The Native Plant Podcast

Addressing Fox conservation and cyber bullying with Dan Cole from SaveAFox

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The death of Mikayla Raines was a shock to the conservation world and in today's show, John speaks with Dan Cole of SavAFox rescue about their work an...

Traveling with Biotropica Expeditions in Ecuador

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

John & his wife Susana have been traveling & visiting Ecuador for over thirty years and today they sit down with their good friends Norby & Susana Lop...

Dr. Tjite deVries former head of Biology at La Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador.

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're joined today by Dr. Tjite deVries former head of Biology at La Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. A long time friend of John & Susan...

Happy Father's Day and welcome to a new season!

14 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Father's Day everyone!  New Dad Chris Fehlhaber sits down with Uli Lorimer and Tim Johnson of the Native Plant Trust to talk about gardening an...

Maggie Stuckey's Container Victory Gardens

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is dedicated to John's Dad (Sam) who despite growing up during World War 2 and living in downtown Toledo, Ohio still managed to raise ...

Devin Walsh on art in the garden.

28 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Uli Lorimer and his Northeast Native Plant Primer

13 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Uli Lorimer is director of Horticulture at Garden In The Woods, in Framingham, Massachussettes. Previously, he was curator of Brooklyn Botanic Garden'...

Anna Fialkoff of the Wild Seed Project

08 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Wild Seed Project builds awareness of the vital importance of native plants and provides all people with the tools to restore biodiversity in their ow...

Piet Oudolf 'at Work'

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

John sits down with legendary Landscape Designer Piet Oudolf and discusses his new book- 'at Work', landscape design, working with others and a few ot...

Landscape Designer Owen Wormser on how to turn your lawn into a meadow

02 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Gardening Author and Landscape Designer Owen Wormser drops by to spread some wisdom on eliminating lawn and replacing it with habitat, just like he do...

Another 'lost tapes' episode as Garden Designer Donald Pell drops by

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

OK, so we're not the most organized people in the world- we're sorry. We originally spoke to Don last year, but in an unfortunate sorting incident, we...

John & Susana welcome season 8

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

John & Susana team up to get us started this year by describing a pretty incredible trip to Ecuador over the winter where they visited Antisana and Ch...

Laurie Olin- Essays on Landscape Part 2

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most influential landscape architects in practice today, Laurie Olin has created designs for the Washington Monument grounds and the Nation...

Jeff Lorenz of Refugia Design

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff Lorenz is the founder of Refugia Design, an ecological landscape design/build and stewardship firm, based out of Narberth, PA. Since 2015, Refugi...

James Golden- The view from Federal Twist

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

James Golden’s garden design has been featured in national and international magazines, in The New York Times, and in several books on garden design...

Shannon Currey on native grasses and sedges for the landscape

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re all about the graminoids this week with our long-time friend and boomerang guest, Shannon Currey. Since taping the show, Shannon has transiti...

Prof. Jared Barnes on being Plantastic

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jared Barnes, Ph.D., started gardening when he was five years old, and since then has enthusiastically pursued how to best cultivate plants and minds....

Laurie Olin- Essays on Landscape

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Laurie is a distinguished teacher, author, and one of the most renowned landscape architects practicing today. From vision to realization, he has guid...

Sean Halloran- Plant Propagator at The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sean received a Bachelor's in Horticulture and a Master's degree in Plant & Environmental Science from Clemson University where he focused on nutrient...

Kristin McCullin- The Trustees- Allen C. Haskell Public Gardens

04 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Before serving as Horticulturist of Haskell Public Gardens, Mc Cullin was the Senior Horticulturalist at The Native Plant Trusts Garden in the Woods. ...

Jenn Myers, Executive Director of the National Association of Landscape Professionals

11 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jenn Myers drops by to chat with John and Preston about things that landscape companies can do to attract and maintain professional staffs

Miles Hilton Connors, Director of Parterre Ecological

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Miles Hilton Connors is Director of Parterre Ecological, a specialized division within Parterre Garden Services that integrates principles of ecology ...

Andrea DeLong Amaya of the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center

04 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Chris & John host Andrea Amaya with all of her plant knowledge and work she's helping the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center do, she's a wealth of inf...

Native Plant Tok w/ Kyle Lybarger

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kyle Lybarger is a Forester, a conservation influencer, and a life long outdoorsman from Hartselle, Alabama. Kyle holds a Bachelors degree in Forestry...

