Dwight and Sheryl Howard pose in front of the Holy Ground Community Garden at its grand opening on April 18. Howard said he was inspired to create the garden after he saw a vision from God. (Photo/Adriana Cascio)
Dwight Howard Sr. celebrated the debut of the Holy Ground Community Garden on Saturday, a space he envisions as more than a field of soil, but also a testament to his faith.
“The community garden is history, but if you think about the word ‘history,’ it’s ‘His story,’” Howard said. “A part of God’s story is, ‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. So, in us doing this, making history, we are telling His story. We’re doing what He asked us to do.”
Howard, founder of the Dwight & Sheryl Howard Foundation Inc., said his inspiration for creating the garden was a result of a vision from God in October 2024. Even the name of the garden was selected by God.
“I saw us,” Howard said. “I saw this beginning. I saw this fenced in, having the raised beds, having several crops from several people out here, and going on as an annual thing.”
The garden, at 3087 Centerville Road in Lexington, is free and open to the public. To plant at the garden, an application must be submitted to Howard for approval. The application consists of basic personal information, desired crops and desired amount of space.
The distribution of land follows a first-come-first-served policy.
Howard said all contributors to the garden were volunteers. Materials for the garden beds, front gate and old locker for growing cabbage were donated.
“I haven’t had to pay nobody yet,” Howard said. “All the work you’ve seen has been pretty much volunteer, community help.”
When he purchased the property in 2016, it was covered in trees and greenery.
Since his vision, Howard and his team of volunteers cleared all vegetation, built and installed raised beds, and installed a front gate.
The foundation is accepting donations and volunteers for future projects, such as a fence lining the property and walkway to the raised beds.
Decton Hylton, director of agriculture for Regenerative Institute of Community Education, an organization designed for community development through sustainability and education, has assisted the planning of the garden for four months.
He said the key to the garden’s success relies on the community.
“The ones that I’ve worked on that have been successful (are) based on participation, people coming out and really wanting to do it,” Hylton said. “If we have good participation and good commitment, then it will be successful.”
Several community members filled out applications for land use during the grand opening.
“We’re going to be bringing stuff out here,” said Chelsie Cheeseborough, who attended the grand opening. “It’s very exciting.”
Cheesborough and her husband Craig Cheesborough presented three coneflower sprouts to be the first plants in the garden, representing “the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.”
Howard hoped to plant a mustard seed at the garden's grand opening, but a miscommunication led to the planting of the coneflower sprouts instead. Howard said he will plant a mustard seed at the garden later in the season.
He referenced Matthew 17:20 to explain the seed’s significance.
“His word said, if you have a little faith the size of a mustard seed, you can see that faith, that seed, growing into a mountain,” Howard said.
Although the event didn’t go exactly as Howard planned, he said the garden resembles his vision and he is pleased to be doing God’s work.
“Everything I try to do, I try to do it according to how He wants to do it, not how I want to do it,” Howard said. “Because, when I normally do it, I mess up, but I pray for God’s will daily.”