When she was 18 years old, Miriam Wolf fell in love – with a yellow pepper plant. It started her on a path that led to Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton.

Miriam graduated with a certificate in Horticultural Therapy from the Horticulture Therapy Institute in Denver. She serves as the Maintenance Landscaper at the Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton campus, a role that has her overseeing gardens, trees and nature paths on the 17-acre grounds surrounding the Hospice House. Ask her about her favorite part of her work and she enthusiastically outlines the focus on making the environment natural and welcoming to all visitors. “We want the gardens to feel private but safe for everyone. We have such a wide variety of plants and flowers, and have added water features and seating areas to encourage enjoyment of the campus. We have edible gardens, scented gardens and the labyrinth, all places where people can find the peace and comfort of nature.“

It’s not only people who enjoy the gardens. “We feed the birds, the ducks, squirrels and chipmunks on our grounds, and encourage the deer who enjoy eating our hostas and fruit from our trees. “

Miriam is touched by the notes left in the journal at the solarium, where visitors are invited to take plant cuttings as memorials for loved ones in hospice care. Called the “Love Story Garden,” Miriam is moved by the stories people share. “It’s inspiring to read what people write. It’s important to me that we encourage people to connect with nature because it can be that source of inspiration and source of hope that people need.”