About Super Cool Plants - Formerly Known as Let's Argue About Plants
The new Super Cool Plants podcast (formerly Let's Argue About Plants) from Fine Gardening magazine is where botanical enthusiasts celebrate standout plants for nearly every situation. Each episode features a rotating panel of horticultural pros from across North America sharing their favorite picks around a specific theme – whether it's deer-resistant performers, top shade standouts, or must-have natives.
Hosted by Fine Gardening editors Carol Collins and Danielle Sherry, the show blends expert insight with approachable conversation, introducing listeners to a wide range of plants including familiar favorites and under-the-radar gems. The goal is simple: to expand plant knowledge, spark new ideas, and help everyone (the hosts included) become better gardeners.
Super Cool Plants Episode 7: Plants That Set a Mood
Introducing joy, elegance, or whimsey into a design could be as simple as a trip to the nursery. The trick is to decide what kind of vibe you'd like your space to have, then seek out the plants that evoke those feelings. In this entertaining episode, designers Catharine Cooke and Susan Morrison share some choices that will spark your imagination and get you thinking about what kinds of moods you might want to bring into your own designs.
Expert guests:
Catharine Cooke owns Spring Lake Design in Sherman, Connecticut with her husband, Ian Gribble.
Susan Morrison of Creative Exteriors Landscape Design serves the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, and is the author of The Less is More Garden
18 Sept 2026
Super Cool Plants Episode 6: Unusual Plants for Fall
Unusual Plants for Fall
Forget about mums and asters, these lesser-known gems will truly help your late season garden sparkle
Maybe it's time to retire some late-season staples have had their moment (okay, several decades of moments). This episode, we're digging into the dark horses that most gardeners walk right past: the weird bulbs, the sneaky reseeders, the plants that wait until everyone else has packed it in to finally show off.
We'll talk about why fall gardens don't have to look like a grocery store endcap, which underrated perennials are quietly having their best month right now, and how a few unusual picks can take your October garden from "fine" to genuinely sparkling.
If you're ready to retire the same five fall plants everyone else is using, this one's for you.
Dr. Andy Pulte is a contributing editor to Fine Gardening and a faculty member in the plant sciences department at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Richie Steffen is a contributing editor to Fine Gardening and the executive director of the Miller Garden in Seattle.
Learn more about the plants in this episode on our website: https://www.finegardening.com/podcast
28 Aug 2026
Super Cool Plants Episode 5: Shade-Loving Plants for Tough Conditions
There are many different types of shade, and when low light levels combine with other soil or climate challenges it can be tricky to find suitable plants. Fortunately, the guests on this episode have a great list of shade plants that perform well in a variety of shady situations. Listen along to see if any of their problem-solving plant choices are worthy of adding to your wish list.
Irvin Etienne is curator of herbaceous plants and seasonal garden design at Newfields in Indianapolis.
Hayes Jackson is an urban regional extension agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the liason for Longleaf Botanical Garden in Anniston, Alabama.
Contact Super Cool Plants - Formerly Known as Let's Argue About Plants
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