Program Description

Eat your yard!  It’s time to blur the lines between vegetable garden and perennial garden.  In fact, historically gardens have incorporated both aesthetics and functionality.  Join us for this fun discussion on how to integrate edibles into your space, as both the focus and the supporting structures of your landscape.  Learn about various edible plants including shrubs, perennials, vines, bulbs and annuals, and how to maximize the space for both food production and beauty.

Moderator: Kate Garland, Horticulture Professional for UMaine Extension

Meet our panel!

• Marjorie Peronto, an Extension Educator in Horticulture, teaches classes in fruit and vegetable gardening, ecological landscaping, pruning, native plants and invasive species management.  She oversees the Master Gardener Volunteers Program in Hancock and Washington Counties, training individuals to conduct community outreach projects that promote sustainable gardening and food security. Marjorie and her partner Dr. Reeser Manley have published two gardening books: The Life in Your Garden: Gardening for Biodiversity (2016) and The New England Gardener’s Year: A Month-by-Month Guide for Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Upstate New York (2013). 

• Mary Wicklund is a Home Horticulture Coordinator with UMaine Extension in Cumberland County, where she supports the Master Gardener Volunteers Program.  She also works as the Community Plot Organizer for the Yarmouth Community Gardens.  Mary has been involved in watershed protection, environmental education, and public outreach for over 20 years.  She has grown in spaces ranging from backyard and school gardens to a 50+ member CSA.  She is a Maine Master Gardener, Master Food Preserver, permaculture designer, educator and sustainability enthusiast.  A lifelong gardener, Mary is happiest with her hands in the soil, and sharing her passion and knowledge with others.

• Pamela Hargest is a Horticulture Professional for UMaine Extension in Cumberland County, where she oversees the Master Gardener Volunteers Program and the demonstration gardens at Tidewater Farm in Falmouth. She works closely with volunteers and community partners to organize educational programming, conduct community outreach and promote Maine Harvest for Hunger initiatives. In addition, she teaches classes for youth and adults in edible and ecological landscaping, vegetable gardening, native plants and sustainable garden design. Pamela’s background in environmental education and agriculture has fueled her passion for creating and sustaining landscapes that serve many functions within the ecosystem.

If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Pamela Hargest, UMaine Extension Horticulture Professional,  at pamela.hargest@maine.edu or 207.781.6099 to discuss your needs. Receiving requests for accommodations at least 7 days before the program provides a reasonable amount of time to meet the request, however, all requests will be considered.

Program Details