Trillium Community Garden Day

A $1,500 Community Fund grant covers the horticultural therapist leading the day, wheelchair accessible raised beds, adaptive garden tools, umbrellas, and the plants and soil nobody donates.

When residents were interviewed about what they wanted, the answer was overwhelming. To be outside, and connected to the community.

Trillium Lodge was built in 1982, making it one of the oldest long term care facilities on Vancouver Island. Its residents are, as the Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation puts it, the pioneers of the Oceanside community.

When mobility and health decline and someone moves into care, isolation from the wider community tends to follow. Essential medical and daily needs are met. Opportunities for connection, purpose and joy are constrained by funding. And there is a quieter problem. The community tends to forget about people it no longer sees.

Trillium Community Garden Day is designed to reverse that, at least for a day. Family members, volunteers and community members are invited to Trillium Lodge to work alongside residents improving the existing Gathering Garden. The day starts with collaborative planting in raised garden beds, plus painting fairy garden doors. A communal barbecue lunch encourages visiting. A facilitated feedback session invites everyone to share ideas for the garden's future.

A registered Horticultural Therapist, hired on contract through Foundation donations, leads the event. She has run similar garden days at other Mid-Island long term care facilities with strong results.

A $1,500 grant from the Community Fund covers her wages for the day, wheelchair accessible raised beds and adaptive tools, replacement shade umbrellas and seat cushions, a trellis, containers, paint for the fairy doors, and the refreshments, soil and plants that are not donated.

The project came directly from residents, who said clearly that they wanted to be outside and connected with the community as much as possible.