grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

Cut flowers are one of the great joys of summer, and since Sarah’s last episode on cut flowers, there are a host of wonderful new varieties worthy of adorning your vases.This episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ hones in on 20 of the best flowers for taking cuttings throughout the coming season, offering unbeatable scent, intriguing shapes, and staggering productivity all summer long.In this episode, discover:Cut flowers with productivity and personality, from the elegant Nicotiana Silvestris to more delicate grasses The top flower picks that last for weeks, or sometimes up to a monthHow to create showstopping arrangements with fragrance, which are also marvellously pollinator-friendlyWhich flowers have the longest flowering seasons for cut flowers all season longProducts mentioned:Nicotiana sylvestris 'Only the Lonely'"https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nicotiana-sylvestrisPaeonia 'Coral Sunset'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/paeonia-coral-sunsetRosa x odorata 'Mutabilis' (China)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/rosa-x-oderata-mutabilisRosa rubrifolia (Shrub)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/rosa-glauca-syn-rubrifoliaLonicera periclymenum 'Graham Thomas'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lonicera-periclymenum-graham-thomasCerinthe major 'Purpurascens'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cerinthe-major-purpurascensBriza maxima (Greater Quaking Grass)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/briza-maxima-greater-quaking-grassChasmanthium latifoliumhttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/chasmanthium-latifoliumPanicum capillare 'Sparkling Fountain'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/panicum-sparkling-fountainCosmos bipinnatus 'Purity'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cosmos-bipinnatus-purityCosmos bipinnatus 'Apricotta'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cosmos-bipinnatus-apricottaAntirrhinum majus 'Potomac Apple-blossom' F1https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-majus-potomac-apple-blossom-f1Antirrhinum 'Liberty Crimson' F1https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-liberty-crimsonFollow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Get in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

The Great British Sewing Bee brings so much delight to those who watch it, and instrumental to its charm is Co-Host Patrick Grant, this week’s fabulous podcast guest.This week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ dives into the magic behind the show, what makes it so enjoyable for everyone on and off-screen, Patrick’s marvellous mission with Community Clothing, and the ambitious plans for an inspiring garden transformation at his Yorkshire home.In this episode, discover:Behind the magic of The Great British Sewing Bee, how Patrick came to present the show, and what makes it such a special experiencePatrick’s incredible mission with Community Clothing, breathing life back into British textile manufacturing How Patrick is transforming his charming garden in Yorkshire into a thriving, beautiful spaceFollow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Get in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

At this time of year sweet peas are one of the season’s greatest joys, whether through the earlier flowering varieties or the incredibly fragrant flowers.In this solo episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ Sarah dives into the best growing systems for stunning sweet peas, a new method for picking & deadheading, and the specific sweet peas that will make your garden sing through spring.In this episode, discover:How best to condition sweet peas for the most prolific growth and huge stemsA new method of picking that helps give you more flowers, and keep life in your sweet peasSarah’s tips for preventing mildew, not just for sweet peas but for most plantsThe absolute top varieties for perfume, performance, and early-flowering delightsProducts mentioned:Sweet Pea 'Matucana'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lathyrus-odoratus-matucanaSweet Pea 'Mrs Collier'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lathyrus-odoratus-mrs-collierSweet Pea 'Nimbus'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sweet-pea-nimbus Sweet Pea 'Blue Velvet'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sweet-pea-blue-velvetFollow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Get in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

There’s nothing quite like cooking outside, and summer provides the perfect opportunity to light a fire and cook up a feast, all inspired by expert tips and recipes courtesy of chef and author, Gill Meller.Highlighting delicious recipes from his book ‘Outside’, Gill joins Sarah on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ to share stories of his early forays cooking outdoors, the recipes he couldn’t live without, and some common pitfalls to avoid when you’re inevitably inspired to cook on the fire.In this episode, discover:Advice for cooking delicious meals outdoors, transforming flavours and the importance of great ingredientsThe origins of the personal connection that Gill shares with cooking and the outdoorsIndispensable tools and techniques for successful cooking, and advice on how to manage a fire effectively and safelyThe primal joy of outdoor cooking, and how it engages all our senses Outside by Gill Meller:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Outside-Recipes-Wilder-Way-Eating/dp/1787137473Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Get in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Between starting out at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall, a spot on Alan Titchmarsh’s new TV show, and raising two young daughters, organic grower Anna Greenland is a modern horticultural heroine.Returning to ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ this month, Anna joins Sarah to share how she inspires her children to grow with her, tips for encouraging younger family members to embrace gardening, and what to sow or harvest now to enjoy the kitchen garden’s greatest gifts.In this episode, discover:How Anna became a passionate vegetable grower and her journey from front of house at Jamie Oliver's restaurant, to growing and supplying produce at the Lost Gardens of HeliganA glimpse into the life of gardening with children, and creative ways to engage kids in the gardenPractical growing tips for July, with Anna’s pick of what to harvest now, and what to sow for autumn and winter cropsAnna's endeavours as a gardening expert, working on Alan Titchmarsh's gardening show, and her involvement with the garden writing subscription ScribehoundProducts mentioned:Chicory 'Variegato di Castelfranco'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/chicory-variegato-di-castelfrancoCarrot 'Nantes 5'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/carrot-nantes-5Salad Leaf Autumn & Winter Mixhttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/autumn-and-winter-salad-leaf-mixWinter purslane (Claytonia)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/winter-purslaneFollow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Get in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

