BIO | hortbooks

ABOUT ME

I am originally from New Jersey, which is perfect, it is the garden state after all!!
I have been in a garden or dealing with plants practically my entire life. I remember as a young boy, helping my mother with her garden and even having a small one myself. My very first plant was a wax begonia. I learned at an early age what root rot was. They do not need to be watered everyday and sometimes twice a day.
I would say, I have come a long way since then. I am a Certified Professional Nurseryman, a Charleston County Master Gardener and work for Hidden Ponds Nursery. Known as “The Citrus Guy” I have some 55 different varieties of Citrus in the yard, all in containers.
Even with my nickname, I am much more involved in things other than citrus. I have 200+ camellias in the yard. I am the current president of the Coastal Carolina Camellia Society, as well as their flower show chairman and co-chairman of the upcoming ACS National Convention. As of November 2015, I am now an accredited camellia flower show judge.
When it comes to other fruit, I am also well versed. I was tired of hearing and seeing all of the fun the California Rare Fruit Growers were having over on the west coast. Being that we had nothing like that here on the east coast, I formed the Lowcountry Fruit Growers Society. I am the current president.