While there aren’t exactly that many people who have an understanding of the value of native plants. This podcast has two guys who do. Their journey has brought me further perspective and advice on how to spread the joy of plants. Thanks fam

(Update) It’s been in my pod-rotation for about a year now. I’d recommend it to anyone interested in native plants in the US. I appreciate the fun conversational presentation, both in the guest and buzz episodes. Thank you! My favorite native plant to eat is black raspberry/Rubus occidentalis. P.S. Great to hear the Big Red Barn mentioned in a recent episode! I was probably there around the same time.

Love this podcast! I’ve learned so much about native plants and beyond. The guests are interesting and knowledgable, and the topics are as diverse as the plants they promote. I especially love when they talk about the edibility of native plants. My family’s favorite has become a springtime tradition: violet lemonade! I also like violet leaves for salads when I can get them early enough. Oh! And I like to sprinkle redbud flowers on top, along with other foraged things from the yard. Thanks for a really fun and educational podcast!

Just recently in the past year or so got into native plants. I live in low country SC and love finding new plants and researching them. Great educational show and so glad I found it. Hope others do to! I haven’t took the plunge in consuming plants yet. But I’m very interested in passionflower. Doing research now! Just invested in my first herbal medicine book!

If you love plants, pollinators and learning about ecosystems, this is a great show! I started listening because of Crime Pays Botany Doesn’t, and I love that this show covers more plants in my native range (upper Midwest).

I’ve been listening for the past few years and wrote a 5-Star review back then. It’s hard to believe but Tom and Fran have gotten better over the years. If there were a 6-Star review I’d give it now. Birding led me to want to learn about native plants. Tom & Fran have been the best source for that learning. From deer to oaks to soil to pollinators the information here has been fantastic. I think it’s the diversity of topics that makes this a great podcast - the same way diversity makes for a healthy habitat. Well done! Jim Fuehrmeyer

Dear Fran and Tom - I recently discovered this Podcast and am very glad that I did. Some of the banter can be reduced, i.e., my microphone is not working, but the majority of your discussions between yourselves, and then with guests have been educational. Your discussions with Shubber Ali, from Garden for Wildlife, was one of my favorites. I hope Apple tags your Podcast as a top rated one, so that you are easy to find. And in the meantime, I am sharing the link with my friends and family. Regards Chris

It may or may not be a good show. I gave up after the hosts droned on aimlessly about whether their headset was plugged in and then about some drink flavoring additive that is maybe a sponsor (I couldn’t tell, it just was more aimless chitchat). Really disappointed, I hope they put in the effort on a more organized, structured show. Great potential subject.

I enjoy listening to this podcast for many reasons. The hosts are relatable, knowledgeable and their passion for native plants shine through. I only found out about this podcasts a few months ago along with my own native plant journey just starting this summer as well, so I’m listening to old episodes to get caught up and new ones as they come out. Even though I’m in Wisconsin I still find this podcast very informative. I love how this podcasts is able to show how native plants can connect so many people and can benefit our society in so many ways. The podcast always leaves me thinking about a variety of topics. I liked the National Turkey Federation episode as it showed how hunters / conservation are also big players in the native plant world. I could go on and on with this review, but just keep up the great work!! Edit: As I only started my native plant garden last year, I haven’t been able to use anything in the kitchen just yet. But I do love the flavor Anise Hyssop in teas I’ve had, and my hyssop plants have grown huge this year so I definitely plan on making a tea with the leaves. I also have my running serviceberry ripening as we speak so maybe making a jam out of those! But they’re only in their second year so I want the birds to enjoy the berries too!

I work in the landscape industry, currently in the Great Lakes area but have also worked in the southeast. I was so excited to find this podcast. Tom and Fran do a great job of making native plants interesting and relatable. While there are certainly some regional differences and local programs, my favorite episodes highlight resources or programs that are applicable wherever your listening area may be. Update: I am so pleased Tom and Fran are continuing to release the podcast. I love the variety of guests and viewpoints you work into your platform. I am keeping a running list of places, programs and publications to check out based on your episodes. In the meantime, the Black Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) is one of my favorite native plants to munch on. During my childhood summers, my mom would pick a day in late July/early August and take me and my brother out into the Huron National Forest where we would hunt for huckleberries and learn about the forest. The best berries were always surrounded by an ant hill!

Favorite native to eat? Rubus occidentalis - I’ve never managed to bring any in the house, they disappear into my mouth too quickly. Best Native Plant podcast I’ve found yet. Nice guys too!

I found this podcast a few months ago and have been bingeing it ever since. As a lifelong plant and wildlife enthusiast, I find this podcast so important. It’s informational, educational and fun. Each episode makes me feel like I’m chatting with good friends (even though they never let me get a word in). I want everyone to listen to this podcast, and help make changes to benefit the planet and all life on it. Keep up the great work Tom and Fran!

