Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

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 or another, I've sat on it all that time, never quite sure when to release it. Of course, there are scents in the garden all year round, but when you're heading towards winter and the scent of a sweet pea flower seems a lifetime away, somehow I couldn't quite get together the enthusiasm for the subject matter that I felt this episode deserved, especially as scents are such an important thing to me. If you read the book, you will realise these ethereal, ephemeral things make up an integral part of our very being and yet we don't have a consensus on a vocabulary to even begin to describe them. As the natural world bursts into green and flower around us, stick your nose in the air and have a good sniff. About Isabel Bannerman: Alongside Julian Bannerman, Isabel heads up a garden design practice. Together, the couple have designed gardens for HRH The Prince of Wales, clients from the worlds of film and fashion and have won gold medals at RHS Chelsea for their work. Isabel is also an accomplished photographer with 4 solo shows under her belt and is the author of two books, 'Scent Magic' and 'Landscape of Dreams' (2016). What We Discuss: The importance of scent to Isabel's design work. Designing scentscapes. Dreaming scents; why don't we? Air pollution and its affect on the way scent carries Unexpected or overlooked scents in the garden How aspect affects the way scent travels The faecal smell that sometimes underscores the top notes of flowers Some of Isabel's favourite scent combinations Combinations that don't work together Links: Scent Magic by Isabel Bannerman - Pimpernel Press, 2019 Isabel & Julian Bannerman Garden Design www.howgreennursery.co.uk Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Support me on Patreon Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

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 the wild. Like all the best hero's journeys, the path must be littered with challenges, disappointments, interesting characters, in this case both plants and people and the drama of the journey travelled surpasses the quest. This episode is perfect for those of us lucky enough to still have access to nature and my hope is that by the end of it at least one or two of you will have a new hobby/obsession! About Peter Marren: Peter Marren is an all-rounder naturalist, nature writer and conservationist. Peter is the author of many books, including volumes on nature conservation, mushrooms and butterflies. His writing has appeared in every issue of British Wildlife since 1990, where he writes a satirical column 'Twitcher in the Swamp'. What We Discuss: The quest embarked upon in Chasing the Ghost How many species of native wildflower are there in the British Isles? How many did Peter need to see in order to see the 'full set'? How the book is as much about the people Peter met along the way as it is about plants Peter's best/most triumphant find Of all the plants Peter saw, which is the most endangered, in his opinion? His most dangerous expedition Plant twitching as a hobby Some of the most interesting common names How could a person embark upon their own plant hunting quest? Where would be a good place to get started? Links: Chasing the Ghost: My Search for all the Wild Flowers of Britain - Peter Marren Vintage Publishing, 2019 Harrap's Wild Flowers by Simon Harrap - Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018 Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland by Marjorie Blamey, Richard Fitter, Alastair H. Flitter - Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013 The New Concise British Flora by Rev. W Keble Martin - Sphere Books Ltd, 1972 www.fertilefibre.com www.naturalgrower.co.uk www.GardenTopsoilDirect.co.uk Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Patreon Link Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

This week I'm talking to anarchist organiser, agroecologist and grassroots herbalist, Nicole Rose. Nicole runs the Solidarity Apothecary, an organisation supporting mainly prisoners and refugees either by supplying herbal remedies or by facilitating the growing and making of these. We talk about Nicole's work to help prisoners, refugees and other facing state repression by helping them with their physical and mental wellbeing through a connection to nature. About Nicole Rose: "I'm undertaking a four-year clinical training with The Plant Medicine School in Ireland to develop my skills as a practitioner. This site shares my learning journey as well as the work of my project, the Solidarity Apothecary. Plants and social struggle have always been inseparable to me. I learnt how to grow food on a 3.5 year prison sentence for a campaign to close down Europe's largest animal testing company. Inside, it was the plants cracking the concrete that kept me going. On release, I have organised with many collectives and campaigns, from helping organise the first Radical Herbalism Gathering in the UK to stopping fracking in Somerset. I now mostly engage with campaigns against prison expansion and the prison industrial complex, as well as supporting prisoners and people experiencing repression. As a massive and unashamed plant geek, my main field has been agroecology and food autonomy. I started Empty Cages Design in 2011 to offer design consultancy services and community education in liberatory forms of land use, including teaching an annual Vegan Permaculture Design Course. In 2013, I co-founded Feed Avalon, a workers cooperative that works for socially-just and ecologically sound food production in Glastonbury, Street and surrounding villages. We have community gardens, a kitchen, mushroom farm and all sorts of projects! I complimented this grassroots work with studying for a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design, as well as a BSc Integrative Ecosocial Design and MSc Applied Agroecology with Gaia University." - https://solidarityapothecary.org/about-nicole/ What We Discuss: The Solidarity Apothecary and what sparked Nicole to start the project Who benefits from the herbal remedies Nicole produces? What are some of the most popular remedies? What are the benefits to prisoners of connecting with nature? How much opportunity do they have to engage with the natural world and healing plants whilst they are in prison? How the Solidarity Apothecary benefits people outside the prison system The idea of Queer Ecology How inaccessible horticulture, ecology and permaculture can seem to LGBTQ+ people. What can be done about this. Links: www.solidarityapothecary.org Email Nicole Rose [email protected] The Prisoner's Herbal by Nicole Rose Land In Our Names Justice for Kevan Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Patreon Link - Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

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 our gardens here in the UK. A small percentage of these manage to jump the garden fence and survive in the wild and a smaller percentage still become a problem. But although it's a small percentage that become invasive, anyone who's done battle with Japanese Knotweed knows they can be a huge problem. Tomos is working to predict which plants may become a problem in the future, using a range of forecasting techniques, coupled with help from gardeners. This episode is published in support of another of our independent nurseries, Ivy Hatch Plants, who continue to deliver fantastic plants to customers at this time. Please support them! www.ivyhatchplantsupplies.co.uk About Tomos Jones: Tomos Jones is a NERC SCENARIO PhD student at the University of Reading and a passionate gardener. His research focuses on the 17,000 plant species - introduced from all over the world - which are found in our gardens. A small number of these ornamental plants have become invasive, having a detrimental impact on native biodiversity. Climate change could provide opportunities for more plants to become a problem. Tomos' challenge is to identify which plants might become our future invaders. Gardeners are crucial to his approach to this challenge; in both their choice of plants to grow and in understanding how ornamental plants can escape gardens and potentially become invasive. Before starting his PhD, Tomos worked at Treborth Botanic garden in N. Wales. Tomos also completed a British Council internship at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden in Yunnan, China, where he focused on in situ orchid conservation. These are only two of many fantastic gardens he has visited around the world giving him an appreciation of the long history of global horticultural trade, and the risk ornamental plants can pose to native biodiversity. What We Discuss: What is a native plant and what is a non-native? How many new species of plant do we introduce to the UK each year and of those, how many 'jump the garden fence' and become established in the wild? Of those, how many cause an identifiable problem and become invasive? The definition of an invasive plant Do non-native plants cause problems by occupying a niche that could otherwise be taken up by a native plant? Non-native plants appear to perform OK in terms of providing nectar and pollen sources, but how do they compare to native plants as host plants? Should there be tighter controls on the importation of plants into the UK? Ornamental plants which might naturalise in the future and why Which ornamental plants have invasive potential, now and under future climate scenarios? Can gardeners be effective in identifying invasive potential early in the invasion process? Will the way we garden will change in the future as a result of threats to our ecosystems, eg less plants imported, a smaller range available, the banning of certain species, etc? Links: Tomos Jones's Blog Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Patreon Link - Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

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 better gardener for butterflies and it doesn't stop at growing some buddleia! Peter is the author of the book Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies. The book is THE definitive guide to UK butterflies and documents the different life stages from adults down to the smallest eggs. This episode is supporting Independent UK Nursery Johnson's Sweet Peas. What We Discuss: How many British butterfly species are there? How many life stages are documented in the book? What are the chances of us recreating butterfly habitats in our gardens? What are some of the most important host or nectar plants we can include in our gardens? Are butterflies fussy about their food plants? Are some plants better than others? Do any of our butterflies overwinter in the UK or are they all migratory? Do we have any invasive species that force others out? Which species are most able to cope with a loss in habitat? Will we see a proliferation of one or two successful species that are more adaptable? The key period we should avoid cutting back foliage in our gardens/meadows/road verges Links: www.ukbutterflies.co.uk Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies - Peter Eeles, NatureBureau 2019 Peter Eeles on Twitter @petereeles www.johnsonssweetpeas.co.uk Johnson's Sweet Peas on Twitter @JohnsonsSweetPs Johnson's on Instagram @johnsonssweetpeas Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help me keep the podcast free & independent by subscribing at Patreon! Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

