Heritage Park in downtown Prattville - Photo by Melissa Parker

Heritage Park in downtown Prattville - Photo by Melissa Parker

Ken Johnson and his staff create awe-inspiring vistas

Prattville – According to the most popular definition on the web, horticulturist is defined as an expert in the science of cultivating plants (fruits or flowers or vegetables or ornamental plants). Ken Johnson, the City of Prattville’s horticultural expert, has the astronomic task of promoting elegance and beauty up and down the streets of Prattville every single day and judging by some of the fine foliage and exquisite blooms, he is quite successful.

With more than forty years in the green industry, Johnson has worked previously at both Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia, and at Blount Cultural Park in Montgomery. In Prattville, he directs a staff of two foremen and several service workers.

Having a background in irrigation maintenance and repair and ground maintenance, foreman Deven Peek has a degree from Trenholm State Technical College. He also possesses a SLP and OTPS (Ornamental Turf and Pest Control) licenses.

The other foreman, Matthew Morgan, has a degree in Landscape Design from Auburn University and was previously employed at Southern Growers Wholesale Nursery and Greenhouses in Montgomery. Morgan has his SLP and LD (Landscape Design) licenses.

The horticulture crew planted a legion of flowers and plants at Heritage Park in downtown Prattville during April; Black Elephant, Crimson Hibiscus, Artemisia, Burgundy Alternant Hera, Coleus, Plumbago, Impatiens, and Dragon Wing Begonia abound, most in lustrous, eye-catching hues.

“We will be doing two plantings a year (spring and fall) at Heritage Park,” Johnson said. “Our most recent projects are replanting at the Gillespie Center and renovation of the water feature at the Fragrance Garden at Overlook Park,” he added.

Other city sites maintained and enhanced by the Horticulture Department are City Hall, the Annex, the Creekwalk, the Prattaugan Museum, all of the Prattville Welcome Signs, the median along Cobbs Ford Road, the Country Club neighborhood entrance, and the Silver Hills subdivision entrance, among others.

Article by Melissa Parker

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