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Tentative Speakers
Adam Queen
Adam Queen grew up in Henning, TN, on a family farm where his lifelong passion for horticulture began. Today, as the Greenhouse and Cutting Garden Manager at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis, Adam spearheads the cultivation of cut flowers for biweekly floral displays and events in partnership with the Memphis Garden Club.
After receiving a degree in Biology from UT-Martin, Bart made his home in Memphis where he is employed at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a Scientist in the Department of Infectious Diseases. Besides his professional work, he is the regional editor for the butterfly count program, past president of the Tennessee Native Plant Society, and a member of many other botanical societies and local conservation groups.
His deep-rooted love for plants inspired him to pursue higher education, earning a BS in Horticulture from Oregon State University. Alongside his role at the Dixon, Adam founded Queens Nursery, a small but growing venture focused on native plants and pollinator-friendly perennials. When he's not tending to the greenhouse or nursery, Adam enjoys competing in the Highland Games—a hobby that celebrates tradition and athleticism. Grounded in family farming and a commitment to sustainable practices, Adam is dedicated to inspiring a love of horticulture in his community.
Ashley Loflin
Ashley is the creator, owner and operator of Fields for Ellie Flower & Farm Co. She is a granddaughter of Dutch immigrants, and a super proud mom to two spectacular kids, Jude and Ellie.
Ashley is a cellular and molecular biologist with a second degree in applied ethics. She is a world traveler, artist, writer and philanthropist.
She was a military wife for over a decade, and then an Executive Director for the United States Department of Agriculture for many years before committing full time to her cut flower farm where she specializes in all things floral.
Mostly and overall, Ashley is just a girl who loves plants and contributing to her communities by healing hearts, minds and the environment through flowers.
Bart Jones
Growing up in Parsons, TN afforded Bart Jones the luxury to indulge his curiosity of all things science and nature. The forests, streams, and fields surrounding his home became an outdoor laboratory where no wildflower, rock, or insect escaped scrutiny, but it was native plants and butterflies that held a special interest for him. That passion began with his grandmother and the discovery of lady’s slippers on their family property. As for butterflies, that interest was rekindled about nineteen years ago when Rita Venable invited him to participate in a North American Butterfly Association count. Bart now conducts counts throughout West Tennessee, as well as helping on others.
After receiving a degree in Biology from UT-Martin, Bart made his home in Memphis where he is employed at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a Scientist in the Department of Infectious Diseases. Besides his professional work, he is the regional editor for the butterfly count program, past president of the Tennessee Native Plant Society, and a member of many other botanical societies and local conservation groups.
Dale Skaggs
Dale Skaggs is a native Memphian and holds a BS degree in Horticulture from Oregon State University and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Oregon. While in Oregon he worked as landscape manager for the nationally prominent mail order company Joy Creek Nursery.
Horticulture has been Dale’s passion from a very early age. During high school he worked in the nursery business, developing his skills through mentors and, prior to moving to Oregon, operated his own landscape/garden contracting business for almost 7 years. During this time, he was an adjunct faculty member at Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis teaching woody and herbaceous plant identification courses.
Upon returning to Memphis from Oregon in 2005, Dale worked in a variety of horticultural positions. He was the Shelby County Horticultural Extension agent with the University of Tennessee, where he was responsible for the coordination of the Master Gardener program.
Dale became the Director of Horticulture at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis in 2007. He has shaped and provided new vision for the numerous gardens there with his designs, including the renovation and installation of the gardens surrounding the Bowlin stage, making it a premier wedding venue, and the universally accessible gardens surrounding the recently created Farnsworth Arts and Education Building. Dale has prioritized and focused resources on plant collections. He has also led garden-related Dixon tours to England, France and Italy.
Dale frequently lectures on various horticulturally related topics, has written a monthly garden column for the Commercial Appeal, and is a contributor to At Home Memphis magazine. He has also been featured in Southern Living magazine.
Dale is past president of the Memphis Horticultural Society. He has received the Horticulture Commendation award from the Garden Club of America, and he has also been awarded Zone Commendation by the GCA, and Club Commendation by the Memphis Garden Club, a Garden Club of America.
Dale has been awarded the title of Honorary Master Gardener, and has been commissioned to create landscape designs for several prominent Memphians.