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 years through trial and error, she's gained a huge amount of knowledge that she's happy to share. If you're stuck indoors with little to do, making dyes is a fantastic pastime that you should be able to do using just the contents of your garden or store cupboard. This episode is for anyone looking to learn a new skill or keep children entertained and it will hopefully give you enough pointers to go off and explore natural dyes for yourself. It's a slightly longer episode than usual, so sit back and like a scoured piece of fabric, soak up the dye of Nicola's knowledge. This episode I'm delighted to support independent nursery Ashwood Nurseries, who are still open for mail order and have a stunning range of Lewisias and Primula auriculas looking their best right now. Plus, they have an impressive range of shrubs, trees, conifers, fruit, roses, climbing plants, herbaceous perennials, alpines, heathers, patio and indoor plants. Visit www.ashwoodnurseries.com to browse their range and for cultural information on the plants they grow. What We Discuss: How long it takes to make a dye Some common things you might find in your garden that you could use General dyeing processes Different techniques involved in applying the dye to the fabric Which fabrics you can dye Relatively quick and easy projects you can try with children Where you can find out more about making and using natural dyes Links: Jean Dean - Wild Colour : How to Make and Use Natural Dyes, Octopus Publishing Group, 2018 The Wild Dyery Suzanne Dekel on Instagram www.traditionaldyeworks.com Seasalt Stories www.georgeweil.com Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe or support me on Patreon

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 from reading the blurb, it's about those irreplaceable wild environments and the species we're in danger of losing. But it's also about the people who are so deeply connected to the landscapes and the animals they're battling to save. Julian speaks about why it's imperative that we stop the destruction of precious landscapes, how we can help at the individual level and why it's vital to maintain the connection between people and place. About Julian Hoffman: Julian is a writer living in the northwest of Greece, next to the Prespa Lakes. This area is home to a particularly diverse range of people, wildflowers, animals and habitats, making it a rich environment in which to learn about the connections between people the natural world. Julian's previous book, 'The Small Heart of Things: Being at Home in a Beckoning World'; won the 2012 AWP Series for Creative Nonfiction. His fiction and nonfiction work has been widely published; you can find some links below and more on his website. What We Discuss: What are we really losing when we lose wild places? If future generations don't experience as much biodiversity or wild spaces as we do, does that matter? Will they know what they're missing if they never have it? Does it matter if we lose established habitats, such as ancient woodland? What's the problem with biodiversity off-setting? How can we reconcile a desire to protect wild spaces with our need to expand, be better/faster/richer? Who's to say the changes we make to the landscape today won't contribute to positive developments in the future? Restoration of landscapes versus preservation How can people learn to love landscapes that may not be so easily read or their beauty not quite as apparent? What can we do to help protect threatened landscapes, as individuals? Links: www.julian-hoffman.com Julian's Blog - Notes from Near and Far Julian on Twitter Irreplaceable : The fight to save our wild places by Julian Hoffman - Penguin Books, 2019 The Small Heart of Things: Being at Home in a Beckoning World by Julian Hoffman - Georgia Press, 2014 Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Patreon Link - Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

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 Dixter way of life and works tirelessly to support the house and garden. You may find him harvesting produce in the kitchen garden, serving lunch to guests and students, hosting horticultural royalty in the house or travelling the world to promote Great Dixter. 'Grow Fruit & Vegetables in Pots' is both a practical guide to growing food in containers and a recipe book, providing inspiration for what to do with the abundance of produce you'll have once you've mastered the art. Aaron gives tips on the best fruit for containers, how to avoid flea beetle, what to feed your crops, cooking with lettuce, plus loads of other invaluable advice for those growing their own produce in containers. About Aaron Bertelsen: "Aaron studied Social Anthropology at the University of Otago before coming to England in 1996 to volunteer in the garden at Great Dixter. He subsequently studied for a Diploma in Horticulture at Kew Gardens, and spent two years at Jerusalem Botanical Gardens in Israel, where he is still a trustee. Aaron returned to Great Dixter in 2005 and became the vegetable gardener and cook in 2007. Aaron is regularly invited to speak about gardening at events worldwide. His first book The Great Dixter Cookbook is published by Phaidon and has received international acclaim since its publication in March 2017." - www.greatdixter.co.uk What We Discuss: What crops you can grow in containers What crops you can't The best salad leaf crops Feeding crops in containers The best fruit for containers Growing for aesthetics as well as production Aaron's top 3 crops (which turned into 4!) Links: Aaron's Blog https://dixtervegetablegarden.wordpress.com Grow Fruit & Vegetables in Pots by Aaron Bertelsen - Phaidon, 2020 The Great Dixter Cookbook by Aaron Bertelsen - Phaidon, 2017 Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Patreon Link - Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

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 With Fungi: The Organic Grower's Guide to Mycorrhizae'. Jeff writes the longest running gardening column in the US, is a former president of the Garden Writers of America and was inducted into the GWA Hall of Fame in 2005. He lectures on organic gardening, has presented a gardening show on television and is the founder of a programme that has resulted in millions pounds of garden produce being donated to the hungry. And gardening is just his side gig. I start by asking Jeff what inspired him to write his series of books, which deal with some in-depth scientific concepts around plant growth and nutrition, and also to explain what mycorrhizal fungi actually is. About Jeff Lowenfels: Jeff Lowenfels is the author of the 'Teaming With' series of books; 'Teaming With Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide To The Soil Food Web', 'Teaming With Nutrients: The Organic Gardener's Guide to Optimizing Plant Nutrition' and 'Teaming With Fungi: The Organic Grower's Guide to Mycorrhizae'. Jeff writes the longest running gardening column in the US, is a former president of the Garden Writers of America and was inducted into the GWA Hall of Fame in 2005. He lectures on organic gardening and hosted Alaska's most popular gardening show "Alaska Gardens with Jeff Lowenfels". He also hosted a weekly radio show. He is the founder of a national programme that has resulted in millions pounds of garden produce being donated to the hungry. "Plant A Row For The Hungry" runs across all 50 US states and in Canada and is something Jeff is deeply passionate about. In his spare time, Jeff is a lawyer. What We Discuss: What is mycorrhizal fungi? How does it interact with plant roots and how does it benefit the plant? How does the relationship benefit the fungi? Plants that don't form symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi How can we encourage mycorrhizal fungi? Do different species of plant need different types of mycorrhizal fungi? Is this particularly important in the case of trees? If we're buying a proprietary product, how can we be sure it's appropriate for the plants we're planting, will contain enough spores and that these will be viable? How can we protect the mycorrhizal fungi that already exist in our soils? Links: www.jefflowenfels.com Jeff on Twitter @gardenerjeff Jeff on Facebook Teaming with Nutrients by Jeff Lowenfels - Timber Press, 2003 Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web by Jeff Lowenfels, Wayne Lewis - Timber Press, 2010 Teaming with Fungi by Jeff Lowenfels - Timber Press, 2017 DIY Autoflowering Cannabis : An Easy Way to Grow Your Own by Jeff Lowenfels - New Society Publishers, 2019 Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Patreon - Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

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 about whether trees are sacred; spoiler alert, Simon thinks they are and he explains eloquently and convincingly why. He touches on books by authors you may well have already read; The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben and Thus Spoke the Plant by Monica Gagliano. However, if you believe trees are sacred and sentient, a problem arises, namely do you have any right to move them, to prune them or even to move amongst them. And it's questions like these that we touch on in the episode. About Simon Leadbeater: Simon has a background in local government and the third sector. He and his wife bought Rector's Wood in 1999 and have lived there ever since. Simon has published work around the themes or ecology, rewinding and forestry. In his own words, Simon sums up his feelings on woodlands and the right to roam therein; "I think my essential philosophy is that we lack empathy for nature and particularly her animals, and we no longer venerate nature, in particular we no longer consider trees (and other plants) as sacred. If you have empathy, and wish to act as animals' proxy, then obviously you will give them space; if you consider trees sacred, then you will wish to look after them with reverent care. The latter would include behaving in a woodland as if you were in a temple or church – our behaviour would be appropriate for such sacred settings." What We Discuss: Simon's beliefs surrounding the sacredness of trees. What are the historical roots of considering trees to be sacred? How/why have we moved away from this idea? What makes Simon believe trees are sentient? How does this sentience manifest itself in the everyday lives of trees? What is open access to nature? Why might it be problematic? How do humans rediscover their connection with forests and woodlands? Why is important to consider the feelings of the trees themselves? Links: Simon Leadbeater on Twitter Simon's Work: Leadbeater, S.R.B. (2019), 'Ancient Roots to Untruths; Unlearning the past and seeing the world anew,' Quarterly Journal of Forestry,' January 2019 Vol 113 No.1 Nearby Wild Blog Leadbeater S (2019) 'In defence of tears,' The Ecological Citizen 3(Suppl A): 101–3 Leadbeater, S.R.B., (2018) 'Meat: the Alpha and Omega of Extinction,' ECOS, 39(3) Books Simon mentions in the interview: Wohlleben, P., (2016) The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate, Discoveries from a Secret World (2016), Greystone Books Gagliano, M., (2018) Thus Spoke the Plant: A Remarkable Journey of Groundbreaking Scientific Discoveries and Personal Encounters with Plants, North Atlantic Books: Berkeley, California Mathew Hall (2011), Plants as Persons: a Philosophical Botany, State University of New York Press The Imagination of Plants: A Book of Botanical Mythology (out this year, not yet read – but probably excellent) Safina, C., (2015), Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel, Henry Holt and Co. Taylor, B., (2010), Dark Green Religion: Nature Spirituality and the Planetary Future, University of California Press Powers, R., (2018) The Overstory, William Heinemann: London Hill, J., Butterfly, (2000) The Legacy of Luna: the story of a tree, a woman, and the struggle to save the redwoods, HarperCollins Publishers Inc Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Patreon Link Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Or onate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

