A two-acre stretch of wooded paths and perennial gardens tucked off Dean Street in St. Charles is getting ready to welcome visitors again.

Healing Gardens at Stone Hill Farm opens its 2026 season on Sunday, May 10, from 11AM to 4PM. Every mother who visits on opening day gets a free perennial plant while supplies last.

What are the Healing Gardens? It’s a two-acre wooded sanctuary of perennial gardens on a quiet family homestead in St. Charles, open to the public monthly from May through October. Created by local cancer survivor and retired therapist Deborah Marqui, the space hosts yoga, meditation retreats, and quiet visits for anyone looking to slow down.

The season opener is May 10: The gardens are open to the public from 11AM to 4PM. Admission is $5 per person or $10 per family. Cancer survivors get in free. Yoga in the gardens runs from 1PM to 2PM (weather permitting), led by certified instructor Ildiko Puskas. The yoga session costs $25 and includes garden admission. Text or call Deb Marqui at 630-740-2597 to register.

A perennial plant sale on May 9: The day before opening, Healing Gardens hosts its annual perennial sale from 9AM to 3PM. Plants are $5 per clump, and the full list will be posted at healinggardensatstonehillfarm.com the week of the sale.

The ongoing monthly schedule: After the opener, the gardens are open on the second Sunday of each month from May through October. Individual or group visits can also be arranged anytime by texting 630-740-2597. Individual visits outside of scheduled dates are free, though donations are appreciated.

The story behind the space: Healing Gardens is cultivated by Deborah Marqui, a former psychotherapist and cancer survivor who has lived at Stone Hill Farm with her husband Buzz since 1972. Marqui has been cancer-free from breast cancer since 2002 and in remission from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma since 1996, though a recurrence was diagnosed in 2023. She continues to maintain the gardens as a quiet, open space for visitors of all backgrounds.

Marqui is also the author of two books. "Nature: Alive, Awake & Knowing" is a collection of 365 reflections, poems, and meditations drawn from three decades of lessons inspired by nature, and "From the Fire Into the Garden: A Healing Journey" is a memoir documenting how Marqui’s journey through cancer transcended her physical healing.

Both are available at Townhouse Books in St. Charles and on Amazon.

Healing Gardens is located at 37W249 Dean Street, St. Charles. More info at healinggardensatstonehillfarm.com.

Visiting individuals or small groups are welcome to do as they please. No activity is required or requested.

Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] with questions or comments.

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