Wishing I could give this show more than 5 stars I am a weekly listener and find myself more engrossed each episode. I may be in the minority but I enjoy The Buzz episodes just as much as the guest interviews. The show always has some fun or exciting insights and the host present the material so that even the non Latin versed can enjoy. Share it will all your garden buddies! The best part of native plants is that there is a native plant for your garden no matter where you live.

Meat Force of Nature!! Awesome interview, I wish for everyone in America to hear this podcast episode!!

Great episodes so far, starting with the Mt Cuba Center interview and working my way back. I started volunteering with a nonprofit native plants nursery and developing my own garden at the same time and got…. so confused. With close listening, clouds starting to clear, I can see the path from here.

Great episode! The first 200 were so inspiring, I can’t wait to see what you do with the next 200!!

These two guys are fun and educational. Their interviews are great and the sharing of articles on The Buzz is always thought-provoking. Great podcast with a consistent commitment to ongoing, informative content.

I absolutely love this podcast. I can listen to many of these episodes multiple times. Thank you for doing this

They are not only beautiful, beneficial to pollinators, birds, all wildlife, humans included. Where there’s a space, there’s a native plant perfect for that place. Regarding episode 198, I brought in a cat the neighbors ditched and have decals on my windows…yay birds!! Except starlings the cats can eat them all.

Hi it’s me Carol, who won the Soil book. I enjoyed this episode. It’s always interesting to hear how people got into the horticulture business. Horticulture wasn’t my first career choice either. Hopefully this episode inspires someone to change their career into this field.

Have really enjoyed your shows. I am new to listening to podcasts-a late bloomer if you will. I recently purchased my first home here in southern NJ and gardening in the pines is a new experience for me. Found your show during the buying process and realized that every time I listened to you guys, my stress levels dropped and I found myself smiling. Thank you for what you do.

I really enjoyed the Birdscaping Industries and Camille Dungy episodes. I learn so much from your podcasts. I’m from the same town in Colorado that Camille lives in so I was super excited for that episode. I was even more surprised with the Birdscaping Industries episode as it was packed with helpful info and resources.

Hands down the best podcast about native plants, their ecology and botany, habitat restoration and the nursery trade. I’ve learned a lot about native plants and the nursery trade from this show - and I work in the industry myself. I love how Fran and Tom are not afraid to share their learning journeys on the podcast. They underline the importance of being willing to change one’s mind in light of new information. They do a good job presenting scientific research and news, and acknowledging the vast unknowns in scientific debates about native plants. They are at their best when they caution against strict dogmas and urge humility in conversations about gardening, restoration, and native plants. They also bring on fantastic guests! Keep up the good work!

Been listening to the show for a few months and thoroughly enjoying it. Learning a lot and having just the right amount of laughs along the way. The Buzz episodes are great - often I skip the non-interview episodes of a podcast, but the Buzz are often my favorites on your podcast. Native plants are an important factor in keeping our planet habitable for us and other species. Thanks for spreading the good word in a down-to-earth way!

Long time listener with life long interest in native plants Eclectic information and interesting discussions

Informative and original. And the hosts make good company!

This is one of my favorite podcasts. I always enjoy the interviews and continue to learn so much. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into your work.

Fantastic combination of informative and entertaining which isn’t easy to pull off.

And to the show! Enjoy the varied guests, love to hear about the importance of habitat restoration and important to get a sense of community especially when surrounded by manicured lawns and invasives! Keep up the great work!

I’ve been listening a few years but wanted to drop a review because I loved the episode with Ms Dungy so much. Great book, great interview. Thanks!

Fran and Tom are a great team. They bring a lot of great information without taking themselves overly serious. I’m just starting my gardening career so I find something new and informative in every episode. Plus they have great guests on. A big Thumbs Up to this podcast.

This is my first review of a podcast. I have to admit that I had to google “how to leave a review on apple podcast” and this is a secret that my teenagers can never find out! I’m a potter and teacher who started listening to podcasts at the start of the pandemic. Clay and gardening are must haves in my life. I found your podcast a few months ago and am so happy to have your voices and perspectives with me while I’m working. Just listened to the episode with the author of Soil: The story of a black Mother’s garden. The way you both showed such sensitivity and respect to this author and women who are on this journey of being mothers and gardeners is what made me write this review. Thank you!

My first review that is long overdue. A listener since 2020 and I am impressed as to how the podcast has grown. You do listen to your audience and have created not only an enjoyable podcast but an educational one at that. Thanks for what you do.

I look forward to this podcast every week. I Love all the native plant content.

I have been listening to the Native Plants, Heathy Planet podcast for over a year now and I love it. It has a perfect blend of native plant information, SCIENCE! (I’m a scientist so I may be a little bias), fun, and even pizza… making it a great option for the entire family. I have learned so much already from the podcast and especially loved the Moth Night episode. I highly recommend any gardener to listen to the podcast.

