Hospital Gardens Beautify Entry
Posted on Friday, August 12th, 2011
Betty Galloway, R.N. admires a new garden at Mercy Health/Love County. She has been a coworker since 1972, the year the hospital opened.
Pretty and practical landscaping has put a finishing touch on the newly-renovated front entrance of Mercy Health/Love County Hospital, Clinic, and EMS.
Visitors enjoy a view of three small gardens while strolling along the glassed-in walkway leading into the hospital and clinic buildings.
The overall design evokes a creek bed, according to Judy Parsons, of The Garden Tender in Ardmore, and landscape contractor Megan Shelton.
Both were on hand to oversee the installation over two days in July.
“Employees walking by have said this puts them in a good mood,” Parsons said.
“You don’t think about going to the doctor as a fun experience, but this can cheer people up just a little,” Shelton added.
The major plantings include Dwarf Fountain Grass, Maiden Grass, Kaleidoscope Abelia, Dwarf Yaupon Holly, Hosta, Holly Fern, Red Tip Yucca, Crepe Myrtle, Japanese Maple, and Hortsman Blue Atlas Cedar.
Crushed granite from Johnston County and blue stones cut through each garden.
In a back garden, a green urn fountain provides a vertical element. “It’s a soft, peaceful, artsy sculpture, and you can hear the sound of water from inside or outside the walkway,” Shelton said.
The flora is drought tolerant, and nothing requires replanting, Shelton said.
Numerous other structural changes have occurred at Mercy Health/Love County over the past year.
The hospital has a renovated lobby, including an enlarged, walk-in gift shop for the Hospital Auxiliary (Pink Ladies).
The former cafeteria has been turned into office space.
Last July, the hospital added an allied health building. Its 3,500 sq. ft. houses physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy equipment, gym, and offices, as well as a sizable conference room for meetings and meals.
A few weeks ago, the clinic opened a new 3,000 sq. ft. extension. It adds nine examining rooms and an information technology office.
A new physician and two new physician assistants have joined the clinic staff.