https://simplecast.com The Plantastic Podcast Plants can’t talk, but we can! The Plantastic Podcast is a show for plant killers, green thumbs, and everyone in between. Listen along as Dr. Jared deconstructs the practices of the best plantspeople of our time so that you can better cultivate your plants and yourself. 2017 – 2022 The Plantastic Podcast en Sun, 5 Apr 2026 20:29:28 +0000 Sun, 5 Apr 2026 20:29:40 +0000 theplantasticpodcast.com The Plantastic Podcast https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/24958a39-bc96-4162-a43b-fd4769e86932/6c65b1db-82fe-4043-b449-4298afb589bc/3000x3000/tpp-show-artwork.jpg?aid=rss_feed theplantasticpodcast.com episodic Plants can’t talk, but we can! The Plantastic Podcast is a show for plant killers, green thumbs, and everyone in between. Listen along as Dr. Jared deconstructs the practices of the best plantspeople of our time so that you can better cultivate your plants and yourself. Jared Barnes false https://feeds.simplecast.com/r_gLkL1Z flower, flowers, gardening, horticulture, permaculture, plant, plants, green, garden, sustainability Jared Barnes jared@meristemhorticulture.com d2e43ac6-9608-4376-8cf9-77ca4df24ca2 Tim Boland on Lessons from Polly Hill Arboretum (#52) TIM BOLAND BIO

Tim Boland is the Executive Director of the Polly Hill Arboretum, located on the island of Martha's Vineyard in West Tisbury, Massachusetts. He holds an undergraduate degree in Horticulture and a master's in Botany, Plant Ecology, and Systematics from Michigan State University.

Tim specializes in oaks from all over the world. He is involved in various plant conservation projects to preserve threatened oaks in North America, Europe, and Asia. He is a member of the Board of the International Oak Society (IOS) and chair of the Oak Conservation and Research Committee. He helped develop a special fund that has thus far supported 28 research projects worldwide where oak species are vulnerable to extinction.

In addition, Tim and his conservation partners published a modern flora of Martha’s Vineyard in 2022. He also has expertise in propagating rare North American trees and shrubs. He has been involved in seven seed expeditions, mapping and collecting two species of native North American Stewartia, while also pursuing native azaleas. He is very involved in plant propagation of Martha’s Vineyard endemic plants. Throughout Tim’s career, he has bridged the gap between botany and horticulture and loves teaching aspiring students about the beauty, mystery, and utility of plants. Tim plans to retire this year after twenty-four years leading the development of new infrastructure and programs at the Polly Hill Arboretum. When asked what is next? He jokingly asserts, “I think I’ll get involved with plants!”

To learn more about Tim and the Polly Hill Arboretum, pollyhillarboretum.org.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sun, 5 Apr 2026 20:29:28 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes, Tim Boland) theplantasticpodcast.com TIM BOLAND BIO

Tim Boland is the Executive Director of the Polly Hill Arboretum, located on the island of Martha's Vineyard in West Tisbury, Massachusetts. He holds an undergraduate degree in Horticulture and a master's in Botany, Plant Ecology, and Systematics from Michigan State University.

Tim specializes in oaks from all over the world. He is involved in various plant conservation projects to preserve threatened oaks in North America, Europe, and Asia. He is a member of the Board of the International Oak Society (IOS) and chair of the Oak Conservation and Research Committee. He helped develop a special fund that has thus far supported 28 research projects worldwide where oak species are vulnerable to extinction.

In addition, Tim and his conservation partners published a modern flora of Martha’s Vineyard in 2022. He also has expertise in propagating rare North American trees and shrubs. He has been involved in seven seed expeditions, mapping and collecting two species of native North American Stewartia, while also pursuing native azaleas. He is very involved in plant propagation of Martha’s Vineyard endemic plants. Throughout Tim’s career, he has bridged the gap between botany and horticulture and loves teaching aspiring students about the beauty, mystery, and utility of plants. Tim plans to retire this year after twenty-four years leading the development of new infrastructure and programs at the Polly Hill Arboretum. When asked what is next? He jokingly asserts, “I think I’ll get involved with plants!”

To learn more about Tim and the Polly Hill Arboretum, pollyhillarboretum.org.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Tim Boland on Lessons from Polly Hill Arboretum (#52) Jared Barnes, Tim Boland 01:22:04 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. 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. ecology, conservation, flower, home and garden, gardening, propagation, gardens, garden, botany, landscape design, science, nature, garden design, seed propagation, sustainable gardening, arboretum, planting, horticulture, podcast, trees, wildlife, landscape, outdoor living, plant, habitat, plants, plant propagation false full 52 be3272cd-30d7-4916-988f-5c89fded7396 Shaun McCoshum on Natural Habitats and Wildlife Gardening (#51) Discount link for March 23, 2026 Botanic Bootcamp on the Power of Plant Selection.

SHAUN MCCOSHUM'S BIO

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 copious restoration plans from coast to coast including lands with bison, endangered plants, threatened pollinators, black bears, and mountain lions. His new book explores the pre-European ecology of North America and how habitats existed and explains how we can better mimic processes in our own yards to support habitat. 

Shaun has kindly offered podcast listeners a discount of 30% of his new book! Use the code NHWG30 at the Princeton University Press website.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:50:20 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes, Shaun McCoshum) theplantasticpodcast.com Discount link for March 23, 2026 Botanic Bootcamp on the Power of Plant Selection.

SHAUN MCCOSHUM'S BIO

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 copious restoration plans from coast to coast including lands with bison, endangered plants, threatened pollinators, black bears, and mountain lions. His new book explores the pre-European ecology of North America and how habitats existed and explains how we can better mimic processes in our own yards to support habitat. 

Shaun has kindly offered podcast listeners a discount of 30% of his new book! Use the code NHWG30 at the Princeton University Press website.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Shaun McCoshum on Natural Habitats and Wildlife Gardening (#51) Jared Barnes, Shaun McCoshum 01:10:40 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. 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. flower, home and garden, natural gardening, habitats, gardening, gardens, garden, science, nature, native plants, planting, horticulture, flowers, plant, habitat, plants, garden book, wildlife garden false full 51 6626440e-179e-46b4-9338-93295b0ab0a0 Dr. Allan Armitage on Common-Sense Gardening (#50) Subscribe to my curated weekly newsletter plant•ed: meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.

DR. ALLAN ARMITAGE'S BIO

Dr. Allan M. Armitage is an Emeritus Professor of Horticulture at the University of Georgia, where he served as a faculty member until his retirement in 2014. Internationally recognized as a writer, speaker, educator, and researcher, he is one of the most influential voices in modern horticulture.

Dr. Armitage has authored more than 70 academic research papers, over 500 industry articles, and 17 books that serve as foundational texts, professional references, and trusted companions for gardeners worldwide. His landmark reference Herbaceous Perennial Plants was named one of the best horticulture books of the past 75 years by the American Horticultural Society and is now in its fourth edition. 

His research focused on new crop introduction and evaluation and environmental physiology.He founded and led the highly respected University of Georgia Trial Gardens, a premier testing ground for heat- and humidity-tolerant plants where he released more than 20 plants to the gardening industry, including the iconic Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’ and ‘Margarita’ ornamental sweet potato.

Dr. Armitage has received nearly every major honor in American horticulture, including the Liberty Hyde Bailey Award (American Horticultural Society) – highest lifetime honor and the Scott Medal and Award, another of the most prestigious honors in ornamental horticulture. 

Dr. Armitage remains an in-demand lecturer throughout North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South America, and continues to write, teach, and advocate for practical, joyful gardening.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sat, 7 Feb 2026 15:55:14 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes, Allan Armitage) theplantasticpodcast.com Subscribe to my curated weekly newsletter plant•ed: meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.

DR. ALLAN ARMITAGE'S BIO

Dr. Allan M. Armitage is an Emeritus Professor of Horticulture at the University of Georgia, where he served as a faculty member until his retirement in 2014. Internationally recognized as a writer, speaker, educator, and researcher, he is one of the most influential voices in modern horticulture.

Dr. Armitage has authored more than 70 academic research papers, over 500 industry articles, and 17 books that serve as foundational texts, professional references, and trusted companions for gardeners worldwide. His landmark reference Herbaceous Perennial Plants was named one of the best horticulture books of the past 75 years by the American Horticultural Society and is now in its fourth edition. 

His research focused on new crop introduction and evaluation and environmental physiology.He founded and led the highly respected University of Georgia Trial Gardens, a premier testing ground for heat- and humidity-tolerant plants where he released more than 20 plants to the gardening industry, including the iconic Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’ and ‘Margarita’ ornamental sweet potato.

Dr. Armitage has received nearly every major honor in American horticulture, including the Liberty Hyde Bailey Award (American Horticultural Society) – highest lifetime honor and the Scott Medal and Award, another of the most prestigious honors in ornamental horticulture. 

Dr. Armitage remains an in-demand lecturer throughout North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South America, and continues to write, teach, and advocate for practical, joyful gardening.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Dr. Allan Armitage on Common-Sense Gardening (#50) Jared Barnes, Allan Armitage 01:14:03 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. 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. professor, flower, garden writer, home and garden, perennial, gardening, perennials, garden, science, nature, cut flower, planting, horticulture, flowers, plant, plants, garden book false full 50 2d0ce5a3-155c-4dcb-8938-66a63aaa2df5 Rachel Lindsay on Regenerative Design (#49) Subscribe to my newsletter plant•ed: meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.

RACHEL LINDSAY BIO

As Head of Site Design at Regenerative Design Group, Rachel works principally with organizations and homeowners to create productive, resilient landscapes. She draws from her experiences in organic farming, Latin-American sustainable development, and art to approach design with cultural sensitivity and environmental integrity. Rachel approaches projects of all scales through a soil, carbon, and water conservation lens, looking for opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of design installation while meeting the client’s goals and aesthetic preferences. Her projects encourage people to engage deeply with their local ecosystems and apply holistic and low-stress approaches toward gardening and landscaping. A worker-owner at RDG, Rachel was a member of the steering committee that led the ownership transition process and has been the Treasurer of the Board of Directors since its establishment in 2022.

She holds an MS in Ecological Design from The Conway School and a BA in Anthropology from Wesleyan University. When she isn’t working, she may be found messing around in her garden, cooking with the latest harvest, or hiking with her husband and young daughter.

Learn more about Rachel at Regenerative Design Group.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Tue, 6 Jan 2026 02:53:14 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Rachel Lindsay, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com Subscribe to my newsletter plant•ed: meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.

RACHEL LINDSAY BIO

As Head of Site Design at Regenerative Design Group, Rachel works principally with organizations and homeowners to create productive, resilient landscapes. She draws from her experiences in organic farming, Latin-American sustainable development, and art to approach design with cultural sensitivity and environmental integrity. Rachel approaches projects of all scales through a soil, carbon, and water conservation lens, looking for opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of design installation while meeting the client’s goals and aesthetic preferences. Her projects encourage people to engage deeply with their local ecosystems and apply holistic and low-stress approaches toward gardening and landscaping. A worker-owner at RDG, Rachel was a member of the steering committee that led the ownership transition process and has been the Treasurer of the Board of Directors since its establishment in 2022.

She holds an MS in Ecological Design from The Conway School and a BA in Anthropology from Wesleyan University. When she isn’t working, she may be found messing around in her garden, cooking with the latest harvest, or hiking with her husband and young daughter.

Learn more about Rachel at Regenerative Design Group.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Rachel Lindsay on Regenerative Design (#49) Rachel Lindsay, Jared Barnes 01:07:03 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. 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. ecological horticulture, flower, home and garden, permaculture, naturalistic design, gardening, gardens, garden designer, landscape design, science, nature, garden design, planting, horticulture, regenerative agriculture, flowers, plant, plants, regenerative design false full 49 5b7db722-643d-4b53-990a-23267f073363 John Little on Caring for Gardens and Gardeners (#48) Learn more about botanicbootcamp.com.

JOHN LITTLE BIO

John Little has been reimagining what urban nature can be since founding the Grass Roof Company in 1998.  Over the past 25+ years, John has designed and built more than 400 small green-roof structures and various other species-rich planting with walls engineered for nesting, hibernation, and year-round habitat.

His nonprofit Care Not Capital pushes for a fundamental shift to redirect funds from one-off capital projects toward ongoing, human-powered stewardship that benefits both biodiversity and communities.

Here are the core ideas John argues for—putting the best gardeners in the poorest places, moving money from capital into care, understanding that gardened places are best for biodiversity and people, moving novel landscapes higher up the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) metric, understanding that a modern public space gardener is much more than a horticulturist, keeping waste on site and using it to make places beautiful and biodiverse, and putting soil and plants on roofs.

You can connect with John on Instagram at @grassroofco and @carenotcapital.

]]> Sun, 7 Dec 2025 04:22:45 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (John Little, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com Learn more about botanicbootcamp.com.

JOHN LITTLE BIO

John Little has been reimagining what urban nature can be since founding the Grass Roof Company in 1998.  Over the past 25+ years, John has designed and built more than 400 small green-roof structures and various other species-rich planting with walls engineered for nesting, hibernation, and year-round habitat.

His nonprofit Care Not Capital pushes for a fundamental shift to redirect funds from one-off capital projects toward ongoing, human-powered stewardship that benefits both biodiversity and communities.

Here are the core ideas John argues for—putting the best gardeners in the poorest places, moving money from capital into care, understanding that gardened places are best for biodiversity and people, moving novel landscapes higher up the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) metric, understanding that a modern public space gardener is much more than a horticulturist, keeping waste on site and using it to make places beautiful and biodiverse, and putting soil and plants on roofs.

You can connect with John on Instagram at @grassroofco and @carenotcapital.

]]> John Little on Caring for Gardens and Gardeners (#48) John Little, Jared Barnes 01:22:07 (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. (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. ecology, conservation, flower, home and garden, green roof, gardening, gardens, garden, uk gardens, science, nature, wildflowers, wildflower, horticulture, flowers, plant, habitat, plants false full 48 cc63831b-0ee5-46b0-820a-c1d515865969 Molly Hendry on the Bergamo Landscape Festival (#47) Discount link for Botanic Bootcamp.

MOLLY HENDRY BIO

Molly toggles the worlds of design and plants as both a trained horticulturist and landscape architect. She has stepped out to create her own garden design studio, Roots and Ramblings, where she does design work for folks in the Birmingham, Alabama area and beyond. With this studio, Molly is most interested in the intersection between people and places. She loves designing gardens for "hands in the dirt" gardeners, focusing on how design is not just a masterplan on a piece of paper, but an ongoing dialogue between a person and a place... often with a spade in hand!

Up through July 2023, she was the Associate Director of Gardens Support for the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens for 5 and a half years. There she was actively involved in the horticultural and design development of the 26 unique gardens that make up Birmingham Botanical Gardens. One of her top honors is that she spent 10 months living in the UK, sinking her hands into the soil at some of the top gardens across the country as the Garden Club of America's 2016–2017 Royal Horticultural Society's Interchange Fellow. You can learn more about Molly by visiting her website Roots and Ramblings and by following her on Instagram @mollshendry.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sat, 8 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com Discount link for Botanic Bootcamp.

MOLLY HENDRY BIO

Molly toggles the worlds of design and plants as both a trained horticulturist and landscape architect. She has stepped out to create her own garden design studio, Roots and Ramblings, where she does design work for folks in the Birmingham, Alabama area and beyond. With this studio, Molly is most interested in the intersection between people and places. She loves designing gardens for "hands in the dirt" gardeners, focusing on how design is not just a masterplan on a piece of paper, but an ongoing dialogue between a person and a place... often with a spade in hand!

Up through July 2023, she was the Associate Director of Gardens Support for the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens for 5 and a half years. There she was actively involved in the horticultural and design development of the 26 unique gardens that make up Birmingham Botanical Gardens. One of her top honors is that she spent 10 months living in the UK, sinking her hands into the soil at some of the top gardens across the country as the Garden Club of America's 2016–2017 Royal Horticultural Society's Interchange Fellow. You can learn more about Molly by visiting her website Roots and Ramblings and by following her on Instagram @mollshendry.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Molly Hendry on the Bergamo Landscape Festival (#47) Jared Barnes 01:21:25 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! 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! ecological horticulture, flower, home and garden, naturalistic design, gardening, gardens, landscape architecture, garden, garden designer, landscape festival, science, nature, garden design, horticulture, landscape architect, flowers, bergamo, plant, plants, naturalistic planting false full 47 2a479393-3e83-4054-9d79-b640d0be971a Pam Penick on Gardens of Texas (#46) Discount link for Botanic Bootcamp.

PAM PENICK BIO

Pam Penick is a Texas garden writer, speaker, and advocate for climate-resilient design. She’s the author of Gardens of Texas, Lawn Gone!, and The Water-Saving Garden, and the voice behind Digging, her influential website about gardening in a hot climate. A former landscape designer, Pam now tends her own garden under live oaks in northwest Austin, keeping an eye out for screech owls and foxes but wishing for fewer deer. She also leads Garden Spark, a speaker series that brings bold ideas in design and ecology to the Austin gardening community. For more info, visit Digging at penick.net.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sat, 4 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Pam Penick, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com Discount link for Botanic Bootcamp.

PAM PENICK BIO

Pam Penick is a Texas garden writer, speaker, and advocate for climate-resilient design. She’s the author of Gardens of Texas, Lawn Gone!, and The Water-Saving Garden, and the voice behind Digging, her influential website about gardening in a hot climate. A former landscape designer, Pam now tends her own garden under live oaks in northwest Austin, keeping an eye out for screech owls and foxes but wishing for fewer deer. She also leads Garden Spark, a speaker series that brings bold ideas in design and ecology to the Austin gardening community. For more info, visit Digging at penick.net.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Pam Penick on Gardens of Texas (#46) Pam Penick, Jared Barnes 01:11:04 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. 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. ecology, conservation, flower, home and garden, water conservation, gardening, gardening in texas, gardens, garden, garden writing, texas gardens, science, water wise, nature, wildflowers, wildflower, horticulture, texas, book author, flowers, plant, plants false full 46 19f9b8aa-bb8c-4f81-8d6f-2796efb033b1 Luke Dahlberg on Sowing Native Seed (#45) Discount link for upcoming webinar Layer by Layer on Monday September 29 at 6 pm CDT.

LUKE DAHLBERG BIO

With over twenty years of experience in propagating midwestern native plants, Luke Dahlberg turned his passionate backyard hobby into a career. Luke earned his degree majoring in Ornamental Horticulture and a minor in Business from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville. After working in the commercial nursery trade for several years, Luke landed his current position as Conservation Seed Program Manager at Citizens for Conservation, an organization that he started volunteering at in 2004 and became part of the organization's staff in 2018 where he continues CFC's mission of restoring and educating others about the ecosystems of the Chicago area. Collaborating with Lake County Forest Preserves, Luke was able to use their greenhouse to propagate rare native plants and learn from germination trials the best practices to use to reintroduce them into the wild in preserved plant communities. Luke loves to share what he has learned in plant propagation with others through his Instagram page, and had had opportunities to speak at the Wild Things Conference in Chicago, teach native plant propagation classes at The Morton Arboretum, and speak at a TEDx event and posts on the Grassland Restoration Network blog. In his spare time, Luke enjoys photographing birds and wildflowers and spending time with friends and his family.

You can learn more from Luke by visiting his Instagram page @seedtech_luke and Citizens for Conservation at citizensforconservation.org.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 5 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Luke Dahlberg, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com Discount link for upcoming webinar Layer by Layer on Monday September 29 at 6 pm CDT.

