This “3 Questions With” comes from a sponsored interview in partnership with Tecovas.
Cheekwood is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Nashville, particularly if you love gardens. The Cheekwood estate, located on 55 acres of botanical gardens, was originally built as the home of Leslie and Mabel Cheek in 1929, and was converted into a museum and garden in 1960.
I’m a frequent visitor, and love going throughout the year to see the seasonal gardens and flowers. Cheekwood Greenhouse Manager Julie Gardner recently chatted with the City Cast Nashville podcast about her work.
What does a day in the life of the greenhouse manager at Cheekwood look like?
“Today, I had to spray for spider mites on some palms, so I did that this morning for a good hour and a half. Next, I've got to continue to fill flats for our violas, which bloom in September. I've got to fill 548 flats full of soil so when the violas come in, the actual viola plugs, I can plant them directly into the soil. It makes it go quickly. I was just outside watering, too. So it's just kind of a little of this, a little of that.”
What's your favorite type of plant or flower at Cheekwood?
“I love some salvias, and I love violas and pansies. I love those pansy faces. Salvias are tough: Amazing colors in them all and very heat tolerant. A lot of them don't overwinter here in Middle Tennessee, but if you can find that good spot, salvia is one of my favorites.”
We love visiting for the summer exhibits, like Sean Kenney’s LEGO sculptures from a few years ago. (Margaret Kingsbury / City Cast Nashville)
How is your work and Cheekwood as a whole integral to the culture of Nashville?
“I see us as a place where all of Nashville can come and experience beauty. Whether it's in the spring for the tulips, the summer for the blaze of color in the color garden, or the fall when leaves change color, everybody can get something out of it. It’s a place of beauty that people should come and experience.”
