Photo: Joel Tressler, 2005

Shannon is a life-long artist, gardener, certified arborist with an interest in edible & medicinal plants. Shannon is an award winning garden designer, specializing in native plants and environmentally friendly landscape designs (owner of Shannon’s Garden Gallery ).  She also is a published writer, photographer, illustrator, and artist.  She writes the monthly native plant profile and many garden features for Georgia Gardening Magazine.  She has appeared as the guest designer on HGTV’s Landscape Solutions.  Her work has also been featured in the Atlanta Journal Constitution & Gwinnett Daily Post.   She was the 2005 President for the Gwinnett Master Gardeners, a member of the Georgia Native Plant Society, and Co-Chair for the 2005 Southeastern Flowershow Landscape Division. 

Current Affiliations

Owner - Shannons Garden Gallery
1999-2007 Chair - Harmony Elementary Outdoor Classroom
2007-08 Chair - Jones Middle School Outdoor Classrm/Beautification
Member - International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
2005 President - Gwinnett Master Gardners
Member - Georgia Native Plant Society (former Board Member)
Regular Contributor - Georgia Gardening Magazine
Member - Gwinnett Extension Advisory Board
2005 Co-Chair - Southeastern Flower Show, Landscape Division

Shannon is also a member of the following organizations: Georgia and Gwinnett Master Gardener Associations, National Wildlife Federation, The National Parks Conservation Association, The American & Georgia Herbalist's Guilds, The Sierra Club, Georgia Organics, The Georgia Garden Writer’s Association of America, and The American Horticultural Society.

Training

Shannon is a Certified Arborist and an Advanced Certified Georgia Master Gardener and has taken classes through the UGA/cooperative extension service which include:

  Landscape Maintenance
  Woody Plant ID
  Tree ID
  Gardening for Wildlife
  Pesticide Use & Application License through Ga Dept of Agriculture

Shannon has also taken classes in drafting, architecture, landscape design, drawing, plant clinics, native plant symposiums. She has also taken numerous classes in plant identification (wild and cultivated), wilderness survival skills, edible and medicinal plant classes. These classes include wilderness survival skills from Tom Brown Jr. (Tracker School), Richard Cleaveland (Earth School), Mark Warren (Medicine Bow). In addition, she's taken medicinal plant classes from certified herbalist, Patricia Howell (Botanologos).

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Formal Education and Past Employment

Shannon graduated from Florida Institute of Technology in 1987 with a BS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering. Worked as a project engineer from 1987 to 1997 in process control and automation. Job objectives included drafting, panel design, power distribution layout, PLC programming, graphics design, job startup, end user training, software demos. 

2004 to Present Owner of Shannon's Garden Gallery; 1990 to present, Owner of Artistic Innovations, a mural & Trompe L’oeil company;  2001-2004 former Co-Owner of Eco-Terra Landscape Consultants.

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Awards & Publications

1. First place award winner for the 2007 Georgia Gems Garden Design Contest for the state of Georgia.
   
     Color Design & Plant List
     
2. http://apps.caes.uga.edu/urbanag/HOME&GARDEN/indexFS.cfm?storyid=2733 1999 mural work was published in Beginnings of Interior Environment by Phyllis Sloan Allen, Miriam Stimpson, Lynn M. Jones, miria Stimpson
     
3. Illustrator for Tara Dillard’s two books:
   The Garden View: Designs for Beautiful Landscapes
   Beautiful By Design:   Stunning Blueprints for Harmonious Gardens to be released April 2005
    
4. June 25, 2004, AJC article on Shannon’s garden
   Well-engineered blend of nature blooms in Buford by Rebecca McCarthy
    
5. October 7, 2004, Gwinnett Daily Post article on one of Shannon’s designs
   Serene Simplicity: Janpanese gardens offer escape in backyard by Steve Pettis
    
6. Monthly contributions to the Georgia Gardening Magazine.
    
7. Past contributions to Danny Flanders and Walter Reeve’s columns in the AJC garden sections
    
8. 2003 Southeastern Flowershow Awards - Landscape Division
   (while co-owner of Eco-Terra Landscape Consultants; Shannon was the designer of the exhibit).
    
   1. Atlanta Botanical Garden Trustee's Award for Best of Show for the small garden category-an exceptional exhibit which best exemplifies the goals of the Southeastern Flower Show
       
      "Clever, humorous theme well-orientated with many authentic Japanese elements and a Southern accent. Innovative use of American look-alikes for Japanese plants."
       
   2. The Massachusetts Horticultural Society Medal for Best Execution of Design
      "An A+++ effort in research, design, and execution!"
       
   3. Men's Garden Club Trophy of Atlanta for an exhibit of excellence
      using plants best suited for the Piedmont area.
       
      "Masterful job using native plants in an Asian design. Attention to detail is exceptional."
       
