78 Photo Essay: Chris Maddox
Maddox Landscaping
Words by Justin Hunter | Image by Blakeney Clouse
You can’t call Maddox Landscaping for routine lawn maintenance. They don’t have a mowing division. However, if you are in the market for lush, one-of-a-kind home landscaping, Chris Maddox is your guy.
“I’ve been working in landscaping since I was 16,” says the tall, soft-spoken Maddox, framed against the neatly-manicured grounds of Maddox Landscaping on North Skyline Drive just outside of Jasper.
Unlike traditional artists who use pen and ink or acrylic paint, Chris is an artist of the earth. His medium is the soil, the seed, the plant, and the tree. Each home is a blank canvas budding with potential.
First, Chris and the homeowner develop a plan for the home, sometimes using suggestions from a Pinterest board. Over the next several days, weeks, or even years, Chris and his team of four will create a living installation.
A native of Jasper, Chris graduated from Auburn University in 2006 with a degree in horticulture, the science and art of cultivating fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants. After college, he spent a year working for a large Birmingham landscaping company as an installation foreman. In 2007, Chris opened his own business, Maddox Landscaping. “I knew coming out of college, I wanted to find my niche,” he says.
As a young boy, Chris often spent Saturdays and Sundays working in the yard. He believes the seeds of Maddox Landscaping were planted into the soil of his subconscious by his father, Julian Maddox. “To be honest, my dad’s only hobby was working in his yard,” Chris says. “My dad didn’t have a garden, but he was particular and took pride in his yard. Maybe deep down, this is how I got into this.”
Many Southerners share that same pride in a beautifully landscaped lawn, as evidenced in the nearly-full parking lots of Home Depot and Lowe’s on any given day. For the do-it-yourselfer, Chris has some advice on keeping your yard looking its best.
‘For the average homeowner, keep it simple. Take pride in your yard,” he says. “Know it’s going to be hard work. It doesn’t have to be anything special. Your front yard doesn’t have to be Augusta National. Simple is always better.” 78