Virginia Rockwell

Virginia R. Rockwell, VSLD, is landscape designer and owner of The Gentle Gardener. She is a certified landscape designer and member of the Virginia Society of Landscape Designers.

Ms. Rockwell holds a Garden Design Certificate from the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, London, with John Brookes; a Permaculture Design Certificate in ecological and ethical design with Bill Mollison; and spent a hands-in-dirt apprenticeship in organic and co-creative gardening practice at The Findhorn Foundation, Scotland.

In a prior incarnation, Virginia worked in advertising and marketing strategy for major corporations.

Brent Heath

Brent Heath is a bulb expert and grower of Brent and Becky's Bulbs, hybridizers of daffodils and third generation bulb growers, trialing many unusual and specialty bulbs on a 10 acre farm and gardens in Gloucester, Virginia.

David Pippin

David O. Pippin developed his knowledge and creative talents in a variety of horticultural and education venues.

After teaching high school horticulture, David managed Four Seasons Fan Flowers, a distinguished Richmond floral design firm, went on to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden where he served as education coordinator for seven years, and founded David Pippin, Inc. in 2000.

Nancy Ross Hugo

Nancy Ross Hugo is a garden writer, lecturer, and floral designer known to many Virginians as the former garden columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. In her articles, lectures, and workshops, Nancy combines the practicality of the backyard gardener with the joy of a true nature lover. Her arrangements often include native plants, weeds, and interesting sticks, which she combines in innovative ways. She is also loves arrangements that incorporate evergreens, which she calls “the backbone of the arranger’s garden.”

Nancy conducts arranging workshops at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, where, until 2004 she served as Education Manager, and at Flower Camp, a retreat center on the James River in Buckingham County. As director of the Flower Camp (www.flowercamp.org), novice and experienced arrangers explore the creative process through activities that improve observation and make them more sensitive to color, form and texture. Flower Camp also offers workshops in botanical art, Japanese brush painting, nature journaling and other activities that take their inspiration from nature.

Renowned floral designer Hardie Newton is a Virginia Master Gardener and the owner of Hardie Blossoms, a floral design company in Madison, Virginia. Her design work has been commissioned for the National Geographic Society, Airlie House, and Montpelier, along with many other public and private spaces.

Newton's classic book is Celebration of Flowers. Hardie Newton makes flowers an integral part of everyday life, and liberally peppers her reflections on spiritual ties with nature with useful hints and tips for creating memorable long-lasting flower arrangements.

Joe Caputi

Joe Caputi came to growing cut flowers after a twenty-seven year career as a professional chef and restaurant owner in New York, Boston and Concord, Massachusetts.

Joe and his wife, Charlotte, have created Charlotte’s Garden in the Green Springs district of Louisa County. Now in their fourth year, on nearly 3-1/2 acres, Joe grows over 70 varieties of annuals, perennials and woody shrubs, from ageratum to zinnias, tulips, lilies, tuberose, dahlias, hydrangeas, and much more.

Charlotte’s Garden flowers can be found at the Gentle Gardener in Gordonsville, the City Market in Charlottesville, The 17th Street Farmers’ Market in Richmond, the Williamsburg Farmers’ Market, and select supermarkets and florists. For more information, please go to www.virginiaflowers.net.

Libbey Oliver Flowers & Gardens

Libbey Hodges Oliver is a nationally recognized and honored flower arranger, horticulturist, and author. Her childhood passion for growing plants led to a degree in ornamental horticulture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

She accepted the position of manager of floral and Christmas decorations for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, after working at Callaway Gardens in Georgia. During her twenty-three years with the Foundation, she established a national reputation as an authority on the eighteenth century style of flower arranging. The American Horticultural Society honored her with the national Flower Arranger of the Year award in 1994.

Libbey now owns her own business as a consultant to the floral industry. She continues to make national media appearances on Home and Garden TV, and to present demonstrations across the country. Her books include Williamsburg Christmas, Colonial Williamsburg Decorates for Christmas, Flowers Are Almost Forever, and Four Centuries of Virginia Christmas. Major magazines such as Better Homes & Gardens and Southern Living feature her decorations.

Libbey resides in Williamsburg, Virginia with her husband.