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Long time Gainesville resident Jon George lived in Europe and Asia for several years before returing home to start Cottage Gardens Inc. in 1995. Studying and living near the gardens of artist Claude Monet in Giverny, France, Jon gained inspiration from Monet's expert combinations of light and color in structural beds he called "paint box beds". Living in Japan and Hong Kong heighted Jon's appreciation for simplicity and the use of negative space in design. He found that gardening in Eastern Asia was similar to conditions back in Florida. Both places shared blistering heat and humidity as well as a tropical rainy season that sent most Northern plants packing.
Thus Jon returned to Gainesville with a mission to find plants that worked in our subtropical, yet slightly northern climate. To this day, he and his staff trial dozens of plants annually to find sturdy varieties that provide unusual color or interest for their landscapes in Alachua County.
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Whether working on an office complex or a hummingbird garden for a residential client, Jon and his staff of designers like to do something other than the "typical landscapes" found so often in commercial landscape. Jon likes to joke that we can do more than just "three shrubs and a palm" found in most shopping center parking lots!
These days we are finding ourselves growing in the scope and breadth of the landscapes we are developing. A one hundred acre farm in Alachua, Perkins restaurant on Newberry Road, a children's garden complete with pathways and trellises, a southwestern inspired landscape addition for The Mission church complex, a drought tolerant garden for a historical home in the Duck Pond neighborhood. All of these, we have had the priveledge of designing and installing lately, and many we even care for with our garden maintenance service.
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We have an amazing staff, starting with Lynn Sapp, our administrator who wears many hats including keeping us all on schedule. Marilyn Panico has a keen eye for color and design and is the chief designer helping Jon execute many of the designs you see around town. Steve Arduine is our landscape installation manager and leads a great group of guys to make sure that each garden we put in is perfect. Beverly Colmant and Cindy Gonsalves share the managment of the garden maintenance teams and give a new meaning to the term "fine gardening" to gardens all over Alachua County. Last but certainly not least is Jon's wife Kim George who keeps him grounded and manages human resources and accounting.
Jon and Kim George have a houseful of kids, four in all who keep them very busy changing diapers and helping with homework. We would love to meet you and share with you our Cottage Gardens family.
Please call the office anytime between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM to talk to us about your landscape project. We do landscape consultations and install gardens 'year round.
(352) 333-9661
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