Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

This week, my guest is renowned horticulturist Andrew Bunting. Andrew is the Vice President of Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, where he leads the utilization of planting and design to promote environmentally sound gardening practices across the organization. Andrew's extensive experience informs the work of PHS' Public Gardens and Landscapes team which maintains a network of public gardens and landscapes across the Pennsylvania region, contributes to creating vital greenspace and encourages all to see the impact of horticulture in their own lives and I must say, it sounds a really wonderful organisation.  Andrew’s expertise extends to many subjects but given his experience of gardening large landscapes in an area where deer are prevalent, and given that at this time of the year in the UK, our gardens are becoming tasty prospects when the wider landscape is offering slim pickings, I thought it would be very useful to get Andrew’s take on managing deer. What We Talk About The species of deer Andrew deals with in the US Can you exclude deer from a garden? How can you do this? Deer deterrents  Plants that can cope with predation  Is it just eating plants that’s the problem? Do deer trample on plants too? The times of the year are they most active Deer welfare About Andrew Bunting Andrew Bunting, Vice President of Horticulture at PHS, leads the utilization of planting and design to promote environmentally sound gardening practices across the organization.   As a renowned horticultural expert, Andrew's extensive experience informs the work of PHS' Public Gardens and Landscapes team which maintains a network of public gardens and landscapes across the Philadelphia region, contributes to creating vital greenspace and encourages all to see the impact of horticulture in their own lives. Links Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Other episodes if you liked this one: Foxes in Your Garden with Terry Woods Cats and Gardens Patreon Membership

This week’s guest is permaculture designer and author of 'The Plant Lover's Backyard Forest Garden’, Pippa Chapman. Growing our own food is becoming more and more important, and Pippa has tips on creating a year-round food forest that is low-maintenance and good for wildlife, that can work in a variety of aspects and that is an enjoyable and beautiful space for people too. What We Talk About What is a forest garden? Can forest gardens can be a bit limited in their plant palettes? Does a forest garden have to be a decent size in order to work? Food forest design techniques such as keyhole beds and lasagne beds The random assembly design technique Pippa’s essential perennial food plants Good examples of forest gardens About Pippa Chapman RHS-trained and garden designer, Pippa Chapman, is the author of 'The Plant Lover's Backyard Forest Garden', where she shares how she turned her grassy and paved back garden into an abundant, biodiverse, edible and beautiful forest garden that provides for her family and the local wildlife. Pippa also includes flowers into her garden design, so the garden is both beautiful and productive, and gives advice on using perennials for structure and food, as well as info on guilds, polycultures and growing in containers. Pippa's real-life examples and years of experience will help anyone create their own multilayered, edible paradise that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Growing our own food is only going to become more important, and a food forest of any size can offer: year-round food that is low-maintenance; wildlife habitat; beautiful gardens for people to enjoy; carbon sequestration; shady microclimates; and more.  Links 'The Plant Lover's Backyard Forest Garden’ by Pippa Chapman - Permanent Publications www.thoseplantpeople.com Other episodes if you liked this one: Introduction to Forest Gardening with Jake Rayson Food Forest in Your Garden Patreon Membership

This week, my guest is Julian Ives, founder of Dragonfli Limited, a company specialising in taking biological controls which have been more commonly used in professional growing environments and bringing them to home gardeners. We talk about why these controls might be suitable for helping you manage your own garden, how and when you can apply them and why they might provide a useful long-term solution for those looking to avoid chemical deterrents.     About Julian Ives   Julian Ives is a Director of Dragonfli Ltd, a company he founded in 2010 with the aim of bringing biological pest control to the gardener. Julian spent his early career advising professional growers on how to use biological pest control whilst working for Koppert Biological Systems, and now advises a number of leading botanical gardens in how to manage insects using biological controls.  Links Gardener's Guide to Biological Pest Control: Using natural predators in the garden by Julian Ives - The Crowood Press Ltd, August 2022 Other episodes if you liked this one: Probiotics for your Garden Patreon Membership

