Perry's Perennial Pages
Perennial Presentations
Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor at the University of Vermont, regularly gives presentations each year to both home gardeners and industry professionals. Below are some of his more popular presentations. If you would like to inquire about one of these for your group, for a commercial audience, or even a topic not listed, please do contact me to discuss further details. (leonard.perry@uvm.edu)
Each presentation is in powerpoint unless noted, and handouts are available for your audience.
The Art and Science of the Perennial Landscape
Designing a successful landscape with perennials involves both art and science. Dr. Perry will discuss and illustrate through photos of various garden settings the aesthetic considerations and habitat considerations (the "science") when choosing and placing flowers. Best plant growth with the least maintenance, and fewest problems, is in large part a result of picking the right plant for the right environmental habitat. The common garden habitats, with some representative and choice perennials for each, will be featured.
Perennial and Annual Flowers
With subtitles Choosing and Planting, and Caring for Perennials, this presentation basically has these two halves. Many practical tips are given, and illustrated, on choosing the right flowers for the right place, proper planting, and then the basics for subsequent care.
Spring Flowering Bulbs
There are spring-flowering bulbs for almost every garden. Dr. Perry covers all you need to know for success, including photos of how to design with bulbs, and even some inspiring photos from bulbs gardens and fields of Holland. All the various types of bulbs are illustrated, including the various categories of tulips and daffodils.
New and Underutilized Perennials
A "perennial" favorite, and updated regularly with new trial results, this talk illustrates and covers the basics of care for over five dozen perennials. Grouped by their main cultural requirements-- light and moisture-- these hardy (almost all to USDA zone 4 or lower) selections represent some of the newest available selections, a preview of what's coming, and some perennials that deserve wider use.
