An organic coincidence leads to an expanded healing garden

When L+M Hospital President Rich Lisitano was asked whether it would be possible to recruit a master gardener from the University of Connecticut to help design plantings for an expanded healing garden near L+M’s main entrance, his response defied expectations.

“Well,” Lisitano responded, “it just so happens that I know a master gardener from UConn very well.”

Since then, Ann Lisitano, his wife – and yes, she holds a master gardener’s certificate from UConn – has happily volunteered to help turn a blasé space just south of the hospital’s main entrance into a thriving oasis.

It was Mary Ellen Masciale, a neurodiagnostic tech, who asked Rich Lisitano the question. For years Masciale has volunteered to keep the hospital’s Wadsworth Healing Garden flourishing, but she knew that the expanded garden area is surrounded by tall building walls and receives minimal light; plants would have to be selected carefully in order to thrive.

With Ann Lisitano’s guidance (and donated planting help from Colonel Landscaping) the new garden now includes hydrangeas, hostas, ilex glabra (also known as inkberry), a flowering shrub called clethra and astilbe, a plant with feathery plumes of pink or white atop fernlike foliage.

Visitors and staff can now relax in peaceful green spaces on either side of the hospital’s main entrance. The main Wadsworth Healing Garden was created 14 years ago with funds donated by Mary Wadsworth, a longtime L+M employee and currently a patient experience consultant. Wadsworth donated the funds in memory of her husband, George, who lost a battle with cancer but not without compassionate care from L+M staff.

An original water fountain from the main Wadsworth garden has been relocated to the new garden space, and a larger fountain was added to the main garden. The expanded space now also includes tables and chairs.

“It’s amazing how this all worked out, and we really want to thank both Ann and Rich for enthusiastically embracing this idea and then helping to make it happen,” Masciale said. “We hope to see some of our colleagues out in the new space. It’s really relaxing and beautiful.”

Anyone interested in helping maintain the L+M gardens may contact Wadsworth or Masciale at their employee emails: [email protected] and [email protected].