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

Many of us gain so much of our knowledge of farming, livestock and produce from all-important city farms, much like the wonderful Mudchute Farm in London, run diligently by fantastic Farm Manager Tom Davis.Tom has led Mudchute to achieving the Rare Breeds Survival Trust approval, teaches 20-25k kids each and every year, and notably takes sheep to graze on the royal parks. We’ll be hearing about keeping rare breed livestock, how natural grazing leads to beautiful wildflower growth, and more.In this episode, discover:How you can support the local British farming community and help the return of quality, seasonal produceMudchute Farm’s educational services to over twenty thousand children and their familiesEncouraging biodiversity throughout their vast 32 acre farmTom’s hard work to achieve approval from the Rare Breeds Survival TrustMudchute Farmhttps://www.mudchute.org/https://www.facebook.com/MudchuteParkFarmhttps://www.instagram.com/mudchute_farm/Farmer Tom Davishttps://www.instagram.com/farmertommy/Order Sarah’s book: https://bit.ly/2TWHJczOrder Arthur’s book: https://bit.ly/3xOov7HView all products mentioned and find further advice from Sarah: https://bit.ly/3f2DFiHGet 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

Order Sarah’s book: https://bit.ly/2TWHJczOrder Arthur’s book: https://bit.ly/3xOov7HGet 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

It’s the time of year to sow biennials, and while they flower in their second year, the artisanal avalanche of colour that they bring is well worth the wait. Many of the gorgeous biennials that earn a place as Sarah & Arthur’s favourites will self-sow too, so join us on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ to venture through these beautiful biennials, from the subtle, fragrant Pillowtalk to more eye catching Tulips like Amazing Parrot.In this episode, discover:Varieties of biennial flowers for floods of colour and fragranceAdvice on best using liquid seaweed feed, particularly for hungrier plantsHow sowing biennials from seed gives you a staggering impact compared to planting from seedlingsWhich flowers are happiest on poor soil, perfect for new builds or areas with pavingOrder Sarah’s book: https://bit.ly/2TWHJczOrder Arthur’s book: https://bit.ly/3xOov7HView all products mentioned and find further advice from Sarah: https://bit.ly/3f2DFiHGet 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

We’re all becoming well aware of the huge impact that bees and other lovely pollinators have on our planet, which is wonderful news for local beekeepers & artisan honey producers like Epping Good Honey.Ian & Clare Nichols’ passion for all bee species spills out into all they do, and they join Arthur to share how small changes like growing herbs or providing water for bees gives a great lease of life to our ecosystem.In this episode, discover:Why, and how, beehive numbers fluctuate with seasonsThe importance of buying from & supporting local producersHow we can all help fill the ‘June Gap’ a critical month for supporting beesThe National Bee Unit’s fantastic work tracking information for beekeepersHerbs and flowers that are fantastic for the bee populationPhoto Credit: Joe Woodhouse Epping Good Honeyhttp://www.eppinggoodhoney.co.uk/https://www.instagram.com/eppinggoodhoney/https://twitter.com/eppinggoodhoneyOrder Sarah’s book: https://bit.ly/2TWHJczOrder Arthur’s book: https://bit.ly/3xOov7HView all products mentioned and find further advice from Sarah: https://bit.ly/3f2DFiHGet 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 season of summer parties and sunset gatherings has arrived, and cut flowers make a marvellous centrepiece to any room, so it’s a lovely time to consider how to make them last in a vase.Conditioning your cut flowers needn’t be taxing, as Sarah & Arthur bring their best tips for making your table arrangements last, from searing stem ends to swaddling and creating a sugar syrup perfect for long-lasting flowers.In this episode, discover:How searing stem ends revitalises floppy flowersThe sugar syrup that, when added to water, becomes a plant superfoodSterilisation of lilies, and the longer flowering that removing the anthers will bringOrder Sarah’s book: https://bit.ly/2TWHJczOrder Arthur’s book: https://bit.ly/3xOov7HView all products mentioned and find further advice from Sarah: https://bit.ly/3f2DFiHGet 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