Emma Marris Wild Souls: Freedom and Flourishing in the Non-Human World and Rambunctious Garden

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Emma Marris is the author of Wild Souls: Freedom and Flourishing in the Non-Human World and Rambunctious Garden: Saving Nature in a Post-Wild World. ...

Professor Darrel Morrison- Beauty of the Wild

22 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Darrel Morrison joins us for the beginning of our seventh season and we couldn't be happier with having him.

Sarah Coury and Ben Pick, the dynamic duo that together make Saturnia Farm

10 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Saturnia Farm in Clyde North Carolina is a nursery, flower farm, and homestead with growing and land management practices guided by principals of beau...

Ruth Rogers Clausen & Gregg Tepper on their new book "Deer resistant Native Plants for the Northeast"

26 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Two friends of ours have joined forces to give us all some great suggestions for deer resistant plants for the Northeast United States.  Gregg Tepper...

Tony Gomez- Philips of the Monona Terrace

25 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Following in the footsteps of Frank Lloyd Wright, Tony Gomez- Philips helps to update classic design into a more sustainable light at Monona Terrace i...

Jessica Walliser- Attracting Beneficial Bugs to the Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control

06 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jessica Walliser is a former contributing editor for Organic Gardening and a regular contributor to many national gardening publications. Her two week...

Jeff Epping Director of Horticulture at Olbrich Botanical Gardens on gravel gardens and meadows

10 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff Epping has been Director of Horticulture at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison WI, since 1992 where he oversees horticultural operations and th...

Sam Droege of the US Geological Survey teaches us everything you can learn about bees in one hour.

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam Droege has been spent most of his career at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. He has coordinated the North American Breeding Bird Surve...

Mark Dwyer- Native Plants in public & private landscapes

08 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A child of the Midwest, Mark Dwyer is a passionate gardener, plants person, designer, horticulture speaker, educator and author. He has degrees in lan...

Dr. Amy Johnson on the importance of private lands for grassland bird conservation

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Amy Johnson is a conservation scientist and Program Director for Virginia Working Landscapes, a community-based research program at the Smithsonia...

Cullowhee reunion episode: Sadie Walters and her "Pit stop for the birds"

14 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Former Cullowhee Scholarship winner and current Landscape Architect Sadie Walters drops by to chat with John & Preston about her new project promoting...

Using Science to Save the American Chestnut Tree with Dr. Sara Fitzsimmons of the American Chestnut Foundation.

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, John & Chris sit down with Dr. Sara 'Fern' Fitzsimmons to talk about her love of one of America's most iconic trees- the American Chestnut ...

How do Solving the Global Water Crisis and High Plains Gardening Go Together?

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Eleanor Allen is the CEO of Water For People, a global nonprofit working in Africa, Latin America, and Asia to help develop sustainable water and sani...

Dr. Doug Tallamy on the Nature of Oaks

15 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Author, Naturalist and all around good guy, Dr. Doug Tallamy joins John Magee and Capital Naturalist Alonso Abugattas to discuss one of the most impor...

Professor Jeff Ollerton on Pollinators & Pollination

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

During a career spanning more than 30 years, Professor Jeff Ollerton has established himself as one of the world’s leading experts on pollinators an...

Matthew Martin of Restoration Horticulture

26 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For the last 10 years, Matthew has been managing the buildings and grounds of the Danvers Historical Society. There, Matthew's mission has been to res...

Matt Bright of Earth Sangha native plant nursery and Alonso Abugattas

09 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Bright has been the Conservation Manager at Earth Sangha, an organization his parents founded in 1998 since 2011. Before that, he worked as a vol...

Celia Vuocolo of the Piedmont Environmental Council on Trout Habitat

05 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Celia Vuocolo manages PEC’s Sustainable Habitat Program. She works with landowners interested in managing their property for wildlife habitat, provi...

Michael Myers of the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

22 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On today's show, John sits down with Michael Myers of the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy to talk about how local non-profits can help educate the public...

Storm water management in the Chesapeake Bay watershed with Beth Ginter of the CCLC

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Beth Ginter, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council, drops by to tell us about their certification for Professional Lan...

Revisiting Rafinesque with John Boggan of the Smithsonian Institution

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Smithsonian Botanist John Boggan drops by to talk about why plants are named as they are and why plant names change from time to time.

Welcome to Season 6!

26 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

At long last season 6 has arrived and in this first episode, John previews what we'll be diving into.

