STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The grounds around the Canterbury House in Rosebank are much greener thanks to resident Bill O’Connor, who has spent the year weeding, mulching and planting.
O’Connor’s lifelong passion for gardening blossomed as a child growing up in the South Bronx where he nurtured the only green thing in a junkyard — a sumac weed.
For O’Connor, gardening now serves as a form of therapy, helping him manage the health challenges that come along with living a long life.
Bill O’Connor is the resident gardener at the Canterbury House in Rosebank. He and his wife Terry have lived here since they were flooded out in the Rockaways after Hurricane Sandy.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
It all began in 2012 when O’Connor moved into the Canterbury House, an income-restricted senior housing facility operated by St. John’s Episcopal Church, after Hurricane Sandy.
“I really lucked out with the garden because I missed my garden, so I asked the priest of St. John’s Episcopal Church at the time if I could start one,” the 84-year-old said. “He said, ‘Bill, you can do it, but you’ve got to make it look nice because this is the first thing you see when you come up to the building.’”
By 2014, he single-handedly transformed a barren patch of rocks into the vibrant garden it is today.
Bill O’Connor is the resident gardener at the Canterbury House in Rosebank. He and his wife Terry have lived here since they were flooded out in the Rockaways after Hurricane Sandy.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
The garden is a personal project for O’Connor. He pays for all expenses out of his own pocket and through special occasion gift cards given to him by his family. He purchases dirt, fertilizer and other supplies from stores like Home Depot.
The garden features a dynamic mix of perennials and annuals that changes yearly, including favorites like basil, dahlias, mums and canna lilies that O’Connor successfully keeps alive through New York City’s harsh winters.
Bill O’Connor is the resident gardener at the Canterbury House in Rosebank. He and his wife Terry have lived here since they were flooded out in the Rockaways after Hurricane Sandy.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
His wife, Terry, sees gardening as his passion.
“Gardening is his first love and it’s good for him,” she said. “When you do what you like it does not feel like work. He’s out here in all kinds of weather.”
The garden has become a cornerstone for the Canterbury House’s residents, providing them with a peaceful, beautiful space to relax, socialize, and feel more at home.
Bill O’Connor is the resident gardener at the Canterbury House in Rosebank. Here he stands with Father Hank Tuell in front of St. Johns Episcopal Church which runs the senior living apartments.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
“The garden makes the grounds beautiful and creates a space for residents to sit during the summer,” said Rev. Father Hank O. Tuell IV, the rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church. “This is their hangout area, and we are glad that he gives the garden his time.”
In sharing his story, O’Connor hopes it will inspire other seniors to begin gardening because he believes gardening is more effective than medication.
“First, you’ve got to read, then speak to somebody at the garden store or a friend. It’s kept me healthy. My knees are achy, but I don’t feel it when I’m tending the garden,” explained O’Connor. “Isn’t that amazing? That’s why I know it’s therapy. This is better than the medication doctors prescribe. The positive endorphins gardening produces are good for you — it’s working for me anyhow.”
Bill O’Connor is the resident gardener at the Canterbury House in Rosebank. He and his wife Terry have lived here since they were flooded out in the Rockaways after Hurricane Sandy. Staten Island Advance
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