Plants Always Win

• Ep. 13 Beneficial Non-Natives? Borage vs. Cosmos

  It’s a concern being voiced by conscientious gardeners everywhere: is it okay to plant a non-native flower that feeds pollinators but also self-sows freely? One suspect that is being discussed in many online gardening groups in borage. It shows up in pollinator-garden seed mixes that the purchasers expected to be 100% native. It features at seed swaps and in seed libraries because its seeds are easy to collect, and established gardeners know it always brings the bees in. But it also sows itself aggressively, and it didn’t evolve alongside North American pollinators. The people want to know: is it problematic to grow it? Is an aggressive plant necessarily invasive? That’s the question that sets the stage for this week’s versus episode. Sean takes on the borage question while Erin examines her own potentially-problematic fave, cosmos. They look into each plant’s origins, its spread around the world, and how manageable it is once it’s in your garden. They examine studies about wildlife use and raise questions about nectar and pollen quality. Along the way, they uncover a treasure trove of interesting science…and a wealth of questions still to be answered. Who brought the most fascinating facts about their plant this week? Vote for borage or cosmos by tagging us on social media and using the hashtag #PAWFaceOff. Comments? Feedback? Want your garden question to be featured in a future Q&A segment? Email us, reach out over social media, or get Q&A priority by supporting us on Patreon. Bluesky: @plantsalwayswin.com TikTok: @plantsalwayswinpodcast YouTube: @plantsalwayswinpodcastWebsite: www.plantsalwayswin.com CreditsWebsite Design and Illustration by Sophia AlladinIntro and Outro Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/when-my-ukulele-playsLicense code: GWOIMMBAS15FG6PHCitationsWhat is Borage? borage. (2025). In Merriam-Webster Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/borage A broad overview of Borage Hageman, B. (2024, December 10). Borage: a beautiful herb with many benefits. Grow Organic. https://www.groworganic.com/blogs/articles/borage-a-beautiful-herb-with-many-benefits?srsltid=AfmBOorlAOi28B_PjvoYMORhIqEzDctHk2McssEbhsKe870WpYnYA8yn Use of borage for gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. (n.d.). Specialty cropportunitites - borage. Specialty Cropportunities. Retrieved February 24, 2025, from https://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/CropOp/en/indus_misc/oil_crops/borage.htmlBorage’s medical potential BORAGE: Overview, uses, side effects, precautions, interactions, dosing and reviews. (n.d.). Web MD. Retrieved February 24, 2025, from https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-596/borage The origin of the word cosmos for the well-arranged flower and the well-ordered universe Liddell, H. G., & Scott, R. (n.d.). κόσμος. Henry George Liddell, a Greek-English Lexicon. Retrieved February 24, 2025, from https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0057:entry=ko/smos Kosmos Meaning - Greek Lexicon | New Testament (NAS). (n.d.). Bible Study Tools. Retrieved February 24, 2025, from https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/kosmos.htmlGrowing and keeping cosmos as cut flowers Boeckmann, C. (2025, February 7). Cosmos Flowers: Planting, growing, and caring for Cosmos. Almanac.com. https://www.almanac.com/plant/cosmosCare and wildlife use Iannotti, M. (2024, July 19). How to grow and care for cosmos. The Spruce. https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-grow-cosmos-4125538An account of leafcutter bees using cosmos Burlew, R. (2017, March 31). Cosmos: a multipurpose bee flower. Honey Bee Suite. https://www.honeybeesuite.com/cosmos-a-multipurpose-bee-flower/The food value of cosmos pollen and nectar Hicks, D. M., Ouvrard, P., Baldock, K. C. R., Baude, M., Goddard, M. A., Kunin, W. E., Mitschunas, N., Memmott, J., Morse, H., Nikolitsi, M., Osgathorpe, L. M., Potts, S. G., Robertson, K. M., Scott, A. V., Sinclair, F., Westbury, D. B., & Stone, G. N. (2016). Food for Pollinators: Quantifying the nectar and pollen resources of urban flower meadows. PLoS ONE, 11(6), e0158117. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0158117Use of quercetin in cosmos rhizomes for treating malaria Ali, A. H., Sudi, S., Shi-Jing, N., Hassan, W. R. M., Basir, R., Agustar, H. K., Embi, N., Sidek, H. M., & Latip, J. (2021). Dual Anti-Malarial and GSK3Β-Mediated Cytokine-Modulating activities of quercetin are requisite of its potential as a Plant-Derived therapeutic in malaria. Pharmaceuticals, 14(3), 248. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph14030248One of many personal accounts of using Sulphureus for dye Keegan, G. (n.d.). Cosmos. Graham Keegan. Retrieved September 5, 2023, from https://www.grahamkeegan.com/cosmos?srsltid=AfmBOooSp8-OAkqSDU6XCI6pd0VP-Ny6aGKZvqfDgCfORtTfFTHmEuRuCommentary on the potential invasiveness of cosmos Ask Mr. Smarty Plants. (2013, April 26). Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - the University of Texas at Austin. https://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=9284 Timestamps 00:37 Should We Grow Non-Native "Beneficial" Flowers?01:41 Erin’s Sentimental Attachment to Cosmos03:53 The Plant Face-Off04:14 Sean’s Plant: Borage04:25 The Boraginaceae Family05:19 Borage Etymology05:58 True Annuals, and How They Die12:12 What Makes a Flower Perfect?14:15 Borage’s Native Range15:11 Gamma-Linolenic Acid17:20 Eating Borage18:44 Borage Benefits and Warnings21:35 Are Hairy Plants Pest Assassins?25:05 Do Naturalized Plants Stay Non-Invasive? 30:56 Water Break32:33 Erin’s Plant: Cosmos34:01 Cosmos Name Origins36:19 What’s a Half-Hardy Annual?37:31 Uses for Cosmos38:25 Seeking High-Quality Nectar and Pollen42:22 Growing Cosmos43:09 Can You Eat Cosmos? No One Agrees.47:43 Medicinal Uses of Cosmos49:25 Cosmos Range and Invasiveness53:38 Do All Flowers Benefit Pollinators?56:17 Deciding Whether to Plant Non-Native Flowers57:46 The Things That Get You Gardening58:56 Contact Us and Outro

