Boston - August 17, 2007

Healing Gardens

Hope in Bloom

You’re so not down with being sick. One bout with the sniffles leaves you swaddled in blankets, chugging NyQuil with a chaser of chamomile tea.

Did somebody call a waaaaahmbulance?

So naturally, when someone you love falls ill, you’re all about easing the pain. And if she’s coping with the biggest B-word of all — breast cancer — well, that calls for more than just a fruit basket and a bouquet.

Hook her up with Hope in Bloom, a local group created after founder Roberta Dehman Hershon lost a friend and fellow gardener to the disease. With the help of landscape architects and designers, the West Newton-based nonprofit will design and plant an indoor or outdoor garden at the recipient’s home, free of charge.

Volunteers help tend the outdoor gardens during the first season — no green thumb required, just let them know you’d like to lend a hand — and the group provides a care plan to keep the mini sanctuaries looking glorious.

Not a bad way to lift her spirits, eh, Sniffles?

Hope in Bloom, 1001 Watertown Street, West Newton (617-467-3214 or hopeinbloom.org).

  Do-Gooder