New garden will be space to pause, reflect

Just in time for spring, a garden is being installed on the Western Washington University campus that will serve as a place for students, faculty and staff to sit, reflect and take a break from the bustle of university activity.

Features of the new garden include several seating areas, including a pergola and several swings; a water feature;  plenty of hardy and interesting plants; and a terrace area. A "student exchange" feature will allow visitors to deposit a poem, story or similar item in exchange for a different piece of writing from an earlier user.

The idea of the Reflective Garden came from discussions in the Teaching-Learning Academy, which two years ago tackled the question of reflective learning.

"Everyone involved in the discussion was saying, 'Gosh, I'm going faster and faster, and it doesn't feel good,'" says Carmen Werder, leader of the Teaching-Learning Academy. "It's important to have a place on campus that marks reflection, that not only reminds you to pause but actually allows you to step out and do it."

A $10,000 grant from Wayne and Anne Gittinger got the project off the ground. Janelle Gavin, a Western alumna in art who owns Garden Oasis in Bellingham, then did an overall design, and this week, the grounds crew has begun installation of the garden in the space between Carver Gymnasium and College Hall on campus.

More money or gifts-in-kind are needed to complete the project, and plans are being drawn up to get that done, Werder says.

Here's the Teaching-Learning Academy's BIG question back in 2009-'10 that started this whole project: "What do we mean by reflective learning, and how do we cultivate more of it at Western?"