Episode 101: Berried Treasure
Perhaps it’s the winter season we’re in right now, or perhaps we’re just hungry, but regardless, we have berries on the mind. This episode highlights some plants that provide us with unexpected (but...
View ArticleEpisode 102: Favorite Self-Sowers
What if you could have a garden that basically planted itself? The idea isn’t as far-fetched as you might think. Self-sowing plants are delightfully serendipitous plants that will happily disperse seed...
View ArticleEpisode 103: Seeds We’re Starting
Is there a better time of year than seed-ordering season? You may shop for seeds online, or perhaps you prefer the analog version (like us) of paper catalogs. Regardless, ordering and starting seeds is...
View ArticleEpisode 104: Plants for Winter Interest
If you live in the Northeast, Mountain West, or Midwest your idea of winter interest is certainly different than say, a gardener living in the South. Those of us who live in cooler locales are often...
View ArticleEpisode 105: Underappreciated Veggies
There’s no reason to tell everyone how great ‘Brandywine’ tomatoes are because everyone already knows! And the same goes for ‘Blue Lake’ green beans or ‘Hot Wax’ peppers. We all know these names...
View ArticleEpisode 106: Spring Natives
Even though there’s still snow on the ground for many of us, warmer weather is most definitely on our brains. So today we’re going to be talking about native plants that put on a spectacular show in...
View ArticleEpisode 107: Skinny Plants
They’re often called the “exclamation points” of the landscape, drawing attention in a not-so-subtle way. Of course, we’re talking about columnar (AKA fastigiate) plants and today we’re highlighting...
View ArticleEpisode 108: Problem Solving Perennials
Yes, that’s right: plants can solve problems. Maybe not problems like those noisy neighbors next door or your husband failing to replace the toilet paper roll, time and time again. But plants can solve...
View ArticleEpisode 109: Shopping List Plants
Little kids have Christmas. Gardeners have spring. To us, this is the most wonderful time of the year. And with the start of the season, comes those inevitable trips to the nursery. In an effort to not...
View ArticleEpisode 110: Best Gift Plants
Always give a gift that you yourself would like to receive. That’s excellent advice when it comes to life-- and as gardeners, we can extend that sentiment to giving plants as gifts. Ask yourself: what...
View ArticleEpisode 111: Weed Suppressing Ground Covers
Is there anything ground covers can’t do? They are useful in problem areas like steep slopes, under trees and shrubs, and in spaces that need erosion control. They also reduce maintenance by enveloping...
View ArticleEpisode 112: Best Cutting Garden Flowers
When late May and June hits, we can’t help wandering out into the garden with a pair of shears in hand. Bringing fresh flowers into the house seems like a seasonal rite of passage for most gardeners...
View ArticleEpisode: 113 Big and Bold Plants
The original title of this episode was, Big and Bold Plants for the Back of the Border. But between the length and the tongue-twister alliteration, we shorted it a bit for promotional purposes....
View ArticleEpisode 114: Drought Tolerant Woodies
According to NASA Earth Observatory, one-third of the United States experienced some level of drought in 2020 and 2021 was much the same. This pattern of extended dry weather is sadly becoming more and...
View ArticleEpisode 115: Underrated Herbs
We all know and love parsley, sage rosemary, and thyme. And then there’s sweet basil which is perhaps the queen of all the herbs. But what about those herbs that are just as tasty—or attractive—but...
View ArticleEpisode 116: Plants We Should Like, but Don’t
They’re tough, they’re hardy, they thrive in almost any location. So, why don’t we love them? Give this episode a listen to hear about plants that have a ton of good attributes, but just can’t bring...
View ArticleEpisode 117: Tender Plants Worth Saving
Nearly everyone can grow tropical plants outdoors during the summer months, but when the first frosts are forecasted gardeners in colder climates know there will be some tough decisions ahead. Which...
View ArticleEpisode 118: Unusual Autumn Perennials
What gardener doesn’t like something a bit out-of-the ordinary, right? Especially when it’s a plant that puts on a serious show as the final curtain call is happening. Today we highlight some of our...
View ArticleEpisode 119: Favorite Sedums
What’s not to love about sedums? They’re drought-tolerant, they attract pollinators, and they flower later in the season when not much else is going on in the garden. But they also have their...
View ArticleEpisode 120: An Interview with Doug Tallamy
We very pleased to bring you a special episode of Let’s Argue About Plants today, featuring an interview with Douglas Tallamy, PhD. Several months ago, Christine Alexander, digital content manager for...
View ArticleEpisode 121: Wicked Plants
They're creepy and they're kooky. Mysterious and spooky. They're all together ooky. Nope, it’s not the Adam’s Family, it’s the array of wicked plants on today’s episode. It’s Halloween season so we’ll...
View ArticleEpisode 122: The Most Colorful Fall Plants
Depending on where you live in North America, fall in the garden can bring anything from a flood of vibrant color to just the slightest hint of a new hue. Here in New England, we’re pretty lucky to get...
View ArticleEpisode 123: Listener Q & A
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, not because it’s the holidays, because it’s the annual Q & A episode here on Let’s Argue About Plants. When we put a call out each year asking you, our...
View ArticleEpisode 124: Wish List Plants
It doesn’t matter whether we’ve been naughty (Danielle) or nice (Carol) this year—we’re still going ahead and adding plenty of plants to our wish lists. We’re talking about trees that we’ve had our...
View ArticleEpisode 125: Sensational Seed Heads
Flowers and foliage get most of the fanfare, but a plant with eye-catching seed heads will add interest for weeks or even months after its bloom time is over. The textures and shapes of these...
