Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

Sarah chats to organic kitchen gardener James Mellors. They discuss organic, no-kill pest control, companion planting, interesting varieties and bees in your veg plot.   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 episode is produced in association with the Vegan Organic Network. It was recorded at VegFestUK on the 23rd March 2019. Iain Tolhurst is a pioneer of what he terms Stock-free Farming; that is farming which uses no animal inputs. Based in South Oxfordshire, Iain talks about the history of his growing operation plus shares some unique practices he employs to maximise crops whilst making the farm a haven for biodiversity. He also gives figures about produce yields and carbon output of his farm, which are fascinating (and encouraging, for anyone considering this method of farming). With thanks to Iain Tolhurst and The Vegan organic Network for allowing me to part of such a great day. To find out more about Iain, including his courses, veg box scheme and consultancy work, please check out http://www.tolhurstorganic.co.uk  The Vegan Organic Network is the only organisation in the UK solely working for food to be grown the veganic way. Please check out their website to find out more about the important work they are involved in: http://veganorganic.net

Following on from my episodes on native vs. non-native plants and gardening for wildlife, who better for me to interview than wildlife gardening guru Kate Bradbury?  We talk about the best ways to garden for wildlife, including what to put in to your wildlife garden and what to leave out. Kate champions some unusual species and our conversation touches upon aspects that may surprise even the most seasoned wildlife gardener. The timing was perfect too, as Kate’s new book Wildlife Gardening for Everyone and Everything hit the shelves 5 days ago. Once she’s tempted you with snippets of wildlife gardening gold, you can go buy the book and find out everything you need to know about turning your own garden, whatever its size, into a haven for all creatures great and small.   Providing shelter in the garden   Kate’s top features to include in a wildlife garden   Kate’s top plants for wildlife   Common mistakes we make when trying to help wildlife   The decline of certain species   Gardening for flies!   Resources for wildlife gardeners   About Kate Bradbury Kate Bradbury is an award-winning author and journalist, specialising in wildlife gardening. She edits the wildlife pages of BBC Gardeners World Magazine and regularly writes articles for the Daily and Sunday Telegraph, The Guardian, RHS magazine The Garden and BBC Wildlife and BBC Countryfile magazines.  In 2015 she became the first Butterfly Ambassador for conservation charity Butterfly Conservation, and she writes a quarterly column for its members magazine, Butterfly. Kate regularly talks at events and festivals, and appears on radio including BBC Gardeners Question Time and the popular RHS gardening podcast.  She also makes wildlife gardening videos for gardenersworld.com. She lives and breathes wildlife gardening, and is currently transforming a tired north-facing patio garden into a wildlife oasis, where she hopes to attract a wealth of creatures including frogs, toads, newts, birds, beetles, hedgehogs, butterflies, not to mention her very favourite, and first love: bees.   Links: Buy a copy of Kate’s new book Wildlife Gardening for Everyone and Everything here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wildlife-Gardening-Everyone-Everything-Trusts/dp/1472956052/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Kate+bradbury&qid=1554217200&s=books&sr=1-3  Kate on Twitter @Kate_Bradbury https://twitter.com/Kate_Bradbury?