Cover art for podcast Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

294 EpisodesProduced by Sarah WilsonWebsite

Do you want to know how to grow plants and get the best out of your outdoor space? Do you find traditional gardening media baffling and/or boring? Then you’re in the right place, because the Roots and All podcast is here to dig deep into how to create a successful garden.If you want honest informati… read more

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Farewell

February 22nd, 2024

0:39

An important message from RadioPublic

Garlic

March 25th, 2024

18:59

My guest this week is Kumud Gandhi, a food scientist, author and founder of The Cooking Academy. Kumud has written a book called The Garlic Story, a …

Sustainability Matters

March 18th, 2024

23:34

My guest this week is Nadine Charlton. Through her business Home Spring Gardens, Nadine provides specialist services to the horticultural and …

Historic Tulips

March 11th, 2024

18:46

My guest this week is Polly Nicholson. Polly is the owner of Bayntun Flowers in Wiltshire, and holds the national collection of Tulipa (Historica) …

Unearthing

March 4th, 2024

24:55

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode where my guest is Kyo Maclear. Kyo is an author and her latest book is centred around family secrets, her mother and how gardening shaped their relationship and helped her frame …

Episode 275 - Community Gardening

February 26th, 2024

19:15

Vicky Chown is a Medical Herbalist, foraging instructor and self taught permaculturist. She’s head gardener at Omved Gardens, a fascinating community …

Episode 274 -Natural Swimming Ponds

February 19th, 2024

24:12

Caroline & Jon have created the most amazing swimming pond in their back garden and have documented their journey on social media, posting videos …

Episode 273 - Landscape Led

February 12th, 2024

27:59

Alexandra Steed is a passionate landscape architect with a profound commitment to art, sustainability, and the transformative power of landscapes. Alexandra recently authored Portrait to Landscape and we talk about the …

Episode 272 - Living with the Earth

February 5th, 2024

20:15

Perrine Bulgheroni is a renowned farmer who, along with Charles Herve-Gruyer, co-authored the Living with the Earth series of books and co-founded …

Episode 271 - Japanese Maples

January 29th, 2024

26:02

Miles Hayward is a dendrophile and keen plantsman, who discovered a passion for Japanese Maples and soon began to accumulate a wide variety of …

Episode 270 - Herbology

January 22nd, 2024

22:49

My guest this week is Catherine Conway-Payne. Catherine is the course director of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s diploma in Herbology and an …

Episode 269 - What Do Garden Designers Do?

January 15th, 2024

25:02

This episode features horticulturist, garden designer, RHS Show Judge and plant guru Nina Baxter. We talk about what garden designers do, why they …

Episode 268 - The Death Flower

December 18th, 2023

27:36

My guest this week is writer, broadcaster, nature observer, citizen scientist and champion of the outdoors, Kelly Brenner. This episode came about off the back of a listener suggestion and begins with a look at Lycoris …

Episode 267 - Growing Box: Moths, Blight and Solutions!

December 11th, 2023

25:01

My guest this week is Belgian nurseryman Karel Goossens. Karel runs an internationally renowned nursery supplying box plants and is the Chariman of the Belgian arm of the European Boxwood & Topiary Society. With …

Episode 266 - The Winter Garden

December 4th, 2023

22:06

This week's guest is Naomi Slade. Naomi is a journalist, author, designer and consultant. She works as a writer and broadcaster and lectures on a …

Episode 265 - Natural Fibres

November 27th, 2023

26:02

This week’s guest is multi-media artist Hanna Varga. Hanna incorporates the natural world into her work and her current projects involve foraging for …

Episode 264 - Looking out for Bumblebees

November 20th, 2023

26:07

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode where my guest is Gill Perkins, CEO of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. We talk about bumblebee populations …

Episode 263 - Ooooby - Out of Our Own Back Yard

November 13th, 2023

26:17

This week’s episode my guest is Pete Russell, founder of Ooooby, an online platform which matches customers with small scale, local growers. Shopping for food in this way promotes homegrown produce, farm to consumer …

Episode 262 - Low Impact & Environmentally Conscious Design

November 6th, 2023

26:18

My guest this episode is New Zealand based landscape designer Jo Wakelin. Jo creates low impact and environmentally conscious spaces and her own garden is a masterclass in water-wise planting that sits lightly within …

Episode 261 - The Butterfly Garden

October 30th, 2023

26:36

This week’s episode, my guest is Clive Farrell. Clive is a butterfly expert who established The London Butterfly House at Syon House and has dedicated his life to breeding and studying the butterflies of Britain and the …

Episode 260 - Moon Gardens

October 23rd, 2023

27:45

This episode my guest is Jarema Osofsky, founder of the design studio Dirt Queen NYC and author of Moon Garden: A Guide to Creating An Evening Oasis. Moon gardening is an enchanting way to slow down in the evenings, …

Episode 259 - Unusual Edible Plants

October 16th, 2023

31:06

This episode I’m speaking with Kevin Hobbs & Artur Cesar-Erlach, authors of EDIBLE: 70 Sustainable Plants That Are Changing How We Eat which is a …

Episode 258 - Grow Fruit Trees Well

October 9th, 2023

30:40

This episode, my guest is Susan Poizner. Susan is the author of the award-winning fruit tree care book Growing Urban Orchards and her new book, which is now an Amazon Number One Bestseller, Grow Fruit Trees Fast. …

Episode 257 -Taste Your Garden

October 2nd, 2023

34:58

This episode, my guest is qualified herbalist Meghan Rhodes. Meghan discusses how we can tap into our gardens for better health, why herbs are good …

Episode 256 - Urban Bees

September 23rd, 2023

30:39

Hello and welcome to Roots and All, where my guest this week is urban apiculturist Mark Patterson. Mark founded and runs Apicultural where he work …

Episode 255 - Lawns

September 18th, 2023

33:29

My guest this week is David Hedges-Gower. David is a prominent figure in the UK's lawn care industry, known for his expertise and dedication to promoting sustainable lawn care practices. He wrote the book ‘Modern Lawn …

Episode 254 - Buddlejas and Lavenders

September 11th, 2023

31:50

This week, my guest is Andrew Bullock, who runs The Lavender Garden Nursery. Andrew holds the National Collection of Buddlejas and grows a huge range …

The Lost Gardens of Loughrigg

September 4th, 2023

22:21

Several years ago, Penn Allen inherited a collection of diaries that had been meticulously maintained by her great grandmother. Penn discovered the …

Green Roofs & City Wildlife

August 21st, 2023

32:45

This episode, my guest is green roof guru, urban designer, photographer, birdwatcher, punk ideologist and all-round straight talker Dusty Gedge. We …

Aromatic Gardening

August 21st, 2023

27:51

My guest this week is Amy Anthony, a certified clinical Aromatherapist and Aromatic Gardener. In addition to that, Amy is an aromatherapy educator, podcaster, herbalist, certified master composter, and artisanal …

The Human Garden

August 14th, 2023

35:03

This episode is an interview with environmental landscape artist, TED Speaker and art21 Educator Tobacco Brown. Tobacco connects art and environmental justice and is a visual artist, digital storyteller, master …

Designing Responsibly Built Environments

August 7th, 2023

31:32

My guest this week is Blanche Cameron, who leads UCL Bartlett School of Architecture's Environmental Design and Greening Cities modules, and is an …

The Container Victory Garden

July 31st, 2023

28:08

This episode I’m speaking with author and expert gardener Maggie Stuckey about growing food in containers. We talk about growing a container garden of vegetab

Botanical Education

July 24th, 2023

28:40

This episode I’m speaking with Seb Stroud. Seb is based at Leeds University and is part of the Ecology & Evolution Group, where his research …

Urban Smallholding

July 17th, 2023

28:16

My guest this episode is urban smallholder Sara Ward. Sara runs Hen Corner, a backyard smallholding in London. Her website Hen Corner has a wealth of …

The Language of Trees

July 10th, 2023

28:44

My guest this episode is artist and activist Katie Holten. Katie has just released a book called The Language of Trees, a collection of literary and …

The Biodiversity Gardener

July 3rd, 2023

31:09

My guest this week is wildlife author and photographer Paul Sterry. Paul has written many books on wildlife but his latest, The Biodiversity …

Magical Plants and Flowers

June 26th, 2023

22:35

This week’s episode, my guests are Chris Young and Susan Ottaviano. Chris and Susan are better known as the 2 Green Witches. Chris Young is a lifelong gardener whose acclaimed garden, Tiny Sur is a certified wildlife …

Soil - The Story of a Black Mother's Garden

June 19th, 2023

26:54

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode where my guest is poet and scholar Camille Dungy. Camille has documented how she diversified her garden to …

Wild Mothers

June 12th, 2023

26:08

This week’s episode, my guest is writer Victoria Bennett, author of'All My Wild Mothers – motherhood, loss and an apothecary garden’. The book weaves …

Guerrilla Gardening

June 5th, 2023

29:29

My guest  this episode is author and activist Ellen Miles. Ellen is the founder of Nature is a Human Right, she runs Dream Green, a social enterprise that helps people get guerrilla gardening with guides, grants, and …

Growing Biodiversity

May 29th, 2023

29:05

My guest this week is gardener Benny Hawksbee. Benny has a background in biology and gardens with one eye on biodiversity. His projects include the …

Toss the Salad!

