Tony Avent
Encyclopedia
Tony Avent is an American Horticulturist
and Plantsman
. He is the owner of Plant Delights Nursery
and the founder of the Juniper Level Botanic Garden
in Raleigh
, North Carolina
. In addition, he is a well-known plant explorer, author and public speaker.
for him. There he grew and propagated plants and sold them as a hobby.
Tony Avent attended North Carolina State University
and graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Horticultural Science
. He studied under the well renowned horticulturist J.C. Raulston. J. C. Raulston, instilled in him the quest for the newest and best garden plants from around the world.
After college, he worked for the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh as its Landscape Director
. He worked there for 16 years from 1978 to 1994. In addition he worked as a volunteer curator
of the Shade Garden at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum from 1985 to 1994. He also worked as a weekly garden columnist for Raleigh's News and Observer newspaper from 1987 to 1998. He founded Plant Delights Nursery
and Juniper Level Botanic Gardens
in 1988 and by 1994 the business had expanded enough for him to quit his state job and become a full time nurseryman.
In addition to running the nursery
, Tony Avent is a plant breeder
who is best known for his Hosta
breeding program, but is actively breeding other genera
as well. In addition, Tony Avent travels the world on plant hunting expeditions to search for new, rare, and unusual plants. He is also an avid plant collector
with a large collection of rare variegated Agave
. He is a prolific writer as well, having authored a book (So You Want to Start a Nursery - 2003, Timber Press) and dozens of newspaper articles, magazine articles, and web articles. He is currently a contributing editor to Horticulture Magazine. In addition, every year he travels the country giving dozens of lectures on gardening topics. He also teaches several day-long classes per year at Plant Delights Nursery on subjects such as plant propagation and soils.
programs for dozens of genera. He started breeding Hosta
in 1984 and has been expanding his palette ever since. His plant breeding
efforts focus on the following plant groups.
Books/Chapters Written by Tony Avent:
Web Articles Written or Co-written by Tony Avent
Magazines
Books
TV Shows
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
and Plantsman
Plantsman
A plantsman is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable gardener , nurseryman or nurserywoman. "Plantsman" can refer to a male or female person, though the terms plantswoman, or even plantsperson, are sometimes used....
. He is the owner of Plant Delights Nursery
Plant Delights Nursery
Plant Delights Nursery is a mail order plant nursery based in Raleigh, North Carolina specializing in herbaceous perennials. Plant Delights was founded in 1988 by the plantsman Tony Avent and his wife Michelle Avent. The nursery currently has a 2.5 acre production facility. Proceeds from the...
and the founder of the Juniper Level Botanic Garden
Juniper Level Botanic Gardens
Juniper Level Botanic Gardens are privately-owned botanical gardens located at 9241 Sauls Road, Raleigh, North Carolina. They are scheduled to be open eight weekends per year; other visits must be coordinated with the garden staff....
in Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. In addition, he is a well-known plant explorer, author and public speaker.
Biography
Tony grew up with a passion for plants. Instead of playing games, he wandered the woods and fields near his home studying wildflowers. At eight years old, his parents built a greenhouseGreenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
for him. There he grew and propagated plants and sold them as a hobby.
Tony Avent attended North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
and graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Horticultural Science
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
. He studied under the well renowned horticulturist J.C. Raulston. J. C. Raulston, instilled in him the quest for the newest and best garden plants from around the world.
After college, he worked for the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh as its Landscape Director
Landscape manager
Landscape managers are professionally trained and qualified experts in landscaping management for conservation and recreation stewardship of designed and natural landscapes.-Scope of work:...
. He worked there for 16 years from 1978 to 1994. In addition he worked as a volunteer curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
of the Shade Garden at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum from 1985 to 1994. He also worked as a weekly garden columnist for Raleigh's News and Observer newspaper from 1987 to 1998. He founded Plant Delights Nursery
Plant Delights Nursery
Plant Delights Nursery is a mail order plant nursery based in Raleigh, North Carolina specializing in herbaceous perennials. Plant Delights was founded in 1988 by the plantsman Tony Avent and his wife Michelle Avent. The nursery currently has a 2.5 acre production facility. Proceeds from the...
and Juniper Level Botanic Gardens
Juniper Level Botanic Gardens
Juniper Level Botanic Gardens are privately-owned botanical gardens located at 9241 Sauls Road, Raleigh, North Carolina. They are scheduled to be open eight weekends per year; other visits must be coordinated with the garden staff....
in 1988 and by 1994 the business had expanded enough for him to quit his state job and become a full time nurseryman.
