Gardens, weeds and words

Gardens, weeds and words podcast, S03.5 E04 show notes A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links.  Garden soundtrack 00:40 spring settling in, and it’s been a warm, dry start 02:34 what your garden wants from you, the last in my series of readings on how to find yourself in a state of harmony with your garden   reading 08:00 ‘Cow Parsley’ from Jack Wallington’s Wild About Weeds, read by Milli Proust   interview 10:52 Jack joins us to talk about the impact of his book five (now six!) years on, how practical it really is to incorporate weeds purposefully into our gardens, and whether a gentler, more natural approach to planting has any cut through beyond the garden media.  12:08 Did Jack’s pro-weed stance feel like a lonely position to be adopting back in 2019? 13:28 The effect on Jack’s garden design practice 13:54 The manifesto approach to writing your first book 14:42 Has there been a noticeable change in the attitude of gardeners towards weeds since the publication of the book? 17:50 Has there been any trickle down to the general public from a wilder look embraced by top garden designers at shows like Chelsea? 22:54 A plant in the wrong place? Weren’t they here first? But gardening is largely about declaring what we want to grow and where. How does Jack find a middle ground? 25:25 Managing a weedy population – regular culling 26:22 Jack’s wildflower meadow and help with weeding 27:15 Practical steps with embracing weeds – where do you start with becoming wild about weeds? 29:22 A weedy through-line – how weeds flow through all of Jack’s work *** Thank you to Milli Proust for her delightful reading from Jack’s book, Wild About Weeds, published by Lawrence King in 2019. My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.    substack: Bramble & Briar website: www.andrewtimothyobrien.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB

Gardens, weeds and words podcast, S03.5 E03 show notes A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links.  Garden soundtrack Winter conditions in the garden. 01:17 A weed for every situation reading 02:18 from Jack Wallington’s Wild About Weeds, read by Andy Wain   04:15 When to start sowing seeds – a flurry of mild debate 05:28 What instinctively feels right for us in the garden? 06:09 How do you want your garden to look and feel? The third instalment of my series on easing into harmony with your garden. Q1. How do you want to feel when you’re in your garden? Q2. ...and what’s getting in the way of this right now? Q3. What do you like about you garden? Q4. What do you dislike about your garden?  Q5. What aspects of gardens and gardening do you find visually appealing?   Q6. ...and how do you think you might incorporate these into your garden? Q7. What stories do you want your garden to tell?   *** Thank you to Andy Wain for his spirited reading from Jack’s book, Wild About Weeds, published by Lawrence King in 2019. My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.    substack: Bramble & Briar website: www.andrewtimothyobrien.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB

Gardens, weeds and words podcast, S03.5 E02 show notes A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links.  Autumn is settling in and, if we’re honest, we start to spend less time actively gardening. More time for the soil to grow what it really wants, more time for us to start dreaming next year’s garden into being. In this episode, we hear how weeds have evolved to depend upon us making room for them to exploit, with another reading form Jack Wallington’s Wild About Weeds. And I bring you the second instalment of my series on easing into harmony with your garden.   Garden soundtrack 00:40 How we could use our gardens more all year round 02:00 Essential kit for experiencing a soggy garden 03:20 Assessing the garden in autumn, and making a habit of showing up 04:20 What the weeds are getting up to, and how humans and weeds go hand in hand    reading 05:55 from Jack Wallington's Wild About Weeds, read by Rose White   08:29 Purpose and intention in the garden – weedy, or not so weedy? It's up to you! 09:23 What do you want from your garden? The second instalment of my series on easing into harmony with your garden.   18:48 A special quality to gardening at this time of year – read more on Bramble & Briar, my publication on Substack (you can listen there, too)   On lazy clouds, and the softness of November, Andrew O'Brien, on Bramble & Briar   *** Thank you to Rose White for reading so beautifully from Jack's book, Wild About Weeds, published by Lawrence King in 2019. (You can order Rose’s own book of her poetry, Songbird, here. 10% of all proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the charity BEAT Eating Disorders). My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.  website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB

Gardens, weeds and words podcast, S03.5 E01 show notes A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links.  Garden soundtrack Shamelessly pinching the title from Jack Wallington’s fabulous 2019 book for this episode – which is only fair, as it’s the jumping off point for this whole mini season. We’re looking at how we can understand our gardens – even enter into a state of harmony with this space around our homes – but I don’t think we can even begin without getting to grips with the whole subject of weeds, what they’re trying to tell us about our soil, and how we can learn from them. We salute summer as it reaches its peak and, just as quickly, begins to pass the baton on to the next season, and enjoy a reading from the introduction to Jack’s book.   05:14 What I love about the garden in summer 10:59 A reading from the introduction to Wild About Weeds, by Jack Wallington 15:20 The first in my series of readings on understanding your garden   *** Thank you to Milli Proust for reading so beautifully from Jack's book, Wild About Weeds, published by Lawrence King in 2019. (Milli's own book, the wonderful From Seed to Bloom (Quadrille, 2022) is available here). My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.  website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB

This is a little bit of a teaser. Series 4 of the Gardens, Weeds & Words podcast is starting to come together, but you know how long it takes for things to assemble inside my head. And, from there, to make the journey through all the twigs, and moss, and soil and stuff, into the editing software and out into the real world in a state I can share it with you. So I thought, while I’m working away on that, I’d put a little something out in the meantime. So here comes season three and a half, a short series on the subject of weeds, what they’re trying to tell us, and how they can lead us to a beter understanding of our gardens. Listen to the trailer for an idea of what’s in store...

Gardens, weeds and words podcast, S03E10 show notes A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links.  Garden soundtrack February; the natural world waking up; the bossiness of raised beds 2:00 Reading from I was right all along, on my Substack, Bramble & Briar 3:41 the resilience of the purple sage   4:45 Interview with Maya Thomas Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Diploma in Herbology Ballymaloe Cookery School at Ballymaloe House in Cork, Ireland Elisabeth Luard, author, journalist and broadcaster Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, Kandy, Sri Lanka, where Maya’s great uncle used to work Rewilding the Kitchen, Toast 2021, Maya Thomas Returning to the Urban Wilderness, Toast 2021, Maya Thomas Grow Easy: Organic crops for pots and small plots, Anna Greeland, Mitchell Beazley 2021   57:01 To Stand and Stare turns one year old *** Thank you to Maya Thomas for joining me on this episode of the Gardens, Weeds & Words podcast. You can find Maya on Instagram, and also on the web at The Modern Herbal My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.  website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB   

Gardens for Good Causes, with Hattie Ghaui   A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.   These notes may contain affiliate links.      Garden soundtrack   The glory of October   3:25 Reading from Kew Gardens, by Virginia Woolf. Written in 1919, available in hardback from Kew Publications, 2018 Read by Milli Proust   8:19 Interview with Hattie Ghaui   9:00 A summary of Project Giving Back’s work...  10:56 … and how Hattie became involved  11:25 How PGB is funded 12:13 The original goal 12:30 Me, failing to get Hattie to preempt the announcement (made in late September) about the extension of the original remit 14:35 Hattie, repping the business world on Gardens, Weeds & Words! 15:00 Hattie’s own childhood memories of plants and gardens 22:20 Hattie’s present garden and gardening style 24:29 An unexpected plug for To Stand and Stare 25:15 Hacking Big Money for charities at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Can philanthropy really help? 31:02 PGB's due diligence process for charities and corporate partners 34:45 What kind of difference can Chelsea make to a charity?           Gardens for good causes, the PGB podcast https://www.givingback.org.uk/podcasts 40:27 The variety of different charities supported 41:36 Sustainability at Chelsea, and the legacy of a PGB show garden 45:23 Keep asking the questions, PGB and the RHS 47:20 A few stand out PGB projects 50:09 The long term impact of the gardens     53:41 Book writing – To Stand and Stare, and what comes next from me     ***   Thank you to Hattie Ghaui for joining me on this episode of the Gardens, Weeds & Words podcast.   You can find Hattie on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/hghaui/ and Project Giving Back here https://www.instagram.com/project.giving.back/ and on the web here https://www.givingback.org.uk/   With thanks once again to Milli Proust for this episode’s reading. Milli’s beautiful instagram is here https://www.instagram.com/milliproust/     My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here https://geni.us/Qs2d       I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.    A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up after Christmas, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. http://www.andrewtimothyobrien.com     website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB 

