Meditation Garden
The Miles McKey Meditation Garden
A Walk in Unity In Marin’s Garden of Peace
Initially installed in 2008, our little slice of Heaven was carved out of a remaining patch of oak woodland chaparral. It was designed to provide a space to pray, meditate, relax, and be inspired. Prominently featuring manzanita, ceanothus, and coyote bush, which require little to no water, the space was created to be low maintenance and water wise.
Over the years, the garden has morphed into small, separate horticultural vignettes, including a narrow patch of pollinator plants, a sage garden, and a delightfully eye-catching succulent garden. As one meanders up our winding path, passing through a wisteria arbor, they are greeted with our Stairway to Peace, a podocarpus enclosed circular garden classroom, a dry riverbed spanning the length of the garden, a tea house, a wildlife water station, a rock grotto, concluding with a coastal redwood fairy ring. Along the way, the grounds are dotted with many native California plants and trees. Numerous benches and sitting rocks invite you to rest and meditate.
Our Meditation Garden is a Certified Wildlife Habitat. Deer, quail, coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, and a multitude of birds inhabit our lush, serene space.
Garden Features
- Drought tolerant
- Pesticide Free
- Permeable Surfaces
- Drip Irrigation
Come and Visit!
The Miles McKey Meditation Garden is open to any and all who would like to enjoy some peace and tranquility in a gorgeous natural setting.
Through our collaboration with the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership, Unity In Marin was selected as a participant in their annual self-guided Eco-Friendly Garden Tour.
For information about Eco-Friendly Garden Tours and to register for their upcoming event, please use the link below.
Photos
Meet Our Gardener, John Slater
John Slater has been gardening as a hobby for over 30 years out of a desire for something positive to do with his hands. A longtime member of Unity In Marin, John first started attending back in 1997 during a lonely time in his life. Seeking a Power greater than himself and looking for enlightenment, John attended his first Service on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The talk centered around gratitude, and from that moment on, he was hooked.
Approximately 15 years ago, John and several other UIM volunteers were approached and asked to develop a plan for a meditation garden. His efforts were supported by Bill Carney, a retired landscape architect and member, and Rita McClain. When he was asked to take on the official management role eight years ago by then-volunteer coordinator Pat Palmer, he joyfully accepted. John has been tending the garden ever since.
