In Conversation with Panat

Outside of his passion for plants, he works full-time with a Ph.D. in Sensory and Perception - his garden features a rich mix of cut flowers, perennials, and kitchen crops, including dahlias, chrysanthemums, hydrangeas, climbing roses, tomatoes, and climbing beans.

While working full-time and holding a Ph.D. in Sensory and Perception, Panat is passionate about gardening. He specializes in cut flowers, combining blooms such as dahlias, chrysanthemums, hydrangeas, and roses with kitchen crops like tomatoes and climbing beans to create a diverse and vibrant garden.

Through his visual content, he blends practical growing tips with aesthetic garden design, demonstrating how to use structures like vertical supports and obelisks to build healthier, more productive, and beautiful outdoor spaces.

Read on to find out how Panat uses Agriframes supports to transform his space, optimize his harvests, and bring structural elegance to his borders:

PANAT INFLUENCE:

How does your professional background in Sensory and Perception influence the way you arrange plants, colors, and vertical structures across your garden beds?

My background in Sensory and Perception strongly influences how I design my garden. I think carefully about how different sizes, shapes, colours, and textures work together to create a specific visual experience. Every plant choice has a purpose, whether it's adding contrast, balance, or seasonal interest.

In recent years, I've also incorporated more non-plant elements, particularly vertical structures. These features add height, depth, and dimension to the garden, creating focal points and making the space feel more dynamic and engaging.

What are the biggest challenges and rewards of managing a lush mix of perennials, cut flowers, and kitchen crops in New York Metropolitan area specific growing climate?

One of the biggest challenges of gardening in the New York metropolitan area is working with a true four-season climate, where temperatures can range from below freezing in winter to hot and humid conditions in summer. These seasonal swings require careful plant selection and planning to keep the garden looking its best throughout the year.

At the same time, the changing seasons are one of the greatest rewards. They allow me to grow a diverse mix of perennials, cut flowers, and kitchen crops, while creating different garden looks and experiences from spring through fall. Each season brings new colours, textures, and blooms, making the garden constantly evolve and remain interesting year after year.

As a dedicated plant collector, how do you balance experimenting with new plant varieties while keeping a clean, cohesive design throughout your borders? 

As a plant collector, balancing experimentation with a cohesive garden design is an ongoing challenge. I'm naturally drawn to growing a wide variety of plants, often wanting at least one of everything.

To maintain a formal and intentional look, I use repeated groupings of the same plants within each border, which creates rhythm, structure, and visual consistency. I then place many of my more unique or experimental plants further back in the beds, where they can be enjoyed without disrupting the overall design. Garden structures also play an important role, helping to add formality and tie the different planting areas together.

VERTICAL GROWING

How does growing climbing beans and tomatoes vertically on the Elegance Runner Bean Frame help maximize yield and light exposure in your kitchen garden?

Growing climbing beans and tomatoes vertically on the Elegance Runner Bean Frame helps maximize space, allowing me to grow more in a smaller area while keeping the garden organized. The vertical structure also improves light exposure and air circulation, which supports healthier plants and better yields. As an added benefit, it brings height and visual interest to the kitchen garden, blending productivity with design.

Heavy crops like tomatoes put a lot of weight on supports as they mature, so how does the Elegance Jute Strung Folding Frame keep the plants secure and upright?

Heavy crops like tomatoes can put a lot of strain on their supports as they mature, so a sturdy structure is essential. The Elegance Jute Strung Folding Frame provides reliable support that keeps plants upright, while the jute strings help guide growth and distribute weight. This keeps plants off the ground, improves airflow and light exposure, and makes harvesting easier.

What is your go-to tip for training young climbing plants onto vertical supports early in the season to set them up for a high-yielding harvest? 

My go-to tip is to start training plants early, when the stems are still young and flexible. I gently guide the vines onto the support and check them regularly during the first few weeks to make sure they're growing in the right direction.

Establishing a strong vertical framework early helps maximize sunlight exposure, improves airflow, and ultimately leads to a healthier, more productive harvest later in the season.

How do the Elegance Obelisks help draw the eye upward and bring structural height to your climbing plants and flower borders? 

The Elegance Obelisks add instant height and structure to the garden, creating strong vertical accents that naturally draw the eye upward. They provide an attractive framework for climbing plants while adding year-round architectural interest to flower borders. 

I also find that repeating obelisks throughout the garden creates a sense of rhythm and cohesion, helping connect different planting areas and giving the landscape a more polished and intentional design.

How do you choose plant supports that deliver heavy-duty functionality while also serving as beautiful decorative elements in your landscape design?

I look for plant supports that strike a balance between strength, durability, and aesthetics. The support needs to be sturdy enough to handle the weight of mature plants while complementing the overall garden design.

Rather than viewing supports as purely functional, I see them as architectural elements that add structure and visual interest throughout the year. The best supports not only help plants thrive but also contribute to a cohesive, polished landscape.

What role do aged metal structures play in keeping your garden visually engaging during early spring or late autumn when foliage is much lower?

Aged metal structures play an important role in keeping the garden visually engaging during the shoulder seasons, when there is less foliage and fewer blooms. I especially like aged metal finishes because they complement the overall aesthetic of my garden and blend beautifully with the surrounding plants.

During early spring and late autumn, these structures provide year-round architectural interest, adding form, height, and focal points even when the garden is not at its peak. Materials and finishes are especially important to me, and I tend to favor timeless copper and brass tones that weather gracefully and integrate naturally into the landscape.

LATE SUMMER GROWING

What are your top tips for growing in September? 

My top tip for growing in September is to take advantage of the cooler temperatures while the soil is still warm. It's a great time to plant perennials, divide overcrowded plants, and sow cool-season crops, giving them time to establish before winter.

I also focus on extending the season by regularly harvesting vegetables & herbs, deadheading flowers, and supporting late-season bloomers such as dahlias and chrysanthemums. September is one of the most rewarding months in the garden because you can enjoy peak harvests while also preparing for an even stronger garden the following spring.