The Plantastic Podcast

ตอน

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  Dr. Noel Kingsbury on Naturalistic Planting Design (#57) 05.09.2026 54นาที

  In this episode, Dr. Noel Kingsbury and I have a fabulous conversation getting into the nuts and bolts of naturalistic design. We talk about where the name "New Perennial Movement" came from, and some of the confusion that comes with naturalistic-planting terminology. We dive into models for thinking about how plants grow in the wild, including root anatomy and shrub growth patterns. We talk about experiments he's conducted, including a seven-year observational trial to see what plants would take over and a survey looking at longevity in perennial growth. Noel walks us through his process for designing a space and enhancing designs, and he shares some thoughts on his new Queen Elizabeth II garden using reclaimed materials. We also talk about the upcoming Naturalistic Planting Design Course, which yours truly was asked to join in for this next session, and so much more.
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  Haven Kiers on Managing Biodiverse Landscapes (#56) 23.08.2026 1ชม. 29นาที

  In this episode Haven Kiers unpacks her research project Keeping Up: Maintaining Biodiversity in Public Landscapes. She describes five barriers that emerged from the data, from funding gaps to the lack of knowledge of maintenance labor to conflicting public expectations around tidiness and wildness. We also talk about specific field-tested strategies, including "cues to care" design techniques, the 30% flowering rule for meadows, and low-visibility trial zones for testing new species before they go into showcase areas. She also dives into case studies like her sheep mowers program and the engagement that had with people and Oudolf Garden Detroit's maintenance endowment model that shows how people can sponsor plants. Beyond the research, Haven gets into her own philosophy on stewardship, how her students built a turf sofa, why she believes maintenance work deserves to be seen as skilled, valuable, and beautiful, and what she wishes more designers understood about handing a project off after construction ends. Haven's passion and enthusiasm really comes through in this episode, and you'll learn much from her about managing and maintaining naturalistic plantings. Enjoy the show!
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  Jeff Epping on Creating Great Gravel Gardens (#55) 13.07.2026 1ชม. 11นาที

  In this episode Jeff Epping goes into depth discussion how he has designed gravel gardens at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Epic Systems, and more, and in this episode he walks you through the entire process, start to finish. He covers site selection, how to build the edge and lip that hold the gravel in place, the exact depth to install, how to plant into it, and the watering schedule to get plants established before you wean them off. He also shares the spring cleanup routine that's the one piece of yearly maintenance the whole system depends on. We also discuss Jeff's new book, The Gravel Garden, that profiles over 20 stunning gravel gardens across the country. Beyond the gritty details of grit, Jeff gets into design: why he always starts with woody structure before adding perennials, how formal elements like clipped evergreens can ground a wilder planting style, and the core principles he returns to on every project, from his own front yard to sprawling corporate campuses. Enjoy the show!
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  Heather Holm on Pollinators and Native Plants (#54) 10.06.2026 1ชม. 20นาที

  In this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, I sat down with Heather Holm, author, photographer, and pollinator researcher based in Minnesota, to dig into the world of native bees, wasps, and the plants that support them. Heather shares some genuinely surprising information including why bee diversity is actually highest in arid, stressed landscapes rather than lush ones, and why many insects we casually call pollinators, including the monarch butterfly, may not be completing the pollination process at all. We discuss the fascinating mechanics of how female bees strategically provision their nests and why the stems you cut back this winter can become a 12-month bee nursery. On the practical side, we talk about what hemiparasitic plants like Pedicularis canadensis (wood betony) are doing in healthy ecosystems that our gardens are missing, why the mosquito spraying service knocking on your door is likely selling something toxic to every pollinator in your garden, and how soft landings under your oak tree can transform turf into habitat. This conversation will change the way you look at your garden. I know it did for me! Enjoy the show!
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  Shelby Radcliffe on Designing with Florida Natives (#53) 11.05.2026 1ชม. 31นาที

  This month, Shelby Radcliffe of Emergent Gardens joined me on The Plantastic Podcast to share about designing with natives in Florida. She talked about the formative lessons she took from internships at Wave Hill and the US National Arboretum, including why the first year in any new garden should be spent mostly observing. Shelby showed how roadside wildflowers and overlooked field plants can become the most exciting things in a designed garden. She also digs into her favorite underused grasses and sedges for the Southeast. And if you've ever wrestled with how to balance a client's aesthetic preferences with ecological function, Shelby's approach of leading with education, positivity, and great examples is worth hearing. Enjoy the show!
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  Tim Boland on Lessons from Polly Hill Arboretum (#52) 05.04.2026 1ชม. 22นาที