Dr. Chris Cooper
Chris is the UT Extension Horticulture Agent and Coordinator for the Extension Master Gardener Program in Shelby County (Memphis). He can be found throughout Shelby County conducting educational programs addressing issues that affect urban and home horticulture. Most people know him from his hosting The Family Plot weekly on PBS and through his many YouTube videos on gardening.
Dr. Cooper’s extensive educational background includes:
⦁ EdS, Physiology, General, Alabama Agric Mech University, 2002
⦁ MS, Plant Sciences, General, Alabama Agric Mech University, 1996
⦁ BS, Soil Science and Agronomy, General, Southrn Univ Agric & Mech Coll, 1992
Dr. Jeff Wilson
With 40+ years of horticulture experience and 21+ years with MSU Extension, Dr. Wilson has worn quite a few hats.
Perhaps the one we know the best is as State Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator.
Jeff is an Assistant Horticulture Professor with MSU Extension and State Consumer Horticulture Specialist. He is also a Certified Professional Horticulturist as well as a Certified Arborist.
Dr. Wilson received his B.S. & M.S. from Auburn University and his Ph.D from Mississippi State University.
Dr. Jennifer Mandel
Dr. Mandel and lab members have broad interests in plant ecology, evolution, and biodiversity. In the field, greenhouse, and lab they ask questions about mechanisms that drive and maintain biodiversity, as well as those that underlie phenotypic diversity especially in crops. They use genetic and genomic approaches to understand evolutionary processes that have led to the remarkable genetic, phenotypic, and ecological diversity present in nature. The Mandel lab studies sunflowers and their relatives, family Asteraceae, which is the largest family of flowering plants with more than 25,000 species distributed worldwide. Many members of the family have importance directly relevant to human health and well-being through links with agriculture, medicine, and industry. Dr. Mandel teaches Molecular Ecology, Ecological Genetics, and General Biology I.
Education: B.A. Biology, Carson Newman University; Ph.D. Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University; Post-Doctoral Fellow Plant Biology, University of Georgia.
Research Interests: Botany, Conservation and biodiversity, Crop genetics and genomics, Ecological and evolutionary genomics and Phylogenetics and systematics
Dr. Shannon McGee
Dr. Shannon McGee lives in Holly Springs, MS and treats small animals and exotic pets at the Collierville Animal Clinic. He obtained his degree in Biology from Auburn University in 1989 and graduated from the Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine in 1993 with extensive work in herpetology. He is a naturalist and field biologist at heart and likes to share his appreciation of nature with others.
He has a special interest in exotic animal medicine, especially reptiles and amphibians. His presentation The Jungle in Your Garden, Dr. McGee will talk about the benefits of reptiles in your yard.
Elizabeth Englebretson
Elizabeth Englebretson is a co-lead for the Sustainability With Awareness and Prevention Solutions program run through the MSU Extension Coastal Conservation and Restoration lab. Through this program we bring educational awareness and hands-on learning to students of all ages and demographics. SWAPS topics are related to reducing food waste, eliminating the use of plastic, understanding microplastics, and the importance of Citizen Science and action.
Elizabeth earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts photography and installation art from University of New Mexico and her Masters in Landscape Architecture from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She has worked and lived in Biloxi for 11yrs with a focus on community/citizen agency over their ecological and social landscape. In addition to a focus on native landscapes and placekeeping Elizabeth has been dedicated to spreading awareness and education about plastic and the importance of plastic use prevention through the SWAPS program and Plastic Free Gulf Coast.
Harry“Habitat Harry”Babb
⦁ Freelance Naturalist with a focus on the natural plant communities of Northwest Mississippi (primarily within the Loess Plains Ecoregion)
⦁ Harry has designed Native Habitat Gardens throughout the Mid-South for many homes, businesses, municipalities, and parks departments in DeSoto County, MS and Shelby County, TN
⦁ Landscaping with native plants and managing natural areas to promote biodiversity has given him opportunities to work alongside world-renowned landscape architects, designers and urbanists
⦁ Through social media platforms, Harry creates educational videos on the native plants, ecology and natural history of North Mississippi and surrounding regions
Harry began his journey in the landscape industry over 10 years ago as a spray technician for a commercial landscape company. As a casual nature enthusiast, he began to see the impact that conventional landscaping practices were having on our local ecology first-hand. That experience inspired a complete shift in perspective, leading Harry to dedicate himself to the study and promotion of native plants - especially local ecotypes. With no formal education in this field, Harry runs off of a relentless, “child-like” curiosity to learn the natural plant communities that once defined his home. Thanks to several of his friends with a shared passion for native plants and formal training in Ecology or Botany, Harry has become a trusted resource on the native plant species and natural communities of Northwest Mississippi and Southwest Tennessee. Today, Harry continues to work on conservation projects, advocating for the native species in garden landscapes and championing the role of local biodiversity in building healthy, resilient ecosystems.