How dare Fran and Tom consistently deliver the goods on all things native plants. Having binged just about every episode I can say with authority it’s time well spent. You get a perfect blend of time sensitive info, recent discoveries and observations, what’s blooming, how different communities in the field tackle issues. The guests are educated and interesting. Fran and Tom do this despite their busy schedule and do so with a casual and easy humor. They earned those 5 stars.

This or that - always introducing articles that send me down new rabbit holes in the gardening world. I’m a huge native plant advocate and love the style of this podcast - not preachy, and quite fun.

Excellent podcast: Tom and Fran hit a perfect balance: educational, conversational, inspirational - the content is both intellectually challenging and fun! If you’re interested in gardening, environmental issues, or botany you will love it.

This review is long overdue, but I wanted to thank Tom and Fran for always taking the time to answer questions in a thoughtful manner. Your work is slays well researched and insightful which makes listening a real joy.

This is one of the top podcasts to listen to in the very small offering of informed native gardening/planting shows. Tom and Fran bring so much experience and knowledge to the topic. I enjoy their easy banter, their different backgrounds and the stories they tell. The list of guests is wonderful and the discussions are always interesting and educational. I learn something most shows and feel encouraged to keep on slow-mowing and densely planting my messy, very beautiful native garden. Thank you!

Tom and Fran do a wonderful job with this podcast, and I look forward to Friday mornings when a new episode is posted. They have interesting guests and have introduced me to a lot of people I hadn’t heard of yet whose focus is on nature/ native plants. Keep up the good work guys!

Hosts Tom and Fran have relatable and upbeat personalities that are fun to listen to. I learn new info with every episode, this is the one podcast that I am sure to listen to regardless of my mood. Love it! Very inspirational and educational. Guests are well chosen variety of experts.

Longtime listener. Love the show and I’m finally taking the time to write a long overdue 5star review. Fran and Tom have a great rapport. Your different personalities balance each other and the back and forth is always interesting to listen to. I’m never bored listening to the show, which I often do while jogging early in the morning. Along the way, I often find myself inspired to take pictures of interesting plants along the roadside and posting them on inaturalist. The format of the show and variety is great. You’re always carefully balancing content so that every episode is unique. I love the mix of interviews, anecdotes, trivia, etc. Finally, I love the whole mission of the show and your business of proselytizing about the importance of native plants and protecting and restoring native habitats. I have learned so much listening to you guys and have been so inspired in my personal journey of slowing turning my yard into a Noah’s Ark for native plants. Thanks and keep up the great work!

This show has come such a long way since the start and is now one of the very best native plant podcasts. Mandatory listening!

Thanks so much Fran and Tom for this podcast. Love that you both aren’t purists yet do such a wonderful job promoting the benefits of native plants, highlighting germane articles and policy, and showcasing seasonal natives. Also appreciate the amount of community interaction (something I haven’t seen in other podcasts).

I got into native plants last spring and a Virginia Master Naturalist told me about this podcast last summer. I have now listened to all of the episodes and am at a loss for what to listen to while gardening! I love recommending this podcasts to my fellow eco nerds - Tom and Fran know so much about native plants (though they both repeatedly say they aren’t experts) but they approach this and other ecology topics with humility and curiosity, and it is easy to learn from them. I hope others enjoy the content (and Fran’s accent 😆) as much as I do! - B. in Virginia

I love this podcast! What finally motivates me to write a review was today’s episode (Northern Plant Trust) when I learned that I am not alone in the intense disgust that arises in me as I walk or drive through traditionally landscaped neighborhoods! Also the comment not to mess with garden club ladies (as I am president of the Williamsburg, Va Garden Club). This podcast is practical and to the point. Fran and Tom are fun to listen to and I always learn something. For the first time in my life, I wish I lived in NJ! 😂. Their guests are knowledgeable and I appreciate learning every time I listen. Thanks guys!!!

As an ecologically focused designer and creator I find this podcast super valuable. The hosts do a great job bridging the the worlds of those in the business of natives and the world of the passionate consumers driving the market. The hosts actually communicate with nuance versus unhelpful absolutes so common nowadays. I learn something useful every episode and am grateful they devote their time to educating and inspiring our community.

YES!!!! Please do episode(s) expanding on the grow read a book topics! What an awesome discussion! BTW i will buy the book based on this discussion! Love y'all!!! A few months ago when i first happened upon the pod i was skeptical about liking it. But now im a huge fan and almost daily listener (thanks to back catalog and plant a day). On a recent road trip i listened for nearly 10 hours! Update: no recent road trips and Im still working on the back catalog shows. I look forward to Friday morning commute because of each new episode.

This podcast is incredible! The information is so inspiring and, while there’s a lot of it, it’s so entertainingly presented! I’m just getting into natives and looking to do my part to help change the suburban way of landscaping here in Memphis, Tennessee, and I find this podcast to be a fabulous resource. Dive in and you will be inspired!