Featured Member

Kingsdene Nurseries and Garden Center in Monkton, Md., is a “proudly independent” enterprise that focuses on gardening. Started in 1977 by John Mays, Kingsdene is a “real” working nursery, not just a retail sales yard.

Here you will find plants and plantsmen, Certified Professional Horticulturalists who understand the nature and needs of every plant in the nursery. These state-certified professionals love to “talk plants” and are glad to help customers find the right tree, shrub or perennial for their gardens.

“Our customer service sets us apart from the box stores,” said General Manager Jason Sersen. “Our staff will help you find just what you need for the right spot. Like a personal shopper, we will stick with you for the whole visit if you wish.” Of course, customers are free to wander and just enjoy the beautiful plants and gift shop.

Selection and quality also set Kingsdene apart. “We’re very focused on quality. If your plants don’t look good, why be in business?” Sersen asked. Kingsdene has a fine selection of plants, including the latest new varieties, growing beautifully in containers on 5 acres of open land under optimum nursery conditions. The selection ranges from top quality fruit, evergreen, deciduous and specialty trees; evergreen, deciduous and flowering shrubs; hardy perennials; and annuals for every season. There are native plants, grasses, ferns and vines to choose from and hanging baskets to add a splash of color.

The plant list changes constantly. “We try to specialize in a diversity of plant selection,” Sersen said. “In particular, we like to have plants that other places don’t have, varieties that may be hard to find.”

He continued, “The only plants we do not offer are aquatics. That’s a niche market. They take different care, different expertise. We focus on hardy gardening

plants for the Mid-Atlantic.”

You will also find all the accessories it takes to make your plants happy and healthy: gloves, tools, insect control, mulch, compost. What you won’t find are lawn mowers and charcoal or gas grills.

Kingsdene does not stock hardscape materials for DIY landscaping projects such as patios and stone walls, but it does have a landscape division that will install hardscaping, one job at a time.

Delivery is available within about a 20-mile radius, Sersen said. “We can do installation. We can do the complete, top-to-bottom job if a customer wants something special.” That offer does not include lawn service.

Kingsdene goes all out for Christmas, offering “sap free,” pre-cut Christmas trees. “We sell 600 trees a year,” Sersen said. “We offer complimentary trunk trimming, baling, loading, and tie down. Bring your tree stand, we’ll make sure it fits. We even have services to deliver your Christmas tree and set it up if you’d like. But no decorating.”

You can choose lights and ornaments for your tree or home from the most beautiful Christmas shop in northern Baltimore County. Baltimore magazine voted Kingsdene Nurseries “one of the best places to shop for Christmas in the Baltimore area” two years in a row. From November through early January, Kingsdene has room after room of tastefully decorated trees, gift and decorating ideas, and trimmings for the home, making shopping a pleasant experience for the whole family. In addition to trees, there are fresh wreaths, swags, roping, poinsettias, and more.

As with the plant inventory, the gift shop changes constantly in an effort to provide local, seasonal products that are functional and fun. Among those products are Bates Family Goatmilk Products and

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General Manager Jason Sersen “ ”

Puppie Love shirts. Photos on the website, kingsdene.com, are enough to entice you to visit.

The owner and staff of Kingsdene take great pride in making the community beautiful and supporting local organizations, charities and events. The annual Hereford Fall Festival is a two-day event each October full of craft vendors, food, music and attractions. Kingsdene’s beautiful flowering plants and autumn accents compliment this event that raises money for the Hereford Volunteer Fire Department, Ambulance Service, local food banks and others. The Hereford Independence Day Celebration and Parade is another opportunity for community involvement. Kingsdene is happy to donate the use of its business trucks each year to school groups and non-profits to create beautiful one-of-a-kind floats for the parade.

Kingsdene Nursery & Garden Center is located at 16435 York Road in Monkton. Visit their website, kingsdene.com for a list of the trees and shrubs they offer. Stock changes daily, so please call 410-343-1150 to see what is in their most current inventory. ❦

Carol Kinsley (continued from last page)

GardenComm’s 72nd Annual Conference & Expo GardenComm’s biggest event of the year is heading to Williamsburg, Virginia this upcoming August. The 2020 Annual Conference & Expo will feature a line-up of unforgettable events including insightful education sessions, unique garden tours, essential networking opportunities, and so much more.

