Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

Do you want to know how to grow plants and get the best out of your outdoor space? Do you find traditional gardening media baffling and/or boring? Then you’re in the right place, because the Roots and All podcast is here to dig deep into how to create a successful garden. If you want honest information and insider knowledge about how to get results, join irreverent horticulturist Sarah Wilson as she chats to the best people from the world of plants and gardens. Sarah is on a mission to help you create your own beautiful green environment, with a focus on saving resources and working with nature. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast to make sure you don’t miss an episode.

Urban Bees 09/23/2023

Urban Bees Hello and welcome to Roots and All, where my guest this week is urban apiculturist Mark Patterson. Mark founded and runs Apicultural where he work with businesses and communities to invest in natural capital, improving the environment for pollinators and delivering pollinator monitoring surveys for clients. He provides honey bee hive management solutions, beekeeping training and education and also supplies quality urban honey to a select group of establishments. So you’d think Mark would be all for the idea of urban honeybees, right? Listen on… Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Ear Wigglers What We Talk About How many hives are there in London, does anybody have an estimate? Is it a sustainable number? Where are they foraging for floral resources? Are there enough of these? Are urban conditions more taxing for bees? Do environmental stressors lead to higher incidences of disease, for example? Do managed bees outcompete wild bees when it comes to consuming pollen and nectar? Are managed bees necessary? Useful? Desirable? Filling a niche left by potentially dwindling numbers of wild bees? A useful pollination and food source for humans? Why are commercial beekeeping companies trying to muscle in on the beekeeping tradition in London? Do honeybees count as an ‘environmental credit’ in terms of planning and building? About Mark Patterson After completing a National Diploma in Agriculture, Land use and recreation which included a practical Horticultural course Mark went on to study for an Honours Degree in Countryside Management and Ornithology at Kingston Upon Hull University - an ecology based course of study. It was during this time at University that Mark was introduced to bee keeping by a fellow student. As senior Consultant Mark has amassed over 26 years of experience in the fields of nature conservation and ecology. His past professional positions include marine biologist/ranger on the Farne islands national nature reserve, Countryside Ranger for a local Authority, Nature reserve manager for Durham Wildlife services, Worked on a bird of prey Reintroduction program with the RSPB , Freelance consultancy and 11 years as a project and program manager for a national Environmental regeneration Charity, Groundwork. Having assisted others with their beekeeping for several years Mark began bee keeping on his own in 2010 having attended an introduction course and a seasons mentoring. Since then he has volunteered extensively for Bee keeping associations, serving as elected committee official and Trustee to the LBKA, taught courses and organised forage planting activities for the bee keeping community he serves. Mark spent 3 years working for DEFRA as a seasonal Bee Inspector and currently cares for around 30 colonies of honey bees,10 of which are his own. Mark currently posses the BBKA Bee basic certificate, BBKA Honey bee management certificate, several of the BBKA modular exam certificates and the General Husbandry certificate. Mark has extensive training and experience in notifiable bee diseases diagnosis and management. As well as Honey Bees Mark is also highly knowledgeable about Solitary bees and Bumblebees and teaches Bee identification courses for the Field Studies Council as part of the nationwide BioLinks program. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: /episode/index/show/rootsandall/id/28120844

