Thoughtful landscape design can completely change the way a space feels and functions. At VCU Health, an underused outdoor area has become the Margaret Newman Patterson Memorial Garden, a place created for reflection, restoration and healing.

From Underused Space to Purposeful Garden

Healthcare campuses are busy, complex environments. A garden can offer a meaningful contrast: a place to pause, sit beneath trees, notice seasonal change and step briefly away from clinical surroundings.

The transformation at the Margaret Newman Patterson Memorial Garden organizes the space around clear walkways, seating, planting beds and a central focal point. The formal geometry creates calm and order while the planting softens the surrounding architecture.

Why Healing Gardens Matter

Well-designed outdoor spaces can support patients, families, visitors and staff. They provide opportunities for quiet conversation, private reflection or simply a few minutes outdoors. Accessibility, shade, comfortable seating and legible circulation are essential to making these gardens useful rather than merely decorative.

Plant material adds life and seasonal interest. As the new landscape establishes, it will continue becoming fuller and more immersive.

Landscape Construction With Lasting Impact

Memorial gardens carry emotional meaning as well as practical requirements. Every material and planting decision contributes to the character of the finished space. Our team was honored to help bring this project to life and proud of the role landscape construction can play in creating restorative public and institutional environments.

The before-and-after change is dramatic, but the most important result is how the garden will serve people for years to come.

Landscape Construction and Design in Central Virginia

Since 1983, James River Nurseries has helped residential, commercial, institutional and public clients create landscapes that are functional, enduring and rooted in the character of Central Virginia.

Planning a landscape project in Richmond or Central Virginia? Contact James River Nurseries to start the conversation.