August 4, 2020
Maureen Fraser G., left, Mary Ann Horvat and Lisa Cave pose with their adopted planter across from Anderson Hall at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton. The trio of registered nurses, who love to garden in their spare time, spruced up the planter by trimming bushes, cleaning up dirt and planting their donated flowers for all to enjoy.
Story by Vanessa Gomez | Photo by Alyssa Gugulyn
Beauty is blooming at the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) this summer.
Thanks to the enthusiasm of a few registered nurses who’ve come together to share their gardening know-how, a grassy planter across from Anderson Hall has been transformed into a welcoming and colourful sight.
“Three staff members came to me and asked ‘Would it be ok to spruce this up?’”, says Alyssa Gugulyn, Unit Manager at the RAH. “They enjoy gardening in their spare time, so they were really enthused to take on this project and create a beautiful space for people to enjoy.”
The three RNs — Maureen Fraser G., Mary Ann Horvat and Lisa Cave — soon adopted the planter then cleaned up excess soil, trimmed the bushes and planted their own flowers — including a variety of perennials and annuals. The trio comes in on their own time, even weekends, to tend the greenery.
Their unit is not the only one that’s noticed the spruced-up space. Plenty of staff from Facilities Maintenance and Engineering have also noticed the hard work that has gone into the space — and say they truly appreciate the green thumbs at work.
“Any time we can get help maintaining the outside area, and it is done safely and with pride, it’s always greatly appreciated,” says Calvin Smith, Manager, Infrastructure. “It shows how much pride staff have at the RAH that they’re willing to donate their time, physical work and plants to beautify our environment.”
Gugulyn says she hopes other units will adopt planters around the RAH to create more beautiful spaces.
“Staff at the RAH have so much pride working at this inner city hospital,” she adds.
“They really want to share that pride by giving back to patients and fellow colleagues. They’ve created a nice space for people to enjoy their time outside.”