In addition to running the nursery
Nursery (horticulture)
A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to usable size. They include retail nurseries which sell to the general public, wholesale nurseries which sell only to businesses such as other nurseries and to commercial gardeners, and private nurseries which supply the needs of...
, Tony Avent is a plant breeder
Plant breeding
Plant breeding is the art and science of changing the genetics of plants in order to produce desired characteristics. Plant breeding can be accomplished through many different techniques ranging from simply selecting plants with desirable characteristics for propagation, to more complex molecular...
who is best known for his Hosta
Hosta
Hosta is a genus of about 23–45 species of lily-like plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, native to northeast Asia. They have been placed in their own family, Hostaceae ; like many 'lilioid monocots', they were once classified in the Liliaceae...
breeding program, but is actively breeding other genera
Genera
Genera is a commercial operating system and development environment for Lisp machines developed by Symbolics. It is essentially a fork of an earlier operating system originating on the MIT AI Lab's Lisp machines which Symbolics had used in common with LMI and Texas Instruments...
as well. In addition, Tony Avent travels the world on plant hunting expeditions to search for new, rare, and unusual plants. He is also an avid plant collector
Plant collecting
Plant collecting involves procuring live or dried plant specimens, for the purposes of research, cultivation or as a hobby.-Collection of live specimens:...
with a large collection of rare variegated Agave
Agave
Agave is a genus of monocots. The plants are perennial, but each rosette flowers once and then dies ; they are commonly known as the century plant....
. He is a prolific writer as well, having authored a book (So You Want to Start a Nursery - 2003, Timber Press) and dozens of newspaper articles, magazine articles, and web articles. He is currently a contributing editor to Horticulture Magazine. In addition, every year he travels the country giving dozens of lectures on gardening topics. He also teaches several day-long classes per year at Plant Delights Nursery on subjects such as plant propagation and soils.
Plant Breeding Efforts
Tony Avent has breeding and evaluationTrial garden
A garden grown specifically for the purpose of testing and evaluating plants is called a trial garden. Universities, plant breeders, and garden-industry companies frequently have trial gardens, as do many private and public botanical gardens and professional garden journalists...
programs for dozens of genera. He started breeding Hosta
Hosta
Hosta is a genus of about 23–45 species of lily-like plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, native to northeast Asia. They have been placed in their own family, Hostaceae ; like many 'lilioid monocots', they were once classified in the Liliaceae...
in 1984 and has been expanding his palette ever since. His plant breeding
Plant breeding
Plant breeding is the art and science of changing the genetics of plants in order to produce desired characteristics. Plant breeding can be accomplished through many different techniques ranging from simply selecting plants with desirable characteristics for propagation, to more complex molecular...
efforts focus on the following plant groups.
- Aroids
- CrinumCrinumCrinum is a genus of about 180 species of perennial plants that have large showy flowers on leafless stems, and develop from bulbs. They are found along the sides of streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, including South Africa....
- CyclamenCyclamenCyclamen is a genus of 23 species of perennials growing from tubers, valued for their flowers with upswept petals and variably patterned leaves...
- EpimediumEpimediumEpimedium, also known as Rowdy Lamb Herb, Barrenwort, Bishop's Hat, Fairy Wings, Horny Goat Weed, or Yin Yang Huo , is a genus of about 60 or more species of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Berberidaceae...
- Helleborus
- HostaHostaHosta is a genus of about 23–45 species of lily-like plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, native to northeast Asia. They have been placed in their own family, Hostaceae ; like many 'lilioid monocots', they were once classified in the Liliaceae...
- PolygonatumPolygonatumPolygonatum , King Solomon's-seal or Solomon's Seal, is a genus of about 50 species of flowering plants. In the APG III classification system, it is placed in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Nolinoideae...
- TrilliumTrilliumTrillium is a genus of about 40–50 species of spring ephemeral perennials, native to temperate regions of North America and Asia....
- ZephyranthesZephyranthesZephyranthes is a genus of 71 species in the Amaryllis family . There are numerous hybrids and cultivars. Common names for species in this genus include fairy lily, rainflower, zephyr lily, magic lily, Atamasco lily, and rain lily.The name is derived from Ζέφυρος , the Greek god of the west...
