What once was an overgrown patch of roadside weeds and neglected grass has become one of the most colorful spots at Harbor Club, thanks to one resident’s vision, diligence, and a little help from nature.
Seven years after moving from Metro Atlanta to the Carriage Ridge neighborhood at Harbor Club, retired Domino’s Pizza executive Ken McPherson has transformed a roadside common area directly across the street from his home into a thriving wildflower garden.
A project that not only brightens the neighborhood but provides a haven for pollinators, birds, and neighbors alike began with a simple suggestion from his wife.
“This was kind of an ugly part of the neighborhood,” McPherson admitted, referring to what is now a long, colorful strip of mixed wildflowers. “It was common area property that had weeds all over and was never really maintained, and my wife said one day, it would be a perfect area to put in wildflowers.”
McPherson, who previously served three years as president of his neighborhood homeowners association and remains on the board, presented the idea to fellow board members early last year. They enthusiastically approved the plan.
In February 2025, McPherson led volunteers in killing off the existing vegetation, tilling the roughly 100-by-30-foot area, and planting about $300 worth of native wildflower seeds he purchased from American Meadows, a company specializing in regional seed mixes.
“I wanted seeds that would attract bees and help with pollination,” McPherson explained. “I wanted flowers that would help the hummingbirds come in. We also have a bluebird box up there. The bluebirds like it because they can eat the bugs. So, it’s kind of a little ecological area that we’ve created here, and of course, the flowers are beautiful.”
The carefully selected mix includes native Georgia and Southeastern species that thrive in poor soil, making the previously neglected roadside an ideal location. The flowers also attract butterflies, adding even more color and life to the roadside garden.
Now in its second growing season, the garden is fuller and more vibrant than ever.
“It is thicker this year,” McPherson observed. “A lot of these are perennials. They come back every year. They’ll drop the seed heads, and you’ll get more next year. I’m thinking I’ll probably have to seed again one more year, and then after that they should be self-propagating.”
The blooms typically begin putting on their best display in mid-summer, flourishing in the mid-Georgia heat with plenty of rainfall. They continue flowering until the first frost, after which the plants are cut back and left to regenerate the following spring.
To help neighbors appreciate the garden, McPherson has identified several of the more unusual flowers with small signs, including partridge pea, while encouraging residents to cut bouquets to enjoy at home.
“If you cut them, the flowers continue to come back,” he said. “Otherwise, they’ll just die and will look ugly.”
To help the process along, McPherson said he encourages neighbors to gather flowers to take to residents recovering from illness or a hospital stay, promoting another way the garden brings people together.
“It’s always fun to watch people driving by or walking by with their children,” he said. “The kids love it; they’re always looking for the butterflies and the bees.”
For McPherson, who left Atlanta partly to be closer to his daughter, son-in-law, and twin grandchildren, the project has become an unexpected way to strengthen an already close-knit community of about 80 homes at Carriage Ridge.
“I feel like I get the benefit because we look right at it,” he said. “But it’s really for everybody.”