The Garden Question is a podcast for people that love designing, building and growing smarter gardens that work.

Listen in as we talk with successful garden designers, builders, and growers. Discovering their stories along with how they think, work, and grow.

This is your next step in creating a beautiful year-round, environmentally connected, low maintenance, and healthy thriving outdoor spaces!

It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or an expert there will always be something inspiring when you listen to “The Garden Question” podcast.

Host Craig McManus.

Current Episode

Cultivating Gratitude: A Thanksgiving Special in the Garden – 137

By Craig McManus | November 23, 2023

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 […]

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The Garden Questions Episodes

Your Garden’s Next Tree – Paul Chappell – 089

By Craig McManus | December 22, 2022

Your Garden’s Next Tree – Paul Chappell – 089 Paul Chappell grows trees headed to a landscape garden near you. He talks about the fascinating journey your tree might take before finding a home in your garden. Once your tree finds its home, Paul lays out what it takes for you to be a successful […]

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Be a Student of Your Garden – Jenny Simpson – 088

By Craig McManus | December 15, 2022

Be a Student of Your Garden – Jenny Simpson – 088 Jenny Simpson meets people on their gardening journey and helps them grow, bloom, and thrive both in their garden and life! In this episode we talk about how being a student of your garden puts you on a track to success. Jenny & Jerry […]

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Smithsonian’s Ripley Garden – Janet Draper – 087

By Craig McManus | December 8, 2022

Smithsonian’s Ripley Garden – Janet Draper – 087 Janet Draper gets to play in the dirt and talk to people from around the world. This is her 25th year as the sole horticulturalist for Smithsonian’s Mary Livingston Ripley Garden. This tiny 1/3 of an acre garden is located on the National Mall and in Washington, […]

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Poinsettia Stories – Jim Faust – 086

By Craig McManus | December 1, 2022

Poinsettia Stories – Jim Faust – 086 How did the Poinsettia become the Christmas flower? It is a series of intriguing stories full of human drama, mysteries, secrets, challenges, and world domination. Find out why every poinsettia plant sold today carries a critical pathogen that is a key to its success and is detrimental all […]

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Mel Koelling

Real Christmas Tree Stories – Dr. Mel Koelling – 085

By Craig McManus | November 24, 2022

Real Christmas Tree Stories – Dr. Mel Koelling – 085 We are at the beginning of Christmas season and it is time to display the Christmas Tree. Dr. Mel Koelling knows Christmas Trees. He and his wife Laurie have grown thousands of trees every year at Tannenbaum Farms in central Michigan. A nationally recognized expert […]

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Designing Beautiful Functional Outdoor Living Spaces – Pearce Butcher – 084

By Craig McManus | November 17, 2022

Designing Beautiful Functional Outdoor Living Spaces – Pearce Butcher – 084 Pearce Butcher has always known that she is an artist who loves nature and science. In this episode we dissect Landscape Design as a unique combination of art, science, and problem-solving. Pearce loves the challenge of looking at a space, listening to the concerns and dreams of the […]

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Charles Daniel Coastal Garden Keepers

Where Do Camellias Grow Best – Charles Daniel – 083

By Craig McManus | November 10, 2022

Where Do Camellias Grow Best – Charles Daniel – 083 So much of Charles Daniel’s garden world revolves around camellias. In this episode he talks about how to be successful with Camellias and their surprising history. He shares why Camellias are a key plant for year-round blooms. We also talk about how to overcome garden […]

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David Brown Hills and Dales

Designing From The Garden – David Brown – 082

By Craig McManus | November 3, 2022

Designing From The Garden – David Brown – 082 You will often find David Brown studying plants in the gardens at Hills and Dales Estate. He seeks to acquire the perfect cutting for his amazing indoor arrangements. In our conversation he tells us how you may accomplish the same with your garden plants. Before coming […]

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A Child’s Terrifying Horticultural Adventure – Troy B. Marden – 081

By Craig McManus | October 27, 2022

A Child’s Terrifying Horticultural Adventure – Troy B. Marden – 081 In this episode Troy B. Marden tells us about the terrifying event that began his horticultural adventures. As an accomplished garden designer, he shares the vision of fellow gardeners in his clients, writings, television show and worldwide tours. He seeks to help you discover […]

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Achieving Successful Ecological Landscape Design – Preston Montague – 080

By Craig McManus | October 20, 2022

Achieving Successful Ecological Landscape Design – Preston Montague – 080 In this episode Preston Montague talks about how to achieve positive ecological impacts with plants from all over the globe with structural elements that serve animals, insects and people. It’s not just about native plants. Understanding the relationships that compose an ecosystem and the keystone […]

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How Your Garden Supports Plant Conservation – Jennifer Ceska – 079

By Craig McManus | October 13, 2022

How Your Garden Supports Plant Conservation – Jennifer Ceska – 079 You will be surprised how much your day-to-day gardening helps save our endanger plant species. In this episode Jennifer Ceska is determined to make native plants regular. How to wake up native plants already on your land and learning to love the untidy. She […]

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Perennials That Work for Heat and Humidity – Kata Kress Wallace -078

By Craig McManus | October 6, 2022

Perennials That Work for Heat and Humidity – Kata Kress Wallace – 078 Do you often find it a challenging to grow perennials in the heat and humidity of the south? In this episode we talk with Kata Kress Wallace about the best ways to overcome those challenges. It’s no secret that perennials love the […]

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Growing Baby Salad Greens all Winter – Mike Cunningham – 077

By Craig McManus | September 29, 2022

Mike Cunningham believes that having a salad every day is probably one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. In this episode we will discover how simple, easy, and quick growing greens can keep your salad bowl full all winter. Fresh tasty nutritional eating right from your deck, patio, or backyard sounds great […]

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Growing & Understanding Grasses & Sedges – Shannon Currey – 076

By Craig McManus | September 22, 2022

Growing & Understanding Grasses & Sedges – Shannon Currey – 076 Are you ready to try something new? Then grasses and sedges could be your next garden adventure. You will find the opportunities for creating a rich layered interesting garden that serves more than an ornamental function. Developing the whole ecological package. Improving the soil […]

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New Perennial Movement Goes South – Sarah Roberts – 075

By Craig McManus | September 15, 2022

New Perennial Movement Goes South – Sarah Roberts – 075 Sarah Roberts and her team have brought the New Perennial Movement to the south on a large scale. The new Entrance Garden’s large sweeps of grasses, perennials, native plants presented in a naturalistic style welcomes you to the Atlanta History Center. The garden has settled […]

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Antique Roses Queen of the Garden – Jason Powell – 074

By Craig McManus | September 8, 2022

Antique Roses Queen of the Garden – Jason Powell – 074 Jason Powell declares the queen of the garden to be antique roses. Who could argue with old garden roses that exudes excellent fragrance, shape, disease resistance, and low maintenance. We talk about how these fragrant flowering shrubs make a huge impact in your garden […]

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Fall Organic Vegetable Gardening – Mike Cunningham – 073

By Craig McManus | September 1, 2022

Fall Organic Vegetable Gardening – Mike Cunningham – 073 Mike and Judy Cunningham are harvesting the last summer crops at Country Gardens Farm. Fall gardening is just beginning. Mike takes a break to talk about his favorite time of the year in the garden. Some of the things you will discover in this episode are […]

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Understanding Easy Garden Color – Laura Deeter – 072

By Craig McManus | August 25, 2022

Understanding Easy Garden Color – Laura Deeter – 072 Color excites us more than any design element in the garden because it speaks emotionally to us. In this episode we will dissect and learn how color speaks to us in our garden. Dr. Laura Deeter received her PhD in horticulture from The Ohio State University […]

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Success with Naturalistic Plantings – Jared Barnes, Ph.D. – 071

By Craig McManus | August 18, 2022

Success with Naturalistic Plantings – Jared Barnes, Ph.D. – 071 Naturalistic planting design begins with understanding what roles certain plants play in nature. This is a new concept for me. I don’t remember every hearing about this classification system or how it works. We talk about this and more in this episode 071 – Success […]

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Drainage Systems in the Garden That Work – Craig McManus – 070

By Craig McManus | August 11, 2022

Drainage Systems in the Garden That Work – Craig McManus – 070 Whether rain drops are regularly falling in your garden this season or you’ve almost forgot what rain looks like, having a water drainage plan is more Important than a Planting Plan for a happy successful garden. In this episode Host Craig McManus talks […]

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How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden – Gail Woody – 069

By Craig McManus | August 4, 2022

How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden – Gail Woody – 069 It’s hummingbird season. Are they swarming in your garden? In this episode Gail Woody reveals her tricks of the garden that attract hundreds of these wonderful creatures. She talks about her feeding strategies and nectar producing plants that make her garden a popular […]

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Attracting More Butterflies to Your Garden – Gail Woody – 068

By Craig McManus | July 28, 2022

Attracting More Butterflies to Your Garden – Gail Woody – 068 In this episode Gail Woody will tell us how to attract more butterflies and then keep them coming to your garden. She has been studying these flying jewels for many years and regularly attracts up to 38 different species to her garden. Monarch butterflies […]

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Becki Griffin

The Great Georgia Pollinator Census – Becky Griffin – 067

By Craig McManus | July 21, 2022

The Great Georgia Pollinator Census – Becky Griffin – 067 It’s no accident insects are a critical part of putting good food on your table. Becky Griffin knows pollinators count. Now she is counting the pollinators in the 2022 The Great Georgia Pollinator Census. Your state could be next. Being a self-confessed “Geeky Kid” with […]

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How to Begin a Simple Garden – Victoria Mininger – 066

By Craig McManus | July 14, 2022

How to Begin a Simple Garden – Victoria Mininger – 066 In this episode Victoria Mininger shares with us how she helps her clients set up simple thriving gardens. Gardens that require less work when you find the right spot. For years Victoria and her husband Brian have owned Bear Creek Outdoor Living a residential […]

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