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Allen Martinson grew up in
the yard and garden business.
His parents, Billy and Rita Martinson, had a
landscape business, Green Oak Landscape
Company, in 1958, and it’s still in business today.
Allen enjoyed the field so much, he studied horticulture at Mississippi
State before spending a three-year stint in the Peace Corps growing
papayas for the European market. When he returned, he went to work
at the garden center his parents started in Ridgeland in 1983.
“They bought some land in Ridgeland on Highway 51 and opened
Discount Nursery,” says Allen. The name changed in 1992, when Allen’s
wife, Mimi came into their world. “She told my dad that Discount Nursery
reminded her of the kind of business that sold discount tires or furniture.
Soon after, the name changed to Garden Works.”
Mimi made some other changes to the business as well. “She designed
the big wood façade that is still there today, and all the wooden walkways,”
says Allen. “Mimi is the designer and the brains behind what you
see at Garden Works. She’s the idea girl and I’m the logistics guy.” The
couple purchased the business from Billy in 2005. Much has remained
the same, yet many things have changed. “We have two landscape
architects and a full crew who do everything from design and install
pools and outdoor kitchens to full landscaping and hard features.”
34 • NOVEMBER 2020