Cold-Hardy Fruit and Nuts, Gardens for Native Pollinators

FruitNutsEdible Landscaping
Written By Steven Biggs

Talking about cold-hardy fruits and nuts and native pollinators.

Cold-Hardy Fruit and Nuts

In the first part of the show, we chat with veteran fruit growers Allyson Levy and Scott Serrano, founders of Hortus Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.

Their focus is cold-hardy fruit and nuts with good disease resistance and minimal pest problems — plants suited to home gardens and landscapes.

They tell us about:

  • Medlar

  • Mulberry

  • Himalayan Chocolate Berry

  • Honeyberry (a.k.a. Haskap)

  • Hazelnut

Their new book is Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts: 50 Easy-to-Grow Plants for the Organic Home Garden or Landscape.

 

Creating Habitat for Native Pollinators

In the second part of the show we talk about native bees and how we can support them in our gardens, with bumblebee researcher Sheila Colla and native plant expert Lorraine Johnson.

They tell us about:

  • Gardening as a way to support native bee species

  • How honeybees can impact native bee populations

  • The disappearance of the rusty patched bumblebee in Ontario

Their new book is A Garden for the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee: Creating Habitat for Native Pollinators.

 
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Steven Biggs

Recognized by Garden Making Magazine as one of the "green gang" of Canadians making a difference in horticulture, Steven Biggs is a horticulturist, former college instructor, and award-winning broadcaster and author. His passion is helping home gardeners grow food in creative and attractive ways.


He’s the author of eight gardening books, including the Canadian bestseller No Guff Vegetable Gardening. His articles have appeared in Canada’s Local Gardener, Mother Earth News, Fine Gardening, Garden Making, Country Guide, Edible Toronto, and other magazines.


Along with over 30 years working in the horticultural sector and a horticultural-science major at the University of Guelph, Steven’s experience includes hands-on projects in his own garden including wicking beds, driveway strawbale gardens, and a rooftop tomato plantation—to the ongoing amusement of neighbours.


When not in the garden, you might catch him recording his award-winning Food Garden Life podcast or canoeing in Algonquin Park.

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