This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne chats with Manny Lavrador about the growing interest in native trees and how to choose the right one for your property.

• Why are native trees such an important topic right now? More gardeners and homeowners are looking for plants that support the environment, work well in local ecosystems, and respond to growing concerns about invasive species.
  
  
• What is the most important thing to remember when choosing a native tree? That even a native tree still needs to be the right tree for the right place, based on the space, conditions, and goals of the garden.
  
  
• Are native trees always the best choice for every yard? Not necessarily. This episode demonstrates that while native trees have many benefits, hybrids and nativars can sometimes be a better fit for smaller urban lots or for homeowners looking for lower-maintenance options.

You can find Manny Lavrador on LinkedIn.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible.

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.