Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

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 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 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 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 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 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

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