When you step into the Atlanta Water Gardens showroom on Cheshire Bridge Road, you’re transported into an oasis of ponds, fountains, and beautiful garden fixtures. The company, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026, seeks to bring this same serenity to the backyards of Atlanta.
Co-owner Randle Ross came to Atlanta from Mississippi in 1999 to work at Atlanta Water Gardens, and immediately fell in love and bought into the company soon after.
“Something about walking in the door of this business, it really does something to your inner being because there’s just a peace when you walk in here, a serenity,” he said.
Ross owns the company with Kelly Keylon, and together they elevate Atlanta’s backyards into garden oases. Keylon handles the retail arm of the company, selling the hordes of plants, benches, birdbaths, fountains, stone art, and garden accessories available both in the showroom and on order, while Ross designs and installs ponds for clients.
Customers will book a consultation with Ross, who says he will go in their backyards and “immediately” know where the pond should go. He’s known among the company as the “stone whisperer.”
“We take stone, and we stack these ponds to make the design of them, and the rocks will actually tell you where they need to go,” he said.
Depending on the client’s space availability and budget, Ross can build ponds small and large, with koi fish, goldfish, and waterfalls. After installation, he will come up with a maintenance plan with the client. While ponds typically require monthly maintenance, Atlanta Water Gardens offers assistance with bimonthly, quarterly, biannual, and annual plans.
Over the past 30 years, Atlanta Water Gardens has found success offering a distinct service to Atlantans.
“The initial accountant for the business said when it opened that he had never seen a business that took off as fast as this one, because we’re unique,” Ross said. “There’s not a lot of businesses like us.”
However, the life of Atlanta Water Gardens has not been without its challenges. A fire from an encampment under Cheshire Bridge closed the road from December 2023 to May 2024, seriously limiting access to businesses in the area.ve Today, Ross says the current state of the economy and the rising cost of materials has decreased patronage over the last year, but he says the business is still “plugging along.”
Atlanta Water Gardens is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2165 Cheshire Bridge Road NE. To learn more, see available products, and book a free pond consultation, visit atlantawatergardens.com.
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