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The Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Gardens collaborates with members of the Garden Club of America to document gardens across the United States. This is not a casual, any-garden-that-blooms-will-do process.
“It’s a lengthy process,” explained Mary Ellen Lovell, who, as garden and history chair of the Garden Club of Nashville, worked with Steve Sirls to research and document information about The Craighead House and Gardens, an incredible garden featured in “Garden and Gun” and other renowned publications. It took about two years to trace the history for the Smithsonian archives.
Pam and Tom Blanton’s lovely shade gardens were recently added to this acclaimed list of gardens, and the process took over a year. Denise Taylor and Carolyn Doster of the Garden Club of Lookout Mountain spearheaded the project initially, and lots of folks shared the work. Pam credits the duo with completing a complicated this project, which had lots of moving parts and intricate details.
But the real work actually started decades before, although Pam and Tom would not call any of their efforts work. Both of their mothers loved gardening, and as toddlers, the two were raised knowing how to deadhead spent blossoms and how to plant something in a spot that suited it and how to find a certain joy in the work of gardening.
The couple moved to Lookout 34 years ago, and set to work on their shaded grounds. “We wanted a yard representative of our native environment, so Tom set about creating it. For example, we took out boxwoods and planted azaleas and other native shrubs,” Pam said.
Excited about the results and both bitten by the gardening bug, the couple started attending seminars like the Southern Gardening Symposium at Callaway Gardens, where they met lots of growers and really learned a lot. They also began touring other Southern gardens, attending Historic Garden Week in Virginia and the Connoisseurs Garden Tour sponsored by the Atlanta Botanical Garden, which is where they met Jimmy Stewart, an extraordinary gardener.
“He became a dear friend and helped us with his wealth of knowledge … I won’t go into details about how much he has done for all of us [on Lookout]. It would take too long,” Pam said.
More than a hobby, gardening actually became a business for the Blantons. They opened up the Little Greenhouse on Cowart Street on the Southside, and the adorable shop was a favorite stop for many with its vast array of plants and garden accouterments. During the five years they operated the shop, they visited lots of nurseries and learned much from both Jimmy Stewart and the late Martha Law, a renowned gardener. They also frequented distinguished gardens all over the world, with favorites being Avebury Manor and Gardens in England, as well as the Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania.
A member of the Garden Club of Lookout Mountain, Pam earned her certification as a flower show judge, and traveled all over the South in that capacity. In almost every spot, she was able to visit extraordinary gardens, both public and private.
Now, she and Tom spend their time in their lovely gardens, maintaining and tweaking the flowerbeds and landscaping. And enjoying each other’s company.
“Although I enjoy gardening, the real garden and yard belongs to Tom. He has done and taught me so much. It’s been so much fun for us to share this hobby together,” Pam said.
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Ferris Robinson is the author of three children’s books, “The Queen Who Banished Bugs,” “The Queen Who Accidentally Banished Birds,” and “Call Me Arthropod” in her pollinator series. “Making Arrangements” is her first novel. “Dogs and Love – Stories of Fidelity” is a collection of true tales about man’s best friend. Her website is ferrisrobinson.com and you can download a free pollinator poster there. She is the editor of The Lookout Mountain Mirror and The Signal Mountain Mirror.
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