A week before I started working at
Faddegon’s Nursery I had the pleasure of being one of the speakers at the 66th
annual Colonial Williamsburg Garden Symposium in Virginia.  After flying into
Richmond, I went to pick up my Budget rental car.  Imagine my surprise when I walked to slot 19
and saw a new red mustang sports car!  I think the customer service guy was
playing with my head after seeing me in my prim and proper Ralph Lauren Chaps
attire.  What a difference from my dented silver minivan.  At first I felt very
self-conscious.  I slunk down in the driver’s seat to be less noticed, although
not too far down or I couldn’t see over the mounded hood.  As I drove down I-64,
‘muscle cars’ and beefed up Mustangs would roar up to my driver’s side to
check-in with another of ‘their group’, but one look at me and they would
screech by in disgust.   Cautiously driving well under the speed limit didn’t
help my case.  Finally I had it!  I tosseled my ‘sprayed in place’ hair,
unbuttoned the top button of my shirt, and hit the gas.  I had noticed the
speedometer went to 160 mph when I had first got in.  I took a ride on the wild
side and pushed that baby to 72, feeling the wind in my face.  I’d like to say I
came back from Virginia a new woman, but old habits die slowly.  When I showed
Evan the picture of me with the car, his face turned about as red as the car in
frustration.  Why couldn’t he drive a car like that instead of his old,
dinged-up Honda?  I think his face says it all, don’t you?  So does
mine.

Perennially Yours,

Kerry

‘Golden Shadows’ Pagoda Dogwood.   Part
Sun – Part Shade.  Put your sunglasses on!  This lovely Pagoda Dogwood has
shimmering yellow and green, heart-shaped leaves. It has an open, horizontal
branching habit similar to Kousa Dogwoods.  As leaves open in spring, they sport
an orange-reddish tinge.   Lacy white flowers adorn the branches in spring. 
‘Golden Shadows’ can grow to 10’ – 12’, but it will take years to reach this. 
It’s a slower grower and is hardy to Zone 3.  And the icing on the cake?  It is
deer resistant!  This handsome dogwood is available at Faddegon’s Nursery and
other fine garden centers.

Although my lecture pace has slowed, I
still have five lectures scheduled this month in New York, Massachusetts,
Connecticut and New Hampshire. Below are the dates and times.  PLUS I will be
giving a number of talks at Faddegon’s Nursery in my new role there.  These are
included as well.  Please join me if you are in these areas!

May 2  Garden Education Center of
Greenwich. Cos Cob, CT.  Noon.  Lecture, Bodacious New or Underused
Perennials  For more information and registration, call (203) 869-9242. 
www.gecgreenwich.org.

May 5  Faddegon’s Nursery. 
Designing with Perennials. 10:00  – 11:00 a.m.  To reserve a spot,
call Faddegon’s at (518) 785-6726.  $10 per person.

May 9  Stonington Garden
Club. Old Mystic, CT  11:00 a.m.  Extremely Low-Maintenance Perennials
by Season.  For more information, contact Peggy at (860)
245-0272.

May 10  Orenda Garden Club.  Schuylerville,
NY.  Noon.  Meeting at the Dovegate Inn.  For more information, contact Louise
at (518) 583-1058.

May 21  Worcester Garden
Club. Worcester, MA.  10:30 a.m.  Meeting held at Tower Hill Botanical
Garden, Boylston, MA.  Lecture TBA.  For more information, contact Meredith at
(508) 769-8846.

May 24  The Fells Arboretum. Newbury,
NH   1:00 p.m.  Tips for Vibrant, Sustainable Gardens.  For more information,
contact The Fells at (603) 763-4789.   www.thefells.org

June 10  Faddegon’s
Nursery.  9:30 – 11:00 a.m.   Epimedium? Cimicifuga? What ARE these?
Wondering about all of the perennials you’ve never planted? Just starting out?
This tour with breezy commentary and discussion will help you narrow down what
interests you and learn about some underused and new plants that will be a great
fit in your garden. To reserve a spot, call Faddegon’s at (518) 785-6726.  $10
per person.