Lawns 09/18/2023

Lawns My guest this week is David Hedges-Gower. David is a prominent figure in the UK's lawn care industry, known for his expertise and dedication to promoting sustainable lawn care practices. He wrote the book ‘Modern Lawn Care’, is the Chairman of The Lawn Association, founded the world’s first lawn care qualification and works tirelessly to promote responsible, sustainable lawn care practices that benefit the environment and homeowners. What David has to say on lawns certainly challenged my notions on what lawn care involves, whether they’re a sensible option to those concerned about wildlife and the environment and what they can and should be like from a horticultural perspective, so listen on with an open mind… Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Horse Chestnut Moth What We Talk About Lawns and their uses Do lawns have to be high maintenance? Ideal grass species for sustainable lawns Do you have to feed a lawn? Can lawns be of use to wildlife? Artificial lawns About David Hedges-Gower David Hedges-Gower is a prominent figure in the UK's lawn care industry, known for his expertise and dedication to promoting sustainable lawn care practices. His background in greenkeeping, including his role as Superintendent at the prestigious Oxfordshire Golf Club, provided him with a strong foundation in turf management. After recognizing the need for better information and knowledge in the lawn care field, David transitioned into lawn care and authored a book titled "Modern Lawn Care" in 2014. This publication served as a valuable resource for those seeking to improve their lawn maintenance practices. In addition to his book, David has been actively involved in educating people about proper lawn care through training days, seminars, and advisory services. He is a trusted source of information, having accumulated 43 years of experience in the field. He often serves as an expert for publications, radio channels, and other advisory bodies, helping to disseminate his knowledge to a wider audience. One of David's notable achievements is founding the world's first lawn care qualification, which caters to both homeowners and professionals. This qualification helps individuals gain a better understanding of modern and sustainable lawn care practices, contributing to the overall improvement of lawn maintenance. David Hedges-Gower is also the Chairman of The Lawn Association, an organization dedicated to promoting the value of living lawns and distinguishing between genuine sustainable lawn care and marketing tactics that claim sustainability without delivering on it. The association collaborates with significant horticultural bodies like English Heritage to educate staff, trainees, and apprentices on sustainable lawn care methods. Recently, David launched the True Garden Range, a groundbreaking product in the form of 2-in-1 fertilizers and soil conditioners made from composted recycled food waste. This product addresses the need for sustainable lawn care options in the retail market, providing a more environmentally friendly choice for gardeners. David's passion lies in making sustainable lawns a priority, countering the practice of franchises that prioritize profits over the health of lawns. He envisions sustainable lawns as not just a feature of our surroundings but a necessity, and he works tirelessly to promote responsible lawn care practices that benefit both the environment and homeowners. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: /episode/index/show/rootsandall/id/28051932

Buddlejas and Lavenders 09/11/2023

The Lost Gardens of Loughrigg 09/04/2023

Green Roofs & City Wildlife 08/21/2023

Aromatic Gardening 08/21/2023

The Human Garden 08/14/2023

Designing Responsibly Built Environments 08/07/2023

Designing Responsibly Built Environments My guest this week is Blanche Cameron, who leads UCL Bartlett School of Architecture's Environmental Design and Greening Cities modules, and is an urban green infrastructure advocate who works closely with industry and the government on urban greening issues. To say our towns and cities are not always good examples of environmentally sound design and biodiversity would be quite the understatement, but Blanche is one of a group of outspoken advocates for nature inclusive design who are are working towards better outcomes in this regard. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Dagger flies What We Talk About The built environment and biodiversity collapse Landscaping in towns and cities How good design can help mitigate biodiversity loss and climate change Vertical planting and green roofs Do we need a coherent plan or is it up to individuals to start changing their landscapes? “Productising” and the construction industry’s need for homogeneity Where does technologically fit in? About Blanche Cameron Blanche leads UCL Bartlett School of Architecture’s Environmental Design and Greening Cities modules and contributes to other modules and programmes, including the Landscape Architecture and Sustainable Heritage MSc.She coordinated the Living Landscape Strategy for UCL’s £1Bn UCL East development, and sits on UCL’s campus greening ‘Wild Bloomsbury’ steering group. Blanche is an urban green infrastructure advocate, working closely with industry and government, bringing practitioners into the heart of teaching, including John Little, biodiverse landscapes innovator, and Dusty Gedge, living roofs expert and founder in 2004 of the independent advisory organisation, Livingroofs.org. Blanche edited the GLA's 2019 10-year update report on the impact of a decade of urban greening since the London Plan's Green Roofs and Walls 2008 policy, co-written by Dusty Gedge and Gary Grant. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: /episode/index/show/rootsandall/id/27672720

