By Karen Parr-Moody
Rhonda Shanks, a nurse by trade, also happens to be a plant whisperer. Yes, she talks to her plants, and if you listen closely to her conversation, you’ll notice she refers to a plant as a “she” rather than an “it.” Her respect and nurturing of these backyard beauties is obvious by the way they, in turn, flourish.
When Shanks and her husband, Les, first arrived at their house on Flower Drive (“It was meant to be,” she says of the street name), the almost two-acre yard contained only two lonely trees.
Now paths weave through sun and shade, opening up the yard to views of day lilies, trees, roses, yarrow, Mexican Hat, ornamental grasses, Sweet William, Pow Wow Wildberry coneflower, hollyhocks and more. There is even an elaborate koi pond accented by a waterfall and a bridge, and an active hen house.
(One of the many daylilies in Rhonda Shanks’ garden.)
During the Master Gardener’s 2014 Garden Tour from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 14, Shanks will open her garden to the public, as will five other gardeners.
A recent Tuesday morning found Shanks puttering around her back yard. Shanks loves the flower shades of red, orange and gold, and those tones ripple across the landscape. She is also a hobbyist painter, and her eye for color is immediately evident.
“Can you tell I like bright colors?” she asks.
As a child, Shanks toddled after her grandfather as he worked in his garden. Today, Shanks holds out her hands to reveal callouses on her palms.
“I’ve got my grandpa’s hands,” she says. “I’ve got to keep him with me. You know how it is. You have people who make an impression in your life.”
As she passes a patch of regal astilbes in shades of pink and purple, she points to an unusual specimen of hibiscus, appropriately called Black Diamond. She explains that when the time arrives, big white flowers wills stand out in stark contrast to the tree’s black leaves.
“It will be so hot lookin’!” Shanks exclaims, doing a quick dance. “I get so excited!”
And while there’s no promise that Shanks will be perform a happy dance during Saturday’s 2014 Garden Tour, there is a guarantee that the $10 tickets will give guests a lot of bang for their buck.
(Rhonda Shanks has several receptacles in which she keeps koi fish, but this massive one landscaped with rocks, a waterfall and a wooden bridge is the masterpiece.)
Tickets to view all six gardens may be purchased at the following: Mary’s Gardens, 2809 Trough Springs Road; Simply Brigitte, 1501 Madison St.; Clarksville Quick Printing, 425 Franklin Street; and the Montgomery County Extension office, 1030 Cumberland Heights Road. 
(See this statue among the lilies at Rhonda Shanks’ Flower Drive garden)
Tickets may also be purchased at any garden on the tour date. The garden addresses include the following: 540 Martin Road; 625 Flower Drive (Rhonda Shanks’ garden); 353 Excell Road; 3763 Old Clarksville Pike; 1034 South Ridge Trail; and 2031 Seven Mile Ferry Road.
For more information call 931.648.5725.
Karen Parr-Moody began a career as a New York journalist, working as a fashion reporter for Women’s Wear Daily, a beauty editor for Young Miss and a beauty and fashion writer for both In Style and People magazines. Regionally, she has been a writer at The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper and currently writes about arts and culture for Nashville Arts magazine each month.