Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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  stefan@natureandtherapy.co.uk  +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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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 Giles Heap, Managing Director of CED Stone. CED has a long history of supplying natural stone paving and facilitating the use of stone throughout the landscape and construction industries. Giles took over as the Managing Director of CED in 2013. We discuss: - Sourcing stone ethically, including mention of the Ethical Trading Initiative - Using materials appropriate to the job and the location - Options for those looking to source local stone in the UK - The production process and the environmental impacts of this - Issues with permeability and drainage surrounding hard surfaces and how to overcome these - The future of stone products About Giles “I have been working for CED for over twenty years, on and off in many different roles. My specialities lean towards design specification and consultation using natural stone in both the Urban Realm and Landscaping arenas. With hands on experience in quarrying, production and remedial masonry work I tend to have a slightly more practical and straightforward view on stone, its capabilities and uses. I regularly lecture (preach) on the use of natural stone, both in Urban Design and Garden Design to Landscape, Urban and garden designers, students and contractors and I am more than happy to write and present bespoke lectures on the subject. Before working full time for CED, I have previously been a Publican, Bodyguard, Chauffeur, Night-club manager, doorman, and a whole host of other unusual careers! With a slight addiction to Scuba diving, martial arts (although not so much now I'm a Dad!) and extreme sports, especially climbing, I am quite happy to "say it as I see it" and I am always willing to face a challenge! As a member of the family that owns CED and the current Managing Director, my professional goal is to make us the best supplier of natural stone and hard landscaping products in the UK, by ensuring that the right advice and materials are used in our cities, parks and gardens, indeed wherever and whenever it is right and correct to do so.”   Links CED Stone - www.cedstone.co.uk 728 London Road, West Thurrock, Grays, Essex, RM20 3LU Tel: 01708 867237   Blog by Giles on Using British Stone https://www.cedstone.co.uk/news/using-british-stone-by-ced-stone-group-managing-director-giles-heap   CED and the Ethical Trading Initiative https://www.cedstone.co.uk/about#3   More info: www.ethicaltrade.org    Ethical Stone Register - www.ethicalstoneregister.co.uk   Steintec - StoneBed Permeable Bedding Mortar https://www.cedstone.co.uk/products/stonebed-permeable-bedding-mortar-pbm    Get in touch; Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  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