Thomas DeBaggio

Thomas Davis DeBaggio (January 5, 1942, Eldora, Iowa – February 21, 2011, Annandale, Virginia) was an American author, herb grower, and advocate for research into Alzheimer's disease. DeBaggio was once called the best "Rosemaryologist in America" and his company, DeBaggio Herbs, was one of the most respected herb farms and nurseries in the Washington D.C. area. His book Growing Herbs from Seed, Cutting, and Root was the 1995 recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award for best garden book of 1995 for excellence in editorial content and design. He co-authored The Big Book of Herbs with Arthur O. Tucker; both authors received the Gertrude B. Foster Award for Excellence in Herbal Literature from the Herb Society of America. In 2000 he received a Herb Society of America Certificate of Appreciation. With Susan Beisinger he co-authored Basil: A Herb Lover's Guide. His work has been featured in the magazine The Herb Companion.DeBaggio grew up and lived near Ashton Heights, Arlington, Virginia for much of his life. Prior to growing herbs in 1974, he was a journalist with the Wilmington Independent and the Northern Virginia Sun.