Episode 296: Regenerative Design
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
This episode, my guest is Erik Ohlsen, a US based regenerative designer, permaculturist, landscape contractor, author, farmer, herbalist, storyteller and practitioner of Nordic folk traditions. His approach to regenerative landscaping is rooted in decades of practical experience and a humbleness that allows Erik to be led by what the land has to tell him. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: - This week’s guest is eco gardener, landscape designer, permaculturist, horticultural thinker and garden experimenter, Sid Hill.Sid is concerned with building gardens that can sustain...
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Episode 295: Picture Perfect Gardens
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Hello and welcome to this week’s episode where my guest is freelance photographer Mark Bolton. Mark photographs gardens and interiors for editorial and commercial clients and after purchasing a house in Devon, he decided to create his own picture perfect garden. He chose the cottage style of gardening to fit the bill, so listen on to find out how he created his perfect space and tips for how to create your own picturesque paradise. Links n by Mark Bolton About Mark Bolton Mark Bolton (@markboltonphoto) is a freelance photographer who photographs gardens and interiors for editorial and...
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Episode 294: Wood Meadows
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Hello and welcome to this week’s episode where I have a returning guest, Jake Rayson. We’re talking about wood meadows, or rather we’re talking around the periphery of wood meadows as a concept. We’re talking about the use of land, gardens, humans and wildlife and generally getting a bit ranty about the absolute state of things. I realise that’s not by much in the way of introduction, but the conversation twists and turns and the best thing to do is just take a listen… Links 2003 , designed by Linden Hawthorne & managed by Plantlife How Buildings Learn, & by Stuart...
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Episode 293: The Rewilding of Molly McFlynn
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Hello and welcome to this week’s episode where my guest is Sue Reed. Sue’s background is varied and she’s worn a variety of hats, including teacher, museum guide, upcycler of waste wool knitwear and published author. Her most recent creation is the fictional character Molly McFlynn, a quirky and courageous character who comes to terms with the concept of being an outsider against the backdrop of covid and a rugged Northern landscape. Listen on to find out how nature factors into the rewilding of Molly… About Sue Reed Sue Reed lives in rural Northumberland with her husband, Tim where...
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Episode 292: Spiders
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
This week, my guest is Meg Skinner. Meg works as an invertebrate ecologist, surveying sites for protected species and volunteers for the British Arachnological Society. We’re talking today about spiders in your garden; how they go about their business, how you can encourage more, to visit your garden, oh and we talk about the much maligned false widow… About Meg Skinner Meg Skinner works as an invertebrate ecologist, surveying sites for protected species. She volunteers for the British Arachnological Society as a Press Officer and recording scheme organiser for harvestmen. Meg grew...
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Episode 291: Inspiration from Nature
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
This week, my guest is watercolour artist Lisa Gardner. Lisa is inspired by the natural world, the connection between breath and brushwork and rare wild plant species on the edge of extinction - seemingly far flung interests that come together in a beautifully natural and synergistic way in Lisa’s work. About Lisa Gardener Lisa Gardner is a watercolour artist inspired by the natural world, the connection between breath and brushwork and rare wild plant species on the edge of extinction. Passionate about wild plants and the vital role they play in the health of our environment, Lisa’s...
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Episode 290: Saving Song Birds
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Sue has been CEO at SongBird Survival for the last three years leading the charity in its ambition to protect the amazingly diverse but sadly declining songbird populations across the UK. With its growing body of scientific research which is fuelling solutions, SongBird Survival is advocating that we can and should take action to protect these ecologically threatened creatures. Campaigns including Gardens for Birds provide accessible and rewarding opportunities to play a part in much needed practical ways to reverse the drastic declines many species are facing. Charlotte has been the research...
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Episode 289: Animal Friendly Fertiliser
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
This week, my guest is Los Angeles-based landscaper and fertiliser guru Erin Riley. Erin specialises in organic vegetable gardens and native, drought-tolerant landscapes and we’re talking today about her work to create fertilisers that are good for plants, people, animals and the planet. About Erin Riley Erin is stewarding a gardening renaissance: elevating organic fertilizers past their dependance on animal byproducts by founding the vegan fertilizer company. Her mission: to grow plants without killing the planet. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: - This episode, I’m talking...