June 17  Faddegon’s
Nursery.  Great Climbing Vines and Design Tips.  1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Learn
about flowering vines from the ground up! Well-behaved or free-spirited, the habits of vines can vary quite a
bit. Know what you want in a vine by familiarizing yourself first during this
fun and informative talk.  To reserve a spot, call Faddegon’s at (518)
785-6726.  $10 per person.

June 23  Faddegon’s
Nursery.  9:30 – 11;00 a.m.  Go Native, Naturally!  Create a
beautifully garden by going native. If you are yearning for a more natural look,
learn about plants native to our area. These plants will show their beauty while
asking little in return, since they’re already familiar with the North Country.
To reserve a spot, call Faddegon’s at (518) 785-6726.  $10 per
person.

June 30.  Faddegon’s
Nursery.  9:30 – 11:00 a.m.  Gardening for Birds and Butterflies. Make
your garden irresistible to winged creatures! Welcoming birds and butterflies
into your yard is so rewarding, giving you hours of quiet enjoyment.  To reserve
a spot, call Faddegon’s at (518) 785-6726.  $10 per person.

In addition to the above, below are
more lectures as well as special events offered at Faddegon’s Nursery in
June that will be taught by other professionals on Faddegon’s staff.
For more about all of these, visit www.faddegons.com and click on events.

June 2  Shaker Heritage Society
Information Day & Herb Sale.  10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  A
variety of herbs will be available. In honor of the Shaker’s historical
importance and influence in the Capital District, all proceeds from the sale
will go to the Society. For an extra benefit, put some herb plants in your
containers.

June 9  Hardscaping a garden path
demonstration.  9:30 – 11:30 a.m.  Free demo. Have you ever just set
some stones down as a path and watched the winter completely change your design?
Have you wanted a good path or a longer path and thought, “I could do that if I
knew how”?  Come and watch this demo to learn a few simple tricks that will make
a project like this go a lot smoother.

June 16  Tiptoe Through
The…Trees? 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.   Nursery Tour with Randy.  This tour
will familiarize you with what’s new, what’s tried and true and what’s just
right for you. Randy will focus on correct light requirements for various
plants, best placement and size considerations. $10 per person.

As many of you know, Evan will be going
to Harvard this fall as an entering freshman.  Certainly it’s a blessing that he
is a very good student, but he was also Harvard’s top Class of 2016 national goalkeeper
recruit for their Division I soccer program.  Evan has been playing
competitively for the Blackwatch Soccer Club in Albany for many years.  He was
voted Goalkeeper of the year in 2011 in the Suburban Council and was named the
Most Valuable Player in 2012 when his Blackwatch soccer team won the New York
State U17 (under seventeen) title.  Over the years, Evan has attended numerous
soccer academies as well as trained under many local keepers that played at the
Division I or II level.  He now wants to pass on this knowledge to other young
men and women seeking to excel.  His training sessions will focus on agility,
speed in the box, footwork, catching the ball, kicking and distribution,
defending against penalty kicks, breakaways, crossovers, and so much more.  Evan is offering 2-hour training sessions, here at our home in Ballston Spa, on July 5, 6, 7 and 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 from 10 – noon.  Two-hour training sessions are $25 each.  Four or more sessions are $20 each.  Evan is also available for one-on-one coaching for a $50 hourly rate.  In addition to these coaching session, Evan has many video training tapes that he has purchased over the years
that may be borrowed. Evan is psyched that this will help him earn money for his college loans.  Me too!  To learn more about Evan and his ability as a
goalkeeper, check out his recruiting web site at www.evenmendez.com.  Below is a recent email I received from a friend when Evan helped her son at the BARC
community soccer program:

“OMG can I tell you how much I appreciate Evan working with Blade at soccer last night???!!!!  Blade is on cloud 9 right now!  He told me that Evan taught him more last night than all the seasons he has been playing!  It is all he has been talking about since Evan worked with him!  Blade has a new found energy and desire for soccer now!  AMAZING!”

To learn more and reserve a spot at one of these training sessions, please call (518) 885-3471 and Evan, Sergio or I will answer your questions and take reservations.  Sessions are rain or shine (unless there are thunderstorms).  Photos:  evan reaciging All-Star team award as well as Goalie of the year Suburban Councel, december 2011.  Pictured with his high school coach, Garry Preece.  Second photo of Evan, age 12, in backyard....