Join me for a timely exploration of how weather shapes our landscapes, ecosystems, and personal experiences of the natural world. Writer and naturalist Matt Gaw discusses his latest book, In All Weathers. As we face an increasing onslaught of extreme and unpredictable weather patterns across the globe, Matt’s reflections on walking through the elements—be it storm, drought, or downpour—offer both a poetic and urgent perspective on our relationship with the forces that govern life on Earth. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation on resilience, adaptation, and the beauty found in even the most inhospitable conditions.

Links

In All Weathers: A Journey Through Rain, Fog, Wind, Ice and Everything In Between by Matt Gaw

www.mattgaw.com

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191: Plants and People - Hello and welcome to this week’s episode where I’m speaking to Marion Whitehead from the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden in New South Wales, Australia, part of the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. I talk with Marion about one of her areas of speciality; the intersection of plants and human feelings, particularly in the context of 3 books as recommended by Marion; Enid Blyton’s ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s ‘The Secret Garden’ and ‘The Overstory’ by Richard Powers.

220: The Gardener’s Almanac - To book-end the winter break, I’m sort of picking up where we left off by talking about a way to mark the passing of the year and the seasons and to ground yourself and your gardening endeavours in the natural patterns that govern them. My guest is Lia Leendertz, author of the annual The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide and she starts by talking about the origins of her almanac.

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Tom Hirons is a poet whose work resonates deeply with the primal and ungovernable forces of nature, the human condition, and the intersections where they meet. His writing, including the much-lauded poem Sometimes a Wild God, stirs something ancient within, reminding readers of the chaos and beauty that lie at the heart of existence. In this conversation, we delve into the inspirations and philosophies behind his work, exploring the wild, untamed forces that shape his poetry and his perspective on creativity.

Links

www.tomhirons.com

Instagram @bearspeakstothestars

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282: Song of the Garden - This week my guests are Northern California based musical duo Misner & Smith. Sam, who is Misner, and Megan, who is Smith comprise one of the most acclaimed acts in the Americana world. Blending elements of that genre with bluegrass, traditional folk ballads, and more pop leaning ideas, they’ve been described as making music that is gloriously nonconforming. Aside from their musical chops, Sam & Megan are expert gardeners who focus on pollinators, sustainability and community gardening. Listen on to find out how their connection to nature feeds into their music.

219: The Wheel of the Year - My guest this week is Dr Rebecca Beattie. Rebecca has just released a book called ‘The Wheel of the Year’, which is a look at what is happening in nature and in ourselves as the seasons move from one to the other. She suggests tools and rituals to rediscover and appreciate each seasonal festival, giving you a chance to pause, reflect and connect you to the wheel of your own life. As this is the last episode of 2022 and the winter solstice is just 2 days away, I thought this would be a perfect way to wrap up the year and to encourage you to take time to appreciate, well time, as it passes and as things shift from one state of being to another. Christmas can be a frenetic time so I hope you can take half an hour out of your schedule to sit down and listen to Rebecca and to contemplate your place in the wheel of the year.

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Andrew Jackson is changing the future of garden spaces for new builds with his groundbreaking initiative, the New Build Manifesto. Drawing on over a decade of experience as a Director in social housing, Andrew is now channeling his expertise to advocate for better quality garden spaces that benefit both homeowners and nature. His campaign brings together developers and homeowners to create enriching outdoor environments that enhance living experiences and support biodiversity.

Links

Instagram @thenewbuildmanifesto

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305: Building on Nature - What feature does a wildlife supporting landscaper refuse to install in a garden? What is the most beneficial addition for wildlife? And how can hard landscaping be compatible with wildlife and nature? This week my guest is former ecologist and founder of NatureScaping, Nick Townsend, who sheds light on building greener gardens. Nick uses his knowledge of ecology and the environment in his landscaping business in order to make better gardens and outdoor spaces for wildlife.

251 - Green Roofs and City Wildlife - This episode, my guest is green roof guru, urban designer, photographer, birdwatcher, punk ideologist and all-round straight talker Dusty Gedge. We talk about green infrastructure, encouraging species back into landscapes, how to maintain landscapes for habitat value and what’s being and can be done to up the green value of public spaces.

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Returning guest John Little is on a collaborative mission to revolutionise the way we care for green spaces in order to ensure they deliver for people and for wildlife. John has set up a new initiative called Care Not Capital which is about investing in gardeners and recognising them as the key piece they are in the green spaces jigsaw.

Links

www.grassroofcompany.co.uk

Care Not Capital on Instagram

www.carenotcapital.org

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53: John Little of The Grass Roof Company - 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.

239: Growing Biodiversity - My guest this week is gardener Benny Hawksbee. Benny has a background in biology and gardens with one eye on biodiversity. His projects include the Eden Nature Garden, a community garden designed to be a haven for people and wildlife, and John Little’s garden in Essex. We talk about how Benny brings biology and ecology into his work, what we can all do to garden for wildlife whilst reducing our input in terms of resources and how we can involve the community in building and using gardens that work for everyone.

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I'm joined by Clive Gravett, founder of The Budding Foundation and The Museum of Gardening. Clive is a passionate advocate for preserving gardening history, and he's here to share fascinating insights into the history of the lawnmower—an invention that revolutionised gardening as we know it. We also touch on the important work of The Budding Foundation in supporting education and young people through gardening.

