Meet Our New Head Gardener: Thomas Downs!

Greetings!

Thank you to the warm welcomes I’ve received from the crew and clients; I’m looking forward to meeting every one of you and learning about what makes your gardens so special! I’d like to provide a bit of context to my arrival by introducing myself further: 

I had an unusual childhood, my father was in the petroleum industry so I spent half of my grade school years living in Doha, Qatar. Living in Qatar in the 90s was pretty interesting - this is post Desert Storm 1, and Qatar was (and still is) booming with liquid natural gas production. From this home base my parents cultured my siblings and I with travel, created the first Boy Scouts troop in the Arabian Peninsula, and exposed us to an international perspective. 

I spent my adolescence on the Ozark Plateau, in Arkansas, where the rest of my family lived. It was in Arkansas that I met my wife in a music theory class. We’re high school sweethearts and are so lucky to have two beautiful little boys under our wings. Arkansas is also where I discovered my other true love: gardening. 

When I moved into my first apartment I researched indoor air quality and immediately drove to the store and picked up a white bird of paradise (Strelitzia nicolai), the biggest plant they had. This palm quickly outgrew my studio apartment but indeed was the seed that established my love for plants. 

This love for plants drove me to pursue a formal degree in horticulture from the land grant University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. During my study, I was exposed to everything from basic plant biology to entomology (study of insects) to greenhouse management! I found myself inspired by this experience and hit the ground running after graduating.

My time at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art was extremely formative for me. I was the horticulturist responsible for “The Art Trail” (winding forested path with sculptures), “The West Bank” (riparian creek-side), and “The Overlook” (grand vista point in the forest). While I was there I designed gardens where plants and sculptures coexisted: the gardens provided context for the art.

After Crystal Bridges I managed the propagation department of the largest greenhouse in Arkansas, where I personally brought to life over 15,000,000 plants destined for area Lowe’s stores. I grew over 50 different species including annuals, perennials, mums, and poinsettias. 

I’ve loved Michigan ever since my wife (then girlfriend) exposed me to it 15 years ago. Her parents taught at Interlochen School of the Arts for decades, and spent summers in Traverse City. My connection to her is my tie to Michigan, and we’ve spent over a decade with the intention of someday living here together. 

Thank you to Atzinger Gardens and associated clients and crew for the welcomes; as the long winter breaks we’re all blessed with a new opportunity to grow!"