Perennially Yours Blog
Kerry is an incredibly knowledgeable, engaging and interesting speaker. She wowed our crowd of 100 at a joint meeting of the Burlington and Billierca garden clubs. Her enthusiasm is contagious and bubbles up and spreads over the crowd. I have never seen so many people smiling throughout a gardening presentation before. She is so relatable…
I had a fabulous time speaking at the U.S. Botanic Garden earlier this month. It was sunny and in the high 70’s. What a change from Maine. The cherry trees were past their peak, but the redbuds, crabapples, snowball viburnums, fothergilla, epimediums and more created a riot of color! If you have never visited the…
I attended your (Kerry Mendez) 5/17/15 speaking engagement for the Long Island Horticulture Organization held at Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay. Your presentation was fabulous. It allowed us to feel your spirit, and the health and optimism that comes from one’s participation in gardening. I especially appreciate your multifaceted approach to gardening, and your…
The warming weather has generated a flurry (oops, bad word) of requests for home garden and landscape consultations. I’m (Kerry Ann Mendez) finally starting to schedule appointments for May and June in southern Maine, North Conway and southern New Hampshire, and the Boston area. I hope to add additional regions as the season progresses. I…
Fragrant flowering hosta are the Oriental Lilies of the shade world. These scented ladies can be white or light lavender and start blooming in early, mid or late summer. Unlike fragrant roses, hosta blooms aren’t bothered by Japanese beetles. And there are no red lily beetles attacking them as they do Oriental Lilies like ‘Casa…
Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata) At only 4” to 6” tall, this charming spring native never fails to entertain onlookers. Small, sword-shaped leaves spring from petite rhizomes. Flowers are blue, violet or white. Like its larger cousin, German Bearded Iris, Dwarf Crested Iris does not like to have its rhizomes buried under soil or mulch.…
Sambucus ‘Lemony Lace’ This magnificent, compact shrub glistens in the landscape. The fine, lacy, golden foliage is a showstopper spring through fall. Who needs flowers with all of that drama? Ahhhh, but ‘Lemony Lace’ also flowers! Flat-shaped, white flowers appear in spring, producing bold red berries in fall. ‘Lemon Lace’ tolerates full sun in colder…
A good garden hose can make watering a dream. A heavy, kinking one can quickly raise one’s blood pressure! Gardener’s Supply Company offers a super-slim hose that is amazingly lightweight and flexible in all types of weather. It’s made from high-quality, long-lasting polyurethane and comes in 25-, 50-, or 100-foot lengths. It weighs less than…
The slimers are coming! Eggs laid by slugs and snails last autumn will hatch this spring. And they’re hungry to devour the leaves of your Hosta, Ligularia, Rheum, Symphytum and other tasty specimens. Now is the time to crush their advances. Slugs and snails enjoy partying at night. They come out under the cover of…
Proven Winners new Supertunia Black Cherry has sexy, burgundy-red flower petals surrounding a black throat. Mesmerizing! Like all Supertunias, it needs zippo deadheading, thrives in full sun, and is extremely heat tolerant and disease resistant. Add to these attributes its allure for hummingbirds and butterflies and you’ve got a real lady killer. Deer are the…
Kerry Ann's Books
Sponsors
Join More Than 9,000 Smart Gardeners
Get Kerry Ann's informative and entertaining gardening newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. You won't be disappointed!