Bill Lucki sports a deep tan from time working in gardens for his business, Natural Garden Design.

He's a big guy with a gravelly voice, an imposing figure of a man. From his first words, though, it's obvious he's a sensitive and thoughtful person who also happens to be a talented garden designer.

That's why Mr. Lucki has volunteered his time and talent to design a therapeutic garden for women recovering from drug and alcohol addiction at a residential treatment center in Swissvale.

"It's nothing noble. It just sounded like a good fit and a good cause," he says modestly.

The center is run by the Pennsylvania Organization for Women in Early Recovery, POWER for short. Its programs reach 1,100 women a year and the Swissvale facility will treat more than 100 women this year, helping them recover from drug and alcohol abuse with an average stay of four to five months.

One day, part of their therapy could be to help maintain the garden Mr. Lucki has designed. But first, he and POWER need donations of plants, equipment and money to get started. The plants alone are estimated to cost $3,000. Volunteers are also needed to help add compost, spread mulch and install the plants.

"We chose healing colors -- a lot of pinks, blues, purples, whites -- very soft colors," he says.

Hellebores will share space with liriope in a space shaded by mature trees. 'Endless Summer' hydrangeas will be planted under an existing hawthorn tree, and the huge chartreuse leaves of 'Sum and Substance' hosta will brighten shady corners. Beds will be filled with clematis, Solomon's seal and dwarf red twig dogwoods.

The designer, who enjoys designing shade gardens, chose varieties that are both tough and beautiful.

"These things are sustainable. These things will last with minimal care."

The site's most prolific plant right now is English ivy, which Mr. Lucki will leave in place as he builds the rest of the garden in phases. He has created healing gardens before, including one for residents with Alzheimer's disease at the Vincentian Home in Ross. His style is to work with the existing landscape.

"I love doing this, it's like a blank palette," he says.

A master gardener at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Mr. Lucki got involved with POWER after reading about it last spring in a Phipps newsletter. Karen Clair, the agency's volunteer coordinator, had called Phipps education department looking for help. After meeting with Ms. Clark and executive director Rosa Davis, he got started on a plan.

Ms. Clark believes a restful outdoor space will have benefits beyond the obvious ones:

"The fact that they have a nice environment around them -- I think it reflects our respect for who they are, which is something they are in great need of," she says.

Ms. Davis says the idea for the garden grew out of the renovation of the 100-year-old building. She looked around the grounds and thought it was time for a change.

"It's a beautiful old building with a lot of nice space that we could be filling up with color and plants. We always strive to have the facility inside and out match our philosophy and values. This should be a place that is healing, that is welcoming, that creates a kind of environment and atmosphere to begin their recovery."

The residents also will benefit by handling the day-to-day maintenance of the garden, Ms. Clark says.

"It could be the beginning of a career for women. Their lives have been so horrible by the time they get here. It's really nice for them to be recognized as being competent at something, to take care of something."

Or they can just come to heal.

"They've had a lot of chaos in their lives and to be able to go sit in a quiet peaceful place and know that it was made for them, I think that means a lot," she says.

For more information about the POWER garden or to donate, call Karen Clark at 412-271-0500, ext. 125.