Genevieve Wanucha and Peach Jack hold the Maude's Garden sign, carved by John Stepper II and finished by Carl Westphal
In the cold days of February, Maude's Garden is quiet and still, but I can see growth happening in the soil, hardened with ice crystals. The fresh green tips of chives and alliums, the tiny leaves unfurling along bare branches of the red flowering currants--it reminds me of a passage from the poem, from "Spring and All," by William Carols Williams:
..It quickens: clarity, outline of a leaf
But now, the stark dignity of entrance- Still, the profound change
has come upon them, rooted, they
grip down and begin to awaken..
It's right about now that our work in Maude's Garden begins to pick up steam. 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 and ideas: Dawn Robinson of Sunrise Container Garden Design, Makenzie Patarino of UW, and Caitlin Gilson of Bastyr University. We have plans to add in some new textures to the gardens and stunning sights for the spring time!
As 2023 begins, the Memory Hub 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. “Being out in nature is naturally therapeutic,” says Peach Jack, MA, HT, Maude’s Garden horticultural therapist and gardener, “and with the addition of sensory programming, participants and visitors are invited to enjoy what’s in bloom while engaged in both structured and independent activities. Maude’s Garden is truly a healing space for all of us!”
I'm excited to see participants and visitors delight at the perennial plants poking up through the soil, interact with fragrant herbs and spring blooming foliage, and play with the acoustic sculpture, all while connecting with each other. It’s thrilling that Maude’s Garden is providing a home-base for our Garden Discovery program--complete with a gorgeous, one-of-kind stone garden bed, benches, a memory garden tree, and a sign. I continue to be thankful for the philanthropic donors, Richard and Maude Ferry, the Frye Art Museum, UW Medicine, Carl Westphal, and Stone Soup Gardens for making this dream come true at the Memory Hub—and for Peach Jack and our community volunteers who will help to nurture and protect this special space. - Genevieve Wanucha, Maude's Garden project lead.