COVID-19 Resources

Cincinnati Zoo Donates Flowers to UC Health Patients and Employees

Apr. 9, 2020

Every April, people from all over visit the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden to witness the wonders of spring. 


Normally, the zoo would enjoy gardens full of flowers with a month-long celebration they host called, ‘Zoo Blooms’, which features more than 100,000 beautiful tulips.

Unfortunately, with the COVID-19 outbreak, the Cincinnati Zoo had to close its doors. That did not stop them from thinking about the community, and how they could share the beauty of their flowers with others. This year, in addition to offering a virtual garden tour of the blooms, the zoo decided to deliver flowers to Cincinnati hospitals and nursing homes.

“A key part of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s mission centers on serving the community. With the zoo currently closed, we could not think of a better way to share the joy of these beautiful tulips than by reaching out to our healthcare provider partners who are doing such incredible and selfless work every day. It is truly our privilege to be able to bring a smile to the doctors, nurses, and patients who need it the most,” said Thane Maynard, director of the Cincinnati Zoo.

On April 6, UC Health received thousands of tulips for patients and employees to enjoy. Some of the flowers stayed at UC Medical Center while others were sent to West Chester Hospital, Daniel Drake Center and our assisted living community, Bridgeway Pointe. In addition to these flowers, children who attend Bridgetown Church of Christ made cards for our patients who can’t have their family or friends visit.

Some employees placed flowers in their workstations to share with their colleagues and brighten their day. We are very thankful for organizations like the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and their donations. These beautiful flowers and cards brought smiles to the faces of our patients and employees during this challenging time. These kind gestures give us all hope.