Episodes
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What in the Foo Dog is going on?
Things get serene on this weekâs episode of The Growing Season when The McFarlandâs focus on Japanese Gardens.
Jack, Lynne and Matt compare and contrast Japanese Gardens with Modern Gardens. Youâd be surprised how much they have in common.
What are the elements that make up a Japanese Garden?
The minyen -
Are you sneezing with bloodshot eyes and a swollen mess?
Yup. Itâs that time of year. Seasonal allergies running rampant ruining your routine regularly.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss all things pollen on this weekâs episode of The Growing Season.
Jack and Lynne discuss the absolute monster of a bald faced hornets nest that has appeared in one of their trees.
What are the different methods of pollination? How are tropical plants pollinated?
The most heavy duty pollinating plants are explored and the timeframes when they seek to procreate are highlighted.
Whatâs pollinating right now?
Matt recounts a lilac story that resulted in some hard feelings between his client and a neighbour.
Will climate change effect pollination? What are the heavy hitters of pollination?
Pine pollination is highlighted. Itâs an interesting activity.
Tune in.
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Missing episodes?
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Weâll thatâs a laborious undertaking.
Horticultural construction can be a tiring but rewarding endeavour.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland celebrate Labour Day by discussing some of the ways they make professional horticulture easier.
Jack discusses the differences between how a jobsite was run in the 1970âs compared to now.
Matt dives deep into how he makes pruning easier for his clientele after theyâve had their property upgraded by The Growing Season.
âTuning their pruningâŠâ
Can you use animals feces as fertilizer?
Matt talks about why heâs implemented using a toolbelt on-site.
Is there any way to make mulching flower beds easier? There is and Matt outlines how he does it.
How to reduce your cleanup after cutting your lawn quicker comes into focus. Matt tells a story about a rock and a Mercedes.
Interlock patio hacks. Yup we have those as well!
How do you get stains off of landscape pavers? The trio discuss.
Tune in.
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What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.
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The days are getting shorter. The nights are getting cooler.
Its August, but that doesn't mean that the growing season is over.
Speaking of The Growing Season, Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland touch on the all stars of August on this week's show.
BUT FIRST: We have officially survived the rainiest summer on record in the GTA. Yeah. Itâs been that rainy. Weâve over doubled our average rainfall for the months of June to August, pummelling the old record into oblivion.
Biologically, how does all this rain effect your plant materials? Itâs surprising what they do to deal with all this water.
Speaking of plants, Rozanne perennial geranium, phlox, coneflower, black eyed Susie and many more are chatted about.
Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower for the win!
Matt chastises Jack about his antiquated attitude regarding Russian Sage.
If youâve never used Sedum you may want to join the fan club after this show.
Tune in.
Looking to book a consult for your property? We'd love to help. CLICK HERE.
What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.
Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast. CLICK HERE.
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Weâre seeing red!
The TGS Colour Series continues its colourful journey on this weekâs episode of The Growing Season.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland highlight all things red and horticultural.
Roses feature prominently to the surprise of no one. Matt discusses some of the rules heâs set up for himself with regards to roses.
There are supposedly âindestructibleâ roses. Is that true? We highlight it.
Do the pollinators see red? How about hummingbirds? The McFarlandâs suggest plant materials that will attract your polliniferous pals.
Japanese quince, honeysuckle, and DOGWOOD.
Many dogwood have the most glorious red bark that look glorious in the winter months.
With the topic being âredâ the trio discuss tomatoes and the blossom end rot affecting many of the tomatoes growing across the GTA.
How do you battle blossom end rot? Lynne discusses.
Tune in.
Looking to book a consult for your property? We'd love to help. CLICK HERE.
What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.
Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast. CLICK HERE. -
"The world is a wondrous place.
Filled with sights, sounds and imagination.
Childhood innocence gives way to our adult realities.
Do not adjust your podcast, join The Growing Season for strange, BUT true."
