Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 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 areas that would ordinarily need a boatload of mulch to keep weeds at bay. Now, not all ground covers play nice. Some species will not only cover bare ground, but they will choke out neighboring plants. But that’s not the plants we’re talking about today. We’re focusing on ground covers that w...

Episode 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 plants would I like to get as a gift? We had a lot of fun on today’s episode, imagining the scenarios in which we’d give our friends, neighbors, or even strangers particular plants that would convey our feelings of happiness, sympathy, or just pure joy. Need a wedding present that’s truly uniqu...

Episode 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 max out their credit cards, this spring Carol and Danielle are making shopping lists of plants that they will be on the hunt for. These species are going to fill a particular need or want in their gardens, and they might do the same for you. Listen today to see what our hosts are dreaming of a...

Episode 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 problems like a barren patch of garden under a shallow-rooted tree, or a lack of pollinators in your yard. Today’s array of fantastic perennials are plants that can address conditional or pest problems that you may be struggling with. Need a vole-proof, pollinator magnet? We’ve got one. Need a...

Episode 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 some of the best options. Skinny plants are invaluable for several reasons other than their ability to catch the eye. They also have a small footprint which makes them ideal for siting in narrow places including along the side of a house or in a tight spot between established plants in a border. ...

Episode 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 spring. And, although we’re a podcast based out of New England, the plants we decided to talk about have an extensive native range (even into Texas!). There is an exquisitely fragrant perennial, a self-sowing ephemeral, a delicious edible, and several trees and shrubs that bloom so prolifically in...

Episode 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 because they are great varieties that vegetable gardeners have relied on for decades. Yet, there are a bunch of lesser-known veggies that deserve the same praise, but their PR agents aren’t the best. On this episode Carol and Danielle are taking the time to call out some of the unsung heroes of their...

Episode 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 satisfied with calling any plant that sticks its head above a snowbank “a winter stunner.” But in today’s episode we’re holding the bar a bit higher and talking about plants that really do save their best for the months of December, January, and February. We discuss shrubs that flower in winter, ...

Episode 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 an act of defiance against the winter conditions outside. Starting seeds says, “Hey snow and ice--you don’t scare me! I know spring is right around the corner.” Today we’ll talk about the seeds that have made it into our virtual shopping carts this year and tell you a little bit about what a p...

Episode 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 without any intervention from you. Yes, there are lots of plants out there that spread indiscriminately and obnoxiously--but those are not the ones we are discussing in this episode. Instead, we’re focusing on an array of perennials, annuals, and even edibles that will create offspring politel...

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 very appreciated) fruit. It could be a perennial that is grown for its foliage but puts on a late fall show with its berry-set. Or a shrub that is known for it’s berries--just not in a certain bubblegum color. We’ll give credit where credit is due for this topic: Andy Brand, who is our expert for...

Episode 100: Wish List Plants

Well loyal listeners, it’s hard to believe, but this is our 100th episode! We cannot thank everyone out there who has stuck with us from the early days of trying to figure out what a podcast about plants should sound like, and still downloads episodes to this day (when we’ve only figured out a bit more of what we’re doing). We’re not big on birthdays around here, but we did decide to kick off this anniversary episode with a question: If you could have 100 of any plant to give as gifts to fri...

Episode 99: Only Three Trees

The thought of restricting most gardeners to only three of any plant might sound cruel. After all, what makes us happier than heading to the nursery to fill a shopping cart? But limiting your plant palette has many advantages. Less variety means less chaos, in many cases. And, when it comes to trees, limiting yourself to just three options may also be necessary since trees take up more space and are more expensive than a perennial. It’s for these reasons that we decided to imagine ourselves ...

Episode 98: Upgraded Classics

Everyone likes an upgrade. Whether it’s a faster car or a more efficient cell phone, it’s hard to turn down a better version of something you already like. Plants are much the same. If you already love that gorgeous catmint that flowers all season long, what not try one that not only has all the same great attributes but also has an improved habit.  Today we’re talking about plants we have a great affinity for, but that plant breeders have made just that much better. Perhaps it’s a longer bl...

Episode 97: Native Alternatives to Common Plants

Here at Let’s Argue About Plants we’re big fans of native plants. Our gardens are filled with them and for good reason: native plants are essential to the preservation and health of the local ecology. Aside from their benefits to the environment, many native plants are built to thrive in the conditions where you live, too. Today, we’re talking about native alternatives to certain less-desirable plants. These undesirables might be invasive, or spread obnoxiously, or perhaps they are just pron...

Episode 96: Favorite Ornamental Grasses

Nothing says fall in the garden more than the sight of ornamental grasses pluming. It goes right along with all other things that signal the season change—the kids going back to school, pumpkin spice everything, and turning the heat on for the first time. Gardeners seem to have a love/hate relationship with ornamental grasses. They have great texture, they give life to the late-season landscape, and many are native to North America. But, some spread like noxious weeds, become invasive, or ar...

