Tony Avent

Tony Avent
Born
Raleigh, NC, USA
Occupation(s)Plantsman, Author, Businessman
Websitewww.plantdelights.com

Tony Avent is an American horticulturist and plantsman. He and wife and business partner, Anita Avent, own Plant Delights Nursery and Juniper Level Botanic Garden in Raleigh, North Carolina. In addition, he is a plant explorer, author and public speaker.

Early life and education

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Avent grew up with a passion for plants and nature. Instead of playing games, he wandered the woods and fields near his home in Raleigh NC, studying wildflowers.[1] At age five, Avent was building terrariums and dish gardens with mail-order plants, and at seven years old, his parents built a greenhouse for him. There he grew and propagated plants and sold them as a hobby.[2]

Tony Avent attended North Carolina State University and graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticultural Science.[3] He studied under the well renowned horticulturist J. C. Raulston. Avent was inspired by Raulston who built the JC Raulston Arboretum.[2] In 1977, he married Michelle Morgan Avent (1957–2012).[3]

Career

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In 1978, he began working for the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh as its Landscape Director.[3][4] He worked there for 16 years until 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 established Plant Delights Nursery and Juniper Level Botanic Gardens in 1988[4] and by 1994 the business had expanded enough for him to resign his state job and become a full-time nurseryman.

In addition to running the nursery, 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. Avent was featured in the book, Heroes of Horticulture by Barbara Paul Robinson, 2018; Beautiful Madness by James Dodson, 2006; The Plant Hunter’s Garden by Bobby Ward, Fall 2004, and The Collector’s Garden Book by Ken Druse, 1996. He is currently a contributing editor to Fine Gardening Magazine. In addition, every year travels the country, having given over 800 lectures on gardening topics. He also lectures each year at Plant Delights Nursery. In 2018, Avent was named a Distinguished Alumni at his alma mater, North Carolina State University.

Avent is married to Raleigh business woman and childhood friend Anita Avent.

Writing

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Traditional media[3]

Books/chapters written by Avent:

  • The Roots of My Obsession (one chapter) - Timber Press, 2012
  • Bizarre Botanicals (Foreword) by Larry Mellichamp, 2010
  • My Favorite Plant (one chapter) compiled by Jamaica Kincaid 1998
  • So You Want to Start a Nursery – Timber Press (July 2003)

Programs/articles about Avent or Plant Delights Nursery

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Newspapers[5]

Magazines

Books

  • Heroes of Horticulture by Barbara Paul Robinson, 2018
  • Beautiful Madness by James Dodson, 2006 [16]
  • Bizarre Botanicals by Larry Mellichamp and Paula Gross, 2010 [17]
  • The Collectors Garden Book by Ken Druse 1996 [18]
  • The Plant Hunters Garden by Bobby Ward, Fall 2004 [19]

TV shows

References

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  1. ^ "The Martha Stewart Show". Archived from the original on 2010-06-28. Retrieved 2011-01-22.
  2. ^ a b "This collector-grower built an Eden of rare plants. Now he tackles the challenge to preserve it". The Washington Post. 2019-09-17. Retrieved 2020-10-22.
  3. ^ a b c d "Tony on the Road | Tony Avent Speaking Schedule". Plant Delights Nursery. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  4. ^ a b "About Plant Delights Nursery, Inc. and Juniper Level Botanic Garden". Plant Delights Nursery. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  5. ^ "In the Media". Plant Delights Nursery. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  6. ^ Gardener's fantasy and a reality check Chicago Tribune – Ken Druse, Sept 14,2003
  7. ^ N.C. nursery's plant catalog always fun, Houston Chronicle, Georgia – January 9, 2010
  8. ^ When Plant Fans Gather, a Harvest of Obsessions, The New York Times – February 2, 1997
  9. ^ The Global Backyard: Weird Is In , The New York Times – February 20, 1997
  10. ^ A Gardener Grows Balmy In Winter, The New York Times – September 12, 2003
  11. ^ You Want a ursery, Here's a Reality Check, New York Times – September 12, 2003
  12. ^ In the Plant Game, Some Bets Are In, The New York Times – April 2006
  13. ^ The Plant Hunter, New York Times – April 28, 2010
  14. ^ Some myths worth busting, New York Times – April 29, 2010
  15. ^ Nursery owner plants delight in growers by making gardening fun, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – February 10, 2001
  16. ^ Beautiful Madness, by James Dodson
  17. ^ Bizarre Botanicals, by Larry Mellichamp and Paula Gross
  18. ^ The Collectors Garden Book, by Ken Druse
  19. ^ The Plant Hunters Garden, by Bobby Ward
  20. ^ "UNC-TV ONLINE: Video On-Demand: Almanac Gardener". flash.unctv.org. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  21. ^ "UNC-TV ONLINE: Video On-Demand: Almanac Gardener". flash.unctv.org. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  22. ^ Martha Stewart Living TV Show Web Site
  23. ^ Martha Stewart Living TV Show Web Site
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