Gila River Indian Healing Garden

Gila River Indian Community Healing Garden at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center provides an ideal place to find comfort, peace and reprieve.

As a result of a shared philosophy of surrounding patients, families and neighbors with an atmosphere of healing for the mind, body and spirit, Mercy Gilbert partnered with the Gila River Indian Community to construct the Healing Garden. The naming of the garden recognizes the Gila River Indian Community for their generous contribution to help open Mercy Gilbert's second tower in January 2008.

The one-acre Healing Garden includes the Tree of Life, three fountains, desert landscape, labyrinth and amphitheater. The components of the garden were designed to work in harmony, providing the community with a place of serenity. The Healing Garden represents life at every stage and will be a place to "Pause, Reflect and Heal," the motto behind our caregiver's philosophy.

Since this is a healing garden, the landscape incorporates plants with medicinal uses or qualities. Some of the plants included are Brittlebush used for arthritis, mouthwash, cold or flu; Cassia used to treat ulcers and hemorrhoids; Jojoba used for chronic mucous-membrane inflammation; Dalea used for aching bones, virus or influenza remedy; and Verbena used for sedatives, diaphoretics, nervous stomachs and virus or cold remedy.

As a Healing Hospital™, Mercy Gilbert is built on the ancient tradition that love can help heal. Within that framework, the Golden Thread of Compassionate Care, found intertwined throughout the Healing Garden, is used as a symbol to illustrate the balance between the science and the human spirit. The Golden Thread is what connects our caregivers and patients.