Tony Avent Biographical Information -- Plant Delights Nursery

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Tony's Biographical Information

TONY AVENT

Wife - Michelle
Cats - Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, Zirconia
9249 Sauls Road, Raleigh, NC 27603
phone 919.772.4794 / fax 919.772.4752
email tony@plantdelights.com
website www.plantdelights.com

EDUCATION:: B.S., NC State University, Horticultural Science - 1978
OCCUPATION:
1988 to Present Owner, Plant Delights Nursery Inc. (International Mail Order Business) featuring rare and unusual perennials, hostas, and U.S. natives Owner, Juniper Level Botanical Gardens (17,000 + accessions, as of 1/1/2008) International Plant Explorer (Mexico-1994; China-1996; Korea-1997; Argentina-2002; South Africa-2005; Taiwan-2008; Thailand-2005; Texas (5 expeditons); Vietnam-2005; + (43 plant expeditions in Southeast US since 1994) Hybridizer of Hostas; 1984 - current Freelance Garden Writer & Lecturer (610 lectures since 1990) as of 1/1/09
1978 - 1994: Landscape Director, NC State Fairgrounds
1985 - 1994: Volunteer Curator of the Shade House, NCSU Arboretum
1987 - 1998: Weekly Garden Columnist - The News and Observer, Raleigh
ADDENDUM:
2006-present: Woody Plant Advisory Committee - JC Raulston Arboretum
2004-present: Advisory Committee - USDA-ARS Hardiness Zone Map Revision
2001: Invited Participant St. Louis Summit (Workshop on Linking Ecology and Horticulture to Prevent Plant Invasions)
2001-present: North Carolina Department of Agriculture Plant Conservation Scientific Committee (Appointed 2001)
2002-present: Contributing Editor, Horticulture Magazine
AWARDS:

American Horticulture Society Outstanding Commercial Award - Individual - 2002
D.H. Copeland /NC Association of Nurserymen Award - 2002
Robert Balentine Horticulture Award/ Southeastern Flower Show - 2001
Marcel Le Piniec Award - North American Rock Garden Society - 1999
Nursery Innovator of the Month Award - GM Pro Magazine - 1998
Outstanding Alumni Award/ NCSU Dept. of Horticultural Science - 1997
NC Nurserymen Award for Landscape/Beautification of NC State Fairgrounds - 1990
Outstanding Journalism Award - Mens Garden Club of America - 1986, 1987, 1988
Outstanding Senior, NCSU Dept. of Horticulture - 1978
ORGANIZATIONS:

Alpine Garden Society
American Fern Society
American Horticulture Society
American Hosta Society (Carolinas Chapter)
American Iris Society
American Nursery and Landscape Association
American Public Gardens Association
Cactus and Succulent Association
Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum (Founding Member)
Garden Writers of America
Hardy Fern Foundation
Hardy Plant Society
International Aroid Society
International Bulb Society
International Palm Society
International Plant Propagators Society
North American Rock Garden Society (Piedmont Chapter)
North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association
North Carolina Botanic Garden
North Carolina Exotic Pest Plant Council (founding member)
North Carolina Wildflower Preservation Society
Pacific Bulb Society
Perennial Plant Association
Pi Alpha Xi
Royal Horticulture Society, UK
Southeastern Palm and Exotic Plant Society
Southern Appalachian Botanical Society

Sampling of Recent Feature Articles:

Recent Newspaper Articles Written About Plant Delights

Atlanta Journal Constitution - June 6, 2002 (garden/plant profile)
Chesterton Tribune, IND - November 14, 2002
The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH - January 19, 2006 (nursery profile)
Fairfield County Times, CT - January 1998 (catalog profile)
Garner Times, April 10, 1996 (nursery profile)
Greensboro NC News and Record - March 1993
High Point Enterprise - May 5, 1999 (nursery/garden profile)
The Item, Sumter SC - March 13, 2004 (plant/nursery profile)
The Louisville Courier-Journal - April 1996 (nursery profile)
Maine Sunday Telegram - June 17, 2001(nursery/plant profile)
The New York Newsday - February 1995 (plant profiles)
The New York Times - February 2, 1997 (nursery/plant profile) and February 20, 1997
The New York Times - September 12, 2003 (nursery/book profile)
The New York Times - April 2006 (nursery profile)
The News and Observer October 19, 2002 (plant profiles)
The News and Observer April 6, 2003 (personal profile)
The News & Observer - December 26, 2006 (nursery)
Philadelphia Inquirer - January 22, 1999 (nursery/plant profile)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - February 10, 2001 (nursery/plant profile)
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - July 27, 2002 (nursery profile)
West Virginia Gazette-Mail - February 1999 (plant profiles)

