Gary Jones

Gary Jones is Chief Horticulturist at Armstrong Garden Centers and edits and publishes Inspirations, a national magazine about plants and gardening. Previously Gary was Vice President of Marketing for Armstrong, America’s largest independent garden retailer. Although he holds a degree in music from Utah State University, his lifelong passion has been horticulture and gardening. In addition to his music training, Gary has extensive studies in environmental planning and landscape architecture both at Utah State University and UCLA.  After completing his college education in Boston, Massachusetts, he was employed in the wholesale cut-flower business in Utah. Upon moving to Southern California he became manager of Burkard Nurseries, one of the area’s oldest family-owned nurseries and in 1992 started his own nursery in Pasadena. This nursery, which Gary named Hortus, became nationally recognized.  Garden Design magazine named Hortus one of the “Best Garden Shops in America.”  Both Los Angeles and Valley magazines named Hortus Los Angeles’ best nursery.  The London Times called the work of its renowned garden design department “the best.”  The nursery regularly sponsored lectures and seminars by garden authorities from around the world.  The nursery and garden shop was often featured in national home and garden magazines such as Martha Stewart Living, Town & Country, House Beautiful, House and Garden, Sunset, Country Living Gardener, and The Wall Street Journal.

While at Hortus Gary created and published a garden newsletter for Southern California called Dig.  In 1999 Dig was given the Award of Merit Award and the Quill and Towel Award by the Garden Writers Association of America for best garden newsletter in America.

He often speaks on garden topics and has done so at the Huntington Botanical Gardens, The Arboretum of Los Angeles County, Descanso Gardens, and the Carmel Garden Show.

He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for The Arboretum of Los Angeles and is a member of the Board of Advisors for Southern California Chapter of The Mediterranean Garden Society.