The Growing Season ventures into the wonderful world of weird and The McFarlands are on-board.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland offer some insight into an interesting idea that they came up with over the winter months.
Ants, Tamarisk, Belladonna and Coal are all seemingly innocent parts of our lives but they all come with spoonfuls of strange.
Its Unsolved Mysteries meets Nat Geo...
Are diamonds just an over compressed lump coal?
What is a salt cedar and why aren't they used any more?
Is there a vine/plant creeping around your flower bed that is capable of killing a human with its on-board defences? Yes! And you've seen this plant before.
Why are ants so prolific this year?
You'll come away learning some wonderful facts you can lay on your fellow campers whilst sitting around the fire...
Tune in.
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Cue "Holiday Road" by Lindsay Buckingham... You know the song - from the Vacation Movies.
I found out long ago
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
It's a long way down the Holiday Road
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)Holiday Road...
Holiday Road....BUT THEN DISASTER STRIKES!
Mosquitos, wasps, hornets, ants, flys, poison ivy, poison sumac and poison oak are just some of the things that can ruin a rendezvous with Christie Brinkley in her Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole (WHAT. A. CAR!).
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland break down the horticultural hazards that can make your vacay go sideways on this week's episode of The Growing Season.
Jack McFarland has completed his course of radiation and updates the listeners on his health.
Spiders...AHHHHH. Why are they necessary?
How to rid yourself of wasps and mosquitos can be easy if you know what to do. The trio outline the steps you need to take.
Can your pets get poison ivy AND can a human develop a tolerance to it?
The most deadly insect? You'd be surprised to learn...
Do flys pollinate and what exactly is purpose of an ant?
Tune in.
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What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.
Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast. CLICK HERE.
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At the time of recording the Greater Toronto Area has received a summer's worth of rain in just 4 weeks.
Less than one month into summer and the many of us have seen as much or more rain than we usually get in 3 full months.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss the absolutely insane amount of precipitation we've seen this year.
French drains, dry wells and all manners of flood mitigation methods are discussed. Why are there more flood incidents recently?
Matt discusses a bylaw that he feels should be passed. It will effect your backyard plans. How does this dovetail into a potential hwy 413 build?
The cost of food will rise due to all this rain. Why?
As far as plant materials, are there any that will take a "standing water" situation and even thrive in such a locale?
Astilbe, ferns, black eyed susie, alder, willow, birch, phlox, rose mallow, dogwood and winter berry are just some of the plants discussed this week.
Patio construction with drainage in mind is discussed. How does the degree of slope effect water drainage? Matt plays "Imagine If You Will."
Rain gardens and how to build them become a focus.
Tune in.
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What's better than one colour? How about two? Three? MORE!
The Growing Season returns to their TGS Colour Series with a bang.
Bi-Colour/Colour Gradients are the latest entry in the Colour Series library.
Jack McFarland updates the listeners on his ongoing cancer treatments.
The trio discuss the trend of plants featuring blooms and leaves that change colour throughout seasons that aren't necessarily the autumn.
Hydrangeas come into focus but they aren't the only horticultural organism that features colour gradient blooms.
Is bi-colour the result of a genetic flaw? You'll be interested to know.
The differences between bi-tonal and bi-coloured plants are discussed.
How do you design with these types of plants? Is variegation considered bin-tonal?
Petunias, pansies and snapdragons are great examples of colour-gradient annuals. The trio chat about these all-stars.
Bi-colour lilacs! OHHHH BABY!
Tune in.
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What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.
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All hail Charlotte's Web!
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss the ins and outs of using ferns in your landscape and/or your landscape designs.
Matt details the various degrees of success he's had with using ferns and, specifically, fern varieties.
The fern life-cycle is explored. Outside of the spores that we all have heard about puddles and gametophytes feature prominently.
Do ferns display a fall colour change? What varieties would you use to feature this change to its fullest effect?
Ferns and fiddleheads. How should your prepare the fiddleheads for eating?
Companion/pairing plants are discussed when considering ferns. What pairs best in this case? The McFarlands explain. HINT: Think coralbells.