Each year, garden writers, photographers and speakers from across the world gather for one of a kind experiences tailored towards professional communicators in the green industry. Attendees will have the chance to meet with industry all-stars and reconnect with old friends, whether it is at a networking event or receptions such as the 2020 Annual Awards & Honors Dinner. Moreover, the GardenComm Annual Expo will offer one-on-one access to key current and future thought-leaders impacting the industry and showcase new varieties, products and services influencing the horticultural landscape.

This year’s education schedule will include roundtable topics and over thirty dynamic sessions highlighting topics pertaining to horticulture, publishing, writing, business, and technology. GardenComm 2020 will also feature a variety of both public and private garden tours in Colonial Williamsburg and cover current trends in the horticultural scene.

Registration opens December 2019 About GardenComm GardenComm: Garden Communicators International provides leadership and opportunities for education, recognition, career development and a forum for diverse interactions for professionals in the field of gardening communications. Learn more at www.gardencomm.org

Contact us with your request and we’ll add you to the mailing list. Subscriptions are $35 annually; MNLGA will invoice you upon receipt of your subscription request. (members need not subscribe) YES, I want a subscription to Free State Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse News

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JANUARY January 6-9, 2020 Advanced IPM PHC Short Course Location: University of MD, College Park Contact: UMD Office, 301-405-3911 umdentomology@umd.com https://landscapeipmphc.weebly.com

January 8, 2020 MNLGA Annual Meeting Location: Baltimore Convention Center Breakfast meeting 7:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Contact: office@mnlga.org

January 8-10, 2020 MANTS Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show Location: Baltimore Convention Center Contact: MANTS Office, 410-296-6959 info@mants.com www.mants.com

January 14-16, 2020 Mid-Atlantic Horticulture Short Course Location: Norfolk Botanical Garden Contact: Stacie McGraw, 757-523-4734 info@vahort.org https://mahsc.org/index.html

January 21-22, 2020 MAA Winter Conference Location: Turf Valley Resort, Ellicott City, MD Contact: Jenell Eck, 443-262-8491 office@mdarborist.com www.mdarborist.com

FEBRUARY February 5, 2020 Eastern Shore Pest Management Conference Location: Fountains Conf Center, Salisbury, MD Contact: Ginny Rosenkranz, 410-749-6141 rosnkrnz@umd.edu

February 6, 2020 Taste of Maryland – Legislative Networking Event Michael’s Eighth Avenue Glen Burnie, MD www.mdagcouncil.com

February 19-20, 2020 Chesapeake Green Location: Maritime Institute Contact: MNLGA Office 410-823-8684 office@mnlga.org www.mnlga.org

APRIL April 18, 2020 Maryland Arborist Day Location: Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore Contact: Matt Anacker, 443-486-4561 office@mdarborist.com www.mdarborist.com

October 6, 2020 CPH – Specialist Exam – Plant ID Location: MDA in Annapolis Contact: MNLGA Office, 410-823-8684 office@mnlga.org www.mnlga.org

A premiere two day industry-wide education and pesticide recertification conference Wednesday, February 19 and Thursday, February 20 Maritime Institute, Linthicum Heights, MD 2020 Chesapeake Green AN ANNUAL HORTICULTURE SYMPOSIUM

The MNLGA and UME are proud to welcome key note speaker Dr. Charlie Hall! Dr. Hall grew up in the industry on a nursery in western North Carolina. Although an economist by training, he is currently a professor in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at the Texas A&M University and also holder of the Ellison Chair in International Floriculture. He currently serves as Chief Economist for AmericanHort and as a Co-Chair of the Advisory Council for Seed Your Future. In his keynote he will offer a “State of the Industry” and explore where we are as an industry, the economic climate that we are facing, and much more. Dr. Hall will also provide us with a great breakout session on an economic perspective of the green infrastructure movement.

More information can be found on the MNLGA website, www.MNLGA.org Registration opens late-December at www.mnlga.org.

MARYLAND NURSERY, LANDSCAPE AND G REENHOUSE A SSOCIATION, I NC.

MARYLAND NURSERY, LANDSCAPE AND G REENHOUSE ASSOCIATION, I N C .

The MNLGA web site is designed for our members and is your single source for the answer to almost any question.

The site offers: ■ Searchable Membership Directory ■ CPH program info, basic & advanced test applications and registration ■ Up-to-date industry calendar from around the Mid-Atlantic region for finding CEUs for pesticide, nutrient management recertifications, and general education in horticulture topics ■ Free State Nursery News issues and archives ■ Root of the Matter e-news issues and archives ■ MaGIC (legislative) updates issues and archives ■ Chesapeake Green - speaker resources - year round ■ Classified ads which members can post and track resumes/responses ■ Business resources ■ CEU forms