The Container Victory Garden 07/31/2023

Botanical Education 07/24/2023

Urban Smallholding 07/17/2023

The Language of Trees 07/10/2023

The Biodiversity Gardener 07/03/2023

Magical Plants and Flowers 06/26/2023

Magical Plants and Flowers This week’s episode, my guests are Chris Young and Susan Ottaviano. Chris and Susan are better known as the . 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 . 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 , 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 Other episodes if you liked this one: /episode/index/show/rootsandall/id/27259023

Soil - The Story of a Black Mother's Garden 06/19/2023

Soil - The Story of a Black Mother's Garden Hello and welcome to this week’s episode where my guest is poet and scholar Camille Dungy. Camille has documented how she diversified her garden to reflect her heritage in her book ‘Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden’. We talk about the politics of gardening, planting a nature garden and how nature writing has influenced our gardens in the past and how it can shape the way we do so in the future. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Bloodsuckers What We Talk About Why Camille believes “Every politically engaged person should have a garden” The idea behind Camille’s pollinator garden in Colorado Gardens that offer something more than beauty Is there something we can do to make ourselves take more thinking, creating time? The state of modern nature writing The lessons learnt from gardening “If I cultivate a flourishing I want its reach to be wide”. What Camille means by this. About Camille Dungy Camille T. Dungy is the author of Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden (Simon & Schuster: May 2, 2023). She has also written Guidebook to Relative Strangers: Journeys into Race, Motherhood, and History, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and four collections of poetry, including Trophic Cascade, winner of the Colorado Book Award. Dungy edited Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry, the first anthology to bring African American environmental poetry to national attention. She also co-edited the From the Fishouse poetry anthology and served as assistant editor for Gathering Ground: Celebrating Cave Canem's First Decade. Dungy is the poetry editor for Orion magazine. Her work has appeared in Best American Poetry, 100 Best African American Poems, Best American Essays, The 1619 Project, All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, over 40 other anthologies, plus dozens of venues including The New Yorker, Poetry, Literary Hub, The Paris Review, and Poets.org. You may know her as the host of Immaterial, a podcast from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise. A University Distinguished Professor at Colorado State University, Dungy’s honors include the 2021 Academy of American Poets Fellowship, a 2019 Guggenheim Fellowship, an American Book Award, and fellowships from the NEA in both prose and poetry. Links - Simon & Schuster, May 2023 Other episodes if you liked this one: /episode/index/show/rootsandall/id/27181494

Wild Mothers 06/12/2023

Guerrilla Gardening 06/05/2023

Guerrilla Gardening My guest this episode is author and activist Ellen Miles. Ellen is the founder of Nature is a Human Right, she runs Dream Green, a social enterprise that helps people get guerrilla gardening with guides, grants, and workshops and has a book that will be released this Thursday the 8th of June, Get Guerrilla Gardening: A handbook for planting in public places. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Spider silk What We Talk About What is guerrilla gardening? Does it matter who owns the land you guerrilla garden? Is it illegal? Are you liable if someone trips over your planter, for example? Should we be growing more food in communities? If you’re growing food in an urban location, how can you know the soil isn’t contaminated with anything that will be taken up by your plants? Who decides why a space should be used for? Where is the input from the people that live with and use guerrilla gardened spaces? What are some potentially good sites? What are parklets? Are there spaces (such as wild spaces) that should be left alone? In order for a plant to establish either from seed or as a plant, it needs to have a degree of tenacity. Is it easy to strike a balance between finding plants that are tough enough to survive and persist and avoiding plants which can be invasive? How do you cope with practical hurdles such as no water, nowhere to store your tools, nowhere to sit down…? How do you cope with vandalism? Should you try and communicate with the local authority? If so, who and how can you best get hold of them? How do ensure a garden continues to thrive after it’s established? Other resources and people doing good work in this area About Ellen Miles Ellen Miles is an author and activist rooting for nature in urban neighbourhoods. She founded Nature is a Human Right and edited the acclaimed anthology of essays inspired by the campaign (, DK, 2022). Ellen also runs Dream Green, a social enterprise that helps people get guerrilla gardening with guides, grants, and workshops. Get Guerrilla Gardening is a joyful handbook – packed with illustrated 'how to's, inspiring stories, and photos of vibrant transformations – demystifies the art and science of planting in public places. With no prior gardening knowledge required, Get Guerrilla Gardening guides you through a straightforward, flexible action plan to suit your aims and abilities, covering everything from the legalities of guerrilla gardening, to how to choose the right plants for your patch. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: /episode/index/show/rootsandall/id/27025881