Designing with flowers. With Hazel Gardiner   A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.   These notes may contain affiliate links.      Garden soundtrack   Over the hump of the year   1:56 Vita Sackville west struggling with summer   Readings from In Your Garden, Vita Sackville West. Oxenwood Press, 1996 Read by Andrew Timothy O'Brien   5:30 Interview with Hazel Gardiner 5:55 Creating in relationship with others – elevating and encouraging. 8:25 Hazel’s career path. Dealing with burnout and serious illness 13:11 Retraining in floristry. Transferable skills. 18:50 Choosing the floristry path, rather than gardening or garden design 21:50 The through-line in a varied career 24:00 Fearless. A parental gift of confidence 27:10 Building a team 29:23 A typical week 30:45 Incorporating artificial flowers 33:15 Hazel’s early gardening memories 40:46 Creating installations that flummox – Hazel’s ideal brief 43:12 A ‘chewy’ style – texture, layer and story 46:15 How people interract with the work 48:00 The place of sustainability, seasonality and a responsive approach 51:28 Natural mechanics 52:22 Hazel’s own garden   56:38 Bramble & Briar, the Substack for the more confessional side of my gardening content. Sign up at https://andrewtimothyobrien.substack.com/   57:28 An extract from my book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, DK Life,  https://geni.us/Qs2d       ***   Thank you to Hazel Gardiner for joining me on this episode of the Gardens, Weeds & Words podcast.   You can find Hazel on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/hazelgardinerdesign/ and on the web here https://www.hazelgardinerdesign.com/studio       My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here https://geni.us/Qs2d       I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.    A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up in September 2023, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. http://www.andrewtimothyobrien.com     website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB 

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.   These notes may contain affiliate links.        Garden soundtrack   Winter bringing new and rare experiences – December snow in Kent, and recording the audio version of my new book.     Reading from To stand and stare 2:10 Read by Andrew Timothy O'Brien   To stand and stare: how to garden while doing next to nothing, by Andrew Timothy O'Brien. DK Life, 2023. https://geni.us/Qs2d     04:35  An introduction to From Seed to Bloom: a year of growing and designing with seasonal flowers, by Milli Proust. Quadrille, 2022 https://amzn.to/3hGlcNg     Reading from From Seed to Bloom 5:15 Read by Milli Proust     09:29  Interview with Milli Proust   10:55 The original plan   12:45 Working with intention – Milli loves a strategy     13:45 The other aspect of Milli's professional life!   Molly Wansell, 42 Management & Production https://www.42mp.com/     15:18 A sustainable business   Paris Alma Flowers https://parisalmaflowers.com/     17:08 Working as part of a team   On the business with Paris, on the book with photographer Éva Németh https://www.evanemeth.com/     18:54 The visual aspects of the book   Theatre, storytelling, atmosphere.   The human experience of connecting with nature.     23:03 Milli's earliest plants and gardens memories     26:53 A gardening (self)education     29:00 Why grow your own floristry supplies?     30:43 Using foliage, and the stories of plants in weather     34:00 Design principles in floral arrangement     38:00 From Seed to Bloom:     40:51 How becoming a mother might impact Milli's creative practice – new perspectives and opportunites     45:45 A seasonal perspective     48:30 Grower, or gardener? What's the difference?   ***   Thank you to Milli Proust for giving up her time to talk to me about the beautiful work she brings into the world from her patch of land in West Sussex.   You can find Milli on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/milliproust/ Or on her website: https://www.milliproust.com/     My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, will be published by DK Life on Feb 2, 2023, and is available to preorder here https://geni.us/Qs2d       I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.    A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up in spring 2023n, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. http://www.andrewtimothyobrien.com     website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB 

