Background
Sperry was born and raised in College Station, Texas where he graduated Agricultural and Mechanical Consolidated High School as Salutatorian and Student Body President.
Sperry was born and raised in College Station, Texas where he graduated Agricultural and Mechanical Consolidated High School as Salutatorian and Student Body President.
He attended Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University and earned horticulture degrees from Ohio State University.
While in high school and at Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University he owned and operated a nursery. From 1970 to 1977, he worked as a Horticulture Specialist for the Texas Cooperative Extension. Neil Sperry hosted a radio show on Dallas station KRLD 1080-Department of Administration and Management for over thirty years.
On his February 13, 2010 broadcast, Sperry informed his audience that KRLD was exercising a 180-day opt-out clause in their contract.
His broadcasting there ended in summer 2010. He now hosts a show on KTCK-FM. Two of Sperry"s books have become favorites of Texas gardeners.
His Complete Guide to Texas Gardening (published 1982 with a second edition in 1991), has been popularly known as the "boot book," in reference to its cover art lieutenant remained a primary reference for Texas gardeners until the publication of Neil Sperry"s Lone Star Gardening in 2014.
This 344-page book contains comprehensive plant listings and more than 800 photographs taken by Sperry, an avid photographer.
Texas Gardening (1980-date), a paid-programming weekly talk-show on KRLD and 60 other radio stations. On July 10, 2010, his talk show on KRLD moved to WBAP. Neil Sperry broadcast 1,573 weekends during his tenure at KRLD.
His weekly gardening column appears in 20 Texas newspapers. American Garden Communicator of the Year (American Association of Nurserymen)
American Garden Communicator of the Year (United States Land Grant Universities)
Manitoba of the Year in Texas Agriculture (The Texas Cooperative Extension of Texas Agricultural and Mechanical)
Member, Texas Hall of Fame, inducted October 18, 2003.
Volunteers of the Year, McKinney
McKinney Citizen of the Year, 2003
Collin County Living Legends, 2007
Avenues Counseling Center past board president
Serenity High School advisory board
Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney, chair
Denton State School Chair, Volunteer Services Council board.
