A handful of local residents who are transplant recipients will kick off the development of the Multiple Organ Retrieval and Exchange (MORE) Program Life garden when they hold a sod-turning ceremony at the site outside La Verendrye Hospital next Friday at 11 a.m.
The life garden — a visual tribute to organ donors and their families — will be home to some 50 flowering plants, shrubs, and trees which depict the shape, colour, or meaning of the vital organs used in human transplant operations. The planting process is slated for the end of next month.
Liver recipient Patty-Jo Reid of Fort Frances heads up the Life garden committee here and said her attempts to raise money locally for the project had been highly successful. Reid is also a director on the MORE’s provincial board of executives.
“So far I’ve raised $2,000 [and] I’m delighted!,” enthused Reid last week, noting the project’s total cost would likely be in the neighbourhood of $6,000.
The project is based on a similar “transplant” garden developed by the MORE Program in the Rosetta McClain Gardens of Scarborough.
But due to the climate factor here, hardier species of plants had to found said master gardener Melanie Mathieson, who has been collaborating on plans for the garden with Reid since late last summer.
“We can’t copy all of those particular species because our northern climate limits us in some ways,” said Mathieson, but noted it hadn’t been difficult to find suitable replacements.
“Bleeding Heart” (red and heart-shaped) and “Hepatica” (shaped like a liver), as well as irises and petunias (for the kidneys) are examples of flowers which will be planted in the Life garden. Both annuals and perennials will be included.
But before the plants get a chance to root the soil must be just right, Mathieson pointed out.
“The site still contains left over dirt from the hospital renovations so we’ll have to start hauling some in [because] the most important whole part of the garden is a good base,” stressed Mathieson.
“Right now the focus is getting proper soil in there, so that the garden will last for many, many years,” she added.
Mathieson also said the duration of sunshine and shade on the plants would be factored in when determining their place in the Life garden.
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