The Plantastic Podcast
The Plantastic Podcast is a gardening show hosted by Dr. Jared Barnes for plant enthusiasts of all skill levels, from beginners to experienced growers. Each episode features conversations with skilled plantspeople, breaking down their methods and insights so listeners can improve their own plant care. The show focuses on practical cultivation advice as well as the personal growth that comes from working with plants. It is designed for anyone who wants to keep plants alive and thriving, whether they are self-described plant killers or seasoned green thumbs.
Episodes
Dr. Noel Kingsbury on Naturalistic Planting Design (#57)
DISCOUNT LINK FOR DESIGNING WITH GRASSESDR. NOEL KINGSBURY BIODr. Noel Kingsbury is internationally known as a writer about plants, gardens, and the environment. Best known for promoting a naturalistic approach to planting design, he has written some 25 books on plants and gardens, four in collaboration with Dutch designer Piet Oudolf. He has also written for Gardens Illustrated, The Daily Telegra
Haven Kiers on Managing Biodiverse Landscapes (#56)
HAVEN KIERS BIO
Haven Kiers is an associate professor of landscape architecture at UC Davis. She received a BA from Brown University and an MLA from UC Berkeley. Her research focuses on urban/suburban landscape projects and their design effectiveness at both the practical (construction and maintenance) and psychological (aesthetic and therapeutic) levels. Through studies that investigate the inter
Jeff Epping on Creating Great Gravel Gardens (#55)
Discount link for The Plant Palette Builder
JEFF EPPING BIO
Jeff's passion for plants and gardening is reflected in his 35-year career as an award-winning horticulturist and garden designer. During his 28 years as Director of Horticulture at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, he transformed a lawn-laden landscape into a nationally acclaimed public garden, known for its artistic and innovative, plant-drive
Heather Holm on Pollinators and Native Plants (#54)
HEATHER HOLM BIO
Heather Holm is a pollinator conservationist and award-winning author of four books: Pollinators of Native Plants, Bees, Wasps, and Common Native Bees of the Eastern United States . Both Bees and Wasps have won multiple book awards including the American Horticultural Society Book Award. She is the founder and chair of Minnesota Native Bees, an online field guide illustrating the
Shelby Radcliffe on Designing with Florida Natives (#53)
Discount link for listeners for Woodies in Naturalistic Design presentation on May 18!
SHELBY RADCLIFFE BIO
Shelby Radcliffe is a horticulturist and landscape designer whose work at Emergent Gardens blends art, ecology, and human experience. Raised in Central Florida, her early connection to natural ecosystems and photography shaped the way she observes and imagines space. After years in creative
Tim Boland on Lessons from Polly Hill Arboretum (#52)
TIM BOLAND BIO
Tim Boland is the Executive Director of the Polly Hill Arboretum, located on the island of Martha's Vineyard in West Tisbury, Massachusetts. He holds an undergraduate degree in Horticulture and a master's in Botany, Plant Ecology, and Systematics from Michigan State University.
Tim specializes in oaks from all over the world. He is involved in various plant conservation projects to
Shaun McCoshum on Natural Habitats and Wildlife Gardening (#51)
Discount link for March 23, 2026 Botanic Bootcamp on the Power of Plant Selection.
