Sue Ann Barton

1 Introduction In the U.S., native plants are indigenous species that were present before European settlement and have coevolved with other native flora and fauna (USDA 2023). Potential benefits of incorporating native plants into landscapes include habitat for wildlife (Barnes et al. 2020; Paker et al. 2014), more drought tolerance than turfgrass (Vickers 2006), and alignment with aesthetic and environmental preferences (Fischer et al. 2014; Kurz and Baudains 2012).

The new 39-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Beacon Children’s Hospital in South Bend, Ind., features enhanced single-family rooms (SFR) and couplet care rooms (CCR), two new room designs that expand clinical functionality and family accommodation in the NICU. The hospital’s NICU staff holds the conviction that babies belong with their parents whenever possible, and desired to make this practice available not only in the SFRs but also for postpartum mothers who are still patients.