Dear Editor,
There is certain little garden on a street in our town that stands out from all the rest. It is remarkable in its lush, natural beauty, in the way that the cozy little brick house peeks from behind a rambling magnolia tree and knee-high wildflowers and herbs are allowed to grow where they will, undisciplined by borders or lawnmowers.
Unfortunately, to some, this little garden represents a blight on an otherwise tidy street; it seems they only see trees which need trimming and a yard in need of weeding and re-turfing. Some see a driveway in need of paving, disorder in need of conformity to some unspoken community standard.
Perhaps they know the property owner, and that she is a valuable, upstanding member of our community, a hardworking volunteer and friendly to all - including any stray neighbourhood cat or orphaned squirrel or raccoon. It seems that if they do know this, it matters less to them than does the fact that her garden looks much different than their own.
Maybe they have not yet considered that in a community seeking to lead the way in all things "green" and "eco-friendly", this little property with its aged shade trees, various shrubs and diverse plant life provides a microcosm of unrivalled biodiversity. As well, the garden is undoubtedly organic and free of chemical pesticides - for this pet owners, parents of young children, and anybody who swims in the Bay can certainly be grateful.
All this without even mentioning the unrivalled beauty of this garden in full bloom, when it stands in its summertime glory as the stuff that fairy tales are made of. Many a time my four year old has insisted that we pause to scan the yard for familiar flowers, friendly birds and squirrels, and he delights in telling his little sister that he has seen gnomes and fairies in that beautiful wild garden as well.
There are many lovely properties on this particular street, but this one little garden seems to stand alone in its power to draw such opposing reactions from the neighbourhood. I suppose my purpose in writing this letter is that I hope that this neighbour may read it and find some encouragement in knowing that there are those who find her garden to be more oasis than eyesore, and who appreciate the value it holds for our community.
My children and I are very grateful for the hard work she puts into maintaining such a beautiful, natural haven and in caring for the creatures of our neighbourhood. Regardless of viewpoint, this little garden gives us all an opportunity to reflect on our own impact on our immediate environment, and perhaps even to think about embracing the natural world just a little bit more ourselves.
Sincerely,
Rebekah Chapman, Meaford
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