This episode I'm speaking to Victoria Leedham, Co-Curator and Gallery Manager of the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden. I visited the garden earlier this month and even in winter garb, it was beautiful, set as it is in ancient woodland with streams running through it that pour down from Leith Hill in Surrey. The sculptures in the garden are diverse in character and look stunning within the location, each one fitting harmoniously into the backdrop of planting and landscape. Victoria is responsible for sourcing and placing sculpture in the garden, alongside owner garden designer Anthony Paul. We spoke about Victoria's work, about the sculpture garden and also how you can select and place sculptures in your own garden. This episode I'm speaking to Victoria Leedham, Co-Curator and Gallery Manager of the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden. I visited the garden earlier this month and even in winter garb, it was beautiful, set as it is in ancient woodland with streams running through it that pour down from Leith Hill in Surrey. The sculptures in the garden are diverse in character and look stunning within the location, each one fitting harmoniously into the backdrop of planting and landscape. Victoria is responsible for sourcing and placing sculpture in the garden, alongside owner garden designer Anthony Paul. We spoke about Victoria's work, about the sculpture garden and also how you can select and place sculptures in your own garden. About the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden: "The Sculpture Garden was the brainchild of owner and original curator Hannah Peschar 36 years ago, and has grown from a handful of sculptures to over 200 pieces exhibited every summer. Artists come from across Britain and Europe to exhibit their work in these breathtaking surroundings, allowing their sculptures to be seen in a whole new way. The Garden used to be part of a large estate, laid out between 1915 and 1920. Later it was split up and sold in several lots; leaving the 15th Century, grade 2 listed cottage with ten acres of land including a large water and rock garden. The garden fell rapidly into decline after the estate was sold. Over the past 40 years the garden has been redesigned and replanted by award-winning landscape designer Anthony Paul, who has introduced many large-leaved plants in bold groups, tall grasses and created 3 new ponds. The range of works selected by the curators is wide with styles varying from figurative to highly abstract, innovatively using contemporary metals, wire, glass, ceramics and plastics as well as the more traditional stone, wood and bronze. Each sculpture is placed in a carefully considered and meaningful relationship with the other featured works within the garden. The result is an inspired combination of peaceful, enclosed harmony and dramatic, surprise vistas in an ever-changing environment. Throughout the 37 year lifetime of the Garden, the overriding theme is the powerful relationship between art and nature. Neither one outshines the other: every piece is placed in harmony with its surrounding to create an amazing synergy within the environment." - http://www.hannahpescharsculpture.com/about What We Discuss: The ethos behind the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden Considerations around placing sculpture in the garden, including planting and lighting A discussion of the different materials used and their pros and cons Choosing sculpture for and placing it in your own garden Links: Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden www.hannahpescharsculpture.com The Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden Black & White Cottage, Standon Lane, Ockley, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5QR Telephone: (+44) (0) 1306 627 269 Email: [email protected] Re-opens for the year from 3rd April 2020 Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall GoFundMe gf.me/u/w7sy4c

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 Cape Town. I spoke to Leon about his work and the particular set of challenges he faces in South Africa. And let's just say, you might just think twice the next time you moan about aphids…Leon goes out of his way to source and propagate plants from his local region and he discusses some of the amazing landscapes that surround the area. He also talks about when and where to go if you're a plant lover and you're planning a visit to South Africa. This series has very kindly been sponsored by the London College of Garden Design. About Leon Kluge: "Leon kluge was brought up in the Lowveld botanical gardens,From an early age, Leon has nurtured a great affinity for plants; his grandfather was the curator of the Betty's Bay Botanical Garden and the Lowveld National Botanical Garden, while his mother owns and runs a renowned wholesale nursery in Nelspruit. Leon has been invited to create his unique landscapes throughout the world: being the only landscape designer from Africa that has ever won the Gardening World Cup held in Nagasaki Japan. He has also been awarded best designer at the biggest Garden design event on earth held in the USA, The Philadelphia flower show. Leon is also a multiple Gold award winner at the prestigious Chelsea flower show held in London-UK. He has also been the first designer from Africa to win Gold at the biggest design show in Asia, The Singapore Garden Festival and also the New Zealand International flower show. Some of Leon's Clients include gardens for Disney ,The United Nations, Hollywood celebrities, and for governments all over the world. Leon also represents Cape Town and Kirstenbosch at the Chelsea flower show yearly. Leon Kluge has become synonymous with modern contemporary landscaping and garden design." - www.leonkluge.com/about/ What We Discuss: The ethos behind Leon Kluge Design Influences/ Inspiration Options for those who wish to train as garden designers in South Africa The type of projects Leon works on, typical clients The climate in and around Cape Town, the environmental challenges faced The importance of gardens and horticulture in South Africa The challenges gardeners face Sourcing plants, the use of native plants The best time for plant lovers to visit South Africa Links: Leon Kluge Design www.leonkluge.com Leon Kluge on Instagram @leonkluge With thanks to the episode sponsor, the London College of Garden Design. www.lcgd.org.uk Tel +44 (0) 1483 762955 Email [email protected] Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at Patreon Or GoFundMe

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 themselves, Rebecca and Kieran. Louise set up a horticultural programme at the school 11 years ago, initially in a voluntary capacity. The programme became such a success she's now employed by the school and works 4 days a week to deliver what has become a vital part of the curriculum. Rebecca and Kieran are Year 6 pupils who are members of the after school gardening club and leads in the MiniHorts programme, passing on their knowledge and enthusiasm to younger pupils. The MiniHorts have been in the media quite a bit, including featuring in an episode of Gardeners' World in 2017, so they're seasoned pros at this sort of thing! If you don't have children or children of school age, I think you'll still find this episode interesting and inspiring, it's well worth a listen. About Louise, Rebecca and Kieran: Rebecca and Kieran are two MiniHorts; year 6 pupils who are also in the Wicor after school gardening group. Louise's history at Wicor is having worked from volunteer 11 years ago to employed horticulturalist 8 years ago. Her work has grown from a few hours a week to 4 days. She also works as a horticultural consultant alongside her work at the school. After the school gardens appeared on Gardeners' World, Louise was approached to work for the BBC on the Editorial Review Board for the Gardeners' World magazine. In January's clippings, she was asked to comment on The Wildlife Trust's recent survey on school gardening, from an angle that's mentioned in the episode; what is stopping more schools gardening? What We Discuss: What are the MiniHorts? Objections to school gardens; they're hard work, rely on volunteers and run to rack and ruin whilst pupils are on holiday. How can you overcome these challenges? Is horticulture on the curriculum in UK schools? Can more be done to promote horticulture in schools? What are the key factors needed to implement a successful school garden? Parent/community buy-in? Key stakeholder support? External funding? What support is available to people who may be interested in setting up a similar scheme? Has there been an increase in interest in horticultural careers amongst the children who've participated in the MiniHorts programme? Evidence of measurable positive impacts as a result of involvement in horticulture Particularly uplifting/poignant/heart-warming experiences as a result of being involved in MiniHorts Links: Wicor Primary School Hatherley Cres, Portchester, Fareham PO16 9DL 01329 237412 www.wicor.hants.sch.uk Video of the Wicor School Garden at the 2017 RHS Chelsea Flower Show MiniHorts on Twitter @minihorts Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like - Patreon Or GoFundMe

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 to managing his own plot, he also teaches about and designs forest gardens in the UK and beyond. For a long time, forest gardening was one of those terms I'd heard but I'm not sure I fully understood the principles behind it, partly because the term always struck me as a bit if a misnomer. Essentially, it's a common-sense and ecologically respectful way of organising a productive garden. Jake is here to explain exactly what it entails and how you can apply the principles in your own garden. About Jake Rayson: Jake moved to a West Wales farmhouse in 2015 to pursue his vocation as a forest gardener. In a time of climate emergency, he passionately believes that a productive garden can be sustainable, wildlife-friendly *and* ornamental. He divides his time between forest garden design and teaching, the relentless planting of 3 acres of hillside and his relentless young family. What We Discuss: What is forest gardening? How much space do you need to practice it? Can anyone do it? What are some common things people struggle with when they're starting out growing this way or are establishing their first forest garden? What are your top tips for success? Is it possible to be self-sufficient? Top performing plants in a forest garden How long does it take to establish a successful patch from scratch? Does it require a lot by way of maintenance? Essential features in a forest garden Where to find out more about forest gardening Links: www.forestgarden.wales email [email protected] Twitter @ForestGdnWales Facebook @ForestGardenWales Free mini-course 'Make a Forest Garden Plan' Further Reading Creating a Forest Garden by Martin Crawford Plants For A Future, online database of useful plants Orange Pippin fruit directory RHS Plant Finder (with native filter) Database of Insects and their Food Backyard Larder and Incredible Vegetables for perennial vegetables Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall GoFundMe gf.me/u/w7sy4c