Plant Expeditions
Inspired by the late J.C. Raulston, Tony Avent has made over 66 plant expeditions since 1993 and has traveled extensively around the world in search of new, rare and unusual plants.- 1994 - MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
- 1996 - ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
(YunnanYunnanYunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
) - 1997 - KoreaKoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
- 1998 - GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
(and again in 2000) - 1998 - TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(and again in 2000, 2003, 2004) - 1998 - North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
(2x in 1998, 8x in 1999, 2000, 2001, 5x in 2002, 2x in 2003, 2x in 2004, 2006) - 1999 - LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
(and again in 2003, 2004) - 1999 - MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
- 1999 - OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
- 2000 - BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
- 2000 - VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(and again in 2001) - 2001 - FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
(and again in 2003, 2007, 2010) - 2002 - ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
- 2002 - HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
- 2002 - IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
- 2002 - South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(and again in 2005, 2007, 2010) - 2003 - ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
(and again in 2004,2005, 2008) - 2004 - Holland/BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
- 2004 - MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
- 2004 - Southern CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
- 2005 - South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
- 2005 - ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and North VietnamNorth VietnamThe Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout... - 2006 - AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
- 2006 - South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
- 2008 - TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
- 2010 - CreteCreteCrete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
Awards and Honors
- American Horticultural SocietyAmerican Horticultural SocietyThe American Horticultural Society is a nonprofit, membership-based organization that promotes excellence in American horticulture. It is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia....
Outstanding Commercial Award - Individual - 2002 - D.H. Copeland /North Carolina 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/ NCSUNorth Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
Dept. of Horticultural Science - 1997 - NC Nurserymen Award for Landscape/Beautification of NC State Fairgrounds - 1990
- Outstanding Journalism Award - Mens Garden Club of AmericaThe Gardeners of America/Men's Garden Clubs of AmericaAlso known as TGOA/MGCA, TGOA, MGCA, Gardeners of America, and Men’s Garden Clubs of America, it is a national organization with 45 affiliated clubs located in 17 states across America. The organization has its headquarters in Johnston, Iowa, a city that is a business suburb of Des Moines...
- 1986, 1987, 1988 - Outstanding Senior, NCSUNorth Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
Dept. of Horticulture - 1978
Writing
Traditional Media- "Baptisia"- The PlantsmanThe Plantsman (journal)The Plantsman, published quarterly by the Royal Horticultural Society, is a 68-page magazine "dedicated to a deeper understanding and appreciation of garden plants." Its authoritative articles are written by acknowledged experts on plant-related subjects, including plant profiles, horticulture,...
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 ObserverThe News & ObserverThe News & Observer is the regional daily newspaper of the Research Triangle area of the U.S. State of North Carolina. The N&O, as it is popularly called, is based in Raleigh and also covers Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill. The paper also has substantial readership in most of the state east of...
- 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 SocietyGesneriad SocietyThe Gesneriad Society, Inc. is an international horticultural society devoted to the promotion, cultivation, and study of gesneriads . The organization was founded in 1951 as the American Gloxinia Society by Elvin McDonald and incorporated in the state of Missouri in 1954...
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 MagazineFine Gardening (magazine)Fine Gardening is a magazine for gardening enthusiasts of all skill levels covering the basics of garden design with advice from horticulture experts and landscape professionals. The focus is more on ornamental plants and home landscaping rather than edible gardens...
Fall 1992 - "Plant Delights Nursery Profile" - American Hosta Society Journal 1994
- "Blue Hostas" - Fine GardeningFine Gardening (magazine)Fine Gardening is a magazine for gardening enthusiasts of all skill levels covering the basics of garden design with advice from horticulture experts and landscape professionals. The focus is more on ornamental plants and home landscaping rather than edible gardens...
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 GardeningFine Gardening (magazine)Fine Gardening is a magazine for gardening enthusiasts of all skill levels covering the basics of garden design with advice from horticulture experts and landscape professionals. The focus is more on ornamental plants and home landscaping rather than edible gardens...
Magazine Fall 1991
Books/Chapters Written by Tony Avent:
- Bizarre Botanicals (Foreword) by Larry Mellichamp, 2010
- My Favorite Plant (one chapter) compiled by Jamaica KincaidJamaica KincaidJamaica Kincaid is a Caribbean novelist, gardener, and gardening writer. She was born in the city of St. John's on the island of Antigua in the nation of Antigua and Barbuda...