LUKE DAHLBERG BIO

With over twenty years of experience in propagating midwestern native plants, Luke Dahlberg turned his passionate backyard hobby into a career. Luke earned his degree majoring in Ornamental Horticulture and a minor in Business from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville. After working in the commercial nursery trade for several years, Luke landed his current position as Conservation Seed Program Manager at Citizens for Conservation, an organization that he started volunteering at in 2004 and became part of the organization's staff in 2018 where he continues CFC's mission of restoring and educating others about the ecosystems of the Chicago area. Collaborating with Lake County Forest Preserves, Luke was able to use their greenhouse to propagate rare native plants and learn from germination trials the best practices to use to reintroduce them into the wild in preserved plant communities. Luke loves to share what he has learned in plant propagation with others through his Instagram page, and had had opportunities to speak at the Wild Things Conference in Chicago, teach native plant propagation classes at The Morton Arboretum, and speak at a TEDx event and posts on the Grassland Restoration Network blog. In his spare time, Luke enjoys photographing birds and wildflowers and spending time with friends and his family.

You can learn more from Luke by visiting his Instagram page @seedtech_luke and Citizens for Conservation at citizensforconservation.org.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Luke Dahlberg on Sowing Native Seed (#45) Luke Dahlberg, Jared Barnes 01:11:19 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. 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. ecology, conservation, flower, home and garden, gardening, gardens, garden, native plant, science, nature, native plants, wildflowers, seed propagation, plant conservation, botanic garden, wildflower, horticulture, seed sowing, seed, flowers, plant, seeds, plants, plant propagation false full 45 a444deab-6cf3-4ea0-9348-c84f84aa82f8 Kelly Holdbrooks at Southern Highlands Reserve (#44) Discount link for upcoming webinar Matrix Planting Made Easy on Monday August 4 at 6 pm CDT.

KELLY HOLDBROOKS BIO

With decades of experience in Western North Carolina’s vast horticulture, Kelly Holdbrooks demonstrates her passion for fostering human connection with nature in everything she does. For more than a decade as executive director of Southern Highlands Reserve, a nonprofit native plant garden and research center on Toxaway Mountain, Kelly has built a network of conservationists and advocates for preserving the unique ecosystem of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Kelly’s research in experiential methods and the humanism of nature earned her a master’s degree in landscape architecture, with honors, from the College of Environment and Design at the University of Georgia. She also earned bachelor’s degrees in international studies and political science from Rhodes College and was a three-sport NCAA athlete. She is a founding member of the Southern Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (SASRI), a public-private partnership working to restore the second most endangered ecosystem in the United States, the high elevation spruce-fir forests of the Southern Blue Ridge. She is a member of the Red Spruce Technical Advisory Board (RSTAB), headed by The Nature Conservancy, to make recommendations to the U.S. Forest Service for their regional planning efforts. She also participates in the quarterly All Lands Meeting held by the U.S. Forest Service to develop a long-term collaborative plan for natural resource conservation across Region 8. Kelly enjoys hiking, gardening, yoga, and playing in nature with her family. She is proud to call Western North Carolina her home.

You can learn more about Kelly and Southern Highlands Reserve by visiting their website and Instagram @southern_highlands_reserve.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sat, 2 Aug 2025 18:34:19 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Kelly Holdbrooks, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com Discount link for upcoming webinar Matrix Planting Made Easy on Monday August 4 at 6 pm CDT.

KELLY HOLDBROOKS BIO

With decades of experience in Western North Carolina’s vast horticulture, Kelly Holdbrooks demonstrates her passion for fostering human connection with nature in everything she does. For more than a decade as executive director of Southern Highlands Reserve, a nonprofit native plant garden and research center on Toxaway Mountain, Kelly has built a network of conservationists and advocates for preserving the unique ecosystem of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Kelly’s research in experiential methods and the humanism of nature earned her a master’s degree in landscape architecture, with honors, from the College of Environment and Design at the University of Georgia. She also earned bachelor’s degrees in international studies and political science from Rhodes College and was a three-sport NCAA athlete. She is a founding member of the Southern Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (SASRI), a public-private partnership working to restore the second most endangered ecosystem in the United States, the high elevation spruce-fir forests of the Southern Blue Ridge. She is a member of the Red Spruce Technical Advisory Board (RSTAB), headed by The Nature Conservancy, to make recommendations to the U.S. Forest Service for their regional planning efforts. She also participates in the quarterly All Lands Meeting held by the U.S. Forest Service to develop a long-term collaborative plan for natural resource conservation across Region 8. Kelly enjoys hiking, gardening, yoga, and playing in nature with her family. She is proud to call Western North Carolina her home.

You can learn more about Kelly and Southern Highlands Reserve by visiting their website and Instagram @southern_highlands_reserve.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Kelly Holdbrooks at Southern Highlands Reserve (#44) Kelly Holdbrooks, Jared Barnes 01:02:10 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! 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! ecology, conservation, flower, public garden, home and garden, gardening, gardens, garden, native plant, science, nature, native plants, wildflowers, garden design, plant conservation, botanic garden, wildflower, horticulture, landscape, flowers, plant, plants false full 44 4c48eba6-e5b4-49a4-9587-164b59998d85 Claire Chambers on Native Sod from Meadow Lab (#43) Discount link for upcoming webinar Matrix Planting Made Easy on Monday August 4 at 6 pm CDT.

CLAIRE CHAMBERS BIO

Claire Chambers is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Meadow Lab, a public benefit company designing high-performance plant systems like native wildflower meadow sod inspired by nature. She is also the principal of Flowerlands, a small landscape design studio.

After twenty years as an entrepreneur and executive in the world of digital commerce, Claire left to study at New York Botanical Garden’s School of Professional Horticulture, where she received a certificate in landscape design. Today, Claire is focused on advisory, incubation and investment work that supports the broader mission of re-wilding the built world.

Previously, Claire founded and operated Journelle, a woman’s clothing start-up; she led a multi-billion dollar P&L within Walmart; and served as president at Food52, a private-equity backed media & commerce business, where she spearheaded growth across e-commerce, retail, marketing, merchandising, brand partnerships and community. Claire holds a degree in Economics & Studio Art from Wellesley College.

Claire lives in the lower Hudson Valley with her husband and their two young daughters, where she enjoys cooking for family & friends, hiking, growing flowers, and riding horses.

You can learn more about Claire and Meadow Lab at meadowlab.com and on Instagram at @meadowlab.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

 

]]> Sat, 19 Jul 2025 15:22:54 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Claire Chambers, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com Discount link for upcoming webinar Matrix Planting Made Easy on Monday August 4 at 6 pm CDT.

CLAIRE CHAMBERS BIO

Claire Chambers is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Meadow Lab, a public benefit company designing high-performance plant systems like native wildflower meadow sod inspired by nature. She is also the principal of Flowerlands, a small landscape design studio.

After twenty years as an entrepreneur and executive in the world of digital commerce, Claire left to study at New York Botanical Garden’s School of Professional Horticulture, where she received a certificate in landscape design. Today, Claire is focused on advisory, incubation and investment work that supports the broader mission of re-wilding the built world.

Previously, Claire founded and operated Journelle, a woman’s clothing start-up; she led a multi-billion dollar P&L within Walmart; and served as president at Food52, a private-equity backed media & commerce business, where she spearheaded growth across e-commerce, retail, marketing, merchandising, brand partnerships and community. Claire holds a degree in Economics & Studio Art from Wellesley College.

Claire lives in the lower Hudson Valley with her husband and their two young daughters, where she enjoys cooking for family & friends, hiking, growing flowers, and riding horses.

You can learn more about Claire and Meadow Lab at meadowlab.com and on Instagram at @meadowlab.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

 

]]> Claire Chambers on Native Sod from Meadow Lab (#43) Claire Chambers, Jared Barnes 00:53:52 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! 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! ecology, flower, home and garden, gardening, garden, native plant, garden designer, science, nature, native plants, wildflowers, garden design, wildflower, horticulture, landscape install, flowers, plant, plants false full 43 e0bd6afc-7f59-4028-8f2d-a29fab880ee8 Rochelle Greayer from Rocket Science to Garden Magic (#42) Discount link for upcoming webinar Designing with Plant Shape and Form on Monday June 30 at 6 pm CDT

ROCHELLE GREAYER BIO

Rochelle Greayer is the current editor of The American Gardener magazine for the American Horticultural Society and a garden designer, writer, and the creative force behind Pith + Vigor, a literary newspaper and online magazine for garden enthusiasts. She is the author of Cultivating Garden Style, a rich book that blends design guidance with inspiration, and has co-authored The Essential Garden Design Workbook and The Garden Makers Manual. Rochelle also founded the acclaimed blog Studio ‘g’, co-founded Leaf Magazine, and contributed a long-running garden column for Apartment Therapy.

A graduate of the English Gardening School in London, Rochelle has designed gardens for private residences and hotels across the globe since 2002. Before her horticultural career, she was a literal rocket scientist where she worked in aerospace and software engineering, helping launch Russia’s first commercial satellite and riding in the cockpits of F-14s and F-18s. Though she didn’t make it to space, she likes to say her fingerprints did. Rochelle brings both scientific curiosity and creative flair to everything she does.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sat, 28 Jun 2025 14:09:20 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com Discount link for upcoming webinar Designing with Plant Shape and Form on Monday June 30 at 6 pm CDT

ROCHELLE GREAYER BIO

Rochelle Greayer is the current editor of The American Gardener magazine for the American Horticultural Society and a garden designer, writer, and the creative force behind Pith + Vigor, a literary newspaper and online magazine for garden enthusiasts. She is the author of Cultivating Garden Style, a rich book that blends design guidance with inspiration, and has co-authored The Essential Garden Design Workbook and The Garden Makers Manual. Rochelle also founded the acclaimed blog Studio ‘g’, co-founded Leaf Magazine, and contributed a long-running garden column for Apartment Therapy.

A graduate of the English Gardening School in London, Rochelle has designed gardens for private residences and hotels across the globe since 2002. Before her horticultural career, she was a literal rocket scientist where she worked in aerospace and software engineering, helping launch Russia’s first commercial satellite and riding in the cockpits of F-14s and F-18s. Though she didn’t make it to space, she likes to say her fingerprints did. Rochelle brings both scientific curiosity and creative flair to everything she does.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Rochelle Greayer from Rocket Science to Garden Magic (#42) Jared Barnes 01:06:43 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. 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. the american gardener, flower, garden writer, home and garden, gardening, garden designer, garden writing, garden magazine, science, nature, ai, garden design, gardener, horticulture, american horticultural society, flowers, plant, plants false full 42 67c15614-b6ef-41fe-8031-09d906d06a4e Sam Hoadley on Native Plant Trials at Mt. Cuba Center (#41) SAM HOADLEY

Sam Hoadley is the Manager of Horticultural Research at Mt. Cuba Center where he evaluates native plant species, old and new cultivars, and hybrids in the Trial Garden. Sam earned his degree in Sustainable Landscape Horticulture from the University of Vermont.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sat, 7 Jun 2025 14:53:41 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (ecology, flower, home and garden, gardening, garden, garden designer, science, nature, garden design, horticulture, flowers, plants, plant, native plants, native plant, plant trials, botanic garden, botanic gardens, public garden, public gardens) theplantasticpodcast.com SAM HOADLEY

Sam Hoadley is the Manager of Horticultural Research at Mt. Cuba Center where he evaluates native plant species, old and new cultivars, and hybrids in the Trial Garden. Sam earned his degree in Sustainable Landscape Horticulture from the University of Vermont.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sam Hoadley on Native Plant Trials at Mt. Cuba Center (#41) ecology, flower, home and garden, gardening, garden, garden designer, science, nature, garden design, horticulture, flowers, plants, plant, native plants, native plant, plant trials, botanic garden, botanic gardens, public garden, public gardens 01:13:12 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. 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. false full 41 443e465a-c03c-494f-87e2-0bde4a0f9685 Theresa Crimmins on the Power of Plant Phenology (#40) THERESA CRIMMINS BIO

Theresa Crimmins is an internationally recognized phenology researcher, director of the USA National Phenology Network, and associate professor in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona. In her role with the Network, Theresa supports an amazing team and works enthusiastically to support the growth and use of phenology data and resources curated by the USA-NPN, involvement in Nature’s Notebook, and a broader appreciation of phenology among scientists and non-scientists alike.

Theresa has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in journals including Nature, Geophysical Research Letters, Global Change Biology, and Journal of Ecology. Her writing has appeared in Scientific American, The Hill, and the Old Farmer’s Almanac, and Nautilus Magazine. She shared her thoughts about the importance of observing phenology in a TEDx talk in October 2024 and her book, Phenology, was published through MIT Press in early 2025.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!


 

]]> Sat, 24 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Theresa Crimmins, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com THERESA CRIMMINS BIO

Theresa Crimmins is an internationally recognized phenology researcher, director of the USA National Phenology Network, and associate professor in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona. In her role with the Network, Theresa supports an amazing team and works enthusiastically to support the growth and use of phenology data and resources curated by the USA-NPN, involvement in Nature’s Notebook, and a broader appreciation of phenology among scientists and non-scientists alike.

Theresa has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in journals including Nature, Geophysical Research Letters, Global Change Biology, and Journal of Ecology. Her writing has appeared in Scientific American, The Hill, and the Old Farmer’s Almanac, and Nautilus Magazine. She shared her thoughts about the importance of observing phenology in a TEDx talk in October 2024 and her book, Phenology, was published through MIT Press in early 2025.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!


 

]]> Theresa Crimmins on the Power of Plant Phenology (#40) Theresa Crimmins, Jared Barnes 01:06:06 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! 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! ecology, flower, home and garden, phenology, gardening, garden, garden designer, science, nature, flowering, garden design, horticulture, flowers, plant, plants false full 40 4e6ae3f6-bdcf-4229-9e78-fdf85eba3861 John Magee on Native Plant Design (#39) JOHN MAGEE BIO

John Magee has been designing and building landscapes in the Washington DC Metro area and beyond for the past 30 years.  After receiving his B.S. degree in Agriculture from the Ohio State University and spending a few years training and showing horses, he settled into the landscaping industry as the General Foreman of Pennsylvania’s highest award-winning landscaping firm.  While in Pennsylvania, he became a volunteer at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary where he met his wife Susana and was introduced to habitat gardening and the use of native plants in the landscape.  He now operates his own award-winning design firm Magee Design in the beautiful countryside of Middleburg, VA where he also enjoys kayaking and taking long walks with his wife and dogs Shaq & Dilly.  He created and hosts the award-winning Native Plant Podcast to help inform the public about the benefits of landscaping with native plants.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Mon, 14 Apr 2025 03:33:11 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (John Magee, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com JOHN MAGEE BIO

John Magee has been designing and building landscapes in the Washington DC Metro area and beyond for the past 30 years.  After receiving his B.S. degree in Agriculture from the Ohio State University and spending a few years training and showing horses, he settled into the landscaping industry as the General Foreman of Pennsylvania’s highest award-winning landscaping firm.  While in Pennsylvania, he became a volunteer at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary where he met his wife Susana and was introduced to habitat gardening and the use of native plants in the landscape.  He now operates his own award-winning design firm Magee Design in the beautiful countryside of Middleburg, VA where he also enjoys kayaking and taking long walks with his wife and dogs Shaq & Dilly.  He created and hosts the award-winning Native Plant Podcast to help inform the public about the benefits of landscaping with native plants.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> John Magee on Native Plant Design (#39) John Magee, Jared Barnes 01:12:08 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! 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! home and garden, gardening, garden, native plant, garden designer, science, nature, native plants, garden design, gardener, native flowers, horticulture, plant, plants, naturalistic planting false full 39 b20e64d5-2640-44f7-92c6-a55d5d98dc5a Sarah Sikich and Ryan Watson on Growing Orchards with Giving Grove (#38) SARAH SIKICH AND RYAN WATSON BIO

Sarah Sikich and Ryan Watson are dedicated urban orchard advocates, spreading The Giving Grove’s mission to grow sustainable community orchards nationwide.

Sarah, Director of Marketing and Communications, began her journey with The Giving Grove as a volunteer at the first little orchard, witnessing how urban orchards can transform neighborhoods. Combining her background in communications with her passion for gardening, she now works to expand the reach of community orchards across the country.

Ryan, National Orchard Operations & Education Manager, brings over a decade of experience in urban agriculture. After co-founding North Brooklyn Farms and developing public green spaces in New York City, he now lives in the Catskill Mountains, managing an heirloom apple orchard at Wild Russet Farm with his wife. His expertise in community greening and orchard care guides The Giving Grove’s programs nationwide.

Together, Sarah and Ryan bring hands-on experience and practical knowledge to the world of urban orchards, helping communities grow sustainable green spaces that nourish neighborhoods.

You can learn more about Giving Grove at their website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Youtube.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Wed, 5 Mar 2025 01:40:39 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Sarah Sikich, Ryan Watson, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com SARAH SIKICH AND RYAN WATSON BIO

Sarah Sikich and Ryan Watson are dedicated urban orchard advocates, spreading The Giving Grove’s mission to grow sustainable community orchards nationwide.

Sarah, Director of Marketing and Communications, began her journey with The Giving Grove as a volunteer at the first little orchard, witnessing how urban orchards can transform neighborhoods. Combining her background in communications with her passion for gardening, she now works to expand the reach of community orchards across the country.

Ryan, National Orchard Operations & Education Manager, brings over a decade of experience in urban agriculture. After co-founding North Brooklyn Farms and developing public green spaces in New York City, he now lives in the Catskill Mountains, managing an heirloom apple orchard at Wild Russet Farm with his wife. His expertise in community greening and orchard care guides The Giving Grove’s programs nationwide.

Together, Sarah and Ryan bring hands-on experience and practical knowledge to the world of urban orchards, helping communities grow sustainable green spaces that nourish neighborhoods.

You can learn more about Giving Grove at their website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Youtube.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sarah Sikich and Ryan Watson on Growing Orchards with Giving Grove (#38) Sarah Sikich, Ryan Watson, Jared Barnes 01:18:51 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. 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. orchardist, home and garden, community garden, gardening, garden, holistic plants, science, fruit, nature, gardener, edible garden, horticulture, teaching, education, urban garden, orchard, fruit tree, fruit science, fruit trees false full 38 2d19a205-2a65-4b24-9556-3933cc5e9af2 Jack McCoy on Garden Lessons from Travels Abroad (#37) JACK MCCOY BIO

Jack McCoy designs residential and commercial landscapes in Knoxville, the Southeast United States, and beyond through his practice, Jack McCoy Garden Design Company. His work reflects a deep understanding of plants, shaped by global experiences in some of the world's most renowned gardens.

Jack's horticultural journey began in landscape construction as a teenager, followed by earning an Undergraduate Degree in landscape design and construction from The University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 2012. He furthered his design education at Inchbald School of Design in London, UK, where he received a Postgraduate Garden Design Degree.

In 2016, Jack volunteered at Great Dixter, the iconic garden of Christopher Lloyd and then returned as the Christopher Lloyd North American Scholar which is supported by Chanticleer Garden in Pennsylvania to train under head gardener Fergus Garrett. This marked the start of a transformative time at both Great Dixter and Chanticleer where he refined his design skills and plant knowledge.