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor On Instagram kategbradbury https://www.instagram.com/kategbradbury/ The Bumblebee Flies Anyway by Kate Bradbury - Buy Here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bumblebee-Flies-Anyway-year-gardening/dp/1472943104/ref=la_B00O0X7MLI_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1554215473&sr=1-2 The Wildlife Gardener by Kate Bradbury - Buy Here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wildlife-Gardener-Kate-Bradbury/dp/152671289X Butterfly Conservation www.butterfly-conservation.org https://butterfly-conservation.org Big Butterfly Count www.bigbutterflycount.org https://www.bigbutterflycount.org Moths Count www.mothscount.org http://www.mothscount.org Froglife www.froglife.org https://www.froglife.org Bumblebee Conservation Trust www.bumblebeeconservation.org https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) www.bto.org https://www.bto.org   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 honoured to be joined by the Queen of Containers, Harriet Rycroft. Harriet worked for many years at Whichford Pottery in Warwickshire, where she became renowned for producing season after season of the most spectacular planting and colour combinations. Oh, and Harriet had the door open to her garden, so enjoy the birdsong! We talk about: The ideal container Layer planting Planting media Feeding your pots Well and badly behaved container plants Pests in/on pots Tricks for discouraging mice and squirrels Planting combinations for the wow factor About Harriet Rycroft Harriet Rycroft switched careers to horticulture while her children were small and spent 14 years working for Whichford Pottery. As Head Gardener she was responsible for planning, planting and maintaining large displays of planted flowerpots of every conceivable shape and size and was careful always to provide plenty of planting inspiration for visitors all year round. With up to 500 plantings on display at any time the garden attracted many visitors and much praise from some of the UK’s leading horticulturists. While at Whichford Harriet also planned and planted container displays for events and shows, including Chelsea Flower Show, and gave lectures and demonstrations both in the UK and abroad. She now divides her time between writing about gardening and container planting, giving talks and demonstrations, and teaching container gardening online at LearningWith Experts.com. She still gardens at the Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens and at home, where she usually has at least 200 planted containers on display. She’s a keen photographer, using her camera to record her own workbut also as a way to celebrate gardens and the natural world generally and to share  inspiration for the creative use of plants. When she has a bit of spare time she writes a blog called “A Parrot’s Nest’ at https://harrietrycroft.com/ and can also be found chatting about plants and gardening and sharing photos on Twitter and Instagram @HarrietRycroft Harriet gives talks and planting demonstrations to garden clubs and groups, so if you would like a talk about container gardening for your society please contact her at harrietrycroft@btinternet.com for more details. She recently wrote (and took most of the photographs for) a book about the amazing gardens at the Cotswold Wildlife Park with their Head Gardener, Tim Miles. A Celebration of The Gardens is available from the Park’s website.   Links:  Cotswold Wildlife Park Website https://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk Buy a copy of The Cotswold Wildlife Park - A Celebration of the Gardens https://shop.myonlinebooking.co.uk/cotswoldwildlifepark/shop/product-list.aspx?catid=8    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 

