DEMOPOLIS-With Amanda Smith resigning her title of Horticulturist for the City of Demopolis because she wanted to spend more time with her new child, the city started a search for another person with a certified “green thumb”. Well the city hired a new horticulturist this week to replace Smith and while she doesn’t have a “green thumb”, she does possess the “gardening gene.”

Linda Teaford has lived in Demopolis for about 6 months and before Demopolis, she lived in Eufaula where she worked with the City of Eufaula’s Horticulture Department for two years. She said when she was a little girl she can remember having a garden right next to her grandmother’s and she has never looked back.

“Outside is where I feel closer to home and feel closest to God,” Teaford said.

She said her educational background is in Pre-Law, but she holds two Master Gardener Certificates from Mississippi State and Auburn Universities. She also said she has completed course work in Landscape Design, Soil Fertility, and Greenhouse Design&Maintenance.

She said she wanted to continue to carry on the projects left by Smith, but also add some new ideas to the Horticultural movement in Demopolis. She said she wanted to start planting trees and bushes in the medians of the local roads.

“I would like to start that program back up, but as long as we have the man power to keep them all watered and cared for,” Teaford said.

She said she would like to start planting roses in Demopolis on a large scale.

She also said she would like to start a “Rose Trail” that started in Demopolis and carried on to the other cities in the state.

“I have always loved roses and since I was the project manager for the Year of the Rose 2002 program in Eufaula, I would love to see it happen here,” Teaford said.

She said she would like to start a Masters Gardeners group in Demopolis and then move on to start a Junior Masters Gardeners group, so the children can get involved. She also said she wanted to bring beautification to every part of Demopolis.

“We want to improve the quality of life and improve the local tax base because everyone knows that it’s good to make a strong first impression,” Teaford said.

She said she is glad to be coming in on the ground floor of the new office building for the Horticulturist Department. She also said she would love to put a greenhouse behind the building where the fencing now stands.

“I look forward to working with the wonderful residents of Demopolis in the up in coming years,” Teaford said.