Ron talks to Dr Arrmitage 5/10/2025

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back here in the garden with Ron Wilson. As
I promised, he is back. I can't believe it. He's
back with us this morning. You know what I'm talking about.
He is a world renowned gardening expert. He travels the world.
Now we're gonna start calling him Reverend Armonies because he's
preaching the word of plants and their stories about them
as he travels around the world and forming all of

(00:20):
us garden writer. He's won so many horticultural awards they
quit giving him to him because I don't think it's
any more out there that he could win. One of
his quotes, gardening is not brain surgery or rocket science.
If Ron Wilson can do it, so can you, ladies
and gentlemen. His website is Alan Armonies dot net, The
one the Only Doctor Alan Apple Armitage.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Good morning, Good morning, Good morning, Ron. How are you
this morning? So I like I'm getting some good weather.

Speaker 1 (00:55):
Yeah, finally, this is our first really good Friday, Saturday
Sunday that we've had the entire spring. And and of
course it would hit on Mother's Day weekend.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, of course, that's what everybody wants to be working
in the gardens. Sweating and having mother be beside them.

Speaker 1 (01:10):
Right, yeah, there you go. It is well, hopefully hopefully
it was. And I don't know what your mom did
as far as passing things along to you as far
as gardening, but there's a lot of moms out there
that passed along a lot of knowledge and got their
kids involved with gardeners. So that are gardeners today.

Speaker 2 (01:26):
There are. You know that that's cool. I get a
lot of stories of parents or grandparents, and you know,
my mother just told us I got out cut the grass,
and that was after we had messed up the grass
by doing all the stuff we shouldn't have done. But
but I know, I remember my grandmother for sure. We'd
walk along the house, remember these things called which she
called funky punky a lily lies. Yes, I said, boys,

(01:51):
come see the funky a lilies along the side. I
had no idea what a funky a lily was, and
I had no interest either, but turned out that's the
name for hostas. Yes, And then we go in the
back and we have our little iced tea. Now this
is in Montreal, Canada, where we also had iced tea.
By the way, didn't have sweetened tea, but we had
iced tea and then we sit under a cataulpa tree. Yeah,

(02:14):
that was my first sort of you know brush with
these kind of trees that had these really cool fruit
and things are falling down and the shade was beautiful. Anyway,
that that was my little uh catalpa worms and I
didn't even know. Hey, I was a kid.

Speaker 1 (02:32):
Where do I know, great great fishing bait. That's one
of the best fishing baits that you can use as
catapa worms.

Speaker 2 (02:38):
There you go, You see what little I know.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
There's actually there's actually people to collect those are blessed. Yeah,
they freeze those and sell them actually, so it's quite crazy. Yeah.
You know what's funny is I I did learn from
my mom, but you're right, you also think back to
your grandmother, uh my grandfather, you know, working in the
garden as well. And I totally forgot about Funkia because
you're that was what it was hass is way back

(03:02):
and was funky.

Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah, that was a great name. I thought it was
a very funky name. So I mean, but but you know,
now there are hosses which are which are just.

Speaker 1 (03:11):
Flying for deer food, which are do have.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
Those different stories though we all these different stories of
our families, and you know, sometimes you know pat in
the head and you know, go and digging the dirt
or just uh whatever. But anyway, yeah, those are those
are things that bring back memories.

Speaker 1 (03:28):
My mom always wanted me to mow the grass because
I did a better job than my dad.

Speaker 2 (03:35):
But we didn't have a whole lot of grass because
we had all the neighborhood kids playing football and tackle
and whatever else on it. But we try to keep
it somewhat green anyway, and somewhat low.

Speaker 1 (03:45):
We usually always had at least a couple of acres
to mow, and I I was back in the early
striping days where I could get that pattern going in
there and all that kind of stuff. So yeah, that's crazy.

Speaker 2 (03:55):
If you probably did figure eights and all sorts of stuff.