SHAUN MCCOSHUM'S BIO
Shaun McCoshum is a certified, Senior Ecologist and Wildlife Biologist with over 20 years of experience restoring habitats, conducting research, and gardening. His work includes published scientific papers, books, and copious restoration plans from coast to coast including lands with bison, enda
Dr. Allan Armitage on Common-Sense Gardening (#50)
Subscribe to my curated weekly newsletter plant•ed: meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.DR. ALLAN ARMITAGE'S BIODr. Allan M. Armitage is an Emeritus Professor of Horticulture at the University of Georgia, where he served as a faculty member until his retirement in 2014. Internationally recognized as a writer, speaker, educator, and researcher, he is one of the most influential voices in modern hort
Rachel Lindsay on Regenerative Design (#49)
Subscribe to my newsletter plant•ed: meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.RACHEL LINDSAY BIOAs Head of Site Design at Regenerative Design Group, Rachel works principally with organizations and homeowners to create productive, resilient landscapes. She draws from her experiences in organic farming, Latin-American sustainable development, and art to approach design with cultural sensitivity and enviro
John Little on Caring for Gardens and Gardeners (#48)
Learn more about botanicbootcamp.com.JOHN LITTLE BIOJohn Little has been reimagining what urban nature can be since founding the Grass Roof Company in 1998. Over the past 25+ years, John has designed and built more than 400 small green-roof structures and various other species-rich planting with walls engineered for nesting, hibernation, and year-round habitat.His nonprofit Care Not Capital pushe
Molly Hendry on the Bergamo Landscape Festival (#47)
Discount link for Botanic Bootcamp.MOLLY HENDRY BIOMolly toggles the worlds of design and plants as both a trained horticulturist and landscape architect. She has stepped out to create her own garden design studio, Roots and Ramblings, where she does design work for folks in the Birmingham, Alabama area and beyond. With this studio, Molly is most interested in the intersection between people and p
Pam Penick on Gardens of Texas (#46)
Discount link for Botanic Bootcamp.PAM PENICK BIOPam Penick is a Texas garden writer, speaker, and advocate for climate-resilient design. She’s the author of Gardens of Texas, Lawn Gone!, and The Water-Saving Garden, and the voice behind Digging, her influential website about gardening in a hot climate. A former landscape designer, Pam now tends her own garden under live oaks in northwest Austin,
Luke Dahlberg on Sowing Native Seed (#45)
Discount link for upcoming webinar Layer by Layer on Monday September 29 at 6 pm CDT.LUKE DAHLBERG BIOWith over twenty years of experience in propagating midwestern native plants, Luke Dahlberg turned his passionate backyard hobby into a career. Luke earned his degree majoring in Ornamental Horticulture and a minor in Business from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville. After working in the co
Kelly Holdbrooks at Southern Highlands Reserve (#44)
Discount link for upcoming webinar Matrix Planting Made Easy on Monday August 4 at 6 pm CDT.KELLY HOLDBROOKS BIOWith decades of experience in Western North Carolina’s vast horticulture, Kelly Holdbrooks demonstrates her passion for fostering human connection with nature in everything she does. For more than a decade as executive director of Southern Highlands Reserve, a nonprofit native plant gard
Claire Chambers on Native Sod from Meadow Lab (#43)
Discount link for upcoming webinar Matrix Planting Made Easy on Monday August 4 at 6 pm CDT.CLAIRE CHAMBERS BIOClaire Chambers is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Meadow Lab, a public benefit company designing high-performance plant systems like native wildflower meadow sod inspired by nature. She is also the principal of Flowerlands, a small landscape design studio.After twenty years as
Rochelle Greayer from Rocket Science to Garden Magic (#42)
Discount link for upcoming webinar Designing with Plant Shape and Form on Monday June 30 at 6 pm CDTROCHELLE GREAYER BIORochelle Greayer is the current editor of The American Gardener magazine for the American Horticultural Society and a garden designer, writer, and the creative force behind Pith + Vigor, a literary newspaper and online magazine for garden enthusiasts. She is the author of Cultiva
Sam Hoadley on Native Plant Trials at Mt. Cuba Center (#41)