May 22nd, 2023

28:48

This episode goes out in celebration of The Chelsea Fringe. The Fringe is an annual event which runs concurrently to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and …

The Apothecary

May 15th, 2023

26:53

This episode features writer, garden historian and returning guest Caroline Ball. In eighteenth-century Bavaria a prosperous apothecary, Johann …

Mosses

May 6th, 2023

30:17

This week, my guest is Dr Neil Bell, bryologist at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and author of The Hidden World of Mosses, which takes a look …

Woodchip

April 30th, 2023

28:06

My guest this week is Ben Raskin, the Soil Association’s Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry. Ben is the author of several books on gardening, …

The End of the Life Cycle

April 24th, 2023

25:31

This week’s episode, I’m speaking to holistic funeral director, Holly Lyon-Hawk. It’s not easy for most of us to talk about end of life, death and …

Houseplant Legends

April 17th, 2023

29:23

This week’s episode I’m speaking to horticulturist, journalist, host of the On the Ledge podcast and author of a new book ‘Legends of the Leaf’, Jane …

Ecologically Integrated Gardens

April 10th, 2023

31:07

My guest this week is Shawn Maestretti of Studio Petrichor, a design studio working out of California. Shawn’s personal mission is to reconnect with the natural world, tread lightly on the land, nurture biodiversity, …

Poison Prescriptions

April 3rd, 2023

29:28

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode of Roots and All where I’m speaking to both of the Seeds Sistas, Fiona Heckels and Kazzla Goodweather about their latest book ‘Poison Prescriptions’. The book takes a look at …

Sensory Gardens & Autism

March 27th, 2023

25:19

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode, where in recognition of World Autism Acceptance Week, I’m speaking about Sensory Gardens, with a focus on design for people with autism. I have three guests; Camellia Taylor …

Can Women Save the Planet?

March 20th, 2023

30:13

This week I’m speaking to Dr Anne Karpf. Anne is Professor of Life Writing and Culture at London Metropolitan University and is a writer, sociologist …

The Chelsea Fringe

March 13th, 2023

35:00

This week my guest is Tim Richardson, who, amongst many other things, is a garden writer, historian and founder of the Chelsea Fringe. The Fringe is …

Seed Balls

March 6th, 2023

27:29

My guest this week is Dr Ana Attlee, co-founder of the company Seedball. The idea for Seedball started to germinate in 2010 when Ana and her fellow …

Soil Bacteria & Rhizophagy

February 27th, 2023

35:31

This week, I am delighted to welcome back champion of the soil food web, Jeff Lowenfels. Jeff is the author of the Teaming With series of books which look at what goes on at a micro level in the soil beneath our feet. …

Hardy Eucalyptus

February 20th, 2023

29:44

My guest this week is Hilary Collins who runs Hardy Eucalyptus at Grafton Nursery. Hilary researches the best way to grow Eucalyptus trees in the UK …

Making Gardening Accessible

February 13th, 2023

30:02

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode of Roots and All, where my guest is garden designer, TV personality and Trustee of the Gardening with Disabilities Trust Mark Lane. Mark talks about the various types of …

Hedges and Living Boundaries

February 7th, 2023

24:19

This week’s guest is Roger Hirons, a horticultural expert and speaker, who’s been in the industry for over 35 years. Roger has just released a really …

Nature from the Rubble

January 30th, 2023

22:03

Hello and welcome to this episode of Roots and All. This week, I’m speaking to landscape architect Sally Bower. Sally has just been awarded the main RHS prize for her Bursary Report titled ‘Nature Rising from the …

Sky Gardening

January 23rd, 2023

30:24

My guest this episode is the super-talented and creative gardener and designer Brent Purtell and we’re talking about the Capitaspring Rooftop Garden in Singapore, which shares the ‘2nd highest’ building ranking along …

The Gardener's Almanac

January 16th, 2023

24:19

To book-end the winter break, I’m sort of picking up where we left off by talking about a way to mark the passing of the year and the seasons and to ground yourself and your gardening endeavours in the natural patterns …

The Wheel of the Year

December 19th, 2022

31:57

My guest this week is Dr Rebecca Beattie. Rebecca has just released a book called ‘The Wheel of the Year’, which is a look at what is happening in nature and in ourselves as the seasons move from one to the other. She …

Composting & Bokashi

December 5th, 2022

31:38

This week’s guest is Martyn Richards who is the Home & Garden Manager for Agriton UK, part of a large European group of companies who manufacture products to help commercial and domestic users deal with the ‘soil, …

Korean Natural Farming

November 28th, 2022

28:53

This week, my guest is David O’Carroll. David runs an 11 acre agroforestry learning centre in Totnes, Devon where he teaches natural farming methods, …

Deer Resilient Gardens

November 21st, 2022

31:39

This week, my guest is renowned horticulturist Andrew Bunting. Andrew is the Vice President of Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural …

Food Forests for Plant Lovers

November 14th, 2022

25:20

This week’s guest is permaculture designer and author of 'The Plant Lover's Backyard Forest Garden’, Pippa Chapman. Growing our own food is becoming …

Biological Controls

October 31st, 2022

24:36

This week, my guest is Julian Ives, founder of Dragonfli Limited, a company specialising in taking biological controls which have been more commonly …

How to Grow the Flowers

October 24th, 2022

32:07

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode where I’m speaking with Marianne and Camilla, joint founders of Wolves Lane Flower Company. Marianne and …

Gardening in a Changing World

October 17th, 2022

26:35

This week my guest is garden and landscape designer and writer, Darryl Moore. Darryl is one of the most, if not in my opinion, the most informed voice on gardens and design in the UK and his new book Gardening in A …

Soundscapes and Landscapes

October 10th, 2022

32:15

This week I’m speaking to Dr Mike Edwards, Chief Listening Officer at Sound Matters, a company focussed on using sound and listening to create more sustainable and resilient futures. Sound Matters provided the …

Podcast 178 - Alternative Allotments

September 26th, 2022

24:39

This week, I’m speaking to co-founder of Roots Allotments Ed Morrison. Along with Christian, Will & Josh, Ed set up Roots Allotments on a site in Bath as an alternative to traditional allotments with their long …

Episode 177: Propagating Plants

September 19th, 2022

28:58

This week, my guest is Nikki Barker. Nikki’s long career in horticulture has seen her work across many sectors of the industry and she is now the …

Episode 176: Gardening on a Gradient

September 12th, 2022

22:24

This week’s guest is Carol Smith, garden designer, lecturer and author of the book ‘Gardening on a Gradient: Designing and Establishing Sloping …

Episode 175: No Dig with Charles Dowding

September 5th, 2022

27:05

This week, making his second appearance on the podcast, is my guest Charles Dowding. Charles is the leading proponent worldwide of No Dig gardening. He’s authored and co-authored many books and articles on the subject, …

Episode 174: Gardening for Your Senses

August 29th, 2022

25:16

This week I’m chatting with writer Kendra Wilson. Kendra has written a vast amount about gardening but I was particularly interested in speaking to …

Podcast 173 - The Composting Process

August 22nd, 2022

28:18

This week’s guest is ecologist and author Julian Doberski. If you think about compost heaps, how much do you really think about the living micro and …

Episode 172: Your Garden Spa

August 15th, 2022

30:50

This week I’m speaking to Juliette Goggin, perfumery consultant to some of the most recognised brands in the world, upcycling and reusing champion, …

Podcast 170 - Sassy Farming

August 1st, 2022

25:26

This week’s guest is Hawaii-based writer and grower Ja-Ne de Abreu. When the pandemic began, Ja-ne became an instant 24/7 caregiver for her hanai mother. To keep things positive, she started growing food and discovered …

Episode 169: Creating Meadows with James Hewetson-Brown

July 25th, 2022

26:55

This week I’m speaking to Founder of Wildflower Turf Limited and author of the book ‘How to make a wildflower meadow’ James Hewetson-Brown. James has a vast amount of experience creating meadows at domestic and public …

