Gardening Simplified
Introducing Gardening Simplified, a new radio show and podcast from Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs.Hosted by life-long gardeners Rick Vuyst and Stacey Hirvela, the Gardening Simplified show is designed to share our love of plants and gardening. Whatever your skill or experience level, you?ll find something interesting, useful, and just plain fascinating in every episode.
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iheart.com/podcast/102365395Episodes
Pruning Pointers
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Tis the season - for pruning! We know that's scary to some, so we're giving you the basics you need to make pruning decisions in your landscape. Featured shrub: Perfecto Mundo Double Purple reblooming azalea.
2025-04-12Link to episode
Spring Ephemerals
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They're short-lived but much anticipated! Spring ephemerals are a sign of sunnier days and warmer weather, which we could really use here in West Michigan. Featured shrub: Legend of the Small fothergilla.
2025-04-05Link to episode
Spring Tasks - What to Do and When to Do It
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Spring is here and with it, the return of garden tasks. Join us to learn what to do and when to do it. Featured shrub: Show Off Sugar Baby forsythia.
2025-03-29Link to episode
Plants We Hate
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Every gardener has at least one plant they can?t stand. Whether it?s due to aesthetics, invasiveness, or a bad experience, some plants just aren?t for everyone. Find out what plants we hate and hear what listeners had to say about the plants that make their ?no thanks? list.
2025-03-22Link to episode
Covering Ground - All About Ground Cover Plants
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So much ground to cover! Learn about plants that work well and ones that are best to avoid when it comes to ground covers. Featured shrub: Spilled Wine weigela.
2025-03-15Link to episode
Plants You Can't Kill
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Looking for the toughest, most durable plants for your garden or landscape? They're in this episode! Featured shrub: Low Scape Mound aronia.
2025-03-08Link to episode
The Lavender Show
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Lavender is one of the most beloved garden plants - and also one of the most frustrating. That's why we're devoting an episode to growing it! Featured shrub: Bloomerang Dark Purple lilac.
2025-03-01Link to episode
Plants that Don't Mind Moving and Those That Do
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We're about to enter the prime period for moving shrubs and perennials, so get the dirt on what you can - and shouldn't - move. Featured shrub: Wee Bit Grumpy hydrangea.
2025-02-22Link to episode
Life Is Too Short For Proper Spacing
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Do you want more plants than you technically have room for? We're sharing where you can bend the rules a bit and ignore the plant tag. Featured shrub: Stonehenge yew.
2025-02-15Link to episode
Overachievers: Plants that do More
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We're sharing our list of overachievers - plants with maximum beauty and performance but minimal maintenance and fussing. Join us for ideas for your spring planting list!
2025-02-08Link to episode
Sprouts: The Vegetable You Can Grow Indoors
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Sprouting is the fast, easy, low cost way to grow your own healthy nutritious food indoors - even in winter! Join us to learn about sprouting + microgreens. Featured shrub: Soft Serve chamaecyparis.
2025-02-01Link to episode
2025 Houseplant of the Year and Talking Tropical Plants
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Warm up this winter with the 2025 Houseplant of the Year! We also talk tropical hibiscus and a mystery plant predator. Featured shrub: Bambino Variegated Orange bougainvillea.
2025-01-25Link to episode
2025 Annuals of the Year
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Introducing the 2025 Proven Winners Annuals of the Year! Learn why these high-performance annuals deserve a spot in your garden. Featured shrub: Sky Dew Gold ornamental blueberry.
2025-01-18Link to episode
2025 Perennials of the Year
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Introducing the 2025 Proven Winners Perennials of the Year! Learn why these high-performance perennials deserve a spot in your garden. Featured shrub: Spice Baby viburnum.
2025-01-11Link to episode
2025 Shrubs of the Year
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New Year, new plants! We're talking what's new for 2025, as well as the Proven Winners Shrubs of the Year. Featured shrub: Kintzley's Ghost honeysuckle.
2025-01-04Link to episode
What We Learned in the Garden
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The garden is a great teacher, and every season is different, so we're reflecting on what we learned in 2024. Featured shrub: Glow Girl birch leaf spirea.