1998 - So You Want to Start a Nursery - Timber Press (July 2003)
Web Articles Written or Co-written by Tony Avent
- ArisaemaArisaemaArisaema is a genus of about 150 species in the flowering plant family Araceae, native to eastern and central Africa, Asia and eastern North America. Its species are often called Cobra lilies, particularly the Asiatic species...
, Arisaema, Arisaema (Cobra LilyArisaemaArisaema is a genus of about 150 species in the flowering plant family Araceae, native to eastern and central Africa, Asia and eastern North America. Its species are often called Cobra lilies, particularly the Asiatic species...
, Jack in the PulpitArisaema triphyllumArisaema triphyllum is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from a corm. It is a highly variable species typically growing from 30 to 65 cm in height with three parted leaves and flowers contained in a spadix that is covered by a hood...
) - Bananas - Apeeling Plants for the Garden (Winter Hardy Ornamentals)
- Buddleia - The Butterfly Bush
- CannaCanna (plant)Canna is a genus of nineteen species of flowering plants. The closest living relations to cannas are the other plant families of the order Zingiberales, that is the gingers, bananas, marantas, heliconias, strelitzias, etc.Canna is the only genus in the family Cannaceae...
, Canna, Canna - Cold Hardy PalmsArecaceaeArecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
for Temperate Gardens - Cold Hardy PalmArecaceaeArecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
Survival Report - ColocasiaColocasiaColocasia is a genus of 25 or more species of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical Polynesia and southeastern Asia. Common names include Elephant-ear, Taro, Cocoyam, Dasheen,Chembu, and Eddoe...
s - Cool Elephant Ears for the Garden - Crape Murder - The Unkind Cut
- CurcumaCurcumaCurcuma is a genus of about 80 accepted species in the plant family Zingiberaceae that contains such species as turmeric and Siam Tulip. The name comes from Arabic kurkum meaning "turmeric". Since assembly of the genus Curcuma by Linnaeus in 1753 about 130 species have been described so far...
Hidden Cone Gingers - CyclamenCyclamenCyclamen is a genus of 23 species of perennials growing from tubers, valued for their flowers with upswept petals and variably patterned leaves...
for the GardenGardenA garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has... - CypripediumCypripediumCypripedium is a genus of 47 species of lady's-slipper orchids native to temperate and colder regions of the Northern Hemisphere.Some grow in the tundra in Alaska and Siberia, which is an unusually cold habitat for orchids. They can withstand extreme cold, growing under the snow and blooming when...
Orchids - Does the Lady Slipper Fit Your Garden? - Dear DeerDeerDeer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, We're Closed for Dinner - EchinaceaEchinaceaEchinacea is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae. The nine species it contains are commonly called purple coneflowers. They are endemic to eastern and central North America, where they are found growing in moist to dry prairies and open wooded areas. They have...
Explosion - The ConeflowerEchinaceaEchinacea is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae. The nine species it contains are commonly called purple coneflowers. They are endemic to eastern and central North America, where they are found growing in moist to dry prairies and open wooded areas. They have...
Chronicles - Fuel Sources for your Hummer (HummingbirdHummingbirdHummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
Plants for Your Garden) - Hardy Terrestrial Orchids
- HedychiumHedychiumHedychium is a genus of perennial plants native to tropical Asia and the Himalayas, commonly growing to between 120 and 180 cm tall. Common names include garland flower, ginger lily, and kahili ginger...
- Ginger Lilies for the Garden - Hellebores, Hellebores, Hellebores
- HostaHostaHosta is a genus of about 23–45 species of lily-like plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, native to northeast Asia. They have been placed in their own family, Hostaceae ; like many 'lilioid monocots', they were once classified in the Liliaceae...
, Hosta, Hosta - HostaHostaHosta is a genus of about 23–45 species of lily-like plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, native to northeast Asia. They have been placed in their own family, Hostaceae ; like many 'lilioid monocots', they were once classified in the Liliaceae...
s for Warm Climates - Paul Aden HostaHostaHosta is a genus of about 23–45 species of lily-like plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, native to northeast Asia. They have been placed in their own family, Hostaceae ; like many 'lilioid monocots', they were once classified in the Liliaceae...
Introductions/Breeding - Plant Hardiness and Mapping Out a Strategy
- Pulmonaria, Pulmonaria, Pulmonaria - LungwortLungwortThe lungworts are the genus Pulmonaria of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae, native to Europe and western Asia, with one species east to central Asia...
s for the Garden - SalviaSalviaSalvia is the largest genus of plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, with approximately 700-900 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. It is one of several genera commonly referred to as sage. When used without modifiers, sage generally refers to Salvia officinalis ; however, it is...
