Episodes

In this episode we talk about adapting to various gardening challenges. We explore making tough decisions in gardening through the later seasons of life. Also, having the best attitudes toward tough decisions. Mobility restrictions began taking a toll on 84-year-old Duane Pancoast. His gardening abilities were changing but not his knowledge. He began sharing his and other senior gardeners’ experiences in his blog: The Geriatric Gardener in February, 2017. After posting bi monthly Adaptive Gar...

Carol Pasternak lives by the motto “It’s Gotta Be Fun”. That is what she brings to this episode. Have you ever thought about having a caterpillar as a pet? You will want to after listening to her. Egg hunts are not just from the Easter Bunny. Carol talks about her thrill and experiences searching for the eggs laid by butterflies and tracking down the caterpillar. You’ll find out how exciting it is to watch a caterpillar transformed into a chrysalis then into a butterfly. Also, what you can d...

In this fresh episode we are talking with Michael Perry also known as Mr. Plant Geek a multihyphenate in the plant world. You know he is adept at many roles in horticulture. Michael is a TV presenter, speaker, hortpreneur and author of Hortus Curious, a visual menagerie of the weirdest and wackiest plant species. Michael got his start in new product development at Thompson & Morgan before quickly working his way up to becoming an authoritative voice knowledgeable in all areas of horticulture. ...

Have you ever wondered about your neighbor’s tree branch hanging over your house? Or thought who really owns that tree on my property line. Is ignoring the questionable tree in my backyard a good idea? Well in this episode we talk with an ISA Certified Arborist and a lawyer to find out where the law and your urban trees intersect. Lea Clark has worked as a paralegal, a criminal defense lawyer, and a college professor. After earning a Master’s in Forestry from University of Georgia Warnell Sch...

Dean Norton feel in love with the Mount Vernon Estate Gardens 53 years ago and never left. After receiving a degree in horticulture from Clemson University he began his horticultural career as the estate’s boxwood gardener. The historical gardens of the first president of The United States George Washington became his responsibility in 1980. His promotion to horticulturist allowed him to applying the latest plant science and horticulture management techniques for historical gardens. Dean has ...

It’s been over 200 years since he was born. People still absorb his parks and public gardens in more than 5,000 communities across the North American continent. The goal is to “give the common man in this New World the same opportunity to experience creation as any king in his private preserve from the Old World.” Frederick Law Olmsted is prevalently pronounced the father of American landscape architecture. This is episode 124 Sculpting Nature: The Legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted with Kirk R...

Have you got a shady location where nothing else will grow? Are you tired of mowing grass? Do you have problem with soil erosion? How about a desire to avoid chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides? In this episode Annie Martin, moss landscape designer and Timber Press author of The Magical World of Moss Gardening, talks about how Native mosses can be an excellent horticultural alternative. Annie (aka Mossin’ Annie) is the owner of Mountain Moss in Pisgah Forest, NC, She provides valu...

Josh Fuder’s search to identify the old apple trees growing at his newly purchase home ignited a path to discovering and recovering lost apple varieties of Georgia. In this episode 122 we look into why lost apple varieties are important. How they are being discovered and saved to benefit future generations. Josh is a University of Georgia Extension agent in Cherokee County Georgia. He is part of a team that has preserved nearly 140 different apple varieties at the newly planted Heritage Apple ...

Carol Hight is a native plant and wild flower advocate. She is a prolific writer for local publications and is a very in demand speaker for wildflowers. Her blog is BloomingBeautiful.com She is a 30-year retired 5th grade science teacher. Carol is currently active with the West Georgia Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society where she has served as chairman of the Buffalo Creek Trail restoration committee, and as an active native plant rescue facilitator. An encore presentation and remix o...

Jay Sifford’s passion for crafting immersive gardens that are full of magic and story guide his garden designs. In this episode we will discover how Mary Poppins inspires and nurtures a space where reality and fantasy collide. Sifford explains how he uses psychological, philosophical and spiritual principles to create contemporary, Asian-inspired, and woodland gardens with common plants and authentic materials. His inspiring gardens have been featured in Southern Living, Fine Gardening, and C...

Staci L. Catron has one of the coolest jobs ever. She gets to live gardening in the past, in the present, and influence gardens of the future. As the Director of the Cherokee Garden Library within the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center she manages the development, preservation, and interpretations of a 35,000-item growing collection. Everything from garden and landscape related rare books, contemporary volumes, manuscripts, photographs, landscape architectural drawings, period...

Melanie Deyton has made a life connecting people to plants through her family’s flower farm Melanie’s Garden. We talk about successful Cut Flower Gardening. Overcoming the trials and the solutions of developing a whole new flower farm site. You will enjoy learning how Melanie’s practical experience will guide you to becoming a better Cut Flower Grower. Having worked in the floral and gardening industry for over a decade, she has learned that it's best to let nature lead the way. As a mother,...

