Leonard's yard picked as Havre's Halloween yard of week

From Marisa Robertson

Bullhook Blossoms Garden Club

You probably know Terry Leonard's front yard from his awe-inspiring Christmas displays, but you may not know his Halloween display is equally impressive.

When I spoke with Mr. Leonard, he still had more decorations to put up, despite his design immediately catching my eye from the road. You can tell he really knows how to decorate for a holiday. The details are what makes the final product so impressive - and Mr. Leonard has tons of them, from the freshly dug graves, made using the dirt from his garden, to the cemetery fence, handmade by himself.

The yard not only looks spooky, it looks downright real. even passing by his yard in the daytime with the sun out amongst the blue sky, his yard is sure to send chills down your spine. I asked Mr. Leonard why he decorates for Halloween - simply put, since it's one of the major holidays, there are some impressive decorations that caught his attention. It's one thing to see those decorations set out for customers to peruse, and it's quite another thing to take home those decorations and put them together as spectacularly as he does.

Mr. Leonard's home is also the home of Cindy's Daycare. When asked if any of the children who come to the day care were afraid of his decorations, he said, "Actually, no. The little ones really like to check it out." Those children are much braver than than I was at that age - I surely would have run from the car straight inside to avoid "checking out" what Mr. Leonard had put up that previous night.

Yet, come Halloween night, more surprises will be in store at this home on Cleveland Avenue. A butler will be stationed at the door to greet the droves of trick-or-treaters and a fog machine will make for an especially eerie sight. And, legend has it, if it's a nice, warm Halloween night, Mr. Leonard turns into a werewolf - and his favorite spot to take a nap is in the graveyard. But, be careful - he wakes easily.