Our Staff
Our staff members are often requested to speak at group events, such as garden clubs, civic groups, etc. If you would like to request a certain staff member to speak at your event, visit our Contact Page.
Whitener, Wendell
Owner; President
Employed Since: 1989
Education: Ornamental Horticulture Landscape Design A.S. Degree Chattanooga State
Fun Fact: Wendell enjoys working and playing with his granddaughter
Whitener, Gina
Owner; Vice President
Employed Since: 1989
Education: Computer Science Engineering B.S. Degree UTC
Fun Fact: Gina enjoys camping and spending time with family, especially her granddaughter.
Basham, Greta
Horticulturalist / Retail Assistant Manager
Employed Since: 2006
Education: Agriculture with Emphasis in Horticulture B.S. Degree Tennessee Tech
Fun Fact: Greta enjoys camping with her family, and has a great love for the Great Smoky Mountains.
Brock, Ralph
Residential Landscape Designer
Employed Since: 2015
Education: UT, B.S. in Agriculture with major in Ornamental Horticulture/Landscape Design
Fun Fact: Ralph retired from the US Army as a Lieutenant Colonel, and enjoys working on his farm, and baking fresh bread.
Davenport, Angela
Sales Associate
Employed Since: 2007
Education: Horticulture Harrison Bay Vocational School
Fun Fact: Angela enjoys snow skiing, reading, writing poems, and drawing.
Hager, Jill
Cashier
Employed Since: 2012
Fun Fact: Jill enjoys spending time with her family.
Lawson, Joe
Delivery Driver
Employed Since: 2009
Education: CDL License
Fun Fact: On the weekends you’ll find Joe behind the drum set playing in his band “Soul Survivor,” a popular local band.
McGraw, Kat
Retail General Manager & Horticulturalist
Employed Since: 2009
Education: Ornamental Horticulture Plant Science B.S. Degree UTK / Ornamental Horticulture Landscape Design Degree Chattanooga State / Business Administration Certificate / Member of the Tri-State Rose Society
Fun Fact: Kat enjoys running, gardening, farming, antiques, and cooking.
Miller, Angel
Marketing Director / Farmers Market Director
Employed Since: 2009
Education: Health & Wellness A.S. Degree C.S.T.C.C.
Bible & Theology B.A. Degree Lee University Cum Laude
Fun Fact: Angel and her husband are avid hikers who turned their passion for wild mushroom hunting into a business by starting "2 Angels Mushroom Farm" in 2013; they sell their mushrooms at our weekly Ooltewah Farmers Market, which she also manages.
Miller, Bill
Landscape Irrigation Director
Employed Since: 2003
Education: Business Administration Central Piedmont Community College N.C.
Religion & Theology A.S. Degree Berean University
Irrigation Specialist Certification
Fun Fact: When Bill isn’t cruising with his wife & friends on their motorcycles, he is playing with his 10 grandkids!
Petersen, Sheila
Customer Service Specialist
Employed Since: 1999
Education: Business Management & Information Processing - Academy for Business Careers
Fun Fact: In her spare time, Sheila enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, and writing music. Her painting was noticed by a national manufacturing company of iron garden art, and they released an entire line based on her designs in 2013.
Williams, Darlene
Horticulturalist / Sales Associate
Employed Since: 2010
Education: Environmental Horticulture A.A.S. Degree Dalton State College
Georgia Certified Master Gardener / Master Gardener Teacher 2005-2007
Fun Fact: Darlene has traveled to Great Britan several times to see the English gardens and has a great slideshow presentation. She enjoys gardening, traveling, photography, and local thrift shops.
Yates, Jim
Sales Manager
Employed Since: 2004
Navy Sailor 1962-1966 Parachute Rigger
Fun Fact: Jim enjoys gardening and is passionate about growing hostas. He also enjoys spending time with his Westie, Katie.
Casey
Guard Cat
Employed Since: 2008
Fun Fact: Casey enjoys taking long catnaps in the showroom. She sets her own work schedule but prefers to work third shift. You may have seen her curled up on a cushion fast asleep. She enjoys kitty treats and gentle head scratches.
