Debra Hyneck creates beauty at Greer Memorial Hospital.
John Mansure, president of Greer Memorial, enjoys the garden and has approved its expansion to add vegetables.
The garden is designed to take advantage of perennials for year-round enjoyment.
Debra Hyneck’s tipPrune regularly to have a hearty and bountiful flower garden. Cut down diagonally. Don’t be afraid to prune.
There’s a flower garden at Greer Memorial Hospital that fulfills a wish of Debra Hyneck. It also brings joy and peace to patients, staff and visitors.
“I’ve always wanted a little store with flowers,” Hyneck says. “Petal Pushers is what I would have named it.”
Hyneck is fulfilling her wish in a simpler and more rewarding fashion on a rectangular plot of land within the shadows of the hospital’s cafeteria but under a full sun that nourishes the flowers’ growth.
“The flowers have a simplicity that makes me want to know all the secrets of that flower’s life,” says Hyneck, administrative assistant to Greer Memorial President John Mansure.
The labor of love finds itself to patients and staff in a rainbow of vibrant colors and fragrances. The reward for toiling in the garden in 90-plus heat with high humidity under a broiling sun in a dress is priceless. “It’s right here,” Hyneck says, pointing to her heart.
“People enjoy it and it represents what this hospital is about. We care about our patients and staff. It makes me feel like I made a difference in somebody’s life today,” she says.
Tanisha Hodge looked up from her nurses station to see Hyneck delivering a full bouquet of fresh-cut flowers of gladiolas and tulips. “How beautiful,” Hodge said. “She brightens our day when she brings us flowers.”
Hyneck said she has planted a true cut garden. Daffodils, hydrangeas, peonies, tulips black-eyed Susans and sunflowers are among the flowers that find their way into vases at Greer Memorial. Perennials are part of the mix to make the garden cost efficient. The sunflowers have a dual benefit, Hyneck said. “I use the cut flowers for the patients' rooms and the remainder are left over for the birds.”
Pink appears to be a popular color this spring. “My boss likes pink,” Hyneck said as she smiled.
In the beginning
Hyneck remembers the first day of planting more for the weather than the Memorial holiday weekend. It rained as long and hard as most Upstate gardeners wish for now. The garden was a muddy mess.
She had visualized the garden for weeks and had it designed and prepared for planting. The flowers were planned for height, seasonal growth and color – marigolds for the hot climate, pansies for cooler weather.
“I couldn’t put off planting another day,” Hyneck said. “I had all the flowers placed in the car the night before, all the rows planned and Monday was a work day for us. It had to be Sunday.”
John Mansure, president of the hospital, smiled when he said, “It was a fitting day to start a garden.”
Herbs today, vegetables tomorrow
There are other benefits of the garden that has Mansure thinking of expansion.
Hyneck has harvested basil, thyme, parsley, rosemary, oregano and mint among herbs that have found its way into the hospital’s kitchen. “The lemon balm was used in the flavoring of the chicken our kitchen served last week,” Hyneck said.
Mansure said a community garden has been discussed with the location in a vacant field across the street from the hospital’s campus. Volunteers and the community would plant and tend the garden.
Hyneck and Mansure discussed lengthening the flower garden to plant vegetables and mostly, a variety of tomatoes, Mansure’s favorite. He signed off on it last week, much to Hyneck’s delight.