Super Cool Plants - Formerly Known as Let's Argue About Plants

Unusual Plants for Fall

Forget about mums and asters, these lesser-known gems will truly help your late season garden sparkle

Maybe it's time to retire some late-season staples have had their moment (okay, several decades of moments). This episode, we're digging into the dark horses that most gardeners walk right past: the weird bulbs, the sneaky reseeders, the plants that wait until everyone else has packed it in to finally show off.

We'll talk about why fall gardens don't have to look like a grocery store endcap, which underrated perennials are quietly having their best month right now, and how a few unusual picks can take your October garden from "fine" to genuinely sparkling.

If you're ready to retire the same five fall plants everyone else is using, this one's for you.

Dr. Andy Pulte is a contributing editor to Fine Gardening and a faculty member in the plant sciences department at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Richie Steffen is a contributing editor to Fine Gardening and the executive director of the Miller Garden in Seattle.

Learn more about the plants in this episode on our website: https://www.finegardening.com/podcast

There are many different types of shade, and when low light levels combine with other soil or climate challenges it can be tricky to find suitable plants. Fortunately, the guests on this episode have a great list of shade plants that perform well in a variety of shady situations. Listen along to see if any of their problem-solving plant choices are worthy of adding to your wish list.

Irvin Etienne is curator of herbaceous plants and seasonal garden design at Newfields in Indianapolis.

Hayes Jackson is an urban regional extension agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the liason for Longleaf Botanical Garden in Anniston, Alabama.

Trade in those thirsty water hogs for some of these water-wise options

Do water shortages have you (and your garden) stressed? This episode is all about the toughest, thirst-averse plants out there — and how to build a landscape that thrives even when the rain is nowhere in sight. On this episode we have two expert guests from two very different climates: one in the Mid-Atlantic and one from the Southwest. Each of them will share the plants that they turn to when the conditions are dry and watering every day is out of the question.

We'll talk through which plants need a little help getting started versus which ones you can practically set and forget, and how to group plants with similar water needs so you're not overwatering your survivors to keep your divas alive. Whether you're xeriscaping a whole yard from scratch, converting a thirsty lawn bit by bit, or just trying to keep your patio containers alive through a brutal heat wave, tune in for practical, plant-nerd-approved advice.

Get the plant list for this episode on the Fine Gardening Website: https://www.finegardening.com/podcast

Episode Experts:

Ed Lyon is a horticulturist, an author, the former director of the Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University in Ames, and a frequent contributor to Fine Gardening magazine. He is nationally recognized as a top-tier garden educator with decades of experience helping gardeners cultivate beautiful, resilient landscapes. After many years in the Midwest, Ed relocated to Pennsylvania and launched Spellbound Garden Writing & Consultation.

Natalie McAnarney, known online as The Plant Ninja, is a Texas gardener and YouTube creator based about an hour north of Austin. A former U.S. Army officer who now works as a physician assistant, she began transforming her lawn into native and adapted plantings in 2020. Through her YouTube channel, The Plant Ninja - Texas Gardener, she documents her de-lawning projects and plant choices and features others in horticulture taking on similar approaches.

Natalie's efforts have also made her an advocate for drought-tolerant landscaping, after successfully persuading her HOA to approve a large-scale native-plant conversion of her front yard by citing Texas law protecting homeowners' rights to xeriscape.

The heart wants what it wants, but when it comes to which plants we can grow Mother Nature sometimes gets the final say. On this episode, our expert guests dive into the plants that have eluded them, why they can't grow them, and what makes these plants so hard to resist. Whether you are a northern gardener who loves frost-sensitive species, a Pacific Northwesterner who longs for spiky desert plants, or a Midwesterner who bemoans the limitations of clay soil, you'll find this episode very relatable.

Episode Experts: Amanda Thomsen is a talented horticulturist, garden designer, author, and the owner of Aster Gardens, a plant shop in suburban Chicago.

Loree Bohl is the creator of the Danger Garden blog and website, and author of Fearless Gardening: Be Bold, Break the Rules, and Grow What You Love. She gardens in Portland, Oregon.

In this episode of Super Cool Plants, we explore the power of plants to calm, comfort, and restore. From soft, touchable foliage to gentle fragrances and soothing color palettes, our panel of horticultural experts shares their favorite selections for creating a more sensory-friendly garden. Looking to design a peaceful retreat, engage more deeply with your outdoor space, or simply take the edge off a busy day? Well, we've got plants that deliver on those needs. Expect recommendations that appeal to all five senses—rustling grasses, velvety leaves, aromatic blooms, and more—along with practical tips for weaving them into your landscape. Tune in for a thoughtful, plant-filled conversation that just might change how your garden feels.

GUEST BIOS:

Mark Dwyer is the garden manager for the Edgerton Hospital Healing Garden in Edgerton, Wisconsin, and he operates Landscape Prescriptions by MD. He is also a Midwest Regional Reporter for FineGardening.com

Jason Reeves is a horticulturist for Tennessee Department of Agriculture at the Ellington Agriculture Center in Nashville. He is also a contributing editor for Finne Gardening magazine. You can follow him on Facebook at Jason Reeves-in the garden.

North American native species have captured the imaginations of gardeners all over the world, but only a few species have broken through to become horticultural staples. On this premiere episode of Fine Gardening's newly redesigned podcast, our expert guests join us from two widely acclaimed botanical gardens specializing in native plants. Listen in as they reveal some of their favorite overlooked species that do not get enough love from the gardening world, and that more of us across the country could be growing.

Melissa Starkey is the marketing and communications manager and an instructor at Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin, Delaware.

Amy Galloway Medley is lead horticulturist at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

Find the full plant list from this episode on our website: https://www.finegardening.com/article/super-cool-plants-podcast-episode-1-underappreciated-native-plants

One of our favorite things to do on the podcast is to hear from you, our loyal listeners. We recently scrolled through our emails and social media messages to see what kinds of questions you all had from the past season. We love hearing about what's happening in your gardens—especially the challenges—and sharing advice drawn from our decades of horticultural experience. And when we don't have the answer, we're lucky to have a network of experts we can tap for plant recommendations or to help troubleshoot tricky garden situations.

These Q&A episodes are always a highlight for us, and your inquiries this time around did not disappoint. The topics range from disease-free hemlock options to deep thoughts on non-native plants. Tune in to see if one of your questions made the list—or to pick up solutions to a few common garden problems along the way.

Those furry freeloaders can look elsewhere for a treat!

A public service announcement prior to getting this episode started: There is no such thing as a deer-proof plant. If deer are hungry enough, they will even eat things that are supposedly toxic to them. But there are such things as deer-resistant plants. So, on this recording of Let's Argue About Plants, Danielle and Carol share some of the plants that have stood up to the herds that visit their backyards, and their colleague Diana Koehm offers some additional suggestions of plants that deer tend to ignore in her neck of the woods.

Diana Koehm is the content editor for Fine Gardening magazine. See the full plant list from this episode on our website: https://www.finegardening.com/article/episode-190-deer-resistant-plants

Episode 189: Our 2026 Garden Plans

Hear what we have in store for upgrading (or overhauling) our beds and borders this year

What's that old adage? "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Well, call us eternal optimists, but every January we like to make a list of our goals and aspirations for our gardens in the coming year. After all, a new gardening season is the perfect time for fresh ideas and bold decisions. In this episode, we dig into our plans for 2026, sharing what we're upgrading, what we're rethinking, and where we're ready to start from scratch. There are plans for refreshing tired beds to completely overhauling borders that no longer work (or perhaps cutting down an aged stewartia tree?). We'll also talk through the practical considerations shaping the season ahead. Join us for an honest, behind-the-scenes look at how our gardens are evolving—and how you might approach changes in your own landscape.

Expert: Susan Calhoun is the owner of Plantswoman Design in Bainbridge Island, Washington. She is also a regional reporter for FineGardening.com.

See more from this episode on our website: https://www.finegardening.com/article/episode-189-our-2026-garden-plans

Sow something unexpected n next year's garden!

The wonder of sowing seeds and watching tiny new plants emerging from the soil never gets old. In this episode, Danielle, Carol, and their guest compare notes on some of their favorite plants that can be grown easily (or not-so-easily) from seed. Whether you are an experienced seed propagator or a nervous newbie, you'll be sure to find something in this episode that catches your interest and makes you look forward to spring.

Expert Guest: Christine Alexander is the executive digital editor for Fine Gardening.

See the full list of plants from this episode on our website: https://www.finegardening.com/article/episode-188-the-best-seeds-weve-ever-started