Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

Join Jeff Lowenfels, a celebrated author and organic gardening expert, as he delves into the fascinating world of mycorrhizal fungi. Discover how these fungi enhance plant nutrition and growth, forming a symbiotic relationship that’s crucial for healthy gardens. Jeff shares insights on their vital role in organic practices, advocating for a shift away from chemical fertilizers. Explore the impact of mycorrhizal associations in various ecosystems and learn how to enrich your gardening experience through effective planting strategies.

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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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: hannahpescharsculpture@gmail.com Re-opens for the year from 3rd April 2020  Get in touch: Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 info@lcgd.org.uk Get in touch: Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 hello@forestgarden.wales 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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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