John Dromgoole

Austin | Horticulturalist and Educator

Mr. Dromgoole has worked in the horticulture field for many years, promoting organic gardening, using native plants, and raising vegetables and herbs. He opened his first Austin garden store in 1982, partnering with Malcolm Beck, the manager of San Antonio’s Garden-Ville. In 1993, he moved his operation, the Natural Gardener, to a new and larger site in southwest Austin, stocking it with a variety of plants, as well as equipment and supplies, such as his line of Lady Bug Natural Brands. While running the store, he has also been hosted a radio show and podcast, Gardening Naturally, run PBS and NBC TV programs such as The New Garden, Central Texas Gardener, and The Weekend Gardener, and wrote articles for Texas Gardener and Organic Gardening magazines. Aside from his work in the gardening world, he has also been involved in finding better ways to handle solid and hazardous waste, through his help creating Chemical Clean-up Day in Austin. As well, Mr. Dromgoole is the host of a country and western music program, Dance Halls and Last Calls, that airs weekly on Austin’s SUN radio station.