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 Sayers-Copper and we discuss the life and work of Marianne North. Marianne was a biologist and botanical artist who journeyed across the world during the Victorian era, documenting the flora and fauna of the countries throughout which she travelled. Marianne explored and painted in every continent except Antartica and was responsible for documenting landscapes that were rapidly changing and disappearing in the wake of a developing world. The second part of the interview is with Tanya Latty, Associate Professor of Entomology at the University of Sydney. Tanya talks about Maria Sibylla Merian, a naturalist and scientific illustrator who was born in Germany in 1647. Merian also travelled the globe, meticulously observing and documenting insects and plants. In fact, she was the first to document caterpillar metamorphosis in an age where her contemporaries believed they came about by "spontaneous generation"! Links: Teri Sayers-Cooper www.creativeforce.org.uk www.mariannenorth.uk The Marianne North Gallery - Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Marianne North : The Kew Collection - RBG Kew, 2018 Recollections of a Happy Life: Being the Autobiography of Marianne North www.tanyalatty.com Hidden women of history: Maria Sibylla Merian, 17th-century entomologist and scientific adventurer - Dr Tanya Latty, The Conversation, February 20 2019 The Woman Who Made Science Beautiful - Andrea Wulf, The Atlantic, January 19 2016. Video of a talk given at the Linnean Society - A Curious Performance: Maria Sibylla Merian and the Art of Natural History by Kate Heard, Senior Curator of Prints and Drawings at Royal Collection Trust Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 fascinating. Fergus shares some of the results of this biodiversity audit and talks about how important it is to establish a coherent network of habitats in both public and private spaces across the UK. About Fergus Garrett: Fergus trained in horticulture at Wye College. He worked for Rosemary Alexander and for Beth Chatto before becoming Head Gardener at Great Dixter in 1992. Fergus worked closely with Christopher Lloyd until Christopher's death in 2006. Since then he has become Chief Executive of the Great Dixter Charitable Trust. Fergus continues to work full-time in the garden alongside a dynamic team of gardeners and students. He also writes for many publications and lectures extensively across the world. In 2019, he was awarded the RHS Victoria Medal of Honour. What we talk about: The decision to commission the Biodiversity Audit of Great Dixter The findings of the audit Biodiversity hotspots How the ornamental areas compare to wilder areas such as the meadows and woodland Thoughts about how the research that's underway at Great Dixter can be developed and how it can beneficially inform the way we all garden The importance of preserving historic houses and gardens from a biodiversity perspective Links: Great Dixter House & Gardens www.greatdixter.co.uk Great Dixter Biodiversity Report Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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, including as the Head Gardener of the 2 acre show garden. Richard lectures, designs and advises all over the world and what he doesn't know about roses you can write on the back of a stamp and still have room to lick it. I asked him about which roses need pruning and which don't, when to do it, how to do it and how not to do it. Plus, I got some inside information on why you shouldn't leave the label on a rose when you plant it. About Richard Stubbs: "My interest in gardening stretches back to my childhood as my dad was very knowledgeable and worked in the trade for a number of years after the War. My original intention was to go to college when I left school but due to the poor economy at the time I found myself working for a bank !!! After nearly 15 years I found myself out of work and decided a change of career was the right way to go. As I lived in the village of Albrighton the local unemployment office suggested I went to see David Austin Roses to see if they would consider me under a special Government Scheme at the time. After a quick interview with Michael Marriott the then Nursery Manager I was taken on, on a temporary basis. My first job was to walk through a field full of 900,000 new plants picking up the tops of the rootstocks that had been chopped off to allow the actual varieties to grow on. I loved the place from day one and still do to this day, it's a family business and everyone who work there is treated very much as members of their family. I was very keen to learn and obtained a copy of Mr Austin's first book 'The Heritage of the Rose' which I found fascinating, and my passion for roses quickly grew. Over the years I have worked in almost all the departments, the breeding section, producing 100's of thousands of seedlings each year and helping them test possible new varieties for various attributes, the production department, growing the roses, lifting them from the fields and packing them up to send to our customers, and for many years the head gardener of the 2 acre show garden. The garden was my passion and I became almost obsessive about it trying to make sure it was kept to a very high standard (not easy with only one person to look after nearly 5000 roses of all different shapes and sizes). I loved working and listening to Mr Austin on a daily basis and the memories of this time will live for ever. After a short break to look after people's gardens in the area I started back at DAR but this time in the office, passing on my knowledge to our customers and processing orders. That was nearly 15 years ago now and I have had various positions in the offices including office manager. My main role now is to look after all our trade customers (apart from Garden Centres), so Local Councils, National Trust, large public estates, garden designers and landscapers. I am also responsible for staff technical training and one of my favourite jobs is designing rose gardens for either private or trade customers. These can range from a simple small border right up to very large park projects. Mostly it is just advising on what roses to plant where but sometimes you are given a completely blank canvas to work on and I always think it is a wonderful job to be able to create a beautiful rose garden for people to enjoy over many years from a blank space. I also visit gardens in the UK and abroad to advise and my favourite rose garden of all is a garden we created 10 years ago in Assisi Italy and I hold pruning courses there every February. I am very, very passionate about roses and love to share this passion with whoever is willing to listen !!! This is one of the main reason I started The Magnificent Rose group on Facebook along with my wife so people with the same passion could share their pictures and their knowledge with likeminded people all over the world. I also have my own photography page RICMAY PHOTOGRAPHY as I am a keen amateur and love taking flowers and landscapes with my DSLR." What we talk about: A brief overview of the various types of roses we might find in our gardens Roses that don't need pruning When to prune The key tenets of rose pruning aka the 3 D's. Different types of pruning for different types of roses What can go wrong? What would happen if you didn't prune your rose? Pruning hygiene and good practice Common mistakes Links: David Austin Roses www.davidaustinroses.co.uk Richard's Photography Site Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 secret", which provides an insight into what conditions are needed for mega-fires to occur, the effects they have on humans once they take hold and how we can, and indeed must, be responsible for curtailing these events in the future, however the way forward is not certain and will undoubtedly involve a large amount of individual responsibility. I began by asking Saul just how much of a problem forest fires are becoming across the globe. About Saul Elbein: Saul is a freelance journalist who writes non-fiction features for outlets such as The New York Times Magazine, the National Geographic and one that some listeners may be fans of, the radio program and podcast, This American Life. He writes articles about the environment and the complex and often tense relationship between people and the land. "Above all, my work is guided by one idea: the world is changing for all of us alike. Vast storm fronts sweep across it, bending down forests in their wake, shaking boulders from the mountains. We can see the outlines of faraway storms before they reach our homes. In my small way, as a Texan far from home, I try to chart these storms and find a logic in them." - Saul Elbein www.saulelbein.com What we talk about: Are forest fires getting worse globally? What areas are most at risk How more densely planted areas can actually be more susceptible to wildfires How have the ways communities are structured contributed to the problem? Do people realise the extent of the problem? What is being done to tackle the problem in Portugal and is it enough? What should/could be done? Is there a danger communities are waiting for someone in power to do something when we all need to take back management of our lands, which involves a cost to the individual, at least in terms of time? Is there a danger knowledge of land management is dying out? Links: Website: www.saulelbein.com National Geographic - How to live with mega-fires? Portugal's feral forests may hold the secret - by Saul Elbein Dec 9th 2019 Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 the Malaysian jungle and the Iraqi desert, before moving to England to attend school. He is a prolific landscape architect who works on large-scale projects in the UK and internationally, in both public and private spaces. He works on a scale that is beyond the experience of many, if not most designers, for example, designing the green spaces around an entire new city in Oman or his 100 year Thames Landscape Strategy that encompasses the land along the river Thames from Richmond to Kew. Arguably, it's necessary on any project to tie together the culture, history, geology, the people, the place but never is it more important to get this right on projects of this scale where human experience is being shaped through what happens in the landscape on a huge scale and will be for generations to come. Kim's book Led by the Land explores just that, how he is led by the land through every part of his design process. About Kim Wilkie: "After 25 years of running his own practice, Kim now works as a strategic and conceptual landscape consultant. He collaborates with architects and landscape architects around the world and combines designing with the muddy practicalities of running a small farm in Hampshire, where he is now based. Kim studied history at Oxford and landscape architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, before setting up his landscape studio in London in 1989. He continues to teach and lecture in America; writes optimistically about land and place from Hampshire; and meddles in various national committees on landscape and environmental policy in the UK. Current projects are focused on regenerative farming combined with human settlement, both in England and North America." - www.kimwilkie.com What we talk about: Keeping landscapes in a state of adolescence Kim's projects in Solovki and Transylvania. How modern ways of living seem so incompatible with bygone ways where people lived in harmony with the land and with the other species that occur within that landscape. Can we successfully have it all i.e. have a life where all the component parts work together in a mutually beneficial way or is it one compromise after another when we try to modernise? An overview of the Thames Landscape Strategy Kim's work at the Natural History Museum and how Kim sees urban green spaces performing as natural resources get more squeezed and our climate changes Kim's Chelsea Barracks design, incorporating a vegetable garden. Who looks after the vegetable garden, who can harvest the produce and where would the produce be used or sold? Landforms The need to reconcile areas of high maintenance turf with wildlife gardening Is it the job of the designer to impose their artistry on a project or to channel the views of the stakeholders? Or both? Are gardens art? If they are, does this mean we can sacrifice the environment when creating them so as not to compromise our artistic freedom? If so, where do we draw the line, should we draw a line in terms of materials used, the ecological impact and so on? Links: Website: www.kimwilkie.com Led by The Land - Kim Wilkie, Updated, expanded and reissued by Pimpernel Press, 2019 With thanks to the episode sponsor, the London College of Garden Design www.lcgd.org.uk Tel +44 (0) 1483 762955 Email [email protected] Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 and fauna. He also uses fascinating methods to produce unique wines that encapsulate the flavour and essence of the site. Robin gives an excellent insight into what can happen when you grow crops in tune with your site, rather than fighting against it. About Robin Snowdon: Robin Snowdon and Georgina Harvey planted Limeburn Hill Biodynamic Vineyard in 2015, and Robin now works full time managing the vineyard and making the wine. The vineyard has been run following biodynamic practices from the beginning and this helps create both vineyard and wines that are full of character, identity and with a strong sense of place. More than half of the vineyard area is managed purely as habitat for native flora and fauna, and all wines are natural and fermented using only wild yeast from the vineyard. As part of his commitment to the land and his interest in the spiritual aspect of farming, Robin is also training to become a Druid. What we talk about: How Robin manages the vineyard and what they produce from Limeburn Hill? How the vineyard is biodynamic? What does this involve? What made Robin decide biodynamic growing was the best way to manage his vineyard? Is there evidence that biodynamic growing produces better crops, higher yields and so on? Robin's salutogenic approach to growing. The anti-fungal and anti-mildew sprays he uses on his vines The terroir and why the wines wouldn't taste the same if they were grown anywhere else Links: Website: www.limeburnhillvineyard.co.uk Instagram: limeburnhill Twitter: @limeburnhill For more details on Biodynamics have a look at the Biodynamic Association UK website https://www.biodynamic.org.uk Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 Dec 14th 2019. This episode will be relevant if you buy, sell or supply plant material (including plants, cut flowers, bulbs, Christmas trees and so on) in the UK. As you listen, you'll discover that there are no clear-cut answers as to what exactly the new legislation means as it seems very much up in the air, especially for small scale and independent nurseries. I will aim to keep you abreast of the situation, but for now, here's Graham's take on how the industry may be affected. Links: Plantbase Nursery www.plantbase.co.uk Plantbase on Twitter https://twitter.com/Plantbaseuk Plantbase on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/plantbase Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 80 Plants looks at perennial, leafy plants from around the globe that play a big part in the diet of those living where these plants naturally occur in abundance. He's grown and studied these in his garden in Norway and selected varieties for taste, growth performance and for nutritional, ornamental and entomological value. that please the eye, work from a maintenance perspective and can evolve successfully over time. We talk about what he grows in his garden, his passion for onions, his book and some of the varieties mentioned therein. About Stephen Barstow: "Stephen Barstow has devoted 30 years to trialling the world's perennial vegetables. It is unlikely that anyone anywhere has tried as many different species of edible plants – just witness his salad comprising 538 varieties in 2003 – earning him the title of 'Extreme Salad Man'! Stephen grew interested in green issues whilst studying in Norwich. He began eating whole-foods baking bread and learning the names of birds and plants. He became vegetarian when studying in Edinburgh and began a vegetable patch at his landlords flat. He was even sold with the building to the new owner as a lodger/gardener. In 1981 Stephen moved to Norway for work and found vegetarianism was only a small underground movement and that supermarkets stocked little vegetables. To survive they grew their own, and now Stephen has a garden that takes over two days to tour and 2,000 or so edibles, each with their own ethnobotanical story to tell." - Permanent Publications What we talk about: Stephen's book and how he came to write it, plans to release further editions that go beyond leafy veg? Advice for interested in growing edimentals, where to source seeds or plants, in the UK and internationally? If you're 'blessed' with Japanese knotweed, what can you with it? How to carry out blanching to improve flavour How onions propagate themselves? Stephen's favourite ornamental edible onion? If it's possible to be self-sufficient in ornamental veg all year round? How much space would you need? How vital is it that we use our gardens to at least supplement our diets? Other good resources for those interested in Edimentals Links: Stephen's Blog - Edimentals! Around the World in 80 Plants: An Edible Perennial Vegetable Adventure For Temperate Climates by Stephen Barstow - Permanent Publications, 2014 Stephen Barstow on Twitter https://twitter.com/s_barstow Edimentals Group on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/273637002647408/ Edulis Nursery www.edulis.co.uk Incredible Vegetables www.incrediblevegetables.co.uk Cool Temperate Nursery www.cooltemperate.co.uk Edgewood Nursery edgewood-nursery.com Eric Toensmeier www.perennialsolutions.org Plants for a Future - Online Database Cornucopia II: A Source Book of Edible Plants by Stephen Facciola With thanks to Jackie Currie, National Collection Holder of Alliums and Jake Rayson - www.forestgarden.wales Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 content. I've split it into areas of interest (sort of!) to help you navigate easily through the back catalogue and discover episodes you may have missed. Thanks for listening. Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

