Professor
Texas AgriLife Extension Service Landscape Horticulturist
Department of Horticultural Sciences
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-2133
Phone: 979-845-8564
FAX: 979-845-8906
E-mail: wc-welch@tamu.edu

Bill Welch received his B.S. degree in Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University. After working several years as a landscape contractor in Houston, he returned to L.S.U. to earn his masters and doctoral degrees in Extension Education and Horticulture. He joined the Faculty at Texas A&M University in 1972. Dr. Welch writes a monthly column for Southern Living magazine and contributes regularly to Neil Sperry’s Gardens magazine and others. He is also a contributing editor for the HORTICULTURE UPDATE newsletter.

Dr. Welch can serve on Graduate Advisory Committees by Special Appointment.

As a Professor and Texas AgriLife Extension Service Horticulturist, Dr. Welch provides educational information and programs for county extension agents, nursery professionals, and civic groups, as well as the general public. In November 1988, the Texas Agricultural Extension Service presented Dr. Welch with the Superior Service Award citing his successful educational programs.

Dr. Welch has been instrumental in developing the Texas Certified Nursery Professional program and currently serves on the Board of that organization within the Texas Association of Nurserymen. In 1986, he was presented the Arp Award by the Texas Association of Nurserymen for his conttibutions to the Texas nursery industry.

He has served on the Board of the Texas Garden Clubs, Inc. as Landscape Design Chairman for the past 24 years and has been awarded a Lifetime membership in that organization. He is a past president and an honorary member of the Board of Directors of the Southern Garden History Society. In May, 1993, Dr. Welch was made a Member-at-large of the Garden Club of America in recognition of his programs and writings on exploring and interpreting our gardening heritage. In 2007 Zone 9 of the Garden Club of America recognized him for his contributions toward the preservation of our gardening heritage and in 2008 he was presented their Distinguished Service medal for his passion, knowledge and unselfish contributions in the name of horticulture. In June, 2009 the American Horticulture Society is presenting the Great American Gardeners Award to Dr. Welch for his acocmplishments in gardening communications.

In addition Dr. Welch is also affiliated with the American Horticultural Society, American Society of Horticultural Scientists, American Rose Society, Southern Garden History Society, Heritage Roses Group, Royal Horticultural Society, Royal National Rose Society, the Garden Conservancy, and the Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Planning the Home Landscape
Landscaping for Energy Conservation
Trees for the Texas Landscape
Water Gardening in Texas

Books by Dr. Welch include:
Perennial Garden Color, released in 1989 by Taylor Publishing Co. Dallas,Tx, is a comprehensive work on perennials, old garden roses and the cottage gardening concept in Texas and the South.

Antique Roses for the South, published by Taylor in 1990, is an expansion of his work with generations of Southern Roses.

The Southern Heirloom Garden, published by Taylor in 1995, addresses the history and cultures that shaped our Southern Gardens. The plant section includes essays on the history, culture, and use of heirloom plants in today’s garden.

The Bountiful Cutflower Garden, co-authored by Neil C. Odenwald and William C. Welch, published by Taylor in 2000, details the annuals, perennials and foliage plants suitable for flower arrangements which can be grown in Texas and Southern United States.

Heirloom Gardening in the South, co-authored by Greg Grant and William C. Welch, published by the Texas A&M University Press in 2011,  is  a comprehensive resource for those who want to learn about American gardening heritage.