To be completely contrary after her plea for gardeners to plant more native plants, Sarah interviews Graham Blunt of Plantbase, a nursery specialising in the most fabulous, exotic and downright bizarre plants!  Graham talks about hardy palms, his favourite exotic trees, cacti and succulents that can be grown outdoors and how to overwinter caudex plants and bananas. Graham has also been intensively researching new regulations that come into play in December 2019 and how these will affect plant lovers. He reckons that Brexit will seem like a "small gust of wind" compared to the potential havoc wreaked by new CITES, Plant Health and Nagoya regulations due to come into effect on Dec 14th 2019. If you buy garden or indoor plants, this episode will be of real interest.    www.plantbase.co.uk     Plantbase,  Sleepers Stile Road,  Cousley Wood,  Wadhurst,  East Sussex,  TN5 6QX.    01892 785599  07967 601064    plantbaseuk@gmail.com   Twitter: @Plantbaseuk    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 

The daffodils have been in full swing for a few weeks now and as today’s guest, Adrian Scamp of Scamp’s Daffodils tells us, we can expect them to carry on gracing us with their cheery blooms into May. Each year, I’m newly amazed by the indomitable daffodil; its ability to cope in all weathers, to grow in seemingly unpromising situations and to flower successively from December to May if you choose the right varieties. This episode, we cover every question you had about daffodils but were afraid to ask! Adrian gives his expert advice on: - When to order and when to plant bulbs (hint: order now!) - The conditions favoured by daffodils including soil and aspect- When to feed and with what - How to propagate - Troubleshooting any problems About Adrian Scamp’s Daffodils was started by Ron Scamp. Ron’s passion for the daffodil developed as a child in the 1940’s and 50’s whilst spending his childhood on his uncle’s daffodil farm in the Tamar Valley. In 1990 after years of growing daffodil varieties in his garden and greenhouse, Ron produced his first catalogue offering select varieties to other daffodil enthusiasts. Over the years the collection has developed and now contains approximately 2500 varieties including modern, species and historical collected from all over the world. As a professional grower, Ron has achieved many awards including RHS gold, the E.H Trophy for best exhibit and the Lawrence Medal. Adrian joined the company in 2007 and continues to grow and develop the collection. During the spring, they display their flowers at many shows and find this aspect of their work particularly enjoyable, as they meet other enthusiasts and customers both old and new. Each year, a list of the shows they will be attending is published in the news section of their website. Adrian can be contacted by phone 07826 067175 or via email amscamp@qualitydaffodils.com Please leave a message on the mobile as Adrian is often on the fields with no phone signal. Links: Scamp’s Daffodils https://qualitydaffodils.com  The Scamp’s Daffodil Catalogue https://qualitydaffodils.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Scamp-Booklet-2019.pdf  A.M. Scamp 49 Mongleath Road Falmouth Cornwall 07826 067175 amscamp@qualitydaffodils.com  Scamp’s on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/QualityDaffodils/  Scamp’s on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/scampsbulbs/  The Daffodil Society https://thedaffodilsociety.com/wordpress/  Daffodil: the Remarkable Story of the World’s Most Popular Spring Flower by Noel Kingsbury https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daffodil-Remarkable-Worlds-Popular-Spring/dp/1604693185    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 

Join Sarah for a brief recap of why native plants are better than non-native, before a delve into the more positive impact gardeners can have in ensuring wildlife has a future in our landscape.  Part 2 of this exploration of native vs. non-native plants looks at the reality of what happens when natural and human habitats collide. Sarah discusses Darwin Comes to Town, a book by Menno Schilthuizen, which explores how nature is adapting to fit in with our urban landscapes but as in Part One, the conclusions she comes to about the future of our wildlife aren't pretty! However, the second half of the episode looks at how we as gardeners and growers can help make a difference, no matter how big or small our plot.    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 

Rough & Ready Audio Alert! This is a bonus episode recording of the wild food tasting session that took place before the main interview with forager Michael Wachter, which aired in Episode 18. A supporting blog post featuring a photo and names of the plants that were sampled can be found on the Roots and All blog. As with the main episode, this episode and the blog post are not to be used as guides to foraging. Please do not attempt to eat any wild plants unless you are capable of correctly identifying them or you are accompanied by someone who can.  Please note, there is much giggling, background noise and chewing audible throughout, which is not standard for there Roots and All podcast which is usually impeccably produced and edited!   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 

In this episode, I’m talking foraging with expert forager Michael Wachter. Michael has masses of experience when it comes to living outdoors sustainably and being self-sufficient, having lived on a remote island off the North Coast of Germany. He also regularly treks across the landscape both in the UK and abroad, with nothing but a sleeping bag and his survival kit, foraging for food along the way.   Michael currently lives and works in East Sussex, where he indulges his passion for plants at every opportunity. We only scratched the surface of his experiences and if you ever have the opportunity to hear him speak, I urge you to do so, you will be spellbound as he recounts his adventures! We cover: The best places to find wild food How to forage in your own garden, however limited you are on space Michael’s trek along the South Coast of England The philosophy of foraging   About Michael Wachter Born in the rolling hills of North Bavaria along a river in Bamberg, Michael studied landscape architecture near Frankfurt. After a short stint working in an office, he went to work for the protection of mainly seabirds on the North Coast of Germany, before coming to England in 2014. He currently works as a gardener in East Sussex and indulges his passion for wild plants on a daily basis.   Links: Michael Wachter on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/michael_wachter/?hl=en Robin Harford’s site provides great information, plus he produces a podcast on the topic: https://www.eatweeds.co.uk The Woodland Trust’s guide to foraging sustainably: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/things-to-do/foraging/  Wild Food & Foraging UK Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/WildFoodUK/ The website of Samuel Thayer, a foraging resource for listeners in the US: https://www.foragersharvest.com    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 explores the reasons we all need to go native in our gardens. From declining insects and struggling bird populations to invasive species and plants for pollinators, Sarah looks at the impact planting non-native species in our gardens can have. Acknowledgement to Douglas W Tallamy for the excellent research presented in his book Bringing Nature Home.   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