Naturalistic planting design begins with understanding what roles certain plants play in nature.

One of the most useful concepts in a plants’ survival strategy is learning how to classify it on the Grimes Triangle.

This is a new concept for me. I don’t remember every hearing about this classification system or how it works.  

We talk about this and more in this episode 071 – Success with Naturalistic Plantings with our guest Jared Barnes, Ph.D. 

Dr. Jared started gardening when he was five years old. Since then, he has enthusiastically pursued how to best cultivate plants and cultivate minds. 

He currently fulfills those passions as an award-winning associate professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  

He obtained his Ph.D. in horticultural science from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. He interned at The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College.

By traveling around the US and to eleven countries he has gained national and global horticulture perspectives.  

Jared educates the public with his weekly newsletter Plant-Ed and his monthly podcast Plantastic all found on his website Meristeam. 

His passion has been recognized by peers in interviews in Organic Gardening, Greenhouse Grower, AmericanHort Connect, Ken Druse’s Real Dirt, and Nursery Management.

His articles have appeared in The American Gardener, Fine Gardening and Carolina Gardener.