Renown Georgia horticulturist dies trying to save his dogs from fire

LEXINGTON, Ga. (AP) – Authorities say a well-known garden designer has been killed while trying to save his dogs from a fire at his home in the east Georgia town of Lexington.

Oglethorpe County Coroner James Mathews said 72-year-old Ryan Gainey of Decatur died in the Friday night blaze at the house described as his second home.

Oglethorpe County Emergency Management Agency Director Douglas Spencer said flames had fully engulfed the house by the time firefighters arrived.

Gainey’s website includes a picture of his two Jack Russell terriers. Spencer tells WSB-TV that it appears Gainey went back inside the house in an attempt to save the dogs.

Mary Pat Matheson, president and CEO of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, said Gainey’s death is a great loss because he was so highly regarded as a designer and horticulturist.

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(WDEF) – Ryan Gainey grew up in Hartsville, South Carolina and later studied Ornamental Horticulture at Clemson University.

He moved to Atlanta and turned his home garden in Decatur into a tour site for the Atlanta Botanical Garden for 20 years.

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Gainey designed gardens around the world, both public and private.

Here is a gallery of some of those gardens.

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Gainey was commissioned to direct the 35 acre Lyons View Gardens project in Knoxville.

The site overlooks the Tennessee River.

The first phase is a classical garden in the Renaissance style.