Today marks a huge personal milestone for me;  100 posts on “The Masters of Horticulture”!  If someone would have told me two years ago that I would be a rabid garden blogger today, I would have thought they were nuts.  Back then I barely knew what a blog was.  Oh I read the occasional blog, but I never dreamed that I had what it took to have one of my own.

About two years ago a whole bunch of things came together all at once that led me on this adventure in writing.  First, I started work on my Masters of Horticulture at Texas A&M.  Whoop!  That act in itself gave me a new focus on my love of growing things and the title of the blog.  Next, I met and began to work with, a ton of truly wonderful horticulturists (folks I now call “Masters of Horticulture”).  One of those was an extraordinary woman named Cynthia Mueller.  Cynthia is the editor of A&M Extension’s on-line magazine Hort Update (along with Dr. Bill Welch and Dr Doug Welch).  Cynthia is one of the most knowledgeable plant people I have ever met and we quickly became fast friends.  Cynthia convinced me that since I was doing so much writing for my degree, I could fit in an occasional article for Hort Update as well.  My first article for her was about the construction of my potager.  It also turned out to be the first blog post ever on MOH.  My potager has now been featured in two magazines and on television.  It is truly amazing to me how a little encouragement from a much respected person can change a life.

There are so many that I want to thank for taking the time to provide help and encouragement along the way.  Dr. Bill Welch has been a great friend and encourager.  Dr. Doug Welsh always takes time to listen and provides excellent ideas and advice.   Chris Corby of Texas Gardener was the first to take a chance on me and my writing.  Publication in his magazine has been one of the most rewarding and enjoyable things I have ever done.  Also, a special thanks to all of the instructors and staff that I have worked with at A&M.  Each and every one of them provided me with the tools and knowledge that I need to write and maintain this blog.

There are two women that deserve special recognition.  Cynthia Mueller has become a great friend, mentor and encourager.  She has been so generous with her time, knowledge and plants.  Her depth and breadth of horticultural knowledge never ceases to amaze me.  I cannot thank her enough for always being there for me.

An IPhone shot of my very beautiful and supportive wife at the 2011 Gourd Festival

I could not end without a VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU to my lovely wife and soul mate, Sally.  It was her encouragement that led me to A&M in the first place.  Without her pushing me out of my comfort zone, none of this would have happened.  She has been there beside me 100% of the way.  She follows me all over Texas as I search for stories and she allows me to spend way too much on plants, garden supplies and cameras.   She also reads everything I write and listens as I talk on and on about my blog stats.  The last two years have truly been some of the happiest times of my life.  Thank you Sally for taking my hand and leading me down this path!

And finally, thanks to all of you that take time out of your busy day to read my ramblings.  In spite of all of the help and encouragement I have received from the folks mentioned above, I would not continue to blog if there were no readers!  Thanks again.  Please keep reading and sending in those questions and comments.  Happy gardening y’all!!!