As May turns to June the weather can often be blustery at Perch Hill, so it’s the perfect moment to get supports and stakes in place to avoid plants being damaged in high winds.Inspired by the sustainable materials that grow plentifully in this particular part of East Sussex, this week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ is a masterclass on sustainable staking as Sarah unpacks the most suitable materials, where to source them, and most importantly, the best methods to ensure they won’t budge in a storm.In this episode, discover:How to embrace sustainable staking materials, from long-lasting chestnut stakes to stately silver birch teepeesThe secret sailor's knot that'll keep your plants secure even in the wildest galesWhy leaving your dahlias in the ground and creating a cat's cradle support system is the ultimate low-effort trick for stunning, upright plantsThe art of creating natural plant supports that will disappear into your garden, making your borders look effortlessly elegant Products mentioned:Cynara cardunculushttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/cynara-cardunculusDelphinium border collectionhttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/delphinium-border-collectionWillow flower stakeshttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/willow-flower-stakesHeritage chunky twinehttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/heritage-chunky-twineChestnut hurdleshttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/chestnut-hurdlesFollow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Get in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

This year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show was yet another terrific exhibition of horticultural beauty, to which Arthur Parkinson had a fabulous front-row seat. Arthur takes the mic on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ this week, once again bringing you the best in show, from the headlines of royal roses to the lesser-known stories from incredible stands and gardens at the show.In this episode, discover:A rose fit for a King, with David Austin’s announcement of a new varietyThe Great Pavillion’s most grand displays, and what made it Arthur’s favourite part of the showSome of the incredible stands run by organisations with purpose, such as the Songbird Survival Trust and Women of the GlasshouseProducts mentioned:Crabapplehttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/crabappleCosmos bipinnatus 'Rubenza'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cosmos-bipinnatus-rubenzaDigitalis purpurea 'Sutton's Apricot'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/digitalis-purpurea-suttons-apricotPapaver somniferum 'Black Beauty'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/papaver-somniferum-black-beautyFollow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Get in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

While we all love a trip to the garden centre for short-term inspiration, a more measured approach to buying the right kind of plants for your plot can help you achieve a beautiful and sustainable garden, with year-round interest and resilience.This week on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ Sarah is joined by Gary Newell, Senior Horticultural Buyer, who advises us to ditch the impulse plant purchases and instead, follow his simple rules for matrix planting – a method he’s used to great effect in his own garden at home.In this episode, discover:The art of matrix planting – a nature-led, strategic method used in landscape designWhich plants are best-suited to create a stunning, low-maintenance gardenThe four essential layers of matrix planting – from the ground-hugging base layer, to show-stopping structural shrubsProducts mentioned:Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' AGMhttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/hydrangea-paniculata-limelightHydrangea arborescens 'Incrediball' (Strong Annabelle)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hydrangea-incrediballHydrangea paniculata 'Wim's Red'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hydrangea-paniculata-wims-redBaptisia australishttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/baptisia-australisSalvia nemorosa 'Caradonna'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-nemarosa-caradonnaAmelanchier lamarckiihttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/amelanchier-lamarckiiCotinus x dummeri 'Grace'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cotinus-graceCornus kousa var. chinensishttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/cornus-kousa-var-chinensisPelargonium 'Attar of Roses' (Scented)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/pelargonium-attar-of-rosesAmmi majushttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/ammi-majusCosmos bipinnatus ‘Purity’https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cosmos-bipinnatus-purityHelenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’https://www.sarahraven.com/products/helenium-moerheim-beautyFollow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Get in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Biennials – plants which flower in their second year – may often be overlooked by us gardeners, but between their value for money, wonderful scent, and versatility they’re among the best plants to sow and grow in any garden.Sarah makes the case for brilliant biennials in this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, exploring how she came to appreciate their beauty, and which varieties are best for all aspects of your space.In this episode, discover:How the right mix of biennials can fill the awkward May gap with prolific blooms, all for the price of a seed packetThe best early-flowering biennials, from fragrant wallflowers to the scented sweet rocket, Hesperis matronalisMoth-pollinated varieties with rich fragrance and velvety textures to create a pollinator paradiseProducts mentioned:Rosa x odorata 'Mutabilis' (China)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/rosa-x-oderata-mutabilisRosa × odorata 'Bengal Crimson' (China)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/rosa-x-odorata-bengal-crimsonDigitalis purpurea 'Sutton's Apricot'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/digitalis-purpurea-suttons-apricotDigitalis purpurea f. albiflorahttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/digitalis-purpurea-albaWild Sweet William (Saponaria officinalis)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/wild-sweet-williamMatthiola incana 'Vintage Antique Mix'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/matthiola-incana-vintage-antique-mixMalope trifida 'Vulcan'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/malope-trifida-vulcanLunaria annuahttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/lunaria-annuaIceland poppy (Papaver nudicaule)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/papaver-nudicaule-champagne-bubbles-mix-f1Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Get in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Tom Stimpson’s pint-sized garden is an inspiration for anyone with a small urban plot, and it’s packed with showstopping varieties that will flower for months on end providing colour, scent, and food for pollinators in a compact space.In this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Tom, our Head of Horticulture, tells Sarah how he’s brought his small town garden to life, including the irresistible combinations of dahlias and salvias that he’s planting in his whopper pots for the season to come.  In this episode, discover:Tom's ingenious approach to small-space gardeningNew plant varieties to transform pots, with an eye on an upcoming dahlia called 'Tom's Choice' The art of colour-layering in garden design, choosing from palettes to co-ordinate your bordersFollow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Get in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest