Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

My guest this week is David Hedges-Gower. David is a prominent figure in the UK's lawn care industry, known for his expertise and dedication to promoting sustainable lawn care practices. He wrote the book ‘Modern Lawn Care’, is the Chairman of The Lawn Association, founded the world’s first lawn care qualification and works tirelessly to promote responsible, sustainable lawn care practices that benefit the environment and homeowners. What David has to say on lawns certainly challenged my notions on what lawn care involves, whether they’re a sensible option to those concerned about wildlife and the environment and what they can and should be like from a horticultural perspective, so listen on with an open mind… Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Horse Chestnut Moth What We Talk About  Lawns and their uses Do lawns have to be high maintenance?  Ideal grass species for sustainable lawns Do you have to feed a lawn? Can lawns be of use to wildlife? Artificial lawns About David Hedges-Gower David Hedges-Gower is a prominent figure in the UK's lawn care industry, known for his expertise and dedication to promoting sustainable lawn care practices. His background in greenkeeping, including his role as Superintendent at the prestigious Oxfordshire Golf Club, provided him with a strong foundation in turf management. After recognizing the need for better information and knowledge in the lawn care field, David transitioned into lawn care and authored a book titled "Modern Lawn Care" in 2014. This publication served as a valuable resource for those seeking to improve their lawn maintenance practices. In addition to his book, David has been actively involved in educating people about proper lawn care through training days, seminars, and advisory services. He is a trusted source of information, having accumulated 43 years of experience in the field. He often serves as an expert for publications, radio channels, and other advisory bodies, helping to disseminate his knowledge to a wider audience. One of David's notable achievements is founding the world's first lawn care qualification, which caters to both homeowners and professionals. This qualification helps individuals gain a better understanding of modern and sustainable lawn care practices, contributing to the overall improvement of lawn maintenance. David Hedges-Gower is also the Chairman of The Lawn Association, an organization dedicated to promoting the value of living lawns and distinguishing between genuine sustainable lawn care and marketing tactics that claim sustainability without delivering on it. The association collaborates with significant horticultural bodies like English Heritage to educate staff, trainees, and apprentices on sustainable lawn care methods. Recently, David launched the True Garden Range, a groundbreaking product in the form of 2-in-1 fertilizers and soil conditioners made from composted recycled food waste. This product addresses the need for sustainable lawn care options in the retail market, providing a more environmentally friendly choice for gardeners. David's passion lies in making sustainable lawns a priority, countering the practice of franchises that prioritize profits over the health of lawns. He envisions sustainable lawns as not just a feature of our surroundings but a necessity, and he works tirelessly to promote responsible lawn care practices that benefit both the environment and homeowners. Links www.davidhedges-gower.com Modern Lawn Care by David Hedges-Gower www.lawnassociation.org Other episodes if you liked this one: Tapestry Lawns So & Mo Patreon

This week, my guest is Andrew Bullock, who runs The Lavender Garden Nursery. Andrew holds the National Collection of Buddlejas and grows a huge range of lavenders and buddlejas from his nursery in The Cotswolds. We talk about how to attract pollinators to your garden, when and how to prune your buddlejas and lavenders, whether buddlejas are invasive, why lavenders are sometimes short-lived and anything else you ever wanted to know about these two plants for pollinators. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Mosquitoes What We Talk About  Which is better for bees - buddleja or lavender? The best varieties for bees/butterflies/pollinators in general Night time pollinators How to grow lavender and buddleja When to prune and how much to take off Buddleja - invasive? Causes of short-lived lavender Links The Lavender Garden  Contact Andrew on the phone: 01453 860356 or 07837 582943 www.premierpolytunnels.co.uk  Other episodes if you liked this one: Pollinators & Pollination Bugs in Your Garden Patreon

Several years ago, Penn Allen inherited a collection of diaries that had been meticulously maintained by her great grandmother. Penn discovered the diaries documented the building of her great grandmother and grandfather’s Arts and Crafts house and the development of the garden that followed. She uncovered an untold story of her family, of plant hunting and of rock gardens - one that has significance to the wider world of horticultural history and in fact, goes some way to rewriting it.    Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Buddleias and Butterfly Tongues What We Talk About  What the book is about and why Penn felt it was important to write it How the garden helped heal; through providing a space to contemplate, a space to communicate, a distraction… Alpines and rock gardening Plant hunters Reginald Farrer Will Purdom What became of house and garden About Penn Allen Having spent most of my life in the UK, I moved permanently to the beautiful Lot region in SW France with my husband around fifteen years ago.  I have a passion for my garden and the outdoors and can generally be found either striding over a windswept hillside or upside down in my flower beds, always with a Labrador or two by my side.  The Lost Garden of Loughrigg is my first story, though hopefully not my last! Links The Lost Gardens of Loughrigg by Penn Allen  Tickets to see Penn Allen at the Kendal Mountain Book Festival Twitter @PennAllenwrites  Instagram penn.allen www.modicagardens.com

My guest this week is Amy Anthony, a certified clinical Aromatherapist and Aromatic Gardener. In addition to that, Amy is an aromatherapy educator, podcaster, herbalist, certified master composter, and artisanal distiller and is one of New York’s top aromatherapy practitioners. We talk about the importance of connecting with nature through scent, how aromatherapy can support wellness and vitality and how you can become an aromatic gardening practitioner yourself.  Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Rosemary Leaf Beetles What We Talk About  What is aromatherapy? What is aromatic gardening? What’s the difference between plant aromatics and synthetics? What are best essential oils for supporting wellness and vitality? Do you need to be careful with any aromatic oils? What are safe and practical approaches to aromatherapy? How are you connected to plants from your culture? “Aromatherapy is not a consumptive exercise.” Why? What can we do about this in our own gardens?  How is aromatherapy linked to the moon?  Where to find out more About Amy Anthony Amy is a certified clinical Aromatherapist and Aromatic Gardner who left her career in marketing research to pursue what is closest to her heart: working with plants. As a certified aromatherapist, aromatherapy educator, herbalist, gardener, certified master composter, and artisanal distiller, Amy is one of NYC’s top aromatherapy practitioners. Host of the Essential Aromatica podcast, Amy also tends her own aromatic garden on the North Fork of Long Island where she distills her unique products.  Listed as one of America’s most influential aromatherapists, Amy Anthony is currently the New York State representative for the Alliance of International Aromatherapists and has her private practice called NYC Aromatica which includes one-on-one customized aromatherapy sessions, online class offerings, corporate consulting and article writing.  Links Essential Aromatica Podcast NYC Aromatica Other episodes if you liked this one: Scent Magic with Isabel Bannerman   Gardening for Your Senses Patreon

This episode, my guest is green roof guru, urban designer, photographer, birdwatcher, punk ideologist and all-round straight talker Dusty Gedge. We talk about green infrastructure, encouraging species back into landscapes, how to maintain landscapes for habitat value and what’s being and can be done to up the green value of public spaces. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Woodlice What We Talk About  Brownfield gardening Biodiversity in decline The problems faced by birds in urban environments  What initiatives Dusty is most excited by What happens if biodiversity starts causing a problem? Maintaining green roofs as habitats About Dusty Gedge Links www.dustygedge.co.uk Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Collecting the Love 1 Collecting the Love 2 Other episodes if you liked this one: The Botanical Mind Public Green Spaces Patreon

This episode is an interview with environmental landscape artist, TED Speaker and art21 Educator Tobacco Brown. Tobacco connects art and environmental justice and is a visual artist, digital storyteller, master gardener, social practitioner, cultural historian and intuitive environmental advocate. We talk about community green spaces, how humans connect with the land and why it’s so important that we do. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Beewolf What We Talk About  What can gardens teach us about ourselves?  Lessons we can learn from a garden that help us live our lives well Are there lessons we can take from life that will help us be better gardeners?  Wisdom residing in the soil Land justice Communication blight remediation How gardens grow with you as you go through life About Tobacco Brown Links Email tobaccobrownartist@gmail.com Tobacco Brown What Gardening Taught Me About Life - Tobacco Brown’s TED Talk On Instagram art21 Other episodes if you liked this one: The Botanical Mind Public Green Spaces Patreon

My guest this week is Blanche Cameron, who leads UCL Bartlett School of Architecture's Environmental Design and Greening Cities modules, and is an urban green infrastructure advocate who works closely with industry and the government on urban greening issues. To say our towns and cities are not always good examples of environmentally sound design and biodiversity would be quite the understatement, but Blanche is one of a group of outspoken advocates for nature inclusive design who are are working towards better outcomes in this regard. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Dagger flies What We Talk About  The built environment and biodiversity collapse Landscaping in towns and cities How good design can help mitigate biodiversity loss and climate change Vertical planting and green roofs Do we need a coherent plan or is it up to individuals to start changing their landscapes? “Productising” and the construction industry’s need for homogeneity Where does technologically fit in? About Blanche Cameron Blanche leads UCL Bartlett School of Architecture’s Environmental Design and Greening Cities modules and contributes to other modules and programmes, including the Landscape Architecture and Sustainable Heritage MSc.She coordinated the Living Landscape Strategy for UCL’s £1Bn UCL East development, and sits on UCL’s campus greening ‘Wild Bloomsbury’ steering group. Blanche is an urban green infrastructure advocate, working closely with industry and government, bringing practitioners into the heart of teaching, including John Little, biodiverse landscapes innovator, and Dusty Gedge, living roofs expert and founder in 2004 of the independent advisory organisation, Livingroofs.org. Blanche edited the GLA's 2019 10-year update report on the impact of a decade of urban greening since the London Plan's Green Roofs and Walls 2008 policy, co-written by Dusty Gedge and Gary Grant. Links Blanche on LinkedIn www.naturalgrower.co.uk www.veteransgrowth.org Other episodes if you liked this one: John Little Green Roofs with Dr Anna Zakrisson Patreon

This episode I’m speaking with author and expert gardener Maggie Stuckey about growing food in containers. We talk about growing a container garden of vegetabhttps://rootsandall.co.uk/podcast/episode-52-grow-fruit-vegetables-in-pots-with-aaron-bertelsen/les, herbs, and edible flowers and the inspirational history of wartime Victory Gardens and their legacy for today’s gardeners.  Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Painted Lady Butterflies What We Talk About  Victory gardens  Growing food in containers With container space at a premium, how can you choose what to grow?  Essential equipment Cool season and warm season plants Maggie’s neat trick for planting garlic cloves Root vegetables in containers Should you try to focus on one type of plant or can you grow a mixture of things? Succession planting  About Maggie Stuckey Bestselling author Maggie Stuckey is an expert in the art of growing good things to eat in containers. For more than twenty years, Maggie has been enjoying vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers grown in her own container garden — and inspiring others to transform even the tiniest spaces into vibrant personal foodways. In her book The Container Victory Garden, Maggie shares practical and comprehensive tips and techniques for container gardening alongside the rich history of the original wartime Victory Gardens, which date back to 1917.  Links The Container Victory Garden: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Your Own Groceries by Maggie Stuckey - HarperCollins Focus, April 2023 Move with Adele Other episodes if you liked this one: Fruits and Vegetables in Pots Container Planting with Harriet Rycroft Patreon

This episode I’m speaking with Seb Stroud. Seb is based at Leeds University and is part of the Ecology & Evolution Group, where his research looks at many different topics including botany, freshwater ecology, ecosystem structures and urban landscapes. He recently co-authored a research paper which looks at the state of botanical education and that’s what I was particularly interested in chatting about today. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Woolly Aphids What We Talk About  What is the extinction of botanical education? Why is it happening? The effects of losing our tradition of botanical education Plant blindness The UN’s sustainable development goals and future funding The impact of botanical education extinction on climate change, food security and our economy What is actually being done about it?  Natural history GCSE Equity and accessibility in environmental education The UK as a nation of gardeners and nature lovers…?  About Sebastian Stroud Links Botanical education paper Seb Stroud on Twitter Botanical University Challenge Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh RBGE’s PropaGate Learning - Online Courses BSBI Kew’s Grow Wild Botanists are Disappearing with Seb Stroud - The Conversation, July 2022 CW Studio  Other episodes if you liked this one: Modern Plant Hunters The State of Horticulture Patreon

My guest this episode is urban smallholder Sara Ward. Sara runs Hen Corner, a backyard smallholding in London. Her website Hen Corner has a wealth of information on growing and making food, she runs courses, sells products from her bakery and has just published a book ‘Living the Good Life in the City’. I began by asking Sara what prompted her to follow in the wellieprints of Barbara Good. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Gardening for Nature What We Talk About  What prompted Sara to set up Hen Corner How much can you grow in your average urban garden? Keeping animals Getting rid of waste from the garden Preserving food Looking after things when you're away About Living the Good Life in the City Sara Ward has transformed her Victorian terraced house in London into an urban smallholding, ‘Hen Corner’, and in Living the Good Life in the City she shares some of the ways she and her family have brought city and country together, and shows that you, too, can make a difference to how you live and the food you eat. Divided into sections covering Make, Grow, Preserve, Keep and Celebrate, Living the Good Life in the City is packed full of recipes, stories, tips and tricks including baking bread, making your own jam, pasta, sausages and cheese, keeping bees and livestock, preserving, foraging, harvesting and celebrating with food. Links Living the Good Life in the City by Sara Ward - Pimpernel Press, July 2023  www.hencorner.com Digital Fuse Other episodes if you liked this one: Huw Richards on Veg Growing Food Forest in Your Garden with Alan Carter Patreon