Nelson Byrd Woltz Breaks Ground on Restorative Eagle Courtyard at Walter Reed Medical Center
A new Eagle Courtyard is underway at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Spearheaded by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, the project originated six years ago when Catheryn Penzler discovered an overgrown black-eyed Susan. Collaborating with the Garden Club of Chevy Chase and therapeutic garden expert Dr. Naomi Sachs, they designed a space featuring clear sightlines, semi-private seating, accessible furnishings, a play area for children, and staff zones. The initiative will introduce over 2,000 perennials and 3,600 bulbs, with financing and maintenance support provided by the Garden Club for ten years and the Walter Reed Society for five.
Key facts
- Construction has begun on the redesigned Eagle Courtyard at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland
- Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects (NBW) designed the project
- Catheryn Penzler initiated the effort six years ago after spotting a stray Black-eyed Susan in the concrete courtyard
- The Garden Club of Chevy Chase (GCCC) partnered on the project and served as primary fundraiser
- Therapeutic garden expert Dr. Naomi Sachs advised on the design
- Planting includes more than 2,000 perennials, 3,600 bulbs, new trees and shrubs
- GCCC committed to 10 years of plant maintenance; Walter Reed Society is donating maintenance for five of those years
- Thomas Woltz is Senior Principal and Owner of NBW
Entities
Artists
- Catheryn Penzler
- Thomas Woltz
- Naomi Sachs
Institutions
- Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
- Garden Club of Chevy Chase
- Walter Reed Society
Locations
- Bethesda
- Maryland
- United States