SAM HOADLEYSam Hoadley is the Manager of Horticultural Research at Mt. Cuba Center where he evaluates native plant species, old and new cultivars, and hybrids in the Trial Garden. Sam earned his degree in Sustainable Landscape Horticulture from the University of Vermont.THE PLANTASTIC PODCASTThe Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes. He's been gardening since he was
Theresa Crimmins on the Power of Plant Phenology (#40)
THERESA CRIMMINS BIOTheresa Crimmins is an internationally recognized phenology researcher, director of the USA National Phenology Network, and associate professor in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona. In her role with the Network, Theresa supports an amazing team and works enthusiastically to support the growth and use of phenology data and resources
John Magee on Native Plant Design (#39)
JOHN MAGEE BIOJohn Magee has been designing and building landscapes in the Washington DC Metro area and beyond for the past 30 years. After receiving his B.S. degree in Agriculture from the Ohio State University and spending a few years training and showing horses, he settled into the landscaping industry as the General Foreman of Pennsylvania’s highest award-winning landscaping firm. While in P
Sarah Sikich and Ryan Watson on Growing Orchards with Giving Grove (#38)
SARAH SIKICH AND RYAN WATSON BIOSarah Sikich and Ryan Watson are dedicated urban orchard advocates, spreading The Giving Grove’s mission to grow sustainable community orchards nationwide.Sarah, Director of Marketing and Communications, began her journey with The Giving Grove as a volunteer at the first little orchard, witnessing how urban orchards can transform neighborhoods. Combining her backgro
Jack McCoy on Garden Lessons from Travels Abroad (#37)
JACK MCCOY BIOJack McCoy designs residential and commercial landscapes in Knoxville, the Southeast United States, and beyond through his practice, Jack McCoy Garden Design Company. His work reflects a deep understanding of plants, shaped by global experiences in some of the world's most renowned gardens.Jack's horticultural journey began in landscape construction as a teenager, followed by earning
Shannon Currey on Elevating Plantings with Education (#36)
Grow your gardening skills with Dr, Jared's Botanic Bootcamp! SHANNON CURREY BIOShannon Currey is a horticultural educator with Izel Native Plants. After starting a career in social science research and education, she transitioned to horticulture in 2003, training in horticultural science and landscape design at North Carolina State University. She worked short stints at a local landscape design f
Ben O'Brien on Wild by Design (#35)
Grow your gardening skills with Dr, Jared's Botanic Bootcamp! BEN O'BRIEN BIOBen O'Brien is the owner of Wild by Design, a naturalistic garden design business in Prince Edward County in Ontario that specializes in artfully crafted, richly planted, lovingly tended gardens. For the past decade Ben's passion for plants has informed a wide range of projects, from small town gardens to large rural prop
Lucy Bellamy on A Year in Bloom (#34)
BOTANIC BOOTCAMPGrow your gardening skills with Dr, Jared's Botanic Bootcamp! LUCY BELLAMY BIOLucy Bellamy spent five years as editor of Gardens Illustrated magazine, during which she grew its print and digital readership to over 50,000—its highest level ever. In 2018, she won the British Society of Magazine Editors Editor of the Year award and has written three books. Her most recent book A Year
Lis Meyer on Home Plant Propagation (#33)
BOTANIC BOOTCAMPGrow your gardening skills with Dr, Jared's Botanic Bootcamp! LIS MEYER BIOThis month’s episode of The Plantastic Podcast is Lis Meyer, a senior lecturer in the Dept. of Horticultural Science at NC State, where she has taught for the past 14 years. She currently teaches several courses in Plant Propagation, her favorite horticultural topic! As a native of North Carolina, she is gra
Patrick Cullina on Dynamic Naturalistic Design (#32)
PATRICK CULLINA BIOPatrick Cullina is an award-winning horticulturist, landscape designer, photographer, lecturer, and organizational consultant with more than twenty-five years of experience in the landscape field. He runs a design and consulting business that is dedicated to the innovative and sensitive integration of plants and materials into a diverse range of compelling designs, drawing inspi
Erin Presley on Making Gardens Relatable to All (#31)
ERIN PRESLEY BIOA lifelong Wisconsin girl, Erin Presley grew up in the rural center of the state and has a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has worked as a boots-on-the-ground gardener for more than two decades, both in the private sector and as a horticulturist at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison since 2014. Her interests include native woodland
