Gordon Ballard: Gardener

The phrase “too many” doesn’t exist for some people when it comes to plants. Gordon Ballard strongly believes that every gardener should have an excess of plants just waiting to find their perfect home. 

“You're not a true gardener unless you have about 30 or 40 pots sitting around your garden waiting to find their place in the garden.”

He grew up with a love of plants, heavily influenced by his grandparents' gardens. After falling in love with their plants, he started gardening and collecting at his own house.

“Gosh, my old bedroom where I grew up…it was loaded with cactus and house plants and three 20-gallon aquariums as well…I was aquatic gardening and succulent gardening, cactus gardening and you name it.”

For Gordon, gardening is a way to connect with other people. He loves sharing his garden with friends and neighbors, for entertaining or just answering questions about his plants. 

“It's a social outlet here for us, and it's kind of our little hideaway just off the main strip here in the city.”

A film by Michael Chernoff.