Links

Museum of Gardening:
Visit the Museum of Gardening's official website at https://www.museumofgardening.co.uk. The museum is located at the South Downs Heritage Centre in Hassocks, West Sussex, and explores the history of gardening through its unique collection of tools and artefacts.

Budding Foundation:
You can learn more about and support the Budding Foundation at https://www.thebuddingfoundation.co.uk. This foundation is closely associated with the Museum of Gardening and focuses on educational projects and preserving gardening history.

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Explore the extraordinary world of exotic gardening with Paul Spracklin, author of The Dry Exotic Garden. Paul shares his infectious passion for transforming gardens conditions into lush, visually striking landscapes using drought-tolerant plants. Tune in to hear about the inspiration behind his book, the unique joys of cultivating exotic species, and the techniques that make gardens with drought loving plants not just possible, but breathtakingly beautiful.

About The Dry Exotic Garden

Discover everything you need to know about designing, choosing and planting cacti and succulents to create a drought-tolerant garden in this lavishly illustrated guide with experts forecasting reduced summer rainfall, xeriscaping – the practice of landscaping with minimal water – is now a popular choice for many gardeners.

Links

The Dry Exotic Garden: A Gardener’s Guide to Xeriscaping with Succulents by Paul Spracklin

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161: The Jungle Garden with Philip Oostenbrink - This week’s guest is Philip Oostenbrink, Head Gardener at Walmer Castle and Gardens, Collections Coordinator for Plant Heritage in Kent, Plant Trials committee member for the RHS and self-confessed jungle plant nut. Philip has just published a new book titled ‘The Jungle Garden’ and in this interview, I talk to him about what a jungle garden is, whether they can work in shady and sunny aspects, easy jungle plants, rarer ones, plant hardiness, seasonal and winter interest and where to get plants.

175: Seeking Rare Plants - This week’s guest is Nick Macer, plant hunter, self-taught botanist, rare species expert and owner of Pan Global Plants, a nursery based in the Severn Valley, which, to quote the website, offers “a selection of the finest, most desirable and often rarest plants capable of growing on these isles”. And that’s key – Nick hand selects plants, in the past, directly from where they were growing in the wild and brings them into cultivation. He’s renowned for choosing sublime varieties and for openly sharing his knowledge and experience. I did intend to talk to Nick a bit about his plant hunting trips, but as a stop has been put to these recently due to rules around the transportation of plant materials, the conversation went in other directions.

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Prepare to be inspired! I am chatting with legendary landscape designer Mark Gregory, founder of Landform Consultants. With over 35 years of experience and a treasure trove of RHS Chelsea Flower Show awards under his belt, Mark shares his take on creating breathtaking gardens, the artistry of garden design, his career and the landscaping business. This interview is a great insight into a career spent crafting perfection!

Links

Landform Consultants

Mark Gregory on Instagram

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278: Sustainability Matters - My guest this week is Nadine Charlton. Through her business Home Spring Gardens, Nadine provides specialist services to the horticultural and landscape construction industry, advising on sustainable best practice and creating beautiful gardens and landscapes with an environmental conscience. We talk about the importance of sourcing sustainable garden products, how you can tell whether what you’re buying is sustainable and whether enough is being done on this front.

127: John Brookes with Gwendolyn van Paasschen - This week, I’m speaking to Gwendolyn van Paaschen about the legendary garden designer John Brookes. Gwendolyn is the owner of Denmans Garden and chairman of the John Brookes-Denmans Foundation. Gwendolyn’s book (released 7th Oct) ‘How to Design a Garden’ brings together a collection of John’s works from across his lengthy career, disseminating the fundamental principles which underpinned his design work, in a way that is useful to both professionals and home gardeners. Gwendolyn is carrying on John’s work at Denmans by opening the garden to the public and as she puts in at the end of the interview, keeping his conversation going.

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Get ready for an inspiring journey as I’m joined by RAF Warrant Officer Pete Welsh—a man whose story spans the adrenaline of military life to the quiet power of the garden. While excelling in a remarkable military career and contributing to an RHS award-winning community garden, Pete has also confronted the profound challenges of mental health. Through the therapeutic calm of gardening and the transformative power of community connections, he’s found resilience and growth. Pete’s journey reveals the extraordinary parallels between cultivating plants and healing ourselves.

Links

Veterans' Growth: A charity focused on providing horticultural therapy to veterans dealing with mental health challenges. You can visit the official site at veteransgrowth.org

Tadpole Garden Village: This community initiative has a focus on gardening and sustainability. You can find more information about their activities and community updates through their dedicated website at tadpolegardenvillage.com

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286: Natural Happiness - This episode my guest is Alan Heeks, former corporate world inhabitant, organic farmer, coach and author of the book ‘Natural Happiness’. After his transition into organic farming, Alan realised that “a cultivated organic ecosystem is a profound guide to tending human nature, and that organic growth methods have parallels for people: such as composting your stress, and using crop rotation to avoid burnout.” We explore the idea further…

145: Therapy Gardening - In this episode I’m speaking to horticultural therapist Carol Sales. Carol headed up a therapy garden in a prison, before moving over to lead the Therapy Garden at Headley Court, a rehabilitation centre for injured military veterans. Carol is featured in many books, including Head Gardeners by Ambra Edwards and Sue Stuart-Smith’s The Well Gardened Mind and she was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2019.

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