The Gardenangelists: Flowers, Veggies, and All the Best Dirt

Send us Fan Mail This week, Carol and Dee sing the praises of Agastache, provide an update on their pepper crops, and discuss Dee's Monarch Way Station. Carol's New Fairy Garden Lemony Snicket books Flowers: Agastache at American Meadows 'Hyperion' Daylily at American Meadows Veggies: Hatch Chile Peppers Shishito Chile Pepper seeds at Botanical Interests Big Bertha Bell Pepper...

Send us Fan Mail On this week's episode, we provide advice on buying spring-flowering bulbs this summer for fall planting and buying garlic this summer, also for fall planting, plus we recommend a podcast we recently discovered. Helpful Links: Dee's favorite recipes this week include a fresh tomato sauce for pasta ,  refrigerator corn relish , and a caprese salad . Basil 'Emerald To...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about Shasta Daisies, their bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches, and what to do instead of social media! Flowers:  Shasta Daisies from Proven Winners Flower Magazine article on Shasta Daisies and Luther Burbank The Garden of Invention: Luther Burbank and the Business of Breeding Plants , by Jane S. Smith.  Veggies:  Blue Plate mayo Wild Wild West Gardener in G...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about hibiscus, both hardy and tropical, plus tomato troubles and triumphs. Helpful Links: Flowers: Hardy Hibiscus from “ Rozanne & Friends ”    Tropical Hibiscus from Hollywood Hibiscus 'Sugar Tip' Rose of Sharon from Proven Winners 'Emerald Towers' Basil from Burpee 'Amazel Basil' Basil from Proven Winners Nolo Bait for grassh...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol discuss Dee's favorite flower, the daylily, cucumbers in the veg garden, the landscape designer Beatrix Farrand, and the new book, Mini Meadows . Some helpful links: Flowers: The American Daylily Society aka the American Hemerocallis Society Veggies: Cucumber seeds at Burpee's On the Bookshelf: Mini Meadows by Mike Lizotte Mike's Instagram page: Mike_t...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about growing lavender, keeping ahead of weeds, and watching Gardeners World on Britbox. Links: Flowers: 2020 is The Year of the Lavender, according to National Garden Bureau! United States Lavender Growers Association   Lavender 'Phenomenal' at High Country Gardens Lavender 'Primavera' from Darwin Perennials Lavender 'Gro So' On th...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol provide a pep talk of sorts for everyone gardening. A few links: Flowers: Annual Vincas - Soiree Kawaii varieties from Suntory Salvia 'Rose Marvel' from American Meadows Zinnia 'Profusion Red', an All-America Selection from 2017 Vegetables: Three types of peas from Botanical Interests - Snow, Snap, and Shelling On the Bookshelf:   Gardener’s Guide...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol discuss insects in the garden and how to approach controls with cautions, starting with these least harmful first! Helpful Links: Salvia 'Rose Marvel' at American Meadows 'Avalanche' Peas at Johnny's Selected Seeds Myrmecochory further explained on Carol's Blog Ants on peonies, an example of biological mutualism   Nolo Bait for young gra...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about David Austin Roses, growing roses for hips, and general garden updates! Some helpful links: Dee's post on David Austin Roses: A very rosy spring Mills Rose Magic   fertilizer Back to Nature cotton burr compost On the Bookshelf:  The Roses at the End of the Road   by Pat Leuchtman Jennifer Jewel’s Cultivating Places podcast episode, The Comfort of Rose...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about ways to get children out into the garden. A few helpful links: Zinnias from Burpee Sunflower 'Teddy Bear' from Burpee 'Buried Treasure Red' Strawberries from Proven Winners Sunflower Houses: Inspiration from the Garden a Book for Children and Their Grown-Ups by Sharon Lovejoy Smart Pots, with handles. On the Bookshelf:  Gardening with E...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about taking houseplants outdoors for the summer, some more gardening myth, what's on the bookshelf and the murder hornets that are in the news. A few links: 'Sticks on Fire' Euphorbia at Gardenia Coffee for Roses by C.L. Fornari On the Bookshelf:  The Garden Tourist: 120 Destination Gardens and Nurseries in the Northeast by Jana Milbocker   On mu...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol discuss a native honeysuckle vine, growing green beans, and a new kitchen garden book. Some links: Year of the Iris at National Garden Bureau Whimsy Key West , where Carol's cool new rock came from. Rosa glauca at High Country Roses Honeysuckle vine  at High Country Gardens Green Bean seed sources: Burpee Botanical Interests Previous episode on green beans On th...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol discuss the two sides of black locust trees, Square Foot Gardening™ and some of their personal gardening failures. A few helpful links: Dee purchased milkweed plugs from   Monarch Watch Milkweed Market   Flowers:  More information about Black Locust Trees: A interesting article on black locust trees in Live Science .  Missouri Botanical Gardens opinion of this tree....

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about Solomon's seal, a woodland flower, plus how to grow radishes, and what to do after a late spring freeze. Some Links: Variegated Solomon's Seal at Plant's Delight. Radishes from Botanical Interests Seeds A shoutout to  Edward Joseph Farms in Harrah, Oklahoma for listeners in Oklahoma  looking for tomato and pepper transplants. Carol's fa...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol discuss a variety of topics including Flowers:  It's all about Dianthus this week. Check out these dianthus flowers from Proven Winners . Ask for them at your favorite independent garden center or buy them online.  Find a friend with 'Bath's Pink' dianthus to share or if you can't find them at your garden center, Bluestone Perennials has them...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about irises because it is the Year of the Iris, growing asparagus, Margery Fish, citizen diarists and garden journals. Some helpful links: Irises: National Garden Bureau American Iris Society Longue Vue House and Garden   Asparagus: How to grow Asparagus On the Bookshelf:  We Made a Garden by Margery Fish On CBS Sunday Morning: Victory Gardens for the war again...

Send us Fan Mail Carol and Dee talk about spring blooming Corydalis,  what self-sows in a vegetable garden, and why you should garden now. Helpful Links: Flowers: Brent and Becky’s Bulbs , a source for Corydalis corms Veggies: Burpee has seeds for dandelions Johnny's Selected Seeds has seeds for purslane On the Bookshelf: Shrubs and Hedges by Eva Monheim Dirt: How Gardening Will Keep You Well...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about growing Alyssum, how to care for your seedlings, and how to take care of your gardening tools. A few links! Proven Winners varieties of Alyssum Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center A cooperative extension article on seedling care . On the Bookshelf: Mastering the Art of Flower Gardening by Matt Mattus. Email us at TheGardenangelists@gmail.com and look for u...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about a variety of gardening topics. Some helpful links: Epimediums: Garden Vision Epimediums   Digging Dog Nursery . Our friend, Layanee, from Ledge and Gardens Strawberries:   Berried Treasure® Red Strawberry Fragaria ananassa Sunflower Houses, by Sharon Lovejoy On the Bookshelf: Gardening Your Front Yard , by Tara Nolan.  This week's dirt, Carol's n...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about some alternative seed sources, International compost week, and some of the worst gardening advice they've ever read. Some helpful links: Seeds: Chiltern’s   Renee’s Garden   Hayefield on Etsy   Veggies:  International Compost Awareness Week is May 3 - May 9 sponsored by Composting Council Research and Education Foundation   What’s on the Bookshelf: Re...

Send us Fan Mail Links of interests Flowers: Nasturtium ‘Baby Rose’ from Park Seed Nasturtium 'Empress of India' from Renee’s Garden Seeds. Other Nasturtiums from Botanical Interests Previous episode where we talk about violas and pansies.  Veggies:  Upland Cress from  Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Corn Salad or Mache   from Botanical Interests Seeds.  Arugula or rocket from Botanical Interes...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol were inspired this week by plantswomen, 75 of whom were profiled in a new book,  The Earth in Her Hands: 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants by Jennifer Jewell A few other books and links of interest: The Bold and Brilliant Garden by Sarah Raven The Timber Press Guide to Vegetable Gardening in the Southeast by Ira Wallace Gardenista: The Definitive...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about how to grow perennial flowers from seeds, debate instructions for growing sprouts indoors, and give a shout out to the National Garden Bureau, celebrating their 100th anniversary. Plus, they highlight another book from their bookshelves! A few links: National Garden Bureau National Garden Bureau’s 100th anniversary celebration. Chiltern Seeds Territorial S...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about flowers and houseplants that make great gifts for Valentine's Day or any occasion.  Plus vegetables that are good for your heart, a new gardening book, and why gardening may make you live longer. Some helpful Links: Heart-healthy Vegetables to Grow New Zealand spinach from Botanical Interests - heat tolerant! On the bookshelf: The Pollinator Victory G...

Send us Fan Mail Dee and Carol talk about how easy it is to sow seeds for some flowers, what the two most important dates are for gardeners, a new book on ferns, and soil enhancers. Links with more information: Botanical Interests Drop Dead Red Sunflower Seeds Burpee's Envy Zinnias Burpee's Queen Lime Orange Zinnias Johnny's Seed's Oklahoma series of Zinnias On our bookshelf: ...