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

Not every garden is bathed in sunlight at all hours of the day, so finding shade-loving flowers is a must for anyone looking to illuminate their shaded areas with a splash of colour.Josie Lewis returns once again to the podcast, this week sharing her love of flowers and ferns that thrive with little light, from the cool, composed beauty of Frosted Ferns to the must-have Sarcococca.In this episode, discover:The likes of Nicotiana Sylvestris and Grandiflora, fragrant providers of joy throughout the dayJosie’s favourite ferns, like the Frosted Fern and the Shuttlecock Fern, structures bustling with beautyFiery flowers like Begonia Glowing Embers, a stunning variety which Sarah considers nearly indestructibleGet 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 King's coronation will soon be upon us, and given his love of nature, it seems apt to consider the flowers that might best commemorate the occasion.Returning to the podcast with a spectacular selection of plants in regal colours aplenty is our Senior Horticultural Buyer, Gary Newell. Join us for our 12 best Flowers fit for a King's coronation.In this episode, discover:Glamourous golden flowers for instantly shimmering arrangements The perfect plants to most graciously combine the Union Jack's red, white and blueA number of easy mixes from our range to most simply bring together complementary flowersWhy the vigourous Rudbeckia Enchanted series are right at the top of Gary's listGet 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 utterly wonderful, incomparable Arthur Parkinson has been away writing his new book, so it's a delight to have him return to the podcast to tell us all about it! The original ‘co-conspirator’ of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ joins Sarah once more to detail the heartfelt inspiration behind Chicken Boy, how he found the inspiration to form a bond with hens, the dangers to look out for if you’re starting out yourself, and so much more.In this episode, discover:How Arthur’s natural affinity for hens began and grewThe strong connection to Chatsworth, Deborah Devonshire and their poultry fancyingGuiding our thinking around designing plants and gardens with animals in mindWhat to consider around the villains and vermin to keep your hens safeThe sometimes-harsh reality of hen keepingGet 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

One of the greatest treasures that a garden can bring us is the cut flower, and with a fine selection of perennials and woody plants, that treat returns to us year after year.That’s why this week’s podcast guest, the wonderful Rachel Siegfried, shares her penchant for perennials throughout her work, and in her new book - The Cut Flower Sourcebook.Tune into this week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ for a fabulous list of the 12 most inspiring perennial plants, and how to structure a showstopping arrangement.In this episode, discover:A brief history behind Rachel’s delightful flower farm, Green & GorgeousThe simple, yet wonderfully effective four-part structure into which she divides arrangementsReliable framework and filler plants like Rosa Glauca and Snowberry upon which to build your displaysFocal flowers, showstoppers and accents to breathe life and add movement, like the always stunning early Peony Buckeye BelleGet 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 limit to your imagination extends far beyond the size of one’s garden, particularly with the cut flowers that award-winning garden designer Butter Wakefield adores most.Butter returns to the podcast with more than a smorgasbord of stunning flowers compact enough to fit in the smallest of gardens, but captivating enough to make the most monumental impact as a cut flower.In this episode, discover:The bold bulbs of Daffodil Jetfire and subtle beauty of AvalancheWhy the Dahlias of Rosie Raven, Lou Farmen and Josie are among those which most wildly capture Butter’s adorationDavid Austin’s majestic roses accompanied by the most delightful fragranceA border must-have with flowing cascades of purple flowers - Salvia nemorosa CaradonnaGet 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

Our olfactory system elicits some of the strongest emotions we can feel, so the scent of a garden should be at the forefront of your mind when planning your garden - as it is for the wonderful Jo Fairley.Jo edits The Scented Letter, a quarterly magazine focused on fragrance, which makes her a perfect guest on the podcast to share the 12 most evocatively scented plants, from the strong fragrance of Trachelospermum to stalwart Sweet Peas.In this episode, discover:The personal history with Scented Geraniums that makes them one of Jo’s most beloved, aromatic plantsWhich of the Roses are absolute essentials for smell, and why Jo would never plant a Rose without scentJo’s love of Sarcococca’s incredible growth, bold structure, and fragrant leavesPlenty of book recommendations to inspire you with many more scented plantsGet 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

Sowing tomatoes should be right at the top of your list for the month ahead, with the joy they bring to a garden and the remarkable variety in taste.Whether it’s the small and mighty Noire de Crimee or the ever-reliable flavour of Sungold, this week’s episode of the podcast brings a wealth of advice for growing your own. In this episode, discover:The standout tomatoes that’ll bring joy to your garden and plate, from the stripy Tigerella to the unbeatable taste of SungoldCharming combinations for companion planting to keep your tomatoes in good healthThe remarkable results you can see by growing tomatoes in a ring culture potA whole raft of recipes to use your produce in such varied and utterly delicious waysGet 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

Wood is wonderful in the garden, and can be both beautiful and useful to create fencing, arches and posts in such a way that cares for the environment around us.If you’re still using the likes of imported bamboo in your space and need inspiration for alternatives, Adam Nicolson joins Sarah once again on the podcast to share how locally grown, coppiced wood can be so fantastic for you and for the world.In this episode, discover:The near-zero environmental cost of using the wonderfully pliable birchWhich trees are the most useful for absorbing more carbon, and how to best treat themA fascinating history of why chestnut is so prevalent in this part of the worldHow to coppice wood, and the true impact of coppicing on carbon absorption from our treesGet 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

Beside the visual splendour of a thriving vegetable garden, there’s such joy to be had from picking your own delicious ingredients.At a perfect time to coincide with Sarah’s new book, she takes this solo episode to share a fantastic list of the 12 absolute best vegetables, from flavoursome essentials to the simplest, most cut-and-come-again veg for all seasons.In this episode, discover:Several of the most prolific, cut and come again veg from Mizuna and Rocket to the versatile Swiss ChardVarieties of Kale for the patient gardener or those looking for a quick growerA duo of tomatoes befitting of any garden alongside what Sarah dubs ‘the perfect cucumber’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

Gardening is for everyone, even the busiest among us. That’s why we’re focusing on the very best plants that’ll not only look after themselves, but truly thrive by doing so.Sarah is once again joined on the podcast by Gary Newell, our Senior Horticultural Buyer, this time to discuss the lowest maintenance plants, from the ground cover of Geranium Rozanne to the pot-worthy Hydrangea ‘Little Lime’.In this episode, discover:How the marvellous Lonicera 'Rhubarb and Custard' looks after itself and stays both fresh and scentedA splendid Hydrangea which has repaid Gary each year without fail since he first planted itThe constant productivity of Rosemary, and how it’s a perfect plant for culinary use, hedging and screening alikeGet 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