"Passion" is a word used to describe a strong enthusiasm or an extravagant desire for something. When Hollis Malone is mentioned, "passion" is often the first word that comes to mind.
A self-proclaimed nature lover, Malone has found a way to nurture his fancy for flowers and beautify everything with which he comes in contact. Malone has been the manager of horticulture and pest control for Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center since 1982. His down-home Tennessee charm, combined with his upbringing around plants, has enabled Malone to turn could-have-been ordinary gardens at Gaylord Opryland into colorful botanical wonderlands unlike any other.
His passion for planting is hereditary. Both sets of his grandparents were avid gardeners who loved the earth and everything it produced. His fascination with plants began in the first grade, when he grew zinnias from seeds planted in half egg shells. That early classroom assignment led to the young Malone tending his own garden at home. A native of Nashville, Tennessee, he often enjoyed the flowers planted in Centennial Park, which was a bike's ride from his boyhood home.
After high school, Malone enrolled at George Peabody College for Teachers to earn a degree in math. But he began working at the Vanderbilt University's greenhouses, and his love for growing plants bloomed once again. Under the direction and advisement of Dr. Elsie Quarterman of the Vanderbilt Botanical Department and Gordon Scott, the newly appointed director at Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art, Malone decided to pursue his gifts and transferred to the University of Tennessee to work on a degree in Ornamental Horticulture. There, he maintained the university's greenhouses. He knew then that the best learning was in doing -- not just talking about it.
After earning his bachelor's degree, Malone completed an internship at Longwood Gardens in Philadelphia, along with graduate studies in Botanical Garden Management from the University of Delaware. He has worked as a greenhouse grower, chief horticulturist and as a landscape superintendent. Upon joining Gaylord Opryland, Malone designed the gardens in the nine-acre Garden Conservatory, Cascades and Delta atriums.
Malone's work has not gone unnoticed by the industry's garden experts or by the millions of visitors to the landmark hotel. He has won awards for design and management from the Interior Plantscape Association and the Interior Landscape Industry. He also has been recognized for his achievement by the American Horticulture Society and Associated Landscape Contractors of America. For the past five years, his expertise has been sought by flower shows across the nation, where he has served as a judge.
Malone is responsible for managing the care and design of all the Gaylord Opryland gardens, as well as creating holiday displays that are world-renowned. He is a regular guest on local TV stations and is frequently requested as an interviewee on radio programs.
Malone is an avid sports fan, particularly for his "Big Orange" alma mater. He also loves fishing, hunting and camping. He and his wife Debbie have four adult sons and eight grandchildren. He is an active member of his church, where he has taught Sunday school for nearly two decades.
