Peace, Love, and Pollinators 🐝

John Engwar is the owner and president of Groundscapes Express, Inc., he has been providing innovative, environmentally responsible erosion control, stormwater management, and ecological landscape solutions since 1998. His work is rooted in stewardship, clean water protection, soil health, and the belief that construction and land care can work with nature rather than against it. A pioneer in the...

Darryl Newman is the co-owner of Planters' Choice, alongside his father and founder, Chuck. It is a diverse operation with large-scale field, propagation and container production in Western Connecticut. They are increasing production of both ecotypic and larger, specimen size natives that are difficult to not only locate, but also produce. He has presented to numerous state and regional trade...

Kristen Nicholson and Britt Drews are the co-founders of Blue Stem Natives, a  woman owned native-only nursery based in Norwell, Massachusetts.                  Since launching in 2021, they’ve been helping gardeners and land stewards  across New England access high-quality native plants while promoting wildlife- friendly landscapes, straight-species selections, and sustainable growing  practices....

Dan Jaffe Wilder is an ecologist, horticulturist, and botanist with over twenty years’ experience working with native plants and their associated ecology. His work has ranged from classrooms to nurseries to botanical gardens to wildlife refuges and specializes in native plant ecology, propagation, wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement, and native edible landscapes. Dan is the Director of Ap...

Edwina von Gal Founder / President A leading voice in sustainable gardening and landscape design, Edwina von Gal founded the Perfect Earth Project in 2013 to promote ecological land care for the health of people, their pets, and the planet. As principal of her eponymous landscape design firm since 1984, Edwina created landscapes with a focus on simplicity, sustainability, and beauty for private an...

Mark Highland, The Organic Mechanic As a young kid, Mark made his connection to the natural world early, digging around in his grandmother’s vegetable garden, pulling weeds, picking caterpillars off plants, and harvesting ripe fruit. The work was hard (but fun!) and he knew he was hooked from the moment he turned over that first forkful of rich Illinois soil. Academic studies and work experiences...

We discuss Meadow creation and break dow the process of meadow installation with Nick Novick.  Nick Novick (Small Planet Landscaping) has been building healthier landscapes in and around Ashland, Massachusetts for more than two decades. With a degree in Environmental Conservation and a deep bench of hands-on field skills, Nick has done it all, from dry stone walls and lawn care to invasive plant c...

Todays episode is all about the connection between soil health, human health and the health of the planet. Dan has been an organic farmer for more than 30 years. He grew up on Many Hands Organic Farm in central Massachusetts with his parents, Julie Rawson, NOFA-MA Executive Director, and Jack Kittredge, publisher of Natural Farmer. After working globally in the late 90s and early 2000s with farmer...

What if your landscape could feed you and support pollinators at the same time? In this episode of Peace, Love & Pollinators , we explore edible landscapes , wild edible plants , and foraging with legendary New England naturalist Russ Cohen . Russ is a wild foods expert and lifelong forager from Weston, Massachusetts who has spent over 50 years teaching people how to identify, harvest, and enj...

Episode 2: Breaking Down Compost (Peace, Love & Pollinators) Compost is one of the most powerful tools we have for healthier soil, stronger plants, and more resilient landscapes, but it is also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode, we break compost down into what it actually is, what “good” looks like, and how to use it without accidentally creating problems like nutrient overload, w...

Peace, Love & Pollinators — Episode 3 Plastic’s Impact on the Horticulture Industry (with Marie Chieppo) Plastic pots are the elephant in the room in the green industry. In this episode, Trev sits down with ecological landscape designer and researcher Marie Chieppo to unpack how we got here, why “recycling” isn’t solving the problem, and what a realistic path forward could look like for nurser...

Peace, Love & Pollinators — Episode 4 Small Roofs, Big Impact: The Boston Green Roof Bus Shelter Initiative Episode summary What if a bus stop could do more than keep you dry? In this episode, Trev breaks down Boston’s bus shelter green roof initiative—an example of how small, visible pieces of green infrastructure can deliver outsized benefits for heat resilience, stormwater management, and u...

Episode 1 — Karen Dooley: No Yard, No Problem (Supporting Urban Pollinators) Short episode description (podcast apps) No yard? No problem. Trev sits down with Karen Dooley to talk about practical, realistic ways to support pollinators in urban spaces. From balconies and patios to street trees and community pockets, this episode is packed with ideas to help you create habitat where you live, with w...