Hospital garden yields fresh food
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'Turkish Orange' eggplant at the Magee-Womens Hospital garden. -
Judith Focareta, coordinator of environmental health initiatives at Magee-Womens Hospital, holds one of her favorite fruits from the garden, a 'Turkish Orange' eggplant. For a video of the hospital's gardens, go to post-gazette.com.
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Nine-year-old Isabella Moosa of Export waited at Magee-Womens Hospital as her mother underwent surgery. Her elbows on a balcony railing, she overlooked a garden pond filled with large, brightly colored koi and big green turtles swimming in circles waiting for food to be dropped into the calm water.
"It's gorgeous, she said. "I love the way everything is full of life, especially the pond."
The turtle and fish pond garden is one of three gardens at the hospital. Like all gardens, they offer a place for reflection, but for the past two seasons they have also provided fresh organic food for staff and patients. This garden is filled with herbs, greens, cucumbers, kale, melons and more planted in consort with colorful flowers. The tomato plants along one wall are deep green, bushy, filled with fruit and reach over 6 feet in height.
"Patients that are exposed to gardens heal faster," says nurse Judith Focareta, coordinator of environmental health initiatives at the hospital.
She adds that patients who spend time with plants also have a better attitude about their illnesses and go home more quickly.
This was the second season produce was grown in these gardens. A partnership with Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens helped with the nuts and bolts, and the addition of The Greenspot this year, a gardening maintenance company, has kept the plants growing strong.
Kelly Ogrodnik, sustainable design and program manager for Phipps, helped Ms. Focareta and her team design and install the gardens. Visiting weekly at the beginning of the season, she works in the garden and offers education for visitors, patients and staff.
"I go in to meet with food service and help train them on how to harvest, so next year they can be doing a little bit more of this on their own," she said.
First Published September 18, 2010 12:00 am
