Allan Armitage is well known as a writer, speaker and researcher throughout the world. He holds his B.Sc. from MacDonald College, Quebec, M.Sc. from University of Guelph, Ontario, and his Ph.D. from Michigan State. The professorship and research gardens at the University of Georgia have served as a venue for his crop introductions, evaluations of plants for the Southeastern United States, and his teaching and writing. Allan’s continuing interest and research in new crops for the garden, such as bedding plants, cut flowers, small flowering shrubs, and perennial plant production for the greenhouse has led to numerous publications and advances in the floriculture industry. He has written over 400 articles and papers in journals for professionals and gardeners. Allan has authored 11 books, best known for his classroom and reference text, Herbaceous Garden Perennials, a Treatise of Identification, Culture and Garden Attributes. He has received many horticultural and educational awards and was recognized as one of the best teachers in the nation when he received the distinguished National Educator Award from the American Horticultural Society and The Medal of Honor from the Garden Club of America.
Pam Baggett is a freelance writer and photographer who previously owned Singing Springs Nursery in Cedar Grove, North Carolina, a nationally-known mail-order nursery specializing in tender and hardy tropical plants. She studied agriculture at North Carolina State University before apprenticing in the farm and garden program at the University of California at Santa Cruz. A recipient of the Quill and Trowel Award from the Garden Writers Association, she has written for Horticulture, Fine Gardening, and The American Gardener magazines and recently completed ¡Tropicalismo! Spice Up Your Garden with Cannas, Bananas, and 93 Other Eye-Catching Tropical Plants (Timber Press, Fall 2008). Pam currently teaches garden writing to adults and has taught at Longwood Gardens, the J. C. Raulston Arboretum, and through Duke University's Continuing Studies program. Robin Ripley is a garden writer whose special interest is in designing gardens that both produce food and improve the beauty of the landscape. She is a national gardening columnist for Examiner.com (http://examiner.com/x-346-Gardening-Examiner) and also writes about fresh foods for the D.C. edition of the website. She is co-author of the book Grocery Gardening, to be released in February by Cool Springs Press. Robin writes and speaks regularly about her garden travels and blogs about her own potager and country life at http://bumblebeeblog.com. She is currently working on a humorous series about her adventures in creating a more independent life on a small homestead. W. Gary Smith has specialized in master planning and garden design for over 30 years, bridging ecological design and fine arts for botanical gardens, arboreta, and other public gardens. He received his Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his B.Sc degree in Ornamental Horticulture from the University of Delaware. Formerly an Associate Professor of Landscape Design and Construction at the University of Delaware, he is a recipient of the 2004 Design Merit Award from ASLA for “Peirces Woods” at Longwood Gardens, and other numerous awards. He has designed gardens throughout the South and the Mid-Atlantic region, including The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the Naples Botanical Garden, the Tyler Arboretum, Winterthur, and Callaway Gardens. Gary recently completed a master plan and garden design for the Southern Highlands Reserve, a private foundation for the preservation of native plants of the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina. William Welch received his B.Sc. degree in Landscape Architecture and his M Sc. and Ph.D. in Extension Education and Horticulture from Louisiana State University. He joined the Faculty at Texas A&M University in 1972. As a professor and Texas Agri-Life Extension Service Horticulturist, Bill provides educational information and programs for county extension agents, nursery professionals, and civic groups, as well as the general public. In 2007 Zone 9 of the Garden Club of America recognized him for his contributions toward the preservation of our gardening heritage, and in 2008 he was presented their Distinguished Service Medal. In June, 2009 the American Horticulture Society presented the Great American Gardeners Award to Bill for his accomplishments in gardening communications. His books include Perennial Garden Color, Antique Roses for the South, and The Southern Heirloom Garden.
