PODCAST · leisure
Focus on Flowers
by Indiana Public Media
Focus on Flowers is a weekly podcast and public radio program about flower gardening hosted by master gardener Moya Andews.
Episodes
-
Pincushion Flower
A plant that attracts butterflies to our garden is the pincushion flower. The botanical name is Scabiosa, and these plants usually have blue, white, or pink flowers. As their common name suggests, the shape of the flower resembles a pincushion as the central florets form a rounded shape. There…
more -
A Surprising Uninvited Guest in Gardens
The genus Veronia has over 1000 species and is a member of the aster family. The name honors an English botanist, William Vernon. Many species of veronia are native to North and South America, and others come from Africa and Southeast Asia. Veronia is the Botanical name for the native ironweed…
more -
Cut Them Back
Most perennials we should cut back in the fall. They don’t look good once it gets cold, so it is best to cut them to the ground and they will come back well next spring. Bearded iris should be cut to about 6 inches and remember to cut their flower stalks right to the ground as well. Also, bee…
more -
Tall Natives
Joe Pye Weed is a North American native and hardy in zones 4-9. It can grow up to 7 feet tall and is deer resistant. The genus name is Eupatorium and a common name is bone set. It has rounded clusters of pink fuzzy flowers during late summer and fall. The statuesque plants like full sun or part...
-
Late Summer Color
As summer transitions into fall, we usually rely on mums and asters to give us color as the growing season wanes. But some other reliable bloomers are our native Culver’s Root, which has the botanical name Veronicastrum Virginicum and a good variety is ‘Fascination’. It is a tall plant, 36-48...
-
Glorious Glads
The name gladioli comes from the Latin word meaning sword because of the shape of the stiff sword-like leaves of the plant. Historically, there are early mentions of the plant, also referred to as “cornflag,” being a weed in European cornfields. In England, a native species grew only in the New...
-
Hummingbird Mint
Agastaches belong to the mint family, and, as a result, they all have square stems. They also have aromatic leaves and clusters of small flowers. Commonly called Mexican hyssops, they can be perennial but only a few are hardy as far north as zones 4 and 5. The tender species are grown as annuals…
more -
Helianthus annuus
The common sunflower goes by the botanical name of Helianthus annus. Extensive breeding has resulted in a great number of cultivars with yellow, orange, red, cream, white, and bi-color blooms, in many different sizes and flower shapes. The plants can grow 3-10 feet tall and so some need support....
-
No Deadheading
Many annuals need to be deadheaded to keep blooming all season. While snipping off the spent blossoms can hardly be described as hard work, it is easier not to have to remember to do this chore. For that reason, many of us try to buy annuals that do not need deadheading in order to re-bloom all...
-
Shakespeare’s Plants
William Shakespeare included so many botanical references in his plays that there are about 175 mentions of flowers, fruits, grains, grasses, seeds, weeds, trees, spices, herbs, and vegetables in his works. There are also lots of comments about how to care for various items so he must have been...
-
Hot & Dry
I don’t have a watering system, so I get tired of watering when there are long periods of hot, dry summer weather. Here in the Midwest when it is over 90F, potted plants need watering twice a day and beds on slopes do too. It is a chore that makes me wish I had more drought tolerant plantings. A...
-
Big & Showy Hibiscus
There are over 200 species of hibiscus, and they are beloved because of their big showy flowers and green, clean-looking foliage. They fall into three different major categories: tropical, perennial and hardy. The tropical hibiscus is native to Hawaii and comes in beautiful colors, and we often…
more -
Woodland Poppy
Stylophorum diphyllum is our native celandine poppy that grows well in dappled shade in woodland conditions. It has cheerful yellow flowers and hairy seed pods. There are also two other woodland poppies that are native to China. All three species prefer moist soil and self-sow. They bloom in…
more -
Nurture the Birds
If you welcome birds into your garden you probably know that during the summer, water sources are very important to them. Place your birdbaths in the shade and clean them regularly to keep the water fresh. Have a few birdbaths in different parts of your yard, maybe one where you can see it…
more -
Cannas
Canna comes from the Greek word spelled "kanna," which means "reed," though the canna plant does not have narrow reed-like leaves. There are about 10 species in the genus, which has showy flowering plants that grow from tender rhizomes that can only be left in the ground over winter in zones…
more -
Oenothera
The common evening primrose is native to Virginia and was sent to England in the early 1600s, feeling quite at home there and has naturalized in several parts of Britain. The Missouri primrose was identified first in 1811. The evening primrose has both roots and leaves that are edible. The roots...
-
Billy Goat Weed
Many of us are familiar with ageratum, the low-growing annual with fuzzy flowers that are blue/lavender color. It is a member of the Ageratum genus that includes 43 species of annuals and perennials, most of which are native to warmer regions of the American continents. They have felted oval or...