In the British Isles we’ve lost 90% of our wetlands in the past 100 years, but designing your garden with pond space opens up the opportunity to bring the regal beauty of Waterlilies into your garden.Waterside Nursery exhibits their extraordinary displays at Chelsea Flower Show, and you’ll struggle to find a greater advocate for the Water Lily than Linda Smith. Arthur chats to Linda this week on the various sizes of Water Lily, how to design your pond to bring them to life, and ways to encourage wildlife to enjoy your garden.In this episode, discover:The inspiration behind the start of Linda’s Water Lily nurseryLinda’s marvellous exhibitions at Chelsea Flower ShowStandout varieties from each size category of WaterliliesDesign advice for tailoring your pond to plants and wildlife alikeOrder Sarah’s book: https://bit.ly/2TWHJczOrder Arthur’s book: https://bit.ly/3xOov7HView all products mentioned and find further advice from Sarah: https://bit.ly/3f2DFiHGet 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

Fantastic for bees, great over a salad and wonderful as confetti, it’s no wonder Dahlias are some of our favourite plants around.While it might be too late for planting Dahlia tubers, the instant beauty of potted varieties is essential if you’re looking to bring a rich palette of colour into your garden.Tune in to ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ for a look at the ready-potted Dahlias perfect for floral flair right through to the late autumn months.In this episode, discover:Which varieties of Dahlia will best suit your pots, large or smallHow to maintain your Dahlias, whether you’re taking cuttings or simply deadheadingWhy we should consider earwigs to be our friends, and their effects on aphidsA scintillating recipe for a summer salad, topped with Dahlia petalsOrder Sarah’s book: https://bit.ly/2TWHJczOrder Arthur’s book: https://bit.ly/3xOov7HView all products mentioned and find further advice from Sarah: https://bit.ly/3f2DFiHGet 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

Willow Crossley began her habit of pleasing the eyes with a start in fashion, but it’s her show stopping work with flowers that’s encouraging us all to embrace the enrichment that flowers can bring.It’s a delight to host Willow on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, where we discuss a charming trick to breathe life into even supermarket Tulips, her favourite Dahlias & Tulips, and how Willow’s Instagram videos are encouraging us all to embrace flower arranging.In this episode, discover:The subtle art of reflexing tulips to make huge showstopping headliners out of your saucersHow Willow’s welcoming Instagram videos encourage us all to embrace flower arrangingA selection of the most eclectic Dahlias and Tulips, from the exotic and rich China Town to the deep, glamourous Black ParrotFollow Willow:https://willowcrossley.com/https://www.instagram.com/willowcrossleycreates/Order Sarah’s book: https://bit.ly/2TWHJczOrder Arthur’s book: https://bit.ly/3xOov7HView all products mentioned and find further advice from Sarah: https://bit.ly/3f2DFiHGet 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

Today marks the all-important World Bee Day, a chance to acknowledge their role in so much of our essential daily lives, and time to consider how we can help them thrive.We’re celebrating World Bee Day this year on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ by bringing some top tips on creating a natural haven for these fuzzy friends, which flowers are best for visual flair and feeding bees, plus some fantastic actions we can take before we even consider our own gardens.In this episode, discover:Our extraordinary reliance on the wonderful bee population for everyday essentialsHow we can tend more considerately to our own garden, and encourage the same from councilsThe top plants for providing bees their necessary nutrientsWhy we should do away with the leaf blower and provide more mess to protect beesOrder Sarah’s book: https://bit.ly/2TWHJczOrder Arthur’s book: https://bit.ly/3xOov7HView all products mentioned and find further advice from Sarah: https://bit.ly/3f2DFiHGet 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

Even with the welcome summer months so close round the corner, it’s not too late to sow or plant seeds that’ll bring swathes of bees and provide you a delightfully productive cut flower.Of the half hardy annuals, Cosmos & Zinnias are among Sarah & Arthur’s favourites, so on this week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ we lust over the richness of Cosmos Rubenza, the bold Zinnia ‘Queeny Lime’ series, and how to make the most of them right through till November.In this episode, discover:Varieties of Cosmos both compact and grand in scale, from the rich Rubenza to the classic PurityThe long vase life and prolific cut flowers of the Zinnia Aztec series, among Arthur’s picks for this yearHow & when to pinch out Cosmos for a healthier, more full-framed flowerMore eye-catching half hardy annuals set to see you through till the early winter monthsOrder Sarah’s book: https://bit.ly/2TWHJczOrder Arthur’s book: https://bit.ly/3xOov7HView all products mentioned and find further advice from Sarah: https://bit.ly/3f2DFiHGet 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