Podcast 168 - Britain’s Birds with Benedict Macdonald

July 18th, 2022

24:58

My guest this week is naturalist, conservationist and writer Benedict Macdonald. Benedict has recently released a new book ‘Cornerstones’, which talks about how by restoring cornerstone species we can help turn around …

Episode 167: Hoverflies

July 11th, 2022

30:21

This week’s guest is Martin Harvey, an entomologist and biological recorder based at the UK CEH Biological Records Centre. His main areas of work …

Episode 166: Historic Roses

July 4th, 2022

24:36

This week, I’m speaking to Michael Marriott about historic roses. Micheal is an expert rosarian, Chairman of the Historic Roses Group and author of the recently published book RHS ‘Roses’. We talk about what historic …

Episode 164: Growing Under Protection

June 20th, 2022

24:10

This week I’m speaking to horticultural expert Guy Deakins who amongst other things is a garden designer, historic gardens expert, consultant and …

Episode 163: Garden Roots

June 13th, 2022

26:54

This week I’m speaking to gardener and writer Lulah Ellender about her book Grounding: Finding Home in a Garden. Lulah’s book is about tuning into …

Episode 161: Connecting with Plants

June 6th, 2022

24:45

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode where I’m speaking to Marion Whitehead from the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden in New South Wales, Australia, part of the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney.

I talk with Marion about …

Episode 160: Crevice Gardens

May 23rd, 2022

30:03

This week’s guests are Kenton Seth and Paul Spriggs, co-authors of a book that’s just been released called ‘The Crevice Garden: How to Make the …

Episode 159: Huw Richards on Veg Growing

May 16th, 2022

27:46

This week’s guest is veg growing expert Huw Richards. Huw grows a vast range of plants in his garden in mid-West Wales and is always trialling and …

Episode158: Irises with Clare Keller

May 5th, 2022

30:53

This week’s guest is Clare Keller, a fashion designer and stylist who’s previously work at Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Pringle, Chloe and Givenchy. Clare is currently a Trustee and spokesperson for the British Iris Society, a …

Podcast 155 - Forage for Mushrooms Without Dying

April 18th, 2022

39:48

This week’s guest is Frank Hyman, a certified mushroom forager who teaches mushroom identification to chefs, arborists, organic farmers and the general public. Frank’s latest book is called ‘How to Forage for Mushrooms …

Podcast 153 - Lichen

April 4th, 2022

30:07

This week I’m speaking to April Windle. April is a naturalist with a particular interest in lichens, especially those occupying our rainforest …

Podcast 152 - A Therapist’s Garden

March 28th, 2022

26:47

This week I’m chatting with New England-based horticultural therapist and master gardener, Erik Keller, who is also the author of the book A …

Podcast 151 - Violas

March 21st, 2022

26:35
This week I’m talking with Jack Willgoss, who along with wife Laura, runs Wildegoose Nursery in Shropshire where they hold the Bouts collection of …

Podcast 150 - Welcome to Mintopia

March 14th, 2022

44:03

This week’s guest is Dr Si Poole, founder of Mintopia, a website dedicated to mint featuring its own online reference library for the different …

Podcast 149 - Feeding Your Soil with Humanure

March 7th, 2022

31:31

I stumbled across a book called The Humanure Handbook: Shit in a Nutshell and of course, I had to buy a copy. I’ve long thought that if we’re aiming towards a closed system within our gardens then our own waste needs to …

Podcast 148 - The Plants of Armenia

February 28th, 2022

26:33

The flora of Armenia is one of the most diverse and interesting in the world and includes many favourite garden plants and their relatives. This week’s guest, Tamar Galstyan, has travelled the length and breadth of the …

Podcast 147 - Beans, beans good for…the planet!

February 21st, 2022

33:01

This week, I’m talking to Susan Young, author of the book ‘Growing Beans’. As I’ve looked further into having a sustainable diet, into growing and storing crops and into sources of plant protein, beans just seemed to …

Podcast 146 - Seeking Rare Plants

February 14th, 2022

35:07

This week’s guest is Nick Macer, plant hunter, self-taught botanist, rare species expert and owner of Pan Global Plants, a nursery based in the Severn Valley, which, to quote the website, offers “a selection of the …

Podcast 145 - Painting the Georgian Garden

February 7th, 2022

31:13

I’m speaking to Dr Cathryn Spence this week, about Thomas Robins, a painter who documented the country estates of the Georgian gentry in all their Rococo splendour. Robins captured images of this flamboyant age of …

Podcast 144 - Sharing and Borrowing Gardens

January 31st, 2022

26:59

This week, I’m talking to Joyce Veheary about her fantastic Lend and Tend project, which aims to match garden owners who perhaps don’t have the time, experience, desire or means to tend their garden with gardenless …

Podcast 143 - Saving Our Seeds

January 24th, 2022

28:33
Hello and welcome to this episode of the podcast, where I’m speaking to Madeline McKeever, owner of Brown Envelope Seeds. Madeline’s company produces …

Podcast 142 - Grow Easy with Anna Greenland

January 17th, 2022

28:27

This year’s first guest is organic vegetable grower Anna Greenland. Anna has supplied produce to some of the UK’s top chefs, including Raymond Blanc and Jamie Oliver, has created gardens at Soho Farmhouse, Kew Gardens …

Podcast 141 - Christmas Round Up

December 20th, 2021

12:52

Welcome to this pre-Christmas episode of the podcast, the final one of 2021. And what a year this has been! In this episode, I talk about what’s been happening at Roots and All and look back over some of the favourite …

Podcast 140 - Darwin’s Garden with Dr Jude Piesse

December 13th, 2021

30:54

This week’s guest is Dr Jude Piesse. Jude’s book ‘The Ghost in the Garden’ is essentially about Charles Darwin’s largely forgotten garden in Shrewsbury but the book turned out to be much more than a study of the garden, …

Podcast 139 - Cottage Gardens with Andrew Sankey

December 6th, 2021

35:10

This episode features garden designer, grower, speaker and writer Andrew Sankey. Andrew specialises in English cottage gardens and has meticulously …

Podcast 138 - Plan, Plant & Maintain Fruit Trees with Wade Muggleton

November 29th, 2021

27:50

Hello and thank you for joining me this week, as I talk to Wade Muggleton, permaculturist, tree expert and author of The Orchard Book, a book about …

Podcast 137 - Water-wise Gardening with Janet Manning

November 22nd, 2021

33:35

Welcome to this week’s episode, where I’m talking water-wise gardening with Janet Manning. Janet undertook a three year project with the RHS and Cranfield University where she looked at strategies and techniques …

Podcast 136 - The View From Federal Twist with James Golden

November 15th, 2021

28:49

This week’s episode features James Golden, talking about the naturalistic garden he’s built around his home in New Jersey. James’s garden has been …

Podcast 135 - By Any Other Name with Simon Morley

November 8th, 2021

29:53

This week’s guest in Simon Morley, a British artist and art historian. Simon is the author of several books on modern and contemporary art and is a keen rose gardener. Simon’s latest book was released a few weeks ago …

Podcast 134 - Camellias with Fiona Edmond

November 1st, 2021

26:21

This week’s guest is my second ever returning guest, Fiona Edmond of Green Island Gardens a garden and nursery in Essex. Fiona holds National Plant …

Podcast 133 - Caring For God’s Acre with Harriet Carty

October 25th, 2021

29:45

This week’s guest is Harriet Carty. Harriet is the Charity Director & Beautiful Burial Ground Project Manager at Caring for God’s Acre, an …

Podcast 132 - The Jungle Garden with Philip Oostenbrink

October 18th, 2021

29:09

This week’s guest is Philip Oostenbrink, Head Gardener at Walmer Castle and Gardens, Collections Coordinator for Plant Heritage in Kent, Plant Trials …

Podcast 131 - Making a Wildlife Garden with Chris Baines

October 11th, 2021

30:48

This week I’m speaking to gardener, TV presenter, author, government adviser and wildlife and environment advocate, Chris Baines. Chris designed the first ever wildlife garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in 1985, which …

Podcast 130 - Cosmos & Hollyhocks with Jonathan Sheppard

October 4th, 2021

39:34

My guest this week is Jonathan Sheppard, a political lobbyist who somehow fell into becoming the holder of 2 national plant collections; hollyhocks …

Podcast 129 - Growing Big Veg with Social Media Star Gerald Stratford

September 27th, 2021

33:02

This week I’m speaking to social media sensation and veg grower Gerald Stratford about growing big veg - do they taste better, how do you avoid pests and diseases, what growing media is best and what you can do with …

