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

Everyone likes an upgrade. Whether it's a faster car or a more efficient cell phone, it's hard to turn down a better version of something you already like. Plants are much the same. If you already love that gorgeous catmint that flowers all season long, what not try one that not only has all the same great attributes but also has an improved habit. Today we're talking about plants we have a great affinity for, but that plant breeders have made just that much better. Perhaps it's a longer bloom time, or stronger winter hardiness, or even a different color to the foliage. Whatever the change may be, it's an improvement that has made us fall even more in love with these classic plants.

Expert testimony: Irvin Etienne is Curator of Herbaceous Plants and Seasonal Garden Design for The Garden at Newfields in Indianapolis.

Here at Let's Argue About Plants we're big fans of native plants. Our gardens are filled with them and for good reason: native plants are essential to the preservation and health of the local ecology. Aside from their benefits to the environment, many native plants are built to thrive in the conditions where you live, too. Today, we're talking about native alternatives to certain less-desirable plants. These undesirables might be invasive, or spread obnoxiously, or perhaps they are just prone to certain insects and diseases. Instead, we'll give you a native plant that is a far superior option. And, don't be fooled by our Connecticut location, we feature plants suitable for locales outside of the Northeast.

Expert testimony: Ulrich Lorimer is the director of horticulture for the Native Plant Trust in Framingham, MA.

Nothing says fall in the garden more than the sight of ornamental grasses pluming. It goes right along with all other things that signal the season change—the kids going back to school, pumpkin spice everything, and turning the heat on for the first time. Gardeners seem to have a love/hate relationship with ornamental grasses. They have great texture, they give life to the late-season landscape, and many are native to North America. But, some spread like noxious weeds, become invasive, or are maintenance nightmares that need frequent division. In this episode we discuss some of our favorites from this category of plants—grasses that are stunning in three seasons (if not four) and don't require a plethora of care to look their best. We even talk about a few newbie grasses that you might not have heard of before!

Expert testimony: Paul Zammit lives and gardens in Toronto's West End, and is a professor of horticulture at Niagara College in Southern Ontario.

Since the Let's Argue About Plants podcast is based in New England, we know all about fall color. This time of year is a favorite for most of our staffers with the native sugar maples turning bright red and the birch trees shifting to brilliant yellow. But this episode is all about the unsung heroes of fall—plants that don't immediately pop to mind when you think of vibrant autumnal color. And, we're not just talking about trees. There are some select perennials (even some that bloom in fall) and a couple shrubs that no one ever seems to mention as late-season stars. Tune in to find out what underdogs made our lists.

Expert testimony: Jason Reeves is a horticulturist and curator of the University of Tennessee Gardens at the West Tennessee Research and Education Center in Jackson.

Fall is a wonderful time of year for gardeners for so many reasons. It finally cools down so you can actually weed and prune without breaking a sweat. Many of us get to experience the color change of many perennials and woodies as the temps start to drop. And, of course, this is the time of year that we get to start shopping for fall bulbs. If you are one of those people who always kicks yourself in spring for not planting enough—or any—fall bulbs, you're not alone. This year we're here to inspire you to get out those catalogs and computers and seek out some truly unique options. We're celebrating a new season and the introduction of a new cohost on this episode, so join us to find out about a crocus that looks like a monarch butterfly and an iris that is bluer than any sapphire.

Expert testimony: Joseph Tychonievich, horticulturist, frequent Fine Gardening contributor, and author of, Rock Gardening: Reimagining a Classic Style.

You know you're a hardcore gardener when you dream about moving to the tropics--not for the beaches and tiki drinks--but because that would enable you to grow so many more cool plants. In this episode we discuss tropical plants we wish we could grow in our cooler climates, or even ones that we are looking forward to trying to grow in the future (and overwintering them like our agaves). There are some selections you'll recognize, but there are also a couple plants we are 99% sure you've never heard of before. So, grab your grass skirt (and a glass of rum punch) and meet us South of the equator for this tropical themed chat.

Expert testimony: Jim Kincannon is a horticulturist who previously worked at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (now called Newfields) gardens.

Peas and carrots. Peanut butter and jelly. Batman and Robin. If this was Jeopardy the correct answer would be, "What are perfect pairings." On this episode we're talking about two plants that just seem to belong together. It could be that they have complimentary textures, or they bloom in unison, or perhaps their habits fit together like puzzle pieces. String a few of these perfect plant pairs together and you're sure to get a garden that is pleasing to the eye.

Expert testimony: Amy Galloway is a horticulturist at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, in Austin, Texas.

It pretty much seems like drought is the norm these days. No matter where you live—East Coast, West Coast, or anywhere in between—periods of no rain are commonplace. Some gardeners out there have been dealing with droughty conditions for decades while others are just starting to learn what a "real" drought-tolerant plant is. After a record-breaking dry spell last summer (and it looks like we're shaping up to have much of the same this year), Steve and Danielle decided to highlight some of their favorite plants for dry conditions. Some are East Coast favorites (after all, that's where we garden) but others are West Coast stunners and there's even a Colorado native plant that has proven itself useful in gardens around the country.

Expert testimony: Leslie Harris is the owner of LH Gardens, a firm in Charlottesville, Virginia, that designs, installs, and maintains gardens.

Right about now you might be asking yourself, "What exactly is a workhorse plant?" In our minds it is a plant that asks little from us but delivers a whole lot to the garden. These are tough plants, capable of fitting into an array of spots and producing multiple seasons of interest. They aren't the stars (aka focal points), and they aren't the supporting cast (aka reliable performers). They are more like stage managers, ensuring that the garden always looks decent. We thought it was high time that these unsung garden heroes got some praise, since rarely are awards given to plants that are simply defined as "solid." Saddle up for a long list of perennials—and a few shrubs—you'll be happy to have ride into your garden.

Do you ever find yourself recommending the same handful of plants to friends and neighbors? We do. These might not being the splashiest of plants, or even the ones that you'd base an entire design around. But, these are fantastic herbaceous perennials—the meat and potatoes of the garden. To make things even more interesting, we limited ourselves down to choosing just four of these go-to plants. Our choices have multiple seasons of interest, thrive under less-than-ideal conditions, and in our minds, are essential in any great garden.

Expert testimony: Susan Morrison is a garden designer in Concord, California.