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.   These notes may contain affiliate links.        Garden soundtrack   The joys of October in the garden.     Reading from A breath from elsewhere, by Mirabel Osler 4:28 Read by Jemma Cooper   A breath from elsewhere, by Mirabel Osler. Bloomsbury, 1997. https://amzn.to/3Stlvr9     06:52 Gardening in the shade       08:10 Interview with Susanna Grant   08:20 First encounters   Wild about Weeds, by Jack Wallington https://amzn.to/3FbVU31   09:17 Sharing weeds (and weeds)   10:48 How the name – and the business – 'Linda' came about   12:35 A Jack of All Trades – Susanna's other work   16:11 A Fair Weather Shop   19:26 Susanna's childhood memories of plants and the natural world   Flower Fairy books, by Cicely Mary Barker https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09PGM2YBD?binding=hardcover&searchxofy=true&ref_=dbs_s_bs_series_rwt_thcv&qid=1666786266&sr=1-19   Observer Book of Wild Flowers https://amzn.to/3SxxWCo   21:26 Arnold Circus and the Boundary Estate – the community garden   Radicle, edited by Sui Searle aka @decolonisethegarden https://radicle.substack.com   Volunteering: a problem and an opportunity? by Joanna Pidcock https://radicle.substack.com/p/volunteering-a-problem-and-an-opportunity   29:49 From Gardens Where We Feel Secure, by Susanna Grant and Rowan Spray, published by Rough Trade Books and The Garden Museum https://amzn.to/3Dpdrn4   35:31 Practicalities of window box gardening with perennials       ***   Thank you to Susanna Grant for giving up her time to talk to me about her creative nature-inspired practice.   Susanna's book Shade is published by Bloom, 2022, and is available here https://amzn.to/3F6eGsu   The Rough Trade/Garden Museum pamphlet by Susanna, with photography by Rowan Spray is From Gardens Where We Feel Secure, and is available here https://amzn.to/3Dpdrn4   Pamphlets in the same series, such as Horticultural Appropriation by Claire Ratinon and Sam Ayre, are also available here https://roughtradebooks.com/collections/editions   You can find Susanna on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/hellotherelinda Or on her website: https://www.hellotherelinda.com/     My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, will be published by DK Life on Feb 2, 2023, and is available to preorder here https://geni.us/Qs2d     I'm so grateful to Jemma Cooper for lending us her lovely tones for the reading from Mirabel Osler's A breath from elsewhere. You can find Jem on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/thecountrynurse_   I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.    A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up early in the new year, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching       website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB 

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.   These notes may contain affiliate links.     Garden soundtrack   The last days of autumn, winter blowing in on the back of Storm Arwen.   Coping with post-COP26 despair and overwhelm.     Reading, 'Sudden Shower', by John Clare 03:22 Read by Lulu Peddar     Interview with Hannah McDonald, Illustrator 6:47 I chat to Hannah about her nature inspired illustration practice from her home and studio in Amsterdam, how life there compares to life in London, and whether the Dutch or the English are better at coping with what the weather has to throw at them. Work/life balance, slow living, and having a garden room on the Dutch equivalent of an allotment are all covered, together with how Hannah decides exactly what to draw, and the character of her own particular lines and dots.   We get through all of this without mentioning Hygge once, though we're deeply in cosy, homely territory throughout, while always bearing in mind the importance of our connection to the natural world outside, both for our own mental health, and that of the planet. I hope you enjoy listening!     ***   Thank you to Hannah McDonald for giving up her time to talk to me about her creative nature-inspired practice. You can find Hannah on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/hannah.mcdonald.illustration/ Or on her website: https://www.hannahmcdonald.co/   And bouquets of gratitude due to Lulu Peddar for providing the reading from John Clare's poetry. I particularly loved the bit about "patted on my hat" – thanks Lulu, please come again!     I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.    A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up early in the new year, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching       website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB 