Part One: The Design Experts Series - Sponsored by The London College of Garden Design This episode features Thomas Rainer, Principal Designer at Phyto Studio in Virginia and co-author of the book Planting In A Post-Wild World. Thomas's approach to design pays particular attention to establishing new plant communities, especially within urban and suburban environments, where the native flora and fauna has effectively been pushed out. Concentrating on plant selections that work alongside each other and also with the site, Thomas introduces green spaces that please the eye, work from a maintenance perspective and can evolve successfully over time. About Thomas Rainer: Thomas is a leading voice internationally in ecological landscape design. He co-authored the book 'Planting In A Post-Wild World' in 2015 and has designed landscapes for the U.S. Capitol grounds, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and The New York Botanical Garden. Thomas is Principal Designer at Phyto Studio and works alongside Melissa Rainer and Claudia West. Phyto Studio was created "to bring clients both customized, technical expertise in plant community ecology as well as an artistic vision of the possibilities of gardens with emotional depth." He lectures internationally and teaches planting design on the George Washington University Landscape Design program. What we talk about: Wild landscapes - accepting that we can't turn back the clock to a bygone era and what this means for designers and gardeners going forward Planting in urban and suburban landscapes versus rural areas? Thomas's 3 archetypes for the purposes of categorising planting and landscapes If there's a danger, especially in public spaces, that people come to accept edited versions of nature as the correct way 'natural' spaces should look and therefore become less tolerant of wilder, transitional, unkempt spaces? The issue of ongoing, skilled maintenance The future of built landscape design Links: Tickets to the Thomas Rainer Masterclass at Regent's College, London on 18th January 2020 Email: [email protected] Phyto Studio www.phytostudio.com Planting in a Post-Wild World - Thomas Rainer & Claudia West, Timber Press 2015 With thanks to the episode sponsor, the London College of Garden Design www.lcgd.org.uk Tel +44 (0) 1483 762955 Email [email protected] Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 diaries and I'm sure there are lots more stories she could tell you about Beth that didn't make it into the book, but the snippets of Beth's journals and the biographical information that are in the book paint a wonderful picture of Beth as a wife, a mother, an employer, a gardener and as the RHS crowned her this year an "Iconic Horticultural Hero". About Catherine Horwood: Catherine is a freelance author and journalist and is the authorised biographer of Beth Chatto. As well as writing the recently released Beth Chatto: A Life With Plants, Catherine has written Rose (Reaktion, 2018) Gardening Women: Their Stories from 1600 to the Present (Virago, 2010) and contributes articles to Gardens Illustrated, The English Garden and several national newspapers. What we talk about: Her early career in flower arranging How she changed to fit in with the socials circles she found herself moving in The move to White Barn House Her friendship with Christopher Lloyd The inspiration for the gravel garden Her awards and the recognition she gained worldwide Her legacy, the future of the nursery and the Beth Chatto Education Trust Links: Beth Chatto: A Life With Plants - Catherine Horwood, Pimpernel Press, 2019 Catherine Horwood www.catherinehorwood.com The Beth Chatto Gardens www.bethchatto.co.uk The Beth Chatto Nursery Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 harvesting the last of our apples here in Sussex, so with the tastes and sights of varieties fresh in your mind, what better time to start planning your own orchard? Naomi's book, An Orchard Odyssey runs through the practicalities of growing apples, but the focus of our chat is the ways in which we use our apples and our trees as both ornamental and edible additions to our own gardens, particularly from a design perspective. We also chat about how to reconsider how we view orchards and how we can use them within our communities. Which leads nicely on to my interview with Sassie Yassamee, who runs Eve Apple Press in Hastings in East Sussex. Sassie run a mobile apple pressing service, which helps people conveniently and productively deal with their crops and provides an ingenious solution to gluts and food waste. What I cover with Naomi: The definition of an orchard Historical orchards Our changing relationship with orchards The tale of Johnny Appleseed Fruit trees for wildlife Designing & underplanting orchards What I cover with Sassie: About mobile apple pressing Which varieties you can use Preserving the juice Links: Naomi Slade www.naomislade.com An Orchard Odyssey - Naomi Slade, Green Books, 2016 Naomi on Twitter @NaomiSlade Naomi on Instagram @naomisladegardening Eve Apple Press www.eveapplepress.co.uk Eve Apple Press on Facebook Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 subject, Tim O'Hare? Tim is the principal consultant of Tim O'Hare Associates and works on a wide variety of domestic and commercial projects, both in the UK and abroad. Tim answers questions about issues that most gardeners have faced at some point; soil compaction, poor drainage, working with the soil you have and what to look out for if you're bringing new soil in to your garden. As well as possessing phenomenal knowledge on the subject, Tim explains things in clear and simple language and you will enjoy this episode whatever your level of gardening expertise. About Tim O'Hare Tim is the principal consultant of Tim O'Hare Associates, a leading independent soil science practice that provides soil investigation, testing and consultancy services to the landscape industry. He has been a Soil Scientist for over 20 years, working on anything from domestic garden projects to major construction developments. Tim and his team have worked on a wide variety of assignments throughout the UK and internationally, including the London Olympic Park and Commonwealth Park in Gibraltar. They also test and approve many of the topsoil and subsoil products that are sold into the landscape market nationwide. Earlier this year Tim was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by The Kew Guild (Association of Alumni of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew) for his "outstanding contribution to the environment". We discuss: Common problems with soil management Storing and moving soil during building works Soil compaction Wet soils Ways to combat poorly draining soils Bringing life into new or damaged soils The impacts of transporting soil into and away from a site What to look for when you're buying soil Soil contamination Tim's more challenging/unusual work Soil erosion and the shape of our future food production Links: Tim O'Hare Associates - Soil & Landscape Consultancy www.timohare-associates.com London Olympic Park www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 in recent times. Loss of habitat, human activities including nighttime lighting and construction and lack of food are all contributing factors. If you're listening to the Roots and All podcast, in all probability you're a conscientious gardener who wants to improve the natural landscape, not just for humans but for all species. In this episode, Jo talks about what bats need in order to thrive and how we can make small changes that will make big contributions to our bat populations. About Joanna Ferguson BSc MCIEEM: Jo has worked for the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) for the last 4.5 years as the Built Environment Officer before becoming the Built Environment Manager in early 2019. Prior to starting at BCT she had been involved with bat conservation in a voluntary and professional capacity for over 16 years. Jo's more recent professional experience is as an ecological consultant specialising in urban bat ecology; providing surveys, mitigation and enhancement advice covering a range of development projects, including residential, commercial and transport. She also has extensive experience in scientific research, working for the Australian Research centre for Urban Ecology and Earthwatch in Melbourne. Jo is a Full Member of CIEEM, a Volunteer Bat Roost Visitor and London Bat Group Member. We discuss: Where bats live How many species of bat are there in Britain and some of the most common ones we're likely to see in our gardens The biggest challenges facing bats at the moment How we can help our bat populations Will they get caught in our hair or give us rabies? Links: Bat Conservation Trust www.bats.org.uk https://www.bats.org.uk/ National Bat Helpline 0345 1300 228 Leaflet on helping create a great environment for bats, including which plants to include in our gardens https://cdn.bats.org.uk/pdf/Resources/Stars_of_the_Night.pdf?mtime=20181101151554 Bat 1K Genome project mapping bats DNA: 'Imagine uncovering the secret of longer health-spans, flight, echolocation and disease resistance hidden in the bat genome.' https://bat1k.ucd.ie/ Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Facebook @rootsandalluk Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 Mushrooms. Geoff is a pioneer because many of the mushrooms in his book were not classified as edible and he's taken on the role of a well-informed and cautious taster, but nonetheless has been a human guinea pig in many instances! As he mentions, his book is without parallel in terms of classifying the edibility of our mushrooms and is the bible for foragers. They discuss: Why we're a nation of mycophobes here in the UK How to get started with mushroom foraging Mushroom habitats Beginner levels edible mushrooms Mushrooms to watch out for Links Geoff's website www.geoffdann.co.uk Edible Mushrooms by Geoff Dann, published by Green Books, 2016 Natural Bushcraft Forum www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

