On almost 2,000 acres in rural Tennessee, fourth-generation nurseryman Don Shadow of Shadow Nursery grows a breathtaking variety of trees, shrubs, and perennials.

An avid, lifelong plant lover, Don focuses on discovering what he calls new and useful plants, and travels the world in his quest to find, and perpetuate, these new varieties. "When you have a rare plant, the more you can propagate it, the more you can get it out to the public, to the landscapers, to the nurserymen, the more it will be propagated and used," he says.

It takes many years before Don's finds, including rare varieties of boxwoods, magnolias, and Japanese maples, can be made available for sale. Upon arriving at his land in Tennessee, each new plant must be propagated by Don and his hard-working staff of 25. To ensure each plant species keeps going strong, Don does not list them in the Shadow Nursery catalog until several thousand have been grown.

Resources
Learn about the Exotic Animals of Shadow Nursery.