2024-12-28Link to episode
The Citrus Show
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The look, scent, and taste of citrus fruits helps to keep the winter bright and cheery, so in this episode, we celebrate all things citrus. Featured shrub: Juiced Orange jessamine.
2024-12-21Link to episode
Gifts for Gardeners
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Got a gardener in your life - or maybe the gardener is you? Join us as we share gift ideas and suggestions for the horticulturally inclined. Featured shrub: Invincibelle Wee White hydrangea.
2024-12-14Link to episode
A Celebration of Garden Vacations
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The Gardening Simplified team recently vacationed (separately!) in some pretty fabulously plant-filled locations: Costa Rica, Australia, and Japan. Join us for a fun chat on what we saw and loved.
2024-12-07Link to episode
Winter Protection for Plants
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You often see plants that have been protected somehow for winter, but is it really necessary? Join us to find out if and when you should protect something in the garden. Featured shrub: Sky Box Japanese holly.
2024-11-30Link to episode
Holiday Décor from your Backyard
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Make the holidays more special with place settings and arrangements from your garden. We share familiar and unconventional ideas for decorating. Featured shrub: Ringo Double Pink rose.
2024-11-23Link to episode
Garden Nostalgia
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Whether it's a specific plant or an entire vibe you create, there's something nostalgic about gardens and gardening. Celebrate that with us in this episode. Featured shrub, Illuminati Tower mockorange.
2024-11-16Link to episode
Moving Plants Indoors
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Moving plants that can't tolerate your winter indoors is a time-honored tradition. Learn about what you can move in and what to expect. Featured shrub: Jazz Hands Variegated loropetalum.
2024-11-09Link to episode
Garden Horror Stories
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To celebrate the end of spooky season, we asked our listeners to share their garden horror stories, and you delivered big time! Join us to hear their stories, as well as a few of our own.
2024-11-02Link to episode
Fall is for Transplanting
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Got a plant that's not working in its spot? Bust a move! We share why fall is ideal for transplanting, and how to do it. Featured shrub: Diamond Ball clematis.
2024-10-26Link to episode
Colorful Flowers + Foliage for Fall
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Go beyond mums and maples to discover the many other plants that make fall such a colorful, memorable season. Featured shrub: Tres Amigos abelia.
2024-10-19Link to episode
Beautiful, Bountiful Berries for Fall
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Leaves get all the attention in fall, but the many shrubs with colorful and unique berries deserve to be celebrated, and that's what we'll do. Featured shrub: Pearl Glam beautyberry.
2024-10-12Link to episode
Fall-planted Flower Bulbs for Spring
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You'll never regret planting flower bulbs in fall - join us in this episode to learn why these easy to plant, easy to grow flowers offer so much. Featured shrub: Kodiak Fresh diervilla.
2024-10-05Link to episode
Repetition & Rhythm in the Garden
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Using the concepts of repetition and rhythm is one of the easiest ways to up your garden or landscape design game. Learn how in this episode! Featured shrub: Tater Tot arborvitae.
2024-09-28Link to episode
Things to Do Now for an Even Better Spring
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Investing time in your lawn, garden, or landscape now can pay big dividends come spring - learn what you can do to save time and get great results! Featured shrub: Double Play Red spirea.
2024-09-21Link to episode
In Praise of Ornamental Grasses - A Look At Rick's Garden
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Rick talks about his love for ornamental grasses and why they play a central role in his very sandy, very dry, and very deer-filled garden. Featured shrub: Sister Redhead Scotch broom.
2024-09-14Link to episode
Gardening in the North, Gardening in the South
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Is the grass always greener on the other side? Probably - so we're exploring the difference between gardening in cold and hot climates. Featured shrub: Center Stage Pink crapemyrtle.
2024-09-07Link to episode
Labor-Saving Tips and Ideas
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Less work in the garden means more time to enjoy it, so we're dedicating this pre-Labor Day episode to labor-saving ideas. Featured shrub: Red Balloon viburnum.
2024-08-31Link to episode
The Soil of the Matter
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Soil is a vital and valuable natural resource - it's not just dirty ol' dirt. That's why we're celebrating it throughout this episode. Featured shrub: Lo & Behold Pink Micro Chip butterfly bush.
