Morgan’s Garden: Healing, Engaging, Empowering

Morgan, a young woman with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), passed away at age 21. In her honour, her mother generously contributed funds to establish a therapeutic garden at Monarch Lifeworks School in Cleveland Heights, Ohio—a continuing education center designed specifically for adults with ASD, a population often overlooked by traditional systems after reaching adulthood.

Morgan’s Garden is more than a lush retreat; it embodies the profound role landscape architecture plays in fostering inclusive and integrated healing environments for underserved communities. As the first therapeutic landscape of its kind for adults with ASD, it transforms personal loss into communal restoration, placing the autistic experience at its core while championing neurodivergent accommodation and holistic accessibility for students, staff, and families.

A Vision for Healing and Engagement

Guided by thoughtful design, Morgan’s Garden is envisioned as a sanctuary that enhances well-being, fosters connection, and supports structured and self-directed experiences for individuals with ASD. The primary objectives include:

• Enriching daily life at Monarch Lifeworks through a carefully curated outdoor space aligned with the institution’s mission
• Cultivating physical, emotional, and sensory connections to nature, promoting relaxation and engagement
• Providing a secure and adaptable environment, ensuring safe interactions with natural elements
• Expanding educational programming, enabling the integration of therapeutic horticulture into vocational training
Monarch’s specialized day program offers structured activities, vocational training, and skill development. Yet, moments of unstructured time can pose challenges—leading to pacing, vocalizing, rocking, or running when individuals experience overstimulation or disengagement. Morgan’s Garden presents an elegant and compassionate solution: a thoughtfully designed, sensory-rich space that offers refuge, exploration, and meaningful engagement within a secure and calming environment.

Grounded in Research, Inspired by Autistic Experiences

To ensure the garden’s success, the design team secured a research grant from the Landscape Architecture Canada Foundation, conducting an extensive review of ASD-specific environmental needs. Traditional outdoor spaces often fail to accommodate autistic experiences, overlooking critical considerations such as sensory sensitivities, mobility restrictions, and spatial navigation challenges.

Through interdisciplinary collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and community involvement, the design team developed an outdoor environment guided by 15 ASD-centered principles—each fostering autonomy, sensory regulation, safety, and meaningful interaction with nature. The result is a garden composed of distinct, purpose-driven spaces, each offering a tailored experience:

• The Horticultural Therapy Room – A repurposed structure where seedlings thrive under grow lights year-round, supporting vocational training and herbal production for soap-making
• The Farm – A functional agricultural space that complements Monarch’s hands-on curriculum, providing fresh ingredients for culinary and artisanal projects
• The Porch – A shaded transitional area bridging classrooms with outdoor spaces, offering respite and quiet moments for self-regulation
• The Terrace – A dynamic zone featuring adaptable furniture for various programming needs, from group activities to individual sensory exploration
• The Circle – A central path designed for self-directed movement, encircling a lawn that hosts community events such as movie nights
• The Woodland – A shaded haven featuring biodiverse plantings, fostering sensory engagement, ecological sustainability, and serene retreats
• The Mound – A topographically rich area promoting gross motor skill development, complemented by reclining loungers for relaxation

Legacy of Connection and Growth

Morgan’s Garden stands as an emblem of compassion and vision—an environment that nurtures restoration, autonomy, and social integration. Its presence within Monarch Lifeworks extends beyond therapeutic benefits, transforming the campus into a community gathering space that welcomes families of all abilities.

This garden is more than a landscape; it is a statement—one that underscores the necessity of inclusive design and challenges conventional notions of public space. By seamlessly integrating nature with neurodivergent needs, it exemplifies what every healing environment should aspire to be: accessible, beautiful, and profoundly meaningful.

Morgan’s Garden is not simply the first of its kind. It is a model for how outdoor spaces must evolve—meeting individuals where they are, honoring their experiences, and providing beauty, dignity, and belonging to those who need it most.

• Other landscape architecture offices involved in the design of the landscape:
Virginia Burt Designs

• Architecture offices involved in the design:
HDS Architects

• Other credits:
Issac Lewin, I.A. Lewin, P.E. and Associates – Structural Engineer
Chip Hess, Hess and Associates – Civil Engineer
Dieter Haussman, TES Engineering, MEP

https://www.google.com/maps/place/3205+Fairmount+Blvd,+Cleveland+Heights,+OH+44118,+USA/@41.4870124,-81.5671021,766m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x8830fcfeb7810d77:0x8030c5a4a65a39b0!8m2!3d41.4870084!4d-81.5645272!16s%2Fg%2F11c29ncnmj?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDUwNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D