Judy and Stephen. Borders spilling over with country blooms turn humdrum outbuildings extraordinary.


to Sao Paolo, Brazil where Steve’s father worked for the Hungarian government. Steve’s own university studies led him to Montreal’s McGill University where he completed a residency in internal medicine. It was while he was at the Royal Victoria Hospital he met his future wife, Judy, a registered nurse. Steve later went on to become Chief of Medicine at the former Lachine Hospital, where he also established the second kidney unit in Canada. But they were drawn to wide-open, peaceful green


spaces. “We drew a 100 km circle around Pierresfond,” he said


explaining their strategy. “We met with a real estate agent in Alexandria who took us to several places, and finally this one. “I looked at the land and the nice little roll of it... the


Three water gardens adorn the property.


little bush in the back. The property was beautiful.” Not as much could be said for the “unliveable” house,


laughed Judy. “I said to Steve, ‘Don’t you want to see the house?’ but


he couldn’t care less,” she recalled. “It was just so peaceful.” Once the deal was signed, Steve set about soliciting


professional advice. It was recommended trees be planted on the west side of the property to act as windbreakers, so he ordered 2,000 poplars, spruce and pine trees which he then planted himself in 1979. He continued to plant thousands more trees during subsequent years, particularly tamaracks and willows for swampier parts of the property, as well as additional evergreens deep in the bush. For the next several years, the couple continued to make


Papaver somniferum.


twice-weekly treks to the South Glengarry community to plant, make plans and eventually build a new home which they moved to in 1991. It hasn’t all been good clean fun and hard work; there


was an ugly incident with a rotten septic tank cover. “The vegetable garden used to be on the east side of


the house,” Steve laughs, hardly containing himself. “The second year we had the place, I was tilling it and the tank cover gave way – I was covered up to my chest! I think I threw the clothes away.” Adds Judy: “I wouldn’t let him into the house!” There was also the gentleman farmer’s run in with a hive


Nothing says country like daisies. 24 • Beautiful Gardens 2014


of bees. Fancying himself a bit of an amateur apiarist, Steve decided he would just pick up a toppled-over hive one time. It was the last time.


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