   4. ...And a blurb from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution February 8, 2003
        
      "Go evocative: Eco-Terra Landscape Consultants' garden shows just what's possible using low-maintenance, drought-tolerant and native plants, all with an eye for detail rivaling that of a jeweler."- Danny C. Flanders 
        
9. 2004 Southeastern Flowershow Awards - Discovery Division
   (Shannon was the designer for the Georgia Native Plant Society’s exhibit)
   http://www.gnps.org/SEFS041.HTM
    
   1. Governor's trophy 
      Best in Show for Discovery Division for the educational exhibit of greatest distinction.
        
   2. Certificate of Excellence in Conservation - Garden Club of America, 
      for an exhibit of exceptional merit which educates the public on conservation issues and promotes respect for natural resources and responsibility for environmental stewardship. This is a special panel award.
       
   3. Magnolia Garden Club Scholarship Award
      for the exhibit created by an Academic institution that best exemplifies excellence in environmental education.
       
   4. Boxwood Garden Club Trophy
      for the most year-round interest emphasizing the use of native Southeastern plants.
       
10. 2005 Southeastern Flowershow Awards - Landscape Division
    (Shannon was the designer and assisted in the building building of the exhibit "Tea For Two: Can You Guess Who? " for Unlimited Landscaping Inc for the Landscaping Division)
     
1. Atlanta Botanical Garden Trustee's Award for Best of Show for the small garden category-an exceptional exhibit which best exemplifies the goals of the Southeastern Flower Show .
    
2. Georgia Lighting Company Trophy for most distinctive and creative use of hardscapes in a garden.
    
3. Robinson Whimsical Trophy for a garden that exhibits humor, fantasy, and/or whimsy and displays horticultural skill and beauty.
    
4. Mayor's Trophy: The People's Choice Award for favorite landscape garden by vote of show attendees.
11. 2006 Southeastern Flowershow Awards - Landscape Division
    (Shannon assisted in the design and building of the exhibit "La Piazza del Mercado" for Unique Environmental for the Landscaping Division)
     
    1. Massachusett's Horticultural Society Medal for Best Execution of Design-
       Judges' comments- "Plant material is visually complex without being overdone. The cobblestone design installation adds authenticity to the setting. Color and texture combinations of the plantings are exceptional. Tremendous attention to detail. Selection of architectural elements, doors, containers, and ironwork makes it a memorable experience. "
        
    2. Plants Garden Club Trophy for most creative interpretation of the theme.
        Judges' comments- "Would that one, we could have had dinner at Bellinis!" Bellissimo!" ; "What a wonderful way to represent Italy. Well crafted, richly detailed, alive with color and water. This street scene made us want to purchase plane tickets. Represents the theme extremely well."
        
    3. American Society of Landscape Architects Trophy- for best use of annuals and/or perennials as a design element. Judges' comments- This garden is a sensory delight with exceptional hardscape details. Exquisite color harmonies are obtained through the use of well-grown annuals and perennials..
       
       Ann Lyon Crammond Trophy- for "the garden that invites you in". Judges' comments- o "la Piazza del Mercado" Very realistic and transports you to an Italian marketplace. Wonderful attention to finishing detail; cobblestone, moss in crevices, lace curtains, and patina of the walls. The tables and chairs along with running water invite you to stay..
        
    4. Mayor’s Trophy: The People’s Choice Award for favorite landscape garden by vote of show attendees. 
        
12. 2007 Southeastern Flowershow Awards - Landscape Division
    (Shannon assisted in the design and building of the exhibit ""North Georgia with a French Accent " for Unique Environmental for the Landscaping Division)
     
    1. Atlanta Botanical Garden Trustee's Award for Best of Show for the large garden category-an exceptional exhibit which best exemplifies the goals of the Southeastern Flower Show .Judges comments: Plant-rich design, enhanced by excellent garden lighting. Love the cyclists
        
    2. Massachusett's Horticultural Society Medal for Best Execution of Design-
       Judges' comments-Whether a backyard garden or a major park, the success of this design is that it holds together as a complete unit. Great attention to detail. Water feature accenting succulent garden demonstrates impressive use of design and color principals. Great vistas from inside and outside the garden. Beautiful scale and form. Soothing color scheme with spectacular diversity. Lovely lighting of Japanese maples. Nice detail in antique tools. Multi-access points foster invitation to enter. Good touch with cold frames, appropriate to a French garden. Tour de France cyclists add an element of whimsy. This garden has it all- pathways, gardens, water feature, architectural elements, and an incredible amount of zip!
        
    3. Bulkley Medal Garden Club of America- for a special exhibit in the fields of horticulture, botany or conservation. The exhibit must be one of exceptional educational merit that increases the knowledge and awareness of the viewing public. Judge's comments: “This is an exceptional French garden from start to finish. Unique in the suitability of plant material, it is truly a “Tour de Force!”   
        
    4. Lynn Dowden Trophy- for best use of water in a garden setting. Judge's comments: The waterfall to the left of the house is so brilliantly done and so subtly conceived: don't miss it!
        
    5. Ann Lyon Crammond Trophy- for “the garden that invites you in”. Judge's comments: “Cyclists coming down the hill will never get past this house without stopping to say “Bonjour!”
        
    6. Mayor’s Trophy: The People’s Choice Award for favorite landscape garden by vote of show attendees. 
        

1. Georgia Native Plant Society’s exhibit    www.gnps.org/SEFS042.HTM
    
2. HGTV ‘s Landscape Solutions guest designer for a woodland garden:
   www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_design_other/article/0,1785,HGTV_3566_2358203,00.html