Perennially Yours Blog

A farewell to a great man

Jul 22, 2018

My twin sister’s husband, Jeff Cole, died suddenly on March 31 at the age of 64. Jeff was a tremendous husband, father, sibling, brother-in-law, and community leader. Some of you met Jeff last year when he helped at the Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium’s registration table. He was the one that always had a smile…

Pruning Bigleaf Hydrangeas

Jul 21, 2018

Hydrangeas are the most googled shrub on the internet. And it seems that blue or pink mophead Hydrangeas (H. macrophylla) cause the most swooning. Except, that is, in colder zones where frustrated gardeners stare at large leafy shrubs with few or no flowers. Pruning at the wrong time could be the culprit (if pruning to…

Stephen Procter’s Amazing Garden Vessels

Jul 19, 2018

My good friend and acclaimed clay vessel sculptor, Stephen Procter, is offering a special sale on some of his amazing pieces. Steve’s awe-inspiring pottery ranges in size from moderate to massive. All of the masterpieces can remain outside year-round, even in freezing temperatures. I have one of his gems in my Maine garden. Although Stephen’s…

Mother Earth Living features Right-Sizing Flower Gardens

Jul 17, 2018

Check out the 5-page article on tips for right-sizing gardens that I wrote for the summer issue of Mother Earth News magazine. It is packed with colorful pictures. The article is based on my third book, The Right-Size Flower Garden.

Daylilies and Dreamy Gardens

Jul 15, 2018

Garden Design magazine is geared to garden enthusiasts! If you love full-length stories (some run 10 to 20 pages to include lots of glorious photography) on plants, gardens, and practical design ideas—all presented without ads – then Garden Design is for you. If you don’t get Garden Design yet, the Summer 2018 issue is a…

Epimedium, Butterfly Weed, Spigelia and Hakone Grass

Jul 13, 2018

This was my third time speaking at the United States Botanic Gardens, and I think the gardens were more gorgeous than ever! Below are a few of the MANY plants that caught my eye. Two Workhorse Perennials for Shade: Epimedium, commonly called Barrenwort, and Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’, commonly called Hakone or Japanese Forest Grass. Barrenwort…

A Wedding Machine – Goats!

Jul 11, 2018

Last week I discovered a brush-clearing business called Scapegoats, located just down the road from me in West Kennebunk, Maine. A team of seven goats help homeowners, municipalities and farmers tidy up fields, parks and yards by devouring invasive plants, including poison ivy and poison oak. Goats devour Japanese Knotweed and Asian bittersweet, but aren’t…

Proven Winners Garden Day in New Hampshire

Jul 9, 2018

If you live in New England, please plan to join me for the Proven Winners Garden Day at Pleasant View Gardens in Loudon, NH on Friday, August 3. I will be giving the keynote lecture Design Tips for Elevating Your Garden from Ordinary to Magnificent. This fun-packed day also includes guided tours of stunning display…

I Love Working at Estabrook’s Garden Center

Jun 25, 2018

I LOVE working at Estabrook’s Garden Center and Nursery, a crème-de-la-crème nursery. The plant inventory is huge, with many cool, unusual choices – plus I have the opportunity to make recommendations. I work with an exceptional staff – a team of can-do, hardworking people with terrific personalities. It’s also fun interacting daily with countless gardeners,…

Some Exciting New Plants Coming down the Plant Pike

Jun 25, 2018

CAST (California Spring Trials) is an annual horticultural trade event hosted in northern and central California, showcasing spectacular new plants being introduced to the market. The acronym, CAST, was originally created when the trial only focused on annuals but now perennials, edibles and flowering shrubs are also part of the glamour show. My friend, Karen…