Speaker 1 (03:57):
I had all kinds of I wrote my name and
all kinds of stuff. And there by the way, am
I supposed to be honored that you said that about me?

Speaker 2 (04:06):
Well? I think you should be, actually, because I mean,
I know you struggle with this, and I figure that
you and must have come a long way if you
could garden like you do and speak like you do.
So yes, it's it's good to have you with me.
And the two of us would cause irreparable damage if
we went to somebody else's garden. How much fun we
would have.

Speaker 1 (04:25):
Oh, I've been there before a couple of times with you.
And yes, you're exactly right talking with doctor Alan Armitage.
His website is Alan Armity's dot that And uh, I
did have a couple of the apple fried apple custard
pastries French pastries. Understand that two of them, one for
me and one for you.

Speaker 2 (04:44):
Well I am honored now that.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
My wife said you need two of those and I
said nope, but I'm eating one for doctor Armitage.

Speaker 2 (04:54):
She said, what what? Just get rid of that? Fell?
What can I But it's a good It's a bit
of a morning here too. I'm just standing out in
the guard it's kind of raining here a little bit.
And I you know you've taught me talk about me
traveling the world, Well, I love to travel the local
world as well. And today I'm going to a garden

(05:15):
festival and just a little town down the road called
them Road Georgia, and uh, you know, they open their
guardens and I'm going to there tell stories. I don't
know what I'm doing, but it's just it's so wonderful
to see all these people excited about getting outside and actually,
you know, liking what we do.

Speaker 1 (05:33):
We'd be wearing the hats.

Speaker 2 (05:34):
Great. If I don't wear a hat, I get I
get abused.

Speaker 1 (05:40):
I'm reminding you.

Speaker 2 (05:44):
They don't say hello or how are you? They say
where's your hat? I get it. My hat. My hat
even has a T shirt.

Speaker 1 (05:53):
See and see. Oh yea, that's right. I forgot about
that too. Well, now you're gonna have to write another book.
This says I was wrong. It is all about the hat.

Speaker 2 (06:02):
I think I have to redo the hat to redo
that book.

Speaker 1 (06:06):
I love it. You know, I was watching I was
watching one of your videos the other day on not
one of your podcasts, one of the videos when you
were out in California a few weeks ago doing the
as Trials Spring Trials, and I thought you brought up
an interesting point about the new what breeders are doing
now in the series sizes. So you had a whole

(06:31):
series of geraniums the same series, but you you had
a dwarf, medium large, and extra large in the same plant.

Speaker 2 (06:41):
It sounds like T shirts, doesn't it. Yeah, But so
that's just happening again. For the listeners out there, I mean,
you don't have to know anything about a series or
a cultivar or whatever all these terms. But the fact is,
what the breeders are trying to do to make it
easier for the grower and the garden center is they

(07:02):
say a series is simply a plants that are related
closely enough, like geraniums as you mentioned, that are all
going to essentially flower more or less the same time,
and perhaps the only difference might be color or In
this case, what you're talking about is we have the small, medium,
and large, so that if a landscaper wants something big,
or you want something big, that same beautiful drainium you

(07:25):
saw in a small size is also available. So they're
filling in gaps. So when you go see these new
trials and you're looking for all this new, wonderful, knock
your eyes out stuff, oftentimes you're not disappointed. It's just
that now they're trying to fill in gaps, and so
you might just have one more pink something or other

(07:45):
because they didn't have a pink before, or one more
large plant because they just want to increase that series.
That's what it's all about. That's what we're looking at.

Speaker 1 (07:54):
Just trying to confuse me more and more.

Speaker 2 (07:57):
It is just confusing. That's what we don't want to
talk about that.

Speaker 1 (08:00):
And can you I tell you, and can you believe
the wave petunia U celebrating what is thirty years.

