Bethel's Biggest Garden

Last year, Bethel Presbyterian Church planted a community garden on half a vacant lot the church owns. This year, gardener Lascelles Walters not only expanded the garden to the entire lot, he added many more varieties of produce to benefit nursing home residents and seniors.

Walters added a fence and borders of sunflowers to the East Sixth Street site. Flocks of New Jersey's state bird, the Eastern Goldfinch, visit to eat the seeds and cheer Walters on with their chirping.

The garden started out with Jamaican favorites, including callaloo and thyme. Now it is his most ambitious effort since he started gardening in 2002. Besides the usual tomatoes, cabbages and peppers , his crops include red, green and yellow Swiss chard, eggplants, cantaloupes, pumpkins, watermelons, potatoes, corn and more.

Walters said the garden has had some challenges from animals that wanted to sample his wares.

Still, Walters passed on lots of vegetables to church members Agnes Talbot and John Haws for the charitable distributions.

Beetles are currently attacking the callaloo, but Walters expects them to clear out as the weather cools.

Talbot added some of her signature giant marigolds to the garden.

A whimsical scarecrow stands guard.

The fence is full of climbing vines. Here is a cucumber vine.

Peeking among the leaves, one can also see stringbeans.

Walters has started a fall crop of cabbages and other cool-weather crops.

Agnes Talbot proudly shows off her special marigold display next to the church entrance.

Kudos to gardener Lascelles Walters and the church family that supports his efforts!

--Bernice Paglia