Gary Lewis on Ground Covers for Every Garden (#30)
GARY LEWIS BIOGary Lewis has had a life-long interest in plants and gardening. His retail and mail order nursery, Phoenix Perennials, located in Richmond, BC, offers more than 5000 different plants. Gary authored The Complete Book of Ground Covers: 4000 Plants that Reduce Maintenance, Control Erosion, and Beautify the Landscape and has written for various garden magazines including Fine Gardening
Polly Nicholson on The Tulip Garden (#29)
POLLY NICHOLSON BIOSpecialist flower grower and tulip expert, Polly Nicholson is the owner of Bayntun Flowers in Wiltshire – growers of organic flowers cultivated in walled gardens and a one-acre field at the foot of the Marlborough Downs in Wiltshire. Nicholson holds the National Collection of Tulipa (Historic) with Plant Heritage, and has been featured on BBC Gardener’s World, Radio 4, in Garden
Preston Montague on Urban Planting and Design (#28)
PRESTON MONTAGUE BIOPreston Montague is a landscape architect and artist working to strengthen relationships between people and the natural world. His eponymous studio focuses on creating a flow between the arts, horticulture, and landscape architecture in the pursuit of building places that have meaning and ecological depth. When not in the studio, Preston enjoys teaching landscape architecture a
Jazmin Albarran on Seed Your Future (#27)
JAZMIN ALBARRAN BIOJazmin Albarran, MBA, is the Seed Your Future Executive Director with over a decade of change and systems management experience. With a solid knowledge of associations and philanthropy, she will bring her skills and expertise in planning, leading, and managing development projects and programs to the movement. She has experience in a broad range of nonprofit organizations, inclu
Julie Witmer on Designing Gardens and Inspiring Minds (#26)
JULIE WITMER BIOJulie Witmer works to create beautiful and ecologically sensitive gardens across the continental United States. She began in perennial production and garden nursery retail before earning a Certificate of Horticulture—Britain’s professional gardener qualification—from the Royal Horticultural Society in Wisley, UK. She is a popular local speaker, teaching classes for all ages, and is
Scott Beuerlein on Bridging Flora and Fauna at Zoos (#25)
SCOTT BEUERLEIN BIOGRAPHYScott Beuerlein is the Manager of Botanical Garden Outreach at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. He runs the Zoo’s Botanical Garden educational programs, including three symposiums. He is involved in most of the department’s other outreach and with the plant trialing. Scott is a 1982 graduate of Xavier University, earning a B.A. in Communication Arts. He is an ONLA
Janet Draper on Creativity at Smithsonian Gardens (#24)
JANET DRAPER BIOJanet Draper has been the sole gardener for Smithsonian’s Mary Livingston Ripley Garden for 26 years. This tiny 1/3 of an acre garden is located on the National Mall and is open 24 hours a day to visitors from around the globe. Janet’s roles in the garden include everything from design and maintenance to cleaning the fountain and answering questions from visitors. Janet’s appro
David Hoffman on Grasses and Green Infrastructure (#23)
DAVID HOFFMAN BIODavid Hoffman is Chief Operating Officer at Hoffman Nursery, Inc. in Rougemont, N.C. Hoffman Nursery is a wholesale nursery specializing in ornamental and native grass liners for the horticultural trade. David grew up on the nursery, which was started in 1986 by his parents, John and Jill. In 2012, David earned his horticulture degree from NC State University. After a two-year int
Susan Poizner on Success with Fruit Trees (#22)
SUSAN POIZNER BIOSusan Poizner is an urban orchardist in Toronto, Canada and the author of Grow Fruit Trees Fast and Growing Urban Orchards. Susan trains new growers worldwide through her award-winning fruit tree care training program at Orchardpeople.com. Susan is also the host of The Urban Forestry Radio Show and Podcast and an ISA Certified Arborist.THE PLANTASTIC PODCASTThe Plantastic Podcast
Bryce Lane on the Craft of Teaching Horticulture (#21)
BRYCE LANE BIOBryce Lane discovered his passion for plants and telling others about them working at a small Massachusetts garden center through high school and college. After earning his BS in Plant Science at the University of Massachusetts and MS in Ornamental Horticulture at The Ohio State University, he came to the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University as a lecturer in 198
