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

If there were a question on the Family Feud gameshow, asking the respondents to name a shade plant, chances are the vast majority of the public would answer “hosta.” But, there is so much more to shade plants that the genus Hosta, like a creeping, evergreen-honeysuckle and an insanely cool Chinese fairy bell that looks like a black bamboo with chartreuse flowers. On this episode we shine a light on these, and some other, lesser-known heroes of the shade garden.

Expert Susan Calhoun, landscape designer from Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Is it eye-catching? Does the sight of it leave a lasting impression? Would the garden look like it was missing something if that particular plant was removed? If the answer to all of these questions is “yes”, chances are it’s a focal point plant. These wonders may have to-die-for texture or perhaps a form that is hard to ignore—regardless, they are essential elements to any successful garden design. Find out what some of our favorites are in this episode.

Expert Stacie Crooks, landscape designer from Seattle, Washington.

What do we mean when we say "dwarf shrubs?" After all, the dwarf version of a 75-foot tall conifer might be a cultivar that only gets 45 feet. That won't be the case in this episode where we'll focus on shrubs that stay less than 4 feet tall and wide. Plant breeders have been hard at work, developing these miniature dynamos, so you're sure to hear about something you've never planted before-like a viburnum that sounds like it would be right at home in a sushi restaurant.

Expert Ed Gregan, Northeast field representative for Carlton Plants, a wholesale bare-root grower in Dayton, Oregon.

Are you tired of seeing the same plants over and over in nearly every garden you visit? Or perhaps you love the fall color of a certain shrub-but it's horribly invasive, so you can't in good conscious plant it. What you're looking for are reliable replacements for overused-or incredibly aggressive-plants. It's time to broaden your plant palette and ditch some of those classic staples (we're talking to you Miscanthus) for some new, soon-to-be favorites.

Expert Mae Lin Plummer, garden director for The Duke Mansion in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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