ROCKPORT — After sitting fallow for years, the courtyard gardens at Pen Bay Medical Center are being revived.

Work has begun to transform the two interior spaces outside the hospital’s Special Care Unit into a place of healing through nature. When completed this summer, the gardens will have new stone pavers, benches and planters, with one-way film installed on the windows of patient rooms for added privacy.

“The way we welcome our patients, their families and our care team members into our facilities is extremely important and we want to focus on projects that enhance our facilities in ways that reflect the highest quality of care that takes place inside,” said Ellie Willmann, vice president of Philanthropy at Pen Bay and Waldo County General Hospital in Belfast, in a news release.

The courtyard upgrades are in conjunction with work slated to begin later this year at Waldo to create a Healing Garden. The Waldo project will provide a peaceful vista for patients receiving infusion and chemotherapy treatments in the Oncology Department, as well as many other departments, while also providing privacy.

Both the Pen Bay and Waldo projects are being funded by donations from care team members and generous community members.

To date, more than $400,000 has been raised for beautification projects at both hospitals.

“Last fall, 121 care team members generously donated more than $25,000 or paid time off during an Employee Drive to help fund the gardens,” said Willmann. “There has been a lot of enthusiasm since the projects were announced, and we are excited to have these new healing spaces for everyone to enjoy.”

For more information, visit www.mainehealth.org/pen-bay-medical-center/ways-give/annual-campaign.

Pen Bay Medical Center

Pen Bay Medical Center is part of MaineHealth, a not-for-profit integrated health system consisting of nine local hospital systems, a comprehensive behavioral healthcare network, diagnostic services, home health agencies, and more than 1,600 employed and independent physicians working together through an Accountable Care Organization. With more than 19,000 employees, MaineHealth is the largest health system in northern New England and provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. For more information, please visit pbmc.org.