, Perennial Sages for the Garden - Ringing the Coral Bells - The HeucheraHeucheraThe genus Heuchera includes at least 50 species of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Saxifragaceae, all native to North America. Common names include alumroot and coral bells. They have palmately lobed leaves on long petioles, and a thick, woody rootstock...
and xHeucherella Story - SarraceniaSarraceniaSarracenia is a genus comprising 8 to 11 species of North American pitcher plants. The genus belongs to the family Sarraceniaceae, which also contain the closely allied genera Darlingtonia and Heliamphora....
- The North American Pitcher PlantPitcher plantPitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. It has been widely assumed that the various sorts of pitfall trap evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favouring more deeply cupped leaves over... - Tiarella - A Crown in the Garden
- Trademarks in HorticultureHorticultureHorticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
- Their Misuse and Abuse (Name that Plant) - TricyrtisTricyrtisTricyrtis is a genus of the botanical family Liliaceae, known in English as Toad lilies. Its native range is from the Himalayas to eastern Asia, including China, Japan, Philippines and Formosa....
Toad Lilies
Organizations and committees
Avent is an active member of many gardening and plant organizations and serves on several committees including:- Advisory Committee - USDA-ARSAgricultural Research ServiceThe Agricultural Research Service is the principal in-house research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture . ARS is one of four agencies in USDA's Research, Education and Economics mission area...
Hardiness ZoneHardiness zoneA hardiness zone is a geographically defined area in which a specific category of plant life is capable of growing, as defined by climatic conditions, including its ability to withstand the minimum temperatures of the zone...
Map Revision - Alpine Garden Society
- American Fern SocietyAmerican Fern SocietyThe American Fern Society was founded in 1893. Today, it has more than 1000 members around the world, with various local chapters.Willard N. Clute was the founder of the society, originally establishing it as the "Linnaean Fern Chapter."...
- American Public Gardens AssociationAmerican Public Gardens AssociationThe American Public Gardens Association is an association of public-garden institutions and professionals primarily in the United States and Canada....
- Hardy Plant SocietyHardy Plant SocietyThe Hardy Plant Society is a British charity that promotes the cultivation of hardy herbaceous plants. The Society was founded in 1957 by a group of gardeners and nurserymen. It has approximately 10,000 members and provides information about familiar and less well known perennials, how to grow...
- International Bulb SocietyInternational Bulb SocietyThe International Bulb Society was founded in 1933 and is an international society dedicated to informing the public about the science, cultivation, conservation and botany of geophytic plants, commonly known as bulbs.-Awards:...
- Pacific Bulb SocietyPacific Bulb SocietyThe Pacific Bulb Society is a nonprofit organization, founded in 2002, dedicated to informing and helping people who grow or are interested in geophytes . Despite the name "Pacific", the society covers geophytes from around the world, and is open to people from any country...
- St. Louis Summit Workshop on Linking Ecology and Horticulture to Prevent Plant Invasions
- Woody Plant Advisory Committee - JC Raulston ArboretumJC Raulston ArboretumJC Raulston Arboretum is an 10 acre arboretum and botanical garden administered by North Carolina State University, and located at 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolina...
Programs / Articles About Tony Avent or Plant Delights Nursery
Newspapers- Atlanta Journal Constitution - June 6, 2002 (garden/plant profile)
- Chesterton Tribune, IND - November 14, 2002
- Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
- Ken Druse, Sept 14,2003 - Gardener's fantasy and a reality check - 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
- Greenville Examiner - Oct 23, 2010 - NC plant hunter Tony Avent searches the world for new specimens
- High Point EnterpriseHigh Point EnterpriseHigh Point Enterprise is a daily morning newspaper that primarily serves High Point, North Carolina.The newspaper's coverage area includes parts of Guilford, Davidson, Randolph and Forsyth counties in the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina. The Enterprise is owned by Paxton Media Group...