Jeff Harris
Jeff Harris is a beekeeping extension specialist at Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS. He started beekeeping when he was 8 years old and now has over 50 years of experience with bees, including work in a commercial beekeeping operation in Montgomery, AL, that was focused on (1) making and selling queen bees to other beekeepers, (2) package bee sales, and (3) honey production. After receiving his doctoral degree from LSU, he spent over 15 years researching various aspects of honeybees at the USDA-ARS in Baton Rouge. He bred honeybees to resist varroa mites. He has recently shifted his research focus to studying acaricide resistance in Varroa mites and developing safer miticides for their control. His current duties include extension (77%), teaching (10%), and research (13%).
Len Lawhon
Mississippi State Graduate
Bachelor of Science – Plant Pathology and Weed Science
Partner/Co-Owner, Aisling Flower Farm, Music Meadow Arts, Mississippi Moon Festival, Mulberry Jam Band
Instructor, NWCC Horticultural Intern Program
Lemon Ray Phelps
Kelsey Helm Martin
Lemon Phelps is the county coordinator and ANR agent at Marshall County Extension Office in Holly Springs, MS. Lemon is a 1992 graduate of Alcorn State University. He got his Master's Degree in Ag and Extension Education from Mississippi State University in 2010. He started as an "agent in training" in Montgomery County. He has worked in Marshall County for 30 years as an Extension Agent. He currently coordinates the Marshall County Master Gardener program.
Lemon is married to Nicole Phelps and together they have one son, Xavien. Lemon is a board member for the Holly Springs School District. He attends Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Red Banks. Mr. Phelps enjoys football, spending time with friends/family, and good food.
Kelsey Helm Martin is the FHW (family, health and wellness) agent for Marshall County in Holly Springs, MS. Kelsey is originally from Arkansas, where she got her undergraduate degree at the University of Central Arkansas. She got her Master's degree in intructional design/technology from Mississippi State University in 2022. She has been an agent for 6 years, 3 in DeSoto County and 3 in Marshall County.
Kelsey is married to Brody Martin, and has one son, Sumner. They reside in Mount Pleasant, Mississippi. Kelsey enjoys going to the lake, baking, and reading.
Together they will be presenting, "Hosting a Kids Plant Camp in YOUR County."
This session will consist of learning the ins and outs of hosting a Kids Plant Camp in your home county. Marshall County Master Gardeners have led a Kids Plant Camp for the past 5 years during the summertime for youth ages 8-12 with the asssitance of the their extension agents. In this session, Kelsey and Lemon will share the knowledge, resources, activities, and lesson plans so that other Master Gardeners can replicate and host a plant camp in their county. Kids Plant Camp serves as a phenonmenal summer program for youth to learn, grow, and flourish in topics related to gardening, horticulutre, and nature. Participants will leave this session with (3) packets of material to take home. Each packet will follow the themes from the last three plant camps.
The packets will be as follows: Kids Plant Camp: Don't Bug Me - Kids Plant Camp: Farm to Table Who Grew Your Lunch? - Kids Plant Camp: Trees Give Life
Reba Wright and Sherri Marshall
Reba Wright, a DeSoto County Master Gardener, has a passion for butterflies which led her and a few of her fellow Master Gardeners to create the Hernando Butterfly Habitat in 2014, now a thriving hub for conservation in the community. She has delivered presentations at libraries, garden clubs, teacher educational sessions, and events for school children across several counties, providing information about butterflies and other pollinators. Her talks have also informed gardeners on ways to attract, support, and protect these pollinators. She has answered many 911 calls from desperate butterfly lovers for food for the hungry, hungry caterpillars and has traveled many miles seeking out and delivering plants to fill the need.
Reba began raising butterflies in 2008 and has been a Master Gardener since 2013. She is enthusiastic about native plants and creating pollinator-friendly landscapes. Reba also tags monarchs to help track their migration, contributing valuable data to conservation efforts.
