Celebrating with Seedlings

Submitted by parishioner Wendy LeBlanc

One of St. Mary Magdalene’s (Picton) parishioners quipped ‘You’ve got to have faith in a future!” when he was presented with his bundle of seedling trees recently. A commemorative tree program marking the 200th Anniversary of the Parish and the 160th Anniversary of the Diocese of Ontario was eagerly supported by the St. MM congregation who are enjoying the many events celebrating this special year. A variety of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs, purchased from Quinte Conservation, have now been planted in Prince Edward County and in the future will serve as mementos of our anniversary year.

The seedlings, some of which were only 30 cm tall and up to a metre in height, are already delighting both green thumb and non-gardeners alike. Parishioner Lorraine Hyatt reports, ‘I am getting such a “kick” out of watching these three skinny tree/shrub seedlings grow. I was pretty skeptical when I picked them up on Sunday and now I’m really enjoying watching them, especially this week which has been so unspring like with cold rainy dreary days! Today it’s Spring and my seedlings are thriving!’

The parishioners of St. Mary Magdalene join the many gardeners who think of planting and growing in a religious way – it takes faith, hope and love on the part of the gardener, along with the sun and rain from the heavens, to inspire plants to grow and flourish. Our commemorative tree program is a wonderful way for the faithful of St. Mary Magdalene (Picton) to pay tribute to our 200th Anniversary year! 

Accompanying photo: St. Mary Magdalene’s Ross Saunders with his Commemorative Seedlings