This week, I'm talking garden birds with Kate Risely, Garden BirdWatch Organiser at the British Trust for Ornithology. Kate talks us through the trends that have occurred in our garden bird populations over the past 40 years, what and when to feed them, diseases that are on the rise and how you can attract more birds in your garden. Plus, Kate answers my question; are magpies vandals, living off the fat of our songbirds? About Kate: Kate leads the BTO's Garden Ecology team and co-ordinates the programme of garden ecology surveys and research, within the Communications department. Kate has overall responsibility for running for Garden BirdWatch, a 'citizen science' project where volunteers record birds and other taxa using their gardens on a weekly, year-round basis, as well as additional garden-based surveys. Kate is interested in the research and conservation applications of our garden wildlife data. We discuss: The BTO Garden BirdWatch & how you can take part Why the data collected through the Garden BirdWatch is so important Trends around garden birds over the last 40 years When and what to feed your garden birds Diseases in garden birds How to attract more birds to your garden Links: British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU Tel: 01842 750050 Garden BirdWatch www.bto.org/gbw Garden Wildlife Health: https://www.gardenwildlifehealth.org/ Feeding affecting bird communities: https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/peer-reviewed-papers/composition-british-bird-communities-associated-long Blackcaps: https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/peer-reviewed-papers/supplementary-feeding-gardens-driver-evolutionary Disease risks of bird feeding: https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/peer-reviewed-papers/health-hazards-wild-birds-and-risk-factors-associated Greenfinch declines due to disease: https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/peer-reviewed-papers/emergence-and-spread-finch-trichomonosis-british-isles Predator effects on bird populations: https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/peer-reviewed-papers/population-change-avian-predators-and-grey-squirrels Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Facebook @rootsandalluk Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 amazing, gold-winning stand Alec put together in the floral marquee - it was the one with the bath, peonies spilling everywhere and the semi-nude model painted all over with peonies. It certainly caused a stir and rightly so, because it was stunning. Sarah was delighted to chat to Alec because, frankly, she has a chequered past with peonies. Under discussion are problems such as peony wilt and peonies that don't flower. Alec also talks about the different types of peonies and debunks myths such as peonies can't be moved. Sarah asks expert-grower Alec how to get the best out of your peonies and if you're planning to add some to your garden or want to troubleshoot any problems you have, this is an episode not to be missed. They discuss: The 3 main types of peony Peony wilt Moving, dividing, deadheading and feeding The reasons your peony may not be flowering Pruning tree peonies Growing peonies in containers Growing peonies from seed Links Primrose Hall Peonies www.primrosehallpeonies.co.uk On Twitter @primrosehalluk On Instagram @primrosehalluk On Facebook Primrose Hall Nursery Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 you do to make sure our green spaces stay open and accessible to all? These are all questions I asked Neil Sinden, the Director of the London branch of the CPRE (Campaign for Rural England). I'd seen mention of the Urban Right to Roam, which piqued my interest and made me wonder about how much freedom we do have to roam across our cities and indeed our countryside. I had always assumed we had inalienable rights across public land but it seems it's not as clear cut as I thought. As Neil mentions in the interview, 2.6million people in the UK live more than a 10 minute walk from a green space. That's hugely important as our country becomes more urbanised and it's important if, for you, your local green space is your only garden. We talk about: The CPRE and why it's needed, even in towns and large cities like London The Urban Right to Roam Rights of Way Privately owned public spaces Protecting and improving our green spaces Links www.cprelondon.org.uk www.lfgn.org.uk Go Parks London How to register an unrecorded Historic Right of Way Blog post by Groundsure about the implications for our Historic Rights of Way of a 2026 deadline to register them by. Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Facebook @rootsandalluk Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

A New Garden Ethic with Benjamin Vogt Sarah talks to garden designer and author Benjamin Vogt about his book A New Garden Ethic: Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future. Benjamin writes in his book how it's imperative that we take up a new style of gardening, a new garden ethic, and that we do so fast. Benjamin explains what it means for him to garden with every species in mind and what happens when we separate ourselves from the rest of our garden's community. Benjamin Vogt runs Monarch Gardens, a prairie garden design practice. His own garden was named a top outdoor space of 2012 by Apartment Therapy and has been featured in Fine Gardening, Garden Design, Nebraska Life, the Omaha World Herald, the Lincoln Journal Star, and on KOLN (Lincoln's CBS affiliate). Benjamin wrote an award-winning garden column for Houzz for five years and has contributed to books such as Lawn Gone! and Pollinator Friendly Gardening. His book A New Garden Ethic: Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future was published in 2017 by New Society Publishers. We talk about: What is A New Garden Ethic Why it's important that we feel part of the entire community that's specific to where we live The effects of a disconnect from nature Benjamin's definition of native plants Benjamin's design work and plant palette Objections to using native plants Links Benjamin Vogt - Monarch Gardens www.monarchgard.com Benjamin on Twitter @BRVogt A New Garden Ethic:Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future by Benjamin Vogt (2017) Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

Dr Glenn H Shepard is an ethnobotanist, medical anthropologist and film maker whose work focuses on the indigenous peoples of the Amazon. He speaks eleven languages and has done fieldwork with diverse native groups in Latin America, Asia and the Middle East researching shamanism, medicinal plants, and traditional environmental knowledge. His work features in the documentary Spirits of the Rainforest. We talk about: - Glenn's work with the indigenous people of the Amazon forest - Biopiracy - Medicinal/Psychoactive plants, in particular ayahuasca - How psychoactive plants may be used in the West vs the countries they originate from - The ecological and legal consequences of exporting psychoactive plants - The fires in the Amazon forest Links Dr Glenn H Shepard Jr Blog - Notes from the Ethnoground Glenn on Twitter @tweettropiques Spirits of the Rainforest Documentary The Ethnobotanical Assembly www.tea-assembly.com Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 about the easiest and tastiest flowers you can grow, colour trends, some more unusual edible flowers and how you can use edible flowers for your own special event. The episode starts with Jan telling us about her farm and why she feels her business needs to give something back. What We Discuss: Where to source edible flowers and what to look out for Using them in a variety of ways Flowers you can grow yourself Flowers for insects Colour trends Unusual flowers Links Maddocks Farm Organics - www.maddocksfarmorganics.co.uk The Scented Kitchen: Cooking with Flowers by Frances Bissell Botanical Baking : Contemporary baking and cake decorating with edible flowers and herbs by Juliet Sear Jekka's Herb Cookbook by Jekka McVicar Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 specialises in terrariums, jarrariums, aquascapes and kokedama to stage plants in unique ways. We talk about using plants to create visual statements, finding sources of inspiration and how you can try some of these techniques for yourself. For more information about Alyson, please check out her website www.alysonmowat.com and her book Terrariums and Kokedama Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 talks about growing orchids in lawns, borders, containers…they're much more versatile than you might expect! Not only are they beautiful and versatile, if you grow them, you'll be doing your bit to conserve these plants as their numbers in the wild diminish. About Dr Wilson Wall Wilson Wall is the Director of Bewdley Orchids, provider of native British orchids for individuals and groups to grow in their garden or meadow. Elected Fellow of the Institute of Biology (now the Royal Society of Biology) and Chartered Biologist, Wilson has a PhD in genetics and a long interest in growing orchids from seed. He has written several books before, of both single and joint authorship and was editor of The Clematis, journal of the British Clematis Society. What We Cover: The relationship between orchids and fungi Which orchids are suitable for growing in gardens Orchids that work in containers Soil requirements The sourcing of plants Common pests and diseases Links Bewdley Orchids www.bewdleyorchids.com How to Grow Native Orchids in Gardens Large and Small - by Wilson Wall and Dave Morgan. Published by Green Books. https://www.greenbooks.co.uk/how-to-grow-native-orchids-in-gardens-large-and-small Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 wildlife. Often working in urban locations, he installs wildlife habitats and planting in some unusual places including on roofs and structures such as cycle shelters. He also includes many edible plants in his schemes in order to create beautiful and useful spaces that engage the community. Maintenance and management is a key focus, and is vital to the success and longevity of his projects. We also talk about the need to revise traditional maintenance practices in order to reduce costs, save time and preserve wildlife. About John Little "John's life with green roofs started when he self built his own home in Essex. The green roof on John's new house consisted of the standard green roof structure, onto which he literally dumped soil from the foundations. That was 17 years ago and the roof is still growing strong. A few years ago a colony of Bee Orchids appeared from nowhere!! He has since designed and built small green roofs buildings throughout South Essex and London over the last 20 years. often combining the living roofs with habitat walls made designed to support solitary bees. John's company the Grass Roof Company does landscape contracting and green roof construction in Essex and London. John also part owns Green Roof Shelters, a company that produces modular design bike, bin and freight container green roofs.." What We Cover: How John creates gardens that mimic brownfield sites Green roofs The Clapton Park Estate project Including edible plants in a community garden John's favourite trees and herbaceous plants for wildlife Links John's Design Practice - The Grass Roof Company https://www.grassroofcompany.co.uk Green Roof Shelters - the sister company to The Grass Roof Company, specialising in buildings and structures incorporating green roofs of all types https://greenroofshelters.co.uk Online Guide to building Green Roofs - co-authored by John Little & Dusty Gedge https://greenrooftraining.com John on Twitter @grassroofco https://twitter.com/grassroofco?lang=en Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 on gardening, including her latest 'Crops in Tight Spots'. I speak to Alex about growing edibles when space in tight and she has some brilliant tips and tricks about how to grow, what to grow and what not to bother with. Alex's book is based on years of experience and I respect her approach of trialling, experimenting (including catching pupae in jars and observing them as they hatch!) and just giving things a go. As a result of this hands-on experimentation, she's developed some nifty time, money and space-saving methods and she shares some of those with us in the episode. For the rest, you'll just have to buy the book! About Alex Mitchell "Alex Mitchell is a gardening writer who has been obsessed with growing things she can eat for about 20 years. Before this, she was obsessed with television. On balance, gardening is healthier. Alex is the weekly gardening columnist for The Evening Standard and has written five books about gardening and growing food. Previously she wrote a column for The Sunday Telegraph about growing fruit and vegetables, first in a polytunnel in a muddy field, which often made her cry, then in a little south London garden, which made her happy. She now gardens in a large space in Kent which makes her ecstatic though often overwhelmed. She has written five books, The Girl's Guide to Growing Your Own – Or How to Grow Fruit and Vegetables Without Getting Your Hands Too Dirty, The Edible Balcony, The Rurbanite: Living in the Country Without Leaving the City, Gardening on a Shoestring and Crops in Tight Spots." What We Cover: Crops to grow indoors Crops for pots Recycling compost Essential crops for ease and high yield Creative training of tomatoes Links www.alex-mitchell.co.uk http://alex-mitchell.co.uk Crops in Tight Spots - Alex Mitchell, 2019 https://www.waterstones.com/book/crops-in-tight-spots/alex-mitchell/9780857835925 Alex's Previously Published Books http://alex-mitchell.co.uk/alex-mitchell-the-edible-gardener/books/ Alex on Instagram @alexmitchelleg https://www.instagram.com/alexmitchelleg/ Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 her belt, including a gold medal winning garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower show. She specialises in healing gardens and has worked on a number of projects such as hospice gardens, where the effect the garden can have on a person's physical health is of paramount importance. We often think about the positive effects on mental and physical health that gardens and green spaces can provide, but we don't often stop to think about the harm they might cause. Olivia explains how with a little bit of knowledge and a few relatively simple steps, we can make our environment a much better place for everyone, especially those suffering from allergies. Check out Olivia's work at www.oliviakirkgardens.com Instagram: oliviakirkgardens Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 Conservation Trust and author of three books, the most recent of which is The Garden Jungle: or Gardening to Save the Planet. With the recent interest in wildlife gardens, we talk about how you can create a good environment for wildlife, but more importantly, how you can avoid actively harming the environment with your gardening habits. About Dave Goulson "After a childhood chasing butterflies and collecting bird's eggs, I studied Biology at Oxford University, and then did a PhD on butterfly ecology at Oxford Brookes University. Shortly afterwards I got a lectureship at University of Southampton, where I stayed for 11 years. It was there that I began to specialize in bumblebee ecology and conservation. In 2006 I became Professor of Biology and Stirling University. In 2006 I also founded the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, a charity devoted to reversing bumblebee declines. In 2013 I moved to Sussex University. I have published over 200 scientific articles on the ecology of bees and other insects, and am author of Bumblebees; their behaviour, ecology and conservation (2010, Oxford University Press) and A Sting in the Tale (2013, Jonathan Cape), a popular science book about bumblebees and The Garden Jungle: or Gardening to Save the Planet (2019, Jonathan Cape). I am a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In 2010 I was BBSRC "Social Innovator of the Year" and in 2013 I won the Marsh Award for Conservation Biology from the Zoological Society of London." What We Cover: What you need to look out for when buying plants and seeds Plants for wildlife Native vs non-native plants The effects of pesticides and fungicides on wildlife Links The Garden Jungle: or Gardening to Save the Planet - Dave Goulson https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Dave-Goulson/The-Garden-Jungle--or-Gardening-to-Save-the-Planet/23728420 A Sting in the Tale - Dave Goulson https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Dave-Goulson/A-Sting-in-the-Tale/22927310 A Buzz in the Meadow - Dave Goulson https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Dave-Goulson/A-Buzz-in-the-Meadow/17156479 The Bumblebee Conservation Trust https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org Follow Dave Goulson on Twitter - @DaveGoulson https://twitter.com/davegoulson?lang=en RosyBee - Plants for bees http://www.rosybee.com Contact: Stefan Batorijs 3 Barnsey Gardens Ashburton Devon TQ13 7GA UK [email protected] +44 1364 652162 Nature and Therapy UK on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/shinrinyokuUK/ Common Farm Flowers on Twitter: @TheFlowerFarmer https://twitter.com/TheFlowerFarmer Common Farm Flowers on Instagram: @commonfarmflowers https://www.instagram.com/commonfarmflowers/?hl=en Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 was established 5 years ago, ethically and ecologically sounds principles have been employed to create the brilliant business that exists today. We talk about how the nursery succeeds where so many others are failing to make changes; using peat-free compost, gardening organically without chemicals, eliminating single use plastics from their sales output and many other initiatives that make this nursery truly revolutionary. Find out more about Edibleculture Ltd at www.edibleculture.co.uk and the paper pots Chris discusses at www.posipot.co.uk Thanks to Linda from Hastings for giving me the heads up on Edibleculture and their work. Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 likely to happen in a world where 55% of us live in urban areas. In this episode, I speak to Stefan Batorijs who founded Nature and Therapy UK in 2017, as a response to a growing need to foster a spiritual and psychological connection to the land. If you've always wondered what Forest Bathing, or Shinrin Yoku, entails, this is the episode for you! About Stefan Stefan has been exploring the wild places for 50 years, and trained originally in Countryside Management, Conservation and Environmental Education. He is a qualified Integrative Psychotherapist and Mountain Leader, with 25 years experience facilitating individuals and groups in natural environments. In 2008 he established the highly acclaimed Ecotherapy Project with Plymouth NHS, for people with severe and enduring mental health needs. Stefan is currently an Associate Lecturer at Plymouth University. He teaches the role of Nature and benefits of natural immersion for mental health and recovery from trauma on the Clinical Psychology Doctorate Training. Stefan is passionate about trees, birds and Sacred land. Stefan is a member of INFOM, the International Society of Nature and Forest Medicine and a member of the Eco-psychology Network. What We Cover: Stefan's personal journey through nature and into Shinrin Yoku What Shinrin Yoku entails The evidence behind why Shinrin Yoku works An excercise from a typical session of Forest Bathing Links Nature and Therapy UK - check out the Resources page for excellent links to the research surrounding Forest Bathing http://natureandtherapy.co.uk Contact: Stefan Batorijs 3 Barnsey Gardens Ashburton Devon TQ13 7GA UK [email protected] +44 1364 652162 Nature and Therapy UK on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/shinrinyokuUK/ Common Farm Flowers on Twitter: @TheFlowerFarmer https://twitter.com/TheFlowerFarmer Common Farm Flowers on Instagram: @commonfarmflowers https://www.instagram.com/commonfarmflowers/?hl=en Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 being done to prevent the use of peat in horticultural products? Is it realistic to think we can eradicate our use of peat? John is one of the foremost experts on this topic and it's fascinating to hear his thoughts. Sobering stuff indeed... About John: "As well as being a lifelong gardener and allotmenteer, I'm also an award-winning British gardening and environment writer with over 30 years combined experience in professional gardening, horticultural teaching and the garden media. I trained as a student gardener at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens & Glasshouses, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, and at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, England, where I was awarded the Kew Diploma in Horticulture in 1986. I gained a Permaculture Design Certificate in 1997. While in publishing, I've been both features and deputy editor of Garden Answers magazine, contributing editor of Kitchen Garden magazine, and have been technical editor of The Organic Way. My long-running 'digging deeper' column, exploring the connections between gardening and our wider environment first appeared in Organic Gardening (later Organic Garden & Home) magazine in 2006. I write and blog about greener, earth-friendly gardening for national newspapers, magazines and websites. My work has been published in NFU Countryside, Garden Answers, Garden News, Grow It!, Kew magazine, Organic Gardening (later Organic Garden & Home), the Telegraph, The Garden, The Organic Way and Kitchen Garden, and online at the Guardian and Hartley Botanic. I'm the author of the new and updated Weeds: An Organic, Earth-Friendly Guide to Their Identification, Use and Control and The Bed & Border Planner, the editor of A Gardeners' Guide to Annuals, and a major contributor to the Garden Organic Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening." John's website is a treasure trove of articles and information, please do check it out: http://earthfriendlygardener.net You can buy a signed copy of John's latest book, Weeds: An Organic, Earth-friendly Guide to Their Identification, Use and Control' here Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 by the barrowload? Well, this week's guest is living the dream! Common Farm Flowers is an artisan floristry and cut flower farm based in Somerset. Founded by Georgie Newbery and her husband Fabrizio in 2010, the ethos of the farm is to produce flowers that are Grown, Not Flown. Add to that Georgie's passion for wildlife, organic methods and her love of everything that grows and you have a successful business that produces eco-friendly, sustainable and beautiful floral creations. As well as selling cut flower creations, Georgie also runs workshops and courses and has written two books on the subject. Her first book, the 'Flower Farmer's Year' is a great book for gardeners who want to grow a cut flower patch, whether for pleasure or for profit, and its sister volume, 'Grow Your Own Wedding Flowers.' is an inspiring floristry book for growers and people who enjoy arranging their own flowers. Check out her website www.commonfarmflowers.com to find out more. What We Cover: The values behind Common Farm Flowers The current state of the cut flower industry Good cut flowers for scent What to grow if your space is limited Shrubs that make a useful addition to your cut flower patch Dealing with pests on a 7 acre site Links To order some of Georgie's amazing creations, call 01963 32883 www.commonfarmflowers.com Georgie's Books https://www.commonfarmflowers.com/books.html Common Farm Flowers on Twitter: @TheFlowerFarmer Common Farm Flowers on Instagram: @commonfarmflowers Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 in terms of carbon emissions and soil health and answers that common question; "what happens to all the cows if we all go vegan?" If you're interested in gardening, many of Iain's practices are also applicable to small-scale and ornamental sites, as well as farms. Plus, if you're concerned about the impact of your food shopping habits, he presents some fascinating facts and figures. With thanks to the Vegan Organic Network for inviting me along to record the session. http://veganorganic.net/ Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 align her personal beliefs with her work. Starting out in landscape design, Mary went on to become the youngest gold medal winner at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2002 where she took the show by storm with her naturalistic Celtic Sanctuary Garden. The incredible story of her journey to Chelsea and the creation of the garden was told in the 2016 film 'Dare to be Wild'. Mary continues to design gardens, seeking to create spaces "that are healing, truthful and magical". Her design ethos is set out in her 2016 book 'The Garden Awakening – Designs to Nurture Our Land and Ourselves' which she describes as "a practical treasure map that leads gardeners into a gentle and healing relationship with the land. This book is a step by step instruction manual drawing on ancient methods of working with the land and using them to invite the power and energy of nature back into your life". In 2019, Mary launched an initiative called We Are The Ark, which invites gardeners, land owners and stewards to re-wild areas in their care. It's this project that we focus on mainly in this episode and Mary explains the idea behind the project and how we can all get on board. What We Cover: - Mary's career evolution - We Are The Ark - What stops people rewinding their land and how can we overcome these problems? - Growing food yourself - How this can work in urban areas or for those with small/no gardens - What to watch out for when buying plants - Establishing and managing your own Ark - The future of garden design and gardening Links: www.wearetheark.org www.marymary.ie Mary on Instagram: wildmarymary Claire & Joe on Instagram: irishforestgarden Dr Masaru Emoto - The Hidden Messages in Water Get in touch: Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 asking the questions that were posed by listeners, so a huge thank you to her for taking over the reins of the show. This is the longest ever episode of the podcast but it's a not to be repeated event, so sit down with a cup of tea or glass of wine and enjoy! Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 therapeutic benefits of spending time outdoors. Social Therapeutic Horticulture is a horticulture-based therapy that's growing in popularity in the UK as more people become convinced of the mental and physical health benefits of spending time outdoors and with plants. In this episode, I speak to Damien Newman of Thrive, a charity responsible for promoting and providing Social Therapeutic Horticulture throughout the UK. Thrive is also the leading provider of training for those entering the profession. The Thrive website states; "Social and therapeutic horticulture is the process of using plants and gardens to improve physical and mental health, as well as communication and thinking skills. It also uses the garden as a safe and secure place to develop someone's ability to mix socially, make friends and learn practical skills that will help them to be more independent." - www.thrive.org.uk Damien is hugely knowledgable and a great ambassador for the discipline of STH and this is a fascinating insight for anyone considering it as a career or a therapy. We cover; What is Social Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) The origins of STH Whether STH works for everyone and who benefits from it the most Details of where to find evidence-based research supporting the benefits of being outdoors How can somebody be referred into STH How is STH applied at a practical level What makes a therapy garden How to embark upon a career in STH Some info about the charity Thrive About Damien Newman "I have been working in health and social care for 20 years beginning in mental health care where I first noticed the impact of gardens and gardening for health and began to be involved in utilising gardens and nature within care approach. Teaching in the field across my career I had the privilege of moving to Thrive 10 years ago and now manage our training, education and consultancy services. I aspire to support gardens and gardening to be appropriately utilised across society for the value and benefits it can bring." Links Thrive Charity www.thrive.org.uk Carry On Gardening www.carryongardening.org.uk King's Fund Gardens and health Report - 2016 https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/gardens-and-health Report Author David Buck's Blog https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/about-us/whos-who/david-buck Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

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 Dig means, if it works and how to apply the technique in your own garden or allotment. To find out more, check out Charles's informative website www.charlesdowding.co.uk where you can find links to his books, YouTube channel and also find out how you can attend one of his courses. Get in touch; Email [email protected] Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall