Volunteers & Community
Restoring Balance in the Garden
As part of the Employee Wellness Services team in HR at Queen’s, I spend much of my time thinking about how to create meaningful opportunities for staff and faculty to connect, recharge, and feel supported. Last season, the Queen’s Community Garden, through the Gardens 4 Joy initiative, became one of those rare, grounding spaces that did exactly that, not only for our campus community but for me personally. Amid the daily demands of work and life, carving out time to be in the garden offered something essential: a moment to pause, breathe deeply, and reconnect with the natural world. Whether it was harvesting fresh produce, attending a hands-on learning session, or simply taking in the beauty of the garden in full bloom, each visit reminded me of the power of small, intentional acts of care, for ourselves, for one another, and our environment.
What stood out most was how the garden brought people together. Colleagues from different departments, backgrounds, and roles gathered in this shared space, not to work or meet deadlines, but to tend, learn, laugh, and grow. I saw joy, vulnerability, and deep conversations flourish between rows of tomatoes and sunflowers.
As someone who facilitates wellbeing programming for others, I often forget to tend to my own. The garden helped restore that balance. It supported my own wellbeing through quiet moments of reflection, physical movement, and heartfelt connection. I'm grateful to be part of a community that nurtures wellbeing from the ground up, literally!
Danielle Dias (She/Her), BBA
Employee Wellness & Engagement Coordinator
Human Resources
Employee Wellness Services
Awakening Senses
Sight, sound, smell, touch; learning in all modalities and outside of the classroom. Building a sense of community, a sense of responsibility to the plants we tend, and a sense of belonging as the space flourishes into something beautiful, nourishing, enriching, to be shared with others.
Connecting with the earth as students work their hands in it, growing a knowledge of soil types and the needs of different seeds.
Becoming acquainted with plants by their common English names, recognizing they have scientific names and names in other languages; but learning about their own sense of being by their properties, benefits, and applications. Beautiful petals and leaf shapes, inspiring conversation of design, biology, botany, genetics, mental wellness. Enthusiastic about finding associations and forming opinions of how various plants might be related. Ultimately time in the garden helps foster a reverence for life be it flourished or famished; I was seeking opportunities for restoration, understanding reciprocity and discovery.
Being intentional about taking action on something I believe is important; training students who express an interest in gardening, building awareness of food waste, food security, environmental sustainability.
Gardening is one way we can take action to reduce hunger rates in children and families within our local community. With students from 6 different countries, discussions open up about various best practices, cultural references and diverse perspectives related to growing one’s own food. Each person can bring something unique to the table, or the garden, so to speak.
Carrie Ann-Barr
The School of English
The Faculty of Education
My Participation in Savouring Nature, an Outdoor Photography Exhibition
Taking part in this photography activity on campus, in conjunction with Gardening 4 Joy, was a refreshing and grounding experience. It gave me the chance to slow down, step outside, and fully appreciate the natural beauty we have around us at work. Spending time in the garden area encouraged me to be present, and I was able to notice the subtle details I might otherwise overlook, like the hidden produce under the leaves, the play of light on petals, or the quiet movement of insects.
Photography has always been a creative outlet for me, but combining it with time in nature made it even more meaningful. Through the lens, I found myself connecting more deeply to my surroundings and feeling a sense of calm and focus that’s often hard to find in daily life. It reminded me of how creativity and mindfulness go hand in hand and how the simple act of observing and capturing a moment can lift your mood and clear your mind.
This experience reinforced how important it is to make space for moments like these where we can savour time outdoors, engage with creativity, and recharge. I left the garden feeling lighter, more inspired, and grateful for the chance to merge my passion for nature photography with an opportunity to care for my own wellbeing while on campus.
Amie Pilgrim
Academic Manager
Queen’s School of English | Queen’s University
A Creative Pause in the Gardens
Discovering the gardens this summer has been a gift. Nature photography, especially macro floral photography, has been my passion for over a decade. I used to bring my camera to campus every day, taking time at lunch to slow down and “smell the roses.” As my career progressed and I became a parent, I found less time for that creative pause.
Then one day, while walking by the flower beds, I was struck by their beauty. The next day I brought my camera, excited to capture the colours and textures that reminded me how restorative photography can be. That was the day I met Maha and the wonderful team behind the gardens. The gardens became a space to pause, reconnect with my passion, and engage with a community of like-minded people.
Like the busy bee I captured among the zinnias, I found stillness and focus within the rhythm of campus life, pausing long enough to see beauty in motion.
I am grateful for this space, a place that nurtures creativity, connection, and wellbeing, reminding us all to slow down and truly savour time.
Nadya Allen
Manager, Career Education and Coaching
Queen’s University
https://nadya22.myportfolio.com/