The Story
Meet Chris VanCleave
Chris VanCleave isn’t just a gardener. He’s a storyteller, a teacher, and a tireless champion for the rose. Known across the country as “The Redneck Rosarian,” he’s spent decades in his Alabama garden growing blooms that do more than turn heads. They build connection.
- Board of Directors: American Garden Rose Selections
- Member at Large: Coalition of American Plant Societies
- Member: American Rose Society
- Member: Heritage Rose Foundation
- Member: Southern Garden History Society
- Member: Royal Horticultural Society, UK
“My mission is simple: help people discover the joy and history in every single rose.”
Whether he’s tending blooms in his own backyard, speaking to a packed room at a garden symposium, or answering questions from a first time gardener online, Chris brings the same easy, down to earth approach to every conversation. He believes roses have an unfair reputation for being fussy and intimidating, and he’s made it his life’s work to prove otherwise.
That mission has carried his voice well beyond Alabama. Chris has been featured by HGTV, Southern Living, Home Depot, and other outlets who’ve come looking for someone who can talk roses without the jargon. He’s a respected lecturer and sought after speaker on the gardening circuit, and an active member of the Birmingham chapter of the American Rose Society, where he continues to learn alongside the community he serves.
Today, through his writing, speaking engagements, and The Rose Chat Podcast, Chris keeps doing what he’s always done best: making rose gardening feel less like a chore and more like a homecoming. Every bloom, he’ll tell you, has a story, and he’s just glad to help you find yours.
Available for Events
Invite Chris to speak at your next event.
Garden clubs, symposiums, festivals, and lifestyle events: Chris brings warmth, expertise, and a Southern sense of humor to every stage.