Creating Dry Shade Gardens and Other Adventures at the Longleaf Botanical Gardens – Hayes Jackson – 145 Dry shade is often a challenge in creating a successful garden. Such conditions require careful plant selection and insights. Hayes Jackson believes “there’s a plant that loves that spot no matter how bad or how difficult you think […]

Breaking the Garden Mold: A Conversation on Garden Constraints and Adaptation – Marianne Willburn – 144 In episode 144 of the Garden Question podcast, host Craig McManus interviews Marianne Wilburn, a garden writer and expert. opinion columnist for the American Horticultural Society’s The American Gardener and is a contributing editor at GardenRant.com. She authored the […]

Gardening for Stress Relief: Exploring Wellbeing in Nature – Perla Sofía Curbelo Santiago – 143 In this episode we talk with Perla Sofía Curbelo-Santiago, a passionate gardener and professional communicator from Puerto Rico. Perla Sofía is the founder of Agrochic, a gardening lifestyle platform in Spanish that advocates for the profound benefits of gardening for […]

Crape Murder Season – Craig McManus -142 In this episode of the Garden Question podcast, the host, Craig McManus, explores the practice of ‘crepe murder’. He emphasizes the damage improper pruning can cause to crape myrtle trees, detaching their natural beauty and weakening their growth potential. McManus suggests proper pruning techniques to maintain the tree’s […]

Cultivating Change: The Power of Gardens – Jennifer Jewell – 141 Host Craig McManus discusses the transformative power of gardening and the incredible impact they have on our lives with guest Jennifer Jewell. Jennifer is a garden advocate, author, and award-winning podcast and radio host, shares examples of how gardens influence our lives. She addresses the […]

Nurturing a Garden: Adventures, Wisdom, and Insights from Cox Arboretum and Garden – Tom Cox -140 Starting a garden isn’t just about planting seeds and tending greens. It’s a compelling journey that goes beyond the soil – a tale that’s not only visually enthrall but emotionally connect. To learn more about this horticultural expedition, we […]

The Unexpected Journey of Poinsettias from Mexico to our Living Rooms – Jim Faust -139 The vibrant red and green foliage of the poinsettia are familiar sights in homes around the world during the Christmas holiday season. But have you ever wondered how this exotic flowering plant from Mexico became a quintessential symbol of Christmas? […]

The Stories and Magic of Real Christmas Trees – Mel Koelling – 138 Tannenbaum Farms – Courtesy of Mel Koelling We had the unique opportunity to interview Dr. Mel Koelling, a seasoned expert in the Christmas tree industry. With Christmas season on the horizon, there is no better time to learn about the fascinating world […]

Cultivating Gratitude: A Thanksgiving Special in the Garden – 137 In this Thanksgiving special episode of the Garden Question Podcast, host Craig McManus brings together a variety of influential guests from previous episodes to talk about what they are thankful for, both in the garden and in life. The episode kickstarts with Brent Heath, a […]

Harvesting Hope: Nurturing the Soul in Your Garden – Shelley S. Cramm – 136 Today’s episode is an enlightening conversation with Shelley S. Cramm, the insightful author of “My Father is the Gardener.” She writes regularly for her Devotions Blog at GardeninDelight.com, and speaks enthusiastically to garden clubs and faith groups about plants of the […]

Roots & Ramblings: Cultivating Harmony in the Garden – Molly Hendry -135 Join us in this episode as we explore the harmonious blend of beauty and functionality in gardens. Molly Hendry is a Birmingham native whose expertise as a horticulturist and landscape architect has taken her across the globe. We’ll unravel the fascinating tale of […]

The Garden Journey, Mystery, and Discovery – Dan Benarcik – 134 In this episode passions collide and creativity blossoms with Dan Benarcik. A seasoned expert whose life has been a vibrant tapestry of horticulture, art, teaching, and design. Growing up surrounded by the aroma of blooms and saw dust, Dan inherited a deep love for […]

133 – Unveiling the Art and Science of Plant Breeding – David Roberts Welcome to another exciting episode of The Garden Question. Today, we’re venturing into the captivating realm of plant breeding, a topic that’s as fascinating as it is innovative. We all relish the joy of designing our own gardens, but have you ever […]

Plant Bulbs Harvest Smiles – Brent Heath – 132 Welcome to another fantastic episode. “Planting Bulbs, Harvesting Smiles,” I’m your host, Craig McManus. Today we’re diving into the vibrant world of bulbs with the one and only Brent Heath from Brent and Becky’s Bulbs. Brent Heath is not just your average gardener; he’s a renowned […]

Water, Food, Healing: The Transformative Power of Gardening – Heidi Heiland – 131 Heidi Heiland has been diligently leading and artfully expanding her landscape gardening company, Heidi’s Lifestyle Gardens as the CEO. That’s Chief Experience Officer since 1979. With the help of her expert team, they create award winning ecoscapes and nourishing encounters with nature […]

Cultivating the Perfect Garden with Effective Goal Planning – Jeff Rugg – 130 You will be happy that you listen to this episode before you plant your first plant. It begins with setting garden goals. Jeff Rugg is an educator at heart. For over 33 years he has written the weekly nationally syndicated newspaper column […]

Gardeners Never Retire: Overcoming Challenges in Your Senior Years – Duane Pancoast – 129 In this episode we talk about adapting to various gardening challenges. We explore making tough decisions in gardening through the later seasons of life. Also, having the best attitudes toward tough decisions. Mobility restrictions began taking a toll on 84-year-old Duane […]

The Monarch Crusader – Carol Pasternak – 128 Carol Pasternak lives by the motto “It’s Gotta Be Fun”. That is what she brings to this episode. Have you ever thought about having a caterpillar as a pet? You will want to after listening to her. Egg hunts are not just from the Easter Bunny. Carol […]

Mr Plant Geek’s Botanical Adventures – Michael Perry -127 In this fresh episode we are talking with Michael Perry also known as Mr. Plant Geek a multihyphenate in the plant world. You know he is adept at many roles in horticulture. Michael is a TV presenter, speaker, hortpreneur and author of Hortus Curious, a visual […]

Branches and Boundaries: Navigating Tree Legalities – Lea Clark -126 Have you ever wondered about your neighbor’s tree branch hanging over your house? Or thought who really owns that tree on my property line. Is ignoring the questionable tree in my backyard a good idea? Well in this episode we talk with an ISA Certified […]

Cultivating History: Exploring George Washington’s Mount Vernon Garden – Dean Norton -125 Dean Norton feel in love with the Mount Vernon Estate Gardens 53 years ago and never left. After receiving a degree in horticulture from Clemson University he began his horticultural career as the estate’s boxwood gardener. The historical gardens of the first president […]

Sculpting Nature: The Legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted – Kirk R. Brown – 124 It’s been over 200 years since he was born. People still absorb his parks and public gardens in more than 5,000 communities across the North American continent. The goal is to “give the common man in this New World the same opportunity […]

How to Create a Moss Garden – Annie Martin aka Mossin’ Annie – 123 Have you got a shady location where nothing else will grow? Are you tired of mowing grass? Do you have problem  with soil erosion? How about a desire to avoid chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides? In this episode Annie Martin, moss landscape designer […]

Preserving Heritage Apple Trees: Rooted Legacy -Josh Fuder – 122 Josh Fuder‘s search to identify the old apple trees growing at his newly purchase home ignited a path to discovering and recovering lost apple varieties of Georgia. In this episode 122 we look into why lost apple varieties are important. How they are being discovered […]