Jutt Howard loves what he does. Every day is a new adventure when growing hundreds of acres of grass for your home and athletic venues. In this episode he talks about how you can be successful also. How years of constant research pursues the perfect sod. Also an amazing bald eagle story that happened right on his family’s farm. Jutt grew up in the landscape business and is now the VP of business operations for NG Turf. Since 2010 he has grown with the company and learned the values of producin...

Jo Phillips is the Retired Horticultural Manager for the best-preserved 19th century garden in the United States. The first planting at Hills and Dales Estate occurred in 1841 with the still growing original boxwoods. The garden estate is a horticultural testament to the three women with their families that have called it home. Today’s garden stays true to the original design and each woman’s contribution. Jo tells stories about how much Alice Callaway loved Hills and Dales and was ahead of he...

Today we are having a conversation with Dr. Richard La Fleur about the importance of healing gardens. We will discover how they promote physical, mental, and spiritual healing as well as encourage self-care. Dr. La Fleur is an author, international speaker, researcher and educator in the discipline of Psychology at the University of West Georgia. He currently teaches various courses in Psychology and Integrative Healthcare. An encore presentation and remix of episode 024.

Christie Bryant speaks for trees every day. She loves to be in a person’s yard meeting their dogs and talking about what is best for their trees. Climbing to the highest heights and exploring soil depths is important to her for a complete understanding of each tree’s optimum health needs. Thirteen years as a consulting arborist Christie stays up to date on the latest tree research and what trees love and desire. Her tree consulting company is called Speaking for The Trees. She believes it is ...

Dr. Bodie Pennisi is an Extension Horticulture Specialist at the University of Georgia. She has statewide responsibilities for the Georgia landscape industry and conducts applied research with emphasis on sustainable outdoor and indoor landscapes which includes plant, water, nutrient, and soil interactions. Dr. Pennisi also teaches online university level courses titled: Herbs, Spices, and Medicinal Plants; along with a Plant Physiology course. She also teaches Master Gardener training classe...

Lisa Bartlett is the Garden Manager for Smith-Gilbert Gardens. She is responsible the over 4,000 species collection of plants. This collection ranges from rare herbaceous perennials to rare and unusual trees. The largest collections of Bonsai in the Southeast are also held at the gardens. Lisa created the award-winning Butterfly Exhibit at Smith-Gilbert Gardens and follow up with the first Crevice Garden in Georgia. Lisa has also served on the board of The American Hydrangea Society. One of...

For decades Eric King has been designing award-winning landscapes that work with nature and encourage people to be outside. He is a landscape architect and co-owner of the residential design + build firm King Landscaping serving the Atlanta area. He often appears on local and national garden shows and is a noted contributor for a variety of online and print media. King earned a Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture from The University of Georgia and an MBA from Georgia State University. ...

Finding the right plant combinations can minimize diseases, reduce pest, improve soil fertility and support pollinators. Using science back methods will reward your garden decisions. For 15 years horticulturist Jessica Walliser co-hosted The Organic Gardeners, an award-winning program on KDKA Radio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, She is the Editorial Director for The Quarto Publishing Group’s Garden imprint, Cool Springs Press, and a former contributing editor for Organic Gardening magazine. Je...

If you have turf grass it can be frustrating? In this episode we talk with Dr. Clint Waltz about solutions to your frustrations. We also look into research practices and efforts in lowering the inputs needed for successful turf grass. How turf grass ecoservices brings good things to our environment. We also talk about the benefits and hurdles to auto mowing. Dr. Waltz has state-wide responsibilities in all areas of turfgrass management, including turfgrass water use and conservation. Clint...

Tara Dillard is a nationally recognized garden designer, author, and speaker. She has hosted her own CBS television program, The Better Gardening Show. After earning degrees in engineering and horticulture she began designing and installing low-maintenance organic landscape . Her designs emphasis the balance between home, garden, and life. An award-winning author of 5 books, including Garden Paths and Stepping Stones, Beautiful by Design, and The Garden View. Tara writes a newspaper column; ma...

Brooks Garcia is fulfilling his dream in the Northeast Georgia Mountains. The sun awakens him every day to his new adventure at Villa del Sole. A Tuscan style home and garden complete with long vistas to far mountain ridges. He designed and built his Georgia version of a Tuscan style home complete with a clay tile roof and a wood burning fireplace. When the sun slips behind the ridge Brooks celebrates another fulfilling day building his garden with a swimming pool soak. In our conversation B...

How much fun would it be to walk out on your balcony and grab a handful of fresh strawberries and pop them in your mouth? Kristen Pullen will tell us exactly how in today’s episode. We will also discover how to successfully grow strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, and raspberry right in your own patio containers. There are even more possibilities for your own eatable landscape. Kristen completed her Bachelor of Science in Biology at Rider University. After college, she took an internship pos...