Jack then received a fellowship at The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, managing Israel’s rare and endangered plant species. He credits this experience with deepening his understanding of plant ecology and survival. To expand his propagation expertise, Jack worked at Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh, North Carolina, known for its rare and unique perennials.

In 2022, Jack returned to Knoxville to focus on garden and landscape design, drawing from his diverse experiences to create gardens that are both beautiful and enduring.

You can learn more about Jack on Instagram at @jackmccoygardendesign, where he shares updates on his projects.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sat, 1 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com JACK MCCOY BIO

Jack McCoy designs residential and commercial landscapes in Knoxville, the Southeast United States, and beyond through his practice, Jack McCoy Garden Design Company. His work reflects a deep understanding of plants, shaped by global experiences in some of the world's most renowned gardens.

Jack's horticultural journey began in landscape construction as a teenager, followed by earning an Undergraduate Degree in landscape design and construction from The University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 2012. He furthered his design education at Inchbald School of Design in London, UK, where he received a Postgraduate Garden Design Degree.

In 2016, Jack volunteered at Great Dixter, the iconic garden of Christopher Lloyd and then returned as the Christopher Lloyd North American Scholar which is supported by Chanticleer Garden in Pennsylvania to train under head gardener Fergus Garrett. This marked the start of a transformative time at both Great Dixter and Chanticleer where he refined his design skills and plant knowledge.

Jack then received a fellowship at The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, managing Israel’s rare and endangered plant species. He credits this experience with deepening his understanding of plant ecology and survival. To expand his propagation expertise, Jack worked at Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh, North Carolina, known for its rare and unique perennials.

In 2022, Jack returned to Knoxville to focus on garden and landscape design, drawing from his diverse experiences to create gardens that are both beautiful and enduring.

You can learn more about Jack on Instagram at @jackmccoygardendesign, where he shares updates on his projects.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Jack McCoy on Garden Lessons from Travels Abroad (#37) Jared Barnes 00:59:01 In this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, I chat with Jack McCoy about his journey from childhood gardening in Knoxville to becoming a thoughtful garden designer envisioning southeastern landscapes. Jack shared how what began as a chore with his father grew into a deep passion for plants and landscapes. We discuss his pivotal experiences, from designing a rain garden at UT Knoxville to studying at the Inchbald School of Design. Jack also worked at Great Dixter where he learned to revere the soil and to embrace the dynamic nature of planting combinations. He also shares insights from his work at the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, observing plants in their native habitats and developing propagation techniques. Jack explores the concept of mass and void in garden design, his practice of using a notebook to document observations, ideas, and lessons learned, and more. Enjoy the show! In this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, I chat with Jack McCoy about his journey from childhood gardening in Knoxville to becoming a thoughtful garden designer envisioning southeastern landscapes. Jack shared how what began as a chore with his father grew into a deep passion for plants and landscapes. We discuss his pivotal experiences, from designing a rain garden at UT Knoxville to studying at the Inchbald School of Design. Jack also worked at Great Dixter where he learned to revere the soil and to embrace the dynamic nature of planting combinations. He also shares insights from his work at the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, observing plants in their native habitats and developing propagation techniques. Jack explores the concept of mass and void in garden design, his practice of using a notebook to document observations, ideas, and lessons learned, and more. Enjoy the show! home and garden, gardening, gardens, garden, garden designer, science, nature, garden design, planting, horticulture, landscape, plant, plants false full 37 9e180637-99e8-4bf0-9e6b-de0a3d3f11e9 Shannon Currey on Elevating Plantings with Education (#36) Grow your gardening skills with Dr, Jared's Botanic Bootcamp! 

SHANNON CURREY BIO

Shannon Currey is a horticultural educator with Izel Native Plants. After starting a career in social science research and education, she transitioned to horticulture in 2003, training in horticultural science and landscape design at North Carolina State University. She worked short stints at a local landscape design firm and at Niche Gardens, a pioneering native plant nursery in North Carolina. In 2007 Shannon joined Hoffman Nursery, a wholesale grower specializing in grasses, sedges, and other graminoids where over the next 15 years she developed a deep understanding of these specialized plants.

In 2022, Shannon joined Izel Native Plants, an online retailer for native plants, to expand their education and outreach efforts. Since joining Izel, her ongoing interest in native perennials has blossomed, as she researches, writes, and talks about their role in managed landscapes. A sought-after speaker, Shannon has shared her knowledge in nationally published articles and traveled throughout the country speaking to professional organizations, community groups, and at public gardens.

Shannon enjoys being involved with plants at a broader level and served on the Boards of the Perennial Plant Association and the Perennial Plant Foundation. She currently serves on the North Carolina Plant Conservation Program Scientific Committee, the Advisory Committee for the University of Georgia’s Landscape Architecture Short Course, and the Legislative Committee of the North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association (NCNLA). She was recognized by NCNLA in 2021 with the Libby Wilder Award for her contributions to the North Carolina plant industry.

Shannon lives in Durham, North Carolina and finds inspiration exploring the native flora in natural areas and cultivated gardens wherever her travels take her. You can learn more about Shannon on the Izel Plants blog, on Instagram @sscurrey, and LinkedIn.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sun, 12 Jan 2025 06:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Shannon Currey, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com Grow your gardening skills with Dr, Jared's Botanic Bootcamp! 

SHANNON CURREY BIO

Shannon Currey is a horticultural educator with Izel Native Plants. After starting a career in social science research and education, she transitioned to horticulture in 2003, training in horticultural science and landscape design at North Carolina State University. She worked short stints at a local landscape design firm and at Niche Gardens, a pioneering native plant nursery in North Carolina. In 2007 Shannon joined Hoffman Nursery, a wholesale grower specializing in grasses, sedges, and other graminoids where over the next 15 years she developed a deep understanding of these specialized plants.

In 2022, Shannon joined Izel Native Plants, an online retailer for native plants, to expand their education and outreach efforts. Since joining Izel, her ongoing interest in native perennials has blossomed, as she researches, writes, and talks about their role in managed landscapes. A sought-after speaker, Shannon has shared her knowledge in nationally published articles and traveled throughout the country speaking to professional organizations, community groups, and at public gardens.

Shannon enjoys being involved with plants at a broader level and served on the Boards of the Perennial Plant Association and the Perennial Plant Foundation. She currently serves on the North Carolina Plant Conservation Program Scientific Committee, the Advisory Committee for the University of Georgia’s Landscape Architecture Short Course, and the Legislative Committee of the North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association (NCNLA). She was recognized by NCNLA in 2021 with the Libby Wilder Award for her contributions to the North Carolina plant industry.

Shannon lives in Durham, North Carolina and finds inspiration exploring the native flora in natural areas and cultivated gardens wherever her travels take her. You can learn more about Shannon on the Izel Plants blog, on Instagram @sscurrey, and LinkedIn.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Shannon Currey on Elevating Plantings with Education (#36) Shannon Currey, Jared Barnes 01:11:25 In this episode of the Plantastic Podcast, I chat with Shannon Currey of Izel Native Plants about her path from social psychology to horticulture and how it shaped her passion for plants and landscapes. Shannon discusses the evolution of perennials in horticulture, from purely decorative elements to essential components of resilient, dynamic plantings. We explore the importance of understanding plant behavior, the role of native grasses and sedges in sustainable landscapes, and why living ground covers are a game-changer for gardeners. Shannon also shares practical insights on using tools like wetland indicator status and the heliophily index to make smarter plant choices and embrace the dynamic nature of gardens. Enjoy the show! In this episode of the Plantastic Podcast, I chat with Shannon Currey of Izel Native Plants about her path from social psychology to horticulture and how it shaped her passion for plants and landscapes. Shannon discusses the evolution of perennials in horticulture, from purely decorative elements to essential components of resilient, dynamic plantings. We explore the importance of understanding plant behavior, the role of native grasses and sedges in sustainable landscapes, and why living ground covers are a game-changer for gardeners. Shannon also shares practical insights on using tools like wetland indicator status and the heliophily index to make smarter plant choices and embrace the dynamic nature of gardens. Enjoy the show! home and garden, perennial, gardening, perennials, wildscape, gardens, landscape architecture, garden, garden designer, green infrastructure, science, nature, native plants, plant nursery, garden design, planting, horticulture, landscape architect, landscape, plant, plants, naturalistic planting false full 36 0909b2fc-fc8b-4908-b10e-eaab08007533 Ben O'Brien on Wild by Design (#35) Grow your gardening skills with Dr, Jared's Botanic Bootcamp! 

BEN O'BRIEN BIO

Ben O'Brien is the owner of Wild by Design, a naturalistic garden design business in Prince Edward County in Ontario that specializes in artfully crafted, richly planted, lovingly tended gardens. For the past decade Ben's passion for plants has informed a wide range of projects, from small town gardens to large rural properties and urban public spaces. Ben's trial garden research explores innovative ways to create beautiful, biodiverse and resilient designed plant communities. 

Ben has presented a webinar specifically focused on his trials for Garden Masterclass (UK), and appeared on their popular "Thursday Garden Chat" interview series. He has been a speaker for horticultural societies and professional landscape audiences across Ontario, and has written articles for the Ecological Landscape Alliance, the American Society of Landscape Architects' Professional Practice blog and Ground Magazine, published by the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects. You can learn more about Ben by visiting his instagram Wild by Design and his website Wild by Design, where he has multiple resources about grit gardening and the plant list.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sat, 14 Dec 2024 13:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes, Ben O'Brien) theplantasticpodcast.com Grow your gardening skills with Dr, Jared's Botanic Bootcamp! 

BEN O'BRIEN BIO

Ben O'Brien is the owner of Wild by Design, a naturalistic garden design business in Prince Edward County in Ontario that specializes in artfully crafted, richly planted, lovingly tended gardens. For the past decade Ben's passion for plants has informed a wide range of projects, from small town gardens to large rural properties and urban public spaces. Ben's trial garden research explores innovative ways to create beautiful, biodiverse and resilient designed plant communities. 

Ben has presented a webinar specifically focused on his trials for Garden Masterclass (UK), and appeared on their popular "Thursday Garden Chat" interview series. He has been a speaker for horticultural societies and professional landscape audiences across Ontario, and has written articles for the Ecological Landscape Alliance, the American Society of Landscape Architects' Professional Practice blog and Ground Magazine, published by the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects. You can learn more about Ben by visiting his instagram Wild by Design and his website Wild by Design, where he has multiple resources about grit gardening and the plant list.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Ben O'Brien on Wild by Design (#35) Jared Barnes, Ben O'Brien 01:01:36 In this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, I talk with Ben O’Brien to explore his journey into naturalistic planting design. Ben shares how his rural upbringing and a transformative visit to the High Line sparked his passion for blending wild and cultural landscapes. We dive into his innovative grit planting trials, where he tested growing plants in recycled materials with minimal inputs, and the lessons he's learned over a decade of practice. Ben emphasizes the importance of soil, plant layers, and long-term management in creating resilient, biodiverse landscapes. We also talk balancing parenthood and horticulture, how using drones helps him as a designer, and more. Whether you're a professional designer or a curious gardener, Ben's insights on embracing creativity and science in planting design are inspiring and actionable. Enjoy the show! In this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, I talk with Ben O’Brien to explore his journey into naturalistic planting design. Ben shares how his rural upbringing and a transformative visit to the High Line sparked his passion for blending wild and cultural landscapes. We dive into his innovative grit planting trials, where he tested growing plants in recycled materials with minimal inputs, and the lessons he's learned over a decade of practice. Ben emphasizes the importance of soil, plant layers, and long-term management in creating resilient, biodiverse landscapes. We also talk balancing parenthood and horticulture, how using drones helps him as a designer, and more. Whether you're a professional designer or a curious gardener, Ben's insights on embracing creativity and science in planting design are inspiring and actionable. Enjoy the show! home and garden, perennial, gardening, perennials, wildscape, gardens, landscape architecture, garden, garden designer, science, nature, garden design, planting, horticulture, landscape architect, landscape, plant, plants, naturalistic planting false full 35 d14fff87-379a-435d-b8d5-75d2f5076cdd Lucy Bellamy on A Year in Bloom (#34) BOTANIC BOOTCAMP

Grow your gardening skills with Dr, Jared's Botanic Bootcamp! 

LUCY BELLAMY BIO

Lucy Bellamy spent five years as editor of Gardens Illustrated magazine, during which she grew its print and digital readership to over 50,000—its highest level ever. In 2018, she won the British Society of Magazine Editors Editor of the Year award and has written three books.  Her most recent book A Year in Bloom is an illustrated insider’s guide to the best flowering bulbs for beautiful garden plantings throughout the year.  She showcases a wide-ranging selection of more than 150 bulbs, each presented with informative text, expert planting advice, and striking photography by Jason Ingram.

She has also authored Brilliant and Wild (winner of the Garden Media Guild Practical Book of the Year, 2018) and Grow 5: Simple seasonal ideas for small outdoor spaces with just five plants.

Lucy was the founding editor of Modern Gardens magazine and writes about gardening for national publications such as The Guardian and The Sunday Times. She lives in Bristol with her partner, multi-award-winning garden photographer Jason Ingram. You can learn more about Lucy and A Year in Bloom from her Instagram page and her Substack Garden and House.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

 

cuttings×gardening×propagation×grafting×garden×science×nature×plant growing×plant science×plant parenting×horticulture×plant×plants×plant propagation×

]]> Sat, 23 Nov 2024 13:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Lucy Bellamy, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com BOTANIC BOOTCAMP

Grow your gardening skills with Dr, Jared's Botanic Bootcamp! 

LUCY BELLAMY BIO

Lucy Bellamy spent five years as editor of Gardens Illustrated magazine, during which she grew its print and digital readership to over 50,000—its highest level ever. In 2018, she won the British Society of Magazine Editors Editor of the Year award and has written three books.  Her most recent book A Year in Bloom is an illustrated insider’s guide to the best flowering bulbs for beautiful garden plantings throughout the year.  She showcases a wide-ranging selection of more than 150 bulbs, each presented with informative text, expert planting advice, and striking photography by Jason Ingram.

She has also authored Brilliant and Wild (winner of the Garden Media Guild Practical Book of the Year, 2018) and Grow 5: Simple seasonal ideas for small outdoor spaces with just five plants.

Lucy was the founding editor of Modern Gardens magazine and writes about gardening for national publications such as The Guardian and The Sunday Times. She lives in Bristol with her partner, multi-award-winning garden photographer Jason Ingram. You can learn more about Lucy and A Year in Bloom from her Instagram page and her Substack Garden and House.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

 

cuttings×gardening×propagation×grafting×garden×science×nature×plant growing×plant science×plant parenting×horticulture×plant×plants×plant propagation×

]]> Lucy Bellamy on A Year in Bloom (#34) Lucy Bellamy, Jared Barnes 00:56:36 This month, I interviewed Lucy Bellamy on her new book A Year in Bloom. Lucy shared her journey of becoming a passionate gardener and editor of five years of Gardens Illustrated. With A Year in Bloom, we discussed how bulbs are perfect for sustainable planting, the creative blend of practicality and artistry in gardening, and the 50 experts she surveyed for the best bulbs for every growing season. She shared practical tips on planting and caring for different types of bulbs, such as adding grit for drainage and to mark areas where small bulbs are in the garden. Lucy provided insights into some specific favorite bulbs like Narcissus pseudonarcissus (lent lily), Tulipa sylvestris (woodland tulip), and Leucojum aestivum (summer snowflake). Enjoy the show! This month, I interviewed Lucy Bellamy on her new book A Year in Bloom. Lucy shared her journey of becoming a passionate gardener and editor of five years of Gardens Illustrated. With A Year in Bloom, we discussed how bulbs are perfect for sustainable planting, the creative blend of practicality and artistry in gardening, and the 50 experts she surveyed for the best bulbs for every growing season. She shared practical tips on planting and caring for different types of bulbs, such as adding grit for drainage and to mark areas where small bulbs are in the garden. Lucy provided insights into some specific favorite bulbs like Narcissus pseudonarcissus (lent lily), Tulipa sylvestris (woodland tulip), and Leucojum aestivum (summer snowflake). Enjoy the show! geophyte, garden writer, home and garden, bulbs, corm, perennial, gardening, perennials, uk gardeners, garden, uk gardener, garden writing, science, nature, plant growing, garden design, horticulture, bulb, rhizome, book author, plant, plants false full 34 b28b0781-ac5f-46a2-ba52-6362c78c109f Lis Meyer on Home Plant Propagation (#33) BOTANIC BOOTCAMP

Grow your gardening skills with Dr, Jared's Botanic Bootcamp! 

LIS MEYER BIO

This month’s episode of The Plantastic Podcast is Lis Meyer, a senior lecturer in the Dept. of Horticultural Science at NC State, where she has taught for the past 14 years. She currently teaches several courses in Plant Propagation, her favorite horticultural topic! As a native of North Carolina, she is grateful for the opportunity to pursue her passion for teaching at the best university in her home state.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sun, 15 Sep 2024 04:30:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Lis Meyer, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com BOTANIC BOOTCAMP

Grow your gardening skills with Dr, Jared's Botanic Bootcamp! 

LIS MEYER BIO

This month’s episode of The Plantastic Podcast is Lis Meyer, a senior lecturer in the Dept. of Horticultural Science at NC State, where she has taught for the past 14 years. She currently teaches several courses in Plant Propagation, her favorite horticultural topic! As a native of North Carolina, she is grateful for the opportunity to pursue her passion for teaching at the best university in her home state.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Lis Meyer on Home Plant Propagation (#33) Lis Meyer, Jared Barnes 01:08:12 This month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast with Lis Meyer is packed with practical tips on plant propagation including cuttings, bulb scaling, and grafting. Plus, don't miss several videos on propagation at the end of the show notes! This month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast with Lis Meyer is packed with practical tips on plant propagation including cuttings, bulb scaling, and grafting. Plus, don't miss several videos on propagation at the end of the show notes! cuttings, gardening, propagation, grafting, garden, science, nature, plant growing, plant science, plant parenting, horticulture, plant, plants, plant propagation false full 33 a4d2e412-f573-444a-a86e-cc4da62d581b Patrick Cullina on Dynamic Naturalistic Design (#32) PATRICK CULLINA BIO

Patrick Cullina is an award-winning horticulturist, landscape designer, photographer, lecturer, and organizational consultant with more than twenty-five years of experience in the landscape field. He runs a design and consulting business that is dedicated to the innovative and sensitive integration of plants and materials into a diverse range of compelling designs, drawing inspiration from the both the natural world and constructed environments alike.

Previously, he was the founding Vice President of Horticulture and Park Operations for New York City's High Line; the VP of Horticulture, Operations & Science Research at Brooklyn Botanic Garden; and the Associate Director of The Rutgers University Gardens in affiliation with the school's Department of Landscape Architecture.

Throughout his career, he has served as a consultant and advisor to an array of public and private clients and projects and has lectured throughout the U.S. and abroad for universities, public gardens, garden clubs, horticultural organizations, museums, libraries and professional organizations on the subjects of plants, living environments, horticulture, landscape design, landscape maintenance and the urban experience.
His consulting work provides services to a host of private, municipal, corporate and conservancy clients and to a number of leading landscape architecture and architecture firms. His work in horticulture has been recognized by organizations like the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Garden Club of America (Zone Horticultural Commendation, 2010), and the Garden Club of New Jersey (Gold Medal, 2005).

You can learn more about Patrick Cullina through his website and on Instagram @pjctwo.

