Inside Yew Dell: Plants, Passion & Public Gardens

About this episode

The episode features a conversation with Jacob Stidham about his experiences in horticulture and the role of Yew Dell Botanical Gardens in Kentucky.

In this episode of Hort Culture, the crew welcomes Jacob Stidham from Yew Dell Botanical Gardens for a wide-ranging conversation about plant passion, nursery life, and the evolving landscape of Kentucky horticulture. In addition to his work at Yew Dell, Jacob is a leader in both the Kentucky Horticulture Council and the Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association, helping shape the future of the industry across the state. Jacob shares stories from his early days gardening with his grandparents to his career journey through greenhouses and into botanical garden leadership. The group swaps bucket-list garden experiences—from England's Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Chelsea Flower Show to botanical destinations across the U.S.—while reflecting on the power of gardens to create lifelong memories. They dive into Yew Dell's role as an approachable, year-round botanical garden, its growing nursery program, plant trials, and educational mission. The conversation also tackles industry trends, including the native vs. non-native debate, the importance of accurate plant education in the social media era, and the urgent need to bring more young people into horticulture through hands-on…

People in this episode

Guest: Jacob Stidham

Topics covered

• horticulture
• botanical gardens
• plant education
• gardening experiences
• industry trends
• youth engagement in horticulture

Keywords

• Yew Dell
• horticulture
• gardening
• Kentucky
• botanical gardens
• plant education
• native plants
• greenhouses
• Coleus
• overwintering

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, Kentucky Horticulture Council, Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association

Books & works: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Places: Kentucky, England

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