Justin Stelter has been in the landscaping business in Williamson County since 1995. What began as just another lawn mowing business has grown into a multifaceted landscape gardening service. In addition to maintaining about 100 residential properties in Williamson County, he is the head gardener at two important historical sites in middle Tennessee.In 2003, Justin became focused on historic gardening when he was hired as Head Gardener of Carnton Plantation. This garden is reconstructed from the bones of the original 1847 kitchen/ornamental garden and its evolution from 1847 thru 1869. While head gardener, Justin has installed a historic daffodil display garden, species hostas and an heirloom peony collection consisting of varieties available prior to 1869.
In 2006, he was one of approx 20 selected nationally to attend the Historic Landscape Institute at Monticello. In late 2009, Justin was hired by The Hermitage to head up garden improvements.
He is a member of more regional gardening clubs than he can remember and speaks regularly to organizations all over the mid-state on topics like: The Garden at Carnton Plantation including Pre-1869 Peonies and Species Hostas, Historic Gardening, Mid-Nineteenth Century Gardening, Five Projects in Four Seasons: Maximizing Impact, and Jefferson and Madison's Garden Tour in England in 1786.
His sights are on holding the best gardening library in Tennessee and with several hundred highly collectible volumes, he feels he's making good progress. However his antique garden tool collection still has a long way to go.
He's traveled to gardens all over the world including Argentina, England, Italy, Morocco, Spain and Turkey. His first gardening book will be a guide to historic gardens.
For more information or to get in touch with this always aspiring landscape gardener you can call him at (615) 596-1696 or email him at justinstelter@aol.com