The lost tapes episode with William Cullina

02 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We went down to the NPP basement and did some searching for this one.  Originally recorded in 2017, this show was 'lost' after recording and so some ...

Uli Lorimer of the Native Plant Trust

26 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Uli Lorimer drops by to talk about the work being done with the Native Plant Trust and how to find good natives in the trade.

Ohio Botanist Andrew Lane Gibson

13 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Another visitor from the Buckeye State as Andrew Lane Gibson joins John Magee & John Manion to discuss a lot of Orchids and other school stuff from ac...

Naturalist and Tour Guide Norby Lopez on the effects of Coronavirus on the industry.

01 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Susana's long time friend and Ecotourist Guide Norby Lopez drops in to chat with John & Susana about his industry and the changes that are happening d...

Scientists are burning the woods… and no one knows why!

13 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Join John & John as they interview Dr. Joyce Klaus and her husband Nathan Klaus about controlled burns.

Anna Maria León & Roy Diblick- Humble Gardeners

01 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Anna Maria León and her Husband Roy Diblik stop by to talk permaculture, raising your own food and doing good things for others, also known as helpin...

Dr. Daniel Medina- Green Infrastructure to mitigate climate change

19 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

John & Susana sit down with Dr. Daniel Medina to talk about carbon sequestration and green infrastructure.  How can we design our infrastructure to f...

Dr. Michael Osborne: Humanity as a Geologic force

09 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Has humanity had such an influence upon the Earth that future generations will look back and see our indelible mark?  Plastic?  Splitting the atom? ...

Jennifer Ceska Conservation Coordinator- State Botanical Garden of Georgia

03 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jennifer Ceska coordinates all conservation activities at the State Botanical Garden, she coordinates the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance and the ...

Getting to know Janet

26 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Janet Draper has served as Horticulturist for the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden since 1997.  She earned her BS in Horticulture from Purdue University...

Palynology- Dr Fernando Rodriguez and the study of Pollen

19 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Fernando Rodriguez is a life long friend of Mother of Chewy Susana Struve's.  He joins us today to talk about his research into the study of ...

Katie Horton on Calycanthus

05 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Future Dr. Katie Horton drops by to bring John & John up to date on her favorite Genus; Calycanthus  Join us as we explore all the reasons ev...

Amy Highland, Director of Collections at Mt Cuba Center

23 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Amy is the Director of Collections at Mt. Cuba Center and oversees both living and non-living collections. Currently she is engaged in expanding the g...

Owen Carson, Refugia: Bogs and Biodiversity

15 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Join Western North Carolina (WNC)-based consulting botanist/plant ecologist Owen Carson as he delves into bogs of the southeast to explore their bio-g...

Building community markets with Dr. Evodia Silva Rivera

07 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

John & Susana met Evodia many moons ago at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Kempton, PA.  They've remained friends ever since and in this episode, you'll g...

From Glades to grades- Dr. Tom Diggs on Glade habitats

31 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Past guest John Manion joins the show as a co-host and invites his good friend Dr. Tom Diggs of the University of North Georgia to talk about Glade ha...

Lucy Dinsmore, the warm hearted Horticulturist on Women in Horticulture

24 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Fehlhaber joins the cast of the podcast and brings with him his friend Lucy Dinsmore, the warm hearted horticulturalist to talk about (among oth...

Drones in conservation

17 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

John sits down with GIS specialist Ben Nyberg to talk about how drones are being used to change the way scientists are conserving rare flora and fauna...

Mother of Chewy

10 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

John's wife, Susana Struve is joining the podcast this season as a co-host(ess).  Learn a little bit more about the crazy adventures she and John hav...

Welcome to Season Five!

06 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The long wait is over as John welcomes us into season five and lets everyone know what to expect.  Lots of big things on the way of course, so sit ba...

Season 5 is coming!

17 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

John talks about the upcoming season and what it was to lose Emma.

Miss Liss the Ecologist on green roofs

26 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

John sits down with one of Don Leopold's grad students and talks about their research on green roofs with marginal plants.  Plant nerd stuff galore t...

Dendrologist Don Leopold on native trees and their use in the landscape

30 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dendrologist Dr. Don Leopold drops by to talk about some of our favorite native trees and how they can be used in the landscape.

Hip Hop Forestry

11 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Can Hip Hop save the world?  Can it bring new people to the field of Forestry and horticulture?  Well, today's guest thinks so and is living proof o...

