Judy Benson
Clear Water Products & Services, Inc.

Judith Benson began her career in the fluid handling industry in 1981. Her positions with corporations such as Pumps, Parts & Services and Hughes Supply included technical sales of industrial, municipal and residential water systems.

Judith founded Clear Water Products & Services Inc. in 1997, a contracting and consulting firm providing irrigation, water well and water treatment systems. Their specialty – irrigation and landscape renovations for efficient water use. Clients span from residential and commercial services to education and outreach programs for water purveyors and state regulators. For their efforts, Judith and her company have received local, state and national recognition for their accomplishments including EPA's 2010 WaterSense Partner of the Year.

Expert Class
Sprinkler & Landscape Residential Renovations
Sat, Feb. 11 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Mel Bartholomew
Square Foot Gardening Foundation

A civil engineer by profession and frustrated gardener by weekend, Bartholomew was convinced unmanageable single-row gardening was a waste of energy and output. After his research yielded responses such as “but that’s the way we’ve always done it,” Bartholomew condensed the unmanageable single-row space to 4x4 feet, amended the soil, and bingo…he developed a gardening system that yields 100% of the harvest in 20% of the space. He is a best-selling author; his books Square Foot Gardening and All New Square Foot Gardening are the largest selling gardening books of all time with over two million sold.

“Square Foot Gardening,” the highest-rated PBS gardening show to date, launched in 1981 and ran weekly for five years, followed later by a weekly Square Foot Show on the Discovery Network. In 1986, the creation of the Square Foot Gardening Foundation and the “A Square Yard in the School Yard Program” brought the technique to an estimated 3,000 schools nationwide.

Expert Classes
Why Square Foot Gardening?
Sat., Feb. 11 from 1 to 2 p.m.

Square Foot Gardening - Growing Vertically
Sun., Feb. 12 from 2 to 3 p.m.

Chares Fedunak
UF Environmental Horticultural Agent IV

Charles is an Environmental Horticulturalist with the University of Florida/IFAS. Charles has an extensive background in horticulture with degrees in Landscaping, Horticulture and a Master of Education. Charles has served as the Lake County Residential Horticulture Agent IV in Lake County for 18 years. Charles also serves as the Lake County Master Gardener Coordinator, Lake County Horticulture Learning Center Discovery Gardens Coordinator. Lake County Master Gardeners run a plant clinic M-F from 9-4pm to assist area residents with their landscape related questions and problem. The Discovery Gardens is 4.5 acres of teaching gardens and is open during the same time as the plant clinic and provides a living example of plants and plant care that is Florida Friendly.

Expert Class
Florida Friendly Landscaping / Selecting a Turf Grass
Sun., Feb. 12 from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m.

Jonathan P. Squires
Just Perfect Plants

Jonathan Squires, the Barefoot Gardener, is “the Defender of Florida's precious water and your health”. Mr. Squires owns Just Perfect Plants in Leesburg, Florida and has been serving the horticulture industry for over 42 fruitful years. He holds many credentials from the University of Florida and is also involved in Residential and Commercial Landscape design, installation, and consulting.

Expert Classes
No Lawn Landscape / Florida Friendly Plants
Sat., Feb. 11 from 1:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

The Incredible Edible Garden
Sun., Feb. 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Terry & Taryn Evans
Creative Garden Structures

Good things for and from the garden is what Creative Garden Structures is all about. Whether it is native plants that require less maintenance and resources or rain barrels that capture and retain precious water for use in dry spells, we believe in helping you make your garden not only green…but “GREENER”. We also sell bird, bat and bee boxes that provide shelter for local wildlife. But we don’t forget that a home landscape should please the homeowner, as well. So we also build arbors, trellises and other garden “furniture” to make your yard a comfortable habitat for you, too.

Expert Class
Rain Barrels: How to Make One and Use It in Your Garden
Sun., Feb. 12 from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.

Trey Sisk
GAI Consultants, Inc.

Mr. Sisk is a Landscape Project Manager for GAI Consultants in Orlando, Florida.
His experience covers both the public and private sectors. He specializes in smart landscapes a combination of proper plant selection, bed preparation, plant location and irrigation. The blend of all of these elements can provide the aesthetic appearance desired to enhance a residence or commercial property. Additionally, the proper placement and type of trees can offset the cost of heating and cooling your residence. 

Expert Class
Landscaping Practices (Right Plant for the Right Place)
Sat., Feb. 11 from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m.

Carl and Bernie Moro
Our Vital Earth, Inc.

Carl and Bernie Moro came out of retirement and started a new career. In 2002, they founded Our Vital Earth, Inc. in Apopka, Florida. Their concerns about the environment and the effects it has on our overall health, inspired them to travel to Australia for training in Vermiculture and Organic Recycling. They share their knowledge – using Composting Worms, converting garbage to plant food, bringing trace elements, minerals and microbes back into our soil, growing vegetables and fruits full of nutrients – beneficial to our overall well-being. Good health is a goal we all share.

Expert Class
Gardening with Worms
Sat., Feb. 11 from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m.