2026 PGSU Garden Story: Kolene

A Landscape Shaped by Stone, Story, and the Spirit of the Desert

When you first arrive at Kolene’s home, you quickly realize this garden is unlike any other.

Instead of lush flower beds or carefully planned borders, the landscape unfolds as a winding collection of stones - each one placed with intention, each one carrying its own story. Pathways of rock guide you through the space, leading past agaves, fruit trees, and unexpected treasures gathered from the surrounding desert.

Kolene smiles easily when she talks about it.

“I’m not really a gardener,” she admits with a laugh. “I’m an outdoor person.”

And it shows.

A Garden Built from the Land Itself

Kolene’s garden is, in many ways, a reflection of Southern Utah’s rugged beauty.

Over the years she has collected remarkable stones from throughout the region - Jasper from Holt Canyon, agates from Brian Head, petrified wood, chalcedony, and other geological finds. Some pieces came from old mines, others from hikes and explorations across the desert landscape.

The stones appear everywhere: lining walkways, shaping dry waterways, tucked into garden beds, and displayed like natural sculptures.

One particularly striking material is the deep red Jasper that forms many of the pathways.

“It comes from Holt Canyon,” Kolene explains, noting that the source is no longer available today.

The result is a landscape that feels both artistic and deeply rooted in the local terrain - as if the desert itself helped design the garden.

Creativity Around Every Corner

As you wander through Kolene’s yard, you begin to notice playful touches everywhere.

Small fossils and shells are embedded among the stones. Ammonites from Sand Mountain appear unexpectedly beside pathways. Pieces of petrified wood and agate are arranged into small displays.

And then there are the crafts.

Kolene hosts weekly craft afternoons with friends, and many of their creations have found a permanent home in the garden - whimsical sculptures, mosaics, and small artistic surprises that reward visitors who slow down and look closely.

“My rocks are a continuous thing,” she says.

The garden is never truly finished.

A Garden with Personality

Fruit trees and vines weave through the rocky landscape - grapes spilling over trellises, a pomegranate tree stretching its branches outward, and even a decorative cherry tree that birds adore.

But the heart of the garden remains the stonework.

In one area, a dry waterway glimmers with layered rocks collected from nearby desert areas. In another, large slabs of flagstone form natural pathways that climb gently through the yard.

The terrain isn’t always smooth - and that’s part of the charm.

This is a garden meant to be explored.

The Beauty of Making Something Your Own

Perhaps the most special thing about Kolene’s garden is that it wasn’t modeled after anything.

There were no formal plans or landscaping templates.

Instead, the space grew gradually over time - shaped by curiosity, creativity, and a love of the outdoors.

As one visitor observed during the tour:

“It’s not supposed to look like anything else. It’s just yours.”

And that’s exactly what makes Kolene’s garden so memorable.

In a region known for dramatic geology and sweeping desert landscapes, she has created something uniquely her own — a garden that celebrates the stones, stories, and spirit of Southern Utah.

Come enjoy Kolene's garden at the Parade of Gardens; April 24th-26th, 2026.