Peace Garden in Steinbach gets 741 perennials this spring

The warm weather is helping the newly planted perennials to get a strong start in the Dirk Willems Peace Garden in Steinbach.  

Elsie Kathler is one of the busy gardeners at the Mennonite Heritage Village in Steinbach. 

She says a couple of young gardeners joined them earlier this month and received some planting lessons from Anne Peters of the Steinbach and Area Garden Club. 

“Anne talked about that this was a legacy for the future that they were creating,” Kathler says. “So, then they know the importance of that particular garden for peace, particularly in the environment in the world now. That's so important.” 

The gardeners worked hard to get 741 perennials into the new peace garden. 

The memorial site includes a beautiful pergola, benches, and plaques with information on an important piece of history. 

The bronze, life-sized sculpture at the site depicts the martyred Dutch Anabaptist who turned back to rescue his jailer who fell through thin ice. 

Kathler notes that all the gardens are looking good, including the vegetable gardens with some produce already being used for meals. 

“Most of the harvest is used in the restaurant for preparing food for guests that are coming here right now,” she says. “We’ve already harvested some of the rhubarb. So, the rhubarb platz in there is from this spring’s harvest.” 

Extra produce is passed along to the local soup kitchen, Kathler adds.