Growing Biodiversity 05/29/2023

Toss the Salad! 05/22/2023

The Apothecary 05/15/2023

The Apothecary This episode features writer, garden historian and returning guest Caroline Ball. In eighteenth-century Bavaria a prosperous apothecary, Johann Wilhelm Weinmann began an extraordinary project, the compilation of an A to Z of plants, meticulously documented, and lavishly illustrated by botanical artists using the latest colour-printing methods of the time. He aimed to include thousands of plants from all over the world, describing their individual characteristics and commissioning magnificent colour illustrations of each specimen. The first complete volume of the Phytanthoza Iconographia, as he called it, was published in 1737 and the work grew to four immense tomes. The Iconographia gives an unparalleled view of the ornamental and useful plants that were known to botanists and gardeners in the early eighteenth-century. Caroline has written two books, A Splendour of Succulents & Cacti and A Cornucopia of Fruit & Vegetables, which document how this piece of work came to be collated and which reproduce many of the amazing images featured within. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Butterfly Tongues & Buddleia What We Talk About Johann Wilhelmina Weinmann and his Phytanthoza Iconographia Where Weinmann sourced the plants that were included The painters who documented the specimens Historical plant pots How the work was reproduced Matching the plants depicted to contemporary specimens Are historical botanical texts merely a curiosity, or can they inform our knowledge of horticulture in the present day? Some of the more surprising medicinal uses for plants that are documented in the book About Caroline Ball & the Phytanthoza Iconagraphia In eighteenth-century Bavaria a prosperous apothecary, Johann Wilhelm Weinmann, grew an ‘American aloe’ that astounded all who saw it. He was also the mastermind behind an extraordinary project - a comprehensive A to Z of plants, meticulously documented, and lavishly illustrated by botanical artists using the latest colour-printing methods of the time. Weinmann aimed to include thousands of plants from all over the world, describing their individual characteristics and commissioning magnificent colour illustrations of each specimen. The first complete volume of the Phytanthoza Iconographia, as he called it, was published in 1737 and the work grew to four immense tomes. The Iconographia gives an unparalleled view of the ornamental and useful plants that were known to botanists and gardeners in the early eighteenth-century. Caroline Ball is an editor, copywriter and occasional translator who has written on many subjects, but has a particular interest in horticulture, garden history and plant-hunters. She is also a keen gardener. Caroline’s books A Splendour of Succulents & Cacti and A Cornucopia of Fruit & Vegetables feature illustrations from an eighteenth-century botanical treasury, celebrating Weinmann’s rare and precious volumes by theme. Links Members of the public can explore the collections via the Bodleian’s online image portal here. Other episodes if you liked this one: /episode/index/show/rootsandall/id/26838429