  For this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, I welcomed my dear friend Tim Boland on to talk about lessons from Polly Hill Arboretum. Tim shares the remarkable story of Polly Hill, who started her arboretum at age 50. We dig into the importance of record keeping, provenance, and plant propagation. Tim also talks about always having a paper bag in your back pocket for seed collecting, trying multiple approaches when a seed won't germinate, taking ecological notes whenever you encounter plants in the wild, and underutilized natives. And, as a Querciphile, Tim makes a compelling case for why there truly is an oak (and a native plant!) for everyone.
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  Shaun McCoshum on Natural Habitats and Wildlife Gardening (#51) 19.03.2026 1ชม. 10นาที

  Shaun McCoshum is a certified Senior Ecologist and Wildlife Biologist with over 20 years of experience restoring habitats, conducting research, and gardening. His work includes published scientific papers, books, and restoration plans from coast to coast, on lands with bison, endangered plants, threatened pollinators, black bears, and mountain lions. His new book Natural Habitats and Wildlife Gardening explores the pre-European ecology of North America, how habitats existed before widespread development, and how we can better mimic those processes in our own yards to support wildlife. We spend a lot of time digging into the core ideas behind his book, including why "just let nature take its course" is one of the most misunderstood pieces of advice in gardening, how decay is the most suppressed process in suburban landscapes, and what gardeners can do to replicate the missing roles of bears, bison, and other large animals that once kept these systems healthy. We also cover practical ways to create habitat at any scale, from a balcony with four pots to a quarter acre, including how to build underground pupation habitat, use dead wood beautifully, and apply the 30% rule when using native and non-native plants. Shaun reminds us that native plants and habitat gardens do not have to be messy, and that the best way to bring your neighbors along is simply to grow something beautiful.
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  Dr. Allan Armitage on Common-Sense Gardening (#50) 07.02.2026 1ชม. 14นาที

  In this 50th episode of The Plantastic Podcast, I interview a legend in the world of horticulture—Dr. Allan Armitage. We talk about how he was once a grave digger and a touching moment he had one day in a cemetery, we cover his early life and how he found his way to being a horticulture professor at the University of Georgia in Athens. I asked him about changes and shifts that he has seen in the industry from breeding to the emergence of perennials and natives. We talk about strategies for teaching plants and sharing gardening with others in the classroom and online. We also cover his new book, the Common-Sense Gardener, how he has written 17 books and hundreds of articles, and how we can avoid making horticulture too complicated for people. And, last he reminds us that gardening is fun and we should enjoy it and not take ourselves or our gardens too seriously.
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  Rachel Lindsay on Regenerative Design (#49) 06.01.2026 1ชม. 7นาที

  In this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, I interview Rachel Lindsay of Regenerative Design Group to discuss how to create productive, resilient landscapes. We dive deep into the Massachusetts Healthy Soils Guide, a wonderful resource that Rachel helped develop and how it's changing the way practitioners approach soil health from the ground up. Rachel shares how ecological design goes beyond plants to integrate soil, water, wildlife, and human needs into one holistic system. We discuss the power of observation as the foundation of good design, why worker-owned cooperatives are a useful approach in the design industry, and how permaculture principles can scale from residential gardens to large conservation projects. Rachel also shares about the magic of identifying dragonflies with her three-year-old and why getting people outside to notice jewelweed for the first time is how we propagate more plant people.
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  John Little on Caring for Gardens and Gardeners (#48) 07.12.2025 1ชม. 22นาที

