Introducing Gardening Simplified, a radio show and podcast from Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs.
Hosted by life-long gardeners Rick Vuyst and Stacey Hirvela, the Gardening Simplified show is designed to share our love of plants and gardening. Whatever your skill or experience level, you’ll find something interesting, useful, and just plain fascinating in every episode.
Got gardening questions? We’d love to help! Click on “contact us” above to send us a message. We answer listener questions on every episode.
Listen to Gardening Simplified on Wood Radio in Grand Rapids, 1300AM or WKBZ 106.9FM, Saturdays at 9am and Sundays at 7pm. You can also watch the show on YouTube:
Or listen on your favorite podcast platform:
Latest Show Recordings

Episode 212 – Rocking the Landscape | All About Rock Gardens
In today’s episode, Rick and Stacey talk about the fascinating history behind rock gardens, explain the difference between a rock garden and an alpine garden, and of course, tell all about the plants that thrive in this type of landscape.

Episode 211 – Berry-d Treasure! | All About Plants With Berries
What even is a berry? Well, watch this episode and you’ll find out! Stacey and Rick deep-dive into what really classifies as a berry and talk about a variety of berry-laden beauties. Whether they are edible, or just for ornamental purposes, berries add so much to the landscape, not to mention they’re fantastic for wildlife!

Episode 210 – I Give Up! | Top Reasons People Give Up on Plants & Gardening
It’s human nature to get disheartened when something doesn’t work out, and when it comes to plants and gardening, things don’t always work out the way we hoped. Weeds, water, and work are the three main reasons people tend to give up on gardening and we’re here to help! Learn about the plants people tend to give up on the most and how to avoid common mistakes.

Episode 209 – Fall is Full of Opportunities, Seize the Day!
Carpe diem! Fall is a fantastic time to be in the garden. Whether you’re tending to your plants or getting your lawn in order, we’ve got tips and tasks for you to work on. Plus learn about plants that you should get in the ground now, and ones you want to hold off until spring to plant.

Episode 208 – Low-Maintenance Plants & What to Expect
The way people define low-maintenance plants varies from gardener to gardener. At its core, the basic low-maintenance plant is one that is well-suited for the conditions where you want to plant. Hear all about low-maintenance plants and how you can incorporate them into your garden to gain both beauty and time.

Episode 207 – Well-Rounded | Spherical Plants for the Garden
People love round plants, or as we like to say, meatballs. Whether you’re the type of gardener that likes to have all your plants perfectly shaped in an appealing circle, or you lean more towards chaotic gardening, plants with rounded habits or globe shaped flowers help to make a dynamic garden. Learn all about them in this episode!