Links to podcast of garden radio show, Tribune plants story

So, I survived my broadcasting trial by fire, guest-hosting the Mike Nowak Show on WCPT-820 AM yesterday while he was supposed to be goofing off (although it turns out he was really listening). Here's a link to the podcast at Mike's Web site. Here's a link to a post with lots of links referred to in the show.

Was it the most polished and dynamic radio you ever heard? No. I was pretty stiff and fell down in the banter department.

As I was driving home afterward I was listening to talk radio in the car and realizing that all the seemingly time-wasting joshing and kidding around that annoys me so much is actually necessary for lubrication and aeration. That's why so many radio shows have two hosts, I guess. If you just have one nervous banter-deficient novice, you get . . . well, me.

It was what they call a learning experience. But everybody's got to start somewhere. I shudder to recall my stumbling beginner news stories all those years ago.

On the other hand, we did chat with the folks from the National Garden Bureau about seeds, and with garden designer Andrea Green and The Conservation Foundation's Jim Kleinwachter about rain garden design, and with Rick DiMaio about why we're not getting as much snow this year as the folks down South. So you might consider listening to the podcast anyway.

And/or you might want to check out this story I wrote for the Chicago Tribune last weekend. They've posted it on their web site in the form of a story gallery. There's good info here about some recommended garden plants, but it's also an advance on the Midwest Gardening Symposium at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle March 5-7.

Despite a very tempting lineup, I won't be there. In fact, I've never been to one of the arboretum's Midwest Gardening Symposiums (or Symposia) because they always hold them on the first weekend of the Chicago Flower & Garden Show, and that's where I always am. But if you can postpone your visit to the flower show at Navy Pier, you might want to check out the symposium schedule.

Got a garden question? I recommend you call or e-mail the Plant Clinic of The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, the Master Gardeners of the University of Illinois Extension or the Plant Information Service of the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe .

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