Welcome to Maude’s Garden

A botanical oasis offering respite, social connection, and nature engagement to people living with dementia, caregivers, and the wider community.

Inspired by the continuing interest in nature and garden experiences in our community, the Memory and Brain Wellness Center created a memory garden for people living with dementia. Named Maude's Garden in honor of our late community member and advocate Maude M. Ferry, this memory garden is uniquely designed to enhance the lives of people living with dementia, as well as provide a relaxing, restorative space for all. The garden will serve as a spot for drop-in gardening, socializing, and nature-based activities, such as horticultural therapy. This memory garden opened March 2022 at Memory Hub, located beside the Frye Art Museum.

The garden design process is ongoing and incorporates feedback from community members living with memory loss and care partners from a focus group in February of 2020, as well as lessons learned from the Garden Discovery Walks program of the MBWC/Seattle Parks and Recreation and a visit to our friends at the Portland Memory Garden.

What makes Maude's Garden a memory garden? 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. Learn more!

Our Supporters

Thank you to our donors and creators:

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

Plants and materials: Karen and Rick McMichael, Bill Waldman, Mike & Lacy Gage of Blue Moose Farm in Salem, Oregon, Annika Noreen, Laura Westbrook, Jean Chen, Debbie Wheeler, Jesse Cohen

Garden Artistry: Stone Soup Gardens - Maude’s Garden hardscape / Acoustic Arts, UK - Spiral acoustic sculture, with woodwork by Carl Westphal / Genevieve Wanucha, Margaret ‘Peach’ Jack, and Laura Rumpf - Botanical design / Cal Dobrzynski - Maude’s Garden logo

What's Growing in the Garden

“What’s In Bloom” February 2023
February 02, 2023

This spring, Maude’s Garden team and volunteers will work to maintain and develop this beautiful place for Memory Hub visitors and program participants, who enjoy exploring and being together in Maude’s Garden. We welcomed three new Maude's Garden volunteers who will provide gardening help and ideas: Dawn Robinson of Sunrise Container Garden Design, Makenzie Patarino of UW, and Caitlin Gilson of Bastyr University. The Memory Hub also looks forward to hosting a second round of the Garden Discovery program, a collaboration between Seattle Parks and Recreation and the UW MBWC. We thank Family Resource Home Care for supporting their long-time support of this nature engagement program.
Making a fall table mosaic
December 01, 2022

Take a look at the fall table mosaic and leaf rubbings created by the participants in the fall Garden Discovery Program at the Memory Hub.
Dedication of the memory garden tree
October 31, 2022

A big group of "old timers" from the Momentia Out and About Walks gathered in Maude's Garden to dedicate a young tree planted in memory of their loved ones.
New Research: Exposure to green space may boost cognitive health
September 04, 2022

Here's a study we at Maude's Garden think is interesting! A nationwide study shows that exposure to green space may support cognitive health. The NIA-funded study findings support the need for further research into the use of green space exposure as a possible way to reduce the risks of cognitive decline and dementia in older adults.
What’s Growing in Maude’s Garden - July/August 2022
August 19, 2022

Curious about all those plants in the memory garden? Here's a guide for you!

Program and Activities Schedule

Garden Discovery Program - Spring

Friday, April 7, 2023 at 10:30am

Join us in the garden at the Memory Hub. Discover changes through the season, engage in horticultural activities, and learn what makes this public "memory garden" particularly accessible to people living with dementia and their families in this 3-part series (April 7, May 5, and June 2).
Garden Discovery Program - Spring

Friday, May 5, 2023 at 10:30am

Join us in the garden at the Memory Hub. Discover changes through the season, engage in horticultural activities, and learn what makes this public "memory garden" particularly accessible to people living with dementia and their families in this 3-part series (April 7, May 5, and June 2).
Garden Discovery Program - Spring

Friday, June 2, 2023 at 10:30am

Join us in the garden at the Memory Hub. Discover changes through the season, engage in horticultural activities, and learn what makes this public "memory garden" particularly accessible to people living with dementia and their families in this 3-part series (April 7, May 5, and June 2).

View more events on our full Calendar

Visit Maude's Garden

Open to the public from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. For garden gate access, simply stop by the Memory Hub front desk. View special events and programs on our calendar.

1021 Columbia St., Seattle, WA 98104

Maude's Garden Call for Maintenance Volunteers

We are issuing a call for volunteers to help maintain Maude's Garden during work parties, while we are still setting up our systems to bring this opportunity to life!

I'm Interested!

The memory garden team is interested in hearing from individuals, home gardeners, businesses, or organizations who may be able to donate certain perennial plants and garden tools. Please email gwanucha@uw.edu for the list of requested plants and supplies.

To sign up for occasional updates about new and ongoing volunteer gardening and garden maintenance opportunities, please email Genevieve Wanucha at gwanucha@uw.edu to subscribe to the Memory Garden email interest list.

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

People

Genevieve Wanucha is the Memory Hub Green Space Project Lead and the UW MBWC Communications Lead. She aims to help make this dementia-friendly garden project successful and operational. She coordinates volunteers and helps with the design and planting. She promotes the garden and serves as the main contact person.

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.

Margaret (Peach) Jack, MA, CC, GRS, HTS, is Landscape Designer and Therapeutic Horticulturalist for the Memory Garden, as well as a UW MBWC intern. She is a horticultural therapist in training, in accordance with the AHTA guidelines at Portland Community College (2019). 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. She helps with garden design and planting, and coordinates the MBWC Garden Discovery Walks program. Learn more.

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. Learn more.

Support the Memory Hub

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