Gary A. Ritchie recieved his PhD in 1971 from the University of Washington, where he majored in forest biology. Following two years active duty in the US Army he joined the research and development staff of Weyerhaeuser Company, a forest products firm located in Tacoma, WA, where he served as a research scientist in plant physiology and ecology for 29 years. During that time he edited several books, and published over 150 conference proceedings papers, book chapters, and scientific reports - many in refereed journals. He also served as a reviewer for seven international plant science journals. He retired in 2001 as Senior Scientist.
In 1976 he was awarded a Congressional Science Fellowship from the American Association for the Advancement of Science. As such, he served as a legislative assistant to US Senator Pete V. Dommenici (R-NM) 1976-77.
Over the past 40 years he has been a dedicated gardener - growing roses, shrubs, flowers, berries and vegetables. Over that time he has written more than 40 articles on gardening and rose culture in numerous gardening magazines including The American Rose. He has been awarded both the Bronze and Silver Honor Medals and a Presidential Citation from the American Rose Society, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pacific Northwest District of the American Rose Society.
Dr. Ritchie and his wife, Marilyn, live on the shores of beautiful Puget Sound near Olympia, WA where they enjoy boating, sea kayaking, hiking, traveling and, yes, gardening.