This lecture focuses on how to select perennials and flowering shrubs that reliably perform in real-world gardens, including those with challenging growing conditions. Nursery displays and catalog photos don’t always reflect how a plant will behave long-term. Drawing on more than 30 years of personal plant trialing, along with results from reputable trial gardens around the country, Kerry highlights resilient and high-impact plants that have consistently shown strong results. This lecture is ideal for gardeners in Hardiness Zones 3–8 and includes exceptional natives and nativars.
Kerry will cover:
- Perennials that offer long bloom periods and support pollinators without requiring deadheading
- Improved options for notoriously difficult areas such as dry shade
- Eye-catching flowering shrubs that require little to no pruning
- Native substitutes that provide a similar look to commonly used non-native plants
- Superior alternatives to beloved perennials that are short-lived, disease-prone, or prone to flopping
Students will receive :
- The opportunity to enjoy the lecture whenever you want, as often as you wish. You do NOT have to watch the live Webinar on February 21st. All registrants will receive a link following the broadcast to view the lecture at their convenience.
- Detailed lecture notes (you'll receive them before the webinar so you can easily take your own notes).
- A form for Master Gardeners, Certified Horticulturists, and Landscape Architects to fill out and submit for continuing education credit hour approval.
- Plenty of opportunities to ask questions during the webinar.
Lecture will be recorded and shared to participants.
CEU's available
Kerry Ann Mendez is an award-winning garden educator, author, and design consultant based in southern Maine. In recent years she has presented over 500 lectures to more than 40,000 gardeners in 23 states and Canada. As a popular educator and communicator, she has received over 450 five-star reviews from her lecture audiences, which are available for review on the independent national website GreatGardenSpeakers.com. In 2014 she received the Gold Medal award from Massachusetts Horticultural Society for “Exceptional teaching and writing that increases public enjoyment and appreciation of horticulture.” Her gardens have been featured in numerous magazines including Better Homes and Gardens, Fine Gardening, Country Gardens, Garden Gate, and Horticulture. Kerry Ann’s gardens have been featured in many gardening magazines, including Fine Gardening, Garden Gate, Country Gardens, Horticulture, and Better Homes and Gardens.
Class/Program/Workshop: 260221 Reliable Plants for Elevated Gardens
Dates: February 21, 2026
Time Frame: 11 am - 12 pm EST
Location: Virtual (Recorded)
Cost: $15.95
You may also like the following events from Massachusetts Horticultural Society:
- This Thursday, 29th January, 11:00 pm, Creating a Succession of Bloom in the Native Garden in Wellesley, Massachusetts
- Next Monday, 2nd February, 10:00 am, Foundations of Botanical Drawing & Painting in Wellesley
- Next Thursday, 5th February, 11:00 pm, Creating a Bird-Friendly Native Landscape in Wellesley, Massachusetts
Also check out other
Workshops in Jelenia Gora,
Arts events in Jelenia Gora,
Virtual events in Jelenia Gora.
