Tony Avent is the founder and owner of Plant Delights Nursery, a mail-order plant nursery based in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is a renowned plantsman, author, and public speaker.
Avent founded Plant Delights Nursery in 1986, and it has since become one of the leading sources for rare and unusual perennials. The nursery is located on the 28-acre campus of Juniper Level Botanic Gardens, which Avent also founded. Avent is a passionate advocate for native plants and has introduced over 1,440 new plant species, cultivars, and hybrids to the public. He is also a frequent speaker at garden clubs and conferences, and he has written several books on gardening topics. In addition to his work at Plant Delights Nursery, Avent is also involved in a number of other projects. He is a member of the board of directors of the North Carolina Botanical Garden, and he is a founding member of the North American Rock Garden Society.