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links.    Garden soundtrack Dawn breaking in the garden Trees in the landscape Reading from Wildwood, A Journey Through Trees, by Roger Deakin  2:25 https://amzn.to/3r6geIJ Read by Richard Chivers   Interview with Jackee Holder 4:54 05:13 'Coach and author and cultural creative' – the scope of Jackee's work, and how it came about 7:57 The path to being a cultural creative – Jackee's career choices, and the common thread 8:43 What is a cultural creative? 10:52 Jackee's South London background 11:26 Avoiding restrictive labels 12:49 'Jack of all trades'. Ouch. 14:25 Drawing influences widely 15:49 A deep connection with nature 17:45 Something bigger. The wonder of it all. 19:24 The parks of London 19:54 The loneliness of the long distance runner 21:05 Making friends with trees Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer "I understood at a very early age that in nature, I felt everything I should feel in church but never did." Alice Walker 22:33 Jackee's tamarind tree in Barbados 24:14 Dressing the trees at Christmas in the Carribean 27:54 Tree books. Tree Wisdom by Jacqueline Memory Paterson https://amzn.to/3csqx5Z 32:07 Jackee's connection to to the elder tree 39:35 The trees in Jackee's city garden 41:30 Listening to nature, mindfulness and being in 'receive mode'. 46:59 Solitude 48:33 Joy in the context of 2021. COVID, BLM. 49:26 Unapologetically celebrating nature. Charlotte Delbo, Auschwitz and After 50:55 Sorrow and joy interwoven An account of Milton Erickson and the African Violet Lady https://danielkarim.com/the-african-violet-a-teaching-tale-of-milton-h-erickson/ 55:24 "Nature was our first mother" Tina Welling "Nature is not a place to visit. It is home." Gary Snyder 55:36 Being rooted. 57:46 Trees and writing. Jackee's writing map "Writing with Fabulous Trees" http://www.jackeeholder.com/tree/writing-with-fabulous-trees-writing-map-for-parks-gardens-and-green-spaces/ 59:22 Journal writing (and being a stationery addict!) 101:30 The practice of writing. Using the 'Morning Pages' technique from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way https://amzn.to/3pErewE 103:00 Making space for mindful practices 104:32 Jackee's mission to connect people with the urban forest ***   Thank you to Jackee Holder for giving up her time to talk to me about her creative plant-inspired practice. You can find Jackee on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/jackeeholderinspires/ – please note Jackee's Instagram handle has changed since the interview in this episode! Or on her website: http://www.jackeeholder.com/ Grateful wotnots to Richard Chivers for stepping forward with his usual patient and willing response to my last-minute plea for a reading! I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.  A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. Enrolment will open towards the middle of February for one last time at the introductory price, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching   website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB 

  A plant-inspired practice. With Katie Robbins A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links.    Garden soundtrack     Pondering the onset of winter, with twinkling lights and fried potatoes.   Seasonal markers, and The Almanac from Lia Leendertz.   Catching up with Lia Leendertz. What's new in the 2021 edition? 03:44     Reading from The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2021  10:28 https://amzn.to/36LqUFH Read by Milli Proust     The independent plant-inspired businesses bringing cheer and lightening our darkness.     Interview with Katie Robbins 13:22   14:50 A love of the natural world and of ceramics   16:02 The formative planty encounter -- sunflowers, a flat cap and a fag   18:40 Potter... or ceramic artist?   19:52 If not a potter, would Katie have worked with plants in some other way? Grace Alexander flowers: https://www.gracealexanderflowers.co.uk/ Milli Proust: https://www.milliproust.com/about Bex Partridge (Botanical Tales): https://www.botanicaltales.com/   21:50 The power of a good parcel, and delighting your customer Beautiful and sustainable packaging https://www.ktrobbinsceramics.com/blog/2020/8/24/beautiful-safe-and-sustainable-packaging   24:49 A journey to the potter's wheel   26:43 The shortest commute -- working from home. Pluses and minuses of the WfH life   29:12 A tour of the garden studio   34:57 Katie's creative process   40:17 Inspiration from peers   41:48 The inevitabilities of creative cross-fertilisation   44:23 Working in porcelain   46:49 Clay from the ground   50:00 Inspirations       ***   Thank you to Katie Robbins for giving up her time to talk to me about her creative plant-inspired practice. You can find Katie on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/ceramicmagpie/ Or on her website: https://www.ktrobbinsceramics.com/     Thanks also to Lia Leendertz for joining me to talk about The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2021   https://amzn.to/36LqUFH     I'm immensely grateful to Milli Proust for lending us her mellifluous tones for the reading.     And of course, I'm ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.    A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details and add your name to the waiting list to be the first to hear when enrolment opens up again. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching       website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB 