Mosses 05/06/2023

Mosses This week, my guest is Dr Neil Bell, bryologist at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and author of The Hidden World of Mosses, which takes a look into the minute and fascinating world of bryophytes. If you’ve ever wanted to know how these plants live and reproduce, whether you can cultivate moss indoors or outdoors, what that green stuff is you find on the surface of potted plant’s compost and whether you should take it off, the environmental and habitat value of mosses and how they are affected by the moon, listen on… Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Tardegrades What We Talk About What is moss? How is it different to other plants? Liverworts and hornworts How mosses reproduce Moss species in the UK Cultivating mosses in a garden or as a houseplant Liverworts growing on the surface of potted plants Is there a place for mosses on brownfield sites? Do all mosses need shade and moisture? How mosses take in nutrients and attach to structures The role mosses play in the environment in terms of water attenuation and conservation, and as habitats for other creatures Sphagnum bogs as a ‘potential positive feedback loop’ for climate change and what can be done about this The connection between sphagnum moss and the moon How you can better see mosses, to explore what they look like in detail and appreciate them About The Hidden World of Mosses Did you know that there are nearly 20,000 different species of mosses and their relatives worldwide with over 1000 in the UK? And did you know that Sphagnum moss is almost wholly responsible for the creation and maintenance of peat bogs, preventing harmful carbon from being released into the atmosphere? The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has published The Hidden World of Mosses, providing an accessible guide to these not-so-humble botanical gems. Written by bryologist Dr Neil Bell, the book presents information about these incredible plants, exploring their tiny, intriguing and diverse environments in detail. This fascinating book also contains hundreds of stunning photographs which reveal the beauty and splendour of moss. Perhaps the most misunderstood and misrepresented of all groups of organisms, moss is often thought of as unattractive and unremarkable, but nothing could be further from the truth. Mosses and their relatives (liverworts and hornworts) are found in almost every part of the world, from lush forests to rocky mountains tops and from city centres in the tropics to Antarctic tundra. Mosses are critical to the planet - if they ceased to exist tomorrow the world would be in a lot of trouble. Examining the many different types of moss, including those found in the UK and internationally, The Hidden World of Mosses explores the incredible environments of these plants that form their own miniature forests filled with grazers and predators, and have their own ecological norms and mechanics. They play a critical role in climate change prevention and have an extraordinary ability to hold and control water in forests, uplands and valleys. Incredibly, some mosses can hold more than 20 times their own weight in water. Peat mosses (Sphagnum) are almost entirely responsible for creating and maintaining peat, which is a traditional fuel and used for the flavour it imparts to many whiskies. Sphagnum moss keeps the soil in which it grows permanently wet, largely preventing decomposition.Interestingly, Sphagnum moss has also been used by medics over the centuries. Due to its absorbent and antiseptic properties, it was used as a cheaper alternative to cotton wool dressings in World Wars One and Two, and has been used to treat wounds for many years. On tropical mountains, mosses prevent flooding by capturing large amounts of water, gently controlling the flow of heavy rainfall, absorbing it like a giant sponge and then slowly letting it out again into rivers in a regulated manner. Additionally, mosses offer hunting grounds, protection and food for a host of much smaller creatures such as worms, mites, spiders and beetles, who use moss as a place to shelter, graze, or reproduce. Speaking about the publication of The Hidden World of Mosses, Neil Bell said, “Mosses are just a little smaller than most things we deal with in our everyday lives, so we tend not to notice their intricate beauty and how different they are from each other unless we make the effort to look really closely. Mosses and their relatives have evolved to live in a different way from other plants, playing a critical role in the environment that other plants can’t, and the mosses and liverworts we have in Scotland are of international significance - far more so than our other native plants, in fact. We need to recognise that and protect them. I hope that this book will raise awareness of this hidden botanical world and encourage more people to explore it .” Dr Neil Bell is a bryologist at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Much of his research is focused on quantifying, understanding and promoting Scotland’s globally important bryophyte flora, of which mosses are part. Neil is also editor-in-chief of the Journal of Bryology. This year, the British Bryology Society celebrates its centenary. The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is one of the world’s leading scientific botanic gardens, holding knowledge gained over centuries that the world needs today. All known life depends on plants and fungi. The Garden’s mission is to explore, conserve and explain the world of plants for a better future. We all know biodiversity loss and climate change is threatening thousands of plants with extinction. Through cutting edge science, conservation and education, the organisation is helping to save them. Its four Scottish gardens – Benmore, Dawyk, Logan and ‘The Botanics’ in Edinburgh – attract over a million visitors every year. Together, these gardens comprise one of the richest plant collections on earth. As a registered Scottish charity, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is funded principally by the Scottish Government – but as an organisation, it is very much global, taking positive action for plants and people around the world – from local communities in Scotland, to over 40 countries overseas. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: /episode/index/show/rootsandall/id/26763468