  (00:00) Introduction (01:00) Early influences and growing up with a permaculturist grandfather and in post-industrial landscapes (03:00) From retail to professional horticulture without formal training (04:00) The shift from native plants to wildlife and habitat creation (05:00) Green roof experimentation and breaking free from conventional substrate wisdom (08:00) Topography as an underplayed design tool (10:00) Effects of putting substrate on top of soil (13:00) The art of seeing landscapes (17:00) The importance of ruderal vegetation and hand weeding for biodiversity (19:00) Care Not Capital and investing in gardeners instead of infrastructure (22:00) Lessons from social housing and listening to residents over imposing ideas (25:00) Free training for gardeners in community engagement, ecology, and green infrastructure (28:00) Creating structural habitat with dry stone walls, cob buildings, and dead wood (33:00) Redesigning horticulture education (37:00) Valuing bare ground and the importance of entomologists in design (40:00) Balancing ecology with aesthetics while making it beautiful for humans and wildlife (44:00) Working in poorest communities and why green space investment matters most there (49:00) Practical advice for home gardeners on working with subsoil and alternative substrates (54:00) Managing lawns, dead trees, and organic debris for habitat (58:00) Bee hotels and using gabions as multifunctional habitat structures (64:00) Thoughts on bringing materials onto a site (68:00) Recommended reading of Rebirding and Cornerstones Benedict Macdonald and understanding natural European habitats (69:00) Thinking about climate change and succession in design (71:00) How to propagate more gardeners by making them celebrities and funding good jobs (73:00) You can connect with John on Instagram at @grassroofco and @carenotcapital.
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  Molly Hendry on the Bergamo Landscape Festival (#47) 08.11.2025 1ชม. 21นาที

  In this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Molly Hendry returns to share lessons and inspiration from attending the Bergamo Landscape Festival in Italy, a gathering that unites some of the world’s most creative ecological designers. She reflects on how experts like Henrik Sjöman are redefining tree selection, succession, and long-term landscape care. Molly discusses Sarah Price’s artful Piazza Vecchia garden, Tom Stuart-Smith and Katie Barrington’s designer–gardener collaboration, James Hitchmough’s call to integrate management into design thinking, and more! We further discuss plant trials, adaptive maintenance, and how design is a process and not a product. Molly distills ideas from the conference that reshape how we approach gardens here at home, and she shares recent projects like her designs with the Charleston Park Conservancy and her new podcast Garden Gab. Enjoy the show!
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  Pam Penick on Gardens of Texas (#46) 04.10.2025 1ชม. 11นาที

  In this episode, Pam Penick shares how her childhood and background in writing led her to become one of Texas’s most recognized garden voices. She talks about starting her blog Digging nearly 20 years ago and how authentic, local storytelling continues to resonate even as platforms shift. Pam discusses the inspiration behind her books, including Lawn Gone!, The Water-Saving Garden, and her newest release, Gardens of Texas, highlighting how gardeners across the state are adapting to drought, floods, and extreme freezes. She emphasizes the importance of diversity in planting for resilience, the creativity that constraints can inspire, and the ways gardens can reflect both place and personal meaning. The conversation offers practical lessons on water conservation, design, and documenting gardens, while also underscoring the joy and healing that come from connecting with nature.
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  Luke Dahlberg on Sowing Native Seed (#45) 05.09.2025 1ชม. 11นาที

  I talk with Luke Dahlberg, native plant propagator at Citizens for Conservation, about the art and science of seed collecting and germination. Luke shares his expertise in working with over 300 native species, from understanding the crucial differences between orthodox and recalcitrant seeds to mastering complex stratification cycles that can take up to two years. We explore practical techniques like hot water scarification for fire-adapted plants, ethical wild seed collection practices, and innovative approaches to growing hemiparasitic plants for restoration work. Luke also discusses how volunteer-driven organizations like Citizens for Conservation successfully preserve local plant genetics through community engagement and hyper-local seed collection. Whether you're interested in starting your own native plant propagation or supporting conservation efforts in your area, this episode offers valuable insights for anyone looking to participate in conservation through cultivation.
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  Kelly Holdbrooks at Southern Highlands Reserve (#44) 02.08.2025 1ชม. 2นาที

  In this episode of the Plantastic Podcast, I talk with Kelly Holdbrooks of Southern Highlands Reserve about how gardeners and land stewards can actively participate in conservation. Kelly shares how the Reserve’s design philosophy—“don’t mess it up, just polish the stone”—can inspire gardeners to enhance what nature is already doing, rather than overwrite it. We dive into lessons from red spruce restoration, stormwater-smart design, assisted migration, and the biodiversity potential of cultivated spaces. Kelly also offers practical takeaways on observing plant communities, embracing long-term thinking, and building partnerships that multiply your impact. Whether you're managing a native garden, public space, or home landscape, this episode is full of ideas to help you care for plants and place more meaningfully. Enjoy the show!
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  Claire Chambers on Native Sod from Meadow Lab (#43) 19.07.2025 53นาที