 

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Sun, 11 Aug 2024 08:45:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Patrick Cullina, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com PATRICK CULLINA BIO

Patrick Cullina is an award-winning horticulturist, landscape designer, photographer, lecturer, and organizational consultant with more than twenty-five years of experience in the landscape field. He runs a design and consulting business that is dedicated to the innovative and sensitive integration of plants and materials into a diverse range of compelling designs, drawing inspiration from the both the natural world and constructed environments alike.

Previously, he was the founding Vice President of Horticulture and Park Operations for New York City's High Line; the VP of Horticulture, Operations & Science Research at Brooklyn Botanic Garden; and the Associate Director of The Rutgers University Gardens in affiliation with the school's Department of Landscape Architecture.

Throughout his career, he has served as a consultant and advisor to an array of public and private clients and projects and has lectured throughout the U.S. and abroad for universities, public gardens, garden clubs, horticultural organizations, museums, libraries and professional organizations on the subjects of plants, living environments, horticulture, landscape design, landscape maintenance and the urban experience.
His consulting work provides services to a host of private, municipal, corporate and conservancy clients and to a number of leading landscape architecture and architecture firms. His work in horticulture has been recognized by organizations like the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Garden Club of America (Zone Horticultural Commendation, 2010), and the Garden Club of New Jersey (Gold Medal, 2005).

You can learn more about Patrick Cullina through his website and on Instagram @pjctwo.

 

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Patrick Cullina on Dynamic Naturalistic Design (#32) Patrick Cullina, Jared Barnes 01:49:22 This month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast with Patrick Cullina is a master class in naturalistic planting. Here's 12 things I learned from our conversation: Patrick’s approach to categorizing plants to simplify design (8 minute mark), his preference for gravity over novelty in plant choice (20 minute mark), crafting narratives in landscapes (24 minute mark), his design process with three groups — grasses, long-lived perennial anchors, and blooming elements (33 minute mark), how changing the context alters plant perception (43 minute mark), the pros and cons to the block versus matrix/blended style of planting (50 minute mark), how to make landscapes that consume less (59 minute mark), thinking of flowers for their shapes instead of just their color (1:01 minute mark), how to tell stories for visitors to the High Line (1:07 minute mark), how to train someone on editing a planting (1:14 minute mark), the importance of regional ecologies (1:29 minute mark), and how we can propagate the love for plants by telling stories and rewarding interest (1:38 minute mark). This month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast with Patrick Cullina is a master class in naturalistic planting. Here's 12 things I learned from our conversation: Patrick’s approach to categorizing plants to simplify design (8 minute mark), his preference for gravity over novelty in plant choice (20 minute mark), crafting narratives in landscapes (24 minute mark), his design process with three groups — grasses, long-lived perennial anchors, and blooming elements (33 minute mark), how changing the context alters plant perception (43 minute mark), the pros and cons to the block versus matrix/blended style of planting (50 minute mark), how to make landscapes that consume less (59 minute mark), thinking of flowers for their shapes instead of just their color (1:01 minute mark), how to tell stories for visitors to the High Line (1:07 minute mark), how to train someone on editing a planting (1:14 minute mark), the importance of regional ecologies (1:29 minute mark), and how we can propagate the love for plants by telling stories and rewarding interest (1:38 minute mark). ecology, home and garden, naturalistic design, gardening, gardens, garden, landscape design, ecological planting, nature, landscape architect\, native plants, high line, landscape, flowers, plant, plants, naturalistic planting false full 32 c9f017ad-29eb-4968-a988-a30949bb20bd Erin Presley on Making Gardens Relatable to All (#31) ERIN PRESLEY BIO

A lifelong Wisconsin girl, Erin Presley grew up in the rural center of the state and has a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has worked as a boots-on-the-ground gardener for more than two decades, both in the private sector and as a horticulturist at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison since 2014. Her interests include native woodland plantings, sedges, low-maintenance and drought-tolerant gardening styles, recycling woody debris, and all things related to herbs, vegetables, and cooking. In addition to teaching at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Erin loves talking plants and collaborating with herb societies, master gardeners, and local community organizations. Never shy when it comes to sharing the joy of gardening, she has appeared on the nationally syndicated podcast Cultivating Place and Wisconsin Public Radio’s Garden Talk and is a contributor publications such as Fine Gardening and Edible Madison. Learn more about Erin by visiting her Instagram @presleyspreferredplants, listening to her interview on Cultivating Place, interviews on Garden Talk with Larry Meiller, the PBS presentation with Rita Peters, and visit Olbrich Botanical Gardens

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing! 

]]> Fri, 5 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com ERIN PRESLEY BIO

A lifelong Wisconsin girl, Erin Presley grew up in the rural center of the state and has a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has worked as a boots-on-the-ground gardener for more than two decades, both in the private sector and as a horticulturist at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison since 2014. Her interests include native woodland plantings, sedges, low-maintenance and drought-tolerant gardening styles, recycling woody debris, and all things related to herbs, vegetables, and cooking. In addition to teaching at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Erin loves talking plants and collaborating with herb societies, master gardeners, and local community organizations. Never shy when it comes to sharing the joy of gardening, she has appeared on the nationally syndicated podcast Cultivating Place and Wisconsin Public Radio’s Garden Talk and is a contributor publications such as Fine Gardening and Edible Madison. Learn more about Erin by visiting her Instagram @presleyspreferredplants, listening to her interview on Cultivating Place, interviews on Garden Talk with Larry Meiller, the PBS presentation with Rita Peters, and visit Olbrich Botanical Gardens

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing! 

]]> Erin Presley on Making Gardens Relatable to All (#31) Jared Barnes 01:18:50 For July's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Erin Presley speaks about the importance of making gardens relatable for everyone. She is a horticulturist at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin where she manages the herb garden, native woodland areas, pond garden, and gravel garden. She highlights unique projects, including creating culturally relevant gardens with Ho Chunk Nation and Hmong communities and hosting events like making milkweed soup and a special cucumber drink. Erin also discusses innovative gardening techniques like hugelkultur, gravel gardens, and incorporating woody debris into the garden and how these practices contribute to sustainable planting. Our conversation covers Erin's dedication to fostering a love for nature and plants and emphasizes building a supportive horticultural community and the value of community engagement in public gardens. Enjoy the show! For July's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Erin Presley speaks about the importance of making gardens relatable for everyone. She is a horticulturist at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin where she manages the herb garden, native woodland areas, pond garden, and gravel garden. She highlights unique projects, including creating culturally relevant gardens with Ho Chunk Nation and Hmong communities and hosting events like making milkweed soup and a special cucumber drink. Erin also discusses innovative gardening techniques like hugelkultur, gravel gardens, and incorporating woody debris into the garden and how these practices contribute to sustainable planting. Our conversation covers Erin's dedication to fostering a love for nature and plants and emphasizes building a supportive horticultural community and the value of community engagement in public gardens. Enjoy the show! flower, public garden, garden writer, gardening, botanical garden, garden, native plants, herb garden, kitchen garden, olbrich botanical garden, wisconsin, public gardens, flowers, plant, hugelkultur, plants false full 31 1c2565b7-e3d4-429c-946b-ca1575cdb1ea Gary Lewis on Ground Covers for Every Garden (#30) GARY LEWIS BIO

Gary Lewis has had a life-long interest in plants and gardening. His retail and mail order nursery, Phoenix Perennials, located in Richmond, BC, offers more than 5000 different plants. Gary authored The Complete Book of Ground Covers: 4000 Plants that Reduce Maintenance, Control Erosion, and Beautify the Landscape and has written for various garden magazines including Fine Gardening and has been a frequent guest on local and regional radio and television stations in British Columbia. He speaks regularly to garden clubs around BC and the Pacific Northwest and has presented at conferences across North America. In 2013 he was selected as Communicator of the Year by the BC Landscape and Nursery Association and in 2014 as one of Canada’s Top 10 Horticultural Professionals under 40 by Greenhouse Canada magazine. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Perennial Plant Association and is a committee member of Great Plant Picks.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 7 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Gary Lewis, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com GARY LEWIS BIO

Gary Lewis has had a life-long interest in plants and gardening. His retail and mail order nursery, Phoenix Perennials, located in Richmond, BC, offers more than 5000 different plants. Gary authored The Complete Book of Ground Covers: 4000 Plants that Reduce Maintenance, Control Erosion, and Beautify the Landscape and has written for various garden magazines including Fine Gardening and has been a frequent guest on local and regional radio and television stations in British Columbia. He speaks regularly to garden clubs around BC and the Pacific Northwest and has presented at conferences across North America. In 2013 he was selected as Communicator of the Year by the BC Landscape and Nursery Association and in 2014 as one of Canada’s Top 10 Horticultural Professionals under 40 by Greenhouse Canada magazine. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Perennial Plant Association and is a committee member of Great Plant Picks.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Gary Lewis on Ground Covers for Every Garden (#30) Gary Lewis, Jared Barnes 01:08:50 In this episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Gary Lewis, the owner of Phoenix Perennials and author of The Complete Book of Ground Covers. Gary takes us on a journey through his lifelong passion for plants, highlighted by his hands-on experience at a wholesale nursery, his self-taught mastery within the horticultural field, and buying a nursery when he was working on his master's degree at 28. Gary's love for ground covers comes alive as he illuminates their aesthetic, functional, and environmental benefits while offering advice on their effective use in garden designs. Additionally, Gary shares about the challenges and strategies behind running a diverse nursery, the importance of fostering curiosity and diversity in horticulture, the complex choices involved in writing a book featuring 4,000 ground covers, and his travels around the world. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to deepen their gardening insights and creativity. Enjoy the show! In this episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Gary Lewis, the owner of Phoenix Perennials and author of The Complete Book of Ground Covers. Gary takes us on a journey through his lifelong passion for plants, highlighted by his hands-on experience at a wholesale nursery, his self-taught mastery within the horticultural field, and buying a nursery when he was working on his master's degree at 28. Gary's love for ground covers comes alive as he illuminates their aesthetic, functional, and environmental benefits while offering advice on their effective use in garden designs. Additionally, Gary shares about the challenges and strategies behind running a diverse nursery, the importance of fostering curiosity and diversity in horticulture, the complex choices involved in writing a book featuring 4,000 ground covers, and his travels around the world. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to deepen their gardening insights and creativity. Enjoy the show! home and garden, ground cover, gardening, gardens, garden, nursery, nature, garden design, gardener, travel, garden center, landscape false full 30 e2be6576-79a6-4f13-acfa-2ea8e4422855 Polly Nicholson on The Tulip Garden (#29) POLLY NICHOLSON BIO

Specialist flower grower and tulip expert, Polly Nicholson is the owner of Bayntun Flowers in Wiltshire – growers of organic flowers cultivated in walled gardens and a one-acre field at the foot of the Marlborough Downs in Wiltshire. Nicholson holds the National Collection of Tulipa (Historic) with Plant Heritage, and has been featured on BBC Gardener’s World, Radio 4, in Gardens Illustrated, Country Life, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, The World of Interiors, and House & Garden.  Learn more about Polly through her book The Tulip Garden, her Instagram @bayntunflowers, and her website Bayntun Flowers.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

 

]]> Fri, 3 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Polly Nicholson, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com POLLY NICHOLSON BIO

Specialist flower grower and tulip expert, Polly Nicholson is the owner of Bayntun Flowers in Wiltshire – growers of organic flowers cultivated in walled gardens and a one-acre field at the foot of the Marlborough Downs in Wiltshire. Nicholson holds the National Collection of Tulipa (Historic) with Plant Heritage, and has been featured on BBC Gardener’s World, Radio 4, in Gardens Illustrated, Country Life, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, The World of Interiors, and House & Garden.  Learn more about Polly through her book The Tulip Garden, her Instagram @bayntunflowers, and her website Bayntun Flowers.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

 

]]> Polly Nicholson on The Tulip Garden (#29) Polly Nicholson, Jared Barnes 00:57:25 In this episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Polly Nicholson, owner of Bayntun Flowers and author of The Tulip Garden, shares her deep-rooted love for plants and her journey into gardening and tulip cultivation. Polly provides insights into historical tulip species, her dedication to preserving tulip varieties, and the importance of maintaining heritage plants. She also delves into the history of tulips from Tulipmania and how a virus turned a bulb into a frenzied commodity to how an Ottoman Emperor used a clever way to light tulip flowers at night. Polly discusses lessons from her organic flower farm, and she offers valuable advice for gardeners about designing with tulips, soil health, organic practices, and how to successfully cultivate, save, and rotate tulips. Enjoy the show! In this episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Polly Nicholson, owner of Bayntun Flowers and author of The Tulip Garden, shares her deep-rooted love for plants and her journey into gardening and tulip cultivation. Polly provides insights into historical tulip species, her dedication to preserving tulip varieties, and the importance of maintaining heritage plants. She also delves into the history of tulips from Tulipmania and how a virus turned a bulb into a frenzied commodity to how an Ottoman Emperor used a clever way to light tulip flowers at night. Polly discusses lessons from her organic flower farm, and she offers valuable advice for gardeners about designing with tulips, soil health, organic practices, and how to successfully cultivate, save, and rotate tulips. Enjoy the show! tulips, cut flowers, gardening, garden, floral, nature, organic gardening, heritage plants, garden design, florist, organic farmer, art history, historical plants, landscape, tulip, flowers, plants false full 29 8bcd46b2-687f-4a82-8f80-800a6dd94cec Preston Montague on Urban Planting and Design (#28) PRESTON MONTAGUE BIO

Preston Montague is a landscape architect and artist working to strengthen relationships between people and the natural world. His eponymous studio focuses on creating a flow between the arts, horticulture, and landscape architecture in the pursuit of building places that have meaning and ecological depth. When not in the studio, Preston enjoys teaching landscape architecture at North Carolina A&T University and hiking the wilder places. You can connect with Preston Montague via his website, Instagram, or LinkedIn.  Learn more about Polly through her book The Tulip Garden, her Instagram @baintonflowers, and website Bayntun Flowers provide more information about her work.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 5 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Preston Montague, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com PRESTON MONTAGUE BIO

Preston Montague is a landscape architect and artist working to strengthen relationships between people and the natural world. His eponymous studio focuses on creating a flow between the arts, horticulture, and landscape architecture in the pursuit of building places that have meaning and ecological depth. When not in the studio, Preston enjoys teaching landscape architecture at North Carolina A&T University and hiking the wilder places. You can connect with Preston Montague via his website, Instagram, or LinkedIn.  Learn more about Polly through her book The Tulip Garden, her Instagram @baintonflowers, and website Bayntun Flowers provide more information about her work.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Preston Montague on Urban Planting and Design (#28) Preston Montague, Jared Barnes 01:12:49 In this episode of The Plantastic Podcast, we delve into the world of urban planting and design with Preston Montague. Preston shares his journey from a childhood love of plants to a career in landscape architecture, inspired by his parents and his passion for gardening. Discover practical tips on incorporating water features into your garden from Preston's early interest in aquariums, using native plants to enhance urban landscapes, and the role of unsung shrubs in plantings. Preston also offers insights into his creative process, including his unique drawing practice. Don't miss this inspiring conversation on transforming our urban spaces into thriving, green sanctuaries. In this episode of The Plantastic Podcast, we delve into the world of urban planting and design with Preston Montague. Preston shares his journey from a childhood love of plants to a career in landscape architecture, inspired by his parents and his passion for gardening. Discover practical tips on incorporating water features into your garden from Preston's early interest in aquariums, using native plants to enhance urban landscapes, and the role of unsung shrubs in plantings. Preston also offers insights into his creative process, including his unique drawing practice. Don't miss this inspiring conversation on transforming our urban spaces into thriving, green sanctuaries. flower, home and garden, urban planting, shrub, gardens, landscape architecture, garden, garden designer, nature, garden design, flora, shrubs, horticulture, landscape architect, landscape, flowers, plant, plants false full 28 63c7999d-e41b-45a5-ba9f-8f385936c7b1 Jazmin Albarran on Seed Your Future (#27) JAZMIN ALBARRAN BIO

Jazmin Albarran, MBA, is the Seed Your Future Executive Director with over a decade of change and systems management experience. With a solid knowledge of associations and philanthropy, she will bring her skills and expertise in planning, leading, and managing development projects and programs to the movement. She has experience in a broad range of nonprofit organizations, including those focused on crisis support, youth development, and workforce development. Jazmin will lead Seed Your Future’s next phase of growth, promoting horticulture sectors and the nationwide expansion of career development opportunities with plants.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 1 Mar 2024 13:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jazmin Albarran, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com JAZMIN ALBARRAN BIO

Jazmin Albarran, MBA, is the Seed Your Future Executive Director with over a decade of change and systems management experience. With a solid knowledge of associations and philanthropy, she will bring her skills and expertise in planning, leading, and managing development projects and programs to the movement. She has experience in a broad range of nonprofit organizations, including those focused on crisis support, youth development, and workforce development. Jazmin will lead Seed Your Future’s next phase of growth, promoting horticulture sectors and the nationwide expansion of career development opportunities with plants.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Jazmin Albarran on Seed Your Future (#27) Jazmin Albarran, Jared Barnes 00:53:29 If you've ever wondered how we can share gardening with the next generation, then this episode of The Plantastic Podcast is for you. We dive into the world of horticulture careers with Jazmin Albarran, Executive Director of Seed Your Future. We discuss the diverse career opportunities in horticulture and how Seed Your Future has bridged the gap for connecting people to horticulture. Jazmin addresses common misconceptions about horticulture careers and offers practical strategies for overcoming them, such as engaging with social media influencers, creating and sharing educational content, and publicizing at garden centers. We cover the importance of industry involvement and home gardeners in nurturing the next generation of horticulturists, and we discuss the resources students need to explore plant-related careers based on their passions and interests. Don't miss out on this valuable discussion about the passion, purpose, and potential of horticulture. Enjoy the show! If you've ever wondered how we can share gardening with the next generation, then this episode of The Plantastic Podcast is for you. We dive into the world of horticulture careers with Jazmin Albarran, Executive Director of Seed Your Future. We discuss the diverse career opportunities in horticulture and how Seed Your Future has bridged the gap for connecting people to horticulture. Jazmin addresses common misconceptions about horticulture careers and offers practical strategies for overcoming them, such as engaging with social media influencers, creating and sharing educational content, and publicizing at garden centers. We cover the importance of industry involvement and home gardeners in nurturing the next generation of horticulturists, and we discuss the resources students need to explore plant-related careers based on their passions and interests. Don't miss out on this valuable discussion about the passion, purpose, and potential of horticulture. Enjoy the show! flower, home and garden, gardening, gardens, garden, seed your future, nature, horticulture, green industry, flowers, plant, plants false full 27 3262a3fb-eebd-4d44-a23b-e9f73ec297eb Julie Witmer on Designing Gardens and Inspiring Minds (#26) JULIE WITMER BIO

Julie Witmer works to create beautiful and ecologically sensitive gardens across the continental United States. She began in perennial production and garden nursery retail before earning a Certificate of Horticulture—Britain’s professional gardener qualification—from the Royal Horticultural Society in Wisley, UK. She is a popular local speaker, teaching classes for all ages, and is a published garden photographer in books by Timber Press, Kew Gardens, and Rodale. Her own garden, Havenwood, is nearly one acre and divided into fifteen diverse garden spaces which grow a wide variety and succession of plants throughout the year. 