-
Baptisia australis
Blue false indigo, with the botanical name Baptisia australis, is a lovely shrub that blooms in the late spring in zones 3-9 in full sun or part shade. It grows about 4 feet tall and as wide and is drought tolerant and deer resistant and has blue/green foliage and blue flowers that resemble…
more -
Dahlias
Native to Mexico, dahlias probably grew in Aztec gardens as they were already in cultivation when the Spaniards arrived. Francisco Hernandez, a botanist and physician to King Phillip of Spain, described them in a book published in 1651. But dahlias were not introduced to Europe until 1789 when...
-
Torch Lilies
Red Hot Pokers belong to the genus Kniphofia (Kniphofia uvaria) and are also known as tritoma or torch lilies. Some dwarf varieties are 'mango popsicle', 'pineapple popsicle', and 'red hot popsicle'. They are orange, yellow, and red with grassy foliage. They spread by rhizomes and can become...
-
Sweet Dianthus
Dianthus are well-behaved in our gardens. The flowers are fragrant, and the plants can be perennial, biennial, or annual. The common name "pinks” does not refer to the color but to the fringed edging of the petals that makes them look as if they had been cut with pinking shears. They like full…
more -
May is the Month of White Flowers
In the lower Midwest, May is the month when we see lots of white flowers. For example, Spirea ‘Bridal Wreath’ shrubs completely cover themselves with lacy white blossoms so that they do, in fact, resemble brides in traditional wedding gowns. The low-growing perennial iberis, commonly known as...
-
Calendula officinalis
The common European marigold, (like the Mexican variety), is justly popular because it is easy to grow, and pests don't like it. It was first mentioned by the old-time herbalists in 1578, quote, "It has pleasant and bright shining yellow and orange single-petal flowers." It was used by herbalists...
-
Larkspur
Larkspur is a member of the Delphinium family and though native to Europe, it grows well in North America. The plant is poisonous if eaten by cattle but fortunately only mildly toxic to domestic pets and people. Its colors are shades of blue/purple, white, and pink, and its tall upright habit and...
-
Magnolia x soulangiana
The most commonly grown deciduous magnolia in the Lower Midwest is Magnolia x soulangiana, usually referred to as the saucer magnolia. Hardy in zones 4-9, it may be a shrub but usually is a tree about 20-25 feet tall with a rounded crown. It usually develops a number of trunks and may over time...
-
Gardening Trends
Horticulturalists at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are predicting some strong trends based on their feedback from their County Extension Offices. They report that more and more gardeners are seeking information about sustainability. Specific questions…
more -
Perennial Challenges
A novice gardener once told me that she was only going to plant perennials, as they did not need any care. If only that was true! On the contrary, I have found that it seems easiest for new gardeners to start with annuals and then to move on to perennials. Annuals only last one year, but once…
more -
Spring Greens
Christopher Morley once said ‘April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks GO.’ Green, in all of its shades, is the color of the month. The colors of the evergreens that anchor the landscape through all of the seasons now provide a backdrop for the early spring bulbs. The…
more -
The Cruelest Month
April is a month when gardeners long to plant but as T.S. Eliot said, it is “the cruelest month.” Warm days are often interspersed with freezing temperatures damaging over-eager plants that set their buds too soon. Over eager gardeners can also make mistakes. An exemplary gardener, Thomas…
more -
Frost
When we are awaiting the beginning of gardening season in early spring, we sometimes have periods of cold where tender plants, such as the emerging perennials in our gardens, are at risk. Temperatures, even those that remain above 32F degrees, may still damage plants. When they do, it’s called...
-
Air Temps
Air temperatures that hover just above freezing for a prolonged period of time in the spring can kill most tender plants if they’re set out too early. So if you set out your houseplants outdoors too early, even if it’s actually above freezing in terms of the air temperature, they simply can’t...
-
Outwitting the Weather
The weather in our flower garden has to do with local atmospheric conditions: hot and cold; wet and dry; calm and stormy, and so on. Climate refers to the region’s atmospheric conditions and predictable events for that region or particular place. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) divides...
-
Clay is Okay
Many of us with clay soil complain loudly about it, and it’s true that gardens with clay soil can be hard to dig. Also, with clay soil, it is not a good idea to put a bed in areas where standing water collects. However, one can have very successful flower gardens where there is clay soil, as it…
more -
A New Generation of Coral Bells
Plant families are like human families in that successive generations of their members often have improved looks, health, longevity, and vitality. This is certainly true of the latest versions of the heucheras, commonly known as coral bells. So many new heucheras are now available in many…
more -
Deadheading: It Keeps the Color Coming
At this time of the year we usually read about gardens instead of gardening. I have been reading about deadheading—the way we ensure plants keep blooming by chopping off the spent flowers. This prevents them from forming seeds, which is a signal that no more flowers are needed by the plant.…
more -
Roses in Words
In February, it is appropriate to think about roses. Here is what Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932) wrote: "There is scarcely any rose that we can wish to have in our gardens that is not also delightful in the cut state. A china bowl filled with well-grown hybrid perpetuals, grand of color and sweetly...