Woodchip 04/30/2023

Woodchip My guest this week is Ben Raskin, the Soil Association’s Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry. Ben is the author of several books on gardening, including Zero-Waste Garden and The Community Gardening Handbook. His latest book is ‘The Woodchip Handbook’, which I was very excited to read and even more excited to speak with Ben about, because I’ve long been a fan of using wood chip in the garden. In the interview, we cover the many uses for woodchip in the garden, how it can help with plant and soil health, what sort of wood makes good chip and the do’s and don’ts of using it. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: The Syrphids What We Talk About Sourcing woodchip Making your own Different species of tree woodchip Runoff when storing woodchip Do we need to store or compost woodchip before we use it? The uses for woodchip in the garden What is ramial chipped wood and what can it be used for? The benefits of using woodchip as a mulch Avoiding suppressing self-seeders Woodchip and carbon retention What happens to woodchip if treated as ‘waste’? About Ben Raskin Ben Raskin has worked in horticulture for more than 25 years, developing a wide range of experience both in practical commercial growing and wider policy and advocacy work. As the Soil Association’s Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry, he provides growers at all levels of production with technical, marketing, policy, supply chain and networking support. He is currently implementing a 200-acre silvopastural agroforestry planting in Wiltshire. Ben is the author of several previous books on gardening, including Zero-Waste Gardening (2021), The Community Gardening Handbook (2017) and three volumes of the Grow Together Guides aimed at families with young children: Compost, Grow, and Bees, Bugs, and Butterflies. Additionally, Ben co-chairs the Defra Edibles Horticulture Roundtable and sits on the boards of the Organic Growers Alliance and Community Supported Agriculture Network UK. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: /episode/index/show/rootsandall/id/26659851

The End of the Life Cycle 04/24/2023

Houseplant Legends 04/17/2023

Houseplant Legends This week’s episode I’m speaking to horticulturist, journalist, host of the On the Ledge podcast and author of a new book ‘Legends of the Leaf’, Jane Perrone. Have you ever wondered why the leaves of the Swiss cheese plant have holes? How aloe vera came to be harnessed as a medicinal powerhouse? Or why – despite your best efforts – you can’t keep your Venus flytrap alive? If you’re familiar with the On the Ledge podcast, you’ll know Jane takes deep dives into the background of houseplants; where they come from, how they behave and how we can best grow them. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: The Lepidoptera About Legends of the Leaf Have you ever wondered why the leaves of the Swiss cheese plant have holes? How aloe vera came to be harnessed as a medicinal powerhouse? Or why – despite your best efforts – you can’t keep your Venus flytrap alive? You are not alone: houseplant expert Jane Perrone has asked herself those very questions, and in Legends of the Leaf she digs deep beneath the surface to reveal the answers. By exploring how they grow in the wild, and the ways they are understood and used by the people who live among them, we can learn almost everything we need to know about our cherished houseplants. Along the way, she unearths their hidden histories and the journeys they’ve taken to become prized possessions in our homes: from the Kentia palms which stood either side of Queen Victoria’s coffin as she lay in state; to the dark history of the leopard lily, once exploited for its toxic properties; to English ivy, which provided fishermen with a source of bait. Each houseplant history in this beautifully illustrated collection is accompanied by a detailed care guide and hard-won practical advice, but it is only by understanding their roots that we can truly unlock the secrets to helping plants thrive. About Jane Perrone Jane Perrone is a horticultural expert, journalist and the host of On The Ledge, a podcast dedicated to houseplants and indoor gardening. She is a regular contributor to the Guardian, the Financial Times and Gardens Illustrated. She lives in Bedfordshire with her husband, two children, a dog called Wolfie and a home full of plants. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: /episode/index/show/rootsandall/id/26565417

