The goal of the Jacqueline Fiske Healing Garden at the Jupiter Medical Center is to foster the physical, mental and spiritual restoration of patients, visitors and staff. The garden occupies a limited space of approximately 75' x 125' in an existing campus of buildings. We wanted visitors to the garden to forget that they were at a hospital. The garden is viewed by the Cardio-Rehab Center and is accessible from hospital corridors as well as the Cardio-Rehab Center.

The design consists of a series of garden spaces connected by paths and paving. Through research at Texas A&M University, Dr. Roger Ulrich has found that social support and a sense of control are two of four elements that are effective in reducing stress, thus enhancing medical treatments and improving the care that medical staff can give. This garden offers a variety of spaces to choose from; accommodating the privacy of two people sitting alone to a group of twenty staff members. Moveable furniture allows visitors to modify space according to their needs.

Exposure to nature and exercise are the other two elements in Dr. Ulrich's evidence based design theory. The garden is directly viewed from the Cardio-Rehab Center. Dr. Ulrich found that patients looking out a window with a garden view took less pain medication and had shorter hospital stays than those that looked at a brick wall. This garden gives a beautiful view of nature as well as provides an attractive destination for additional exercise with looped walks under mature trees and flowering shrubs. Rehabilitation elements including a putting green, enabling bridge, steps and gravel paths allow for outdoor strengthening exercises in the garden.

The site is relatively flat with an existing catch basin located in one end. It was a challenge to drain the site with all of its paved area trapped between buildings. A detention area that is a conceptualization of a natural Florida wetland winds through the site, gently sloped and planted with native trees and grasses.

There are several special features. The central focus is a calming pool of water that can be touched and provides a pleasant water sound. A sculpture by local artist, Kate Van Noorden, of a pair of rising herons provides a healing metaphor in the fountain. A transplanted 40' Oak gives a sense of permanency as well as shade. A large arbor provides a sheltered meeting place. Its design incorporates a steel framework to allow resistance to 140 mile hurricane force winds yet still not look overwhelmingly heavy.