JOHN BAGNASCO has been an integral part of the gardening industry for more than 45 years, starting with a degree in horticultural marketing (from Michigan State University) and followed by a decade at Frank’s Nursery and Crafts in Detroit. He moved to California to become regional manager and buyer for the Nurseryland division of Sunbelt Nursery Group and then became the head buyer for Armstrong Garden Centers based in Glendora, California. John joined Creative Promotions in October 2000 as a senior magazine editor and radio personality for Garden Compass. He is currently the president and co-host of the nationally syndicated “Garden America Radio Show,” which reaches 1.1 million listeners every weekend. He is also the president of www.GardenTube.com, a YouTube–type site for gardeners, and is a managing partner in SuperNaturals Grafted Vegetables, LLC. John has taught horticulture classes and is a rose breeder who introduced more than a dozen new varieties. He was host of the DVD The Essential Guide to Roses. John’s other books include Planting Designs for Cactus and Succulents and Plants for the Home, Vol I.
BOB REIDMULLER is a lifelong, hands-on plant geek, beginning from a young age under the tutelage of his grandfather in New Jersey. A family relocation to Southern California at the age of 16 offered a plethora of horticultural and botanical experiences and opportunities. Starting a small private nursery based primarily on tropical plants, such as staghorn ferns and orchids, led to several years working for Solana Orchids, a large local producer of orchids for the cut-flower market. This path eventually led to over twenty-five years and counting working for Altman Plants in Vista, California, the nation’s largest wholesale producer of cactuses and succulents. With the phenomenal craze of all things succulent and being on staff as resident horticulturist there, he spends a major part of his time offering cultural information on this fascinating plant group to their wholesale and retail customer base nationwide. This also includes giving talks and facility tours to local garden clubs, schools, and university horticulture groups. He has written articles for various trade publications and was a regular contributor to Garden Compass Magazine. He is a frequent guest co-host of the nationally syndicated Garden America Radio Show, which reaches 1.1 million listeners every weekend.