What are the shade/light conditions necessary to fern thrivability.
Ghost ferns, painted fern, cinnamon fern, brilliance autumn fern, ostrich fern and many more are discussed.
Can you split a fern? How so?
Tune in.
Looking to book a consult for your property? We'd love to help. CLICK HERE.
What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.
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They're one of the most asked about plant materials on sites and designs and The McFarlands spend 54 minutes discussing them on this week's episode of The Growing Season.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland spend close to an hour on hydrangeas.
From 5-10 classic varieties to dozens upon dozens of variations of the flowering shrub the hydrangea has bloomed in popularity.
Oakleaf, big leaf, smooth, french, panicle and climbers are all discussed alongside how and what to design in with them.
Is it true that hydrangeas can take dense shade? Yes and no. The trio explain.
How do you prune hydrangeas? That's where things get interesting. Matt explains in heavy detail how and when to prune the various varieties of hydrangeas. It can be overwhelming.
Are there reblooming hydrangeas? If so, how would one get them to rebloom?
What about ever bloomers? Is there such a thing.
The McFarlands discuss hydrangea trees and how to design with them.
Tune in.
Looking to book a consult for your property? We'd love to help. CLICK HERE.
What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.
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Children of the wind, rejoice!
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland unearth the secrets of ornamental grasses on this week's episode of The Growing Season.
All grasses can be linked back to something called "The Timothy Grass." What's the history of said grass? How does the lineage work?
What about grasses in shade? They exist and THEY ARE WONDERFUL!
Matt tells a story about lilac's pollinating and by-law officers. Not kidding.
Forest grass, festuca, Red Baron grass, ribbon grass, zebra grass and sedges all come into focus.
Jack explains how to transplant your potted grasses and keep them for the winter to include in your gardening adventures next season.
Why are grasses so prominent in modern landscapes?
How do you prune ornamental grasses? Lynne explains.
Tune in.
Looking to book a consult for your property? We'd love to help. CLICK HERE.
What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.
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Youâd be amazed at how many horticultural organisms have cancer fighting elements built in.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland base this weekâs episode of The Growing Season on Jackâs recovery from cancer.
Jack details his stay at the Princess Margaret Cancer Lodge and how The Growing Season can get involved in the gardens there.
Black Walnut, maple, pines are just some of the plants that are discussed.
BUT! Insects. Insects come into focus. Ants are being used to âsniff outâ cancer tumours. Studies are being conducted but the early results are interesting.
Wasps and dogs are also known to be used to fight cancer.
Thyme can be used for many an application but itâs effect on cancer is discussed. How about maple syrup. Good for pancakes AND for cancer.
Jack licks toads or at least Matt imagines he should.
Lynne details a cancer treatment using almonds that was prominent decades ago.
Tune in.
Looking to book a consult for your property? We'd love to help. CLICK HERE.
What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.
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So they're not as much work as everyone says!
ROSES. Years ago this word struck fear into the hearts of many a gardener. Roses, renown for their beautiful blooms and fragrance BUT along with that comes disease, fungus and insects.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland cautiously guide this week's episode of The Growing Season into the world of roses.
Matt rants - which is becoming commonplace.
The correlation between pollinators and roses starts the show.
The history of the rose, the cultivation methods and the various sub-groups of these lovely plants are highlighted.
The latest "tech" in roses is discussed. What are the newest varieties on the market and how do they differ from the classic varietals?
Are there roses geared for ultra cold climates?
Reblooming, ever-blooming and pruning of roses is heavily discussed.
Tune in.
Looking to book a consult for your property? We'd love to help. CLICK HERE.
What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.
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"Splish splash I was taking a bath...."
One of the most maintenance heavy features for your garden takes centre stage on this week's episode of The Growing Season.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland uncover the ins and outs of installing a water feature.
Matt discusses why he moved away from installing the outdoor water holes and what drove him to get back into it.
Has the technology changed since he was away? What is new and exciting?
