Kevin Hurd

VP of Product Development

Kevin Hurd joined Proven Winners in 2012 and currently serves as our Vice President of Product Development. His journey into horticulture began during his time at Iowa State University, where he developed a profound interest in hybridizing perennials after gaining experience in the Netherlands. This passion led him to a role as a plant breeder at Walters Gardens, our Proven Winners Perennials licensee, where Kevin cultivated numerous perennial varieties that are staples in the market.

Prior to his tenure at Proven Winners, Kevin contributed his expertise to Ball Horticulture/Darwin Perennials in West Chicago. His extensive network of connections with plant breeders worldwide has become a valuable asset to the Proven Winners brand. Kevin is deeply committed to sourcing the finest new plants across all segments of the brand, overseeing our global plant trialing network.

Kevin and his family reside in Austin, TX, where he maintains close involvement with our WinGen plant breeding facility, also situated in Austin. This proximity allows him to regularly visit and collaborate closely, ensuring a continuous flow of innovation and quality in our plant offerings.

At Walters Gardens, Inc., Kevin bred numerous perennial varieties, several of which are still part of the prestigious Proven Winners^® Perennial Collection:

Rock 'N Grow^® Lemonjade Hylotelephium
Pardon My Purple Monarda
Pardon My Pink Monarda
Cat's Meow Nepeta – the 2025 Landscape Perennial of the year
Denim 'n Lace Perovskia

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