Ulrich Lorimer is the director of the Native Plant Tust in Framingham, MA, a conservation organization that manages Garden in the Woods. He has been a longtime advocate for cultivating native plants in both public and private gardens to help offset habitat loss. In this episode, he talks about some outstanding native species that have an outsized impact when planted in a garden setting. He also digs into the nitty-gritty of designing with regionally adapted plants, gardening in a changing climate, and integrating native plants into our backyard ecosystems.  

When we say “foundation plants” you might think we’re talking about plants that are the backbones of our beds and borders. But that’s not what we mean in this instance. Today we’re discussing plants that are perfect for planting around your home’s foundation. These selections need to adhere to a certain set of requirements: they can't get too big; they can't be too small; they can’t have aggressive root systems; they must have multiple seasons of interest. If that sounds like the holy grail of plants, it is! But luck for you we’ve culled together a dynamic assortment of options for all areas of the country. So, if you're sick of looking at that ugly 2-foot expanse of concrete at the foot of your home listen up, because we’re going to help you cover it up in style.   

Expert: Lifelong horticulturist Tony Fulmer is the retired chief horticulture officer for Chalet, a specialty nursery in Wilmette, Illinois. 

Seattle-based garden designer Stacie Crooks creates beautiful, ecologically friendly, low-maintenance gardens throughout the Pacific Northwest. Her most recent article in the December 2024 issue of Fine Gardening magazine tackles the challenges of integrating a vibrant, plant-focused garden into a cookie-cutter neighborhood developed during the post-World War II building boom. To coincide with the publication of the article, we’re revisiting this engaging interview where Stacie covers some of the most valuable insights she has gained through years of experience. Anyone can use Stacie’s rules of thumb to make their own outdoor spaces more welcoming and easier to maintain.

Great options for welcoming winged visitors to your garden 

Hardly an episode goes by where we don't mention a pollinator plant. But we have never dedicated an entire episode to the topic, which in our minds is bananas! So today we’re fixing that track record and discussing 11 of our favorite pollinator plants. Native plant expert Cheyenne Wine joins us from Rare Roots Nursery in Virginia to add her top picks to the conversation, as well. Listen now to find trees, shrubs, perennials, and even some bulbs to plant if you’re interested in turning your garden into an insect party buzzing with activity!  

Expert: Cheyenne Wine is a writer and photographer for Rare Roots nursery in Mechanicsville, Virginia. 

Andrew Bunting is vice president of horticulture at Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), where he promotes gardening for the greater good. PHS supports healthier neighborhoods through horticulture by cleaning and greening vacant lots, planting and maintaining street trees, partnering with community gardeners to share resources and conserve productive open space, and demonstrating ecologically sound gardening practices in public gardens throughout the greater Philadelphia area. Andrew’s extensive public gardening career includes time spent at Chicago Botanic Garden, Chanticleer, and 27 years at the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College. His Fine Gardening articles have covered topics like autumn-flowering trees, shrubs for shade, and selecting trees for structure. In this episode, he discusses the evolution of his home garden, the lessons learned from the many gardens his hands have touched, and the potential for making our shared landscapes more sustainable and inclusive. 

The best ground covers are multi-purpose workhorses, suppressing weeds, preventing soil erosion, and adding another level of interest to garden beds. Naturally, we’d prefer them not to be invasive, and to look good over a long season. But why do so many gardeners seem to fall back on the same few choices? In this episode, Danielle, Carol, and expert guest Amanda Thomsen cover new ground in their quest to expand the definition of what a ground cover can be. Whether it’s a tough but underused North American native, a cheeky little annual, or an unusual self-seeding edible, we hope you will find something unexpected but garden-worthy in this episode. 

Expert: Amanda Thomsen is the author of Kiss My Aster: A Graphic Guide to Creating a Fantastic Yard Totally Tailored to You and owner of the Aster Gardens plant shop in Lemont, Illinois. 

Mark Weathington is the director of the JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University in Raleigh, North Carolina and author of Gardening in the South: The Complete Homeowner’s Guide. Mark is a frequent FG contributor, covering a wide range of topics including magnolias, redbuds, compact shrubs, and unexpected replacements for overused plants.  Some of Mark’s most fascinating work at the arboretum has involved his extensive travel to collect, preserve, and distribute plants from around the world. In this episode he discusses the unexpected path that led to a career in horticulture and the international collaborations that are helping to conserve endangered species and bring diversity to American landscapes.

It’s late-July and we’re officially HOT. And so are our gardens. Now is the time that we start to truly sit up and take notice of the plants that seem to be gliding through summer’s worst without skipping a beat. Today’s episode pays tribute to all those perennials and shrubs that take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’. We found some stars that thrive in heat, lean soil, and even some selections for the most dreaded of conditions: dry shade. If these plants do well in awful situations, think how much better they might do in slightly better ones?  

Expert: Kim Toscano is a horticulturalist, entomologist, garden designer, writer, and graphic designer. She previously hosted Oklahoma Gardening, a weekly PBS television program produced by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. 

Jared Barnes is an associate professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, where he and his students cultivate The Plantery, a botanic garden complete with a native plant trial garden. Jared shares his love of plants with a wider audience through his gardening newsletter and The Plantastic Podcast, and he is also a frequent contributor to Fine Gardening. Recent topics that he has covered for the magazine include plant survival strategies, evaluating how much sunlight or shade a garden bed gets, and propagating plants from cuttings. Listen along as we learn more about what it takes to become a horticulture professor, and how to build an engaged community around a shared love of plants.

There’s nothing nicer than being outside on a beautiful late spring day, especially if it means you get a whole day away from your desk. Danielle, Carol, and digital editor Christine Alexander recently played hooky from their editorial duties and went on a horticultural adventure at one of New England’s great public gardens. Located in Boylston, Massachusetts, Tower Hill is filled with fun places to explore, including formal gardens, woodland trails lined with native plantings, and two conservatories. After exploring the grounds and chatting about some of the great plants they came across, Danielle and Carol sat down for a chat with Tower Hill’s director of horticulture, Mark Richardson. We hope this episode inspires you to get out and enjoy a field trip to a public garden near you! 

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to get exclusive access to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show? Well, your dreams have come true because in this exclusive interview we got an all-access pass to THE horticultural event of the year thanks to Annie Guilfoyle, a 2024 judge. Annie is co-founder of Garden Masterclass in the UK and an award wining garden designer who earned a Silver Medal at Cheslea years ago for her innovative landscape design. Annie is just back from the show this year and shares details from her favorite gardens, interesting new plants that caught her attention, and even some celebrity gossip from those stars that were in attendance at the show. (Spoiler alert: she did not  see Lady Whistledown at the Bridgerton -themed garden). We discussed how native plants and sustainable practices played a role in this year’s event and talk about themes of water conservation and hardscape upcycling.  

Looking to attend the show next year? Then you’re in luck because Annie shares some tip sand tricks for navigating the show grounds and insights on how to make the most of your visit. Who needs Monty Don when you’ve got Annie Guilfoyle? Not us!