Molly Hendry on Telling Stories with Gardens (#20)
MOLLY HENDRY BIOMolly toggles the worlds of design and plants as both a trained horticulturist and landscape architect. Up through July 2023, she was the Associate Director of Gardens Support for the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens for 5 and a half years. There she was actively involved in the horticultural and design development of the 26 unique gardens that make up Birmingham Botanical G
Matt Biggs on A Home for Every Plant
MATT BIGGS BIOMatt Biggs, a graduate of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is a well-known British gardener, broadcaster, and author of fifteen gardening and plant related books.He has presented numerous television programs, notably Channel 4’s Garden Club, stepped behind the camera to direct Meridian Television’s popular gardening series Grass Roots and worked as Horticultural Consultant for a garde
Leslie Halleck, Professional Plant Everythingist (#18)
LESLIE HALLECK BIOLeslie Halleck is a Certified Professional Horticulturist (ASHS) who has spent her 30-year career hybridizing horticulture science with home gardening consumer needs. Halleck earned a BS in Biology/Botany from the University of North Texas and an MS in Horticulture from Michigan State University. Halleck’s professional experience is well rounded, with time spent in botanical fiel
Ann Amato, Seedstress of the Pacific Northwest (#17)
ANN AMATO BIOAnn Amato lives in Portland, Oregon and is a horticulturist and seed propagator at Cistus Nursery and a propagator at Secret Garden Growers in Canby, Oregon. At 18, she published the book Ancient Forests and Western Man: A Pictorial History of the West Coast. Later, she earned a bachelors of arts from Portland State University with a double major in English literature and art history.
Greg Paige on Being a Public Garden Rockstar (#16)
GREG PAIGE BIOGreg Paige discovered his career goal early—creating and working in beautiful public gardens and sharing and teaching this passion with others. Greg currently serves as the Director of Horticulture at the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, North Carolina. Greg has had a storied life in public horticulture. His 30-year career involved work at some of the finest gardens in the country i
Mary Phillips on Gardening for Wildlife (#15)
MARY PHILLIPS BIOFor eight years, Mary has led Garden for Wildlife™ and Certified Wildlife Habitat® as an ambassador for native plants with the National Wildlife Federation. Her work ensures all habitat programs and resources are rooted in sustainable practices and the latest science. Under her leadership, in coordination with the White House Office of Science and Policy, NWF coordinated the Natio
James Golden on the View from Federal Twist (#14)
JAMES GOLDEN BIOJames Golden’s garden design has been featured in national and international magazines, in The New York Times, and in several books on garden design. He has collected many of his inspiring thoughts in the recently published book The View from Federal Twist. It is a wonderful, well-written glimpse into the inception, creation, and management of a naturalistic garden. James has bee
Carol Reese on a Life in Horticulture Extension (#13)
CAROL REESE BIOCarol grew up as a farm girl in Mississippi where she learned much about the land from her family. In her 30’s she pursued her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mississippi State University in horticulture. Carol worked as a regional horticulture extension specialist for the University of Tennessee’s West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson, Tennessee for 27 ye
Jared Hughes on Groovy Plants Ranch (#12)
JARED HUGHES BIOJared Hughes and his wife Liz run Groovy Plants Ranch in Marengo, Ohio, a family friendly, whimsical oasis of escape for customers from all over the country. Groovy Plants Ranch has been featured in a number of magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, and Midwest Living named them the best garden shop of 2022.THE PLANTASTIC PODCASTThe Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast create
Abra Lee on Conquer the Soil (#11)
ABRA LEE BIOAbra Lee is a storyteller, horticulturist, and author of the forthcoming book Conquer The Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers. She has spent a whole lotta time in the dirt as a municipal arborist and airport landscape manager. Her work has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Fine Gardening, and Veranda Maga