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• Ep. 12 Groundcovers with Kathy Jentz

  This week we cover a lot of ground on the subject of groundcovers with Kathy Jentz. Kathy is the editor and publisher of Washington Gardener, the host of the Garden DC podcast, and the author of Groundcover Revolution, a book written to give inspiration and examples for turf grass substitutes that gardeners everywhere can use to find the best plants for their region. They can also use its attractive and accessible photographs to get their spouses and their HOA on board.We start our conversation by establishing some ground rules: what is a groundcover? Kathy says it’s any plant that covers the ground thickly enough to suppress weeds, which kicks off a conversation about turf substitutes, plant height, maintenance, and moss lawns. We reflect on the history of lawns, the aggressive nature of many groundcovers, and how to manage them through plant choice or through physical intervention. What about avoiding invasive species of groundcovers altogether? Kathy shares some favourites and some species she would never recommend in her region, Washington DC. Erin and Sean offer their own top and bottom choices for Central Ontario and discover, in spite of distance and very different growing seasons, some common ground.For more of Kathy, you can find her in the following places:Upcoming speaking engagementsThe 2025 Northwest Flower Garden Festival in Seattle The 2025 Philadelphia Flower ShowKathy’s Online Platforms• Washington Gardener Plant Store: https://shop.kathyjentz.com/• Washington Gardener Blog:www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com• Washington Gardener Archives:http://issuu.com/washingtongardener• Washington Gardener Discussion Group: https://groups.google.com/g/washingtongardener/To join, send an email to - [email protected]• Washington Gardener Twitter Feed:www.twitter.com/WDCGardener• Washington Gardener Bluesky Feed:https://bsky.app/profile/wdcgardener.bsky.social• Washington Gardener Instagram Account:https://www.instagram.com/wdcgardener/• Washington Gardener Pinterest Account:https://www.pinterest.com/wdcgardener/boards/• Washington Gardener TikTok Account:https://www.tiktok.com/@wdcgardener• Washington Gardener Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine/• Washington Gardener Youtube: www.youtube.com/washingtongardenermagazine• Washington Gardener Amazon Affiliate Store: www.amazon.com/shop/wdcgardener• Washington Gardener Podcast: GardenDChttps://anchor.fm/gardendc/Kathy’s BooksGroundcover Revolution: How to use sustainable, low-maintenance, low-water groundcovers to replace your turfThe Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the CityBooks and Experts Referenced in this Episode:The Magical World of Moss Gardening by Annie Martin, a.k.a. Mossin’ AnnieComments? Feedback? Want your garden question to be featured in a future Q&A segment? Email us, reach out over social media, or get Q&A priority by supporting us on Patreon. Bluesky: @plantsalwayswin.com TikTok: @plantsalwayswinpodcast YouTube: @plantsalwayswinpodcastWebsite: www.plantsalwayswin.com CreditsWebsite Design and Illustration by Sophia AlladinIntro and Outro Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/when-my-ukulele-playsLicense code: GWOIMMBAS15FG6PHTimestamps00:45 Intro01:10 Welcoming Kathy Jentz1:53 What is a Groundcover, Anyway?03:39 Moss Lawn Appreciation06:03 Mossin' Annie, Moss Lawn Expert08:07 Kathy’s New Book, Groundcover Revolution09:25 Writing Gardening Books for an International Audience11:52 Lawns, Landowners, and Historic Showing Off14:55 Managing Aggressive and Invasive Groundcovers20:39 A Native Lily of the Valley24:45 Growing Conditions in Washington, DC28:49 Growing Conditions in Central Ontario31:50 Very Different Growing Seasons34:50 Kathy’s Favourite Groundcovers40:35 Erin’s Favourite Groundcovers43:40 Sean’s Favourite Groundcovers48:28 Gardening with Deer50:47 Groundcovers Kathy Never Recommends53:22 Groundcovers that Sean Never Recommends 54:54 Managing the Mint Family57:47 Don’t Shame Your Neighbours1:02:30 Erin’s Least Favourite Groundcover1:04 Where to Find Kathy1:05:53 Contact Us and Outro