2024-08-24Link to episode
That?s Just Peachy! Using Peach in the Garden | Talking About Summerific Hibiscus
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The color peach, whether in foliage or flowers, is a useful blender in the garden. Join us for a celebration of this happy hue! Featured shrub: Ringo All Star rose.
2024-08-17Link to episode
In Praise of Panicle Hydrangeas | South vs North Gardening with Dr. Allan Armitage
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Panicle hydrangeas are dominating the landscape right now - learn just how easy to grow they really are. Plus, an interview with Dr. Allan Armitage on North vs South gardening. Featured shrub: Limelight hydrangea.
2024-08-10Link to episode
Gardentopia
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We're celebrating our 100th episode with the concept of "gardentopia" - creating a dreamy place to escape the world, right in your own backyard. Featured shrub: Cedar Rapids false cypress.
2024-08-03Link to episode
Eat Your Landscape
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Growing food doesn't necessarily mean turning your yard into a farm: there are many ways to mix edible plants in with your garden and landscape. We share ours and provide new ideas. Featured shrub: Paraplu Pink Ink rose of Sharon.
2024-07-27Link to episode
The Hydrangea Show
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Hydrangea season is in full swing, so we take the opportunity to clear up the mystery surrounding summer's favorite flowering shrub. Featured shrub: Invincibelle Lace smooth hydrangea.
2024-07-20Link to episode
Dogs in the Garden
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Yes, you can have a pup and a garden too! We share listeners? advice, as well as our very own Adriana Robinson, on how they make it work. Featured shrub: Funshine abelia.
2024-07-13Link to episode
Garden Regrets and Learning From Them
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Regrets? We've had a few, and maybe you have too, which is why we're dedicating this episode to the things we wish we had - and hadn't - done in the garden. Featured shrub: Let's Dance Arriba reblooming hydrangea.
2024-07-06Link to episode
Can Plants Repel Spiders and Snakes? Myths, Tips, and More!
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Don't like spiders and snakes? You're not alone! They are beneficial for gardens, though, so we're sharing advice on coexistence and safe, simple management. Featured shrub: Gatsby Moon oakleaf hydrangea.
2024-06-29Link to episode
Plants that Play Supporting Roles
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Some plants play starring roles in the landscape, while others play supporting ones. Meet these valuable plants and learn to use them in the landscape. Featured shrub: Happy Face White potentilla.
2024-06-22Link to episode
Meet The Incredible Changing Plants
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Plants are naturally dynamic, but some undergo dramatic natural changes in flower color and leaf color through the season. Learn what they are and why they're so amazing. Featured shrub: Simply Scentsational calycanthus.
2024-06-15Link to episode
Weeding by Example
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Ah, weeds - maybe the #1 thing that discourages people from gardening. But weeds are interesting and become a lot easier to manage when you apply some basic IPM principles. Featured shrub: Sugar Tip rose of Sharon.
2024-06-08Link to episode
The Hummingbird Show
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Join us for a celebration of all things hummingbird! Three outstanding guests share their expertise on hummingbirds and welcoming them to your garden. Featured shrub: Snippet Dark Pink weigela.
2024-06-01Link to episode
Easy to Grow Plants
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What makes a plant easy to grow? Planting it in the right place, for one. We'll elaborate on that and share other tips for selecting and growing plants to simplify gardening! Featured shrub: Little Quick Fire panicle hydrangea.
2024-05-25Link to episode
The Decorator's Approach to Gardening
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Decorators take a unique approach to plant shopping: they know what they want, they get it, they plant it. We discuss how you can use this approach to make plant shopping easier and more fun. Featured shrub: Anna's Magic Ball arborvitae.
2024-05-18Link to episode
A Celebration of Lilacs
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The month of May and lilacs seem to go hand in hand, so we're devoting this episode to everything that makes them special. Featured shrub: Bloomerang Purpink lilac.
2024-05-11Link to episode
Gardening Influences
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Rick and Stacey share the stories of those who have influenced their horticultural perspective in life. We'd love to hear about yours!
2024-05-04Link to episode