Creekwood Gardens

Hidden in the woods south of Simsboro, where "I hunted through the hollow" as a boy, lies Gary Cathey's Creekwood Gardens.  Gary was born and raised in Simsboro on land that has been in his family since the Civil War.  His mother still lives just up the road.  In 1991, Gary filled a pond and moved in a cabin that he nestled under shady hardwoods and positioned with a peaceful view of the pond.

The Master Gardeners visited Creekwood Gardens this week. It was a welcomed retreat from our dry, drought stricken yards to Gary's cool, woodland oasis.

The gardens are laid out with meandering flagstone paths through rich green aspidistra, wood ferns, and hostas. Punctuating the gardens are formal clipped boxwood hedges and wooden structures laden with huge, gorgeous ferns. 

Before touring the property, we sat with Gary on one of his many shady decks and learned more about the history of the gardens. 

Asked if he started with a grand design, Gary sheepishly said, "No, I just got carried away in my yard." Soon after the garden was started, a friend asked if they could host a wedding there. Many of his garden designs were created to accommodate the garden's growing wedding demand. Gary built a beautiful conservatory in which to hold indoor weddings. This year, Creekwood Gardens is hosting a wedding every weekend from now through Thanksgiving. Gary also said that most weeks you can find photographers posing brides in front of picturesque Creekwood Garden backdrops.

One of the settings for exchanging vows.

Amphitheater type seating for larger weddings.

In 1996, Gary was asked to tear down a small house that belonged to a lady he had worked for as a young boy. This lady held a special place in his heart and he couldn't bear to tear down her house that had been built in 1928, so instead he moved it to the garden.Today it is one of two bed-and-breakfasts open to the public. 

Gary has recently built two new cabins that each sleep four people.  Being only three miles from Driskill Mountain, Louisiana's highest elevation, has brought many High Pointers to Creekwood Gardens for overnight stays.  

As gardeners, one of our favorite features was the massive banks of potted tropical plants positioned throughout the gardens. Gigantic (no, I'm not being facetious) philodendrons, acuba, and bananas were everywhere.  Innumerable large ficus trees filled corners creating a lush, serene environment. Knowing that all of the tropical plants must be brought inside for winter protection, we asked Gary how he accomplished that monumental task.  He told us that it took six men two full days working with dollies and wagons to get all the plants inside his greenhouse.  He also told us that the green house was "over in the Sanford and Son area. Everyone has one of those areas in their yard," he said grinning knowingly.

Gary Cathy of Creekwood Gardens
(Every time I raised my camera, he lowered his head! So sweet!)

It was a wonderful field trip and I left feeling as if I knew a secret......

a secret garden!! 

Love ya'll,

Shelli

A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world.

 ~Leo Buscaglia