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• Ep.11 Valentine's Day Special, Part 2, Carnation Nation

  This is the second instalment of our two-part Roses vs. Carnations Valentine’s Day special. After Sean eloquently shared his love for roses earlier this week, Erin barges in with the claim that roses are elitist and carnations are the flower of the people. Her focus is Dianthus caryophyllus, a cut-flower relative of some familiar garden flowers like pinks. She takes us back to the Carnation Revolution and other people’s uprisings in which carnations became important symbols, tells us what the name “pink” has to do with dianthus’ ruffled petals, and explores carnations’ aromatic uses. When Erin puts Sean on the spot to describe the science behind why putting food colouring in a carnation’s water source will dye it, he pulls it off admirably and gives us some bonus facts about mineral buildup on tap water-fed houseplants. The episode gathers steam with school carnation sales at Valentine’s Day (awkward), Mother’s Day symbology (touching), and the Vicorian language of flowers (not Erin’s favourite thing). Then it winds down with carnation care both in the garden and as cut flowers. Are you ready to join Carnation Nation? Or have roses won your heart? Cast your vote by tagging us on social media and using the hashtag #PAWFaceOff. Fact CheckWe promised to find out which was named first: pinking shears (which cut saw-toothed edges in fabric) or garden pinks (which have petals with saw-toothed edges). The answer is not clear-cut, but we highly recommend the Online Etymology Dictionary’s interesting entry about it: https://www.etymonline.com/word/pink Comments? Feedback? Want your garden question to be featured in a future Q&A segment? Email us, reach out over social media, or get Q&A priority by supporting us on Patreon. Bluesky: @plantsalwayswin.com TikTok: @plantsalwayswinpodcast YouTube: @plantsalwayswinpodcastWebsite: www.plantsalwayswin.com CreditsWebsite Design and Illustration by Sophia AlladinIntro and Outro Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/when-my-ukulele-playsLicense code: GWOIMMBAS15FG6PHCitationsCarnations overviewDianthus caryophyllus “Vienna Mischung.” (n.d.). Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved February 6, 2025, from https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=z910Carnations’ Caryophyllaceae relatives The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (1999, May 4). Caryophyllaceae | Description, Taxonomy, Genera, & Species. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/plant/Caryophyllaceae Growing carnationsNC State Extension. (n.d.). Dianthus caryophyllus. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Retrieved February 6, 2025, from https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/dianthus-caryophyllus/Caring for your carnation bouquetPlant Addicts. (2023, April 5). Cut Carnation Flower Care | Plant Addicts. https://plantaddicts.com/cut-carnation-flower-care/?srsltid=AfmBOoomoX8SAtbDhtMp6O2aJ9c0bqjVF7i2Mxq12NotQoMiF1zWtRa-Carnations Flower Care. (n.d.). Farmgirl Flowers. Retrieved February 6, 2025, from https://farmgirlflowers.com/care/care-by-flower-type/carnations?srsltid=AfmBOoqvVyDnu1wEwiRoqpfa9sYsja3keUGZ6K8yqnNayTL4MsfB6k1YTimestamps1:00 IntroErin’s Plant: Carnations1:38 Dianthus caryophyllus and Family3:37 Which Came First, the Pink or the Shears?4:35 Carnation Etymology6:15 How to Describe a Carnation9:03 Transgenic Cultivars11:18 A Symbol of the People13:32 Aromatic Uses 15:15 The Science of Colouring Carnations with Food Dye17:46 Mineral Buildup on Houseplants20:06 Carnations’ Mild Toxicity20:58 Valentine’s Day School Carnation Sales22:48 The Motherhood Connection22:30 The Victorian Language of Flowers25:42 Growing Carnations at Home29:59 Cover your Bare Soil!32:09 Insects Hosted by Carnations33:36 Caring for your Carnation Bouquet40:13 Points per Pun40:51 Contact Us and Outro