Speaker 2 (08:10):
You're probably young enough to remember that thing. Oh, absolutely,
purple wave and it really was a different I mean
there's a petunia, and but it really did it really
did make a breakthrough. And and thirty years. Yeah, so
you talk about my hat having its own personality. Gosh,
those wave petunias they're celebrating with birthday parties and everything,
and good for them. It's a good product and more

(08:32):
power to them.

Speaker 1 (08:32):
Well, and it brought a whole new attention to the
to the platunias with these new varieties, which I think
is outstanding. You think of introductions and what they did
to the industry. I look at the wave patunia made
a major influence. I look at knockout roses celebrate twenty
five years with a knockout rose. I look, they kind
of brought roses back into the garden again with these

(08:53):
lower maintenance roses. Uh, you know, it's it's just amazing
to see the ease, and of course that what is
that golden colored yellow sweet potato that takes over your
entire garden, you.

Speaker 2 (09:05):
Know what, the one that eats up the house and everything.

Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yeah? Yeah, what's that called.

Speaker 2 (09:09):
Again, mart margarita?

Speaker 1 (09:12):
Thing margarita? Yeah, something sweet potato vine.

Speaker 2 (09:16):
I remember, I remember seeing the first one of those.

Speaker 1 (09:20):
That thing was that that thing was a game changer
as well. And how long ago did you bring that out?

Speaker 2 (09:25):
Oh Goshron, you know I it was. It was in
the late nineties, maybe early twos, I don't know.

Speaker 1 (09:32):
See. To me, I'm sure to me that should be
on the list of game changers in the I'm serious,
in the gardening industry, because you know, sweet potato, ornamental
sweet potato vines weren't and you made them. And now
look at many varieties are on the garden out there today.
Is crazy.

Speaker 2 (09:47):
Oh my goodness.

Speaker 1 (09:48):
That's still the best one.

Speaker 2 (09:52):
Time for telling stories. But the fact that that even
got into the into the industry was just amazing. How that,
how that occurred? Who I just think back then, who
in the world would think they could make money growing
a sweet potato for the ornamental industry? Nobody? And so
a little perseverance of persistence, and we got it out there.

Speaker 1 (10:12):
So they said, nobody can make money, so give it
to doctor Armities and let him come up with it.

Speaker 2 (10:18):
I believe that was before we had royalties at the university.
Oh much money I made on that wrong zero everybody else's,
so I'm happy about that.

Speaker 1 (10:28):
It's a good one talking with doctor Allen Armidy's. Of course,
his website is Alan Armonis dot net, where you'll find
all of his great books, which of course made great
Mother's Day gifts. Even though it's a you can't get
it today or tomorrow, you can give it to her
next week, but anyway, check it out at Alan Armidy's
dot net. Quick break we come back. I got a
lot more questions for the doc. Here in the garden
with Ron Wilson.

Speaker 2 (10:47):
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the garden and he's Ron Wilson.

Speaker 1 (11:10):
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(11:53):
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Pick some up today. Welcome back here in the Garden
with Ron Wilson talking with doctor Allen Apple Armitage. His
website is Alan Armitage dot net. Talking about all kinds

(12:16):
of great things. By the way, the book, it's not
just about the hat was that? Was that your actual
first book that you wrote, or did you you had
some other references reference books before that? Right?

Speaker 2 (12:29):
Oh? Yeah, I had a number of books before that.
And the only reason I ended up writing that because
I was sort of on a dare you know that?
Because I keep telling all these stories about how I
got here from there? And and this guy said, why
don't you write them down? I said, well, who wants
to read that nonsense? And he said, you'd be surprised,
And so he said, I'll buy I'll buy the first

(12:52):
few dozen books. And uh so that's how the thing
got done. But it actually turned out to be a
nice story and people enjoy it.

Speaker 1 (12:59):
It's a wonderful book, and of course, of naked ladies
and forget me not, it's my absolute favorite. Uh So,
you know again, you find all these on his website,
including the Bible of Perennials. It's an absolutely outstanding a
perennial book at Alan Ormanach dot net. And I'm just curious,
did you know Nellie Stevens?