Recent Magazines/Newsletters Featuring Plant Delights

The American Gardener Magazine - Fall 1996 (personal profile)
The American Gardener magazine - July/August 2006 (profile)
Arbor Friends - Friends of US National Arboretum Newsletter - Winter 2008 (profile)
Carolina Gardener Magazine - January 1997
Columbus OH Garden Railway Society Magazine - October 1995 (plant profile)
Early American Homes and Gardens - Spring 1999 (personal profile)
Entrepreneur Magazine - October 1996 (nursery profile)
Fine Gardening Magazine - February 2003 (plant profiles)
Floridata On-Line Magazine - March 2004 (personal profile)
Garden and Gun Magazine - June 2008 (personal profile)
Garden Center Magazine - November 2008 (nursery profile)
Greenhouse Manager PRO Magazine - "Innovator of the Month" - March 1998 (nursery profile)
Greenhouse Manager PRO Magazine - "Catalog and Web Sales" - May 2000 (nursery profile)
Grower Talks Magazine - Summer 1999
Haven Magazine, Denmark - March 2005
Horticulture Magazine - March 1997 (personal profile)
House Beautiful Magazine - November 1995 (nursery profile)
International Aroid Society Newsletter - July 2002 (garden profile)
Mirabella Magazine - April 1995
NCSU Alumni Magazine - May 1994 (personal profile)
NCSU Alumni Magazine - June 2006 (profile)
NC Wildflower Preservation Society - Summer 1998
North Carolina Magazine - June 1998 (nursery profile)
North Fork Country, NY Journal - November 2002
Nursery Manager PRO Magazine - November 1993
Ornamental Outlook Magazine - December 1999 (nursery profile)
Philadelphia Hort Society Green Scene Magazine - April 1996
Plants Magazine, England - September 1999 (plant profiles)
Southern Living Magazine - January 1994 (nursery profile)
Southern Living magazine - August 2006 (garden)

Plant Delights Featured in Books, Etc

Beautiful Madness by James Dodson, 2006
The Collectors Garden Book by Ken Druse c1996
The Plant Hunters Garden by Bobby Ward, Fall 2004

Plant Delights Featured in Recent Television Shows

Almanac Gardener with Mike Gray (NC Public Television) - numerous since 1994
Coastal Gardener with Dave Egbert (Network) - 2008
Cultivating Life with Sean Conway, Aspidistra, Ferns (PBS) - 2006
Cultivating Life with Sean Conway (PBS) - 2008
Gardener's Diary with Erica Glasener (HGTV) - winter 2002/3
Gardener's Journal with Kathy Renwald (HGTV) - 2002
In The Garden with Bryce Lane (NC Public Television) - 2007
Martha Stewart Living with Martha Stewart, Nursery Segment (HGTV) - February 2004
Martha Stewart Living with Martha Stewart, Propagation Segment (HGTV) - February 2004
Martha Stewart Living with Martha Stewart, Hardy Arailaceae Segment (HGTV) - February 2004
Martha Stewart Living with Martha Stewart, Extreme Propagation (NBC) - February 2007
Martha Stewart Living with Martha Stewart, New Plants (NBC) - March 2008
Rebecca's Garden with Rebecca Kolls (Hearst Broadcasting) - 1997
The Winter Garden Series (HGTV) - 1999
The Secret Garden Series (HGTV) - Spring 2001

Recent Magazine/Periodical Articles Written By Tony

"Baptisia"- The Plantsman Magazine, UK - Fall 2006
"Baptisia, the Redneck Lupines" - Horticulture Magazine - June 2002
"Bizarre Plants Only a Mother Could Love" - American Nurseryman Magazine Jan 1997
"Confessions of a Crazed Hosta Hybridizer" - American Hosta Society Journal 1989
"Crape Murder, the Unkind Cut" - News and Observer - Spring 2008
"Favorite New and Underused Perennials" - NM PRO Magazine Spring 2000
"Fragrant Hostas for the Southeast" - Carolina Gardner Magazine - March 1999
"Hardy Cacti for the Southeast" - Carolina Gardener Magazine - Fall 1994
"Hardy Gesneriads - Exploring a Test Market" - Gesneriad Society Journal - April 2006
"Hosta Breeders and Other Strangers" - American Hosta Society Journal 1992
"Hostas for the Rock Garden" - The Trillium Newsletter Fall 1992
"Hostas for Warm Climates" - Betrock Publications 1998
"Leaves that Light up the Garden" - Fine Gardening Magazine Fall 1992
"Plant Delights Nursery Profile" - American Hosta Society Journal 1994
"Blue Hostas" - Fine Gardening November 1999
"Plant Exploration in China" - The Trillium Newsletter Spring 1997
"Plant Exploration in Korea" - American Hosta Society Journal Spring 1998
"Plant Exploration in Mexico" - The Trillium Newsletter Spring 1995
"Propagating and Selling Hosta" - NM PRO Magazine 1993
"Roots, The Good, Bad, and the Ugly" - American Hosta Society Journal 1989
"Running Hot and Cold/Plant Hardiness" - American Hosta Society Journal 1994
"Selling and Sailing" - Nursery Manager Pro Magazine February 2000
"Soil Preparation Part I" - American Hosta Society Journal Spring 1993
"Soil Preparation Part II" - American Hosta Society Journal Fall 1993
"Strange but True" - American Nurseryman Magazine May 1, 1997
"The Curse of the Green Meatball" - Horticulture Magazine March/April 2004
"The Trademark Myth" - NM Pro Magazine November 1999
"The Twilight Zones" - Exploring the Mysteries of Plant Hardiness - Carolina Gardener Magazine Nov 2002
"Trillium Tracking" - The Trillium Newsletter Summer 1998
"Who Needs Privacy" - Fine Gardening Magazine Fall 1991

Books/Chapters Written by Tony:

My Favorite Plant (one chapter) compiled by Jamaica Kincaid 1998
So You Want to Start a Nursery - Timber Press (July 2003)

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