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• Ep.10 Valentine's Day Special Part 1: Roses

  This is a special two-part Plant Face-Off! We had so much to say about roses and carnations that we had to split the recording into two episodes. In this instalment, we start with some housekeeping, answering the listener question “What is Patreon?”, explaining why we’re phasing off the Meta platforms Facebook and Instagram, and reminding YOU to reach out if you’d like to join the conversation at our Plants Always Win Discord server.After that Sean takes us through history and around the world with the ever-sweet subject of roses. Learn about the surprising members of the rose family fruit tree, explore their history and symbolism, and learn how to take care of them in your garden—especially here in Ontario. Sean also answers some questions from the internet, such as “Can I regrow my rose bouquet?” “Are rose petals edible?”, and “How can I make my cut roses last?” But the face-off doesn’t end here. Come back later this week for Part II when Erin takes the floor with roses’ Valentine’s Day competitor, carnations. Then cast your vote by email on social media with the hashtag #PAWfaceoff. Comments? Feedback? Want your garden question to be featured in a future Q&A segment? Email us, reach out over social media, or get Q&A priority by supporting us on Patreon. Bluesky: @plantsalwayswin.com TikTok: @plantsalwayswinpodcast YouTube: @plantsalwayswinpodcastWebsite: www.plantsalwayswin.com CreditsWebsite Design and Illustration by Sophia AlladinIntro and Outro Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/when-my-ukulele-playsLicense code: GWOIMMBAS15FG6PHCitationsRoses (native and not) that grow in OntarioOntario Trees and Shrubs - Roses Group. (n.d.). http://ontariotrees.com/main/group.php?id=80 Distinguishing different types of rosesThe Different Types of Roses: An Ultimate Guide. (n.d.). Jackson & Perkins. Retrieved February 4, 2025, from https://www.jacksonandperkins.com/ultimate-guide-rose-types/a/types-of-roses/ General information about the Rosa genusroses (Genus Rosa). (n.d.). iNaturalist. https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/53438-Rosa Roses and their soil pH needsJones, S. (n.d.). Balancing soil pH for growing roses. Santa Clarita Valley Rose Society. Retrieved February 4, 2025, from http://www.santaclaritarose.org/BalancePH.html Research into traditional medicinal uses of rosesSchwarcz, J., PhD. (2023, February 8). Valentine’s Day! Time to smell the roses! McGill University Office for Science and Society. https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/history/valentines-day-time-smell-rosesTimestamps00:59 Intro1:41: Audience question: What is Patreon?4:37 Social Media Changes5:59 Merch Update6:50 Our Discord Server8:10 The Plant Face-Off8:32: Sean's Plant: Roses9:45 The Surprising Rosaceae Family12:15 The Symbolism of Roses13:13 Greek and Egyptian History14:35 Roses Come From Everywhere!16:28 A Rose by Any Other Type...18:16 Growing Roses in your Garden19:02 Fertilizer Tangent: They Alter pH?22:34 Pruning and Deadheading your Roses24:32 Rosehips Don't Lie: Eating Roses25:33 Reverting to Wild Rootstock26:24 What Pests and Diseases? Basically All of Them.30:01 Rose Fragrances: Perfumes, Oils, and your Grandma's Soap31:35 Pigments, Dried Flowers, and Other Uses33:24 Culinary and Medical Uses (and Speaking to the Deer)38:10 Answering Internet Questions about Roses40:49 Regrowing your Bouquet43:05 Caring for your Cut Roses46:20 Shoutout to Teacup Miniature Roses48:14 Outro

