Submitted by the Pelham Beautification Committee 

Christine Kreutzer, at 14 Stella Street, is the recent recipient of the Pelham Community Beautification Committee’s thank you program.  Christine fell in love with Pelham’s small town atmosphere when she was looking for a new home after retiring from her University of Toronto job in 2018. She has slowly and methodically transformed her front and back yards into beautiful showcases. What was once mostly lawn is now a stunning garden made up of an array of evergreens, ornamental trees, shrubs, perennials, and several low growing stonecrop and succulent plants.  Large boulders and flagstone pavers give the garden depth and add to the character of the garden while providing a pathway that meanders up to the front door and throughout the front yard.  Christine explains, “I liken my garden to a living canvas – it is never finished and always changing”.  The four-season interest is especially important as Christine offers, “structure, shape and form are valuable components when designing a garden.  It is not so much the flower as it is the foliage on the various plants that gives a garden its appeal.”

Christine contributes her love of gardening to her father and paternal grandmother.  During her adult years, Christine’s love affair continued to grow through research, talking to fellow gardeners as well as trial and error.  Christine explains, “I love everything about gardening: the process of creating and designing a garden; using colour, shape and texture to create different canvases that change throughout the seasons and years; attracting birds and butterflies; integrating water features and sculpture into the design; and seeking out that elusive and unusual plant, tree or shrub. I’ll get an idea or vision that usually turns out completely different by the time I finish.  I lose myself in the garden, where there is no stress and I can clear my head of all the “noise”.   I laugh and tell people that my house only gets cleaned in the winter and if it rains … but my garden looks good!”  And yes, Christine’s garden is better than good.  It is astonishingly beautiful.  The Pelham Beautification Committee is pleased to recognize Christine’s very impressive beautification endeavours, and it is especially warranted as we celebrate the Year of the Garden.

Christine was pleasantly surprised when the Beautification Committee approached her.   “I’m honoured and humbled to be recognized in this way, especially after recently visiting some stunning gardens at the Pelham Garden Club’s garden walk/tour.” Readers are reminded that 2022 is the Year of the Garden.  If you see a particular garden deserving recognition we would be interested in hearing from you.  Happy gardening!

The Pelham Beautification Committee is an advisory committee to Pelham Council.  The committee seeks to foster civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification through community involvement.  The monthly ‘Thank You’ card initiative is one of the Committee’s efforts to inspire the Town’s businesses, organizations and residents to exemplify ideals defined in the Beautification Committee’s Terms of Reference, available at www.pelham.ca

The Pelham Beautification Committee will name a recipient each month.  Residents are encouraged to submit potential recipient recommendations to the Pelham Beautification Committee at beautification@pelham.ca