The Lawnmower
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
I'm joined by Clive Gravett, founder of The Budding Foundation and The Museum of Gardening. Clive is a passionate advocate for preserving gardening history, and he's here to share fascinating insights into the history of the lawnmower—an invention that revolutionised gardening as we know it. We also touch on the important work of The Budding Foundation in supporting education and young people through gardening. Links Museum of Gardening: Visit the Museum of Gardening's official website at . The museum is located at the South Downs Heritage Centre in Hassocks, West Sussex, and explores the...
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Episode 316: The Dry Exotic Garden
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Explore the extraordinary world of exotic gardening with Paul Spracklin, author of The Dry Exotic Garden. Paul shares his infectious passion for transforming gardens conditions into lush, visually striking landscapes using drought-tolerant plants. Tune in to hear about the inspiration behind his book, the unique joys of cultivating exotic species, and the techniques that make gardens with drought loving plants not just possible, but breathtakingly beautiful. About The Dry Exotic Garden Discover everything you need to know about designing, choosing and planting cacti and succulents to create a...
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Episode 315: Interview with Mark Gregory
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Prepare to be inspired! I am chatting with legendary landscape designer Mark Gregory, founder of Landform Consultants. With over 35 years of experience and a treasure trove of RHS Chelsea Flower Show awards under his belt, Mark shares his take on creating breathtaking gardens, the artistry of garden design, his career and the landscaping business. This interview is a great insight into a career spent crafting perfection! Links Other episodes if you liked this one: If you liked this week's episode with Mark Gregory you might also enjoy this one from the archives: - My guest this week...
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Episode 314: Nurturing Growth, Inside and Out
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Get ready for an inspiring journey as I’m joined by RAF Warrant Officer Pete Welsh—a man whose story spans the adrenaline of military life to the quiet power of the garden. While excelling in a remarkable military career and contributing to an RHS award-winning community garden, Pete has also confronted the profound challenges of mental health. Through the therapeutic calm of gardening and the transformative power of community connections, he’s found resilience and growth. Pete’s journey reveals the extraordinary parallels between cultivating plants and healing ourselves. Links...
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Episode 313: Plants for Shade
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Your garden’s shadows can actually be stunning, vibrant spaces! In this episode, I chat with Susanna Grant, author of Shade and founder of the London-based shady plant shop, LINDA. Susanna joins me to discuss shade-loving plants and how to bring life and vibrancy to those darker corners of our gardens. About Susanna Grant Susanna Grant is founder of Linda, a garden designer, planting specialist and writer, author of Shade (Quarto). She organises the Spring Plant Fair at The Garden Museum, and The Autumn Plant Fair at Arnold Circus where she is a volunteer and a trustee. Links Susanna Grant...
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Gardening for Amphibians
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Will Johansen is from Froglife, a conservation group devoted to protecting amphibians and reptiles. Will’s here to discuss practical ways we can support amphibians in our gardens, from building simple ponds to creating safe spaces where they can thrive. Will gives tips and advice to help you make a real difference for these often-overlooked creatures. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: If you liked this week's episode with Will Johansen you might also enjoy this one from the archives: - This week, my guest is Meg Skinner. Meg works as an invertebrate ecologist, surveying...
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Episode 311: Radical Rest
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
What if rest could be a radical act of resistance? In this episode, I talk with Evie Muir, author of Radical Rest, who challenges the myth that burnout can be cured by self-care alone. Evie offers a bold vision of rest as a communal, transformative practice grounded in Black Feminist and abolitionist thought. Tune in to explore how rest and time in nature can lead us from exhaustion and grief toward joy and resilience—and what it takes to build a world where we can all thrive. About ‘Radical Rest: Notes on Burnout, Healing and Hopeful Futures’ We’re burnt out—drained, anxious,...
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Episode 310: Designer Food Garden
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Christian Douglas is redefining vegetable gardening with a focus on style and functionality. Drawing on examples from urban and rural gardens, including his own garden in Marin County, he offers practical advice on growing a variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Christian talks about how to assess lighting and soil, pick plants suited to the climate, and discover creative edible alternatives to traditional landscape plants. Looking at spaces from small city gardens to large rural plots, and even a rooftop space, his new book 'Food Forward Garden Design' offers guidance on how to create a...
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Episode 309: The Seed Hunter
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Mitch McCulloch is redefining how we grow and cook with plants. He’s is a former chef, turned seed hunter and gardener, who applies his culinary knowledge when choosing and cooking with the produce he grows. Not only does he select the most diverse and interesting varieties, he gets creative with how he serves up his produce. His new book The Seed Hunter is properly inspiring if you’re both a cook and grower and you want to get the absolute most out of your edible plants. About Mitch McCulloch Author, seed hunter, and gardener with a passion for promoting and preserving rare heirloom...
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Episode 308: Gardening for Recovery
Roots and All - Gardening Podcast
Andy Mitchell believes gardening has the power to be a uniquely beneficial arena for the addiction recovery journey. In this interview, we discover why he feels this is the case and why we have much more to learn about this particular aspect of horticulture. Andy is Professional Addiction Recovery Coach and has conducted research into gardening as a tool to help people overcome addictions. Alongside having lived experience, Andy has extensive professional training within the field of Addiction. About Andy Mitchell Andy Mitchell is a Social and Therapeutic Horticulturalist (STH) and addiction...
info_outlineThe episodes generating the most feedback recently have been those featuring other gardeners and business owners who are trying to run green businesses, so I called on former guest and supporter of the podcast, Dave Woolmer. Dave changed career from law to gardening and has been forging ahead creating a business based on sound principles and horticultural excellence.
Links
The British Association for Supported Employment
Safe Opportunities are at safeopportunities.co.uk
Disability Confident Employment registration is at www.gov.uk/government/collections/disability-confident-campaign
And Green Heart is at facebook.com/greenhearthort
Other episodes if you liked this one:
If you liked this week's episode with Dave Woolmer, you might also enjoy this one from the archives:
Soil and Soul - This episode, my guest is Ella Malt. Ella runs an all female gardening team in Norfolk called Soul and Soul Norfolk Ltd. She is passionate about the intentional reimagining of existing spaces, and about renovation over replacement. Listen on to find out how Ella started her business and developed her team, whilst maintaining a focus on sustainability and nature.
Making Gardening Accessible - Hello and welcome to this week’s episode of Roots and All, where my guest is garden designer, TV personality and Trustee of the Gardening with Disabilities Trust Mark Lane. Mark talks about the various types of challenges people can face that might impede their activity in the garden, and how gardens and gardening can be adapted to enable people to carry on with these activities. He gives some excellent, practical advice for anyone who may need to adapt horticulture to suit their own needs or those of others.