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• Ep.9 Garden Classrooms with Lauren MacLean

  Have you learned to read your garden? This week we sit down with Lauren MacLean, a teacher, author, and podcaster from Richmond, British Columbia. She’s a big advocate for how outdoor classrooms help kids learn better, but a few years ago she had a learning experience of her own when her school built a new garden classroom. In this interview she shares with us her background as an outdoor educator and explains the magic of “sit spots” for creating a relationship with our environment—something we should all do in our own gardens. Lauren explains how even though she was new to gardening when her school dug into its new project, she was helped by the nature literacy she and her students already possessed. “Reading” the plants and the species who live in relationship to them is key.Throughout today’s conversation we celebrate the value of garden failures and what they can teach us and the children who follow our example. We extend grace to ourselves and all gardeners (and houseplant parents!) who struggle to help their plants thrive. Lauren also offers advice for teachers to keep their garden classrooms afloat when the first bloom of ambition fades, and celebrates the community connections they can forge. Finally, we wrap up by trouble-shooting problems like summer watering, wildlife interactions, and weed identification. If you want to learn more from Lauren about outdoor learning, check out…Lauren’s Courses: Nature’s Path: a Year of Monthly Sparks—monthly outdoor-learning professional development for educators and homeschooling familiesThrive Outside: Grow Your Teaching Space—a five-week program for teachers and homeschooling parents to grow their teaching into the outdoorsLauren’s Books: Me and My Sit Spot—a picture book about choosing and using a sit spotFinding Common Ground—a story set in an outdoor classroomSitting with Nature: An Educator’s Guide to Sit Spots—the book that brought Lauren and Erin together as author and editor, a resource that introduces why and how to use sit spots in the classroom (with lesson plans included!) Lauren’s Online: Teach Outdoors is Lauren’s podcast about outdoor learning.teachoutdoors.ca is her website.Lauren’s Social MediaInstagram: @teachoutdoors.caFacebook: Lauren MacLean-DouglasBluesky: @teachoutdoors.bsky.socialTimestamps00:34 Intro01:12 Lauren’s Outdoor-Learning Origin Story02:40 Sit Spots: Building a Relationship with Nature08:34 Lauren’s Garden-Classroom Learning Curve10:10 Developing Plant Literacy11:30 The Value of Failure in the Garden and the Classroom16:55 Taking the Whole Curriculum Into the Garden20:56 How Not to Abandon Your Garden Classroom24:05 Classroom Gardens and Community24:30 Summer Watering27:47 Mulch and Acidity (worry less about it)29:40 What Does Your (School) Garden Grow?30:30 Fruit Trees in Schools?30:50 An Ode to the Serviceberry34:25 Lauren’s Home Gardening Mishap35:00 Plant Propagation38:54 The Importance of Weeding Guides41:27 Lauren’s Courses, Books, and Podcast43:33 OutroBooks and Experts Referenced in this EpisodeMonty Don’s Down to Earth, in which he talks about building a place to sit in every gardenDon, M. (2020). Down to earth: Gardening Wisdom. National Geographic Books.Megan Zeni, Outdoor EducatorZeni, M. (2025). Megan Zeni - Room to Play Consulting. MeganZeni.com. https://meganzeni.com/ Robin Wall Kimmerer’s The ServiceberryKimmerer, R. W. (2024). The ServiceBerry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World. Simon and Schuster.Erin’s picture book Outside, You NoticeAlladin, E. (2021). Outside, you notice. Pajama Press. 

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