New to Gardening in Maine

John Fromer, a Maine Master Gardener Volunteer for twenty-six years, has a lifelong passion for horticulture. Trained in perennial garden design by Frederick McGourty of the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Fromer co-founded Appleton Ridge Flower and Vegetable Farm in 1998 with his wife Kathy. The farm supplied gourmet vegetables and floral arrangements to restaurants, inns, caterers, and specialty shops, and offers perennial garden design and consultation services.

Fromer’s expertise has been featured in national gardening magazines and on the Georges River Garden tours. He conducted workshops for MOFGA and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service, and teaches spring and summer gardening courses at Merryspring Nature Center, where he serves as Program Director and trustee. He also leads classes at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and the Midcoast School of Technology, and frequently presents to garden clubs and organizations throughout Maine.

In addition to his teaching roles, Fromer worked in the Perennial department at Plants Unlimited in Rockport in 2020 and oversaw organic seedling production in 2021. His commitment to education and outreach impacts over 1,200 students and hundreds of adults annually. With extensive hands-on experience, Fromer continues to pursue new knowledge and innovative gardening methods.