Beebalm, Beans, and a Bunch of Wild Garden Banter
Season 6, Episode 26, May 15, 2024
On this week’s episode, Carol and I twittered on about wisteria, bee balm, beans—yet again, and a book about native prairie plants. About halfway through, I figured out we had it all wrapped in a theme. Life is like that sometimes!
Carol’s favorite thing this week was her American wisteria. We both grow it, and I also grow Kentucky wisteria. Both native wisterias attract loads of pollinators and are so pretty in spring. Listen to the podcast to hear my favorite thing this week.
But wisteria wasn’t actually our flower topic. We talked about beebalm or monarda. We discussed a lot of different monardas. A few years ago I bought wild bergamot, Witchita Mountains Form from High Country Gardens. For those who don’t know, the Wichita Mountains are in southwestern Oklahoma. In the UK, they have a National Collection of Beebalm.
Yes, we talked about growing beans again. I hope you’re not groaning. I’m trying two varieties of bean seeds from Seeds of Italy. I’m growing Fagiolo Nano and Lupino. I’ll let these mature and harvest them dried if it works.
That led us to discuss our vegetable garden beds and garden pests including cutworms, Mexican bean beetles, and rabbits. Carol's Forktress blog post is very funny, and if you listen, you’ll hear why we discussed it.
On our bookshelf, we read The Gardener's Guide to Prarie Plants, by Neil Diboll & Hilary Cox (Amazon.) Carol met the author last month at her garden club meeting. I was pleased to buy the book too. I can always learn more about prairie gardening.
“Let Your Garden Grow Wild” Ted Talk by Rebecca McMackin was our dirt which made me think of Theme Gardens by Barbara Damrosch (Amazon Link.) I read Theme Gardens when I was in college, and it has stayed with me my entire life.
In our rabbit holes, mine is about getting bit by a tick again in spite of everything I wear so I’m adding Farmer's Defense sleeves and gloves. I will spray these with Sawyer’s permethrin spray. I’m also going to check out some Rynoskin Total clothing too.
Here’s my blog post on gardening with Alpha-Gal Syndrome and my Instagram reel for mid-spring encouragement.
Carol’s rabbit hole involved The Field House: A Writer's Life Lost and Found on an Island in Maine by Robin Clifford Wood (Amazon) and Hitty, Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field (Amazon.) Listen to the episode to see how these are tied together. Hint: Rachel Field is one interesting Lost Lady of Childrens Writing.
One last thing. Bill and I plan to go to the Tulsa Audubon Society’s Wildlife Habitat Garden Tour & Native Plant Sale on May 18-19.
As always, the best way to support our podcast is to tell your friends about us.
For other ways to support us…
Our Affiliates are listed below. (Linking to them to make a purchase earns us a small commission, and it costs you nothing extra!)
Insect Shield. The discount affiliate link is DEENASHRDR.
You can also support us via a monthly subscription for as little as $3, or you can send a one-time donation through Paypal. Thanks to everyone who has already done so!
Book and Amazon links are also affiliate links.
Please email us anytime at TheGardenangelists@gmail.com
For more info on Carol visit her website. Visit her blog, May Dreams Gardens.
For more info on Dee, visit her blog, Red Dirt Ramblings.
On Instagram: Carol: Indygardener, Dee: RedDirtRamblings.
Our podcast: TheGardenangelists.
On Facebook: The Gardenangelists' Garden Club.
On YouTube. All our episodes are now available to listen to on YouTube.
I love Bee Balm but it can get to comfortable here... I have moved it to a lesser populated part of the garden. Last year I plants lambada but never got to see it bloom - VARMINTS loved it. This year I planted again and am spraying repellent, praying and crossing my fingers that I can get it to the end result!! 🥹💐
I have the book Hitty, Her First One Hundred Years and have always enjoyed it. Now I'm inspired to learn more about the author and will be looking forward to obtaining and reading The Field House book - thanks for sharing!