With a keen eye for design and place, Julie has worked with private clients for nearly twenty years, helping them realize their own garden dreams, and providing one-on-one coaching in order to grow the skills of the gardener alongside their garden. She shares online classes and garden inspiration on her Substack Julie Witmer Gardens and Instagram at @juliewitmergardens. 

You can learn more about Julie by visiting her website juliewitmer.com.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 2 Feb 2024 13:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Julie Witmer, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com JULIE WITMER BIO

Julie Witmer works to create beautiful and ecologically sensitive gardens across the continental United States. She began in perennial production and garden nursery retail before earning a Certificate of Horticulture—Britain’s professional gardener qualification—from the Royal Horticultural Society in Wisley, UK. She is a popular local speaker, teaching classes for all ages, and is a published garden photographer in books by Timber Press, Kew Gardens, and Rodale. Her own garden, Havenwood, is nearly one acre and divided into fifteen diverse garden spaces which grow a wide variety and succession of plants throughout the year. 

With a keen eye for design and place, Julie has worked with private clients for nearly twenty years, helping them realize their own garden dreams, and providing one-on-one coaching in order to grow the skills of the gardener alongside their garden. She shares online classes and garden inspiration on her Substack Julie Witmer Gardens and Instagram at @juliewitmergardens. 

You can learn more about Julie by visiting her website juliewitmer.com.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Julie Witmer on Designing Gardens and Inspiring Minds (#26) Julie Witmer, Jared Barnes 00:59:24 In this month’s episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Julie Witmer shares her journey on becoming a passionate garden designer in Pennsylvania. She talks about how she was influenced by figures like Christopher Lloyd and Beth Chatto and her continuous learning and problem-solving in gardening. Julie's expertise shines through with her design business, her homeschooling practices, and helping families design better spaces with plants. We talk about aligning gardens with personal desires and the environment; how with writing, teaching, and engagement she shares her knowledge and love for plants; layering plants and how to think about a garden; her daily routines of observing seasonal changes; and how we can make gardening accessible and enjoyable for all. Enjoy the show! In this month’s episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Julie Witmer shares her journey on becoming a passionate garden designer in Pennsylvania. She talks about how she was influenced by figures like Christopher Lloyd and Beth Chatto and her continuous learning and problem-solving in gardening. Julie's expertise shines through with her design business, her homeschooling practices, and helping families design better spaces with plants. We talk about aligning gardens with personal desires and the environment; how with writing, teaching, and engagement she shares her knowledge and love for plants; layering plants and how to think about a garden; her daily routines of observing seasonal changes; and how we can make gardening accessible and enjoyable for all. Enjoy the show! flower, home and garden, gardens, garden, garden designer, nature, wildflowers, garden design, flora, horticulture, flowers, plant, plants false full 26 692e6bfe-3f64-48a6-bc6d-0342c50f1aff Scott Beuerlein on Bridging Flora and Fauna at Zoos (#25) SCOTT BEUERLEIN BIOGRAPHY

Scott Beuerlein is the Manager of Botanical Garden Outreach at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. He runs the Zoo’s Botanical Garden educational programs, including three symposiums. He is involved in most of the department’s other outreach and with the plant trialing.  

Scott is a 1982 graduate of Xavier University, earning a B.A. in Communication Arts. He is an ONLA Certified Landscape Technician and an ISA Certified Arborist.  Scott is also a garden writer and horticultural speaker. He has published hundreds of articles and columns in several gardening and green industry publications. He currently pens two columns in each issue of Horticulture Magazine—the (usually, hopefully!) humorous Deep Roots column and the Garden Views series of interviews. Scott is a partner in the long running and highly respected GardenRant blog and posts about twice a month.  Learn more about Scott by visiting his website, by reading his articles on GardenRant and Horticulture Magazine, and learning from the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanic Garden's website where there are additional resources, including event details, trialing program brochures, and the plant for pollinators initiative.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 5 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Scott Beuerlein, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com SCOTT BEUERLEIN BIOGRAPHY

Scott Beuerlein is the Manager of Botanical Garden Outreach at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. He runs the Zoo’s Botanical Garden educational programs, including three symposiums. He is involved in most of the department’s other outreach and with the plant trialing.  

Scott is a 1982 graduate of Xavier University, earning a B.A. in Communication Arts. He is an ONLA Certified Landscape Technician and an ISA Certified Arborist.  Scott is also a garden writer and horticultural speaker. He has published hundreds of articles and columns in several gardening and green industry publications. He currently pens two columns in each issue of Horticulture Magazine—the (usually, hopefully!) humorous Deep Roots column and the Garden Views series of interviews. Scott is a partner in the long running and highly respected GardenRant blog and posts about twice a month.  Learn more about Scott by visiting his website, by reading his articles on GardenRant and Horticulture Magazine, and learning from the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanic Garden's website where there are additional resources, including event details, trialing program brochures, and the plant for pollinators initiative.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Scott Beuerlein on Bridging Flora and Fauna at Zoos (#25) Scott Beuerlein, Jared Barnes 01:04:21 In this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, I interview Scott Beuerlein, Manager of Botanical Garden Outreach at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. We talk about his circuitous journey into horticulture, the synergy between plants and animals at the zoo, their plant trials program, achieving the highest level of ArbNet accreditation, and how they engage their community. Scott also gives us a glimpse into his creative process with writing for GardenRant and Horticulture Magazine and some advice on how to plant better based on his experiences at the zoo. Enjoy the show! In this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, I interview Scott Beuerlein, Manager of Botanical Garden Outreach at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. We talk about his circuitous journey into horticulture, the synergy between plants and animals at the zoo, their plant trials program, achieving the highest level of ArbNet accreditation, and how they engage their community. Scott also gives us a glimpse into his creative process with writing for GardenRant and Horticulture Magazine and some advice on how to plant better based on his experiences at the zoo. Enjoy the show! public garden, home and garden, zoo, gardens, museum, botanical garden, garden, animals, nature, botanical gardens, horticulturist, flora and fauna, botanic garden, horticulture, public gardens, green industry, cincinnati zoo and botanical garden, plant, plants false full 25 2a9dc92c-6894-46c4-8ed9-f50b00693aba Janet Draper on Creativity at Smithsonian Gardens (#24) JANET DRAPER BIO

Janet Draper has been the sole gardener for Smithsonian’s Mary Livingston Ripley Garden for 26 years.   This tiny 1/3 of an acre garden is located on the National Mall and is open 24 hours a day to visitors from around the globe.  Janet’s roles in the garden include everything from design and maintenance to cleaning the fountain and answering questions from visitors.  Janet’s approach is to try to do something different every year to challenge herself and to keep educating visitors about the amazing diversity of plants! 

Janet was raised in a rural farming community in Indiana and always knew she wanted to do something with plants. She pursued a bachelor’s in horticulture from Purdue University in 1987. Afterwards, she sought addition training with a series of internships that took her further than she could ever have imagined. She worked at Mt. Cuba Center for the Study of Native Piedmont Plants in Greenville, Delaware before it was open to the public; Kurt Bluemel’s nursery in neighboring Maryland where she learned the European approach to running a nursery, the famed perennial nursery of Countess von Stein-Zeppelin in Germany’s Black Forest, and Beth Chatto at her amazing Nursery and Garden in Elmstead Market, England. 

Once back in the States, she continued to gain experience at numerous nurseries from Long Island to Illinois.  After nearly a decade of working in perennial nurseries, she then started putting plants in the ground instead of little black plastic pots as an estate gardener and contractor for Oehme van Sweden where she helped install and maintain their designs.  She also helped co-found the Annapolis Horticulture Society. You can learn more by visiting Smithsonian Gardens, by contacting Janet at her email address drapeja@si.edu, and by following Smithsonian Gardens on Instagram.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 1 Dec 2023 13:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Janet Draper, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com JANET DRAPER BIO

Janet Draper has been the sole gardener for Smithsonian’s Mary Livingston Ripley Garden for 26 years.   This tiny 1/3 of an acre garden is located on the National Mall and is open 24 hours a day to visitors from around the globe.  Janet’s roles in the garden include everything from design and maintenance to cleaning the fountain and answering questions from visitors.  Janet’s approach is to try to do something different every year to challenge herself and to keep educating visitors about the amazing diversity of plants! 

Janet was raised in a rural farming community in Indiana and always knew she wanted to do something with plants. She pursued a bachelor’s in horticulture from Purdue University in 1987. Afterwards, she sought addition training with a series of internships that took her further than she could ever have imagined. She worked at Mt. Cuba Center for the Study of Native Piedmont Plants in Greenville, Delaware before it was open to the public; Kurt Bluemel’s nursery in neighboring Maryland where she learned the European approach to running a nursery, the famed perennial nursery of Countess von Stein-Zeppelin in Germany’s Black Forest, and Beth Chatto at her amazing Nursery and Garden in Elmstead Market, England. 

Once back in the States, she continued to gain experience at numerous nurseries from Long Island to Illinois.  After nearly a decade of working in perennial nurseries, she then started putting plants in the ground instead of little black plastic pots as an estate gardener and contractor for Oehme van Sweden where she helped install and maintain their designs.  She also helped co-found the Annapolis Horticulture Society. You can learn more by visiting Smithsonian Gardens, by contacting Janet at her email address drapeja@si.edu, and by following Smithsonian Gardens on Instagram.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Janet Draper on Creativity at Smithsonian Gardens (#24) Janet Draper, Jared Barnes 01:15:11 This month for The Plantastic Podcast, I interviewed Janet Draper, the sole gardener Energizer Bunny of the Smithsonian’s Mary Livingston Ripley Garden for 26 years. Janet shared the impact of internships at Mt. Cuba Center, Kurt Bluemel’s nursery, the famed perennial nursery of Countess von Stein-Zeppelin in Germany’s Black Forest, and Beth Chatto's Garden and Nursery. We discuss why it matters to know a plant from seed to flower, how she continues to create dazzling combinations in the garden after many years, and how friends helped restore the garden after it was trampled during an inauguration. Enjoy the show! This month for The Plantastic Podcast, I interviewed Janet Draper, the sole gardener Energizer Bunny of the Smithsonian’s Mary Livingston Ripley Garden for 26 years. Janet shared the impact of internships at Mt. Cuba Center, Kurt Bluemel’s nursery, the famed perennial nursery of Countess von Stein-Zeppelin in Germany’s Black Forest, and Beth Chatto's Garden and Nursery. We discuss why it matters to know a plant from seed to flower, how she continues to create dazzling combinations in the garden after many years, and how friends helped restore the garden after it was trampled during an inauguration. Enjoy the show! internships, public garden, home and garden, gardens, museum, garden, nursery, nature, gardener, horticulture, green industry, plant, plants, smithsonian false full 24 f2388e28-b6de-451d-ac39-e0972cbb8895 David Hoffman on Grasses and Green Infrastructure (#23) DAVID HOFFMAN BIO

David Hoffman is Chief Operating Officer at Hoffman Nursery, Inc. in Rougemont, N.C. Hoffman Nursery is a wholesale nursery specializing in ornamental and native grass liners for the horticultural trade. David grew up on the nursery, which was started in 1986 by his parents, John and Jill. In 2012, David earned his horticulture degree from NC State University. After a two-year internship at Stauden Peters Nursery in Germany, David returned to Hoffman Nursery, where he applied his experience with European automation and quality control techniques. In 2022, David assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer of Hoffman Nursery. He oversees long range strategic planning and the management of operations, sales and marketing, IT, and HR. This position involves decisions and communications across all sectors of the nursery and nursery-managed properties. He is passionate about the role grasses, sedges, and other plants play in nature-based solutions for sustainable environmental management and resilience.

David is a member of the various organizations including Perennial Plant Association (PPA), International Plant Propagator’s Society (IPPS), AmericanHort, American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), and North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association (NCNLA). In addition to serving on the board of the JC Raulston Arboretum, David has been honored with the Perennial Plant Association’s Young Professional Award, NC State University’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award, NCNLA’s Bill Wilder Outstanding Young Nursery Professional Award, and a 40 Under 40 Award from Greenhouse Product News.  You can learn more about him by visiting his website hoffmannursery.com or their LinkedIn page Hoffman Nursery.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 3 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (David Hoffman, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com DAVID HOFFMAN BIO

David Hoffman is Chief Operating Officer at Hoffman Nursery, Inc. in Rougemont, N.C. Hoffman Nursery is a wholesale nursery specializing in ornamental and native grass liners for the horticultural trade. David grew up on the nursery, which was started in 1986 by his parents, John and Jill. In 2012, David earned his horticulture degree from NC State University. After a two-year internship at Stauden Peters Nursery in Germany, David returned to Hoffman Nursery, where he applied his experience with European automation and quality control techniques. In 2022, David assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer of Hoffman Nursery. He oversees long range strategic planning and the management of operations, sales and marketing, IT, and HR. This position involves decisions and communications across all sectors of the nursery and nursery-managed properties. He is passionate about the role grasses, sedges, and other plants play in nature-based solutions for sustainable environmental management and resilience.

David is a member of the various organizations including Perennial Plant Association (PPA), International Plant Propagator’s Society (IPPS), AmericanHort, American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), and North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association (NCNLA). In addition to serving on the board of the JC Raulston Arboretum, David has been honored with the Perennial Plant Association’s Young Professional Award, NC State University’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award, NCNLA’s Bill Wilder Outstanding Young Nursery Professional Award, and a 40 Under 40 Award from Greenhouse Product News.  You can learn more about him by visiting his website hoffmannursery.com or their LinkedIn page Hoffman Nursery.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> David Hoffman on Grasses and Green Infrastructure (#23) David Hoffman, Jared Barnes 01:06:27 This month, I interview David Hoffman on The Plantastic Podcast. David Hoffman is Chief Operating Officer at Hoffman Nursery in North Carolina. In this wide-ranging, fun episode, we discuss the role of ornamental grasses and the way their growth patterns affect planting strategies. We also cover green infrastructure and how it's being implemented in various urban communities to clean up water and create healthier urban environments. David also talks about the challenges of managing a nursery and the importance of consistency and innovation. Enjoy the show! This month, I interview David Hoffman on The Plantastic Podcast. David Hoffman is Chief Operating Officer at Hoffman Nursery in North Carolina. In this wide-ranging, fun episode, we discuss the role of ornamental grasses and the way their growth patterns affect planting strategies. We also cover green infrastructure and how it's being implemented in various urban communities to clean up water and create healthier urban environments. David also talks about the challenges of managing a nursery and the importance of consistency and innovation. Enjoy the show! home and garden, gardening, garden, igc, green infrastructure, nursery, grasses, nature, gardener, green roofs, garden center, horticulture, teaching, green industry, stormwater management, grass, plant, plants false full 23 b0225b57-5b1f-444d-89af-04c18b71dd97 Susan Poizner on Success with Fruit Trees (#22) SUSAN POIZNER BIO

Susan Poizner is an urban orchardist in Toronto, Canada and the author of Grow Fruit Trees Fast and Growing Urban Orchards. Susan trains new growers worldwide through her award-winning fruit tree care training program at Orchardpeople.com. Susan is also the host of The Urban Forestry Radio Show and Podcast and an ISA Certified Arborist.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 6 Oct 2023 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Susan Poizner, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com SUSAN POIZNER BIO

Susan Poizner is an urban orchardist in Toronto, Canada and the author of Grow Fruit Trees Fast and Growing Urban Orchards. Susan trains new growers worldwide through her award-winning fruit tree care training program at Orchardpeople.com. Susan is also the host of The Urban Forestry Radio Show and Podcast and an ISA Certified Arborist.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Susan Poizner on Success with Fruit Trees (#22) Susan Poizner, Jared Barnes 00:59:08 SUSAN POIZNER AND SUCCESS WITH FRUIT TREES View show notes and sign up for my weekly newsletter plant•ed at theplantasticpodcast.com. In this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Susan Poizner shares her passion for fruit trees. Susan delves into key practices for successful fruit tree care, such as mulching with compost or manure, the cycles of fruit tree growth, and the significance of proper pruning. She shares her wisdom on choosing the right varieties, using holistic sprays for pest control, and fostering biodiversity around fruit trees. Her commitment to community involvement and storytelling in education shines through. This episode provides a delightful and informative journey through the world of fruit trees and is full of value to help everyone become better orchardists. SUSAN POIZNER AND SUCCESS WITH FRUIT TREES View show notes and sign up for my weekly newsletter plant•ed at theplantasticpodcast.com. In this month's episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Susan Poizner shares her passion for fruit trees. Susan delves into key practices for successful fruit tree care, such as mulching with compost or manure, the cycles of fruit tree growth, and the significance of proper pruning. She shares her wisdom on choosing the right varieties, using holistic sprays for pest control, and fostering biodiversity around fruit trees. Her commitment to community involvement and storytelling in education shines through. This episode provides a delightful and informative journey through the world of fruit trees and is full of value to help everyone become better orchardists. orchardist, home and garden, gardening, garden, fruits, science, fruit, nature, gardener, horticulture, teaching, education, orchard, plant, holistic, plants, fruit trees false full 22 aadf85ef-ff90-4820-a3eb-954e041b6136 Bryce Lane on the Craft of Teaching Horticulture (#21) BRYCE LANE BIO

Bryce Lane discovered his passion for plants and telling others about them working at a small Massachusetts garden center through high school and college. After earning his BS in Plant Science at the University of Massachusetts and MS in Ornamental Horticulture at The Ohio State University, he came to the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University as a lecturer in 1981. Bryce also served as the department’s Undergraduate Coordinator from 1987 to 2014. He spent 34 years teaching and advising over 20,000 students. He was the recipient of numerous local, regional, and national teaching awards. Bryce retired in 2014, but still teaches part-time in the department.

From 2003 to 2014 Bryce hosted and produced a three-time, Emmy winning, UNC TV public television show called In the Garden With Bryce Lane. The show focused on all things home gardening and served all levels of gardeners.

He now spends his time giving horticulture talks, doing leadership, and communication training, teaching part-time at NC State, and at the JC Raulston Arboretum. He has worked closely for years with North Carolina Extension and the NC Nursery and Landscape Association. An avid gardener, Bryce has gardened on the same one quarter acre plot for 40 years. He and his wife of 46 years also spend plenty of time with their 6 grandchildren. You can find out more about Bryce by visiting his website.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 1 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Bryce Lane, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com BRYCE LANE BIO

Bryce Lane discovered his passion for plants and telling others about them working at a small Massachusetts garden center through high school and college. After earning his BS in Plant Science at the University of Massachusetts and MS in Ornamental Horticulture at The Ohio State University, he came to the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University as a lecturer in 1981. Bryce also served as the department’s Undergraduate Coordinator from 1987 to 2014. He spent 34 years teaching and advising over 20,000 students. He was the recipient of numerous local, regional, and national teaching awards. Bryce retired in 2014, but still teaches part-time in the department.

From 2003 to 2014 Bryce hosted and produced a three-time, Emmy winning, UNC TV public television show called In the Garden With Bryce Lane. The show focused on all things home gardening and served all levels of gardeners.