- May 5, 1999 (nursery/garden profile) - Houston ChronicleHouston ChronicleThe Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
, GA - January 9, 2010 (nursery profile) - N.C. nursery's plant catalog always fun - 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)
- The New York Times - February 20, 1997
- The New York Times - February 20, 2003 (nursery/book profile)
- The New York Times - September 12, 2003
- The New York Times - April 2006 (nursery profile)
- The New York Times - April 28, 2010
- The New York Times - April 29, 2010
- The News and Observer October 19, 2002 (plant profiles)
- The News and Observer April 6, 2003 (personal profile)
- The News and Observer - December 26, 2006 (nursery)
- Philadelphia Inquirer - January 22, 1999 (nursery/plant profile)
- Pittsburgh Post-GazettePittsburgh Post-GazetteThe Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
- February 10, 2001 (nursery/plant profile) - Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - July 27, 2002 (nursery profile)
- West Virginia Gazette-Mail - February 1999 (plant profiles)
Magazines
- 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 MagazineEntrepreneur MagazineEntrepreneur is a publication that carries news stories about entrepreneurialism, small business management, and business opportunities. It is published by Entrepreneur Media Inc., headquartered in Irvine, California....
- 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)
Books
- Beautiful Madness by James Dodson, 2006
- Bizarre Botanicals by Larry Mellichamp and Paula Gross, 2010
- The Collectors Garden Book by Ken Druse 1996
- The Plant Hunters Garden by Bobby Ward, Fall 2004
TV Shows
- Almanac Gardener with Mike GrayMike GrayMike Gray is a writer, screenwriter, cinematographer, film producer and director.-Film and TV:Gray co-wrote the screenplay for the 1979 nuclear thriller The China Syndrome. Earlier in his career he directed and produced two documentaries on radical politics in Chicago, American Revolution 2 and...
(NC Public Television) - numerous since 1994 - Coastal Gardener with Dave Egbert (Network) - 2008
- Cultivating Life with Sean ConwaySean ConwaySean Conway is a Canadian university professor and administrator. He served for 28 years as a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, from 1975 to 2003, and was a high-profile cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson...
, Aspidistra, Ferns (PBS) - 2006 - Cultivating Life with Sean ConwaySean ConwaySean Conway is a Canadian university professor and administrator. He served for 28 years as a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, from 1975 to 2003, and was a high-profile cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson...
(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 LivingMartha Stewart LivingMartha Stewart Living is a magazine and a television show featuring entertaining and home decorating guru Martha Stewart. Both the magazine and the television program focus on the domestic arts. Martha Stewart Living began as a quarterly magazine in 1990, published by Time Inc..and is currently...
with Martha StewartMartha StewartMartha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
, Nursery Segment (HGTV) - February 2004 - Martha Stewart LivingMartha Stewart LivingMartha Stewart Living is a magazine and a television show featuring entertaining and home decorating guru Martha Stewart. Both the magazine and the television program focus on the domestic arts. Martha Stewart Living began as a quarterly magazine in 1990, published by Time Inc..and is currently...
with Martha StewartMartha StewartMartha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
, Propagation Segment (HGTV) - February 2004 - Martha Stewart LivingMartha Stewart LivingMartha Stewart Living is a magazine and a television show featuring entertaining and home decorating guru Martha Stewart. Both the magazine and the television program focus on the domestic arts. Martha Stewart Living began as a quarterly magazine in 1990, published by Time Inc..and is currently...
with Martha StewartMartha StewartMartha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
, Hardy Arailaceae Segment (HGTV) - February 2004 - Martha Stewart LivingMartha Stewart LivingMartha Stewart Living is a magazine and a television show featuring entertaining and home decorating guru Martha Stewart. Both the magazine and the television program focus on the domestic arts. Martha Stewart Living began as a quarterly magazine in 1990, published by Time Inc..and is currently...
with Martha StewartMartha StewartMartha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
, Extreme Propagation (NBC) - February 2007 - Martha Stewart LivingMartha Stewart LivingMartha Stewart Living is a magazine and a television show featuring entertaining and home decorating guru Martha Stewart. Both the magazine and the television program focus on the domestic arts. Martha Stewart Living began as a quarterly magazine in 1990, published by Time Inc..and is currently...
with Martha StewartMartha StewartMartha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
, New Plants (NBC) - March 2008 - Martha Stewart LivingMartha Stewart LivingMartha Stewart Living is a magazine and a television show featuring entertaining and home decorating guru Martha Stewart. Both the magazine and the television program focus on the domestic arts. Martha Stewart Living began as a quarterly magazine in 1990, published by Time Inc..and is currently...
with Martha StewartMartha StewartMartha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
, New Plants (NBC) - January, 26 2011 - Rebecca's Garden with Rebecca Kolls (Hearst Broadcasting) - 1997
- The Winter Garden Series (HGTV) - 1999
- The Secret Garden Series (HGTV) - Spring 2001