Speaker 2 (13:17):
No, no, no, I never did know Nellie Stevens. But
the story was such that this lady went into the
garden center and said, I want this. I want to
Holly that is, you know, evergreen, and it blocks my whatevers.
And this young man said, okay, how about trying Nellie
Stephens Holly, And he was loading him into her car
when she said, I happen to be there. I'm terrible

(13:39):
at he's dropping And he said, she said, well, who
was Nellie Stevens. Of course he didn't have a clue,
so that that sort of piqued my interest in trying
to figure out who Nellie Stevens really was. And that's
how that book got done.

Speaker 1 (13:50):
There's a lot of great stories, a lot of great
stories of plants, There's no doubt about it. And you know,
doctor Ahmady started writing all these stories, and of course
a lot of and a lot of salespeople, plant specialists
that are selling plants to folks learn these stories. And
it's a great way to sell plants as well, because
you know the story behind the plant, and when somebody
learns the story behind the plant makes the plant more interesting.

(14:11):
And he does a great job. Again, you can check
out all the books at alan armitage dot net and
find out that and.

Speaker 2 (14:18):
Ron and Ron. Not to interrupt you, but if you
are if anybody's interested. You know, we keep forgarning to
say this. If you put in if you go to
our website, put in a discount discount code Wilson for
some guy I know, you'll get free shipping. And on
this weekend. Also, if you want to really go crazy,
you can get a Mother's Day there's Mother's Day disclass

(14:42):
as well, but Wilson is there forever. So if you
forget to do it this weekend you put in Wilson,
you got free shipping. Because you know, I kind of
like this guy, so if you have to put up
with him, he might as well get something out of it.

Speaker 1 (14:52):
And I just want to tell you up front right now,
missus Armitage hand does all of those books herself. He
has nothing to do with it. She does all the postage,
wrapping them up, labeling and sending to you. So there
you go.

Speaker 2 (15:06):
I do hear about it. So if you order it,
understand is done well we'll say with long there you go.

Speaker 1 (15:12):
And of course the Gardening App if you want doctor
Armitage in your back pocket. The Gardening App is truly
one of the best guardening apps that's out there, and
you can find out more about that on the website
as well, and sign up for his newsletter too. You
get that every now and then, and I think you
will enjoy that as well, talking with doctor Allan armitage
about all kinds of great things. So as we look
in the doctor's perennial garden right now, and of course

(15:33):
you've got annuals in there as well. Anything that's outstanding
to you at this stage, well.

Speaker 2 (15:38):
I'll tell you what's Yeah. You know, and I know
that it's hard, is a hard sell for any garden centers,
but Mike, clematis or clematis on my vines are just
quite spectacular right now. It's early. I know yours aren't
quite there yet.

Speaker 1 (15:52):
No, they're coming out.

Speaker 2 (15:54):
They're coming out. Well, I've got mine. I try to
train mine to grow up shrubs or trees or whatever,
so I don't want a whole lot of extra structures.
But they're growing up and doing their thing, and it's
just fun because you don't even know that they're there
until they start flowering, and then after they finish flowering,
or even though they're there, so I'm sor I'm just looking.

(16:15):
I'm in the garden right now looking at those and
I'm looking at a native plant which I think you
guys can do called Indian pinks. Yes, and they're butting
up and looking they're gonna look great. They're called spygelia.
But boy, oh boy, that's as far as I'm con certain,
one of our finest native plants that you can get for.

Speaker 1 (16:34):
The garden we're growing every year.

Speaker 2 (16:37):
Yeah, well, yeah, it's just they've exploded because we've now
figured out how to propagate them. Now some new cultivars,
believe it or not, or native ours. So it's it's
it's so. That's what I'm looking at is all sorts
of stuff here right now, nepotudes and all those cool stuff.

Speaker 1 (16:52):
You know. What's interesting is I first learned that process
of growing those up through other shrubs and trees or
whatever from Raymond Edison.

