Southern Gardening

Drew English shares his passion for the art of gardening

By JUDY ROYAL » Photos by Molly Harris and Emma Potter

Drew English has been involved with the Cashiers Designer Showhouse for several years, but this year’s event was his first as a designer, allowing him to share his passion for gardening with a new audience. English, head gardener at High Hampton and owner of The English Gardener, was recruited by the Cashiers Historical Society to work on a portion of the garden for the 27th annual Showhouse fundraiser in late August. He set his focus on a small cottage on the property that was once a playhouse, transforming it into a “functional but aesthetically pleasing” potting shed, as he describes it.

“I’ve always loved the idea of a potting shed and a small garden oasis,” English said. “I have one on my property. I saw the potential and said let’s do a cottage garden around this area that connects from the house to the shed.”

As a dahlia enthusiast, English knew he wanted his favorite flower to be the star of the Showhouse garden, so he started a collection growing a collection of 10 types of dahlias in his greenhouse in June just for this project. He created a small walkthrough on the Showhouse property so the dahlias could be accessed easily for cutting and supplemented them with a small annual planting of begonias, petunias and impatiens. Then, English scattered about 25 terra cotta pots containing a mix of perennials and annuals and brought in his personal collection of hanging baskets.

“They fill the space really well and add a great scale to the small structure,” he said.

In addition, English brought his love of antiques into the Showhouse garden, installing a 19th-century potting bench and a large folk-art snake made of bottle caps. He said the fact that this year’s Showhouse was an older home spoke to him.

“It had a lot of charm and character,” English said. “There was such a great bone structure already existing that it felt appropriate to come in and give it some life again. It gave me the opportunity to take my vision and make it a reality with a lot of creative freedom. It’s definitely a pure representation of my work.”

English got involved with the Showhouse several years ago as a vendor, selling bow ties with his mother. He later hosted and chaired the event’s Opening Night Party for four years, and his partner Philip Bradley began serving on the board of the Cashiers Historical Society. English was excited to participate in a new way this year as one of 15 designers showcasing their creativity. Designers work on a volunteer basis, donating their time and efforts to make the Showhouse beautiful. They may sell items they bring in, with a portion of the sales going to the organization.

Born and raised near Charleston, SC, English came from a family that appreciates the historical value of structures and culture as well as the beauty of gardening.

“It’s hard to be from Charleston and not love old architecture and, more specifically, have a passion for preservation,” he said. “And going to the garden nursery with my parents was the absolute best thing on a Saturday morning. I always felt incredibly inspired, and as a creative person a garden center has so much to offer for the creative mind to go wild.”

While English has always been an avid backyard gardener, it was simply a hobby for him while pursuing other career paths for many years. After college, he spent some time doing political fundraising in Washington, DC, and then, he returned to the Charleston area to dabble in real estate and operate an antique store. He first came to Cashiers in 2005, initially spending a week each year and eventually purchasing a second home there, a small 1950s cottage on 3 acres overlooking Lake Glenville.

“On trips I would slowly reclaim areas and put in gardens,” English said.

One summer, he was visiting a friend at High Hampton when he made a discovery that changed everything.

“I walked through and saw dahlias for the first time and thought, ‘What in the world is this gorgeous flower?’” English said. “I was immediately infatuated with them. I’ve watched every YouTube video about them. I have books. When I find something I’m interested in, I jump into it and learn all that I can.”

He created a small garden with eight dahlia plants to celebrate his love for the blooms. It continued growing over the years until there were as many as 100 at one point.

In 2019, he jumped at the opportunity to become the caretaker of the historic Halsted Dahlia Garden at High Hampton, allowing him to move to Cashiers full-time. Since then, he has received many accolades for his work.

In addition, English started The English Gardener in 2022. Through this company, he has designed four substantial gardens in the area and worked on countless other projects.

“The English Gardener is a collection of all the things I’ve done in my life with antiques, design and garden knowledge,” English said. “I’ve combined all my talents into one thing and found something I really enjoy.”

When he’s not in the garden, English travels around the country to speak to groups about dahlias, Southern gardening and entertaining; he has upcoming trips planned to New Jersey, Tennessee and Nebraska. In addition, English will co-chair the Joy Garden Tour next July.

“I’ve always really loved the idea of Southern gardening,” English said. “You take things you love from those you love, and you bring them into your own yard. Every plant has a history with the place and people who tended it before you.”