Little did Steven DeSilva imagine, when walking through Par-la-Ville Park one day, that he would soon be in overall charge of the entire chain of Corporation of Hamilton parks - but that was before he bumped into fellow professional George Ogden, who told him he was going to retire as the Superintendent of Parks and suggested that he apply for the job.

"I did, and the rest is history," Mr. DeSilva smiles. "There was a lot of interest from abroad but I think they were very pleased to find a Bermudian."

Despite his qualifications and experience, the new incumbent was under no illusions about stepping into his predecessor's shoes, for Mr. Ogden's artistry and expertise were legend.

"George is loved by all in the horticultural industry, and he has been credited with creating some of the most beautiful set-piece gardens in Bermuda," Mr. DeSilva says. "He has a real eye for it and is absolutely the best in Bermuda. Par-la-Ville is a dream - it has all the textures, colours and varieties of plants that can be found here, and all growing in the right spots. George left behind a magnificent palette to work with."

While the new Superintendent of Parks had no intention of dismantling Mr. Ogden's legacy, he also had ideas of his own which he wanted to incept, so he thought very carefully about how he would approach his appointment.

"Admittedly, the task was daunting because those were a huge pair of shoes to fill, so I knew I had to strike out on my own, and indeed George encouraged me to do so," Mr. DeSilva says.

"In fact, everyone encouraged me to do just that and not worry about what had been done over the past 40 years."

So, with the support of what he calls "a great team to work with", including Corporation Secretary Roger Sherratt and Parks Committee head, Mr. Thomas Dickinson, the new Parks Superintendent has, well, blossomed, and he looks back on his first year with confidence and pride.

"We are all very keen now to improve on the package we have," he says. "We want to explore more public art, as well as ideas on how best to use public spaces. We want to put in areas where people can sit quietly and comfortably, and we want those areas to be reflective of the people who use the city day to day."

Acknowledging that there is "a big problem" with the behaviour of the homeless and down-and-outs in the city parks, Mr. DeSilva says the Corporation is actively exploring subtle ways to ensure that everyone who uses them does so in socially acceptable way. For example, the benches are going to be changed to ones with arm rests in the middle to prevent people from sprawling on them. Meanwhile, the increased monitoring of the parks by the two Park Rangers, whom he says are "going flat out from dawn to dusk", is proving very effective in making inroads into the problem.

"I am an optimist and I think eventually we are going to come up with the best solution, and I have every confidence that the city is going to look as nice as it did under my predecessor," he says.

While he may be the guiding light, Mr. DeSilva is at pains to stress that credit for the continued beautification of Hamilton does not rest with him alone, but is shared with his 15-strong Parks team.

"I inherited a very good, homogenous team, most of whom are long-service employees of the city. They know how the city works and they are in tune with all of the different seasons. Between them they have a vast amount of experience, and they are helping me. They really do make my job easier because they are out there every day, and are reliable and very hard-working," he says.

"Believe me, after 15 years in the industry I know how hard it is hard to get good people who are true gardeners. I don't think gardening is a matter of just going out there with a mower and a machete, there is very much more to it than that."

Certainly, Mr. DeSilva knows whereof he speaks, for his interest in horticulture began in childhood under the tutelage of his grandfather, who was an avid gardener. Later, he spent a decade working under Dr. David Wingate in endangered species management in Bermuda's nature reserves before going on to study horticulture at the University of West of England. After graduating he returned home to take up a Superintendent's post at the Department of Parks.

Against this background, it is hardly surprising that this dedicated Bermudian is so enthusiastic about his present job, which the well-oiled operation he inherited makes easier.

Indeed, the Parks department's responsibilities are large and never-ending. Just how large is perhaps best understood by listing them.

First, there are six parks to plant and maintain: Victoria, Par-la-Ville, Barr's Bay, Fort Hamilton, Jubilee, and Point Pleasant (commonly referred to as Albouys Point - a misnomer Mr. DeSilva hopes a recently-erected name sign will assist in re-educating the public).