  In this episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Claire shares how her business background shaped her approach to launching Meadow Lab and developing wildflower sod as a scalable, ready-to-plant solution for naturalistic landscapes. We discuss the complexities of meadow design, site preparation, and the species selection process behind her sod mixes. Claire explains how her product adapts to different microclimates and why it offers a practical alternative to plugs and seed. She also shares valuable insights for anyone starting a plant-based business and how storytelling and user experience translate from retail to the garden. Enjoy the show!
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  Rochelle Greayer from Rocket Science to Garden Magic (#42) 28.06.2025 1ชม. 6นาที

  In this episode of The Plantastic Podcast, I chat with Rochelle Greayer about her incredible journey from working in rocket science to discovering her passion for garden design after a life-changing visit to the Chelsea Flower Show. We discuss how that pivot led to her founding Pith + Vigor, teaching design online, and most recently, leading the redesign of The American Gardener magazine with her editorial mantra of “surprise, delight, and joy on every page.” Rochelle shares practical ways to find garden inspiration and helps listeners break free from conventional design thinking. We explore creative exercises to uncover personal style, like rapid-fire image selection, and how storytelling can shape meaningful landscapes. She also offers perspective on how to nurture your creative side especially if you're juggling multiple roles. It’s a vibrant, idea-packed episode for anyone who wants to grow both a garden and a creative practice.
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  Sam Hoadley on Native Plant Trials at Mt. Cuba Center (#41) 07.06.2025 1ชม. 13นาที

  I interviewed Sam Hoadley Manager of Horticultural Research at Mt. Cuba Center to explore how their plant trials are helping gardeners make more informed, ecologically sound decisions. Sam shared behind-the-scenes insights into how plant trials are structured, what makes a plant a top performer, and how Mt. Cuba balances aesthetic value with wildlife support. We took a dive into the results of reports released like Helenium, Echinacea, Hydrangea arborescens, Carex, Amsonia, and Vernonia, and how certain cultivars still provide substantial ecological benefit. Sam explains how their team interprets plant data for real-world use and why home gardeners might benefit from running their own micro trials. He also teases a few exciting upcoming reports, including evaluations of goldenrods, ferns, oakleaf hydrangeas, and bluestem grasses.
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  Theresa Crimmins on the Power of Plant Phenology (#40) 24.05.2025 1ชม. 6นาที

  This month on The Plantastic Podcast, I dive into the seasonal rhythms of the garden with phenologist Theresa Crimmins. Theresa shares how a college class sparked her lifelong fascination with plants and how that journey led to her role as director of the USA National Phenology Network. We explore how gardeners can use phenology to build their own bloom calendars, observe seasonal cues, and connect more deeply with their landscapes. She offers practical insights into tracking life cycle events like bud break and flowering, the importance of growing degree days, and how citizen science efforts are helping document climate change impacts. We also discuss the emotional power of observation, the joy of discovering small changes in nature, and how tracking phenology can reconnect us to wonder. Enjoy the show!
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  John Magee on Native Plant Design (#39) 14.04.2025 1ชม. 12นาที

  This month on The Plantastic Podcast, I have a rich conversation on native plants, design philosophy, and practical garden maintenance with John Magee. John shares how his hands-on experience in landscape installation shaped his approach in design. He discusses the importance of working with and not against client constraints to create gardens that are both ecologically vibrant and visually compelling. We also discuss one of his favorite designs that was recently featured in Fine Gardening magazine, and he shares his approach for plant choice and rain garden design. We also cover his smart, efficient strategies for managing weeds in pollinator plantings, including using weed whackers between plants and burying weeds on site, the need to move away from invasive species, and common myths about native plants being more expensive or difficult to grow. And, of course, we talk about memorable moments on The Native Plant Podcast. Enjoy the show!
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  Sarah Sikich and Ryan Watson on Growing Orchards with Giving Grove (#38) 05.03.2025 1ชม. 18นาที

  This month on The Plantastic Podcast, I interviewed Sarah Sikich and Ryan Watson of The Giving Grove to learn about how to grow better orchards at home and in a public space. We discuss strategies they have used to establish over 650 orchards nationwide, fruit tree selection and efforts to save heirloom varieties, pest management techniques using holistic sprays and kaolin clay, beneficial understory plantings under fruit trees, how to create a thriving soil in orchards, how they help reduce vandalism on trees in public spaces, some of our favorite ways to use fruit, and so much more.