Episode 95: Unexpected Fall Color

Since the Let’s Argue About Plants podcast is based in New England, we know all about fall color. This time of year is a favorite for most of our staffers with the native sugar maples turning bright red and the birch trees shifting to brilliant yellow. But this episode is all about the unsung heroes of fall—plants that don’t immediately pop to mind when you think of vibrant autumnal color. And, we’re not just talking about trees. There are some select perennials (even some that bloom in fall...

Episode 94: Bulbs On Our Shopping List

Fall is a wonderful time of year for gardeners for so many reasons. It finally cools down so you can actually weed and prune without breaking a sweat. Many of us get to experience the color change of many perennials and woodies as the temps start to drop. And, of course, this is the time of year that we get to start shopping for fall bulbs. If you are one of those people who always kicks yourself in spring for not planting enough—or any—fall bulbs, you’re not alone. This year we’re here to i...

Episode 93: Tropicals We Wish We Grew

You know you’re a hardcore gardener when you dream about moving to the tropics--not for the beaches and tiki drinks--but because that would enable you to grow so many more cool plants. In this episode we discuss tropical plants we wish we could grow in our cooler climates, or even ones that we are looking forward to trying to grow in the future (and overwintering them like our agaves). There are some selections you’ll recognize, but there are also a couple plants we are 99% sure you’ve never...

Episode 92 : Favorite Plant Pairings

Peas and carrots. Peanut butter and jelly. Batman and Robin. If this was Jeopardy  the correct answer would be, “What are perfect pairings.” On this episode we’re talking about two plants that just seem to belong together. It could be that they have complimentary textures, or they bloom in unison, or perhaps their habits fit together like puzzle pieces. String a few of these perfect plant pairs together and you’re sure to get a garden that is pleasing to the eye. Expert testimony: Amy Gall...

Episode 91: Drought-Tolerant Plants

It pretty much seems like drought is the norm these days.  No matter where you live—East Coast, West Coast, or anywhere in between—periods of no rain are commonplace. Some gardeners out there have been dealing with droughty conditions for decades while others are just starting to learn what a “real” drought-tolerant plant is. After a record-breaking dry spell last summer (and it looks like we’re shaping up to have much of the same this year), Steve and Danielle decided to highlight some of t...

Episode 90: Favorite Workhorses

Right about now you might be asking yourself, “What exactly is a workhorse plant?” In our minds it is a plant that asks little from us but delivers a whole lot to the garden. These are tough plants, capable of fitting into an array of spots and producing multiple seasons of interest. They aren’t the stars (aka focal points), and they aren’t the supporting cast (aka reliable performers). They are more like stage managers, ensuring that the garden always looks decent. We thought it was high ti...

Episode 89: Just Four Perennials

Do you ever find yourself recommending the same handful of plants to friends and neighbors? We do. These might not being the splashiest of plants, or even the ones that you’d base an entire design around. But, these are fantastic herbaceous perennials—the meat and potatoes of the garden. To make things even more interesting, we limited ourselves down to choosing just four of these go-to plants. Our choices have multiple seasons of interest, thrive under less-than-ideal conditions, and in our...

Episode 88: Memory Plants

Episode 88: Memory Plants

Episode 87: Plants to Build a Bed Around

For those who are a little confused by this episode’s theme let us try to explain. Yes, all garden beds are built with plants. But, there are certain plants that are such solid performers that they are the perfect jumping off point for building a bed. These are not the dramatic focal points that catch everyone’s attention, nor are they the stoic bones of the garden that just play a background role. These are the perfectly chicken tenders, around which the rest of the meal comes together. Ste...

Episode 86: Favorite Container Plants

Spring has long ago sprung and now that all the pruning, dividing, and mulching is done we’re ready to plant up our containers. Like many of you, we are tempted to try something new every year and sometimes end up with a plant that is worthwhile. But we always make sure to incorporate a few tried-and–true container plants. These are selections that never let us down, and if you were to show up on our doorstep tomorrow, you’d likely see them filling in our pots (just call ahead, we want to be...

Episode 85: Fragrant Plants

Alternate titles for this episode: Plants That Stink or Smell This Episode. Kidding aside, lovely smelling plants are a bonus that every garden deserves. We all spend so much time on making sure our gardens look good, we seldom think about how they smell. And we’re not just talking roses here people. On today’s episode we feature a plethora of perennials and even a couple of shrubs that make us think of root beer, vanilla, and all sorts of sugary confections. Steve got hungry halfway through...