Podcast 128 - So you want to write a gardening book? With writer Catherine Mack

September 20th, 2021

31:22

In this episode, I’m speaking to award-winning writer Catherine Mack about getting a gardening book published. Catherine talks about why you might want to write a book, the process of getting your ideas onto paper and …

Podcast 127 - John Brookes and Denmans with Gwendolyn van Paasschen

September 19th, 2021

27:16

This week, I’m speaking to Gwendolyn van Paaschen about the legendary garden designer John Brookes. Gwendolyn is the owner of Denmans Garden and …

Podcast 126 - Wild Food with Marlow Renton

September 6th, 2021

32:51

This week’s guest, Marlow Renton, is the co-founder of Wild Food UK. Marlow talks about why we should all go out foraging, especially children, about …

Podcast 125 - Modern Plant Hunters with Dr Sandy Primrose

August 30th, 2021

38:26

This week, I’m speaking with Dr Sandy Primrose about his brilliant book Modern Plant Hunters, which tells the stories of plant hunting in more recent times; who’s doing it, why and what are they looking for. Find out …

Podcast 124 - Hydrangeas with Roger Butler of Golden Hill Nursery

August 23rd, 2021

24:06

This week, I visited Golden Hill Nurseries to interview Roger Butler, Find out about the different species in cultivation, the best way to prune …

Podcast 123 - New Nordic Gardens with Annika Zetterman

August 16th, 2021

32:20

This week’s guest is Annika Zetterman, a Swedish garden designer teacher and author of New Nordic Gardens. Annika works internationally designing …

Podcast 122 - The Forager’s Garden with Anna Locke

August 9th, 2021

32:52

This episode I’m speaking to permaculture designer, teacher, author Anna Locke. Anna is my favourite type of gardener, in that she walks the walk and …

Podcast 121 - Head Gardeners with Ambra Edwards

August 2nd, 2021

34:42

This week, I’m talking Head Gardeners with Ambra Edwards; why she chose the ones she did to feature in her book of that name, the diverse range of tasks they undertake and what makes a good one. I ask Ambra what …

Podcast 120 - Growing Real Food for Nutrition

July 26th, 2021

35:10

In this episode, I’m talking to Dr Elizabeth Westaway and Matthew Adams, founders of Growing Real Food for Nutrition, or Grffn for short. Grffn’s vision is for a world where all food is grown for its nutritional …

Podcast 119 - Botanical Styling with Michelle Mason

July 19th, 2021

30:46

This week I’m speaking to Michelle Mason, stylist, designer, author and co-founder of Mason & Painter a shop located next to Columbia Road which …

Podcast 118 - Coastal Gardens with Mark Laurence

July 12th, 2021

31:30

This week I’m speaking to Mark Laurence. For decades, Mark has been at the vanguard of sustainable and ecologically sensitive landscape and garden …

Podcast 117 - The Rose in Perfume with Mairi MacKenzie

July 5th, 2021

26:07

Today’s guest is Mairi MacKenzie, fashion historian, writer and curator, whose research looks at the relationship between the clothes that we wear …

Podcast 116 - Therapy Gardening with Carol Sales

June 28th, 2021

31:50

In this episode I’m speaking to horticultural therapist Carol Sales. Carol headed up a therapy garden in a prison, before moving over to lead the …

Podcast 115 - The State of Horticulture with Matthew Appleby

June 21st, 2021

28:59

This week I thought it would be good to get an overview of the horticultural industry - so I’m speaking to the person with their finger on the pulse, …

Podcast 114 - Grounded: A Gardener’s Journey to Abundance and Self-Sufficiency with Liz Zorab

June 14th, 2021

32:07

This week I’m speaking to smallholder and YouTuber Liz Zorab. Liz has been documenting her growing efforts, firstly via a blog and then via her …

Podcast 113 - Growing Under Cover with Niki Jabbour

June 7th, 2021

32:37

This episode, I’m speaking to Canadian gardening superstar Niki Jabbour. Niki is a gardener and author of 3 books, including ‘Growing Under Cover’, which is the most comprehensive guide to using crop covers in your …

Podcast 112 - Swapcast: Plants Grow Here Podcast

May 31st, 2021

46:13

This week’s episode is a little bit different as it’s a recording of me chatting to Daniel Fuller on the brilliant Plants Grow Here podcast. Although …

Podcast 111 - Companion Planting with Jessica Walliser

May 24th, 2021

31:16

Today’s intro comes to you from by back garden, courtesy of the local birds! 

This week I’m speaking to Jessica Walliser, author of ‘Plant Partners: Science-Based Companion Planting Strategies for the Vegetable Garden’ …

Podcast 110 - Greg Peterson of The Urban Farm

May 17th, 2021

33:54

Today’s intro comes to you from by back garden, courtesy of the local birds! 

 

In this episode I’m joined by Greg Peterson, who started The Urban Farm nearly 30 years ago. His third of an acre site is covered in edible …

Podcast 109 - The Botanical Mind with Gina Buenfeld

May 10th, 2021

39:01

In this episode, I’m interviewing Gina Buenfeld-Murley, exhibitons curator of the Camden Art Centre and co-curator of the online exhibition The Botanical Mind. In this episode, we go deep into the relation between art …

Podcast 108 - Dr Glynn Percival of Bartlett Tree Experts

May 3rd, 2021

31:48

This week, I’m speaking to Senior Arboricultural Research Manager Dr Glynn Percival, who works for Bartlett Tree Experts. I first heard Glynn speak …

Podcast 107 - RAA Takeover: Young Propagators Society

April 26th, 2021

53:10

Today’s episode is the first in another new series called the Roots and All Takeover, where I hand the microphone over to an individual or group of people and they produce the content for the episode. There are no …

Podcast 106 - In Search of Mycotopia with Doug Bierend

April 19th, 2021

32:00

This week I’m speaking to Doug Bierend, journalist and author of In Search of Mycoptopia, a book which documents Doug’s journey of discovery as it pertains to the world of mushrooms. We talk about what sparked this …

Dig In: So & Mo

April 15th, 2021

27:59

This episode features Luke Taylor, co-founder of So and Mo, talking about a new type of liquid lawn feed that’s formulated to work in different ways …

Podcast 105 - The Love Lives of Birds with Laura Erickson

April 12th, 2021

36:56

This week’s guest is Laura Erickson, talking about her brilliant book the Love Lives of Birds. Find out why some birds mate for life whilst others play the field, why some value age and experience, which birds lay their …

Podcast 104 - Stephen Hackett of Horatio’s Garden South West

April 5th, 2021

29:40

This week’s guest is Stephen Hackett, head gardener at Horatio’s Garden South West. We talk about this amazing garden which was designed by Cleve West and is managed by Stephen, with the help of and for the benefit of …

Podcast 103 - Adventures in Eden with Carolyn Mullet

March 29th, 2021

33:58

This week’s guest is Carolyn Mullet. Carolyn is an author and garden tour organiser. She recently released a book about some of the most beautiful …

Dig In: Harvst

March 25th, 2021

29:01

This is the first episode in the series and it features Rik Sellwood who along with his business partner Chris Tanner, has launched a company called Harvst. They build greenhouses for home gardeners, which can be …

Introducing Dig In

March 23rd, 2021

2:22

Hello. This is a short introduction to a new episode that’s being released on Thursday called Roots and All: Dig In.

Dig In is a new series which …

Podcast 101 - GrowVeg with Benedict Vanheems

March 15th, 2021

31:49

Podcast 101 - GrowVeg with Benedict Vanheems

This week I’m talking to Benedict Vanheems, gardener, author, editor and face of the popular GrowVeg.com

Podcast 102 - The Garden of Equal Delights with Anni Kelsey

March 15th, 2021

36:23

This week’s guest is forest gardener Anni Kelsey. Anni is an experienced grower of edibles and she follows the principles of forest gardening - if …

Podcast 100 - The Regenerative Grower's Guide to Garden Amendments

March 8th, 2021

41:49

This week’s guest is Nigel Palmer, an experimental gardener who brings to bear his experience as an aerospace engineer to analyse, identify and organise the various components that make plants grow well. From his …

Podcast 99 - Pollinators & Pollination with Professor Jeff Ollerton

March 1st, 2021

46:44

This episode I’m speaking to Professor Jeff Ollerton, author of the brilliant new book ‘Pollinators and Pollination’, another must-have to add to …

Podcast 98 - Cats and Gardens

February 22nd, 2021

34:25

This week, I’m speaking to Danielle Draper, Manager of the Cats Protection National Cat Adoption Centre in Surrey and we’re talking about that sometimes contentious issue of cats and gardens. Cats are part of gardeners’ …

Podcast 97 - The Psychology of Gardening with Professor Harriet Gross

February 15th, 2021

39:31

This week I’m speaking to Harriet Gross, Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the University of Lincoln. She was part of a team that won a gold medal …

Podcast 96 - Ben Cross of Crosslands Flower Nursery

February 8th, 2021

36:34

This episode is the last one before Valentine’s Day. Of course, you may be thinking about buying some flowers to give on Sunday so I thought, what better person to interview than a British flower grower? So I’m talking …

Podcast 95 - No Winter Garden Should be Without...