Ecologically Integrated Gardens 04/10/2023

Ecologically Integrated Gardens My guest this week is Shawn Maestretti of Studio Petrichor, a design studio working out of California. Shawn’s personal mission is to reconnect with the natural world, tread lightly on the land, nurture biodiversity, protect water, and bring people together. We speak about how Studio Petrichor designs with these values in mind and the systems and techniques that are used to achieve these goals. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Orange Tip Butterflies About Studio Petrichor & Shawn Maestretti Studio Petrichor is a group of compassionate individuals on a journey to manifest meaningful change in the world through transformational and environmentally-aligned landscaping practices. Our goal is to help individuals and communities cultivate stronger, richer relationships with their environment. Along the way, we educate and empower one another to support and protect Mother Nature’s living systems. When we see and believe our actions and lives matter, it places us in a role of responsibility. It is this belief that will bring about a more beautiful, abundant, connected world. Shawn Maestretti is an Oracle and Alchemist, (aka plant daddy, licensed landscape architect, certified arborist, certified permaculture designer, biospheric caretaker, speaker, and educator). Shawn is a member of the Climate Reality Leadership Corp, a Kiss the Ground Soil Advocate, and has co-founded the non-profit Poly/Ana to empower communities to honor and protect natural, living systems. He is also a Landscape Design Teacher at the Theodore Payne Foundation. Shawn has been presenting on Nature’s intelligence and humanity’s impact on climate change in his presentation series Regenerative Landscapes and the Climate Crisis, Reimagining Landscape and Lifestyle, and Landscape Architecture and The Death of the Ego. His personal mission is to reconnect with the natural world, tread lightly on the land, nurture biodiversity, protect water, and bring people together. Shawn always considers impacts on flora, fauna, fungi, soil, water, the environment, the interconnectedness of our actions, and of course, a changing climate. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: /episode/index/show/rootsandall/id/26481705

Poison Prescriptions 04/03/2023

Sensory Gardens & Autism 03/27/2023

Sensory Gardens & Autism Hello and welcome to this week’s episode, where in recognition of World Autism Acceptance Week, I’m speaking about Sensory Gardens, with a focus on design for people with autism. I have three guests; Camellia Taylor who’s designed The Natural Affinity Garden, which will be at the Chelsea Flower Show in May, after which time it will be relocated to Kent, to the charity Aspens where it will be used by residents of and visitors to the site. Next, I speak with Meraud Davis who’s overseeing the project at Aspens and finally, to Alexis Selby a foraging obsessed, nature-loving, all-round amazing person who’s giving us her take on using outdoor spaces with her son, Jared. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Narcissus Root Fly What We Talk About Why do we need to distinguish between men and women when it comes to environmentalism? Isn’t it fair to say some women are interested in improving and caring for their environment and some aren’t, and this is the case too with men? The feminisation of responsibility as it relates to climate change Why women are more affected by climate change than men Women and the control of the means of polluting production Why women lack the opportunity to generate a larger climate footprint Women who are making a difference About The Natural Affinity Garden Aspens will partner with garden designer Camellia Taylor to create a show garden for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show (23 – 27 May 2023), supported by Project Giving Back. Aspens is a social care charity that provides high quality care and support topeople on the autism spectrum and with learning disabilities, and their families in the South-East. The Natural Affinity Garden for Aspens, is one of six All About Plants gardens being supported by Project Giving Back in 2023. It will encourage a connection with nature and maximise the benefits to a visitor’s wellbeing by engaging with the seven senses (touch, taste, scent, sight, sound, movement and temperature). Each planting zone of the design targets specific senses and every aspect of the planting has been included for sensory stimulation. The dominant use of green in the garden provides an overall feeling of calm for those with hyper-sensitivity (sensory avoidant) and subtle additions of purple and yellow provide stimulation and interaction for those with hypo-sensitivity (sensory seeking). After the show, the garden will be relocated to the heart of Aspens’ Kent site, where it will provide a rich, therapeutic haven for the charity’s community. The Natural Affinity Garden for Aspens’ designer Camellia Taylor has a background in psychology and health care and has worked on previous projects with Aspens. She has a strong connection with the charity’s core values of empowerment, inclusivity and integrity and is passionate about supporting their vision for an inclusive society where people with disabilities can thrive. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: /episode/index/show/rootsandall/id/26339382

