join us in the garden at the Memory Hub. Discover changes through the season, engage in nature-based projects, and learn about this public "memory garden," created for people living with dementia and their families in this 3-part series (July 18, August 1, September 5).
Garden Discovery Program - Summer

Friday, August 1, 2025 at 10:30am

Join us in the garden at the Memory Hub. Discover changes through the season, engage in nature-based projects, and learn about this public "memory garden," created for people living with dementia and their families in this 3-part series (July 18, August 1, September 5).
Garden Discovery Program - Summer

Friday, September 5, 2025 at 10:30am

Join us in the garden at the Memory Hub. Discover changes through the season, engage in nature-based projects, and learn about this public "memory garden," created for people living with dementia and their families in this 3-part series (July 18, August 1, September 5).

View more events on our full Calendar

Visit Maude's Garden

Open to the public from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday - Thursday. To enter the garden, visit the Memory Hub front desk. View special events and programs on our calendar.

1021 Columbia St., Seattle, WA 98104

Garden Discovery Program

Our Supporters

Founding Philanthropy:

Richard M. Ferry, Aaron and Gwen Colwell, Carl Westphal, Patricia Klingler

Garden Credits:

Garden/Botanical Design - Laura Rumpf, Margaret ‘Peach’ Jack, Genevieve Wanucha

Garden Construction and Hardscape - Stone Soup Gardens

Spiral acoustic sculture - Acoustic Arts UK, with woodwork by Carl Westphal

Logo - Cal Dobrzynski

Sign - John Stepper II, with staining by Carl Westphal

Volunteering

All positions for garden maintenance volunteers are currently filled. You can always express your interest in Maude's Garden on this form.

I'm Interested!

To sign up for occasional updates about new and ongoing volunteer gardening and garden maintenance opportunities, please email Genevieve Wanucha at gwanucha@uw.edu.

Financial donations support the ongoing development of the therapeutic garden. For donation inquiries, please contact mbecker1@uw.edu.

People

Genevieve Wanucha is the project lead for Maude's Garden at the Memory Hub, as well as the Communications Specialist for the UW Memory and Brain Wellness Center and Memory Hub. She works to ensure that Maude's Garden continues to be a therapeutic space for the dementia community, in terms of the garden's design, health, programming, and community engagement. She leads the garden maintenance and ongoing development projects, with help from volunteers and Stone Soup Gardens. Additionally, Genevieve collaborates with Memory Hub team members to conceive and facilitate garden-related programs and workshops.

Marigrace Becker is UW Memory and Brain Wellness Center's Program Manager for Community Education and Impact and director of the new Memory Hub. She is passionate about building dementia-friendly communities and excited to see the way the Memory Hub will create new opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

Dawn Robinson is a horticultural therapy practitioner with a background in garden design, therapeutic engagement, and community-based initiatives. Since 2008, she has worked at the intersection of people and plants—creating inclusive outdoor environments and leading nature-based experiences that support healing, growth, and connection. She holds a Diploma in Garden Design from the Inchbald School of Design in the UK and is currently completing her Certificate in Horticultural Therapy through the Horticultural Therapy Institute. Her experience includes developing and sustaining school garden initiatives, particularly in underserved communities, and partnering with educators and nonprofits to fund and implement impactful garden-based learning. Dawn’s current work centers on older adults and individuals living with memory loss. She facilitates therapeutic horticulture and nature based activities that encourage sensory exploration, social connection, and emotional well-being.

Margaret (Peach) Jack, MA, CC, GRS, HTS, served as the Landscape Designer in the development of Maude's Garden. She is a registered Horticultural Therapist, in accordance with the American Horticultural Therapy Association guidelines. Peach has long worked to create safe spaces for learning and personal growth, often using classrooms and outdoor settings to offer retreats and special learning environments for children and adults. Peach now offers nature-based activities in several programs held at the Memory Hub.

Laura Rumpf, HTR, is the Healing Garden Consultant for the Memory Garden. She is a registered Horticultural Therapist and serves on the board of the American Horticultural Therapy Association. She has served many populations including those living with dementia and their care partners, veterans, and those with brain injury, developmental disabilities, and intellectual disabilities.

Support the Memory Hub

Support the groundbreaking project of the Memory Hub! Donate today.