View ArticleEpisode 126: Winter Stunners
The winter blues have certainly set in around here. But thankfully we have a few plants outside that seemed to have saved their best for last. Today Carol and Danielle are talking about Winter...
View ArticleEpisode 127: Plants for Winter’s Worst
Much like the United States Postal Service, these plants will not let rain, nor sleet, nor driving snow stop them from pulling through the worst winter weather imaginable. It can be hard to find...
View ArticleEpisode 128: Our Loved Ones’ Favorite Plants
For many gardeners, sharing a love of plants with family and friends adds another layer of enjoyment to a very fulfilling pastime. In this episode, Danielle, Carol, and expert guest Catharine Cooke...
View ArticleEpisode 129: Early Risers
Raise your hand if seasonal affective disorder has set in for you. Yep, us too. Because the skies are grey and the landscape is mostly brown in many areas of the country, we decided that today’s...
View ArticleEpisode 130: Favorite Spring Greens
Growing spring greens is an easy, satisfying project that takes very little time and very little garden space—you can even grow greens in containers! Homegrown spring greens will be fresher than any...
View ArticleEpisode 131: Green Plants
Green plants? Well of course! What else would our topic be for a St. Patrick’s Day episode? Today we’re talking about plants that are stunners despite being “just green.” Turns out that these...
View ArticleEpisode 132: A Tribute to Tulips
Tulips are a lavish spring gift that any gardener can give to themself and to their neighborhood with just a little advance planning. Whether your tulip bulbs are pre-ordered as early as possible in...
View ArticleEpisode 133: Spring Combos
To gardeners, spring is the signal of something big to come. It kicks off our season. For the next several months we will primp and preen our beds to maximize their beauty and relish in their good...
View ArticleEpisode 134: Hole Fillers
Every garden has gaps that need to be filled from time to time. Whether you are looking for a short-term stand-in while a bed is being reworked or a quick fix after another plant dies, it is nice to...
View ArticleEpisode 135: Spring Flowering Dwarf Shrubs
If you’re looking to add some heft to the spring garden, but don’t want to overwhelm genteel bulbs or ephemeral perennials then dwarf, spring-flowering shrubs are the answer. These little powerhouses...
View ArticleEpisode 136: Plants with Presence
We all love plants that have some personality. These are the ones that stand out and make us take notice, and when we see them at a nursery, public garden, or in a fellow gardener’s collection, they go...
View ArticleEpisode 137: Field Trip to The Farmer’s Daughter Nursery
Visiting a great nursery is inspirational. Colors and textures draw you in, and wish-list plants beckon to you from the benches and displays. You may even encounter a plant that you can’t live without,...
View ArticleEpisode 138: Water-Wise Perennials
Drought has become synonymous with gardening in the past several years. It seems like regardless of where you live, you will experience some sort of dry conditions in summer. This has led many of us to...
View ArticleEpisode 139: Favorite Succulents
Quirky, collectible, and water-wise, succulents will add eye-catching texture to any garden bed or container display. There are some succulents that are cold hardy, while others will need to be brought...
View ArticleEpisode 140: Listener Q & A
It’s that time of year again! The much-anticipated listener question and answer episode. Carol and Danielle look forward to this special episode (sometimes TWO episodes) because it allows them to offer...
View ArticleEpisode 141: Summer Color
Around here we’re not fans of the f-word. No, not that f-word. We’re talking about FALL. In our minds that cooler weather is still a long way off, so we’ve decided to celebrate the dog days of summer...
View ArticleEpisode 142: Fall Natives
It’s time to grab that sweatshirt and dig out those heavier socks—fall has arrived! Although it’s sad to see summer go, we’re getting super excited for the new season around here. The native plants in...
View ArticleEpisode 143: Best Of LAAP: Our Favorite Guests
We’re nearing our 150th episode mark and for us, that has meant a lot of plants discussed. But it’s also meant a lot of great guest appearances. As you know, each episode we ask an expert from the...
View ArticleEpisode 144: Plant This with That-Fall Edition
Danielle combo #1 'Limelight' panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight', Zones 3-9) 'Sun King' aralia (Aralia cordata 'Sun King', Zones 3-9) Danielle combo #2 'Worcester Gold' blue mist...
View ArticleEpisode 145: Great Plants for Grouping
Isn’t every plant great in a group? Well, the answer is no. Some plants are too vigorous in their growth habits to share the stage, while others are better if put on a pedestal all their own (i.e. the...
View ArticleEpisode 146: Best of LAAP: Our Top 4 Plants
While searching through our archive of episodes we discovered something: There are a few specific plants we just can’t stop talking about. As the years have progressed here at Let’s Argue About Plants,...
View ArticleEpisode 147: Great Native Grasses
If you like the beauty and impact that ornamental grasses bring to a garden design, you will love the many shapes, forms and colors that North American native species offer. Whether you need a...
View ArticleEpisode 148: Wish List Plants
Oh, dear listeners...it’s the most glorious time of the year! No, not because it’s time to hang the stockings or trim the tree—because it’s time to make the 2024 gardening wish lists. This year Carol...
View ArticleEpisode 149: Silver Plants
Plants with a silvery sheen stand out beautifully against the sea of green that fills most garden beds. In this episode, Danielle, Carol, and their guest will highlight some shimmering shrubs,...
View ArticleEpisode 150: Design Rules of Thumb with Stacie Crooks
Stacie Crooks is a Seattle-based garden designer who has created beautiful, ecologically friendly, low-maintenance gardens throughout the Pacific Northwest. She is also a contributing editor for Fine...
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