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode where I’m speaking with Marianne and Camilla, joint founders of Wolves Lane Flower Company. Marianne and Camilla are on a mission to inspire everyone to have a go at growing flowers and are part of a new wave of “farmer florists” putting the environment first.  Their new book ‘How to Grow the Flowers’ charts a year at Wolves Lane Flower Company and in easy to understand and digest fashion, shows you what to do and when to do it in order to create your own flower farm at any scale.  About Wolves Lane Flower Company Camila Romain and Marianne Mogendorff are the founders of Wolves Lane Flower Company, a micro flower farm in north London. The duo is on a mission to inspire everyone to have a go at growing flowers and were earmarked as one of British Vogue’s “most talented female gardeners” in 2020. They are part of a new wave of “farmer florists” putting the environment first.  Flowers are something we are irresistibly drawn to and turn to at the milestone moments of our lives, at births, marriages and deaths, to connect with an estranged friend, to send love or say we’re sorry. They colour our most formative experiences and are our gateway to finding our own personal relationship with the planet we inhabit. No matter the size of your garden, ‘How to Grow the Flowers’ is a practical, but approachable guide that will instill the confidence in you to grow flowers to bring into your home and enjoy all year round.  Links ‘How to Grow the Flowers’ by Camila Romain and Marianne Mogendorff - HarperCollins, Sep 2022 Other episodes if you liked this one: Growing Cut Flowers with Georgie Newbery of Common Farm Flowers Alstroemerias with Ben Cross Patreon Membership

This week my guest is garden and landscape designer and writer, Darryl Moore. Darryl is one of the most, if not in my opinion, the most informed voice on gardens and design in the UK and his new book Gardening in A Changing World: People, Plants and the Climate Crisis presents an overarching perspective of the complexity of plant life, and the ways that we can begin to appreciate and work together with plants, rather than against them, in addressing the rapidly changing conditions affecting the planet. About Darryl Moore Darryl Moore is an award-winning garden and landscape designer and writer.  He is Director and co-founder of the innovative urban landscape organisation Cityscapes, realising creative approaches to greening city spaces through novel design ideas that ensure ecological, economic and social sustainability. He is co-curator of thehub.earth. He sits on the Society of Garden Designers Council, and is a fellow of the RSA. His most recent award was for the St Mungo’s Putting Down Roots Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022, showcasing sustainability and ecology in public places.  Links Gardening in A Changing World: People, Plants and the Climate Crisis by Darryl Moore - Pimpernel Press Ltd, Oct 2022 Other episodes if you liked this one: Wild Gardens with Jo McKerr James Basson of Scape Design Patreon Membership

This week I’m speaking to Dr Mike Edwards, Chief Listening Officer at Sound Matters, a company focussed on using sound and listening to create more sustainable and resilient futures. Sound Matters provided the soundtrack to the Rewilding Britain garden that one best in show at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show. Mike recently spoke passionately about climate change, soundscapes and landscapes at the Beth Chatto Symposium and wowed a lecture theatre full of rapt listeners with his prowess on the didgeridoo. End music included with the kind permission of Sound Matters. Links The Soundtrack from the Rewilding Britain Garden at the 2022 RHS Chelsea Flower Show   The Sound Matters Soil Composer Listening project  www.sound-matters.com  Other episodes if you liked this one: Gardening by Touch, Taste, Sound & Smell Gardening for Your Senses Patreon Membership

This week, I’m speaking to co-founder of Roots Allotments Ed Morrison. Along with Christian, Will & Josh, Ed set up Roots Allotments on a site in Bath as an alternative to traditional allotments with their long waiting lists, large and often difficult to manage plots and set up a low carbon footprint, no dig and wildlife-friendly site where people could lease some space and join the grow your own food movement. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Harvestmen What We Talk About How Roots Allotments came about How they are different to conventional allotments The costs of a plot, waiting lists, term of lease, facilities and support offered What can be grown on a Roots Allotment?  Why no dig? Links Roots Allotments  Other episodes if you liked this one: No Dig with Charles Dowding Sharing & Borrowing Gardens with Joyce Veheary of Lend and Tend Patreon Membership

This week, my guest is Nikki Barker. Nikki’s long career in horticulture has seen her work across many sectors of the industry and she is now the Senior Horticultural Advisor at the RHS. She’s just had a book published called ‘A Gardener’s Guide to Propagation Techniques’ and I spoke to Nikki to get some general tips on propagation and to find out what we can be propagating at this time of year.  Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Allium leaf miners What We Talk About With peat being phased out, what are good alternative proprietary growing media for propagation?  Some common seeds that require light to germinate Seeds that can be particularly tricky to germinate Good ways of propagating plants at this time of the year Dahlias - good ways to propagate them The easiest methods and plants to try propagating if you don’t have a lot of space or equipment Links Gardener’s Guide to Propagation Techniques: The essential guide to producing plants by Nikki Barker - The Crowood Press Ltd, September 2022 Other episodes if you liked this one: Young Propagators’ Society Growing Under Protection with Guy Deakins Patreon Membership