BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Podcast

Give your mental and physical health a boost this January, with the new Wellness podcast series from BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine. You’ll discover ways to improve your mental wellbeing through gardening, herbal remedies for winter illnesses, advice on using your garden to keep your body strong, the difference that growing your own can make to the nutritional value of your food, the impact of house plants on our health and many more ways that gardens and nature can help our mind, body, and soul. And join our Sowalong series too. These friendly, bite-size podcasts offer advice on how to grow vegetables, flowers, and herbs from seed for healthy crops and impressive blooms this year. Start your gardening year with inspiration and motivation from some of the UK’s most loved and well-respected experts. With new Wellness episodes every Tuesday and Thursday in January, and Sowalongs every Saturday until the end of June, subscribe now, wherever you get your podcasts, and never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eminent gardener and plantswoman Carol Klein celebrates the wonderful women who have played a central role in horticulture for centuries, from early plant hunters such as Marianne North to designers like Gertrude Jekyll, gardeners such as Margery Fish and Beth Chatto, to this year’s Chelsea best in show designer Ula Maria. And yet, the industry remains rather male dominated. She shares her opinions on the grass ceiling, how the industry needs to change, and the women who have inspired her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you’re inside the serene surroundings of Shinjuku Gyoen, it’s hard to believe you are in one of the most populated cities in the world. Shinjuku Gyoen features three distinct garden styles: Japanese traditional, English landscape, and French formal, each with its own unique vibe. During cherry blossom season from late March to April, the park’s 1,500 cherry trees make it one of Tokyo’s most popular hanami spots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a gardener at a zoo? Rab Harden, head gardener at Edinburgh Zoo, explains how they grow specific plants to feed the zoo animals as well as choosing the right plants for their enclosures. No two days are the same for a zoo gardener and the team’s work is as varied as it is vital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Moving home and thinking about the practical and emotional aspects of leaving your garden? Or perhaps you’re about to garden a new plot. Join BBC Gardeners' World presenter and landscape designer Adam Frost as he shares the ins and out of leaving his garden following a recent move to a smaller space nearby. Listen in as Adam advises on everything from which plants to take and which plants to leave, how to bed things in when you get there, making memories before you leave and whether we ever really have ownership of a garden or are just custodians of the nature within. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Discover the hidden gem that is the Conservatory Gardens, within the world- famous Central Park. Nestled in the northeastern corner of Central Park, the Conservatory Gardens is a lush, six-acre oasis that offers a stark yet welcome contrast to the bustling cityscape. The gardens are divided into three distinct sections: the Italian Garden, the French Garden, and the English Garden, each offering its own unique charm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join Shirlie Kemp to discover how she brings the outside inside from her garden for natural Christmas decorations. From an early age, Shirlie was drawn to nature and, after a successful career in the music industry in the 1980s with the band Wham, she has switched her microphone for a pair of secateurs as she takes on the task of renovating her large garden in Hertfordshire. With a desire for creating an enchanting garden space, Shirlie also shares her love of roses, her joy of renovating the old pig shed affectionately known as ‘Piglet’ and her spectacular Spring garden plans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Winston Churchill resided in his country home, Chartwell, from 1924 until his death in 1965. From its valley setting, with views of the Weald of Kent, much was made of the terraced gardens which overlook a lake and a brick wall, built by Churchill himself, but what role did the gardens play in the lead up to World War Two? Advolly Richmond talks to Chartwell’s curator and author Katherine Carter to reveal meetings that took place in the gardens that might have changed the course of history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ashridge House in Hertfordshire is a bit off the beaten track but for those who prefer a more natural setting, the woodland walks around Ashridge House are a must. These paths wind through ancient trees and wildflower meadows, offering a peaceful retreat from the more formal parts of the garden. In spring, the bluebells carpet the forest floor in a sea of blue, and in autumn, the oaks, maples, and sweet chestnuts turn vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Lara Cowan, Founder of Botanic Shed and the School of Nature, shares how the power of gardening and nature connection has massively transformed her life in terms of managing the everyday experience of thinking differently and the fallout of a series of life-changing events. And how she now uses gardening, garden design, and garden therapy – gathering together the expertise of a range of horticultural and health experts – to enhance the lives of others, including those with conditions such as ADHD, autism, and PTSD. She is inspired by and works closely with her 24-year-old daughter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices