July 27, 2022
by Molly Reichard, Minister for Community Engagement
For those of us who knew longtime parishioners John and Mary Gould, we can’t help but remember their smiles. Mary’s was always bright and contagious, particularly when greeting a child, and John’s invariably included twinkling eyes that hinted at his witty sense of humor. The pair shared those smiles generously throughout our community as they welcomed people to their “church home.”
Following John and Mary’s passing, their daughter Cara Gould Holmberg and son-in-law Dave Holmberg began talking of a memorial gift to honor the couple. “Mom and Dad were all about inviting and welcoming others. First impressions mattered to them,” remembers Cara. “They appreciated the beauty of the church so much and they loved to share it with others.” This open spirit, along with John and Mary’s shared love of nature and gardening, led the Holmbergs to discussions with church leaders and our Head Gardener, Maren Christopher, about possible outdoor projects that would be a fitting tribute and enhance the life of the parish.
Together, the group toured the grounds looking at a variety of options. While over the last few years much of the church landscaping had been reworked by Maren and her team, Sexton Chance Ritchie, and our Properties Committee, there were still lots of possibilities. Following the walk-through, Cara and Dave took ideas away to decide what project would mean the most to John and Mary.
“We appreciated what a nice job had been done with the gardens. But we saw that the landscaping on the 50th Street side, which is really visible, needed a lot of work” shared Dave. Cara added, “The trees and shrubs hid the church and stained glass windows. They didn’t enhance the building; they took away from it.” Ultimately, the couple chose to remember John and Mary with a gift that would enable the complete rework of this landscaping.
“This made me very happy,” Maren giddily recalls. “It’s been on our list for years but it’s such a large undertaking and we knew that, unlike many of the other garden beds, we couldn’t do this project on our own.”
Once the decision was made, the design process began in earnest. “The project was a complicated one and it’s been a real collaboration,” explains Tom Weigel, Chair of the Properties Committee. “The final scope included not only the new landscaping but improvements to irrigation to use less water while more effectively watering the plants.”
In addition, Chance added, “The project made important drainage improvements, such as moving run-off tubes underground and installing pop-up drains, that more efficiently move water away from the buildings.” These enhancements are key in our community’s ongoing efforts to guard against water seeping into the church.
Partnering with Mangold Horticulture and Aqua Engineering, Maren, Tom, and Chance led up the St. Stephen’s team and they were very hands-on throughout the entire process.
The changes also included the installation of a new bench outside the sacristy doors facing 50th Street. In many ways, this new seating is a tribute to both Cara and Maren’s mothers. “We remember picking up our moms after church,” shared Maren. “There wasn’t a place for them to sit while waiting and as they aged, this got harder and harder on them.” This will certainly be a welcome addition for many families on Sunday mornings.
When it came to designing the new landscaping, Cara and Dave trusted Maren and the Mangold team implicitly. “Having Maren involved is exactly what Mom and Dad would have wanted and we’ve appreciated the work Mangold had done for us in the past” says Cara. “We love the gardens around the church and we trusted that Maren and Mangold would make it fit together perfectly.”
“We weren’t looking for landscaping like you’d find on commercial property,” explains Maren. “This is our church home, a second home for many of us, and we wanted the design to feel that way. This is the environment we’ve created with all of our re-landscaping and we wanted that to continue in these spaces too.”
The new design allows the beauty of the building to stand out. It reveals the simple and lovely side portico off the Nave, long hidden, and it allows much more light to flow in and out the stained glass windows for those inside and outside the church to enjoy.
“The footprint of the landscape is roughly the same in size,” explains Maren, “but the feel is much more natural with softly curving beds edged with stone to complement the church.” The plants selected fit this more shady side of the buildings and they include a flowing blend of shrubs, small trees, perennials, and annuals.
Overall, this new landscape feels like a breath of fresh air. If the feedback we’ve already received from newcomers and longtime parishioners alike is any indication, the inviting, light-hearted, and welcoming spirit present inside our walls is now fully reflected in the vibrant grounds outside them too.
We can see Mary and John smiling now.
BEFORE & AFTER PHOTO GALLERY
