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.