February 1st, 2021

27:37

In this week’s episode I’m speaking to Fiona Edmond of Green Island Gardens about one of the stars of the winter garden, the Hamamelis aka …

Podcast 94 - Wild Gardens with Jo McKerr

January 25th, 2021

42:59

This week’s episode features garden designer and horticulturist Jo McKerr, who runs Pratensis Gardens. Jo is particularly interested in designed …

Podcast 93 - Meadows with Keith Datchler

January 18th, 2021

30:40

I’m kicking off the year on the podcast with an interview with conservationist and wild meadows expert Keith Datchler. We talk about the state of our wildflower meadows, their importance for biodiversity and where we, …

Podcast 92 - Greening the Paranormal with Dr Jack Hunter

December 21st, 2020

32:19

This week I’m talking to Dr Jack Hunter, anthropologist and author of the book Greening the Paranormal: Exploring the Ecology of Extraordinary. The …

Anna Soper on Kate Crooks

December 14th, 2020

32:39

This week, I’m talking to Anna Soper, a Canadian artist, writer, podcaster and master of too many things to mention really about Kate Crooks, a largely forgotten Canadian botanist whose work Anna uncovered for a project …

Podcast 90 - Soil Testing with Robert Galster of Safe Soil UK

December 7th, 2020

28:05

This week, I’m delighted to speak to Robert Galster, one of the co-founders of Safe Soil UK, about soil testing. There are many companies offering …

Podcast 89 - Tokachi Millennium Forest with Dan Pearson & Midori Shintani

November 30th, 2020

43:48

In this episode, I am very pleased to have a double interview with Dan Pearson and Midori Shintani, the two key horticultural forces driving the …

Podcast 88 - Biochar with Lottie & Connor of Earthly Biochar

November 23rd, 2020

33:09

This interview features two guests instead of the usual one and those guests are Lottie and Connor, founders of Earthly Biochar. Maybe you already use Biochar in the garden, maybe you’ve heard of it but aren’t quite …

Podcast 87 - Green Roofs with Dr Anna Zakrisson

November 16th, 2020

30:22

This week I’m speaking to scientist and science communicator Dr Anna Zakrisson about green roofs, particularly with regard to their use in urban …

Podcast 86 - Herbs with Barbara Wilkinson of The Herb Society

November 9th, 2020

44:22

This week I’m speaking to Barbara Wilkinson, a Trustee of The Herb Society, which was founded in 1927 in order to promote the use and understanding of herbs and to provide a worldwide forum for the exchange of ideas and …

Podcast 85 - An Economic History of the English Garden with Sir Roderick Floud

November 2nd, 2020

39:30

This week I’m speaking with Sir Roderick Floud, author of ‘An Economic History of the English Garden’. The book charts the economics surrounding English gardens since the seventeenth century and talks about private …

Podcast 84 - Permaculture with Graham Burnett

October 26th, 2020

42:43

This week I’m speaking with permaculturist, teacher, speaker and author, Graham Burnett. Through his organisation Spiralseed, Graham has been …

Episode 83: Heritage Apples with Caroline Ball

October 19th, 2020

36:29

This week’s guest is Caroline Ball, author of a beautiful book called ‘Heritage Apples’. In normal circumstances, this week would have seen lots of …

Podcast 82 - Nerines with Nick de Rothschild

October 12th, 2020

27:26

This week I’m speaking to Nick de Rothschild, President of the Nerine and Amaryllid Society and of Exbury Gardens in the New Forest. The gardens play host to a huge range of plants providing interest throughout the …

Podcast 81 - Probiotics for Your Garden with Sue Allen of Microbz

October 5th, 2020

36:52

This week I’m speaking to Sue Allen of Microbz, which produces and distributes probiotics for gardens. The concept of probiotics in gardens is new to me, but it dovetails nicely with previous episodes looking at soil …

Podcast 85 - An Economic History of the English Garden with Sir Roderick Floud

October 2nd, 2020

39:30

This week I’m speaking with Sir Roderick Floud, author of ‘An Economic History of the English Garden’. The book charts the economics surrounding English gardens since the seventeenth century and talks about private …

Podcast 80 - Hedgerow Foraging with Joff Curtoys

September 28th, 2020

28:05

This week I’m speaking to Joff Curtoys, conservationist, ecologist and founder of Sloemotion Distillery. Saturday just gone saw the launch of …

Podcast 79 - Gardening Post-Lockdown with Adam Kirtland

September 21st, 2020

30:44

This week I’m speaking to Adam Kirtland, who began gardening seriously at the start of lockdown. His initial interest has become a full-blown …

Podcast 78 - Sweet Peas with Philip Johnson

September 14th, 2020

30:28

This week I’m speaking to Philip Johnson of Johnson’s Sweet Peas. Philip grows and sells plants and seeds via his website and he sells and exhibits his plants at shows across the country, when they’re on! He judges at …

Podcast 77 - More Than Weeds and More with Sophie Leguil

September 7th, 2020

41:06

This week I’m speaking to biologist and ecologist Sophie Leguil. Sophie is an outspoken and passionate advocate for nature, plants and wildlife and …

Podcast 76 - I Want to Like my Garden with Rachel McCartain

August 31st, 2020

36:06

This week I’m speaking to garden designer, writer and podcast host Rachel McCartain. Rachel believes the garden should work for you, that it should …

Podcast 75 - Botanical Storytelling with Amanda Edmiston

August 24th, 2020

35:41

This week I’m speaking to botanical storyteller Amanda Edmiston. Amanda trained in herbalism and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of historical plants and botanical figures but in this episode, we focus mainly on what …

Podcast 74 - Wasps with Richard Jones

August 17th, 2020

32:04

This week I’m speaking to nationally acclaimed entomologist and author of the book ‘Wasp’, Richard Bugman Jones, about a species of wildlife that may …

Mycorrhizhal Fungi Part 2 with Petra Guy

August 10th, 2020

31:08

This episode is somewhat of a follow-up to my interview with Jeff Lowenfels in Episode 51. Following that interview, I found myself asking a few more …

Podcast 72 - Saving Our Plants with Vicki Cooke of Plant Heritage

August 3rd, 2020

27:00

This week I’m talking to Vicki Cooke of Plant Heritage. Plant Heritage is a UK charity that works to conserve cultivated garden plants, predominantly …

Podcast 71 - Tapestry Lawns with Dr Lionel Smith

July 27th, 2020

33:35

This week I’m talking to Dr Lionel Smith, horticulture lecturer and author of the book Tapestry Lawns: Freed from Grass and Full of Flowers. As the …

Podcast 70 - Growing Food with Stephanie Hafferty

July 20th, 2020

41:21

This week I’m chatting with Stephanie Hafferty. Amongst other things, Stephanie is a writer, speaker, long-time champion of No-Dig gardening, a food growing expert, a talented chef she shares some brilliant tips with us …

Podcast 69 - Gardening By Touch, Sound, Smell and Taste with Andrew Hesser

July 13th, 2020

37:10

This week I’m speaking to Andrew Hesser, the man behind Bryan’s Quest, a website and YouTube channel dedicated to exploring the natural world from the perspective of Bryan, a blind person. Andrew is also blind and draws …

Podcast 68 - Nature’s Best Hope with Prof. Douglas W. Tallamy

July 6th, 2020

33:15

This week I’m speaking to Professor Doug Tallamy, author of amongst other things, the internationally influential wildlife gardening books Bringing Nature Home and Nature’s Best Hope. Prof. Tallamy calls for an urgent …

Podcast 67 - Sensory Herbalism with Karen Lawton

June 29th, 2020

35:48

This week, I’m speaking to Karen Lawton, co-author of the book ‘The Sensory Herbal Handbook’. The book isn’t just about herbalism, it’s about developing a connection to plants and yes, this can include talking to them! …

