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

Quackin’ Grass Nursery in Brooklyn, Connecticut has some of the most unique plants imaginable. Their selection of perennials, trees, and shrubs is pretty much unrivaled in the New England area. Knowing all this, Steve and Danielle definitely had to visit. So, one day a few weeks ago the dynamic duo hopped in the car and made the trek into the Northeast corner of the state. There they met Quackin’ Grass owner, Wayne Paquette and got a personal tour around the nursery/private arboretum. If you can’t get to Connecticut, don’t fret—Quackin’ Grass offers mail order. And, after listening to us describe a few of the gems we stumbled upon in the greenhouses and fields of this place, you’ll be glad they do!

It’s said that every great garden should have at least one tree. They serve as focal points, give the garden structure, and generally just help a landscape look more mature. But many of us don’t have the room to plant a 70-foot sugar maple on our property. Fortunately, there are lots of small trees out there that come in an array of shapes and sizes—perfect for sneaking into any hospitable nook. With these small-scale wonders you’ll never have to worry about the tree falling on your house, growing into your foundation with an extensive root system, or getting too big for the space. Regardless of whether you have a tiny courtyard or a shady alleyway between you and the neighbors, there’s a small tree out there for your situation.  

Expert testimony: Paul Cappiello, executive director of the Yew Dell Gardens in Crestwood, KY.

Mucky, soggy, squishy when it rains: All of these describe the ideal conditions for the plants we talk about on this episode. Not everyone has a pond edge to deal with, but many of us have a spot that stays wet after a rainfall, or just never seems to properly drain. This can mean instant death for many plants that prefer well-drained soils, but not for these perennials and trees that soak up that moisture with gusto. Steve even discusses a plant that most think of as a full-sun plant that prefers well-drained soil but turns out, it thrives in wetter areas. Not everyone has a soggy spot, but almost everyone has a downspout—and now you’ll know the perfect plant to put under it!

Expert testimony: Kelly Norris  director of horticulture and education at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden in Iowa.

The temperatures have started to drop here in New England, so we thought it was the perfect time to highlight some of our favorite fall plants. These are options that you may not be familiar with, or perhaps cultivars of common plants that are new and exciting (and way better than the straight species). For instance, you may like toad lilies—but what if you could get one with shocking yellow foliage? In some cases, we even call attention to a plant that is known has a spring stunner, but puts on an equally impressive show in fall. With plants like these in the mix, there’s no reason for your garden to ever wind down in October.

Expert testimony: Andy Pulte is a faculty member in the Plant Sciences department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

When we sat down to plan out this episode Steve asked, “So what kind of wildlife are we talking about here?” Good question. As it turned out we decided to focus mainly on plants that attract a plethora of birds to your landscape. So rest assured—this isn’t a podcast about how to get more deer and voles to show up.  We’ll briefly touch on some general principles for attracting feathered friends before launching into descriptions of specific plants that are loved by birds of all sorts.  Holly Scoggins then shares a hilarious story in expert testimony about her battle (and eventual peace) with birds in her blueberry farm in Virginia. Listen now to be educated—but mostly amused! 

Expert testimony: Holly Scoggins is an associate professor of horticulture at Virginia Tech University.

There isn’t much a great ground cover can’t do. It can crowd out weeds, stop erosion, fill in the gaps between larger perennials, and even soften the edges of walls and curbs. However, not all ground covers are created equal. The best ones require little care, look great in multiple seasons, and mass out quickly. Steve and Danielle discuss some of their favorite candidates for this laundry list of objectives in this LAAP episode. Their recommendations include perennials and shrubs that fit the bill. Horticulturist Joann Vieira weighs in with several ground cover options that she has used in the past at botanic gardens and private gardens alike. This episode starts off with Danielle *finally* gifting Steve with a few plants that he’s been wanting for years. Listen now to find out which ones.

Expert testimony: Joann Vieira, is the director of horticulture for the Trustees of Reservations in Massachusetts. 

For any bonafide plant nerd, visiting Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh, North Carolina is a bucket list trip. Home to countless unheard of genera and cultivars of common plants that you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else on the planet, this place is, in a word, unbelievable. So, of course Steve and Danielle had to take the show on the road and record a live episode on the grounds of Plant Delights (and while wandering around their display beds which form Juniper Level Botanic Garden). The duo found a plethora of amazing plants to talk about, and even had owner Tony Avent weigh-in on their personal shopping choices from the greenhouses. In this episode you’re guaranteed to hear about some plants that you never knew you wanted, much less even knew existed.

In a perfect world, every plant we purchase would be well-behaved, pest-free, and a show-stopper 12 months a year. This is not a perfect world.  Despite our best intentions, sometimes we buy or inherit plants that are mistakes…big mistakes (we’re talking to you miscanthus). In this cathartic episode, Steve and Danielle lament and vent about all the plants that brought them nothing but headaches. Some may look pretty, but aren’t worth the troubles they bring with them. All we can say after listening is, “You’ve been warned.”

Expert testimony: Jeff Epping, director of horticulture at the Olbrich Botanical Garden in Madison, Wisconsin.

Steve, Danielle, and special guest assistant editor Carol Collins, sit down to discuss plants that really got them fired up from the recent FG Plant Sale. Some are little-known cultivars, some are brand new varieties. There were several interesting shade plants that captured the attention of the podcast hosts including one with such cool texture, it made Danielle squeal.  Some options were so unique, none of the staff had ever heard of them, let alone seen them in person.  Find out what plants were worth the FG staff spending an entire paycheck on in this new episode.

Steve and Danielle, as you know, love a trip to the nursery and in this episode we find the dynamic duo at Shakespeare’s Garden in Brookfield, Connecticut. Their mission was to find an array of annuals to fill their various pots and create incredible combinations. They found unusual options for shade including a fuchsia grown for its brilliant foliage—not flowers—and show-stopping selections for sun, too. Spoiler alert: Danielle actually admitted that certain varieties of coleus aren’t that bad after all. Taped on location at a bustling garden center in late spring, this episode is sure to inspire you to get creative this season with your annual purchases. 

Expert testimony:  Jason Reeves, curator of UT Gardens in Jackson, Tennessee .