Home. With Jennie Spears of the Lemon Tree Trust   A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.   These notes may contain affiliate links.      Garden soundtrack   Why do we build gardens? Looking back to the very first episode of the podcast and Tim Massey's garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the Lemon Tree Trust https://www.tommassey.co.uk/the-lemon-tree-trust-garden     Reading  05:21 Extract from How to grow your dinner without leaving the house by Claire Ratinon, published by Laurence King in 2020, read by the author. https://amzn.to/2QrpPtD   A quick catch up with Claire since the release of her book, my review of which you can find here http://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/gwwblog/how-to-grow-your-dinner     Interview with Jennie Spears 09:42   09:42 Bristol community gardens "Gardening is the most therapeutic and defiant act you can do. Plus you get strawberries." Ron Finley https://www.ted.com/talks/ron_finley_a_guerrilla_gardener_in_south_central_la?language=en   10:24 Sara Venn and Incredible Edible Bristol https://ediblebristol.org.uk/   11:29 Jennie's background in horticulture   13:09 Childhood plant memories Border Alpines, her parents' nursery https://www.borderalpines.co.uk/   Black viola, Viola 'Molly Sanderson'   16:13 The work of the Lemon Tree Trust, and how Jennie became involved   19:10 Bringing plants from home to the camps   25:36 How gardening happens in the camps   30:59 What to do with plant surpluses - a working economy?   35:01 Food and gardening   37:13 Plumbing in the camps   38:49 "At some point, people want to LIVE". The joy of plants   40:27 The impact of COVID on the work of the Lemon Tree Trust in Kurdistan   44:08 Upcoming projects and the best way to support the Lemon Tree Trust   46:49 A call from Jennie to get in touch if you know of any UK based refugee or migrant based gardening projects that would benefit from seeds from the Lemon Tree Trust (see below for contact details     ***     Thank you to Jennie for joining me on this episode to talk about the Lemon Tree Trust. You can find the charity's website here with more details of their work, their campaigns and the gardeners in the camps in Iraq. https://lemontreetrust.org/about/ And on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/lemontreetrust/   You can find Jennie's work for Bloom PR  here: Bloom PR website: http://www.bloom-pr.co.uk/ Bloom's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloom_pr_insta/     Thanks also to Claire Ratinon for joining me to talk about her book, How to grow your dinner without leaving the house   I’m ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.    A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details and add your name to the waiting list to be the first to hear when enrolment opens up again. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching       website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB 

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.   These notes may contain affiliate links.        Garden soundtrack   Back after a break for the last episode in the series   Dogs and gardening   Lockdown and #BlackLivesMatter – did these change how you felt about your garden?   Privilege in the gardening world   Telling the stories of plants   Reading 05:30 Extract from 'Science and Colonial Expansion. The role of the British Royal Botanical Gardens' by Lucile H. Brockway in American Ethnologist, Journal of the American Ethnological Society, Volume 6 Issue 3, 1979, read by Sui Searle. https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/ae.1979.6.3.02a00030   The book of the same name, available here: https://amzn.to/2PbSC4z   Gardening should be political – more of this in series three.   Gratitude, privilege and responsibility  – what that's meant to me in lockdown     Interview with the Ann Marie Powell 11:20    11:48 What's behind @myrealgarden?   15:22 Plants, People, Place   18:37 Living in a horticultural household, and how it effects domestic gardening   22:12 How Ann-Marie became a garden designer   23:16 Horticulture within the education system – being given the choice   25:18 Andrew talking absolute rubbish about "gardening with your ears"   27:10 Ann-Marie Powell Gardens – the vital importance of a great team   31:17 The effect of the Hampshire landscape on AMPG's design work   33:47 Is there anything the RHS needs to learn when it comes to reaching new people with shows like Chelsea?   38:56 Ann-Marie's gardens at RHS Wisley in Surrey   42:43 Pro-bono work for Greenfingers charity https://www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk/   46:03 Quickfire EITHER/OR questions!   Fatsia japonica https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/plant/fatsia-japonica Schefflera rhododendrifolia https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/plant/schefflera-rhododendrifolia Crûg Farm Nursery https://www.crug-farm.co.uk/     ***   Gratitude, privilege and responsibility vs Plants, People, Place. Pick your mantra!       Thank you to Ann-Marie for joining me on this episode. You can find Ann-Marie online here: AMPG website: https://www.ann-mariepowell.com/ Ann Marie's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ann_mariepowell/ The @myrealgarden instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/myrealgarden/   And also to Sui Searle for reading from the Lucile H. Brockway paper. You can find Sui on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/thetemperategardener/ and here https://www.instagram.com/decolonisethegarden/   I’m ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.    A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details and add your name to the waiting list to be the first to hear when enrolment opens up again. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching       website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB 

