2018 Scholar
David McKinney is a horticulturist, garden ecologist, and entomologist currently working as the curator at the Iowa Arboretum and Gardens where he manages 160 acres of gardens, prairie restoration, and native woodland. Originally from Colorado, he received three degrees in horticulture from Colorado State University while also coordinating extensive perennial trials, demonstration gardens, and graduate research. He is passionate about native plants, and the interactions between plants and wildlife. On top of his curatorial work David is an award-winning writer and speaker, crediting the Perennial Plant Foundation for an early jump start to his career. He always looks forward to the Perennial Plant Association Symposium, and was on the leadership team for the local site committee for PPA 2025, Des Moines!
Updated 2.2025
