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The Huron Expositor • July 26, 2006 Page 7
News
Gardening an inspiration for Steve Hildebrand
Susan H u n d e r t m a r k
MEMO
The following is the third
in a series of stories
about Seaforth-area gar-
deners, celebrating
Sea forth's ' first year of
participation in the
Communities in Bloom
competition.
The early morning hours
Steve Hildebrand spends in
his garden are not just
about weeding, watering
and rearranging the plants.
With his hands in the soil
and his mind on the miracle
of new life, Pastor Steve is
often finding inspiration for
his next sermon at
Egmondville United
Church.
"If you can't find God in
the garden in this hairy,
scary world, then wow.
From the tiniest seed in
your palm, you have a sun-
flower taller than yourself
in six weeks. How does that
happen without God?" he
says.
The miracle of life and
beauty at its most vibrant
can be seen throughout the
perennial gardens at Steve
and Ruth Hildebrand's cor-
ner lot at John and Ord
Streets.
Filled with 15 or 20 differ-
ent colours of day lilies -
Steve's favourite flower - the
gardens are packed with
perennials of all kinds from
echinacia to daisies to
hostas to ornamental grass-
es.
While he's filled so much
of the property with gardens
that it only takes 12 min-
utes to cut the grass, Steve's
aim is to eventually create
so much garden that he can
get rid of the lawnmower.
"The worst job is cutting
the grass. I've never liked it.
I hate the noise," he says.
So, as . the budget allows,
he slowly adds more flag-
stone to the path between
his gardens until he
achieves the look he's visu-
alized.
Starting with a
"blank canvas" at
his current house
21 years ago
\when the extent
of the greenery
on the property
was one shrub,
Steve has been
using the image
of an English
garden.' as his
guide.
Jennie, Steve, Ruth and Emily Hildebrand
"I don't like things too
structured and to me, all
the colours go together -
that's God's way. I like the
English garden look because
of its natural elegance," he
says.
Gardening since he was a
little boy when his mom
gave him a three-foot
square plot and told- him to
plant anything he wanted,
Steve is the gardener in his
immediate family.
"Steve gets all the credit, I
don't," says Ruth.
"Ruth is the admirer and
tour host. And, she likes to
stroll the garden with a cup
of coffee," says Steve.
With a porch filled with
rocking chairs and peaceful
tranquility as the goal,
Steve also has a water foun-
tain and pond in his garden,
mostly for the sound.
"The sound of water is so
refreshing and peaceful," he
says.
However, the water gar-
den has created some
adventure for the
Hildebrands as well. Once, a
great blue heron decided to
drop by and eat all of the
fish out of the pond.
And, just this year, the
pond was the source of so
many tadpoles, the
Hildebrands had to give
them away.
"A few toads decided my
pond was a nice Honeymoon
getaway and we had 10,000
tadpoles. The pond was just
thick with them," he says.
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While he spends a lot of
time in the garden in the
spring, Steve says once it's
established and growing,
he only works at it for five
hours a week.
Some of his secrets
include planting his flow-
ers so close together that
weeds have little room to
take root.
As well, he has had an
irrigation system installed
that allows him to water
whatever section of the
garden he wants with just
the turn of a valve and -
without wasting water on
the sidewalk.
And, without his own com-
post pile, Steve is a big fan
of the municipal compost
facility where he takes his
garden waste.
"My biggest frustration is
when people dump things
there they shouldn't. That
town compost facility is such
a bonus," he says.
Steve says he understands
completely why gardening is
the number one activity for
adults for recreation.
"There are so many bene-
fits for the body, mind and
soul. And, it's such a won-
derful surprise the garden
offers you when something
that wasn't out is suddenly
standing there waving at
you," he says.
Church
Services
You are invited to attend these area churches
St. Thomas
Anglican Church
A Congregation of the Parish of The Holy Spirit
Jarvis St. Seaforth 527-1522
Rector: The Rev'd Sue Malpus. M. Div
Sunday, July 30
Worship 9:30 am
Everyone welcome
Bethel Bible Church
An Associated Gospel Church
126 Main St. Seaforth 527-0982
Sunday Worship
10:00 a.m.
Youth Activities Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
Pastor Mark Kennedy
EVERYONE WELCOME
NORTHSIDE UNITED
CHURCH
54 Goderich St. W.
Rev. John Gould
No Services until
Sunday August 6th
St. James Roman
Catholic Church
Welcomes you
14 Victoria Street, Seaforth
527-0142
Weekend Masses: Sat 5:15 pm
Sun. 11:00 am
Fr. Chris Gillespie
Egmondville •
United Church
Sunday, July 30
Worship 10:30 am
EVERYONE WELCOME
Steve Hildebrand
Lay Pastoral Minister
First Presbyterian
Church
Goderich St. W., Seaforth
Rev. Henry Huberts
Sunday, July 30th
Worship 1t:15 a.m. Service
Refreshments to follow service.
Nursery & Movie for Children
Please Note: Church Will Be
Closed Aug. 6, 13 & 20
ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH ST. VINCENT de PAUL
81 Mill St. Dublin
Father Alan Dufraimont Office 345-2972
Mass Times
St. Patricks St. Vincent de Paul
Sunday 11:00 a.m. Sat. 5:00 p.m. Sun. 9:00 a.m.
Wheelchair Accessible - Everyone Welcome
29 Nelson St. Mitchell