Posts by Kerry Mendez
Upcoming Gardening Classes with Kerry Ann Mendez
If you are in the neighborhood, please plan to join me for the below garden classes and lectures: Friday, February 15: Kerry’s 2019 Picks for BEST Perennials, Flowering Shrubs and Annuals and Success with Hydrangeas in Colder Climates. Three hour program with refreshments, lecture notes, outstanding garden catalogs, door prizes, garden gift and more. Faddegon’s…
Read MoreIMPRESSIVE HEAD-TURNING HYDRANGEAS
Hydrangeas are the most googled flowering shrub on the internet. No wonder they’re such hot selling shrubs. Unfortunately, sometimes the plants don’t live up to the pretty plant pictures on their tags or in magazines. In a few cases, it might be blamed on poor plant genetics. But all too often misinformation or the lack…
Read MoreRecycle Your Christmas Tree
I’m a huge fan of repurposing and recycling. Just ask my husband (no, I have not recycled him). So what should you do now with your Christmas tree that has brightened your home for weeks? Googling the internet will generate dozens of interesting, if not wacky, ideas. One head-scratching suggestion was to carve it into…
Read MorePremier Northeast Garden Symposium
Registrations are rolling in for the 15th Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium, many from past symposium attendees who rave about the quality of the speakers, magnificent setting, and Gardeners Marketplace. If you have never attended this leading garden symposium held at the renowned Woodstock Inn and Resort in Woodstock, VT then it’s time to check out…
Read MoreFeatured Plants Peperomia and Witch Hazel
Peperomia. I am learning so much about houseplants and tropicals since working at Estabrook’s Yarmouth store this winter. The garden center has a huge greenhouse filled with these treasures. One plant that quickly made its way into my home is Peperomia. This tough, no-fuss plant is native to many tropical climates and like orchids, is…
Read MoreGarden Webinar on Extreme Perennials
With the new gardening season only a few months away, it’s time to take a fresh look at your perennial gardens. Do you have freeloaders that take up a lot of space and give little back in return? How about needy plants that demand far more time than you have? Slobs are my pet peeve…
Read MoreOutstanding Perennials and Hydrangeas
I will once again be returning to Faddegon’s Nursery in Latham, NY (near Albany) to teach an in-depth gardening program. Faddegon’s has a special place in my heart – I used to work there and the folks are like family to me. In addition to an amazing nursery, Faddegon’s also has extensive offerings of indoor…
Read MoreFeatured Plants: Amazing Holly, Hypericum and Rhododendron
Ilex glabra ‘Gem Box’ This lovely inkberry is a wonderful alternative to boxwood if boxwood blight has been an issue in your region, or if you simply want to plant something cool and different. Like Boxwood, ‘Gem Box’ is evergreen and grows in full sun to shade. ‘Gem Box’ has dense, dark green shiny foliage…
Read MoreWINTER IS COMING…AND SO ARE NIBBLING DEER
Okay, I confess. I think deer look adorable, especially little fawns, but I DETEST the damage they do to my gardens. And winter is a time when they can severely ‘prune’ my shrubs. One of my good friends nicknames deer ‘the devil’s minions’. Stop the madness by simply using an organic, OMRI (Organic Materials Review…
Read MoreCHEF NATHAN LYON
I had the joy of meeting Nathan Lyon last month when we were both speaking at a Master Gardeners Symposium in Indiana. Nathan is an Emmy nominated chef known to television viewers across the country for his simple, innovative cuisine featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients. He has hosted or co-hosted many television shows, including Growing A…
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