Season 1 Episode 25: Landscape Design with Claudia West of Phyto Studio

08/29/23 • 50 min

From her origins in East Germany to her current role as the principal of Phyto Studio, Claudia West's story is intertwined with the significance of North American native plants. Tune in to today's podcast episode to unravel Claudia's remarkable journey and gain insights into her perspective on landscape design. For Claudia, landscape design transcends mere decoration; it serves as a conduit to amplify biological diversity. By seamlessly melding aesthetics with ecological richness, she perceives each design as an avenue to reintroduce people to the wonders of nature. And what is her favorite North American native plant?
Tim Abbey, Penn State Extension (host)
Tom Butzler, Penn State Extension (host)
Claudia West, Penn State Master Gardener, Co-Author of Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes
Image: A curved walkway with benches allows visitors to the Pollinator and Bird Garden to cross over the pond in the Penn State Arboretum. The planting design was created by Claudia West with Phyto Studio. Photo by Patrick Mansell, Penn State

Keeping It Green has an email: [email protected]
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode? Want more information on something we talked about? Send us your questions and comments, or just say hello! We would love to hear from you!
Check out Penn State Extension's Green Industry Team website!

Previous Episode

Season 1 Episode 24: Conversation with Erin Kinley, Penn State Master Gardener

So how did a Nebraska farm girl, raised on an animal/row crop operation, become interested in horticulture? And what brought her to the East Coast? Tune in as Erin Kinley talks about her path from the farm to the coordinator of Penn State’s Master Gardener program in Eastern Pennsylvania. Plus, she’ll talk about the training and educational efforts of the 4,000-plus Master Gardener volunteer base. And what is the difference between a garden club and Master Gardener?
Margaret Pickoff, Penn State Extension (host)
Tom Butzler, Penn State Extension (host)
Erin Kinley, Penn State Area Master Gardener Coordinator
Master Gardener Manual
American Society for Horticultural Science National Award Winner!
In full color and with nearly 600 photographs, this 800-page hardback book provides basic horticultural knowledge in botany; plant propagation; soil health and fertilizer management; plant pathology and diseases; entomology; integrated pest management; lawn care; vegetable gardening; indoor, herbaceous, woody, and native plants; tree fruit and small fruit; weeds and invasive species; and pruning.
Order yours today!

Next Episode

Season 1 Episode 26: Talking About Ticks with Amy Korman, Extension Educator with Penn State

Pennsylvania has become a hot spot for tick-borne diseases with the dubious distinction of ranking #1 in the country for the number of Lyme disease cases per year. Amy Korman, a Penn State Educator, joins the podcast team to discuss the complex tick lifecycle, who is at most risk to exposure, and some management techniques. What is an accidental entomologist? And finally, why does Amy like to play in a really terrible orchestra?
Margaret Pickoff, Penn State Extension (host)
Tom Butzler, Penn State Extension (host)
Tim Abbey, Penn State Extension (host)
Amy Korman, Penn State Extension
Image: Each dot represents one case of Lyme disease. Note the concentration in Pennsylvania. Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention