The Garden Question

Josh Fuder’s search to identify the old apple trees growing at his newly purchase home ignited a path to discovering and recovering lost apple varieties of Georgia.

In this episode 122 we look into why lost apple varieties are important. How they are being discovered and saved to benefit future generations.

Josh is a University of Georgia Extension agent in Cherokee County Georgia. He is part of a team that has preserved nearly 140 different apple varieties at the newly planted Heritage Apple Orchard located at the Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center.

This is an encore presentation and remix of episode 042.

YouTube: “Farm Monitor” Site of a New Apple Orchard

 YouTube: History of Apple Industry in GA

 UGA Research News Article

 Georgia Magazine Article: Preserving Georgia’s Heritage Apples for Future Generations

Carol Hight is a native plant and wild flower advocate. She is a prolific writer for local publications and is a very in demand speaker for wildflowers. Her blog is BloomingBeautiful.com

She is a 30-year retired 5th grade science teacher.

Carol is currently active with the West Georgia Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society where she has served as chairman of the Buffalo Creek Trail restoration committee, and as an active native plant rescue facilitator.

An encore presentation and remix of episode 010.

Jay Sifford’s passion for crafting immersive gardens that are full of magic and story guide his garden designs.

In this episode we will discover how Mary Poppins inspires and nurtures a space where reality and fantasy collide.

Sifford explains how he uses psychological, philosophical and spiritual principles to create contemporary, Asian-inspired, and woodland gardens with common plants and authentic materials.

His inspiring gardens have been featured in Southern Living, Fine Gardening, and Country Gardens magazines as well as in several books and on Houzz.

He writes for Houzz and SouthPark Magazines.

In 2021, he was named North Carolina's Most Outstanding Landscape Designer by LuxLife magazine.

Additionally, he has won 'Best of Houzz' awards for both design and service in 2020 through 2022.

Jay Sifford’s Garden Design

Sifford Garden Design on Facebook

Jay Sifford Garden Design on Houzz

An encore presentation and remix of episode 056 

Staci L. Catron has one of the coolest jobs ever. She gets to live gardening in the past, in the present, and influence gardens of the future.

As the Director of the Cherokee Garden Library within the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center she manages the development, preservation, and interpretations of a 35,000-item growing collection.

Everything from garden and landscape related rare books, contemporary volumes, manuscripts, photographs, landscape architectural drawings, periodicals, seed catalogs, and ephemera.

She curates numerous exhibitions, lectures regularly regarding rare garden books and historic landscapes, and is published in many newsletters, journals, and books.

Her latest award-winning book co-authored with Mary Ann Eaddy is titled: Seeking Eden: A Collection of Georgia’s Historic Gardens with photographs by James R. Lockhart.

Catron holds a B.A. in History and Latin from Agnes Scott College, as well as a Master of Heritage Preservation from Georgia State University; and a Primary Teacher Certification from the Association of Montessori Internationale

This is episode 119 – The Cherokee Garden Library: Unearthing Ancient Gardening Wisdom – Staci Catron. An encore presentation and remix of episode 039

Melanie Deyton has made a life connecting people to plants through her family’s flower farm Melanie’s Garden.

We talk about successful Cut Flower Gardening. Overcoming the trials and the solutions of developing a whole new flower farm site.

You will enjoy learning how Melanie’s practical experience will guide you to becoming a better Cut Flower Grower. 

Having worked in the floral and gardening industry for over a decade, she has learned that it's best to let nature lead the way.

As a mother, gardener and floral designer, she finds joy and beauty in the simplest things growing in her garden and along roadsides. 

She talks about how nature’s hidden delights become spectacular shared designs.

This is episode 118 – Cut Flower Gardening - Melanie Deyton. An encore presentation and remix of episode 60.

Melanie’s Garden Facebook

Melanie’s Garden Instagram

Jutt Howard loves what he does. Every day is a new adventure when growing hundreds of acres of grass for your home and athletic venues.

In this episode he talks about how you can be successful also. How years of constant research pursues the perfect sod. Also an amazing bald eagle story that happened right on his family’s farm. 

Jutt grew up in the landscape business and is now the VP of business operations for NG Turf. Since 2010 he has grown with the company and learned the values of producing high quality turf grasses.

He serves as Chairmen of the Advisory Board for AGL. Advancing Georgia Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry which is a 2-year leadership program.

He also serves as a board member of the (GCIA) Georgia Crop Improvement Association . They are responsible for Certification Programs involving crop seeds and turf grasses along with  Organic Certification Program.

Jutt is a University of Georgia Certified Turf Grass Professional and a 2010 University of West Georgia Marketing Degree Graduate.

Jo Phillips is the Retired Horticultural Manager for the best-preserved 19th century garden in the United States. The first planting at Hills and Dales Estate occurred in 1841 with the still growing original boxwoods.

The garden estate is a horticultural testament to the three women with their families that have called it home. Today’s garden stays true to the original design and each woman’s contribution.

Jo tells stories about how much Alice Callaway loved Hills and Dales and was ahead of her time in so many ways. The horticultural staff reflects Mrs. Callaway love every day in their care for the original garden design.

You will want to listen all the way to the end to appreciate how important historical gardens are to our future garden success.

Jo earned her BSA Horticulture Degree from The University of Georgia.

Today we are having a conversation with Dr. Richard La Fleur about the importance of healing gardens. We will discover how they promote physical, mental, and spiritual healing as well as encourage self-care.

Dr. La Fleur is an author, international speaker, researcher and educator in the discipline of Psychology at the University of West Georgia. He currently teaches various courses in Psychology and Integrative Healthcare.

An encore presentation and remix of episode 024. 

Christie Bryant speaks for trees every day. She loves to be in a person’s yard meeting their dogs and talking about what is best for their trees.

Climbing to the highest heights and exploring soil depths is important to her for a complete understanding of each tree’s optimum health needs.

Thirteen years as a consulting arborist Christie stays up to date on the latest tree research and what trees love and desire. Her tree consulting company is called Speaking for The Trees.

She believes it is important to know a tree’s potential by performing a tree risk assessment and a real estate due diligence inspection.

As Past President of the Georgia Arborist Association, she advocates for trees and the professional that take care of them.

She earned a Bachelor degree in Environmental Horticulture from the University of Georgia. Is a    Georgia Certified Landscape Professional, ISA Certified Arborist, and a trained Horticultural Therapist .

Christie has appeared as a tree expert on The Weather Channel, various local news outlets, and WSB radio Saturday morning show Green & Growing with Ashley Frasca.

This is an encore presentation and remix of episode 007.

Dr. Bodie Pennisi is an Extension Horticulture Specialist at the University of Georgia.

She has statewide responsibilities for the Georgia landscape industry and conducts applied research with emphasis on sustainable outdoor and indoor landscapes which includes plant, water, nutrient, and soil interactions.

Dr. Pennisi also teaches online university level courses titled: Herbs, Spices, and Medicinal Plants; along with a Plant Physiology course.

She also teaches Master Gardener training classes on landscape installation and maintenance, WaterSmart landscapes, interiorscapes, herbaceous and woody ornamental plant selection, plant propagation and plant physiology.

Dr. Pennisi serves as educational advisor to the Georgia Green Industry Association (GGIA), the Urban Agriculture Council (UAC), and the national organization Green Plants for Green Buildings (GPGB). She serves on the environmental committee of the National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH).

Dr. Pennisi is a Co-Editor-in-Chief of Scientia Horticulturae.

This is an encore and remix of episode 006.