Dallas, TX — Top writers from Southern Living® magazine along with gardening gurus from across the United States will offer growing tips to visitors as part of The Southern Living™ Plant Collection Speaker Series to be held this year at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas, Texas.
The informative garden sessions will take place Saturday, September 25 through Sunday, October 17 at the new Greenhouse on the Midway (located adjacent to the Texas Star). Admission is free.
Featured speakers include:
Buddy Lee – A nationally known plant breeder and horticulturist, Lee invented Encore Azaleas, the only patented brand of azaleas to bloom in spring, summer, and fall. Currently the Director of plant innovation at Plant Development Services (PDSI), Lee has more than 30 years of experience in nursery management, breeding, propagation, and new plant development.
Bill Welch – Dr. Welch serves as Texas AgriLife Extension Service Landscape Horticulturist for the Department of Horticulture Sciences at Texas A&M University. Dr. Welch has been instrumental in developing the Texas Certified Nursery Professional program and currently serves on the board of that organization within the Texas Association of Nurserymen. Dr. Welch currently writes a monthly column for Southern Living® magazine.
Tres Fromme – An expert on public gardens, horticulture, and design aesthetics, Fromme has directed the planning and design efforts at the world-class Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Passionate about developing the choreography among people, plants, and spaces, Fromme is an advocate for team-based planning and design specific to an organization’s character. He is highly skilled as a facilitator of the creative process and has closely collaborated with the United States Botanic Garden, the American Horticultural Society, and other public gardens.
Chris Wiesinger – Known as “The Bulb Hunter,” Wiesinger is the founder of Southern Bulb Company. The Southern Bulb Company seeks to recapture something that was once “lost” to the Southern gardener: bulbs that thrive in warm climates, many of which are heirloom and rare flower bulbs. Wiesinger is co- author of the new book, “Heirloom Bulbs for Today,” and his Southern bulbs are an exciting part of the Southern Living Plant Collection.
Rebecca Reed – As associate garden editor of Southern Living magazine, Reed brings years of garden writing experience to the podium. Well-versed on the latest gardening trends and a true landscape design artist, Reed has helped shape gardening stories at Southern Living for six years, delivering the guidance we trust.
Steve Bender – Steve Bender is a Senior Writer for Southern Living and has been with the magazine since 1983. He is a popular speaker and gives talks on a wide variety of gardening topics all over the country. His articles in Southern Living, which often poke fun at the foibles of gardeners, have won many writing awards. He is also the author of four Southern Living gardening books.
For a complete schedule and listing of experts who will present at the Southern Living Plant Collection Speaker Series, please visit bigtex.com.
The Southern Living™ Plant Collection was first introduced in Spring 2008. It is a partnership between Plant Development Services, Inc. (PDSI) and Southern Living® magazine, with the goal to provide innovative new plants selected for their ability to help solve common landscape challenges. Each plant in the collection is the result of plant evaluations, plant trials and consumer research. The plants in the Collection are selected to perform especially well in Southern gardens.
The Collection is available through retail garden centers across the Southeast.
Southern Living® is a premier lifestyle and entertaining magazine of the South and the 6th largest monthly consumer magazine in the U.S. (based on readership). It reaches nearly 16 million readers each month and enjoys a circulation of about 2.8 million. Published 12 times a year, Southern Living® celebrates the heart of Southern life.
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Thursday September 23, 2010