-
Tiny but Tough
The earliest iris to bloom is the petite Iris reticulata. The reticulated irises have a fibrous network on the bulbs that is similar in pattern to the markings on a giraffe, which is also described as reticulated, “like a net.” These earliest blooming iris have 3- to 6-inch stems and they bloom...
-
Easy Does It
Quite a number of flowering annuals can be started by sowing their seeds directly into the garden. Wait until after the last frost in the spring when the soil has really warmed enough for seeds to germinate. I tend to pick up packets of seeds wherever I go so usually have a big stash of them, and...
-
David Hosack
David Hosack was born in New York in 1769 and in a book about him by Kerri Miller, she states that he is responsible for the establishment of New York’s first botanical garden. There was an interview by Victoria Johnson on NPR that drew my attention to this. Hosack was a brilliant medical…
more -
Spring Ephemerals
Before long now, some of the earliest flowers to bloom will be stirring in our gardens. Many of them are ephemeral, a descriptor that means “short lived” or transitory. In garden-speak, this means that these cold-hardy little plants bloom early and then die down leaving no trace until they return...
-
Interesting Quotes
In 1785 William Cowper wrote: Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too. Unconscious of a less propitious clime There blooms exotic beauty, warm and snug While winds whistle and the snows descend. In 1974 Maya Angelou said, "Nature has no mercy at all. Nature says ‘I’m going to snow. If you have...
-
Twelfth Night
During the middle ages, the Christmas season lasted for 12 days and reached a climax on Jan 6, which is called Twelfth Night. We often wait, nowadays, until Twelfth Night to take down the Christmas tree and holiday decorations. Once everything is put away the house seems suddenly quite bereft…
more -
Norah Lindsay
Norah Lindsay (1866-1948) lived in the Manor House at Sutton Courtenay in Oxfordshire, England. She was admired for the way that she combined herbaceous perennials in borders, which were so popular during the Edwardian time in England. In her obituary in 1948 in the London Times it was described...
-
Year's End
Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote a poem about the garden at the end of the year. This seems to be an appropriate time to share it with you. A spirit haunts the year’s last hours Dwelling amid these yellowing bowers: To himself he talks: But at eventide, listening earnestly, At his work you may hear…
more -
Winter Musings
Oscar Wilde in The Selfish Giant wrote the following words: “He did not hate the winter now, for he knew that it was merely the spring asleep, and that the flowers were resting.” And Anne Bradstreet, who died in 1672, wrote: “If we had no winter the spring would not be so pleasant.” Kathleen…
more -
Mistletoe
The English colonists in Virginia used mistletoe to decorate their homes and their churches during the Christmas season. Mistletoes are evergreen parasitic plants with small leaves, yellowish flowers and waxy white berries. When sprigs are hung as a Christmas decoration, men are, by custom,...
-
The Winter Solstice
The first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere is marked by the winter solstice, which for example, in the year 2023 occurs on December 21. For the northern part of the Earth, the winter solstice always occurs annually on either December 21 or 22. This solstice marks the day with the fewest...
-
Winter Words of Wisdom
This winter I have been reading some garden writer’s words of wisdom, which now I will share with you. In 1899, Gertrude Jekyll wrote: “For I hold it that the best purpose of a garden is to give delight and to give refreshment of mind, to soothe, to refine and to lift up the heart.” And Sara…
more -
Jewel Orchids as House Plants
Many tropical plants, and also some temperate zone plants that resemble tropicals, make excellent house plants in cold climates. One fairly easy to grow but underused example is the South East Asian native with the common name of jewel orchid. Its botanical name is Ludisia discolor. This is a...
-
Hoya
Epiphytes are plants that get nourishment from the air. They are non-parasitic, but they frequently, for example orchids, grow on another plant such as a tree. When they are grown in a pot, epiphytes prefer a growing medium made up of two parts soil-less mixture and one-part fine bark mix. A...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Focus on Flowers have?
Focus on Flowers currently has 1000 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Focus on Flowers about?
Focus on Flowers is a weekly podcast and public radio program about flower gardening hosted by master gardener Moya Andews.
How often does Focus on Flowers release new episodes?
Focus on Flowers releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 1000 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to Focus on Flowers?
You can listen to Focus on Flowers on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Focus on Flowers?
Focus on Flowers is created and hosted by Indiana Public Media.
URL copied to clipboard!