Dawnings: Gardens, Gardeners and Greenhouses
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There were two greenhouses side by side in early years at Mercy by the Sea, but the prize was the Lord Burnham Greenhouse delivered to Marie Hotchkiss in 1909. This greenhouse remains to the present day. Sister Catherine Mary Sears, biology professor, developed the St. Anne Garden next to greenhouse and planted the pine trees alongside the second greenhouse during early Sister of Mercy years. Some trees are still standing. Slowly the glass dropped from the metal frames of the Hotchkiss greenhouse and ivy grew. In 1991, Chester Truax took on the renovation of greenhouse, restoring the metal frame with plexiglass and a forced heat blower furnace rather than coal. The greenhouse abounded with lettuce and flowering plants raised from cuttings as well as the boxwood for the labyrinth. Chester’s place to play in his retirement gradually emerged into a space where “the joy I have given to people is incredible to me. It is something I never dreamed of but now realize that the greenhouse is part of the spiritual mission of Mercy Center.”
“Time spent in the Mercy Center greenhouse physically places me in the midst of quiet creation. My way of being and of creating is quietly. During this time of harmony, like magic, all I carry in disappears. A space for God to enter is created, a space where I became freer to listen… I feel new life. My capacity for faith and love has deepened and I am enabled to continue serving others with gratitude and joy. I have experienced God’s presence in my day! What could be more fulfilling? All this from a few hours in a magical greenhouse, or is it a mystical greenhouse?” - KSB
There were gardeners too! Bernie Moran was gardener for Hotchkiss, Grant and the Sisters of Mercy retiring in 1979. During the “Sister Genie years,” the number of gardens increased with roses, irises, peonies and many other perennials. Mr. Moran often reminded her that he had seven gardeners working for him under Mr. and Mrs. Grant’s direction, keeping the gardens neat and weed free! Sister Mary Daly beautified the Shalom building garden space, and Ted Ozyck built a Yurt framed vegetable garden for Sister Mary Bilderback’s vegetable garden, finding a clever way to keep the deer from jumping in. Sister Mandy Carrier grew herbs and veggies for her soup kitchen ministry in the old vegetable garden, now overgrown with blackberries.
Memorial gardens were planted for many friends over the years as well as the Labyrinth Memorial Garden created for the 25th anniversary of the Center. Volunteers came and went, nurturing their creativity and spirit in this glass house and the gardens. And there were the weeders! Bless them! There is no staying ahead of a weed! In more recent years, the master gardeners worked to cultivate a vegetable garden and clean up many beds and invasive plantings.
Do you have a memory of gardens, gardeners, greenhouses? Email your recollections to Sister Genie Guterch.
