Behavioral Health Garden at Phelps Hospital - Sleepy Hollow, NY - Design For Generations 2.0Design For Generations 2.0

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Therapy Gardens

The Phelps FARMacy Program is a campus-wide gardening initiative. The goal of the Program is to expand opportunities for healing outdoors, within the various gardens and in nature. The current gardens include the James House Entrance Garden; Employee Health Garden; and other gardens that have been created since 2017.

My role, as a Landscape Architect, is to guide the expansion of the FARMacy Garden Program to include a Cancer Garden; Triangular Meditation Garden; Secondary Meditation Garden; Behavioral Health Garden; Remembrance Garden and Sunflower Garden on the Phelps Hospital Campus. Weaving together the existing and proposed gardens is the ‘Garden Walk at Phelps, which will be a part of the discussion and planning throughout the process.

The first garden, the Behavioral Health Garden, is specifically designed to address the needs of the patients and the staff. The water feature has been selected for its soothing natural sounds. Attracting birds and butterflies into the specially designed garden provides a quiet fascination for all involved. Nature is a positive distraction, taking our mind off of our ills. Spending time in nature has been proven to reduce stress and lower blood pressure. There is also a natural absorption of Vitamin ‘D’ through sunlight. Being out in nature helps balance our circadian rhythms. These and other positive health outcomes are evidenced by spending time in nature in a Therapeutic Garden.