Podcast 66 - How to Coexist Happily With The Bugs in Your Garden

June 22nd, 2020

36:53

This week, I’m speaking to esteemed entomologist Dr Ian Bedford about accepting the insects in your garden and learning to accept their vital role in …

Podcast 65 - James Basson of Scape Design

June 16th, 2020

30:55

This week I’m speaking to James Basson of Scape Design. James runs his design practice along with wife Helen out of the south of France and their work is synonymous with a naturalistic style, the use of native plants …

Podcast 64 - Organic Farming in Kenya with Simon Murungi

June 9th, 2020

28:10

This week’s interview is with Kenya-based organic farming champion Simon Murungi. Simon is an organic farming trainer and founded the organization SOFAFRICA (Spreading Organic Farming in Africa). He is passionate about …

Podcast 63 - The Secret Life of Crows with Ricky Whelan

June 2nd, 2020

29:15

This week I’m speaking to expert ornithologist Ricky Whelan about a talk he gives on the Secret Life of Crows, which has surprised Ricky with its …

Podcast 62 - The Living Jigsaw with Val Bourne

May 25th, 2020

35:41

This week, I’m talking to journalist and author Val Bourne about her book The Living Jigsaw: the secret life in your garden. Val is a perfect example of a gardener who loves ornamental plants as much as she respects the …

Podcast 61 - I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast with Michael Holland

May 19th, 2020

27:33

This week I’m chatting to author of the book I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast, Michael Holland. The book is a botanical and environmental textbook for …

Podcast 60 - Design Experts Part 4 with Xanthe White

May 12th, 2020

27:47

This episode is the fourth and final part of the Design Experts series and this week’s guest is New Zealand-based garden designer Xanthe White who runs Xanthe White Design which has offices in Auckland and Wellington. …

Podcast 59 - Scent Magic with Isabel Bannerman

May 5th, 2020

31:26

This is an interview I did with garden designer and author of the book Scent Magic, Isabel Bannerman. You will deduce from some of the comments in the episode that it was recorded in autumn last year and for one reason …

Podcast 58 - Chasing the Ghost with Peter Marren

April 28th, 2020

31:03

I’m speaking to Peter Marren, author of Chasing the Ghost: My Search for all the Wild Flowers of Britain. Peter travelled the length and breadth of Britain to track down those native species he’d never seen growing in …

Podcast 57 - Nicole Rose of Solidarity Apothecary

April 21st, 2020

26:28

This week I’m talking to anarchist organiser, agroecologist and grassroots herbalist, Nicole Rose. Nicole runs the Solidarity Apothecary, an …

Podcast 56 - Invasive Plants with Tomos Jones

April 14th, 2020

33:58

This week I’m speaking to Tomos Jones. Tomos is a PhD student at the University of Reading where he’s currently researching invasive plants. There are 17000 plant species from all over the world currently residing in …

Podcast 55 - Butterflies with Peter Eeles

April 7th, 2020

33:48

This week I’m speaking to butterfly expert Peter Eeles. If you’re interested in encouraging more butterflies into your garden and you’d like to know what plants to grow to encourage them, we discuss how you can be a …

Podcast 54 - Making & Using Natural Dyes with Nicola Mehdi

March 31st, 2020

53:57

This week I’m speaking to Nicola Mehdi who’s been making and using natural dyes using the contents of her own and other people’s gardens and over the …

Podcast 53 - Irreplaceable with Julian Hoffman

March 24th, 2020

33:02

This week’s guest is writer Julian Hoffman and we’re talking about his book Irreplaceable. I read the book a few months back and as you might expect …

Podcast 52 - Grow Fruit & Vegetables in Pots with Aaron Bertelsen

March 17th, 2020

29:33

This week I’m talking to Aaron Bertelsen about his new book ‘Grow Fruit & Vegetables in Pots’. Aaron is the resident kitchen gardener at Great Dixter but as with many who work there, he lives and breathes the Great …

Podcast 51 - Mycorrhizal Fungi with Jeff Lowenfels

March 10th, 2020

36:44

This week I’m speaking to Jeff Lowenfels, author of the ‘Teaming With’ series of books, specifically about the latest volume in the series ‘Teaming …

Podcast 50 - Sacred Woodlands with Simon Leadbeater

March 3rd, 2020

40:53

Hello and welcome to this episode of the podcast. In this episode, I’m talking to ecologist and woodland owner Simon Leadbeater. We talk specifically …

Podcast 49 - Garden Sculpture with Victoria Leedham

February 25th, 2020

34:40

This episode I’m speaking to Victoria Leedham, Co-Curator and Gallery Manager of the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden. 

I visited the garden earlier …

Podcast 48 - Design Experts Part 3 with Leon Kluge

February 18th, 2020

29:41

Hello and welcome to this episode of the podcast. This episode is the hotly anticipated Part 3 of the Design Experts series and this week’s guest is South African garden designer Leon Kluge who runs a design practice in …

Podcast 47 - School Gardening

February 11th, 2020

24:45

This episode I’m joined by 3 guests; Louise Moreton who heads up the horticultural programme at Wicor Primary School and 2 of the MiniHorts …

Introduction to Forest Gardening

February 4th, 2020

28:49

This episode I’m speaking to Jake Rayson. Jake lives in rural Wales on a 2 acre smallholding, which is set up as a working forest garden. In addition …

Podcast 45 - Documenting the Natural World

January 28th, 2020

58:47

This episode is a double-bill, featuring two interviewees speaking about two historical figures who led lives with many parallels, although they were working almost two centuries apart.

The first interview is with Teri …

Podcast 44 - Fergus Garrett on Biodiversity at Great Dixter

January 21st, 2020

29:05

Over the past four or so years, experts from many fields have come together to record the biodiversity at Great Dixter and the results have been …

Podcast 43 - Pruning Roses with Richard Stubbs of David Austin

January 14th, 2020

31:24

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode of the podcast. This week I’m speaking to Richard Stubbs who currently works as the Trade Manager at David Austin but who’s worked in pretty much every department there, …

Podcast 42 - Wildfires with Saul Elbein

January 7th, 2020

34:17

The National Geographic published an article by Saul on December 9th titled “How to live with mega-fires? Portugal’s feral forests may hold the …

Podcast 41 - Kim Wilkie - Led By the Land

December 17th, 2019

30:27

Part 2 of the Design Experts Series, kindly sponsored by the London College of Garden Design

My guest for this episode is Kim Wilkie. Kim grew up in …

Podcast 40 - Robin Snowdon of Limeburn Hill Biodynamic Vineyard

December 10th, 2019

36:48

This week, I’m speaking to Robin Snowdon who runs Limeburn Hill Biodynamic Vineyard. The vineyard is biodynamic and Robin works closely with the land, managing the estate not just for the vines but also for native flora …

Bonus Episode - Plant Passports & New DEFRA Legislation

December 4th, 2019

35:33

This is a bonus episode and a follow-up to one I did back in April with Graham, where he spoke about new DEFRA Legislation that comes into effect on …

Podcast 39 - Edimentals with Stephen Barstow

December 3rd, 2019

45:50

Stephen grows a dazzling range of plants, some you probably haven’t even heard of, let alone eaten and more still that you may have heard of but may not have considered to be edible. 

Stephen’s book Around the World in …

Bonus: A Review of the Podcast So Far

November 27th, 2019

10:36

A warm welcome to new listeners and to those existing listeners who haven't quite got to grips with my wonky episode numbering system - this episode is for you! 

Join me for a quick whizz through all the previous …

EP 38: Planting in a Post-Wild World with Thomas Rainer

November 26th, 2019

33:48

Part One: The Design Experts Series - Sponsored by The London College of Garden Design 

This episode features Thomas Rainer, Principal Designer at …

EP 37: Beth Chatto: A Life With Plants with Catherine Horwood

November 19th, 2019

30:15

This week I’m talking to Catherine Horwood, authorised biographer of Beth Chatto and author of the recently released Beth Chatto: A Life With Plants. Catherine was hugely privileged to be given access to Beth’s personal …

EP 36: Apples with Naomi Slade & Sassie Yassamee

November 12th, 2019

36:26

This episode we’re discussing apples and I have TWO guests; Naomi Slade who is the author of An Orchard Odyssey and Sassie Yassamee who runs Eve Apple Press, a mobile apple pressing service in East Sussex. We’re just …

EP 35 - Soil with Tim O’Hare

November 5th, 2019

37:04

This episode, I’m talking about one of the fundamental cornerstones that underpins everything we do as growers - soil. And to talk about this vital element, who better than soil scientist and international expert on the …

Bats in Our Cities & Gardens with Jo Ferguson of the Bat Conservation Trust

October 29th, 2019

35:32

This week, I’m speaking to Jo Ferguson and we’re talking about bats. As with most of our wildlife, population trends show a decline in bats in the UK …

EP 34 - Edible Mushrooms with Geoff Dann

October 22nd, 2019

29:02

This week, Sarah is talking with Geoff Dann. Geoff is a Hastings based forager with a vast and by the sounds of it, pretty unique understanding of the mushrooms that grow in our landscape. He’s also the author of Edible …

Garden BirdWatch with Kate Risely of BTO

October 15th, 2019

34:32

This week, I’m talking garden birds with Kate Risely, Garden BirdWatch Organiser at the British Trust for Ornithology. Kate talks us through the …

EP 33 - Peonies with Alec White of Primrose Hall Peonies

October 8th, 2019

28:53

This week, Sarah is talking Peonies with Alec White of Primrose Hall Peonies. If you attended this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, you probably saw the …

Public Green Spaces with Neil Sinden

October 1st, 2019

27:35

Just how free are we to walk around our cities and countryside? Who owns our parks and public spaces and who makes the decision what you can and can’t do in them and when they can be closed for ticketed events? What can …

EP 32 - A New Garden Ethic with Benjamin Vogt

September 24th, 2019

31:57

A New Garden Ethic with Benjamin Vogt

 

Sarah talks to garden designer and author Benjamin Vogt about his book A New Garden Ethic: Cultivating …

Psychoactive Plants of the Amazon forest with Dr Glenn H Shepard

September 17th, 2019

32:50

Dr Glenn H Shepard is an ethnobotanist, medical anthropologist and film maker whose work focuses on the indigenous peoples of the Amazon. He speaks …

EP 31 - Edible Flowers with Jan Billington

September 10th, 2019

34:07

In this episode, I’m speaking to Jan Billington of Maddocks Farm Organics, a flower farm in Devon growing and selling organic edible flowers. We talk …

Plants As Art with Alyson Mowat

September 3rd, 2019

27:53

Alyson Mowat runs her studio out of Shoreditch in London and has been creating botanical masterpieces for the past 5 years. She works with indoor and outdoor plants to make visually stunning green displays and …

EP 30 - Growing Orchids In Your Garden with Dr Wilson Wall

August 27th, 2019

22:40

This week I’m speaking to Dr Wilson Wall of Bewdley Orchids. Dr Wall is also the co-author of How to Grow Native Orchids in Gardens Large and Small and is a foremost expert on UK native orchids. In this episode, he …

Budcast - The Bee Watch App with Penny Hearn

August 20th, 2019

26:39

Sarah chats with Penny Hearn about a new app that's been launched to track bees and pestcide use.

The Bee Watch App is useful for beekeepers, but …

EP 29 - Garden Design for Every Species with John Little of the Grass Roof Company

August 13th, 2019

28:37

This week I’m speaking to John Little. John founded the Grass Roof Company in 1998 and for the past 20 years, he’s been designing and implementing gardens in public spaces that work for people, for plants and for …

Budcast - Garden Walk Around

August 6th, 2019

11:57

Sarah invites you to join her on a walk around her garden. Plus, a quick chat about the garden media.

 

Get in touch;

Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk 

Website www.rootsandall.co.uk 

Twitter @rootsandall

Instagram …

EP 28 - Crops In Tight Spots with Alex Mitchell

July 30th, 2019

27:37

This week I’m speaking to Alex Mitchell, aka the Edible Gardener. Alex is the gardening columnist for the Evening Standard and author of five books …

Budcast - Low Allergen Planting with Olivia Kirk

July 23rd, 2019

22:41

This week I chat to Olivia Kirk about low allergen planting. Olivia works on both public and private gardens and has a number of show gardens under …

EP 27 - The Garden Jungle with Professor Dave Goulson

July 16th, 2019

31:35

This week I’m speaking to Dave Goulson, who is a Professor of Biology at the University of Sussex. Dave is also the founder of the Bumblebee …

Budcast - Chris Williams of Edibleculture Ltd

July 9th, 2019

20:20

This week I’m speaking to Chris Williams, co-founder of Edibleculture, an inspirational nursery based in Faversham in Kent. From the day the nursery …

EP 26 - Forest Bathing with Stefan Batorijs of Nature and Therapy UK

July 2nd, 2019

27:31

Forest Bathing, or Shinrin Yoku, is the practice of immersing yourself in nature as therapy. It’s the perfect antidote for those who feel disconnected from the land and unattached from nature, which is increasingly …

Budcast - Going Peat Free with John Walker

June 25th, 2019

38:53

Sarah speaks to the Earth Friendly Gardener, John Walker about the use of peat in our gardens. 

We all know it's bad, but how bad is it and what's …

EP 25 - Growing Cut Flowers with Georgie Newbery of Common Farm Flowers

June 18th, 2019

33:28

How many of us haven’t dreamt of having an idyllic smallholding that allows us to be financially self-supporting, maybe even one that grows flowers …

Budcast - Iain Tolhurst Stock-Free Farming Pt. 2

June 11th, 2019

34:36
What happens to all the cows if everyone turns vegan?   In Part 2 of Iain’s talk, recorded at VegFest 2019, Iain addresses issues surrounding current farming practices. He describes how he believes stock-free is better …

EP 24 - Creating an Ark with Mary Reynolds

June 4th, 2019

34:56

Mary Reynolds has a long and successful career in horticulture, which is underpinned by design, but has evolved along the way as she has striven to …

Budcast - Interview with Sarah Wilson

May 28th, 2019

1:01:57

Sarah is interviewed by podcast listener Joanne Richardson

After a few prompts from listeners, Sarah takes the plunge and decides to be interviewed for an episode of the Budcast. Listener Jo does a fantastic job of …

EP 23 - Social Therapeutic Horticulture with Damien Newman of Thrive

May 21st, 2019

33:40

As the RHS Chelsea Flower Show opens its doors to the public today, it’s interesting to see many of the gardens focus on the wellbeing and …

Budcast - No Dig Gardening with Charles Dowding

May 14th, 2019

17:03

Sarah attended a fantastic 2 day weekend course at Homeacres and posed these questions to Charles after the first day of the course was completed, based on what she had learnt up to that point. They talk about what No …

EP 22 - Giles Heap, Managing Director of CED Stone

May 7th, 2019

34:45

This week, I’m speaking to Giles Heap, Managing Director of CED Stone. CED has a long history of supplying natural stone paving and facilitating the use of stone throughout the landscape and construction industries. …

Budcast - Kitchen Garden Ideas with James Mellors

April 30th, 2019

23:01

Sarah chats to organic kitchen gardener James Mellors.

They discuss organic, no-kill pest control, companion planting, interesting varieties and bees …

Bonus Episode - Iain Tolhurst Vegan Organic Farming

April 25th, 2019

48:22

This episode is produced in association with the Vegan Organic Network. It was recorded at VegFestUK on the 23rd March 2019.

Iain Tolhurst is a …

EP 21 - Wildlife Gardening with Kate Bradbury

April 23rd, 2019

30:23

Following on from my episodes on native vs. non-native plants and gardening for wildlife, who better for me to interview than wildlife gardening guru …

Invasive Plants, Garden Records & A Listener Request

April 16th, 2019

14:45

Plus, following a listener question about how best to plan and keep a track of what's going on in your garden, Sarah speaks about the results of a …

EP 20 - Container Planting with Harriet Rycroft

April 9th, 2019

31:38

This week, I’m honoured to be joined by the Queen of Containers, Harriet Rycroft. Harriet worked for many years at Whichford Pottery in Warwickshire, where she became renowned for producing season after season of the …

Budcast - Exotic Plants and Why Plant Lovers Should Fear December 2019 With Graham Blunt of Plantbase Nursery in Wadhurst

April 2nd, 2019

27:40

To be completely contrary after her plea for gardeners to plant more native plants, Sarah interviews Graham Blunt of Plantbase, a nursery …

EP 19 - Daffodils with Adrian Scamp

March 26th, 2019

26:21

The daffodils have been in full swing for a few weeks now and as today’s guest, Adrian Scamp of Scamp’s Daffodils tells us, we can expect them to …

Budcast - Native and Non-native Plants - Part 2

March 19th, 2019

14:50

Join Sarah for a brief recap of why native plants are better than non-native, before a delve into the more positive impact gardeners can have in ensuring wildlife has a future in our landscape. 

Part 2 of this …

Bonus Episode - Wild Food Tasting Session

March 13th, 2019

20:42

Rough & Ready Audio Alert!