He now spends his time giving horticulture talks, doing leadership, and communication training, teaching part-time at NC State, and at the JC Raulston Arboretum. He has worked closely for years with North Carolina Extension and the NC Nursery and Landscape Association. An avid gardener, Bryce has gardened on the same one quarter acre plot for 40 years. He and his wife of 46 years also spend plenty of time with their 6 grandchildren. You can find out more about Bryce by visiting his website.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Bryce Lane on the Craft of Teaching Horticulture (#21) Bryce Lane, Jared Barnes 01:29:12 BRYCE LANE ON THE CRAFT OF TEACHING HORTICULTURE View show notes and sign up for my weekly newsletter plant•ed at www.theplantasticpodcast.com. This month for The Plantastic Podcast I interview my friend and mentor Bryce Lane. Bryce taught over 20,000 students in his 34 years at NC State as one of the top horticulture educators of our generation, and he hosted In the Garden with Bryce Lane, which won Three Midsouth Regional Emmys. We talk about the craft of teaching, his friendship with the late JC Raulston, and the power of story with plants. Even if you aren’t a teacher, there are skills and techniques from this episode that will help you share the love of plants with others. BRYCE LANE ON THE CRAFT OF TEACHING HORTICULTURE View show notes and sign up for my weekly newsletter plant•ed at www.theplantasticpodcast.com. This month for The Plantastic Podcast I interview my friend and mentor Bryce Lane. Bryce taught over 20,000 students in his 34 years at NC State as one of the top horticulture educators of our generation, and he hosted In the Garden with Bryce Lane, which won Three Midsouth Regional Emmys. We talk about the craft of teaching, his friendship with the late JC Raulston, and the power of story with plants. Even if you aren’t a teacher, there are skills and techniques from this episode that will help you share the love of plants with others. north carolina state university, flower, home and garden, nc state, gardening, science, jc raulston, nature, gardener, plant science, horticulture, teaching, education, landscape, ncsu, plant, plants false full 21 b604b5b2-a9e3-4d4f-9f4c-74b99ef0136e Molly Hendry on Telling Stories with Gardens (#20) MOLLY HENDRY BIO

Molly toggles the worlds of design and plants as both a trained horticulturist and landscape architect. Up through July 2023, she was the Associate Director of Gardens Support for the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens for 5 and a half years. There she was actively involved in the horticultural and design development of the 26 unique gardens that make up Birmingham Botanical Gardens. She was also a key support player in the renewal of the Gardens's master plan, in addition to managing ongoing garden projects. Since recording the podcast, she has stepped out to create her own garden design studio, Roots and Ramblings, where she does design work for folks in the Birmingham, Alabama area. With this studio, Molly is most interested in the intersection between people and places. She loves designing gardens for "hands in the dirt" gardeners, focusing on how design is not just a masterplan on a piece of paper, but an ongoing dialogue between a person and a place... often with a spade in hand! One of her top honors is that she spent 10 months living in the UK, sinking her hands into the soil at some of the top gardens across the country as the Garden Club of America's 2016–2017 Royal Horticultural Society's Interchange Fellow. You can learn more about Molly by visiting her website Roots and Ramblings and by following her on Instagram @mollshendry.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 4 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Molly Hendry, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com MOLLY HENDRY BIO

Molly toggles the worlds of design and plants as both a trained horticulturist and landscape architect. Up through July 2023, she was the Associate Director of Gardens Support for the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens for 5 and a half years. There she was actively involved in the horticultural and design development of the 26 unique gardens that make up Birmingham Botanical Gardens. She was also a key support player in the renewal of the Gardens's master plan, in addition to managing ongoing garden projects. Since recording the podcast, she has stepped out to create her own garden design studio, Roots and Ramblings, where she does design work for folks in the Birmingham, Alabama area. With this studio, Molly is most interested in the intersection between people and places. She loves designing gardens for "hands in the dirt" gardeners, focusing on how design is not just a masterplan on a piece of paper, but an ongoing dialogue between a person and a place... often with a spade in hand! One of her top honors is that she spent 10 months living in the UK, sinking her hands into the soil at some of the top gardens across the country as the Garden Club of America's 2016–2017 Royal Horticultural Society's Interchange Fellow. You can learn more about Molly by visiting her website Roots and Ramblings and by following her on Instagram @mollshendry.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Molly Hendry on Telling Stories with Gardens (#20) Molly Hendry, Jared Barnes 01:13:03 This month, I welcome Molly Hendry onto The Plantastic Podcast. Molly is a landscape architect and garden designer. Prior to venturing out on her own she worked for five years as Associate Director of Gardens Support for the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, and she was a Garden Club of America / Royal Horticultural Society's Interchange Fellow. Molly is one of the most eloquent and kind hearted horticulturists I’ve chatted with. In this episode we talk about the stories gardens tell, how design is like the book Salt Fat Acid Heat, and how writing helps gardeners think. This month, I welcome Molly Hendry onto The Plantastic Podcast. Molly is a landscape architect and garden designer. Prior to venturing out on her own she worked for five years as Associate Director of Gardens Support for the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, and she was a Garden Club of America / Royal Horticultural Society's Interchange Fellow. Molly is one of the most eloquent and kind hearted horticulturists I’ve chatted with. In this episode we talk about the stories gardens tell, how design is like the book Salt Fat Acid Heat, and how writing helps gardeners think. flower, home and garden, gardening, garden, garden designer, science, nature, gardener, plant science, horticulture, landscape architect, plant, plants false full 20 255b1bf1-d451-479c-9639-7172f095021e Matt Biggs on A Home for Every Plant MATT BIGGS BIO

Matt Biggs, a graduate of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is a well-known British gardener, broadcaster, and author of fifteen gardening and plant related books.

He has presented numerous television programs, notably Channel 4’s Garden Club, stepped behind the camera to direct Meridian Television’s popular gardening series Grass Roots and worked as Horticultural Consultant for a garden design series on Channel 5.

Matt contributes to several magazines, including the Royal Horticultural Society Journal The Garden, BBC Gardeners’ World, Countryfile, and Gardens Illustrated and leads gardening tours worldwide.

He lectures at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Oxford University Botanic Gardens, the Cookery School of Michelin starred chief Jean-Christophe Novelli, and is course Director of the Plants and Plantsmanship course at the English Gardening School.

Matt is also a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Gardener’s Question Time’.  You can learn more about Matt by visiting his website. 

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 7 Jul 2023 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Matt Biggs, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com MATT BIGGS BIO

Matt Biggs, a graduate of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is a well-known British gardener, broadcaster, and author of fifteen gardening and plant related books.

He has presented numerous television programs, notably Channel 4’s Garden Club, stepped behind the camera to direct Meridian Television’s popular gardening series Grass Roots and worked as Horticultural Consultant for a garden design series on Channel 5.

Matt contributes to several magazines, including the Royal Horticultural Society Journal The Garden, BBC Gardeners’ World, Countryfile, and Gardens Illustrated and leads gardening tours worldwide.

He lectures at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Oxford University Botanic Gardens, the Cookery School of Michelin starred chief Jean-Christophe Novelli, and is course Director of the Plants and Plantsmanship course at the English Gardening School.

Matt is also a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Gardener’s Question Time’.  You can learn more about Matt by visiting his website. 

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Matt Biggs on A Home for Every Plant Matt Biggs, Jared Barnes 01:32:43 In this engaging interview, Matt Biggs's passion for plants really shines. We talk about his time at Kew, lessons from great botanists and gardeners, and the wonders of the botanical world from his new book A Home for Every Plant. In this engaging interview, Matt Biggs's passion for plants really shines. We talk about his time at Kew, lessons from great botanists and gardeners, and the wonders of the botanical world from his new book A Home for Every Plant. books, flower, home and garden, plant blindness, gardening, garden, plant education, science, nature, gardener, plant science, horticulture, horticulture education, kew gardens, book author, plant, plants, garden book false full 19 4dde16ef-e33c-4be4-a3ca-d29317784f11 Leslie Halleck, Professional Plant Everythingist (#18) LESLIE HALLECK BIO

Leslie Halleck is a Certified Professional Horticulturist (ASHS) who has spent her 30-year career hybridizing horticulture science with home gardening consumer needs. Halleck earned a BS in Biology/Botany from the University of North Texas and an MS in Horticulture from Michigan State University. Halleck’s professional experience is well rounded, with time spent in botanical field research, public gardens, landscape design and maintenance, garden writing, garden center retail, and horticulture and green industry consulting. For the last decade Halleck has devoted herself full-time to running her company, Halleck Horticultural, LLC, a horticulture industry consulting and marketing agency. Halleck also coaches horticulture industry business owners, from larger established businesses to brand new Plantrepreneurs. Halleck has developed and teaches courses on indoor plants and botany for UCLA Extension since 2020.

Halleck currently sits on the certification board for ASHS and the Leadership Advisory Committee for Resource Innovation Institute (supporting the CEA and cannabis sectors).  She also holds certificates in “The Science and Technology of Medical Cannabis Cultivation” from Utah State and two certificates in “Women in Leadership” from Cornell University.

Halleck’s previous positions include Director of Horticulture Research at the Dallas Arboretum and General Manager for North Haven Gardens, an independent garden center in Dallas, Texas. Halleck is a regular feature on the professional speaking and industry publication circuit and was a columnist at Garden Center Magazine, Greenhouse Management Magazine, and Produce Grower Magazine for almost a decade; but she also continues to offer up common-sense gardening advice and hands-on learning to home gardeners via her Plantgeek Chic blog, public workshops, and consumer publications. During her career, Halleck has written hundreds of articles for local, regional, and national publications, as well as taught countless gardening programs for the home houseplant keeper, indoor grower, flower gardener, edible enthusiast, and backyard farmer.

Halleck is the author of Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers (2018), Plant Parenting: Easy Ways to Make More Houseplants, Vegetables, and Flowers (2019), and Tiny Plants: Discover the Joys of Growing and Collecting Itty Bitty Houseplants (2021).

Halleck is an avid lifelong plant and gardening “everythingist” who prefers low-input “fluffy” landscapes and gardens as well as dense high-output vegetable gardening (both indoors and out!). She’s obsessed with tiny plants and tiny chihuahuas. Halleck is also an artist who creates botanical and nature-focused work in watercolor, colored pencil, printmaking, as well as digital illustration. You can find some of her work at her website.  

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 2 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes, Leslie Halleck) theplantasticpodcast.com LESLIE HALLECK BIO

Leslie Halleck is a Certified Professional Horticulturist (ASHS) who has spent her 30-year career hybridizing horticulture science with home gardening consumer needs. Halleck earned a BS in Biology/Botany from the University of North Texas and an MS in Horticulture from Michigan State University. Halleck’s professional experience is well rounded, with time spent in botanical field research, public gardens, landscape design and maintenance, garden writing, garden center retail, and horticulture and green industry consulting. For the last decade Halleck has devoted herself full-time to running her company, Halleck Horticultural, LLC, a horticulture industry consulting and marketing agency. Halleck also coaches horticulture industry business owners, from larger established businesses to brand new Plantrepreneurs. Halleck has developed and teaches courses on indoor plants and botany for UCLA Extension since 2020.

Halleck currently sits on the certification board for ASHS and the Leadership Advisory Committee for Resource Innovation Institute (supporting the CEA and cannabis sectors).  She also holds certificates in “The Science and Technology of Medical Cannabis Cultivation” from Utah State and two certificates in “Women in Leadership” from Cornell University.

Halleck’s previous positions include Director of Horticulture Research at the Dallas Arboretum and General Manager for North Haven Gardens, an independent garden center in Dallas, Texas. Halleck is a regular feature on the professional speaking and industry publication circuit and was a columnist at Garden Center Magazine, Greenhouse Management Magazine, and Produce Grower Magazine for almost a decade; but she also continues to offer up common-sense gardening advice and hands-on learning to home gardeners via her Plantgeek Chic blog, public workshops, and consumer publications. During her career, Halleck has written hundreds of articles for local, regional, and national publications, as well as taught countless gardening programs for the home houseplant keeper, indoor grower, flower gardener, edible enthusiast, and backyard farmer.

Halleck is the author of Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers (2018), Plant Parenting: Easy Ways to Make More Houseplants, Vegetables, and Flowers (2019), and Tiny Plants: Discover the Joys of Growing and Collecting Itty Bitty Houseplants (2021).

Halleck is an avid lifelong plant and gardening “everythingist” who prefers low-input “fluffy” landscapes and gardens as well as dense high-output vegetable gardening (both indoors and out!). She’s obsessed with tiny plants and tiny chihuahuas. Halleck is also an artist who creates botanical and nature-focused work in watercolor, colored pencil, printmaking, as well as digital illustration. You can find some of her work at her website.  

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Leslie Halleck, Professional Plant Everythingist (#18) Jared Barnes, Leslie Halleck 01:26:27 This month on The Plantastic Podcast, I interview one of my long-time friends Leslie Halleck. As far as horticulturists go, she is da bomb and a jill-of-all-trades. Her accolades include scientist, artist, book author, online educator, keynote speaker, consultant, trial garden manager, garden center manager, and more. This episode is spectacular, and we go deep on a variety of topics including vernalization, running your own horticulture business, and absolving green guilt from killing plants. Enjoy the show! This month on The Plantastic Podcast, I interview one of my long-time friends Leslie Halleck. As far as horticulturists go, she is da bomb and a jill-of-all-trades. Her accolades include scientist, artist, book author, online educator, keynote speaker, consultant, trial garden manager, garden center manager, and more. This episode is spectacular, and we go deep on a variety of topics including vernalization, running your own horticulture business, and absolving green guilt from killing plants. Enjoy the show! flower, home and garden, gardening, gardening under lights, garden, miniature plants, igc, plant education, science, nature, gardener, plant science, plant parenting, independent garden center, garden center, horticulture, horticulture education, book author, garden art, plant, plants false full 18 ce5f25b7-d261-45ae-9a45-dff58acbcffc Ann Amato, Seedstress of the Pacific Northwest (#17) ANN AMATO BIO

Ann Amato lives in Portland, Oregon and is a horticulturist and seed propagator at Cistus Nursery and a propagator at Secret Garden Growers in Canby, Oregon. At 18, she published the book Ancient Forests and Western Man: A Pictorial History of the West Coast. Later, she earned a bachelors of arts from Portland State University with a double major in English literature and art history. She has been a garden blogger (amateurbotannist.com) for over a decade and is the recipient of an Oregon Nurseries Foundation Scholarship. Currently, she is the President of the Mount Hood Gesneriad Society, an affiliated chapter of The Gesneriad Society. She been featured in horticulture media like Garden Time TV, The Planthunter in Australia, and the podcast Horticulture Rising. When not working, she tends to her indoor houseplant collection at home where she has over 500 different plants in her indoor collection, many of which are either gesneriads or begonias. She also tends to her small urban garden named Campiello Maurizio: the Garden of One-of-each-ee. You can learn more about Ann by visiting her website www.amateurbotannist.com.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 5 May 2023 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes, Ann Amato) theplantasticpodcast.com ANN AMATO BIO

Ann Amato lives in Portland, Oregon and is a horticulturist and seed propagator at Cistus Nursery and a propagator at Secret Garden Growers in Canby, Oregon. At 18, she published the book Ancient Forests and Western Man: A Pictorial History of the West Coast. Later, she earned a bachelors of arts from Portland State University with a double major in English literature and art history. She has been a garden blogger (amateurbotannist.com) for over a decade and is the recipient of an Oregon Nurseries Foundation Scholarship. Currently, she is the President of the Mount Hood Gesneriad Society, an affiliated chapter of The Gesneriad Society. She been featured in horticulture media like Garden Time TV, The Planthunter in Australia, and the podcast Horticulture Rising. When not working, she tends to her indoor houseplant collection at home where she has over 500 different plants in her indoor collection, many of which are either gesneriads or begonias. She also tends to her small urban garden named Campiello Maurizio: the Garden of One-of-each-ee. You can learn more about Ann by visiting her website www.amateurbotannist.com.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Ann Amato, Seedstress of the Pacific Northwest (#17) Jared Barnes, Ann Amato 01:18:49 For this month’s episode of The Plantastic Podcast I speak with Ann Amato, a propagation expert from the Pacific Northwest. We had an engaging conversation about how she found her way into horticulture, how plants were a solace during an illness, how she was bequeathed the title Seedstress, and more. If you enjoy starting your own seeds or want to know more about the process, you’ll really get a lot of this episode. For this month’s episode of The Plantastic Podcast I speak with Ann Amato, a propagation expert from the Pacific Northwest. We had an engaging conversation about how she found her way into horticulture, how plants were a solace during an illness, how she was bequeathed the title Seedstress, and more. If you enjoy starting your own seeds or want to know more about the process, you’ll really get a lot of this episode. flower, home and garden, starting seeds, horticulture therapy, sowing seeds, gardening, propagation, garden, nature, garden design, seed propagation, gardener, art history, horticulture, seed, plant, seeds, plants, plant propagation false full 17 d62312c0-1db0-477c-9e99-af87b78735e3 Greg Paige on Being a Public Garden Rockstar (#16) GREG PAIGE BIO

Greg Paige discovered his career goal early—creating and working in beautiful public gardens and sharing and teaching this passion with others. Greg currently serves as the Director of Horticulture at the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, North Carolina. Greg has had a storied life in public horticulture. His 30-year career involved work at some of the finest gardens in the country including Bartlett Tree Research Laboratory as Director of Horticulture and Arboretum Curator, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina, the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, the Holden Arboretum outside Cleveland, Ohio, and the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden in Cincinnati, Ohio.

You can learn more about Greg by visiting him at the JC Raulston Arboretum, watching videos from his work at the arboretum, and following him on Instagram.

 

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 7 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Greg Paige, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com GREG PAIGE BIO

Greg Paige discovered his career goal early—creating and working in beautiful public gardens and sharing and teaching this passion with others. Greg currently serves as the Director of Horticulture at the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, North Carolina. Greg has had a storied life in public horticulture. His 30-year career involved work at some of the finest gardens in the country including Bartlett Tree Research Laboratory as Director of Horticulture and Arboretum Curator, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina, the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, the Holden Arboretum outside Cleveland, Ohio, and the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden in Cincinnati, Ohio.

You can learn more about Greg by visiting him at the JC Raulston Arboretum, watching videos from his work at the arboretum, and following him on Instagram.

 

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Greg Paige on Being a Public Garden Rockstar (#16) Greg Paige, Jared Barnes 01:08:39 This month, I interview public garden rockstar Greg Paige. He has a storied life in horticulture having worked at seven different botanic gardens, including his current job as Director of Horticulture at the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, NC. We talk about all kinds of goodies on this episode from the impact of books on his life, lessons learned working at so many different institutions, systems and processes he uses to be a better horticulturist, and more. This month, I interview public garden rockstar Greg Paige. He has a storied life in horticulture having worked at seven different botanic gardens, including his current job as Director of Horticulture at the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, NC. We talk about all kinds of goodies on this episode from the impact of books on his life, lessons learned working at so many different institutions, systems and processes he uses to be a better horticulturist, and more. flower, public garden, home and garden, gardening, botanical garden, garden, nature, garden design, gardener, botanical gardens, arboretum, botanic garden, horticulture, public gardens, plant, plants false full 16 3e28491e-edad-43b8-96f2-539ed90ec0a1 Mary Phillips on Gardening for Wildlife (#15) MARY PHILLIPS BIO

For eight years, Mary has led Garden for Wildlife™ and Certified Wildlife Habitat® as an ambassador for native plants with the National Wildlife Federation. Her work ensures all habitat programs and resources are rooted in sustainable practices and the latest science. 

Under her leadership, in coordination with the White House Office of Science and Policy, NWF coordinated the National Pollinator Garden Network in 2015 to launch the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge which created over a million pollinator gardens in three years. This partnership involved over fifty national organizations with a third from the commercial garden trade, such as growers and independent garden centers.  

