Women Using Gardening Talents To Beautify Our Father's House
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Margie Russell and Betty Wildman have used their love and gifts of gardening to spruce up Our Father's House.
Russell, 71, and Wildman, 77, both of Warsaw, planted the flower garden last spring. They planted hibiscus, roses and daisies last spring and planted tulips last fall.
Wildman comes four days a week, and Russell comes two days a week, to water the flowers and pull weeds.
This is the first year the women have had assistance with pulling weeds. Nathan Huffer, Our Father's House volunteer, helped the women pull weeds.
Most of the flowers have come from Wildman's garden. It was Wildman's idea to plant the garden because she wanted to spruce up Our Father's exterior.
Russell donated and planted the day lilies from her home garden.
Some of the plants have been replanted from plants at their homes.
The women said they hope to plant more tulips.
Russell said she has loved flowers all of her life. She has more than 100 house plants at her home.
"I leave my weeds from my garden at home and like to volunteer planting at Our Father's House," Russell said. "It's always fun working in someone else's garden."
Wildman said she has three to four flower gardens at her home, and she starting planting when she was young.
"I used to help my mother in the garden and help her can vegetables," Wildman said.
The women said their goal is to plant a vegetable garden behind Our Father's House.
Roz Morgan, Our Father's House founding director, said the women's efforts are appreciated.
"The use and purpose they put the ground to has been a salvation," Morgan said.
Morgan said the garden is a product of sheer will. Although the soil is not that healthy, the women turned the area into a healthy flower garden.
"They turned the soil into beauty through hope and heart, and that is what the garden is about," Morgan said.
Morgan said those who visit Our Father's House have made positive comments about how nice the garden is.Our Father's House started a rose garden in memory of the deceased who made an impact on the organization. The women have planted memorial roses since the rose garden was planted.
