Traditional gardening emends the soil to suit the needs of the selected plants; pioneering nurseryman and ecologist Neil Diboll takes the character of the soil on site as the foundation of garden design and key to the selection of an adapted, ecologically functional, and self-sufficient plant palette
Internationally acclaimed landscape designer Edwina von Gal’s Perfect Earth Project uses imaginative strategies to connect landowners big and small with nature-based, chemical-free and biodiversity friendly management practices
Garden activist and educator Cathy Ludden describes her encounters with hydrangeas and how transforming the flower heads to suit human aesthetics has proved both harmful and beneficial to pollinators
Richard Hayden, Senior Director of Horticulture at New York’s magical garden, the High Line, describes how it integrates North American native plants with carefully chosen exotic species to create a whole that delights human visitors while also supporting wildlife and providing a powerful reconnection with nature
Many homeowners who admire the beauty and environmental benefits of native plants don’t care for the wilderness look of the typical naturalized native plant garden. Garden designer Britney O’Donnell shares tricks for designing and maintaining a more domesticated native plant landscape, one that fits better a neater suburban context
Skeptics say that invasive species are not a serious threat to biodiversity, that “Nature will heal itself” despite the looming, man-made mass extinction. Today, paleobotanist Dana Royer describes the five mass extinctions of the past, and why recovery from such episodes typically took millions of years
Karen Bussolini of historic nursery White Flower Farm makes the case for how a mix of native and non-native flowers can feed pollinators better throughout the growing season
Environmentalists say the traditional lawn must go, but homeowners commonly love their turf. Organic lawn specialist Shay Lunseth outlines how we can “meet in the middle,” and explains why fall is the critical season for organic lawns
Amanda Douridas of the Ohio State University Extension Service describes cover cropping, an ancient practice that can move your vegetable garden toward healthier, richer soil with less dependence on synthetic fertilizers and herbicides.
In a conversation recorded in February, 2020, Benjamin Vogt discusses his pioneering book, A New Garden Ethic, and the need for gardeners to become activists in this era of existential challenges to the plants and animals with which we share this planet
Dr. Rebecca Barak describes the collaboration between the Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago Park District, Northwestern University, and the University of Michigan–Flint to develop native, biodiverse lawn alternatives that can withstand and moderate the effects of climate change
Alex Critchley and Sarah Johnson of The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside describe the growing movement in Britain to ban the sale of peat and peat-based gardening projects, and their organization’s efforts to preserve and restore peatlands, a key piece in the battle against global climate change
Established in 1875, American Forests is a non-profit that was an enormously influential pioneer in addressing the over-exploitation and destruction of our nation’s forestlands. Listen as Benita Hussain, chief program officer for tree equity, describes how the organization has pivoted to assisting communities across the country bolster urban forests and fight climate change in economically challenged neighborhoods.
Dr. Anurag Agrawal of Cornell University describes the many ways that plants defend themselves against locally indigenous insects, and how the insects defuse and even become dependent on the plants’ defense mechanisms
Dr. Claire Rutledge of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station describes the ingenious use of native and non-native insects to control the damage done by this introduced, tree-killing pest
Bats play many positive, essential roles in the ecosystem, says Lee Mackenzie of Austin Bat Refuge – learn how to make your garden hospitable to these good and harmless neighbors
Sam Hoadley, the manager of the trial garden at the Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin, Delaware explores the native sedges of Genus Carex, a diverse, largely untapped source of groundcovers, foliage plants, and turfgrass substitutes that thrive with little maintenance.
Distinguished horticultural educator Carol Reese shares a lively exploration of transexual plants and other reproductive mysteries displayed in your garden (originally broadcast in January 2022).
In this revelatory book Dr. Lars Chittka of Queen Mary University of London explores the psychology of bees, their extraordinary learning abilities and their individual personalities.
Sara Weaner Cooper, Executive Director of New Directions in The American Landscape, describes her organization’s dynamic educational programing and her success in transitioning a front lawn into native meadow without the use of herbicides, smothering plastics, or turf removal