This is a bonus episode recording of the wild food tasting session that took place before the main interview with forager Michael Wachter, which aired in Episode 18.

A supporting blog post …

EP 18 - Foraging with Michael Wachter

March 12th, 2019

31:26

In this episode, I’m talking foraging with expert forager Michael Wachter. Michael has masses of experience when it comes to living outdoors sustainably and being self-sufficient, having lived on a remote island off the …

Budcast - Native and Non-native Plants

March 5th, 2019

15:35

Sarah explores the reasons we all need to go native in our gardens.

From declining insects and struggling bird populations to invasive species and …

EP 17 - Hedgehogs with Hugh Warwick

February 26th, 2019

36:59

UK HEDGEHOGS NEED YOU! Since 2000, UK populations of hedgehogs have declined 30% in urban areas and 50% in rural areas. Today’s guest, Hugh Warwick, …

Allotments Part 2

February 19th, 2019

36:40

Back by popular demand, it's Part 2 of taking on and managing an allotment. With Louise Bell.

Listen as we talk about what to do with your allotment …

EP 16 - Poisonous Plants with Dr Liz Dauncey

February 12th, 2019

31:52

Have you ever wondered which are the most poisonous plants in your house and garden? Do you know how plant toxins work and how to handle poisonous plants safely? What are we, as gardeners, most at risk of when dealing …

Budcast - Open Source Seeds

February 5th, 2019

9:30

An episode dedicated to Esiah Levy. A short intro to seed sharing and open pollinated varieities.

Sadly, Esiah Levy who you may have heard …

EP 15 - Super Organic Vegan Gardening with Matthew Appleby

January 29th, 2019

26:52

Matthew Appleby is a multi award-winning horticultural journalist who regularly writes for gardening magazines, national newspapers and the industry …

Budcast - Caroline Cotton of Fertile Fibre

January 22nd, 2019

31:10

Why it's good to know what goes in your compost, especially if you want to shop ethically, sustainably and/or vegan. 

"Since the 1980’s Fertile Fibre have been producing peat free coir based organic composts. Fertile …

EP 14 - Cleve West

January 15th, 2019

39:57

In this episode, I talk with critically acclaimed garden designer Cleve West about his journey to a vegan lifestyle and how this impacts upon his work. 

We touch upon vegan gardening, cooking, farming for vegan and meat …

Budcast - The Christmas Episode

December 25th, 2018

17:46

Happy Christmas! Welcome to this special festive Budcast episode.

Join Sarah for the inaugral Roots and All Christmas Quiz. Plus, hear from two …

EP 13 - Ivy with Angela Tandy of Fibrex Nurseries

December 18th, 2018

21:10

Fibrex is a family run nursery, started by Hazel & Dick Key over half a century ago. The business is still run by family members; Angela works alongside her sister, brother and sister-in-law, as well as other family …

Budcast - Plant Hardiness, Birds and Hand-digging

December 11th, 2018

19:50

RHS Plant Hardiness Ratings, Offering the Best Menu to Garden Birds & Why Going to the Gym is Madness.

This week is a bit more back to basics as Sarah talks about how RHS and USDA hardiness ratings help you select …

Episode 12 – Esiah Levy’s SeedsShare Project

December 4th, 2018

25:22

Born in 1986 to Jamaican parents in South East London, Esiah Levy is a London-based creative Food Grower, Gardener Designer and the founder of SeedsShare, a project sending edible plant seeds all over the world.

Climate Change Gardening - Panel Discussion

November 30th, 2018

51:16

 

Gardening in A Changing Climate

This is a recording of a panel discussion that took place at a Designers' Day event on 27th November 2018. The sound quality is pretty raw and not up to our excellent standards, as we …

Budcast - Plant Life Cycles

November 27th, 2018

9:11

Decoding plant categories so you can tell how long your plant will live.

This episode sees the introduction of a new segment, 'Getting to the Roots of...' and this week we're going back to basics to find out the …

EP 11 - BioChar with Craig Sams of Carbon Gold

November 20th, 2018

30:42

This episode, I’m talking BioChar with Craig Sams, the co-founder of Carbon Gold, a company that produces a range of BioChar products for the garden …

Budcast - Garden Jobs

November 13th, 2018

9:36

Sarah shares tips from 3 experts about what you can be doing in the garden this week

If you want to find out the best early flowering narcissus, which raspberries varieties taste the sweetest and how to look after your …

EP 10 - Aesthetic Ecology with Toby Diggens

November 6th, 2018

35:38

Have you ever noticed how natural landscapes always seem to work? The colours, shapes, scale and textures of a natural landscape appear pleasing to …

Budcast - Houseplant Update

October 30th, 2018

10:46

This week is all about plant pests and diseases, maintenance and planting. Sarah reads an excerpt from fellow Hastings plant-lover Marianne North's diary to mark Marianne's 188th birthday. 

 

Get in touch;

Email 

EP 09 - Terry Woods - Fox-A-Gon

October 23rd, 2018

24:15

Do you welcome foxes into your garden or are they the bane of your life when it comes to growing plants and keeping a clean and tidy plot? Foxes can be a joy to watch but a pain when they’re digging up your plants! In …

Budcast - Listener Questions

October 16th, 2018

11:04

Sarah fields listener questions about herbaceous border maintenance in October and when to prune pieris. She reports back on her visit to the Great Dixter Plant Fair and there's a little bit of housekeeping too.

 

Get …

EP 08 - Alliums with Jackie Currie

October 9th, 2018

26:02

Alliums have to be one of our most well-loved, contemporary perennials. They’re relatively pest and disease free, pollinators love them, they look …

Budcast - National Collections and Overdue Jobs

October 2nd, 2018

8:58

Sarah talks about jobs she should have done two weeks ago (same old same old) and about how National Collections work and why you may be able to have …

Budcast - An Introduction to Vegan Gardening

September 25th, 2018

9:23

The first ever Vegan Garden Festival was held at Hortus Loci Plant Centre in Hampshire on Sept 15th 2018. Sarah reviews the event and her discovery that she may be more than just a vegan who gardens.

 

Get in touch;

EP 07 - Trees

September 18th, 2018

36:52

Selecting and planting trees can be a minefield. Never fear though, help is on hand as ‘legend in the world of trees’, Kew-trained, Peter Thurman is here to provide straight-forward advice about what to do and what not …

Episode 11 - Carnivorous Plants

September 11th, 2018

16:59

If you want to know the answers to why your carnivorous plant may look dead but isn't and why none of them can eat greenfly, listen in... 

 

Get in touch;

Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk

Website www.rootsandall.co.uk

Episode 10 - August? Meh!

September 4th, 2018

9:20

Sarah is surprised to find that August is not the most popular month with gardeners and explores some ways in which the month can be made a little …

Episode 9 - Houseplants

August 28th, 2018

30:40

Houseplants have come a long way since your mum’s Swiss cheese plant from the 1970s. However, successfully cultivating one of the myriad of varieties …

Episode 8 - Terrariums and Tulips

August 21st, 2018

9:22

Beth Otway AKA Pumpkin Beth has turned terrarium gardening into a perfectly balanced combination of science and art. Sarah reads excerpts from her …

Episode 7 - Letting You in on a Secret

August 14th, 2018

8:41

Sarah starts by pondering how come the roses seem to be having 2 distinct flushes this year and gets no nearer to an answer. She also discusses when to trim your box bushes and talks about the intriguing houseplant du …

Episode 6 - Allotments Part 1

August 7th, 2018

28:33

Lacking the space but certainly not the enthusiasm? Taking on an allotment has fast become a popular solution to keeping those green fingers …

Episode 5 - How to Cope in a Dastardly Drought

July 31st, 2018

12:44

If you're flagging in the hot weather, chances are your plants are too. Listen in to find out if you should be watering your outdoor plants in a …

Episode 4 - Hiring a garden designer

July 17th, 2018

43:28

You’ve got the space, you’ve got a budget, but where to begin? It can be difficult and sometimes daunting to know how to set about transforming and …

Episode 3 - Worms

June 19th, 2018

35:15

Today, Sarah interviews Paul Hetherington, Director of Fundraising and Communications at the Buglife Invertebrate Conservation Organisation, with a …

Episode 2 - Hiring a gardener

June 19th, 2018

31:19

Anyone with a modest or sizeable outdoor space will appreciate the time and effort that goes into maintaining it.  So the question professionals in the industry are often asked is, how do I get a good gardener?  

In the …

Episode 1 - Dahlias

June 14th, 2018

22:39

In the first episode of this insightful series, Sarah covers one of her favourite topics as she talks to two special guests about Dahlias.

Join Emma …

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