Many homeowners who admire the beauty and environmental benefits of native plants don’t care for the wilderness look of the typical naturalized native plant garden.  Garden designer Britney O’Donnell shares tricks for designing and maintaining a more domesticated native plant landscape, one that fits better a neater suburban context

Growing Greener

Giving a Neater, more Domesticated Look to the Native Plant Garden

 Skeptics say that invasive species are not a serious threat to biodiversity, that “Nature will heal itself” despite the looming, man-made mass extinction. Today, paleobotanist Dana Royer describes the five mass extinctions of the past, and why recovery from such episodes typically took millions of years

Will Nature Heal Itself?

Karen Bussolini of historic nursery White Flower Farm makes the case for how a mix of native and non-native flowers can feed pollinators better throughout the growing season

Blending Native and Non-Native Plants to Benefit Pollinators – and Gardeners

Environmentalists say the traditional lawn must go, but homeowners commonly love their turf.  Organic lawn specialist Shay Lunseth outlines how we can “meet in the middle,” and explains why fall is the critical season for organic lawns

Making Lawns Non-toxic and Environmental Contributors

Amanda Douridas of the Ohio State University Extension Service describes cover cropping, an ancient practice that can move your vegetable garden toward healthier, richer soil with less dependence on synthetic fertilizers and herbicides.

Back to the Future

In a conversation recorded in February, 2020, Benjamin Vogt discusses his pioneering book, A New Garden Ethic, and the need for gardeners to become activists in this era of existential challenges to the plants and animals with which we share this planet

A Natural Gardening Leader Speaks Out

Dr. Rebecca Barak describes the collaboration between the Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago Park District, Northwestern University, and the University of Michigan–Flint to develop native, biodiverse lawn alternatives that can withstand and moderate the effects of climate change

Rethinking Lawns

Alex Critchley and Sarah Johnson of The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside describe the growing movement in Britain to ban the sale of peat and peat-based gardening projects, and their organization’s efforts to preserve and restore peatlands, a key piece in the battle against global climate change

For Peat’s Sake

Established in 1875, American Forests is a non-profit that was an enormously influential pioneer in addressing the over-exploitation and destruction of our nation’s forestlands.  Listen as Benita Hussain, chief program officer for tree equity, describes how the organization has pivoted to assisting communities across the country bolster urban forests and fight climate change in economically challenged neighborhoods.

A Founder of the American Conservation Movement Evolves to Address Contemporary Challenges

Dr. Anurag Agrawal of Cornell University describes the many ways that plants defend themselves against locally indigenous insects, and how the insects defuse and even become dependent on the plants’ defense mechanisms

The Coevolution Arms Race

Dr. Claire Rutledge of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station describes the ingenious use of native and non-native insects to control the damage done by this introduced, tree-killing pest

Progress in the Battle Against Emerald Ash Borers

Bats play many positive, essential roles in the ecosystem, says Lee Mackenzie of Austin Bat Refuge – learn how to make your garden hospitable to these good and harmless neighbors

Making Room for Bats

Sam Hoadley, the manager of the trial garden at the Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin, Delaware explores the native sedges of Genus Carex, a diverse, largely untapped source of groundcovers, foliage plants, and turfgrass substitutes that thrive with little maintenance.

A Rich Source of Native Lawn and Groundcover Plants

Distinguished horticultural educator Carol Reese shares a lively exploration of transexual plants and  other reproductive mysteries displayed in your garden (originally broadcast in January 2022).

Carol Reese Explains Sex in the Garden

In this revelatory book Dr. Lars Chittka of Queen Mary University of London explores the psychology of bees, their extraordinary learning abilities and their individual personalities.

The Mind of a Bee

Your weekly half-hour program about environmentally informed gardening. Each week we bring you a different expert, a leading voice on gardening in partnership with Nature. Our goal is to make your landscape healthier, more beautiful, more sustainable, and more fun.

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Growing Greener

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