Denny McKeown, a Cincinnati-based broadcaster whose horticulture show was once syndicated on stations across the Midwest, died on Christmas Day at the age of 81.
The cause of death was not immediately known. His passing was first reported Wednesday by the Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper.
McKeown’s love for horticulture earned him the nickname ‘Cincinnati’s Garden Guru,’ as well as a syndicated radio show that aired on stations throughout the Midwest. “The Denny McKeown Gardening Show” started in 1981 and lasted until 2012, when McKeown decided to focus his efforts on his gardening business.
“If he said he liked a knockout rose on the radio, by the time he had been done talking about it, everybody in Cincinnati had a knockout rose,” his son, Chris McKeown, told the newspaper.
In addition to the radio program, McKeown offered gardening tips during a regular segment produced for Cincinnati ABC station WCPO (Channel 9).
In the mid-1980s, McKeown published a horticulture advice book called “Denny McKeown’s Complete Guide to Midwest Gardening.” In the 1990s, he opened Bloomin Garden Centre and Landscape, which continues as a small, family-owned business in the Cincinnati area.
McKeown is survived by his wife Pat and his three children.
RIP! McKeown was known for his expertise and passion for gardening
And his impact went beyond the garden, according to his son Chris McKeown. He was remembered for his community work, as well as his humor and kindness toward others.