Sherri Marshall, from Coldwater, became a Master Gardener in 2012 and has raised butterflies for more than 25 years. Her extensive knowledge of butterfly life cycles and behaviors has helped many gardeners learn how to attract, support, and protect these essential pollinators. She teamed up with Reba several years ago and together they have spoken to more than 6,000 school children as well as hundreds of adults over the past 10 years.
You’ll enjoy listening to these ladies share their knowledge, experiences, and enthusiasm for butterflies. But beware, their passion is contagious—by the end of the talk, you’ll be eager to plant, protect, and welcome more butterflies into your own backyard.
Dr. Rebecca A. Melanson
Dr. Melanson is an Associate Extension Professor and Extension Specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. She has statewide plant pathology Extension responsibilities for vegetable, fruit, and nut crops, and focuses on developing educational programs and resources for stakeholders in those commodity groups. She has delivered over 100 presentations to stakeholder and scientist audiences, authored or coauthored over 70 state or regional Extension publications, developed and/or hosted several Extension programs, and published various other educational resources, such as videos, newsletter articles, and images, on plant diseases. Dr. Melanson also maintains several webpages on the MSU Extension website (extension.msstate.edu) and a Facebook page (@MSUextDiseasesVFP) that support her overall Extension program. Recent research and Extension projects include monitoring for cucurbit downy mildew, surveying for whitefly-transmitted viruses in cucurbits, and organizing and leading the Emerging Viruses in Cucurbits Working Group (EVCWG; ecucurbitviruses.org) to address the introduction and spread of viruses in cucurbits in the U.S. and the development of content for the MyIPM for Vegetables (myipm.app/vegetables/) smartphone app. Dr. Melanson is the commodity editor for the Strawberry IPM Production Guide for the Southeast (smallfruits.org) and an associate editor for the Southeastern U.S. Vegetable Crop Handbook (vegcrophandbook.com).
Renee Stuart
Renee Stuart: "Petal to the Metal: The Fast Lane to Beautiful Roses."
Renee Stuart is a passionate rose enthusiast with over a decade of experience in cultivating roses. As President of the Memphis Rose Society, she loves sharing her knowledge of roses with others. Renee is currently seeking her designation as a Consulting Rosarian and enjoys volunteering her time at several horticultural institutions, including the Dixon Gallery and Gardens and Memphis Botanic Garden . She is also an engaged member of the Germantown Garden Club, the Tennessee Garden Club, and the Herb Society, inspiring others with her dedication and love for gardening.
Robert Foster
As Supervisor, Robert Foster represents 41,000 residents who live in District 5, which includes the City of Hernando, the communities of Lewisburg, Nesbit, Cockrum, and sections of Southaven and Olive Branch.
Robert’s roots run deep in Mississippi. Robert, a Christian, farmer and small businessman, runs an Agri-Tourism operation known as Cedar Hill Farm; the farm his grandfather purchased in the 70’s, business his mother started in 1996 and where he grew up. Robert is married to his high school sweetheart, Heather. They are the proud parents of two young children (Libby and Hayes) who attend public schools.
After attending DeSoto County Schools and graduating with honors, Robert went on to the University of Mississippi where he studied Business. After he graduated with his B.B.A. in 2005, he returned home to Love, MS to help grow his family business. Through hard work, Robert learned what it takes to run a business, how to create an environment where employees can thrive, and what it means to sign the front of a check.
Under Robert’s direction, Cedar Hill Farm has become a successful Agri-Tourism operation reaching over 50,000 customers across the Mid-South and employing more than 100 hard-working people throughout the year. Cedar Hill Farm has been voted the best tourist attraction in DeSoto county along with many other industry recognitions.
Samantha Floyd
Samantha Floyd is an Extension Agent with Mississippi State University, based I Tunica Mississippi. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture from Mississippi State University. Samantha has demonstrated her floral design talents on a national stage, having competed in the prestigious American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) competitions in Anaheim, California and Seattle, Washington, alongside designers from around the world.
In 2018 she founded The Flower Girl Florist in Tunica, MS. Although the storefront closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, her passion for floral design and horticulture never waned.
Since joining the Tunica County MSU Extension Office in 2020, Samantha has been dedicated to serving her community by providing expert guidance across a wide range of agricultural topics. She remains passionate about education, outreach, and helping local residents thrive through science-based knowledge and practical solutions.