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Episode 288: Hosting Bees
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
This week, my guest is bee expert Kevin Hancock. Kevin has invented a honeybee nest box that’s the only self-regulating honey harvesting system in the world, meaning the bees will dictate how much honey you can take dependent on the environment that year. It’s a way of hosting rather than keeping bees and is an intriguing system. About the Eco Beehive “ECO BEEHIVE is the only SELF REGULATING HONEY HARVESTING SYSTEM IN THE WORLD! Wow that is so exciting!! But it is !! no really.. give me a chance and I'll explain. I am on a mission to...
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Episode 287: Heirloom Vegetables
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
This episode my guest is former jewellery designer to the stars, turned social media veg grower, Lucy Hutchings. Along with music festival organiser, Kate Cotterill, Lucy set up SheGrowsVeg, an heirloom seed company which is bringing the most unusual veg, fruit, and edible flowers to veg patches and plates everywhere. About SheGrowsVeg Would you like to enliven your dishes with homegrown veg that looks and tastes incredible? Jet black tomatoes, stunning pale pink chicory that looks like a rose or salad leaves that taste like wasabi are just a few of the tasty veg that could...
info_outlineThis week my guests are Northern California based musical duo Misner & Smith. Sam, who is Misner, and Megan, who is Smith comprise one of the most acclaimed acts in the Americana world. Blending elements of that genre with bluegrass, traditional folk ballads, and more pop leaning ideas, they’ve been described as making music that is gloriously nonconforming. Aside from their musical chops, Sam & Megan are expert gardeners who focus on pollinators, sustainability and community gardening. Listen on to find out how their connection to nature feeds into their music.
What We Talk About
Sam & Megan’s gardening backgrounds
Gardening sustainably and for the community
Gardening as a creative outlet?
How gardening inspires when you are looking for creative prompts
How gardening factors into their music?
The garden soundscape
About Misner & Smith
Northern California based unclassifiable duo Misner & Smith treasure the unpredictability of
their band. Technically precise songwriting mirrored with an improvisatory spirit and soaring
harmonies have made the band consisting of Sam Misner and Megan Smith one of the most
acclaimed acts in the Americana world. Blending elements of that genre with bluegrass,
traditional folk ballads, and more pop leaning ideas, Misner & Smith makes music gloriously
nonconforming.
The duo first met at a Shakespeare festival as professional actors in California in 2002 but began working as a musical duo two years later when Sam and Megan discovered a
mutual love of roots music, Woody Guthrie, and in particular, harmony singing. Before the
release of their career defining sixth LP ALL IS SONG, the duo had released five critically
acclaimed records, including Halfway Home (2004), Poor Player (2008), Live at the Freight & Salvage (2010), Seven Hour Storm (2013), and headwaters (2017). It was that 2017 release that found the group stripping their sound back down to where it began, two voices and two instruments. headwaters was recorded live in the studio and features the duo doing what they do best. On ALL IS SONG, they build upon that momentum and turn in their finest work to date, an album of inspired declarations to the power of music, song, and, most importantly, collaboration.
Other episodes if you liked this one:
Natural Fibres - This week’s guest is multi-media artist Hanna Varga. Hanna incorporates the natural world into her work and her current projects involve foraging for fibres she turns into both useful and beautiful items. The conversation began with Hanna talking about her work past and present and developed into a really important conversation about the value of items at their more than fiscal level.
Soundscapes & Landscapes - This week I’m speaking to Dr Mike Edwards, Chief Listening Officer at Sound Matters, a company focussed on using sound and listening to create more sustainable and resilient futures. Sound Matters provided the soundtrack to the Rewilding Britain garden that one best in show at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show. Mike recently spoke passionately about climate change, soundscapes and landscapes at the Beth Chatto Symposium and wowed a lecture theatre full of rapt listeners with his prowess on the didgeridoo.