Episode 334: Food Farming Revolutionary
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Joshua Sparkes is a grower whose innovative, soil-centered approach blends regenerative principles with a deep reverence for the natural world. We dig into his unique style of farming, how it’s shaped by observation and experimentation, and why it offers a glimpse into what must be the future of sustainable food production. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: If you liked this week's episode with Joshua Sparkes you might also enjoy this one from the archives: Episode 328: Soil, Health & Nutrition Guest: Sam Hamrebtan Link: Nutritional therapist and sustainable cooking...
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Episode 322: Garden Wildlife Ponds
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
I’m joined by Pete Case from the Freshwater Habitats Trust to dive into the world of garden ponds—why they can be crucial for wildlife, how to create one, and what makes them such a powerful tool for conservation right in your own back, or front, garden. Whether you've got a bucket or a full-blown pond, this one’s for you. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: If you liked this week's episode with Pete Case you might also enjoy this one from the archives: Will Johansen is from Froglife, a conservation group devoted to protecting amphibians and reptiles. Will’s here...
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Episode 333: Designing for Habitat and Biodiversity
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Ecological designer and waterway whisperer Emmaline Bowman, talks about her mission to heal landscapes through nature-led design at her practice Stem Landscape Architecture & Design. We dig into the magic of restoring ecosystems, how nature-led design is possible and feasible from a business perspective and the knock-on effects of starting the ball rolling one green space at a time. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: If you liked this week's episode with Emmaline Bowman you might also enjoy this one from the archives: This week’s guest is eco gardener, landscape...
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Episode 331: Doug Tallamy Revisited
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Today’s episode is a bit different because I’m not well at the moment and the podcast has taken a back seat to hospital visits and sleeping lots I’m afraid. But, out of something negative comes a positive because I decided to re-master and re-release an episode from the back catalogue, and this week we’re dipping back into Episode 97 with Doug Tallamy. But we’re not just hitting replay. We’re bringing new light to it, inspired by last week’s conversation with the incredible Kelly Morse… Links Other episodes if you liked this one: If you liked this week's episode with Kelly...
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Episode 330: Ecological Art for the People
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Kelly Morse is co-founder of 70|30 Studio—a design practice with a mission to rewild spaces and reconnect people with nature. Kelly’s work blends ecology, sustainability, and creative design to transform how we experience the natural world. We’ll be discussing the philosophy behind 70|30 Studio, the challenges and rewards of integrating wild landscapes into urban environments, and how we can all bring a little more nature into our everyday lives. About Kelly Morse is an ecological landscape designer, writer, and environmental artist. She is an award-winning author and founder...
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Episode 329: Wildlife Garden, Australia Style
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
I’m joined by the brilliant AB Bishop, a passionate advocate for wildlife-friendly gardening and author and journalist. We dive into the incredible ways AB has transformed her outdoor space into a thriving habitat for native birds, insects, and other creatures. If you’re keen to make your patch more biodiverse and buzzing with life, plus find out about Australia’s incredible flora and fauna, this one’s for you! Links AB Bishop is a renowned horticulturist, conservationist, and writer specialising in Australian native plants and wildlife-friendly gardening. Here are some of her notable...
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Episode 328: Soil, Health and Nutrition
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Nutritional therapist and sustainable cooking expert Sam Hamrebtan explores the vital connection between soil and the nutrients in our food. As the founder of the Life Larder newsletter and Course Director at CNM’s Natural Chef School, Sam brings a wealth of knowledge on how growing practices impact the quality of what we eat. Sam talks about nourishing both the land and ourselves. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: If you liked this week's episode with Sam Hamrebtan you might also enjoy this one from the archives: This episode, my guest is qualified herbalist Meghan...
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Episode 327: Following in the Footsteps
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Explore the deep connection between movement, landscape, and wellbeing In this episode featuring author and academic Kerri Andrews. We talk about her book Pathfinding and the profound impact of walking in nature. Discover how walking can be an act of reflection, discovery, and even resistance. Kerri shares insights from history and her own experiences, reminding us why putting one foot in front of the other is more powerful than we might think. Links www.kerriandrews.co.uk https://kerriandrews.co.uk/ Other episodes if you liked this one: If you liked this week's episode with Kerri Andrews you...
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Episode 326: Glyphosate
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Investigative journalist Carey Gillam talks about glyphosate, one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. Carey has spent years researching its impacts on health and the environment, as well as the discussions surrounding its regulation and use. She talks about her research, the science behind this particular herbicide, and the effects of the chemical on soils and our health. Links Learn more about Carey: At Her books:
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Episode 325: Growing in the Garden
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Content creator, writer and gardener Ramona Jones talks about her garden and her beautiful book Growing. We discuss her experiences as a neurodivergent gardener, how she uses social media to document her journey, and the joys of creating a space that nurtures both plants and wildlife. She shares her deep connection with nature and the ways gardening has helped her grow in more ways than one. Links Ramona Jones on Instagram - Other episodes if you liked this one: If you liked this week's episode with Ramona Jones you might also enjoy this one from the archives: This week...
info_outlineThis week’s episode, my guests are Chris Young and Susan Ottaviano. Chris and Susan are better known as the 2 Green Witches. Chris Young is a lifelong gardener whose acclaimed garden, Tiny Sur is a certified wildlife habitat and Susan is an artist, performer, songwriter, and food stylist. Their new book is The Green Witch’s Guide to Magical Plants & Flowers: Love Spells from Apples to Zinnias and together we take a light-hearted look at the power of plants to help you manifest your deepest desires.
Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Invasive Species
What We Talk About
What is a grimoire?
What is green witchcraft?
The forward to the book is written by the iconic Debbie Harry. Is she a green witch?
Love spells
Do spells work?
How the practices in the book help you to connect more deeply with your garden
The Indian paintbrush plant.
Queen Anne’s lace jelly
About Susan Ottaviano
Artist, performer, songwriter, and cooking maven Susan Ottaviano welcomes you into the lush and whimsical world of green witchcraft with her new book, The Green Witch’s Guide to Magical Plants & Flowers: Love Spells from Apples to Zinnias ( 6/6/23 Skyhorse Publishing).
With her rich illustrations and inspiring vegan recipes, Susan and co-author Chris Young shine light on brilliant ways to use products from the farmers market, supermarket, or even your backyard garden to bring light, love, good food, and good humor into your life.
Susan has been a groundbreaking food stylist and recipe developer for over twenty years. Her work has been featured in magazines, cookbooks, and advertisements from Bon Appétit to Grey Goose to Uber Eats.
Best known as the lead singer for pop band Book of Love, Susan and her bandmates recorded five albums for Warner Brothers Records/Sire Records. Book of Love was a fixture on the Billboard Dance Club charts throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with multiple hits in the top ten. The group reunited in 2016 for a sold-out world tour to mark their 30th Anniversary.
Her evocative artwork, which explores food, femininity, and sexuality, has been featured in numerous gallery shows, including a Spring 2023 group show titled “Eat It” at Collar Works Arts Organization.
She earned a BFA in Painting from The Philadelphia College of Art, and has been awarded post-graduate certificates from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. She lives in New York’s East Village.
Susan can be found on Instagram at @susanottavianoart
About Chris Young
Author, gardening expert, and former Comedy Central executive Chris Young first discovered his love of the outdoors growing up exploring the vast Indiana backyard of his late grandfather. Even while obtaining a degree from Indiana University and working as the Director of Talent at Comedy Central, Chris never lost his fascination with the power of nature.
In his new book, The Green Witch’s Guide to Magical Plants & Flowers, Love Spells from Apples to Zinnias (6/6/23 Skyhorse Publishing), Chris and co-author Susan Ottaviano share the surprising mystical properties of dozens of plants and flowers.
Over the years, Chris honed his expertise working with green witches, gardening virtuosos, and botanical magic practitioners from New York City to rural Oregon. Eventually Chris settled down in California with his husband, television writer Jon Kinnally, where he re-committed himself to the botanical world.
Chris’ own garden, “Tiny Sur”, has been designated by the National Wildlife Federation as a certified Wildlife Habitat. It is also certified by The Xerces Society as a Pollinator Habitat, by Monarch Watch as a Monarch Waystation, and by the Humane Society as a Humane Backyard. On Facebook, Tiny Sur (@tinysuroflaurelcanyon) boasts thousands of loyal, engaged followers.
Chris writes, gardens, and practices green witchcraft in Laurel Canyon, where he lives with husband Jon, cats Simon, Howard, and Elliott, and two Russian tortoises, Wentworth and Boris.
Chris can be found on Instagram as @plantymcflowers.
About The Green Witch’s Guide to Magical Plants & Flowers
Chris Young and Susan Ottaviano, better known as the 2 Green Witches. Chris Young is a lifelong gardener whose acclaimed garden, Tiny Sur is a certified wildlife habitat. Susan is an artist, performer, songwriter, and food stylist.
Their new is The Green Witch’s Guide to Magical Plants & Flowers (6/6/23 Skyhorse Publishing).
Couldn’t we all use a little more magic in our lives? Equal parts practical guide and beautiful keepsake, The Green Witch’s Guide to Magical Plants & Flowers shows you how to bring more love and contentment into your life using elements of nature. This book, written by our favorite 2 Green Witches, unlocks the secrets hiding in your garden, transforming everyday flowers, fruits, and plants into bath salts, herbal infusions, soaps, sachets, tinctures, and more. It provides all-natural recipes that illuminate pathways to health, peace, love and prosperity, and harmony. The book deals with:
- Love Potions: Learn how to attract your soulmate and cultivate your best self with these love rituals including jasmine bath salts, lavender candles, oils and more
- Food for the Soul: How to use vegan recipes made with organic ingredients that ease stress in your relationship, boost your immunity, relieve a headache and even enhance your fertility. Susan can share recipes, including a meadowsweet and mint tea, lust parsley salad, orange cake, to candied violets.
- Magical Mindfulness: Say goodbye to stress and hello to relaxation with these anxiety-reducing methods and recipes.
- Plant Magic: How does your garden grow? Master magical gardening and growing with plant whisperer Chris Young. Learn about which plants offer protection, give you good luck and prosperity.
Links
The Green Witch’s Guide to Magical Plants & Flowers - June 2023, Skyhorse Publishing
The 2 Green Witches on Instagram
Other episodes if you liked this one: