When today’s guest, Elise Howard, and I talked on the show in March, her new book “Plant This, Not That” was just out. The popular book offers basic guidelines for selecting and using native plants, and specific substitutes for non-natives... Read More ›

If you’ve ever posted a photo on the massive community science project called iNaturalist and wondered how such contributions get used in research …. well, today’s guest is here to tell us about one especially stunning example. It involves 1.6... Read More ›

Owls: They are birds we more often hear than see, exceptionally well-camouflaged creatures, many of whom move about in the hours of low light for an extra layer of stealth, making them seem even more mysterious. So what do you... Read More ›

The more that I see photographs of gravel gardens, and the more that I learn about this gardening style,  which besides its distinctive aesthetic appeal promises to be water-wise and weed-suppressing, the more I want to give it a try.... Read More ›

Finding our way toward a more ecologically vibrant garden can sometimes feel a bit challenging, and I’m always looking for resources to guide me along the way, and to share with you.   Last year I shared news about a... Read More ›

How confident are you about the use of color in your garden, and where do you draw your inspiration from for creating a pleasing palette? The topic of color is just one of the subjects Stephen Orr tackles in his... Read More ›

If we’re shopping for native plants with the most ecological impact—ones with the most pollinator appeal, for example—then simply choosing by the prettiest picture on a label or by a catalog photo won’t get you to your goal. It helps... Read More ›

Both gardeners and their plants have to be more resilient than ever these days in our changing climate, it seems. At the High Line in New York City, one of the best-known naturalistic gardens anywhere, that’s especially so, since it’s... Read More ›

I’m privileged to observe a fascinating diversity of animals outside where I live, but the term “Outsider Animals” was new to me—and it’s the title of a recent book by today’s guest, Marlene Zuk, a leading expert in behavioral evolution... Read More ›

I always say that birds taught me to garden, as I watched their behavior here at my place, and added more of the plants and features they seemed to like and use most, and I have been blessed to have... Read More ›