Our Speakers

Nothing's better than getting information straight from the experts! We are proud to be bringing you the following speakers:

Neil Sperry

Neil Sperry's name has been synonymous with Texas gardening since 1970. Neil has broadcast his radio show on weekends for over 30 years. Neil is featured garden columnist weekend with the Fort Worth Star Telegram, San Antonio Express News and 15 other newspapers across the state. Neil owns and, since 1987, has published Neil Sperry's GARDENS Magazine. Neil Sperry's Complete Guide to Texas Gardening is the 4th best-selling gardening hardback in American history.

Dr. Greg Church

Dr. Greg Church grew up in Collin County and now serves as the Texas AgriLife Extension Agent for Horticulture here in Collin County. Dr. Church received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Stephen F. Austin State University and received a Doctorate in Plant Pathology from Texas A&M University where he conducted research on nematode resistance. Dr. Church served as a Research Plant Pathologist with the USDA, Agricultural Research Service at the U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory in Fort Pierce, Florida. While there his research focused on the development of biological, chemical, and cultural pest control methods in commercial floriculture and ornamental plant production. Later, as a Texas AgriLife researcher at the Chillicothe-Vernon Research Station Dr. Church served as a Research Scientist and Farm Manager. He investigated alternative crop production, subsurface drip irrigation, soil tillage, and soil health. Since transferring back to Collin County Dr. Church has been a leader in promoting Earth-Kind principals and instrumental in starting what is fast becoming the leading Earth-Kind Research and Demonstration Garden in the country.

Dr. Steve George

Dr. Steve George is Professor and Extension Horticulturist for Texas AgriLife Extension Service. Since 1988, Dr. George has served as a Landscape Horticulture Specialist for the Texas Agri-Life Extension, and is headquartered at the Texas Agri-Life Research and Extension Center in Dallas. Dr. George has created and serves as National Coordinator of the Earth-Kind® Environmental Landscape Management Program.

Steve Huddleston

Steve has been the Senior Horticulturist at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden since 1994. He is responsible for overseeing operations of the 109-acre garden, including coordinating landscape and construction projects, purchasing plant material, managing horticultural displays, coordinating special events, working with major support groups, supervising Garden staff, assisting with budget management, and promoting the Garden through speaking engagements and the media.

Steve is the President of Blooming Concepts, Inc., a landscape consultation, design, and installation company.

Steve is the co-author of the book Easy Gardens for North Central Texas and his publications include articles in Neil Sperry's GARDENS magazine and Mansfield Magazine. He had a Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language, University of Arizona and a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Oklahoma State University.

Dr. James McAfee

Dr. McAfee is currently an Associate Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist for the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and the Department of Soil and Crop Science at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas. In addition to turf and herbicide research, Dr. McAfee makes hundreds of presentations and site visits across the State of Texas to assist school districts and city parks in conducting irrigation audits on sports field and golf courses to assist them in conserving water. He has helped many cities make changes that have significantly reduced their water budgets.

Dr. McAfee has a Ph.D. from the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University, M.S. from the Department of Plant Science at Texas A&M University and a B.S. from the Department of Agronomy at Texas A&M University. He holds professional affiliations with the Texas Turfgrass Association, the Texas Sports Turf Managers Association, the National Sports Turf Managers Association, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and the North Texas Golf Course Superintendents Association.

Dr. Kevin Ong

Dr. Ong is an Associate Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist in the Deptartnebt of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, at Texas A&M University. Dr. Ong is alos the director of the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (Plant Clinic) at Texas A&M University. The Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory provides plant disease diagnostic service to Texas AgriLife Extension personnel, homeowners, farmers, greenhouse and nursery producers, landscape contractors, interiorscapers, arborists, consultants, and any other group or individual needing accurate identification of plant disease problems. The Plant Clinic collaborates with state and federal agencies through the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN). More information about the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory can be found at http://plantclinic.tamu.edu. In addition to diagnostic services, the Plant Clinic provides educational support (on plant health issues) to Extension personnel and the general public.

Prior to his current position, Kevin was the regional Plant Pathologist based at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Urban Solutions Center in Dallas. There, he developed several educational programs to encourage the public to develop an appreciation for plant diseases, their impact, and scientifically sound management methods.

Dr. Ong also participates in collaborative research with colleagues around the country to develop new and/or better plant disease detection methods. Additionally, he also is on the looks out for new and emerging diseases.

Dr. Dotty Woodson

Dr. Dotty Woodson is an Extension Program Specialist for Water Resources located at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Urban Solutions Center in Dallas, Texas. Woodson is part of the Texas AgriLife Water Resources Team which addresses water conservation and stormwater issues through educational programs and demonstrations. Programs and demonstrations about landscape water conservation, rainwater harvesting, rain gardens and irrigation efficiency are regularly scheduled in Tarrant, Dallas, Denton, Collin and other counties. Woodson addresses homeowners and professionals to provide the most sustainable information about landscape water use from design and plant selection to water conserving landscape management practices. Woodson started with Extension in May 1995 as a county Extension agent in Tarrant County. Woodson has B. S. and M.S. degrees in Horticulture from Tarleton State University and a doctoral degree from Texas A&M and Texas Tech.

Dr. Woodson is a contributing author for Gardening in Fort Worth and The Lone Star Gardener's Book of Lists and the CD and computer web site, Texas SmartScape. Her DVD "Growing Orchids Made Easy" is available form the Texas AgriLife Bookstore. She writes a weekly garden column for Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She appears weekly on NBC5 Sunday morning news. She produces a television series on Times Warner, "Gardening with Dotty," and Fort Worth Community Cable, "Extension in the City." She appears regularly on HGTV "Gardening by the Yard" with Paul James and "Backyard Boomers" on the Health and Wellness channel. She has won numerous national and state awards for her horticulture programs, media work and Master Gardener and Junior Master Gardener programs. Dotty has lectured to local, state, national and international audiences about landscape water conservation and growing orchids.