For years as a subscriber to Journal of Japanese Gardening, John Powell’s name was familiar to me through his articles. The quality publication is now known as Sukiya Living.
In 2009, Powell was a speaker at the International Conference on Japanese Gardens Outside Japan sharing the stage with landscape architect Ron Herman and garden artist David Slawson. Their panel was titled “Bringing it all together: maintenance, growth & design.” His presence on the agenda was one of the reasons I chose to attend that formative conference in Long Beach.
John Powell and David Slawson talk shop at the 6th International Symposium of Japanese Gardens hosted by the Japanese Friendship Garden in San Diego in October of 2010. This conference is held once every two years, sponsored by The Garden Society of Japan and The International Association of Japanese Gardens Inc. The 2012 conference will be held in Australia.
We saw each other again in San Diego in 2010. Every time we had a chance to chat, he invited me to visit the next time I was in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Powell is a Japanese style garden builder and pruning specialist from Weatherford, Texas. He is a graduate of West Virginia University with a degree in Forestry. Currently he is the co-owner of Weatherford Gardens Nursery and Landscaping, located at 2106 Fort Worth Highway in Weatherford west of Fort Worth.
a sampling of products carried in the store
(photo by Bill F. Eger)
As noted on the nursery’s Facebook page: “In 1997, David & Pat Bergman, and John & Becky Powell purchased Mann Nursery. We re-named it Weatherford Gardens, and have been here ever since. We ditched all the chemicals and went organic in 1999, and it has been our real pleasure to sell only quality plants and organic materials to our gardening enthusiasts all over North Texas.”
a small section of the seed shelves where I did my shopping
(photo by Bill Eger)
Information sheets on soil types, deer resistant plants, drought tolerant plants, etc. line one bookshelf while new products such as woolen pockets for green walls are featured in the larger room.
“We do a lot of residential landscaping, and our landscape designer John Powell specializes in Japanese garden design. He has studied in Japan, and garden building is his passion.”
rock arrangement and plantings between the parking lot and the store
a sample waterfall to one side of the nursery
(photo by Bill F. Eger)
“Whether we install it or you do it yourself, our highly efficient and knowledgeable nursery and landscaping staff work to provide the best plants for your installations, and the highest professionalism and insight in any troubleshooting along the way,” the information page on Facebook concluded.
There was a nice sale going on the day we were there. Too bad these won’t fit in the backpack!
(photo by Bill F. Eger)
beautiful maple foliage and seeds
(photo by Bill F. Eger)
To learn more about Weatherford Gardens Nursery, visit them on Facebook http://en-gb.facebook.com/WeatherfordGardens?sk=info or at their store and nursery 2106 Fort Worth Highway, Weatherford TX 76086 or phone (817) 341-0152.
To learn more about the 7th International Symposium on Japanese Gardens: Japanese Gardens in the 21st Century to be held in Sydney Australia September 1-3, 2012, contact Imperial Gardens Landscape, PO Box 200 Terrey Hills, NSW 2084
web address: www.imperialgardens.com.au
and e-mail: enquiries@imperialgardens.com.au
All photos not otherwise credited in this blog are by K.T. Cannon-Eger. Click on any image to see it full size.
U.S. Japanese Gardens 