Episode 84: Underappreciated Plants for Spring

It’s easy to get excited about the first tulip or even the first dandelion in the yard (OK—that might be a stretch). But what about those plants that don’t get all the love and attention, yet still brighten up those first few months of the gardening season? Today we’re honoring those unsung heroes of the spring garden—plants that need a better PR agent because they’re marvelous, but not very well-known. We’ve got a few native dark horses and even a shrub that Steve thought he’d never like. T...

Episode 83: Shrubs for Shade

Finding interesting plants for shade can be a struggle but when you add in the desire for that plant to be a woody shrub, the list narrows even more. But these structural wonders are essential in giving our shady beds and borders depth and real presence. In this episode we feature shrubs that will tolerant a range of low-light situations. Some flower beautifully in spring or winter, other save their best show for fall. Regardless, the list is robust, especially because associate editor Carol...

Episode 82: Spring Trees

Despite there still being snow on the ground here in the Northeast, we’re thinking spring. Yes there are daffodils and tulips to look forward to, but perhaps even more impressive is the show of spring flowering trees. It’s an incredible sight to see a woody plant that was nothing but bare brown branches a few weeks earlier, explode into a flurry of pastel blooms. Our selections today are impressive, and most are moderately sized so they are easy to include in the smallest of properties. Are ...

Episode 81: Disco in-FERN-oh

If that title doesn’t grab you, nothing will! We’re talking all things ferns including East Coast natives, West Coast natives, selections that are from prehistoric times, and even a climbing fern. Yep—that’s right, a climbing fern! And in case all of that excitement isn’t enough for you, the entire episode is filled with 70s soft rock and disco references. Have you always wondered if Steve could imitate Barry Gibbs falsetto? Well, tune in to find out the answer.  Expert testimony: Sue Mill...

Episode 80: New Plants

With so many events canceled in the last year, we sure are happy that the plant breeders still decided to unveil a healthy crop of new plants for us to drool over. Of course there were a handful of new huecheras and more phlox than we ever knew could exist, but there were also some interesting options that no one (including us) saw coming. And now, we want them all. In this episode we discuss some noteworthy candidates in every category: perennials, annuals, shrubs, and even a couple fruitin...

Episode 79: Listener Q & A

Asking listeners to submit questions for our annual Q & A episode is a bit like sending out party invitations (in pre-COVID) and hoping that someone shows up. Thankfully, you guys not only showed up but you brought snacks and drinks too! We got an overwhelming numbers of questions submitted for this episode, so we weren’t able to answer them all. But, we did pick out a handful to tackle to the best of our ability. We cover evergreen percentages, garden design tips, and why your water may be ...

Episode 78: Best Clematis

Truth be told, Steve and Danielle don’t grow many clematis. But, over their many, many years at Fine Gardening, they’ve researched and written a lot about this genus. In doing so, they’ve formed strong opinions about the species and cultivars that are truly top-notch. Their picks may not include the huge, in-your-face star flower-types folks first think of when they hear “clematis.” Instead, our podcasting duo offers insight into selections that have unique habits or interesting flower color...

Episode 77: Year in Review

What can we say about 2020 that hasn’t already been said? With all the bad that occurred, one positive for the staffers at FG was more time spent in our gardens. This enabled us to truly monitor what plants did well and which ones did not—sometimes by no fault of their own. We are ending the year by taking stock of our plant successes and failures. There were some surprises from little-known native plants that appeared to enjoy the drought this summer, while other plants that we had coveted,...

Episode 76: Wish List Plants for 2021

It’s that time of year when we dream of all the plants we’d buy if a blank check showed up in our stockings. Some are weird, some are workhorses we never got around to purchasing, and some are brand new offerings that will only become available in 2021. Danielle brought out her infamous jingle bells to up the festiveness (much to Steve’s chagrin) and the entire conversation was filled with cheer and goodwill—well, most of it anyway. Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, these plants will sure...

Episode 75: Variegated for Shade

Shade, generally speaking, can be dark, dreary and difficult to garden in. It’s hard enough finding a plant that requires not all that much sunlight, let alone one that has light coloring to its foliage. But these rare birds are essential to making a good shade garden truly great. Plants with white, silver, or even light green variegation brighten up the dimmest of spots and instantly get elevated to focal point status. Have you always thought your shade was lacking something? Chances are, i...

Episode 74: Short Plants are Better

Danielle was convinced that this was HER episode, considering she’s shorter than Steve. But turns out Steve had a lot of great short plants to talk about on this episode, too. The pair discusses why short plants are important to good design and exactly what dimensions qualify a plant as “short.” The list includes some shrubs, some perennials, and plenty of options for multiple seasons of interest. After all, if you put a plant front-and-center, don’t you want it to look good for as long as p...