Sherrie McCalla
Sherrie is a practicing Herbalist that has been involved with plants for as long as she can remember. She grew up working in the garden, helping grow the purple hull peas, butterbeans, pencil cob corn, yard long green beans, okra and tomatoes her family ate almost daily.
In the early 80’s Sherri attended a meeting of the Memphis Herb Society, and a new love was formed for plants that can be grown for food, medicine, aroma and more. She has been a past president of the Memphis Herb Society and is a lifetime member of the DeSoto County Master Gardeners program.
Sherri was curator of the Herb Garden for the Memphis Botanic Garden from 2005 until 2023. Her appreciation of herbs and all their many uses never ceases – indeed grows stronger with every new use she learns.
Lara Angel & Tommie Rodgers
Lara and Tommie share a passion for helping others live healthier, more beautiful lives through education, creativity, and a love of Southern tradition. Together, they bring decades of experience in family wellness, homemaking, and gardening to their collaborative Southern Spice Blend Workshop, where participants learn to craft flavorful, wholesome spice blends inspired by the South.
Lara serves as the Family, Health, and Wellness Extension Agent with the Mississippi State University Extension Service in DeSoto County. With more than 20 years in Extension across three states, she is dedicated to strengthening families through research-based education and practical life skills.
Tommie, a longtime DeSoto County Master Gardener (23 years) and Mississippi Master Floral Designer (4 years), draws on her Tennessee roots and horticultural experience to share her love of herbs, flowers, and homegrown flavor.
Together, Lara and Tommie inspire others to cultivate wellness, creativity, and Southern charm—one blend at a time.
This interactive workshop invites Master Gardeners to “spice up their life” by blending culinary creativity with health and wellness. Participants will discover how to craft flavorful, salt-free spice blends inspired by the tastes and traditions of Mississippi—from blooms to barbecues to blues.
The session explores the benefits of using herbs and spices to enhance flavor while reducing sodium, promoting heart health, and encouraging balanced eating habits. Attendees will learn practical strategies for creating their own Southern-style blends, as well as fun and innovative ways to use them in everyday cooking.
By the end of the workshop, participants will be ready to add a dash of Mississippi flavor to their meals and take their families on a flavorful journey—no travel required!
Terra Miller
Chris O’Bryan
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Raised in Hernando, Terra graduated from Hernando High so she’s no stranger to DeSoto County. Terra left for higher education at the University of Alabama. She has worked in the Accounting/Finance industry much of her adult life. Terra traveled outside of the U.S. with Fedex in International Finance before transitioning to ServiceMaster. Later Terra joined Brussel’s Bonsai (the largest bonsai nursery in the US) in 2018, as the Controller where we streamlined processes and budgeting. In 2022, Terra was promoted to General Manager of the nursery. Terra manages the 29-greenhouse bonsai space and over 4 acres of working space with 40 full time employees. Brussel’s holiday season ranges from November – May, during which Terra and her team work diligently to meet the customers’ needs by delivering straight to their homes/offices. Her favorite quote she’s learned while working at the nursery is, “just because it’s shed doesn’t mean it’s dead.”
Chris was born and raised in Memphis, TN, attended Ridgeway High School and has an Associate’s Degree in Landscape Management from Southwest Tennessee Community College. Chris has always been interested in nature and gardening, his father and grandfather both kept food and ornamental gardens and he was always interested in the plant side of his science classes in school. Chris began his horticulture career at the Memphis Botanic Gardens as an intern, was hired on as an irrigation technician, maintained a variety of specialty gardens including native and Japanese gardens, and worked as a certified arborist. During his nine years with the Memphis Botanic Garden, Chris discovered a love for teaching about nature and horticulture. Chris has been employed at Brussels Bonsai nursery for nine years; starting on the production team, then became the assistant to the production manager. He has now been the production manager for Brussel’s for a year and half overseeing aspects of commercial and specimen bonsai production as well as the maintenance of the nursery. When he’s not at work Chris spends time in his garden at home with his wife and two children who share his love of nature. “It is my personal mission to teach horticulture to anyone who would like to learn. I truly believe that anyone can learn this hobby. If you or anyone you know has questions about plants in general or bonsai in specific please feel free to reach out to me. I’m here to help.”
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