Perennially Yours Blog
With spring around the corner, I’m itching to get out in my gardens. Colorful flower gardening catalogs and magazines can only satisfy my gardening cravings for so long. At this time of the year I feel like a ship’s captain scanning the horizon for land – except I am searching for small green shoots. The…
Fabulous program today, Kerry Ann! You have truly inspired me to redo my garden. We all learned so much and appreciate the complete handouts you give us and all your practical ideas. You are the best!! 🙂 Gail March 5 Garden design class at Merrifield Garden center, Fairfax, VA
Mukdenia rossi ‘Karasuba’ Crimson Fans. This charming perennial draws attention spring through fall. When I first saw it at a garden center I was enthralled with the flat, fan-shaped leaves that start out green in spring and eventually morph to burgundy- red in fall. I planted it near my maple tree in upstate New York…
Last fall I test drove a half day garden symposium to see if there would be interest in such an event. There was a great response. So this fall I am kicking off the First Annual Great Plants Symposium, a full day event that is patterned after the spring symposium. (Pictured right: speaker Joanne Palmisano),…
Last month I kicked off in-depth garden design and remarkable plants workshops in four states. Feedback has been wonderful from two of the five classes already held. People loved learning more about how to assess a garden’s sunlight, improving soil health, selecting plants for waves of color spring through fall; sketching a simple, drawn-to-scale design…
Hi Kerry, I am a newish gardner and sometimes can feel overwhelmed, so what a breath of fresh air to hear your story, and your philosophy of gardening in general. ‘It doesn’t have to be so complicated’! What great news. Your approach is very refreshing and a great reminder of the myriad of ways gardening…
Kerry Ann Mendez, a garden writer and professional gardener who moved to Kennebunk three years ago after a career in upstate New York, spoke to the Maine Landscape and Nursery Association in January about “plants that save time, manpower and money.” centralmaine.com-What do most gardeners want Low-fuss and sustainable gardens_MENLA_Conference
Asclepias tuberosa Asclepias tuberosa is the 2017 Perennial of the Year. This perennial, commonly called butterfly weed or milkweed, asks so little of gardeners but gives so much in return. It is highly drought and heat tolerant, requires no fertilizer, produces shimmering orange flowers in the summer, attractive fall seed pods, is deer resistant and…
This is the time of the year when antsy gardening hands can finally get relief! The indoor seed starting season has begun. I am not going to pretend this is an area of expertise for me. When I do seed plants, which are primarily perennials, I plant them directly into my gardens in spring. So…
It’s understandable that you might feel the urge to go outside to defend your plants from midwinter gnawing by deer, rabbit and voles. Especially when you watch your neighbors frantically racing about their yards blasting plants with hot pepper spray; tossing coyote urine granules about; twining mylar string with little flapping flags around borders, staking…
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