Andrew Bunting on a Life in Public Horticulture (#10)
ANDREW BUNTING BIOAndrew Bunting is Vice President of Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and leads the utilization of planting and design to promote environmentally sound gardening practices at PHS. Andrew has elevated each of the departments he oversees and has increased the brand and visibility of PHS through their respective work.Andrew received his B.S. in Plant and S
Peggy Anne Montgomery on Stories and Stinzen Gardens (#9)
PEGGY ANNE MONTGOMERY BIOPeggy Anne Montgomery is a people-oriented horticultural professional with more than 35 years of U.S. and international experience in trade- and consumer-focused garden marketing and communications, public relations and outreach, landscape design, and public horticulture. She studied horticulture and apprenticed in the Netherlands where she raised a family and owned a land
Ethan Kauffman on Cultivating Magic at Stoneleigh (#8)
ETHAN KAUFFMAN BIOEthan Kauffman developed his love of the natural world exploring the hills in southeastern Pennsylvania. He cultivated his horticultural perspective over two decades of gardening in the deep south, including working at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden and then as director of Moore Farms Botanical Garden, where he led the transition from a private pleasure garden to a public botanical ga
Dr. Holly Scoggins on Never Stop Learning (#7)
HOLLY SCOGGINS BIOHolly Scoggins, Ph.D., is an associate professor Emeritus from Virginia Tech. She retired in January 2020 after 20 years in the Department of Horticulture with teaching, research, cooperative extension, and administrative responsibilities.Holly received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Georgia and her Ph.D. in Horticultural Science from North Carolina St
Thomas Rainer on Planting in a Post-wild World (#6)
THOMAS RAINER BIOThomas Rainer is a registered landscape architect, teacher, and author that lives in Arlington, Virginia. He is a leading voice in ecological landscape design and has designed landscapes for the U.S. Capitol grounds, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and The New York Botanical Garden, as well as over 100 gardens from Maine to Florida. He is a celebrated public speaker who has
Angela Palmer on Introducing New Plants for Gardens (#5)
ANGELA PALMERAngela Palmer co-owns Plants Nouveau, a trendy new plant marketing company where she manages the annuals, perennials, and grasses as well as the website, marketing, photography, and social media aspect of the business. Angela has a Bachelors of Science in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design from the University of Delaware. She was a storied career in horticulture. She worked
Riz Reyes on GROW and Growing as a Plantsman (#4)
RIZ REYESAn early curiosity about fruits and flowers turned a young boy from the Philippines into an award-winning garden designer, floral designer, avid plantsman, and book author in the Pacific Northwest. Riz Reyes immigrated to the United States with his family in 1989 and settled in Shoreline, Washington. He grew up watching television to help learn English and discovered public television in
Kim Shearer on Breeding Woodies for the 21st Century (#3)
KIM SHEARER BIOKim Shearer is a tree and shrub breeder at the Morton Arboretum where she manages their New Plant Development Program and serves as the Chicagoland Grows® woody plant liaison. Kim advances the arboretum’s mission to make the world a greener, healthier, and more beautiful place by introducing plant selections with broad adaptability, disease resistance, and pest resistance. Kim acqui
Caleb Melchior on Being a Landscape Architect (#2)
CALEB MELCHIOR BIOCaleb Melchior is a landscape architect and planting designer with Coastal Vista Design, and he teaches Professional Practice, Theory of Landscape Architecture, and Ecological Planting Design at Florida International University. His practice centers on planting design and materiality, with a focus on wild plant communities of the Gulf Coast and Caribbean. He has experience desig
Welcome to The Plantastic Podcast! (#1)
THE PLANTASTIC PODCASTThe Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes. He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX. To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com. You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life a
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