Members of the Concord Garden Club work on planting and arranging plants and flowers for the Rooftop Healing Garden at Concord Hospital on Thursday, July 21, 2022. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff
Members of the Concord Garden Club work on planting and arranging plants and flowers for the Rooftop Healing Garden at Concord Hospital on Thursday, July 21, 2022. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff
At long last, a rooftop garden above Concord Hospital’s emergency room is looking a lot greener.
On Thursday, members of the Concord Garden Club and other volunteers got their green thumbs dirty putting to bed more than 700 plants donated by Pleasant View Gardens in Loudon.
“My son just passed away several months ago and when we were leaving the ICU unit, my daughter … she said ‘Mom, why don’t we have people make donations?’ ” said Barbara Jobin, a member of the Concord Hospital Philanthropy Board. “We’ve raised enough money to have a bench with his name on the plaque, so it’s even more special for us.”
The garden was envisioned as a healing space for patients, their families and hospital staff.
“It is well understood that nature has a healing impact,” said Matthew Johnson, Concord Hospital’s director of public affairs. “As a regional referral center, we felt it was essential to provide an outdoor space where patients – particularly those who have been here for some time – might enjoy this extra element to support their healing.”
Jobin said she and her family love to garden.
“My kids grew up having gardens, so it’s a nice tribute not only to my son but to everyone here at Concord Hospital,” she said.
More than four years have passed since the lead donation was given by Concord Hospital Associates. Following that, the Concord Hospital Trust conducted a broader campaign of both financial donations and in-kind gifts.
The total cost of the project was expected to be more than $800,000 with monetary donations accounting for $550,000 of the total budget. The hospital has also received more than $200,000 worth of in-kind donations.
“Without the generosity of the many, many companies who stepped forward, from designers, engineers, crane operators, construction companies, rooftop suppliers and plant providers, this project would not have been possible,” Johnson said.
The garden will open to visitors after it's been certified for occupancy, which is expected in mid-August.
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