Lush Landscapes: Joe Gayle turns Green Spaces into Heavenly Places

Joe Gayle is truly a man of the land. Reared on a 9,000-acre hunting farm in Perry, he learned long ago the value of nature from his father and grandfather. So impressionable were his childhood experiences, he went on to study ornamental horticulture at the University of Georgia in Athens, where his appreciation and understanding of the natural world continued to grow. Today, this Southern boy is a living legend in his chosen profession of landscape architecture – the man behind Kenny Roger’s breathtaking Beaver Dam Farms, Larry Dean’s prestigious Dean Gardens, the recently completed Humphrey Estate in Cumming and countless others.

It’s a labor of love for Gayle, who collaborates with clients of all walks in creating spectacular spaces that are both functional and fitting. His 35-year-old Atlanta-based firm, Joe A. Gayle & Associates, specializes in residential design, revamping properties throughout the Southeast with an artistic mix of architecture and horticulture.

The transformations are as diverse as they are dynamic, from a quaint stone bridge crossing a trickling creek in the woods to a palatial pool, flanked by Greek statuary, overlooking a picture-perfect vista. In the secluded garden of one residence, a magical menagerie of topiary animals frolics on a soft blanket of grass. A profusion of brilliant pink blooms, hedged by sculpted squares of shrubbery, proudly parades at another.

One sun-dappled splash features a tranquil pool of blue, with water cascading over a formation of boulders, topped by a chrome-domed gazebo.

Gayle lets the lay of the land and the architecture of the home dictate the design. “A landscape should never outshine the structure it is meant only to enhance,” said Gayle, who holds fast to the belief that “less is more.”

Brainstorming with the homeowner, he puts dream plans to paper and gets down to business, utilizing the tools of nature – plants, trees, rocks, brick, shrubs and bodies of water – to create different experiences. Though some techniques might be the same, each landscape emerges distinctly unique, tailored to the individual taste of the client.

That includes Gayle’s “job of a lifetime” at the estate of country music superstar Kenny Rogers, which he proudly credits as the steppingstone to his career success. In 1980, after toiling on many a small-scale project, Gayle went to work on Rogers’ farm in Athens, turning the rugged plot into a resplendent paradise.

A scenic sweep of ancient Oriental sensuality, Greco-Roman grandeur and English romanticism, Beaver Dam Farms (so dubbed for its web-footed friends) boasts 1,200 acres of colorful gardens and a spectacular 18-hole golf course.

Gayle’s commission led to a lasting relationship with Rogers, as well as some other high-profile jobs, all building upon his reputation as a designer.

Gayle has since spread his wings from the red clay of Georgia to the arid terrain of Saudi Arabia, with a cross-country portfolio that stretches from Alabama to Michigan to Hawaii.

His award-winning work certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed. It’s been featured in home and gardening publications and on national television, including “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America.”

Gayle said he has been fortunate enough to do designs and construction management on homes in the $10-$40 million range, which allows him to “take the gloves off ” when designing.

But he also enjoys carving out “introspective pockets” of nature around town to give Atlanta residents some much needed breathing room – and boost their quality of life in the process.