Author's Biographical Information

Name:  Michael Epp      Title: Horticulturist

 Business Affiliation:    

     Position:      Hickory Lane Farms Nursery and Landscaping,     partner

                        Acorn Farms, Wholesale Sales Representative 

 Educational Background and Professional Experience:  

    Bachelor of Science in Landscape Horticulture    -     The Ohio State University - 1974

    Internship at Hillier’s Nursery, Winchester, England – 1975

            participated in  many Garden tours throughout northern Europe

    Internship at Dortmund Botanic Garden, Dortmund, Germany_1976

    Crew member of Delius Landschaftbau landscape company, Nuremburg, Germany 1976

    Managed a garden center / landscape operation for 10 years in Marysville, Ohio

    Production manager for small container nursery in Delaware, Ohio for 3 years

    Sales Representative for Acorn Farms from 1988 to the present

     Served as:   President of the Columbus Landscape Association. 

Board of Directors for the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association. 

ONLA Plant Selection Committee member for 6 years

Street Tree Commission member in Marysville, Ohio for 15 years.

Wrote the test for Nursery Grower Certification for the ONLA

Current Instructor for Ohio Master Gardener Program

 Books Published:

 Translated many horticultural reference texts for Timber Press, Beaverton, Oregon:

Gerd Krussmann’s  -  Manual of Cultivated Conifers

- Manual of Broadleaved Trees and Shrubs

                        - Pocket Guide to Choosing Woody Ornamentals

Jelitto & Schacht  -  Hardy Herbaceous Perennials

 Professional Focus:

I consider myself a plantsman first.     I love the green industry and have never regretted my career path.  Having been exposed to many facets of the business I believe my insight can be valuable to my customers.   I love to share the things I’ve learned but I’m always open to input from others.

  My European experience opened my eyes to the gardening attitudes of the Europeans.  I try at every opportunity to stress the importance of “the right plant in the right place” regardless of it’s initial size.   Watching a plant develop is part of the fun of gardening.   Many of our customers are too  concerned about impressing the neighbors with big trees and “curb appeal”.    Americans have come a long way in their appreciation of landscape gardening but we have a long way to go.

  email to mikeepp@mindspring.com