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.   These notes may contain affiliate links.        Garden soundtrack   Gardening without Chelsea.   The RHS Virtual Chelsea Flower Show https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/virtual-chelsea   Lockdown gardening interest   The Independent Plant Nursery Guide http://independentplantnurseriesguide.uk/   Should we look for a silver lining?     Reading 03:20 Extract from The Five Minute Garden by Laetitia Maklouf, read by Emma Jo Real Davies. https://amzn.to/36l871Z       Interview with the Laetitia Maklouf 05:15    05:44 Standard Laetitia Lore and the Sweet Pea Seeds   07:29 Sharing online   08:44 How Laetitia has changed as a gardener   09:28 Gardening in small spaces – the benefits of limits   10:03 Moving to real earth – option paralysis   10:36 Prescriptive approach vs you do you   11:08 Trust in your gardening instinct   12:13 Being ruthless. Or… not…! (Hotbin Darling) https://www.hotbincomposting.com/   13:10 Lockdown sourdough progress   14:24 Teaching the children through gardening    20:34 Being politely steely   22:00 Gardening overwhelm   26:10 The Five Minute Gardener   31:37 Gardening as a transactional relationship   33:25 On the decision not to have photographs in the new book    36:44 What is Laetitia going to do when she grows up?     ***   Lockdown gardening communicators on Instagram Just some of the folk who have really taken the opportunity to bring people into their own gardens (particularly encouraging and inspiring when some of them are multi award-winning designers) over the past couple of months. Don’t miss Ann-Marie Powell’s lunchtime talks at https://www.instagram.com/myrealgarden/, or Jo Thompson’s daily morning dog rambles through the Sussex countryside in the company of birds and her lovely labrador Rush https://www.instagram.com/jothompsongarden/. And of course, past friends of the podcast Alice Vincent https://www.instagram.com/noughticulture/ and Caro Langton at RoCo https://www.instagram.com/studio.roco/, teaching us about small space gardening and houseplants in their stories. All incredibly generous, and remarkably accessible.        Thank you to Laetitia for joining me on this episode. Laetitia's book The Five Minute Garden, published by National Trust Books, 2020, is available here https://amzn.to/36l871Z   Laetitia's website: https://laetitiamaklouf.com/ Laetitia on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laetitiamaklouf   And to Emma Jo Real Davies for reading from Laetitia’s book. Emma Jo’s brilliant podcast, The Female Struggle is Real is here https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-female-struggle-is-real/id1215423183 or you can find her on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/emjorealdavies/, or on the airwaves here https://www.kmfm.co.uk/on-air/the-hit-list-with-emma-jo/     I’m ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.      PLEASE VOTE FOR THE GARDENS, WEEDS & WORDS PODCAST IN THE BRITISH PODCAST AWARDS LISTENER CHOICE CATEGORY https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/vote     Lockdown discounts: A year of garden coaching I’ve been very excited about my new venture – even before the lockdown I’d decided that online garden coaching would be a fantastic way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. With the all the uncertainty around our lives just now I’m holding the the introductory price for the full 12 month programme as well as offering a quarterly payment plan, and there’s 50% off an hour’s Skype consultation call.  https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching       website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB   

