About the Author

Jim Nau is the Cultural Advisor and Horticultural Historian to the Ball Horticultural Company, a recipient of the Perennial Plants Association’s Garden Media Award, and a speaker at gardening conferences across the U.S. and Canada as well as China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. He is the author of the Ball Culture Guide, The Ball Perennial Manual, and editor of the Ball RedBook 18th and 19th editions. He has been President of All-America Selections, the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, and has received a number of honors and accolades from the horticultural industry. Bill Calkins capitalizes on his horticultural product management and greenhouse trade media background to spot the latest trends and creative strategies to drive the industry forward. After leading the editorial side of two top industry trade magazines for seven years, he joined the Ball Seed marketing team in 2007 and served in that role for more than 10 years. Bill is now a senior editor with Ball Publishing and digital communications manager with Ball Horticultural. Bill was the 126th President of Western Nursery & Landscape Association and is a board member with KidsGardening.org. Chris Beytes is the editor of GrowerTalks magazine and has been in the horticulture industry for nearly 40 years. He lives in South Elgin, Illinois. Allison Westbrook has more than 15 years of experience in the horticulture industry, a Master of Science in Agriculture, Plant Health from Washington State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Horticulture and Design from Purdue University. She currently is an account manager for Midwest Groundcovers in St. Charles, Illinois.