In this episode of River of Ideas, we sit down with Jen Ehlert, Vice President of Metro Blooms Design + Build to talk about designing sustainable urban landscapes. We discuss the history of Metro Blooms and the Blue Thumb education and outreach program and delve into some practical advice for homeowners looking to enhance their properties with native plants and raingardens. Jen also shares her personal journey into landscape architecture and her passion for integrating ecological design into everyday landscapes.

Links:

Lawns to Legumes Grants (Apply by May 15!) — https://bluethumb.org/lawns-to-legumes/
Blue Thumb (workshops, planting templates, etc.) — https://bluethumb.org/
Metro Blooms — https://metroblooms.org/

Credits:

Nick Busse — Host, Video Production
Jennifer Ehlert — Guest
Akadia Johnson — Audio Production
Mary Yang — Camera Assistant

About River of Ideas:

River of Ideas is a podcast about greener cities and cleaner water through science and urban planning. We cover topics like green infrastructure, water quality, landscape design, ecology, environmental policy, and environmental justice.

River of Ideas is produced by the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, a Minneapolis-based joint-powers local government unit and one of approximately three dozen watershed organizations in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Learn more at mwmo.org.

Thanks for listening! Check us out at mwmo.org.