Renowned gardening expert Kerry Ann Mendez will be featured at a joint meeting of Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum (FOLA) and the Master Gardener Association of Passaic County (MGAPC) on Sunday, July 17, at 2 p.m. The title of her talk will be “Small Gardens, Big Attitudes.”  The meeting will be held at the Knippenberg Center for Education at Laurelwood, 725 Pines Lake Road West in Wayne. Admission is free for FOLA and MGAPC members and $5.00 for the general public.

Kerry Ann Mendez is an award-winning author, speaker, and garden designer. She has presented programs in 17 states around the country at sites that include the U. S. Botanic Gardens, the New Jersey Botanical Gardens, the Philadelphia Flower Show, Springfest Flower and Garden Show in New Jersey and dozens of garden clubs and horticultural societies. Her garden designs have been featured on HGTV and in magazines that include Horticulture, Fine Gardening, Garden Gate, and Better Homes and Gardens. She is the author of three books about gardening.

This joint FOLA/MGAPC meeting will also provide an opportunity for both organizations to explain their missions and programs. The Master Gardener Association promotes community awareness and participation in programs related to horticulture. The organization offers classes to prepare interested participants for Master Gardener certification. Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who assist Rutgers in its mission to deliver horticulture programs and information.

Classes are held Thursday mornings, September through May, in Wayne. Anyone with an interest in gardening and a commitment to volunteer service can become a Master Gardener. Call 973-305-5740 for more information.