Ken Druse REAL DIRT

Ken and Vicki pay tribute to Ladybird Johnson, whose vision truly changed the American landscape...and inspired us to consider and value native American plants.

We also talk about simple ways each individual can make small changes that can--we added together--make a big difference.

Must one hang a bright red feeder in order to enjoy humming birds in the garden?

Ken explains why now is a good time to be dividing bearded iris

Ken and Vicki talk about their favorite verbascums and which ones return reliably.

Also, Ken asks: have you ever wanted to "throw in the trowel"?

Ken and Vicki talk about berries in this episode, Vicki reports on her elderflower experiment, Ken talks about elders for the garden and a remedy for a listener's insect problem.

Ken talks about the earth-moving adventure he had last weekend; Vicki explores the possibility of making her own elderflower cordial from native elderflowers (Ken recounts the number of elderflower cultivars he has tried to grow in his garden)

Vicki's favorite liquid organic fertilizer has disappeared from the market so Ken introduces her to another.

Also, Ken talks about a trend-setting nursery in California.

We cover lots of ground this week: irises, gloves, environmentalism and gypsy moths.

One month after the flood, Ken is discovering more good, bad, ugly--and beautiful.

This week, Ken's dear friend Marcia Donahue, sculptor and gardener extraordinaire talks with us about art in the garden. Also, Vicki shares her impressions of the Glass Flowers exhibit at the Harvard University Museum of Natural History.