Remembering Walter Reeves 4/11/26 Hour 1

·31 min·3 clips

Ashley Frasca returns from vacation to announce Walter Reeves, host of the Lawn and Garden show for 26 years, passed away yesterday.

Ashley Frasca opens the episode by announcing that Walter Reeves, her predecessor and host of the Lawn and Garden show for 26 years, passed away the previous day. She explains she cut her vacation short to host the show live in his memory. Ashley outlines the episode's purpose: to share stories and memories of Walter while still taking garden questions, as he would have wanted. She details Walter's career, including his time as a University of Georgia Extension agent in DeKalb and Clayton counties, which formed the basis of his gardening expertise. Walter also hosted a television show on Georgia Public Broadcasting, wrote for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and authored nine gardening books. Ashley mentions his website, WalterReeves.com, and his popular 'Your Southern Garden' TV show that ran from the late 1990s to 2011. She shares a personal anecdote about organizing a surprise 20th anniversary show for Walter in 2014, which was mostly preempted by tornado coverage. Ashley describes Walter's playful teaching methods, like his 'up-down all-around' disco dance for explaining NPK fertilizer ratios. The episode includes a segment with gardening tips for the weekend, such as removing annual bluegrass and planting summer vegetables. Ashley then takes calls from listeners. Becky Griffin, from the University of Georgia, recalls meeting Walter as a 19-year-old intern and how he encouraged her curiosity. She notes his early use of videos and social media to share gardening advice. Shannon Pable, a garden writer, discusses interviewing Walter for Georgia Gardening Magazine in 2017 and helping with yard work at his home in recent years. Ashley reflects on Walter's quirks, like his enthusiasm for World Naked Gardening Day, and his battle with Parkinson's disease. The episode blends memorial tributes with practical gardening content, honoring Walter's legacy of education and community in Georgia's green industry.

As heard by us

A warm Saturday garden hour remembers Walter Reeves while keeping his practical advice close.

Green and Growing turns a Saturday morning garden program into a clear, affectionate remembrance of Walter Reeves, the Georgia gardener who hosted WSB's Lawn and Garden show for 26 years.

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Why you'd press play

Press play when you want a garden tribute that remembers Walter Reeves without losing the Saturday-morning radio routine.

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