Healing Gardens to open April 8
Healing Gardens, a two-acre expanse of woodland and perennial gardens in St. Charles, will open Sunday, April 8. The mosquito-free gardens are open to the public on set dates for the purpose of enjoying the natural wooded setting and perennial gardens.
Admission is $5 or $10 per family. Call for discounted group rates. In solidarity and to honor the journey, cancer survivors are free. Donations of time or money for upkeep are welcome. Healing Gardens is cultivated and hosted by Deborah Marqui, owner of Stone Hill Farm with her husband, Buzz Marqui.
"We are in early spring, with the green pushing through the dark, rich soil, the swollen buds ready to burst and the summer song birds announcing their arrival. Watch, wait and wonder or you will miss the Spring Dance," Marqui said.
The April opening will offer Tai Chi & Qigong In The Garden, weather permitting, from 11:30 a.m.to 12:30 p.m. Instructor Lyn Drathring of Daily Harmony Lifeways will lead participants through the Yang Style 24 Form of Tai Chi, Qi Gong forms and a short meditation. No prior experience is necessary. To register, visit dailyharmony-mae.com or email Lyn at ldrathring@gmail.com for more information.
Marqui, who is cancer-free from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma since 1996 and in remission from breast cancer since 2002, finds great restoration of spirit in her gardens and property and wants to share that with the public for their own rejuvenation. Visiting individuals or small groups are welcome to do as they please. No activity is required or requested. Stone Hill Farm is the home of Buzz and Deb Marqui where they have lived since 1972, raising four children.
The gardens are open to the public on the second Sunday of each month from April through October. Groups are welcome to schedule and reserve special days to visit the gardens.
Marqui also leads day retreats, hosts Silent Saturday Mornings, and is a commissioned presenter of Centering Prayer. Healing Gardens is at 37W249 Dean St., St. Charles. For more information, call (630) 740-2597 or visit www.healinggardensatstonehillfarm.com.