Then there are all the grounds around City Hall; the street and carpark plantings, the flower beds, trees, shrubs and hedges along Front Street, the roundabouts, various hedges and lawns, and the Corporation's plant nursery. As well, the Corporation provides decorative plants for the ferry terminal and Perot Post Office.

"Basically, my crew looks after anything that is grown on Corporation land within city limits. It is a big job, and it keeps them busy day in and day out," Mr. DeSilva says.

Over time, certain team members have become responsible for certain areas, and tend them as if they were their own. Citing the men who keep all that grows on Front Street in tip-top shape as one example, Mr. DeSilva describes them as "absolutely born, dyed-in-the-wool gardeners who are very proud of that, and they do an exemplary job. I don't think people have a true picture of just what it takes to keep everything looking so nice. Our work is high amenity horticulture. The landscapes are all neat and tidy, and the parks are a controlled environment. We spend a lot of time keeping the lawns mown at just the right height, depending on the season."

Major functions, such as Harbour Nights, exact a toll on the whole of Front Street. People discard food, cans and bottles, spill popcorn, shuck peanuts, and drop paper litter or whatever else they fancy in the border gardens and flower beds, despite the presence of litter bins. Yet by 6 a.m. the following morning the two men responsible for Front Street will have cleared everything up and left the area in pristine condition before people arrive for work.

"They regard Front Street as their own, and they will voluntarily put in extra hours, or whatever it takes, to keep it looking nice," Mr. DeSilva says.

Events in the parks take a similar toll on the amenities. Children, in particular, scamper through flower beds, damaging whatever grows there. This, too, is taken in stride.

"Children do what children will do. I don't think we should get too upset about it, and I try to encourage my staff not to let it bother them," Mr. DeSilva says. "Putting it right is all part of the challenge I enjoy."

He also takes a similar view of flowers that go missing.

"We know that flowers are going to get nicked from flower beds throughout the city, so we propagate extra supplies for each bed. I am a bit of a romantic, and I think it is a fellow who is more interested in picking a flower for his wife or girlfriend (which accounts for the losses). Vandalism is not a major issue., although my staff have warned me that it does occur. I think, by and large, people who are in the city daily are very respectful."

The damage caused by storms put extra pressure on the Parks Department, and Mr. DeSilva has nothing but praise for the prompt way in which his team clears up the damage in the shortest possible time and heals the scars.

The planning of floral displays, both in the foyer of City Hall and outside, and the ordering and siting of Christmas trees are also part of Mr. DeSilva's responsibilities. Seeds and bulbs must be ordered as much as a year in advance and raised in the Corporation nursery. Planning the siting of and propagating trees and shrubs for a project can begin two years in advance.

In looking closely at how things are done, the new Superintendent of Parks plans to make some changes. For instance, he does not like the luxurious lower branches of palm trees to be lobbed off, leaving them looking like pineapples, and he also has concerns about the stress imposed on trees which are continuously bathed in bright lighting at night.

As for the future, with a distinct twinkle in his eye, Mr. DeSilva hints that there are "some very exciting plans afoot", details of which he must keep under wraps for now, but he says he feels "pretty good" that he was "given the nod to come on board and be part of them".

He reveals that the Corporation of Hamilton is anxious to recreate the garden behind Beacon House once known as "The Cedars", and says that work is proceeding well in Par-la-Ville park to make the walkways wheelchair friendly. He is particularly pleased with the new Jubilee Park on Parson's Road, which replaced a formerly overgrown area which was a hang-out for undesirables, and is proving a real hit with those who traverse it.

Viewing the city overall, the superintendent of parks says: "If I can keep the city looking as nice as it looks now, and make sure there is always something in flower to make it a really pretty place to go and visit, I will be happy."

Looking back on his first year, Mr.DeSilva says it has been thoroughly enjoyable.

"I think that is attributable to the dynamism of working in the city. It is a miniature of New York or London really. There is always a new challenge, no matter what day of the week it is, and you have to act on it right away."