Ralph Null

April 2, 1946- Lauderdale Co. Mississippi

Mr. Null was born April 2, 1946 to Gladys Limerick Null and Willie Edward Null at their home in rural Lauderdale county Mississippi. He attended Lauderdale School and was graduated as an Honor Student from Northeast Lauderdale High School in 1963. He entered Mississippi State University in the summer of 1963 where was accepted into the Cooperative Education Program with a major in horticulture. This program was a five year program with alternating semesters of study and work and was employed by Greenbrook Flowers of Jackson, Mississippi for the full five years. After graduating from MSU in 1968, he was offered a position of Instructor, teaching floral design in the Department of Horticulture. While he was at the university he became very involved with the Mississippi Florist Association and worked to develop a curriculum in Retail Florist Management which was implemented within the Horticulture Department in the early 1970’s in cooperation with the University Florist a retail operation on the campus. His teaching responsibilities were quite diverse including Floral Design, Advanced Floral Design, Landscape Gardening Design, Retail Florist Management, Floriculture Seminar, Plant Material identification Basic and Advanced, Plant Propagation, and Interior Plantscape Design and Maintenance. After twenty-five years he retired in 1992 at the rank of Full Professor and was awarded Professor Emeritus status. During the time at MSU he became very involved with many state, national, and international organizations within the floral design industry becoming an internationally recognized designer, and presenter, lecturer. During his career he presented almost 2000 design lectures throughout the world. He was also a recognized floral judge and was involved with many State, National, and International competitions including the Teleflora International in Sweden and head judge for Teleflora International in Las Vegas. His floral creations have graced White House State Dinners, presidential inaugurals, the windows of Sak’s and Macy’s, Neiman Marcus Catalogues, as well as national and international publications. He served as the Design leader for the Victorian Floral Arts and Crafts at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. His international floral exhibits have been staged in London, Oslo, Capetown, Sydney, and including the Kabuki Stage in Tokyo. In the United States, he has been featured at Fine Art and Floral venues, including the Smithsonian Institute, the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, the Chrysler Museum, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Walters Gallery Baltimore, as well as the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, having appeared multiple times at some of these venues. Nr. Null has authored these books, “A Florist Guide to Successful Weddings”, “Christmas Collections”, “Spring Arrangements from the Southern Garden”, Summer Arrangements from the Souther Garden”,and “Fall and Winter Arrangements from the Southern Garden”. Following his retirement from MSU he pursued a successful consulting career working with many leading companies in the floral industry, including Teleflora, Mt Eden Floral Company, AA Importing, Design Master, Oasis, Kerry’s Orchids, Florida Nursery Association and the International Plant Exhibition. Many of his nursery and floral company exhibits received “Best of Show” Awards. Mr. Null operated the company, Design Concepts, for 12 years that designed and installed interiorscape for hotels and casinos throughout the United States as well as for large scale events decor and design. Professional recognitions and awards include, FELLOW AIFD where he served as President of AIFD national and Southern Region, national treasurer, and Chaired the National Symposium in Atlanta (1994). As one of the founding members of the AIFD foundation he served as Chair for 12 years, and was instrumental with establishing the Artist in Residence AIFD Program which first began at Mississippi State University. In 2007 he was awarded by AIFD the AWARD OF DESIGN INFLUENCE as only the second living American recipient and is the only one to have a student that also received this prestigious award. Matt Wood(d) in 2019. He has been a member of the Society of American Florist and was invited into the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF).He is member of the Professional Floral Commentators, International(PFC-I) where he received the Tommy Bright Award. He also has received the Poetker Award for the “Enhancement of the Aesthetic” by the American Horticulture Society. Other recognitions include, Alpha Zeta, Pi Alpha Zi, Gamma Sigma Delta, Life Achievement Award, Mississippi Florist Association, the Golden Award by the Garden Clubs of Mississippi, approved speaker, National Council of Garden Clubs, and the Garden Clubs of America. He was active for many years with the First United Methodist Church where he served in numerous positions including flower guild, worship, Administrative Board, study group leader, Meditation Garden and Columbarium design, and most recently Trustee Chair. His career has allowed him to travel and teach throughout the world and he still finds travel stimulating and fulfilling and finds cruise ships the ideal method of watching the world pass by with ease as he enjoys time with his partner of 53 years, Fred Kinder. As one who never wants to stop sharing, learning, serving, he is very involved with Exchange Club ( Past President), Rosenzweig Art Center(past president), Columbus Preservation Society (past president), Town and Tower at Mississippi University for Women, and Camp Rising Sun, a summer camp for kids with cancer. When not traveling the world you will find him in his studio these days designing with paint on canvas. Having completed more than 300 paintings since covid.