The Growing Season

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! 7 years on the air!   WOW, that's an achievement.  Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland celebrate The Growing Season's 7 year anniversary on this week's episode.  The trio highlight what they've learned over the last year.   Plant materials, College pursuits and the "aggregation of marginal gains" are discussed.  An evolution of Mc...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Get the bells out cuz we're going Coral this week! Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland roll around in the foliage on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  The completion of a recent job was the impetus for an exploration of one of the finest shade plants on the market. What light environment do Coral Bells thrive in?   There are myths that they...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! In what is a first for The McFarlands, Stonecrop or sedum take centre stage.  They’re blooming right now and man, they are beautiful.  Jack discusses the longest job he’s ever been on.  An update on the weather expected for Fall 2026 is outlined. Get ready for an extended fall season.  Cherry Truffle sedum gets the gush treatment.  You'll want to Goo...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! LETS GET SAUCY! Garage doors have been opening on Matt's street and there have been tomatoes being processed at high rates over the last couple of weekends.  "A Super El-Nino" kicks the show off.  WHAT IS IT? The tomato is related to A TON of plants.   You'll be surprised to learn who their cousins are. The early Europeans thought that...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! So lets get to the root of the issue. On this week's episode of The Growing Season, Jack, Lynne and McFarland use a recent build as a jumping off point for 54 minutes of talk. Matt recently built a water feature around a Silver Maple and the tree fought the build the entire way.   So much so that Matt has sworn off Silver Maples forever.   The trio d...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Pie-see-you!   Actually, that would be "Pica-you..."   In latin, Picea is the word for spruce and it just happens to be the focus of this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into all things spruce and the show kicks off in style, highlighting the "Baby Blue Eyes" spruce - the Ferrari of spruc...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Does having Hostas in your garden “devalue” its aesthetic?  Some of Matt McFarland’s clients think so.  Hostas get their time in the shade on this week’s episode of The Growing Season.  A ditch in Jack and Lynne McFarland’s neighbourhood kicks the show off. It’s an interesting conversation.  Bylaws, bees and blowing wind feature prominently.  “Hostas are...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Time waits for no one! Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland take an adventure on Gardening For The Ages on this week's episode of The Growing Season. How do the McFarlands design with an age group in mind?   Are there differences with how they design for the younger crowd as opposed to an older clientele.  The designers explain.  Matt rants.  He gets angry...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Yippie Kai Yay Mother Phloxer!  Thanks to Bruce Willis' Die Hard for the opening of this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into all things Phlox on the second show of August 2026.  Speaking of August - Summer is chugging along! Fall clothing and back to school advertising abounds.   Matt tells a story abo...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! You're no daisy at all! Doc Holiday's famous line from "Tombstone" is the jumping off point for this week's show. Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland turn The Growing Season's focus to all things Daisy on this week's episode of the show.  Strange old sayings kick the show off.  "Its enough to stick in your eye..." W...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Its all about the Lily! This week's episode of The Growing Season dives, head first, into one of the most popular plant groups in your gardens. Whether they're Asiatic, Oriental or Daylilies, Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland highlight their wondrousness.   Matt gives an update on The McFarland's new kitten.  What is the difference between a L...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Something smells....GOOD! That's right - the focus of this week's episode of The Growing Season is designing a garden with fragrance in mind.  Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into all things smelly and they're not talking about Matt! Matt has a new member of the family and he explains the addition of the new addition.  Bill Reid roses k...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! ITS ALL ABOUT THE LONGER GAME!  In part 2 of Long Bloomers, The McFarlands dive into the perennials and annuals that round out the group.  Its a fast paced, lengthly list that will have you inspired to design.  Matt gushes about his son getting his first pair of workbooks.  "What do you consider a long bloomer when it comes to perennials?" ROZAN...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Its all about the LONG GAME!  Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into the trees and shrubs that bloom for an INSANELY long time on this week's episode of The Growing Season. How long is long for a tree to bloom?   You'd be surprised to learn.  Matt discusses how his students LOVE derailing him during lectures.  They love to rev him up and watch...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! We know that many things bloom in June, but it behooves us to highlight some of the lesser known plants.   The Growing Season are over the moon for the June blooms on this week's show. Matt's adoration of June Cleaver is touched on.  He still has a crush.   Is the name June still popular?  What is the Summer Solstice and why is it important? The...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! GO BIG OR GO...BIGGER. Yup!  That's the deal this week.  Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland talk about "Aircraft Carriers" - their slang for insanely large shade trees. MORE gardens for the McFarlands, and this time its Lynne's fault.  There's some new tree-tech about to hit the McFarland household.  The benefits of having large shade...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Rockeries and alpines are on your plate this week!  It'll be tough chew on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland are all about AC/DC - they are about to rock, they have rocked, they would like you to rock with them... Shall we!? A modern-classic build kicks off the show.  Matt draws elements from what Jack wa...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! On this week’s episode of The Growing Season, the McFarland’s say hello to yellow. One of the most divisive colours, Jack, Lynne, and Matt discussed using yellow in landscape, designs and installs. Matt details and interesting estimating exercise that he’s been doing with his students at Humber College. From the design perspective, yellow can overwhelm a...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! It's our annual annual show that annually talks about annuals. Get out them trowels cuz its time to plant.  Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into annuals 2026 on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Matt has to walk his cat.  Its not by choice.  Otherwise its chaos.  Why are annual geraniums called geraniums?  They aren't geranium...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! "It's Gonna Be May!!!" You can almost picture Justin Timberlake crooning it. On this weeks episode of The Growing Season, Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into the All-Stars of one of the most beautiful months on the calendar. " The mistakes of May" kick the show off in style.  Matt runs down the weather and why it may not be t...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Its all by design... Literally. Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland continue their Landscape Design chat on this week's episode of The Growing Season. "95% of all designs need a tree, even on the small designs." Matt discusses why he feels this is the case. We have to bring down the immensity of the house - that's a Mattism. Lilacs, Baby Bl...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Let's design, shall we? The Growing Season discusses a major facet of their horticultural business on this week's episode of the show.  Strap in.  Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland talk about step 1 of your horticultural renovation.  Martial Arts kicks off the show.  Matt's daughter is learning to break boards with her feet.  Design work from...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! The drums of war can be heard on lawns throughout the country. That's right.  They're coming... The silent insurgence will rob you of your verdant green carpet and replace it with a votive of yellow blooms.  Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into weed warfare on this week's episode of The Growing Season.  Rats have become a problem in gar...

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat! Lets do it again, shall we?   Picking up where last week's show left off, Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland put a final cut on their spring pruning series for 2026. The show starts with a marijuana chat.  What? Bear cubs abound in Canada and Matt takes the time to make a joke about hibernating.  Platypus...Matt gushes.  TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER! A broken...