Forest Bathing with Nadine Phillips

23 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One of our favorite friends of all time; Nadine Phillips to stop in and talk about one of her favorite topics- Forest Bathing.  Is nature important t...

Using ecological ethics in Landscape Design with Jessi Bloom

10 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Should we consider ecology while designing a landscape? Well we think so and this week we've invited Landscape Designer Jessi Bloom to talk about it ...

Ohio Naturalist Jim McCormac sits down with John

28 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

John reminisces his childhood growing up in Ohio and visiting the natural areas of the state with Naturalist Jim McCormac. Jim is now retired from th...

Kelly Norris on landscape style

15 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Author and Director of Horticulture at the Des Moines Botanical Garden Kelly Norris drops by to talk about 'style' in the garden.

It's Gardening for Wildlife month at the National Wildlife Federation with David Mizejewski!

08 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

You know him as David Mizejewski, Naturalist for the National Wildlife Federation and Author of Attracting Birds, Butterflies and other backyard wildl...

John Manion, Director of the BBG Native Plant Conference

01 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Our good friend John Manion drops by to talk about the upcoming Birmingham Botanical Garden Native Plant Conference being held this month.  Fascinati...

Alan Branhagen of the Midwest Landscape Arboretum

15 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

John sits down with new friend to the Show Alan Branhagen and they have a conversation about some of the best natives for Midwest gardens.

Nature's Temples with Joan Maloof

10 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

https://www.joanmaloof.com/

Gardening Author Thomas Christopher

03 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Gardening Author Thomas Christopher has written and co-authored a number of fine books about gardening.  Join us today as Preston and John sit down w...

Vernal pools part 3 w/ the Capital Naturalist- Alonso Abugattas

26 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Dawn Sherry- Program Director of the Cullowhee Native Plant Conference

25 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Long time friend of the show, Dr. Dawn Sherry drops by to chat about this year's conference. The field trips, the speakers and most of all, the compa...

22 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

John & Alonso break down what lives in vernal polls along with threats they face.

Vernal pools with Alonso Abugattas

19 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Vernal pool teaser

15 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Trees Atlanta

05 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

https://treesatlanta.org/

Garden Lust w/ Christopher Woods

19 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Noted Horticulturist and Author Christopher Woods talks about his passion for gardening and his new book covering some of the best new gardens of the ...

Flora- The Secret World of Plants

05 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Water, water everywhere

16 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

John & Preston have been wanting to do a show on water gardens for sometime.  This is the last episode of season 3 and will hopefully get you started...

Will Garden

10 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

One of our industry's 'up & comers' drops by for a chat with John & Preston. Taylor Williams owns 'Will Garden' and we talk design, maintenance and h...

Derrick Jensen - Author & Environmental Activist

17 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Derrick Jensen sits down with John and chats about where we are headed with our society and if we should even have a society.

Cullowhee Scholarship winners

24 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

John attended the 'Poster Session' at Cullowhee this year where each recipient is required to do a poster explaining their work.

Owen Washam on his carnivorous plant research

27 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We like to highlight some emerging professionals in the Green Industry on our show to give them an opportunity to share new research and insight they ...

Felder Rushing on slow gardening

12 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Preston's new friend Felder Rushing sits down with John and he for a conversation about taking the time to enjoy your garden.

Professor James Hitchmough of the University of Sheffield

22 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

John & Jesse sit down with Professor James Hitchmough, Head of Department of the School of Landscape Architecture at the University of Sheffield.

Paw-Paws; in search of America's forgotten fruit

08 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Moore is here to talk about his James Beard nominated book "Paw-Paw, America's forgotten fruit.

Prof. Aaron Ellison on Carnivorous plants

24 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

https://global.oup.com/academic/product/carnivorous-plants-9780198779841?cc=us&lang=en&

Stefan Bloodworth of the Sarah P. Duke Botanical Gardens

10 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

John & Preston interview Stefan Bloodworth of the Sarah P. Duke gardens in Durham, NC

Olin Studios on design tools

27 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

https://www.theolinstudio.com/https://www.theolinstudio.com/people/#/laurie-olin/https://www.theolinstudio.com/people/#/judy-venonsky/https://www.theo...

Native Plants for New England Gardens

13 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

http://www.newfs.org/http://www.newfs.org/visit/Garden-in-the-Woods

Ben Tufts on the Craig Tufts scholarship fund

28 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Craig Tufts was not only the Chief Naturalist at the National Wildlife Federation for many years, he was a big influence in many young naturalists liv...