The Christopher House provides a comprehensive continuum of care for those needing subacute, rehabilitation, long term, or respite care. An unused portion of the grounds adjacent to the 41-bed Alzheimer unit was re-designed as a secure courtyard. The intent was to create a healing garden to augment the existing recreational activities. It features a walking loop around a large ‘green’ and a gathering place sized for outdoor music and family events. Patient room window privacy was maintained with walls and plantings. The construction used readily available materials that allowed hand-labor installation by the staff. All the work was done without the use of heavy machinery, with little disturbance to the adjacent patient rooms.