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  Paid subscribers only. Deadline April 18, 1997

Mary Hockenberry Meyer
Extension Horticulturist and
Assistant Professor
University of Minnesota

Hi ! My name is Mary Hockenberry Meyer. I love plants and as long as I can remember I have loved plants. I grew up on a 100 acre farm in western Pennsylvania, near Slippery Rock, PA. When I was in elementary school, I had a large flower and vegetable garden each summer. I remember reading seed catalogues and looking for the "best buys" because I spent my allowance on flower and vegetable seed. I loved the company called Henry Field, because they would have a special if you spent a certain amount, then for 1 penny more, you could get extra free seed.

Each summer I worked in the garden and would show flowers or vegetables at the local Butler County Fair of Farm Show. I won some ribbons, which I still have in a scrapbook. When I was about 16 I won a contest in Flower and Garden magazine and my picture was in that magazine. Then I went to college and studied growing plants, or horticulture, and when I was finnished with 4 years, I had not learned enough so I kept going and when 2 more years. I wrote a book in 1973 called "Ornamental Grasses" it was published by charles Scribners Sosns and you can find it in many public libraries.

Then I started to teach other people how to grow plants in Upstate New York,as a County Agent or Extension Agent in Horticulture. I visited greenhouse growers and golf courses and helped them grow plants. I did a TV show in Utica New York and several radio shows on growing plants. I also worked at Agway, a farmer cooperative, selling lawn and garden products.

In 1982, I stopped working and had my first daughter,Julia. Then almost two years later I had a second daughter, Laura. In 1986, we moved to Minnesota and I went back to school at the University of Minnesota and got my PhD in Horticulture and in 1994 I started working as an assistant professor teaching people how to grow plants. Now I also teach 1600 MAster Gardeners how to teach other people about growing plants. I have done several TV programs here and often do radio programs on growing plants.

It all started because I loved to grow plants !!! Plants come in all shapes and sizes, they are very different, but they all want to grow ! Have fun with your projects and I look forward to talking with you.

**Visit the University of Minnesota'sHorticultural Science Department and Arboretum Web Site