The Maine Landscape & Nursery Association
is a non-profit, professional trade association with members in all aspects of the green industry. This site is the result of MELNA’s commitment toward promoting, educating and representing its members, as well as to inform and educate the people of this great state.
Our Mission
Since 1970, MELNA’s mission has been to promote the use of ornamental plants, products and services. We support all constituent groups of the horticulture industry including landscape, garden centers, interiorscape, grounds maintenance, nursery, greenhouse, arboriculture, hardscapers, irrigation companies, botanical gardens and other allied businesses. MELNA provides a unified voice, communicating to the public the vital role of the green industry in improving the quality of life.
MELNA’s Goals
Promote the role of the horticulture industry in improving people’s quality of life.
Promote professionalism through education programs for members and the public and by encouraging enrollment in education institutions.
Monitor state and local laws relating to the horticulture industry.
Participate actively in the legislative and regulatory processes.
Promote the use of environmentally sound practices in the horticulture industry.
Monitor and communicate to members developments in allied industries including agri-technology.
Support donations of plant products and services to state and community programs.
Be a recognized leader among Maine agriculture organizations.
Why Should You Belong to MELNA?
Affiliate with other leaders of your industry so that you can exchange information, keep current through our education sessions, receive recognition through our certification program and advocate for your business and your industry through the legislative and regulatory process.
Plant Something! Plant Maine!
Be part of our nearly half-million dollar marketing campaign that has seen members’ sales increase by over 40% in less than a decade!
Grow Maine Green Expo
MELNA’s annual meeting and trade show, the Grow Maine Green Expo, is a day full of education seminars, our Awards Luncheon, a Trade Show with nearly 75 suppliers, a Keynote Address (often by a nationally known speaker/author) and great fellowship and networking. The event is typically held in late January at the Augusta Civic Center.
Scholarship
MELNA awards multiple annual scholarships approaching $5,000 for horticulture and arboriculture students attending SMCC and UM at Orono.
Research
MELNA supports local, regional and national research initiatives that benefit Maine’s ornamental horticulture industry.
Become a Member!
Have you heard?
Maine is Planting: From Buckfield to Bridgewater and Whitefield to Winterville, beginning gardeners and horticultural pros are digging in the dirt and putting down roots. A flowering plant, herb or veggie, or a single shrub or tree is all it takes to join a growing movement and reap huge rewards.
Ready to be more active? Be greener? Give back to your community? Get more value from your home? You can. It’s simpler than you think. When you plant a single seed, it comes back to you in spades.
So spread the word across the state:
Don’t just stand there—Plant Something!
Visit plantsomethingmaine.org
Visitors: Use melna.org to find nurseries, landscaping companies, horticulturists, etc. near you by clicking on Member Directory in the menu. There is a Search feature in the directory that allows you to find businesses, locate them on maps, and search for names, certifications, and other criteria.
If you are a professional interested in joining MELNA, click on “Become a Member” under the Members tab in the menu, or click here. The page contains links to both downloadable and online applications.
MELNA members who wish to edit their information in the directory, add images, or access the private section of this site should click the “Member Login” link under the Members tab.
Need help? Contact us.
Find out why you should visit an
Independent Garden Center in Maine!
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Maine Landscape & Nursery Association2 days agoMELNA + Comfort Block: Come Build With Us!
Hands-On Workshop
Date: Wednesday, April 24th
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Join us any time!
Location: Mt. Ararat High School, Topsham, Maine
Join us for a free hands-on workshop with Comfort Block mason Paul Brigham, who will walk us through the basics of building with Comfort Block as we construct a base for a greenhouse. Stop by any time between 10am and 4pm, or join us for the day if you can. This project holds special significance as a part of MELNA’s 2023 Community Outreach Project.
Event Highlights:
Constructing the base course
Working with Comfort Block adhesive
Installing rebar
Weatherproofing and finishing
And more!
More About Comfort Block
MELNA, the Maine Landscape & Nursery Association, is happy to host Comfort Block for a day of hands-on education. By involving a handful of students in this project, we aim to inspire them to consider a career path in the trades. With industries constantly seeking skilled employees, let’s encourage students to explore professions in hardscaping, masonry, and landscaping.
Come for an hour or for the entire day! This event is open to all who are interested in learning and getting involved.
To help give us an idea of how many participants we should expect, please RSVP if you know for certain you’ll be attending. If you have any questions about the event, please call Katey at (207) 756-5553.
This event takes place in the garden area behind the school — please park at the stadium field (see map below).
Maine Landscape & Nursery Association1 week agoMELNA Certification Examinations
MELNA Certification examinations will take place on Monday, April 29 at 10 AM at Southern Maine Community College's Horticulture Building, 33 Slocum Drive in South Portland.
Driving directions and a campus map can be found at
https://www.smccme.edu/south-p...
This exam is open to anyone who has submitted their Certification Application and has received their study guide. Please let me know ASAP if you want to sit for this exam. Please let me know by this Thursday, April 25 if you want to sit for this exam. I must have at least 3 sit for the exam.
Prior to the exam, at 8:30 am, Cheryl Rich will conduct a Q&A session on Plant ID. This will be a great opportunity for anyone who has passed other sections of the exam, but needs to retake the Plant ID section. There will be a $10 fee for participating in this Plant ID review.
Contact Don Sproul with your questions.
MngmtPlus@aol.com Maine Landscape & Nursery Association3 weeks agoGood morning! We are looking for some customers to star in our new tv commercials for Plant Something Maine and Independent Garden Centers of Maine. Are you passionate about gardening and purchasing from your local garden center? We want to make you a star! We are looking for the following passionate gardening customers, house plant folks, family gardening, and most of all customers that love there local garden centers. We have 2 locations we are filming on Tuesday 4/2 Estabrook’s in Yarmouth at 9:30 and Longfellow’s in Manchester at 1:30. Come help us promote your favorite local garden centers!
Maine Landscape & Nursery Association3 weeks agoGarden Lecture by Exceptional Plantsman Adrian Bloom from the U.K.
On Saturday, April 13 at 11:00 a.m., Adrian Bloom, an award-winning designer and renown plantsman, will present an inspiring lecture from Bressingham Gardens in the U.K. In the webinar, Adrian will share inspirational pictures of Foggy Bottom, a six-acre garden offering spectacular, year-round color. Foggy Bottom is known for its amazing collection of dwarf conifers, heathers, ornamental grasses, perennials, flowering shrubs and more. Adrian will also talk about some of his favorite plant combinations, as well as practical design tips that can be replicated in our gardens. The one-hour presentation will be followed by Adrian addressing as many questions as he can within the 1.5 hour allotted webinar timeframe.
The presentation includes lecture notes, as well as a CEU form for green industry professionals and Master Gardeners. Registrants do not have to attend the live broadcast to enjoy this dynamic lecture. Within 72 hours of the broadcast, all registrants receive an email with the video link and password. The video can be viewed anytime and as often as you wish.
This fast-approaching special webinar is only $18.95. To learn more about Adrian’s lecture and to register before registration closes, go to
https://pyours.com/webinar-an-inspirational-guide-to-understanding-plants-and-gardens-w-adrian-bloom/
Note: registration closes one hour prior to the live broadcast.
Kerry Ann Mendez, owner Perennially Yours.
207-502-7228.
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Spring photo credit: yue-lu-6pjVjd3tZ6w-unsplash-scaled.jpg