Mary helped create the Garden for Wildlife Native Plants Collection™. The goal of this social enterprise is to increase the native plant supply, reduce carbon impacts, and secure survival of iconic species, such as the monarch butterfly, native bees and songbirds. Mary works to ensure Garden for Wildlife, Inc. maintains its sustainability commitments: to engage everyday people in solutions for critical wildlife loss and climate impact and, connect local native plant growers to consumers through ecommerce. 

Prior to joining NWF, Mary was principal at The Abundant Backyard, a sustainable native plant landscaping service and one of the first Certified Green Businesses in Montgomery County, MD.  As a Maryland Master Naturalist, Mary maintains her Certified Wildlife Habitat® with her family and enjoys hiking and exploring the Chesapeake Bay natural history and heritage. 

You can find more about Mary Phillips on LinkedIn.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 3 Mar 2023 13:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes, Mary Phillips) theplantasticpodcast.com MARY PHILLIPS BIO

For eight years, Mary has led Garden for Wildlife™ and Certified Wildlife Habitat® as an ambassador for native plants with the National Wildlife Federation. Her work ensures all habitat programs and resources are rooted in sustainable practices and the latest science. 

Under her leadership, in coordination with the White House Office of Science and Policy, NWF coordinated the National Pollinator Garden Network in 2015 to launch the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge which created over a million pollinator gardens in three years. This partnership involved over fifty national organizations with a third from the commercial garden trade, such as growers and independent garden centers.  

Mary helped create the Garden for Wildlife Native Plants Collection™. The goal of this social enterprise is to increase the native plant supply, reduce carbon impacts, and secure survival of iconic species, such as the monarch butterfly, native bees and songbirds. Mary works to ensure Garden for Wildlife, Inc. maintains its sustainability commitments: to engage everyday people in solutions for critical wildlife loss and climate impact and, connect local native plant growers to consumers through ecommerce. 

Prior to joining NWF, Mary was principal at The Abundant Backyard, a sustainable native plant landscaping service and one of the first Certified Green Businesses in Montgomery County, MD.  As a Maryland Master Naturalist, Mary maintains her Certified Wildlife Habitat® with her family and enjoys hiking and exploring the Chesapeake Bay natural history and heritage. 

You can find more about Mary Phillips on LinkedIn.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Mary Phillips on Gardening for Wildlife (#15) Jared Barnes, Mary Phillips 00:50:20 This month on The Plantastic Podcast, I interview Mary Phillips who leads the Garden for Wildlife and Certified Wildlife Habitat programs as an ambassador for native plants with the National Wildlife Federation. We had a wide-ranging discussion on welcoming birds, insects, and other creatures into gardens. Mary shared about lessons learned coming from a communication background, how individuals or communities can plant better for wildlife, the importance of keystone plant species, and some of her favorite animals to see in the garden. This month on The Plantastic Podcast, I interview Mary Phillips who leads the Garden for Wildlife and Certified Wildlife Habitat programs as an ambassador for native plants with the National Wildlife Federation. We had a wide-ranging discussion on welcoming birds, insects, and other creatures into gardens. Mary shared about lessons learned coming from a communication background, how individuals or communities can plant better for wildlife, the importance of keystone plant species, and some of her favorite animals to see in the garden. flower, garden writer, home and garden, naturalistic design, gardening, author, garden, nature, garden design, wild, horticulture, wildlife, plant, plants, naturalistic planting, wildlife garden false full 15 f6b92e95-fc18-4523-a6f1-714388df270a James Golden on the View from Federal Twist (#14) JAMES GOLDEN BIO

James Golden’s garden design has been featured in national and international magazines, in The New York Times, and in several books on garden design. He has collected many of his inspiring thoughts in the recently published book The View from Federal Twist.  It is a wonderful, well-written glimpse into the inception, creation, and management of a naturalistic garden.  James has been the recipient of national awards and is widely known in the gardening world through his garden blog View from Federal Twist. Federal Twist regularly appears on tours of the Garden Conservancy, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the Hardy Plant Society, and on numerous private tours. Recently retired, he has started a garden design practice.  You can learn more about James on his website and blog, by following him on Instagram @imfederaltwist, and by reading James’s book The View from Federal Twist.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 3 Feb 2023 13:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (James Golden, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com JAMES GOLDEN BIO

James Golden’s garden design has been featured in national and international magazines, in The New York Times, and in several books on garden design. He has collected many of his inspiring thoughts in the recently published book The View from Federal Twist.  It is a wonderful, well-written glimpse into the inception, creation, and management of a naturalistic garden.  James has been the recipient of national awards and is widely known in the gardening world through his garden blog View from Federal Twist. Federal Twist regularly appears on tours of the Garden Conservancy, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the Hardy Plant Society, and on numerous private tours. Recently retired, he has started a garden design practice.  You can learn more about James on his website and blog, by following him on Instagram @imfederaltwist, and by reading James’s book The View from Federal Twist.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> James Golden on the View from Federal Twist (#14) James Golden, Jared Barnes 00:54:38 This month on The Plantastic Podcast, I interview James Golden of Federal Twist. James’s garden is revered in horticulture circles for its celebration of wildness. We talk a host of different subjects including how the garden began, the influence of books on his learning, his attention to detail in thinking through the design process, how gardens evoke emotion and feeling, and more. This month on The Plantastic Podcast, I interview James Golden of Federal Twist. James’s garden is revered in horticulture circles for its celebration of wildness. We talk a host of different subjects including how the garden began, the influence of books on his learning, his attention to detail in thinking through the design process, how gardens evoke emotion and feeling, and more. flower, garden writer, home and garden, naturalistic design, gardening, author, garden, nature, garden design, horticulture, plant, plants, naturalistic planting false full 14 e0604a32-d877-4251-b8a8-8075aa851e9d Carol Reese on a Life in Horticulture Extension (#13) CAROL REESE BIO

Carol grew up as a farm girl in Mississippi where she learned much about the land from her family.  In her 30’s she pursued her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mississippi State University in horticulture.  Carol worked as a regional horticulture extension specialist for the University of Tennessee’s West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson, Tennessee for 27 years where she inspired countless gardeners within the state with her humor and scientific approach to learning.  She is beloved in the horticulture community for giving sensational presentations across the country where she pushes the envelope of people’s understanding of the natural world.  Additionally, she wrote Q&A articles for Horticulture magazine and contributed a weekly column to the Jackson Sun newspaper in Jackson, Tennessee for many years.  Carol recently retired from her position and has even more time to roam the 117 acres of her mostly wild property with her dogs. 

You can connect with Carol Reese by finding her on Facebook.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 6 Jan 2023 13:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Carol Reese, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com CAROL REESE BIO

Carol grew up as a farm girl in Mississippi where she learned much about the land from her family.  In her 30’s she pursued her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mississippi State University in horticulture.  Carol worked as a regional horticulture extension specialist for the University of Tennessee’s West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson, Tennessee for 27 years where she inspired countless gardeners within the state with her humor and scientific approach to learning.  She is beloved in the horticulture community for giving sensational presentations across the country where she pushes the envelope of people’s understanding of the natural world.  Additionally, she wrote Q&A articles for Horticulture magazine and contributed a weekly column to the Jackson Sun newspaper in Jackson, Tennessee for many years.  Carol recently retired from her position and has even more time to roam the 117 acres of her mostly wild property with her dogs. 

You can connect with Carol Reese by finding her on Facebook.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Carol Reese on a Life in Horticulture Extension (#13) Carol Reese, Jared Barnes 01:09:53 I invite one of my longest mentors Carol Reese onto The Plantastic Podcast this month. I’ve known Carol since I was 15 years old when I joined a local newly formed Master Gardener class in west Tennessee, and she has been a wealth of knowledge, advice, and guidance ever since. Carol worked as a regional horticulture extension specialist for the University of Tennessee’s West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson, Tennessee for 27 years where she inspired countless gardeners within the state with her humor and scientific approach to learning. We go deep into many topics including natives versus non-natives, how we can be smarter gardeners, and her passion for rescuing dogs. I invite one of my longest mentors Carol Reese onto The Plantastic Podcast this month. I’ve known Carol since I was 15 years old when I joined a local newly formed Master Gardener class in west Tennessee, and she has been a wealth of knowledge, advice, and guidance ever since. Carol worked as a regional horticulture extension specialist for the University of Tennessee’s West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson, Tennessee for 27 years where she inspired countless gardeners within the state with her humor and scientific approach to learning. We go deep into many topics including natives versus non-natives, how we can be smarter gardeners, and her passion for rescuing dogs. flower, master gardener, tennessee, extension, gardening, aldo leopold, garden, nature, native plants, stories, horticulture, greenhouse, plant, plants false full 13 6a6b9bff-4496-4c93-89a3-e4dfe21c8774 Jared Hughes on Groovy Plants Ranch (#12) JARED HUGHES BIO

Jared Hughes and his wife Liz run Groovy Plants Ranch in Marengo, Ohio, a family friendly, whimsical oasis of escape for customers from all over the country.  Groovy Plants Ranch has been featured in a number of magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, and Midwest Living named them the best garden shop of 2022.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 2 Dec 2022 13:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Hughes, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com JARED HUGHES BIO

Jared Hughes and his wife Liz run Groovy Plants Ranch in Marengo, Ohio, a family friendly, whimsical oasis of escape for customers from all over the country.  Groovy Plants Ranch has been featured in a number of magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, and Midwest Living named them the best garden shop of 2022.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Jared Hughes on Groovy Plants Ranch (#12) Jared Hughes, Jared Barnes 01:07:55 In episode 12 of The Plantastic Podcast, Jared Hughes of Groovy Plants Ranch shares how his magical garden center came to be. We go in deep in talking about creativity, his formula for success, why he has an airplane at his garden center, and how horticulturists can better connect with the public. In episode 12 of The Plantastic Podcast, Jared Hughes of Groovy Plants Ranch shares how his magical garden center came to be. We go in deep in talking about creativity, his formula for success, why he has an airplane at his garden center, and how horticulturists can better connect with the public. flower, gardening, garden, igc, garden retail, ohio, groovy plants ranch, stories, independent garden center, garden center, horticulture, greenhouse, flowers, succulents, plant, plants false full 12 6cffc894-b84e-4cb0-a117-2261918e56e9 Abra Lee on Conquer the Soil (#11) ABRA LEE BIO

Abra Lee is a storyteller, horticulturist, and author of the forthcoming book Conquer The Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers. She has spent a whole lotta time in the dirt as a municipal arborist and airport landscape manager. Her work has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Fine Gardening, and Veranda Magazine. Lee is a graduate of Auburn University College of Agriculture and an alumna of the Longwood Gardens Society of Fellows, a global network of public horticulture professionals. You can learn more about Abra at her website Conquer the Soil, on Instagram @conquerthesoil, and on Twitter @conquerthesoil.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 4 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Abra Lee, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com ABRA LEE BIO

Abra Lee is a storyteller, horticulturist, and author of the forthcoming book Conquer The Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers. She has spent a whole lotta time in the dirt as a municipal arborist and airport landscape manager. Her work has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Fine Gardening, and Veranda Magazine. Lee is a graduate of Auburn University College of Agriculture and an alumna of the Longwood Gardens Society of Fellows, a global network of public horticulture professionals. You can learn more about Abra at her website Conquer the Soil, on Instagram @conquerthesoil, and on Twitter @conquerthesoil.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Abra Lee on Conquer the Soil (#11) Abra Lee, Jared Barnes 01:19:00 Abra Lee, an enthusiastic storyteller and southern horticulturist, shares in this fun conversation how seeing students under a tree inspired her to pursue a career in plants, the significance of swept yards, lessons learned in the Longwood Gardens Society of Fellows, her upcoming book Conquer The Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers, and more. It’s a fun conversation with some great historical perspectives, so enjoy the show! Abra Lee, an enthusiastic storyteller and southern horticulturist, shares in this fun conversation how seeing students under a tree inspired her to pursue a career in plants, the significance of swept yards, lessons learned in the Longwood Gardens Society of Fellows, her upcoming book Conquer The Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers, and more. It’s a fun conversation with some great historical perspectives, so enjoy the show! southern, flower, public garden, southern living, public horticulture, gardening, garden, science, society, botanic garden, stories, horticulture, public gardens, south, flowers, plant, plants false full 11 b1ce0aa1-ecf7-4af7-b919-81b8474db6c4 Andrew Bunting on a Life in Public Horticulture (#10) ANDREW BUNTING BIO

Andrew Bunting is Vice President of Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and leads the utilization of planting and design to promote environmentally sound gardening practices at PHS. Andrew has elevated each of the departments he oversees and has increased the brand and visibility of PHS through their respective work.

Andrew received his B.S. in Plant and Soil Science from Southern Illinois University. Prior to arriving at PHS, Andrew worked at Chicago Botanic Garden, Chanticleer Garden, and the Scott Arboretum for a tenure of 27 years. He has received the American Public Gardens Association’s Professional Citation, Chanticleer Scholarship in Professional Development, and the Certificate of Merit from PHS. He also serves on the Board of Magnolia Society International. Andrew published his first book in 2015 The Plant Lover’s Guide to Magnolias. Andrew enjoys bird watching, travel and, of course, gardening. You can learn more about Andrew by visiting PHS’s website and his Instagram page @abunting64.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Fri, 7 Oct 2022 11:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Andrew Bunting, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com ANDREW BUNTING BIO

Andrew Bunting is Vice President of Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and leads the utilization of planting and design to promote environmentally sound gardening practices at PHS. Andrew has elevated each of the departments he oversees and has increased the brand and visibility of PHS through their respective work.

Andrew received his B.S. in Plant and Soil Science from Southern Illinois University. Prior to arriving at PHS, Andrew worked at Chicago Botanic Garden, Chanticleer Garden, and the Scott Arboretum for a tenure of 27 years. He has received the American Public Gardens Association’s Professional Citation, Chanticleer Scholarship in Professional Development, and the Certificate of Merit from PHS. He also serves on the Board of Magnolia Society International. Andrew published his first book in 2015 The Plant Lover’s Guide to Magnolias. Andrew enjoys bird watching, travel and, of course, gardening. You can learn more about Andrew by visiting PHS’s website and his Instagram page @abunting64.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Andrew Bunting on a Life in Public Horticulture (#10) Andrew Bunting, Jared Barnes 01:04:16 I talk with award-winning plantsman Andrew Bunting about his storied life in horticulture and his work transforming lives with plants through the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. I talk with award-winning plantsman Andrew Bunting about his storied life in horticulture and his work transforming lives with plants through the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. flower, public garden, public horticulture, gardening, garden, science, society, botanic garden, stories, horticulture, public gardens, flowers, plant, plants false full 10 1d2e8a7f-690f-4747-b76c-0dab3eb59963 Peggy Anne Montgomery on Stories and Stinzen Gardens (#9) PEGGY ANNE MONTGOMERY BIO

Peggy Anne Montgomery is a people-oriented horticultural professional with more than 35 years of U.S. and international experience in trade- and consumer-focused garden marketing and communications, public relations and outreach, landscape design, and public horticulture. She studied horticulture and apprenticed in the Netherlands where she raised a family and owned a landscape design firm for 15 years. Her business specialized in sustainable, eco-friendly landscapes continuing her life-long interest in nature and the importance of balanced ecosystems. She has an extensive background in public relations and was part of the creative team that launched the Endless Summer® Hydrangea brand. Peggy Anne went on to study native plants at Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware and Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. She is currently an account executive for the Garden Media Group, the premier horticulture marketing firm where she represents Royal Anthos, a consortium of Dutch bulbs growers and exporters. She is a long-standing member and Fellow of GardenComm and has written for numerous trade and popular publications. Her home garden has been featured in magazines, books, and television. Today she lives and gardens with her husband and fellow horticulturist Dan Benarcik in northern Delaware.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Mon, 5 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Peggy Anne Montgomery, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com PEGGY ANNE MONTGOMERY BIO

Peggy Anne Montgomery is a people-oriented horticultural professional with more than 35 years of U.S. and international experience in trade- and consumer-focused garden marketing and communications, public relations and outreach, landscape design, and public horticulture. She studied horticulture and apprenticed in the Netherlands where she raised a family and owned a landscape design firm for 15 years. Her business specialized in sustainable, eco-friendly landscapes continuing her life-long interest in nature and the importance of balanced ecosystems. She has an extensive background in public relations and was part of the creative team that launched the Endless Summer® Hydrangea brand. Peggy Anne went on to study native plants at Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware and Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. She is currently an account executive for the Garden Media Group, the premier horticulture marketing firm where she represents Royal Anthos, a consortium of Dutch bulbs growers and exporters. She is a long-standing member and Fellow of GardenComm and has written for numerous trade and popular publications. Her home garden has been featured in magazines, books, and television. Today she lives and gardens with her husband and fellow horticulturist Dan Benarcik in northern Delaware.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Peggy Anne Montgomery on Stories and Stinzen Gardens (#9) Peggy Anne Montgomery, Jared Barnes 00:56:31 I talk with horticulture marketing maven Peggy Anne Montgomery on this episode about sharing stories of plants, stinzen gardens and bulbs, and her varied experiences from working in the gardening industry for over 35 years. I talk with horticulture marketing maven Peggy Anne Montgomery on this episode about sharing stories of plants, stinzen gardens and bulbs, and her varied experiences from working in the gardening industry for over 35 years. flower, garden writer, bulbs, public relations, gardening, garden, pr, garden media, science, stories, marketing, horticulture, flowers, plant, plants false full 9 18960ac2-07ec-4881-add8-b7680cff203a Ethan Kauffman on Cultivating Magic at Stoneleigh (#8) ETHAN KAUFFMAN BIO

Ethan Kauffman developed his love of the natural world exploring the hills in southeastern Pennsylvania. He cultivated his horticultural perspective over two decades of gardening in the deep south, including working at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden and then as director of Moore Farms Botanical Garden, where he led the transition from a private pleasure garden to a public botanical garden. Drawing on influences from both regions, he currently serves as the first director of Stoneleigh: a natural garden, a 42-acre former estate located in Villanova, PA, which opened to the public in 2018. At Stoneleigh, he enjoys creating a garden experience that inspires others to garden for beauty, biodiversity, and the health of our planet.

To learn more about Ethan, visit the show notes on The Plantastic Podcast.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Mon, 1 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Ethan Kauffman, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com ETHAN KAUFFMAN BIO

Ethan Kauffman developed his love of the natural world exploring the hills in southeastern Pennsylvania. He cultivated his horticultural perspective over two decades of gardening in the deep south, including working at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden and then as director of Moore Farms Botanical Garden, where he led the transition from a private pleasure garden to a public botanical garden. Drawing on influences from both regions, he currently serves as the first director of Stoneleigh: a natural garden, a 42-acre former estate located in Villanova, PA, which opened to the public in 2018. At Stoneleigh, he enjoys creating a garden experience that inspires others to garden for beauty, biodiversity, and the health of our planet.

To learn more about Ethan, visit the show notes on The Plantastic Podcast.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Ethan Kauffman on Cultivating Magic at Stoneleigh (#8) Ethan Kauffman, Jared Barnes 01:09:31 Ethan Kauffman talks about his background of horticulture experience that led him to directing Stoneleigh, a 42-acre former estate located in Villanova, PA, which opened to the public in 2018. Ethan Kauffman talks about his background of horticulture experience that led him to directing Stoneleigh, a 42-acre former estate located in Villanova, PA, which opened to the public in 2018. gardening, gardens, garden, creativity, science, native plants, wildflowers, native flowers, botanic garden, horticulture, sustainability, flowers, plant, plants, green false full 8 e77c2e3e-e0ca-45f3-b01d-2f19850de72c Dr. Holly Scoggins on Never Stop Learning (#7) HOLLY SCOGGINS BIO

Holly Scoggins, Ph.D., is an associate professor Emeritus from Virginia Tech. She retired in January 2020 after 20 years in the Department of Horticulture with teaching, research, cooperative extension, and administrative responsibilities.