Speaker 2 (17:01):
Okay, there you go. He brought that up, mister clem.

Speaker 1 (17:03):
Yes, mister Clementis, which he told me he didn't care
how I pronounced it, as long as I grew them.

Speaker 2 (17:10):
That's the thing. Don't ever get into this, how do
I pronounce the thing? Who cares? Just get the syllables
in the right order and fire away. That's that's that's
what I say.

Speaker 1 (17:18):
All right now, they've got to reduce your lawn day
coming up here? Are you looking out at your lawn
trying to figure out ways to reduce it and add
more perennial beds?

Speaker 2 (17:27):
Well, you know, I hate to be a party pooper,
but I kind of like my lawn where it is
right now. I mean, I'm looking in the back and
the grass really does make everything else look nice. And
the grass is, you know, it's reasonally green. Where I
tramp on it, it's kind of bad and YadA YadA.
But I kind of like my lawn, what little I have,
And so if I had, you know, two acres of it,

(17:49):
I certainly wouldn't saying that. But I live in a
very small garden here, and I don't. I don't really
plan to, although my wife accuses me all the time
of expanding the beds, and if I do, I do
it in the dark of night, so she doesn't know.
But but only because I want a few more plants.
But you know, I kind of like the grass. Now.

Speaker 1 (18:11):
We before you came on, we have our herbalist Rita
Hikenfeld on with us with today. Our topic was edible flowers.
Do you ever get into that?

Speaker 2 (18:18):
Okay, you know, the short answers, No, the long answers.
I've tried them, thesttiams, and I've tried a few other things,
and you know, I just I just rather eat my tomatoes.
But but it's cool. I really like the idea, but

(18:39):
I haven't really gotten into it much.

Speaker 1 (18:41):
Right, Well, it's Mother's Day weekend. Tomorrow is Mother's Day.
Missus Armitage truly a saint. We'll go down in sainthood,
there's no doubt about it. What does doctor Alan Armitage get,
Missus Armitage? Missus? Is that that's doctor missus for Mother's Day?

Speaker 2 (18:57):
Oh oh well, other than of course, well and respect
and and all those other girl things that she seldom
says I do. But we're well, we're going off for
a little brunch tomorrow with some friends and just celebrating,
you know, how fortunate we all are. And uh, you know,
I I got a card. Of course she is in
another room. She doesn't know that, but I you know,

(19:20):
she's in the basement quite some time. And I'm happy
that she is a great mother. Of course, she still
is a great mother and grandmother. So I hope that
the grandkids and the kids do their thing as well.

Speaker 1 (19:32):
I know, they were sure they will.

Speaker 2 (19:33):
I will, we'll, we'll go out and celebrate.

Speaker 1 (19:35):
I figured you were going to say, you're gonna be
cooking two pounds of bacon on that new flat top grill.

Speaker 2 (19:39):
You do you? I got that gribbled row. I am
cooking bacon like there's nothing left in the world. I mean,
she said, I want some bacon. I said, she doesn't
know a piece of bacon. A pound of that stuff.

Speaker 1 (19:51):
I love it, and I like her even more than before.
Doctor Allan let us at Tomato.

Speaker 2 (19:57):
We don't even have any letter of it.

Speaker 1 (20:00):
Doctor Allen Armide is always a pleasure again. Alan Armidis
dot net. Have a great Mother's Day weekend.

Speaker 2 (20:06):
Here to Ron all the best. Everybody, take care.

Speaker 1 (20:08):
I take care, enjoy it. Alan Armidy's dot net is
the website checked out great books. I'm telling you they
really are.

Speaker 2 (20:15):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (20:15):
And he's a great guy as well, which you can
tell by being on our show. All right, quick break,
you come back. Phone lines are open for you at
eight hundred eight two three, eight two five five Here
in the garden with Ron Wilson, not gardening questions.

Speaker 2 (20:32):
Ron has the answers and one eight hundred eight two
three talk you're in the garden with Ron Wilson.