Over the years, Don has sold native azalea seedlings, rhododendron hybrids, and other choice plants but typically through plant society sales or farmer's markets. Now that he has retired, he prefers to spend his time traveling so he can appreciate the many beautiful horticultural sights in this world. Don has become a sought after speaker on various plant related topics including native azaleas, rhododendrons, evergreen azaleas, wildflowers, flower photography, and general landscaping. He has given multi-media presentations at many conferences in the US and abroad. He has received numerous honors in horticulture including the Silver Medal from the American Rhododendron Society in 2002, and the Gold Medal in 2012.

Don still maintains a private garden (pictured left) at the family home in the suburbs of Washington D.C. where he grew up. Over many years, he has developed a beautiful landscape of rhododendrons, azaleas, and companion plants. He started his first garden there in 1951 at the age of three, so many of his plants are quite large now. His garden was one of those on tour for the 2009 Azalea Society Convention that was hosted in Northern Virginia.

For 33 years, Don was a Fairfax County Public School math and computer science teacher and was the Computer Systems Lab Director at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology from the time the school opened in 1985 until his retirement. His students won many national and international awards, including a million dollar supercomputer in 1988. Don was a Finalist for Teacher of the Year in Fairfax County in 1989, but he has always had a life-long interest in plants.

Don became a vocal opponent of a decision by the National Arboretum to cut down one of their prime floral displays, the Glenn Dale Hillside. The magnificent Glenn Dale azaleas pictured to the right are over 60 years old and represent the top 2 to 3 percent of the 50,000 to 75,000 azaleas hybridized by the Arboretum's first Director, Benjamin Y. Morrison. The plants are a National Treasure and should be preserved. Not only were the Azaleas scheduled to be cut down and their stumps painted with herbicide in 2011, but the Arboretum planned to destroy the National Boxwood Collection and several related perennial displays. We were successful in stopping those actions. For more information about the controversy, check out the website set up by "Rhody Man" Steve Henning:
      Save the Azaleas: www.savetheazaleas.org

The following are some other pages of interest:

• About:   DonaldHyatt.com
  More about Donald Hyatt, his lovely private garden, and his nursery.
• Native Plants
  Original articles illustrated with beautiful graphics on native azaleas and plants in the wild.
• Gardens and Gardening
  Helpful gardening hints related to rhododendrons, azaleas, gardening, landscaping, propagation, travel, and more.
• Art Gallery
  Don's Art Gallery of botanical illustrations including limited edition prints he offers for sale.
• Nursery
  More about Stonehouse Creek Nursery.
• Contact
  Contact information on how to purchase Don's artwork or other items offered for sale through his nursery.
• Other
  Additional links and other web pages of interest including a site map.