Growing Greener

Latest Episodes:

How Human Manipulation Affects the Relationship of Hydrangeas and Pollinators Oct 30, 2024

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Garden activist and educator Cathy Ludden describes her encounters with hydrangeas and how transforming the flower heads to suit human aesthetics has proved both harmful and beneficial to pollinators

A Masterful Integration of Natives and Exotics Oct 23, 2024

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Richard Hayden, Senior Director of Horticulture at New York's magical garden, the High Line, describes how it integrates North American native plants with carefully chosen exotic species to create a whole that delights human visitors while also supporting wildlife and providing a powerful reconnection with nature

Giving a Neater, more Domesticated Look to the Native Plant Garden Oct 16, 2024

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Many homeowners who admire the beauty and environmental benefits of native plants don't care for the wilderness look of the typical naturalized native plant garden. Garden designer Britney O'Donnell shares tricks for designing and maintaining a more domesticated native plant landscape, one that fits better a neater suburban context

Will Nature Heal Itself? Oct 09, 2024

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Skeptics say that invasive species are not a serious threat to biodiversity, that "Nature will heal itself" despite the looming, man-made mass extinction. Today, paleobotanist Dana Royer describes the five mass extinctions of the past, and why recovery from such episodes typically took millions of years

Blending Native and Non-Native Plants to Benefit Pollinators – and Gardeners Oct 02, 2024

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Karen Bussolini of historic nursery White Flower Farm makes the case for how a mix of native and non-native flowers can feed pollinators better throughout the growing season

Making Lawns Non-toxic and Environmental Contributors Sep 25, 2024

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Environmentalists say the traditional lawn must go, but homeowners commonly love their turf. Organic lawn specialist Shay Lunseth outlines how we can "meet in the middle," and explains why fall is the critical season for organic lawns

Back to the Future Sep 18, 2024

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Amanda Douridas of the Ohio State University Extension Service describes cover cropping, an ancient practice that can move your vegetable garden toward healthier, richer soil with less dependence on synthetic fertilizers and herbicides.

A Natural Gardening Leader Speaks Out Sep 11, 2024

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In a conversation recorded in February, 2020, Benjamin Vogt discusses his pioneering book, A New Garden Ethic, and the need for gardeners to become activists in this era of existential challenges to the plants and animals with which we share this planet

Rethinking Lawns Sep 04, 2024

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Dr. Rebecca Barak describes the collaboration between the Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago Park District, Northwestern University, and the University of Michigan–Flint to develop native, biodiverse lawn alternatives that can withstand and moderate the effects of climate change

For Peat's Sake Aug 28, 2024

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Alex Critchley and Sarah Johnson of The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside describe the growing movement in Britain to ban the sale of peat and peat-based gardening projects, and their organization's efforts to preserve and restore peatlands, a key piece in the battle against global climate change

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