Holly received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Georgia and her Ph.D. in Horticultural Science from North Carolina State University. In her career at Virginia Tech, Holly taught Greenhouse Management, Herbaceous Landscape Plants, Ornamental Plant Production and Marketing, and Plant Propagation, and advised countless undergrads. Her research and graduate students focused on propagation and production of perennials and annuals, and later field production of hops. Amongst other professional appointments, Holly served as Director of the Hahn Horticulture Garden from 2002–2014 overseeing its expansion from 1.5 to 7 acres of teaching and outreach gardens and the construction of the Peggy Lee Hahn Garden Pavilion.

You can find Holly on LinkedIn and Instagram (@hollyhort) and the farm @beeberryfarm.

If you want to learn more about Holly, check out the show notes!  

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Mon, 4 Jul 2022 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Holly Scoggins, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com HOLLY SCOGGINS BIO

Holly Scoggins, Ph.D., is an associate professor Emeritus from Virginia Tech. She retired in January 2020 after 20 years in the Department of Horticulture with teaching, research, cooperative extension, and administrative responsibilities.

Holly received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Georgia and her Ph.D. in Horticultural Science from North Carolina State University. In her career at Virginia Tech, Holly taught Greenhouse Management, Herbaceous Landscape Plants, Ornamental Plant Production and Marketing, and Plant Propagation, and advised countless undergrads. Her research and graduate students focused on propagation and production of perennials and annuals, and later field production of hops. Amongst other professional appointments, Holly served as Director of the Hahn Horticulture Garden from 2002–2014 overseeing its expansion from 1.5 to 7 acres of teaching and outreach gardens and the construction of the Peggy Lee Hahn Garden Pavilion.

You can find Holly on LinkedIn and Instagram (@hollyhort) and the farm @beeberryfarm.

If you want to learn more about Holly, check out the show notes!  

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Dr. Holly Scoggins on Never Stop Learning (#7) Holly Scoggins, Jared Barnes 01:15:19 I interviewed Dr. Holly Scoggins, professor emeritus from Virginia Tech and Program Manager for Saunders Brothers NewGen Boxwood. We had a wide ranging conversation about her passion of never stop learning and how she educated students over the years. I interviewed Dr. Holly Scoggins, professor emeritus from Virginia Tech and Program Manager for Saunders Brothers NewGen Boxwood. We had a wide ranging conversation about her passion of never stop learning and how she educated students over the years. home and garden, gardening, garden, learning, science, universities, ornamental plants, bee keeping, teaching, education, green industry, flowers, plant, plants false full 7 690e329a-99c3-4637-a72e-787131197733 Thomas Rainer on Planting in a Post-wild World (#6) THOMAS RAINER BIO

Thomas Rainer is a registered landscape architect, teacher, and author that lives in Arlington, Virginia. He is a leading voice in ecological landscape design and has designed landscapes for the U.S. Capitol grounds, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and The New York Botanical Garden, as well as over 100 gardens from Maine to Florida. He is a celebrated public speaker who has garnered acclaim for his passionate presentations to audiences across the U.S. and in Europe. Thomas serves as a Principal for the landscape architectural and consulting firm Phyto Studio in Washington, D.C.

Thomas received his Masters Degree from the University of Georgia. Thomas has worked for the firms Oehme, van Sweden and Associates, and was most recently a Principal at the landscape architectural and planning firm, Rhodeside & Harwell. He has a broad range of experience in project types ranging from intimate residential gardens to expansive estates, rooftop gardens, botanical gardens, large-scale green infrastructure design & implementation, and national memorials. His work has been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Landscape Architecture Magazine, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, and Architectural Digest.

While passionate about design and focusing on details, Thomas is a specialist in applying innovative planting concepts to create ecologically-functional designed landscapes. His recent work focuses on the artful interpretation of wild plant communities into designed plantings that thrive in the context of towns and cities.  He also continues to love working on residential gardens, enjoying the intimate collaboration with clients and creating spaces. 

Thomas teaches planting design for the George Washington University Landscape Design program. His recently published book co-authored with Claudia West, Planting in a Post-Wild World, was released in fall 2015 from Timber Press and was selected by the American Horticultural Society as one of the 2016 books of the year.

You can learn more about Thomas on his website thomasrainer.com, his firm Phyto at phytostudio.com, and on Instagram where his handle is @thomasrainerdc.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

 

]]> Mon, 6 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes, Thomas Rainer) theplantasticpodcast.com THOMAS RAINER BIO

Thomas Rainer is a registered landscape architect, teacher, and author that lives in Arlington, Virginia. He is a leading voice in ecological landscape design and has designed landscapes for the U.S. Capitol grounds, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and The New York Botanical Garden, as well as over 100 gardens from Maine to Florida. He is a celebrated public speaker who has garnered acclaim for his passionate presentations to audiences across the U.S. and in Europe. Thomas serves as a Principal for the landscape architectural and consulting firm Phyto Studio in Washington, D.C.

Thomas received his Masters Degree from the University of Georgia. Thomas has worked for the firms Oehme, van Sweden and Associates, and was most recently a Principal at the landscape architectural and planning firm, Rhodeside & Harwell. He has a broad range of experience in project types ranging from intimate residential gardens to expansive estates, rooftop gardens, botanical gardens, large-scale green infrastructure design & implementation, and national memorials. His work has been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Landscape Architecture Magazine, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, and Architectural Digest.

While passionate about design and focusing on details, Thomas is a specialist in applying innovative planting concepts to create ecologically-functional designed landscapes. His recent work focuses on the artful interpretation of wild plant communities into designed plantings that thrive in the context of towns and cities.  He also continues to love working on residential gardens, enjoying the intimate collaboration with clients and creating spaces. 

Thomas teaches planting design for the George Washington University Landscape Design program. His recently published book co-authored with Claudia West, Planting in a Post-Wild World, was released in fall 2015 from Timber Press and was selected by the American Horticultural Society as one of the 2016 books of the year.

You can learn more about Thomas on his website thomasrainer.com, his firm Phyto at phytostudio.com, and on Instagram where his handle is @thomasrainerdc.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

 

]]> Thomas Rainer on Planting in a Post-wild World (#6) Jared Barnes, Thomas Rainer 01:15:15 In this episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Thomas Rainer discusses how we can look to nature to better inform our planting designs. We take a deeper dive into the systems and principles in naturalistic design, his design process, and his sources of inspiration. In this episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Thomas Rainer discusses how we can look to nature to better inform our planting designs. We take a deeper dive into the systems and principles in naturalistic design, his design process, and his sources of inspiration. home and garden, creative, landscape architecture, garden, science, garden design, planting, flowers, plant, plants, green false full 6 4fd2047c-c2da-4c8b-912d-bff33a35db49 Angela Palmer on Introducing New Plants for Gardens (#5) ANGELA PALMER

Angela Palmer co-owns Plants Nouveau, a trendy new plant marketing company where she manages the annuals, perennials, and grasses as well as the website, marketing, photography, and social media aspect of the business. 

Angela has a Bachelors of Science in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design from the University of Delaware. She was a storied career in horticulture.  She worked for many years as the Director of New Products for one of the largest wholesale nurseries on the East Coast, The Conard-Pyle Company, where she was instrumental in introducing Knock Out rose.  She also previously managed the Plant Introduction Program for Chicagoland Grows as well as the staff and development of 1/2 of the collections at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC as well as the arboretum’s Elite Plant Introduction Program.  She also served as the Conference Director for the annual Native Plants in the Landscape Conference held at Millersville University for 12 years.

She currently lives in New England where she has fun gardening in her home garden and pursuing another passion of hers, coaching girl’s lacrosse teams. You can learn more about Angela on her company’s website plantsnouveau.com, and on Instagram her handle is @plantweenie. 

 

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Mon, 2 May 2022 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes, Angela Palmer) theplantasticpodcast.com ANGELA PALMER

Angela Palmer co-owns Plants Nouveau, a trendy new plant marketing company where she manages the annuals, perennials, and grasses as well as the website, marketing, photography, and social media aspect of the business. 

Angela has a Bachelors of Science in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design from the University of Delaware. She was a storied career in horticulture.  She worked for many years as the Director of New Products for one of the largest wholesale nurseries on the East Coast, The Conard-Pyle Company, where she was instrumental in introducing Knock Out rose.  She also previously managed the Plant Introduction Program for Chicagoland Grows as well as the staff and development of 1/2 of the collections at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC as well as the arboretum’s Elite Plant Introduction Program.  She also served as the Conference Director for the annual Native Plants in the Landscape Conference held at Millersville University for 12 years.

She currently lives in New England where she has fun gardening in her home garden and pursuing another passion of hers, coaching girl’s lacrosse teams. You can learn more about Angela on her company’s website plantsnouveau.com, and on Instagram her handle is @plantweenie. 

 

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Angela Palmer on Introducing New Plants for Gardens (#5) Jared Barnes, Angela Palmer 01:25:41 In this episode Angela Palmer of Plants Nouveau discusses how new plants are brought to market and how she has cultivated herself as a horticulturist. In this episode Angela Palmer of Plants Nouveau discusses how new plants are brought to market and how she has cultivated herself as a horticulturist. flower, home and garden, gardening, plant breeding, gardens, garden, science, nature, horticulture, flowers, plant, plants, green false full 5 c0e4ed14-a7ae-4d6c-b508-f42c7ebce4fc Riz Reyes on GROW and Growing as a Plantsman (#4) RIZ REYES

An early curiosity about fruits and flowers turned a young boy from the Philippines into an award-winning garden designer, floral designer, avid plantsman, and book author in the Pacific Northwest. Riz Reyes immigrated to the United States with his family in 1989 and settled in Shoreline, Washington. He grew up watching television to help learn English and discovered public television in his early years; on top of Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, he discovered the art of Bob Ross, the culinary prowess of Julia Child, and most influential was the gardening series, The Victory Garden.

He collected plant catalogs and familiarized himself with the gardening section of his local public library and grew fond of different types of plants. He set his sights on pursuing horticulture as a future profession. Riz earned a BS in Environmental Horticulture & Urban Forestry from the University of Washington (UW) and worked as a horticulturist for the UW Botanic Garden’s Center for Urban Horticulture from 2007–2015. 

In 2013 he designed his first full show garden at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle, WA. Riz came away with a gold medal, the Golden Palette Award for the Best Use of Color and Plant materials, the American Horticultural Society Environmental Award, and the prestigious Founder’s Cup as the Best Show Garden. Riz was also a featured panel speaker for the first annual Slow Flowers Summit where he contributed to a discussion on the lack of diversity and people of color in the horticulture and floral industries. 

He is currently the gardens manager for the brew pub and hospitality company McMenamin’s Anderson School in Bothell, WA and maintains RHR Horticulture, his own horticultural enterprise where he designs gardens and cut flowers and also teaches and lectures for professional organizations. Riz also authored GROW: A Family Guide to Plants and How to Grow Them, which was illustrated by Sara Boccaccini Meadows. Riz volunteers with the UW Farm spearheading their cut flower program. Other hobbies include caring for a personal collection of rare and unusual plants in his apartment, dancing, figure skating, music, food, and spending time with family and friends.

You can find him online at his website rhrhorticulture.com and on Instagram @rhrhorticulture.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Mon, 4 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Riz Reyes, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com RIZ REYES

An early curiosity about fruits and flowers turned a young boy from the Philippines into an award-winning garden designer, floral designer, avid plantsman, and book author in the Pacific Northwest. Riz Reyes immigrated to the United States with his family in 1989 and settled in Shoreline, Washington. He grew up watching television to help learn English and discovered public television in his early years; on top of Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, he discovered the art of Bob Ross, the culinary prowess of Julia Child, and most influential was the gardening series, The Victory Garden.

He collected plant catalogs and familiarized himself with the gardening section of his local public library and grew fond of different types of plants. He set his sights on pursuing horticulture as a future profession. Riz earned a BS in Environmental Horticulture & Urban Forestry from the University of Washington (UW) and worked as a horticulturist for the UW Botanic Garden’s Center for Urban Horticulture from 2007–2015. 

In 2013 he designed his first full show garden at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle, WA. Riz came away with a gold medal, the Golden Palette Award for the Best Use of Color and Plant materials, the American Horticultural Society Environmental Award, and the prestigious Founder’s Cup as the Best Show Garden. Riz was also a featured panel speaker for the first annual Slow Flowers Summit where he contributed to a discussion on the lack of diversity and people of color in the horticulture and floral industries. 

He is currently the gardens manager for the brew pub and hospitality company McMenamin’s Anderson School in Bothell, WA and maintains RHR Horticulture, his own horticultural enterprise where he designs gardens and cut flowers and also teaches and lectures for professional organizations. Riz also authored GROW: A Family Guide to Plants and How to Grow Them, which was illustrated by Sara Boccaccini Meadows. Riz volunteers with the UW Farm spearheading their cut flower program. Other hobbies include caring for a personal collection of rare and unusual plants in his apartment, dancing, figure skating, music, food, and spending time with family and friends.

You can find him online at his website rhrhorticulture.com and on Instagram @rhrhorticulture.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Riz Reyes on GROW and Growing as a Plantsman (#4) Riz Reyes, Jared Barnes 01:25:22 Riz Reyes talks about his new book GROW: A Family Guide to Plants and How to Grow Them, which was illustrated by Sara Boccaccini Meadows, and about his growth as an expert plantsman. Riz Reyes talks about his new book GROW: A Family Guide to Plants and How to Grow Them, which was illustrated by Sara Boccaccini Meadows, and about his growth as an expert plantsman. study abroad, sara boccaccini meadows, home and garden, grow, garden, garden designer, floral design, science, nature, garden design, book author, slow flowers, flowers false full 4 ca956594-924c-4968-9f09-df8c8e6cb1e0 Kim Shearer on Breeding Woodies for the 21st Century (#3) KIM SHEARER BIO

Kim Shearer is a tree and shrub breeder at the Morton Arboretum where she manages their New Plant Development Program and serves as the Chicagoland Grows® woody plant liaison. Kim advances the arboretum’s mission to make the world a greener, healthier, and more beautiful place by introducing plant selections with broad adaptability, disease resistance, and pest resistance. Kim acquired her bachelor’s of science from NC State University working under the mentorship of Dr. Tom Ranney, and from there she continued her studies at Oregon State University. She is very active in the horticulture industry with the American Society of Horticultural Science and the eastern region of the International Plant Propagators society. In this episode we talk about a wide range of topics from the plants she’s worked on over the years, her passion for quilting, and her love of Maybelle Jones, her beautiful dog. You can find out more about Kim online through her profile page on The Morton Arboretum’s website and her Instagram handle @kimintransit.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Mon, 7 Mar 2022 11:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Kim Shearer, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com KIM SHEARER BIO

Kim Shearer is a tree and shrub breeder at the Morton Arboretum where she manages their New Plant Development Program and serves as the Chicagoland Grows® woody plant liaison. Kim advances the arboretum’s mission to make the world a greener, healthier, and more beautiful place by introducing plant selections with broad adaptability, disease resistance, and pest resistance. Kim acquired her bachelor’s of science from NC State University working under the mentorship of Dr. Tom Ranney, and from there she continued her studies at Oregon State University. She is very active in the horticulture industry with the American Society of Horticultural Science and the eastern region of the International Plant Propagators society. In this episode we talk about a wide range of topics from the plants she’s worked on over the years, her passion for quilting, and her love of Maybelle Jones, her beautiful dog. You can find out more about Kim online through her profile page on The Morton Arboretum’s website and her Instagram handle @kimintransit.

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Kim Shearer on Breeding Woodies for the 21st Century (#3) Kim Shearer, Jared Barnes 01:25:14 Kim Shearer talks about her becoming a plant breeder and the art and skill required to improve plants for the 21st century on this episode of The Plantastic Podcast. Kim Shearer talks about her becoming a plant breeder and the art and skill required to improve plants for the 21st century on this episode of The Plantastic Podcast. woody plants, home and garden, gardening, plant breeding, science, nature, plant science, shrubs, trees, plants false full 3 0d13ec00-c524-4060-bf2b-7a811e055d17 Caleb Melchior on Being a Landscape Architect (#2) CALEB MELCHIOR BIO

Caleb Melchior is a landscape architect and planting designer with Coastal Vista Design, and he teaches Professional Practice, Theory of Landscape Architecture, and Ecological Planting Design at Florida International University.  His practice centers on planting design and materiality, with a focus on wild plant communities of the Gulf Coast and Caribbean. He has experience designing fine gardens, estates, and public spaces throughout the southeast United States including P. Allen Smith and Associates in Little Rock, Arkansas and ASA Engineering in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He collaborates with other designers, horticulture experts, and landscape management teams to make sure that design ideas are realized throughout installation and the ongoing life of projects. Caleb is heavily involved with design communication. He presents frequently at landscape and horticulture-related conferences. His work is regularly published in national and international publications such as The American Gardener, Horticulture, and Land8.

You can find him at his website calebmelchior.com and on Instagram at @the_curious_gardener.  

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Mon, 7 Feb 2022 11:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Caleb Melchior, Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com CALEB MELCHIOR BIO

Caleb Melchior is a landscape architect and planting designer with Coastal Vista Design, and he teaches Professional Practice, Theory of Landscape Architecture, and Ecological Planting Design at Florida International University.  His practice centers on planting design and materiality, with a focus on wild plant communities of the Gulf Coast and Caribbean. He has experience designing fine gardens, estates, and public spaces throughout the southeast United States including P. Allen Smith and Associates in Little Rock, Arkansas and ASA Engineering in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He collaborates with other designers, horticulture experts, and landscape management teams to make sure that design ideas are realized throughout installation and the ongoing life of projects. Caleb is heavily involved with design communication. He presents frequently at landscape and horticulture-related conferences. His work is regularly published in national and international publications such as The American Gardener, Horticulture, and Land8.

You can find him at his website calebmelchior.com and on Instagram at @the_curious_gardener.  

THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Caleb Melchior on Being a Landscape Architect (#2) Caleb Melchior, Jared Barnes 01:17:04 Caleb Melchior discussed his becoming a landscape architect and how we can be better designers of plant communities on this episode of The Plantastic Podcast Caleb Melchior discussed his becoming a landscape architect and how we can be better designers of plant communities on this episode of The Plantastic Podcast home and garden, creative, gardening, landscape architecture, garden, nature, environment, sustainability, flowers, plant, plants, green false full 2 c10b378b-0e33-4bd7-8c39-c239816433eb Welcome to The Plantastic Podcast! (#1) THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Mon, 3 Jan 2022 11:00:00 +0000 jared@meristemhorticulture.com (Jared Barnes) theplantasticpodcast.com THE PLANTASTIC PODCAST

The Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.  

You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter PlantEd, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

]]> Welcome to The Plantastic Podcast! (#1) Jared Barnes 00:04:37 Welcome to The Plantastic Podcast! Listen along as I briefly outline the show. Welcome to The Plantastic Podcast! Listen along as I briefly outline the show. home and garden, gardening, garden, nature, native plants, education, plants false full 1