By now we’re all familiar with the plight of the declining honey bee—but did you know that there has also been a worldwide decline in all pollinators? True, parasitic wasps and hover flies might not be as sexy as honey bees, but they still play a critical role in pollination. This episode offers up tons of plants that will attract scores of “good bugs” into your garden. Turns out some of these plants are not only attractive to beneficial insects, but also pretty good-looking additions to the landscape.

Expert guests: Jeff Gillman director of the University of North Carolina, Charlotte Botanical Gardens and Paula Gross, the assistant director.

Have you ever wished that Santa shopped exclusively at the nursery? Us too. On this special holiday edition of the LAAP podcast, we’re talking about which plants (and miscellaneous garden items—think piles of self-spreading mulch) are on our wish list for next year. We’ll cover some new offerings, some oldies but goodies, and expert Jared Barnes even throws in an edible that he claims no garden should be without.

Expert: Jared Barnes, assistant professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.

One of the most spectacular places on the East Coast to visit in fall is The Gardens at Elm Bank, home to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in Wellesley. We dropped by a couple weeks ago to see what plants were looking their best as the temperatures dipped into the 20s. As we walked around the amazing gardens designed by Adrian Bloom, we discovered a few well-known favorites and a couple of surprising options for autumn that may inspire you to plant something different as the gardening season ends.

Expert: David Fiske, gardens curator for The Gardens at Elm Bank, Wellesley, MA.

Ahhhh, beautiful hydrangeas. Has there ever been a more beloved shrub? Arguably not, and plant breeders capitalize on this affection by producing a plethora of new varieties each year. So, how do you know which ones are best? We’ll weed through all the various species—from oakleafs, to mopheads, to panicles—and call out cultivars that are truly magnificent. ‘Blue Enchantress’ and ‘Gatsby’s Moon’ are just a couple that you may want to add to your shopping list this year. 

Expert: Sarah Partyka, owner of The Farmer’s Daughter nursery in South Kingston, Rhode Island.

It seems like more and more areas of the country are experiencing decreasing rains and a loss of naturally occurring moisture. These drier conditions can spell disaster for plants. In this episode we outline plants that thrive in low-water conditions, which is basically every day in Steve’s garden because he rarely remembers to water his plants (and sometimes he forgets to plant them in the ground in the first place).  

Expert: Stephanie Cohen, author, lecturer, and former horticulture professor, and contributing editor to Fine Gardening.

You’ve heard us talk about our favorite place to buy plants before, so today we’re taking you to Broken Arrow Nursery with us! Located in Hamden, Connecticut, this small retail garden center/grower specializes in trees and shrubs you’ve never heard of—much less seen—before. We’ll scour their HUGE catalog to highlight some of these interesting offerings before heading to the nursery to shop, and then we’ll check in with nurseryman-extraordinaire, Andy Brand to see if the plants in our cart are awesome or...awful.  

Expert: Andy Brand, Nursery Manager for Broken Arrow Nursery

With summer in full swing, we’ve got ripening tomatoes on the brain. Sure, staples like ‘Big Beef’ and ‘Celebrity’ are well-known to most vegetable gardeners, but what about ‘Jersey Devil’ or ‘Rose’? Steve and Danielle invite assistant editor (and tomato-grower extraordinaire) Carol Collins to join the conversation this week about the best tomato varieties they’ve ever grown.

Expert: Teri and Joe Smith, owners of Smith’s Acres, a 35-acre farm in Niantic, Connecticut.

Come take a walk on the darker side of the garden with us, where we discuss plants for shade that are just as stunning as their sun-loving cousins. We go beyond hostas and heucheras and delve into options that are a bit odder. (Full disclosure: We do talk about one particularly interesting hosta). These plants are sure to make your shade shimmer.

Expert: Richard Hawke, Plant Evaluation Manager for the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Have you ever fallen in love with a plant so deeply, you’ve purchased--then killed it--several times? If the answer is yes, we can relate. This episode features plants that hosts Steve Aitken and Danielle Sherry just can’t seem to ever keep alive. Richard Hawke, plant evaluations manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden joins in the fun and shares his plant failures, too. Because, doesn’t it make you feel better when the experts admit to killing things, just like the rest of us? 

Expert: Richard Hawke, plant evaluation manager for the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Whoever said the best garden plants are the ones with the most flowers has never seen ‘Ghost’ painted fern. This episode celebrates all those plants that shine bright without a single bloom in sight. Whether it’s shocking chartreuse leaves or a texture like rubber bands, these plants put on a show. And, in case you ever wondered what Southern Comfort bourbon has in common with interesting foliage plants—this show will provide the answer.

Expert: Sharon Nyenhuis, garden designer in Sequim, Washington.