Episode 73: Unusual Bulbs

The leaves are falling, the temperatures are cooling and that can only mean one thing: It’s time to talk bulbs. We’re sick of talking about the same old yellow daffodils and pink hybrid tulips though, so Steve and Danielle decided to wade into the world of rarer—or at least lesser-known—fall planted bulbs. You will hear us talk about a tulip or two on this episode, but likely not ones you’re familiar with, instead focusing on species tulips that are more likely to come back year after year—w...

Episode 72: Blooms for Fall

When it comes to autumnal color in the garden, most of us probably think of leaves changing from green, to perhaps yellow, orange, or even red. This foliage show is a staple of the season in many parts of the country. Plants that actually bloom in fall get less attention, perhaps it’s because they have a hard time competing with the fiery foliage of their neighbors. On today’s show, Steve and Danielle give several plants that bloom in fall their due. This array of perennials and shrubs save ...

Episode 70: Better Versions of Old Favorites

Why would you ever want the shinier version of a beloved plant? In this episode Steve and Danielle talk about all the reasons including better disease resistance, better habits, or perhaps a more exciting foliage color. Disclaimer: we’re not dissing the classic favorites, just recommending some improvements, if you’re in the market for new plants. Author Andy Keys is our expert, who is the perfect choice, given he wrote the popular Fine Gardening article, Improved Varieties of Classic Favori...

Episode 71: Better Versions of Old Favorites

Why would you ever want the shinier version of a beloved plant? In this episode Steve and Danielle talk about all the reasons including better disease resistance, better habits, or perhaps a more exciting foliage color. Disclaimer: we’re not dissing the classic favorites, just recommending some improvements, if you’re in the market for new plants. Author Andy Keys is our expert, who is the perfect choice, given he wrote the popular Fine Gardening article, Improved Varieties of Classic Favori...

Episode 70: Plants That Made it Through Summer’s Worst

Here in the Northeast, we experienced one of the hottest summers on record. In Connecticut (where we make this wonderful podcast), we broke a 38-year record for most consecutive days over 90°F. Add to these steamy temps a record low rainfall and this summer turned out to be pretty miserable—and not just for Steve, who always likes to have something to complain about, but for our plants. Therefore, we thought it was a good time to take stock and see which plants of ours simply made it through...

Episode 69: See-through Plants

Why on earth would you ever put a tall plant in the front of your garden-- even in the middle?  You’d block whatever is behind it, right? Not necessarily.  Enter the amazingly versatile category of see-through plants. Many of these unsung heroes have a bulk of tufted foliage that stays under a foot, but from that mass shoots a plethora of delicate flowers which allow the garden beyond to be seen. Other options include incredibly fine textured plants with leaves resembling smoke. We even talk...

Episode 68: Plants for Nooks and Crannies

What good is a cake without the frosting? Sure, it still tastes good, but it isn’t giving you its full potential. That’s sort of what a garden is like without nooks and crannies plants: Good, but not as great as it could be. These tiny treasures fill in all the gaps and cracks of a landscape. They’re great for planting between stepping stones or along the edges of walls. Often they’re considered alpine plants, thriving in rocky soils and less than hospitable conditions—but not always. Steve ...

Episode 67: Plants for Kids

This episode was inspired by a loyal listener, Elizabeth, who reached out to us and asked for help. She has a 10-month old son and she wanted recommendations for plants that might foster a love and curiosity for the outdoors in her child (once he can walk, of course). So, we accepted the challenge and dug deep into our own childhood memories—and more recent experiences from the kids in our lives—to come up with a list of plants that are sure to delight little ones.  Some of our picks smell g...

Episode 66: Reliable Performers

Take a tour through Danielle’s and Steve’s garden as they point out some of their go-to plants. These options may not be the showiest or most alluring plants in their beds, but these are the dependable stalwarts that show up year after year without complaint.  This episode was also filmed to have a companion video. So, if you so choose, you can watch it to get a sneak peek into our host’s gardens. We even visit the summer cottage of expert nurseryman, Ed Gregan, where he points out two of hi...

Episode 65: True Blue Beauties

Blue--arguably the most elusive color in gardening. If you’ve ever bought a plant that touted “beautiful blue blooms” only to discover that when it flowered it was actually purple, you are not alone. Or, perhaps you’ve drooled for years over pictures of Himalayan blue poppies, the truest of blue flowers, and one of the most difficult plants to cultivate successfully. Well, Steve and Danielle to the rescue. In this episode the pair discuss awesome plants with blue blooms (or at least Danielle...

Episode 64: Plants for Massing

Impact is created in many different ways in the garden. Sometimes you get impact from a single plant that has an interesting form or stunning color. Other times, you get visual impact from grouping several of the same plants together.  These masses are eye-catching and lend a movement to the landscape that is much needed. Not every plant is cut out for massing, however. It can’t be too big, or too overbearing. And, generally, a good massing plant puts on a show during several seasons: One hi...