Leaking used to be a real issue but there have been developments in the tech to remedy that situation.
How do you make the waterfall look "natural?" What location on your property serves the feature best?
The McFarlands detail the construction of their new waterfall and how that dovetails into builds brought to you by The Growing Season.
Tune in.
Looking to book a consult for your property? We'd love to help. CLICK HERE.
What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.
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The GTA has had record levels of rainfall over the last 6-8 weeks. What does that mean for gardeners.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland open this weekâs episode of The Growing Season with a rant from Matt.
Matt is offended!
Fear does all this rain mean for the growth of your plant material outside of rapid growth?
Disease and fungus can be exacerbated by rain. What should you look out for when it comes to moisture and disease.
The trio chat about pruning at this time of year.
âWindowingâ is discussed and Matt explains why itâs necessary. Amending with much isnât essential and the McFarlands explain why.
Tune in.
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LLLLLEEEETTSS GET READY TO RRRRRUUUUUMMMMBBBBLLLLEEE!
In what will be called the greatest battle horticulture has ever seen The Growing Season has ringside seats in the fight between annuals and perennials.
Which will come out victorious?
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland weigh in on the debate on this week's show?
Aren't annuals more financially feasible? Why choose perennials?
What is an annual? Is a Butterfly Bush an annual? For The Growing Season it kinda is! Dahlias - are they annuals? Kinda.
The McFarland's chat about how to pick an annual at the nursery. What is the most popular annual for 2024?
AND THEN PERENNIALS! Tickseed, Blanket Flower, Black Eyed Susie, Helenium, Echinacea, Ligularia, Asters and more are the plants that feature in this week's show.
An update on Jack's health is broadcasted.
Tune in.
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Follow my lead! Green is all you need.
In some cases, the statement above is correct. Horticulturally, green is used to keep your plant pals growing strong.
But what about colour? Is it possible to have all that green hold hands with some prolonged colour over the course of the spring, summer and fall?
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland talk about long bloomers on this week's episode of The Growing Season.
What is a long bloomer? How long is long in a bloomer? The McFarland's reveal a little about how they design with prolonged flowerers.
Monarda, Roses, Goldenrod, Japanese Kerria, hostas, Coreopsis, Rozanne Geranium, Phlox, Lilac and the new Bloomerang Lilac come into focus.
Is the reblooming weigela? Yup! Its really cool!
Tune in.
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Easy now! There's no reason to get upset.
Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into trees that tear tirelessly. They WEEP! You get it?
The various organisms that are pendulous in nature become the focus of this week's episode of The Growing Season.
"Pleaching" is discussed but Matt has no idea what it is.
Weeping beech, weeping willow, weeping redbud, weeping Japanese maple and the HOLY GRAIL of weepers - The Camperdown Elm are just some of focus.
This is flowering cherry season! Many cherry trees weep so why not chat about it?
CRABAPPLES! Friend or foe?
A new variety of Goldenrod is fawned over.
Tune in.
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Oh-oh-ah-ah-oh! Oh-oh-ahhhh-oh!
So what the heck are The McFarlandâs using on landscape designs in 2024?
The Growing Season follows Matt into his annual practice of wiping the slate clean and starting over with his choices of plants.
Yucca is back on the menu! For over 20 years the McFarlandâs refused to use a yucca on a design. They explain why.
Phlox! The science of hybridizing plants is discussed. Why the phlox are there sooo many new varieties of phlox!?
A new variety of pyramidal/pencil birch, a classic viburnum returns and roses, roses roses galore are touched on.
Matt shied away from roses for years and he explains why heâs rekindled his relationship with them.
Why is a serviceberry called a serviceberry? Youâll be surprised.
Hydrangeas are almost discussed. Hehehehe. Youâll find out why.
Cherry Truffle sedum is not a dessert but itâs a sedum as sweet as a dessert! The trio discuss.
Tune in.
Looking to book a consult for your property? We'd love to help. CLICK HERE.
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