Native Garden Expansion at McHenry Hospital Supports Sustainability & Healing

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MCHENRY, IL — October 3, 2025 — Today, staff and volunteers at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital planted 200 native plants representing 23 species, marking a major expansion of the Native Garden Initiative led by Northwestern Medicine’s local Sustainability Council. With support from 15 volunteers, the hospital built on previous efforts to create spaces that meet patients’ medical needs while also enhancing their overall well-being—offering care that goes beyond traditional healthcare.

“Healing happens in more ways than one—through medicine, through connection, and through nature,” said Rebecca Standish, Sustainability Council co-lead and accreditation, clinical compliance, and policy manger at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital. “These gardens are more than just plants in the ground. It’s a living, breathing space where people can take a deep breath and feel a little more whole.”

The newly added native plant species were carefully selected to support local pollinators and promote biodiversity. They complement a small garden already installed at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, offering a glimpse of the restorative spaces that will continue to grow in the seasons ahead.

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