Can Women Save the Planet? 03/20/2023

The Chelsea Fringe 03/13/2023

The Chelsea Fringe This week my guest is Tim Richardson, who, amongst many other things, is a garden writer, historian and founder of the Chelsea Fringe. The Fringe is an annual event which is a collection of all things horticultural, the quirkier the better, and it runs concurrent to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show each May. Events are held around the world and are an opportunity to celebrate horticulture in an alternative way. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Cabbage Bomb Aphids About the Chelsea Fringe The Chelsea Fringe – the alternative garden festival and established highlight of the horticultural calendar – will take place for a 12th year with nine days of festivities confirmed from 20 - 28 May 2023. After two years in which participants responded creatively to the restrictions of the pandemic, the festival returned to the real world with a bang in 2022. A programme brimming with stimulating and diverse events took place with contributions from Cranbrook to Perth, and from Naples to Seattle. Fringe organisers are now encouraging everyone to start thinking about the imaginative, quirky, and unusual ideas they might bring to the 2023 Fringe to help create another bumper celebration of horticulture and grassroots gardening. Fringe founder and director Tim Richardson said: “We are a ‘true Fringe’ in that we don’t commission or curate. We accept everything that our participants suggest – if an event is on-topic, legal and interesting, it’s in! That means everything from community-garden events, art projects and performances to walks and talks, craft demos, and workshops – just a few of the categories we end up with. We are always surprised – and delighted – by what pops up each year, fresh from the imagination of our horticultural comrades in the UK and around the world.” Thousands of events have taken place in more than 20 different countries since the first Fringe was held in 2012. What started as a back-of-a-postcard idea has grown over a decade into an international event which is an established — if unorthodox — fixture of the gardening calendar. It remains an unfunded, unsponsored and volunteer-run Community Interest Company (CIC), powered by a small but dedicated group, with many events in the festival free to attend. Contributors and venues over the years have included community gardening groups, public parks, artists, poets, chefs, galleries, schools, and major institutions such as Kew, the Inner Temple, the Natural History Museum, and Covent Garden Flower Market, among many others. Despite its name, the festival reaches well beyond Chelsea; not just to every quarter of London, but also to the far corners of the UK and around the world. Events have taken place on the Isle of Mull, in Monmouth, Margate, Leeds, Bristol and Henley-on-Thames, and the Fringe’s global appeal has been underlined by enthusiastic participants signing up in Canada, Sweden, Poland, Italy, Australia, and Japan. Events usually begin to appear on the Fringe website from February, while registration remains open right up until the very last day of the festival. Potential event organisers are encouraged to make contact as soon as possible in order to make the most of the promotional potential that taking part brings. Anyone with an idea – however unformed – is encouraged to get in touch now. Our team of volunteers will do everything we can to turn germs of ideas into flourishing blooms by May 2023. The Chelsea Fringe is now inviting individuals and organisations, first-timers and Fringe veterans, to contact us at [email protected] outlining what they propose to do as part of the 2023 festival programme. Links Other episodes if you liked this one: /episode/index/show/rootsandall/id/26201295

Seed Balls 03/06/2023

Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

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