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.   These notes may contain affiliate links.        Garden soundtrack   Birdsong, and gardening in the new normal.   Gardening in one place over time.    Reading 04:00 Extract from The Garden Log Podcast, episode 74, read by the host, Ben Dark. https://thegardenlog.libsyn.com/       Interview with the Katie Rushworth 05:51    06:21 Not the only Yorkshire-born gardener on the telly…   07:00 Katie’s experience of nature and plants growing up   09:29 Chomping for wood!   10:12 The place of the Yorkshire landscape in Katie’s garden design work   11:44 Gardening is about a feeling   12:43 Before gardening…   16:32 Juggling gardening, TV schedules and being a mum   17:43 Transferrable skills – an appreciation of colour, shape, form and texture   19:11 Garden coaching and mentoring   26:35 Domestic gardens   27:21 Practical, useful & pretty   30:42 The biggest obstacles people face in their gardens   32:54 Plants – just pretty window dressing, or more than fluff?   36:25 Productively using our time in the garden       ***     Thank you to Katie for joining me on this episode. Katie’s book Plants, Beds & Borders is available here https://amzn.to/3ayCySE   Katie's website: http://katierushworth.com/ Katie on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thequeenofspades00/       I’m ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.      Lockdown discounts: A year of garden coaching I’ve been very excited about my new venture – even before the lockdown I’d decided that online garden coaching would be a fantastic way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. With the all the uncertainty around our lives just now I’m holding the the introductory price for the full 12 month programme as well as offering a quarterly payment plan, and there’s 50% off an hour’s Skype consultation call.  https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching       website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB         

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.   These notes may contain affiliate links.        Garden soundtrack   Poem 00:53   Digging by Seamus Heaney   Read by Jemma Mullholland   from Death of a Naturalist, Seamus Heaney, Faber & Faber 1966 (new edition 2006) https://amzn.to/3bwuPpk     A feeling of connection to the land. Taken for granted.     Interview with the Claire Ratinon 03:39    4:50 TV Production in New York: Claire’s Eureka Moment Brooklyn Grange Farm https://www.brooklyngrangefarm.com/   8:14 Career change gardeners   11:15 Early plant memories. Or not!   16:47 Formative food memories.   18:42 Living and growing in Hackney   20:33 Claire’s organic growing training   OrganicLea https://www.organiclea.org.uk/   Growing Communities https://www.growingcommunities.org/   25:14 The importance of urban growing   27:58 A taste of what’s possible. The role of a growing educator.   30:32 Organic. Urban. Mindful.   37:39 The representatino of People of Colour within gardening and growing. Tokenism, racial passing. Having to aggressively assimilate.   44:58 Burden, responsibility or privilege?   51:09 The party played by Claire’s relationship to the land in her identity.    58:09 After Hackney   60:56 What’s next for Claire?   ***     Thank you to Claire for joining me on this episode. You can preorder Claire’s book How to grow your dinner without leaving the house, to be published by Laurence King in September 2020, here https://amzn.to/2xx6O2p     Claire’s website: https://www.claireratinon.com/ Claire on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/claireratinon/     Thanks too to Jemma Mulholland for reading for us. You can find Jemma on social media here https://www.instagram.com/popcorn_for_lunch/   I’m ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.      One-to-one online garden coaching I’m very excited about my new venture – it’s a way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. A few limited places left on introductory prices! https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching       website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB   

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.   These notes may contain affiliate links.        Garden soundtrack   Almost March.    Children in the garden…   …a gardener’s perspective   The gardener in the garden…   …a child's perspective     Poem 03:04   The Gardener by Robert Louis Stevenson   Read by Peta Cootes     Early experiences of plants and gardens – a minor obsession   How do you get kid’s gardening?     Interview with the Skinny Jean Gardener, Lee Connelly 09:21    10:14 What’s this about Skinny Jeans?   12:07 The Skinny Jean Gardener podcast and Monty Don   14:40 Being the Blue Peter gardener   16:58 Lee’s early plant and garden memories   21:11 Time for gardening as a family   22:53 The importance of getting children interested in gardening   25:00 The role of schools and parents                                                                                                                                                                                                                          27:40 Schools allotment project with Marks & Spencer   30:55 Ornamentals or veg? What has the most educational value for children?   34:53 The new book, How to Get Kids Gardening     ***     Thank you to Lee for joining me on this episode. Lee's book is How to Get Kids Gardening https://amzn.to/2wQYUkc   The Skinny Jean Gardener Podcast is here http://skinnyjeangardener.co.uk/podcast Lee on Instagram instagram.com/skinnyjeangardener.      Thanks too to Peta Coote for reading for us. You can find Peta and her work here instagram.com/nourishingsoulfully    With thanks to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.      One-to-one online garden coaching I’m very excited about my new venture – it’s a way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. A few limited places left on introductory prices! https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching       website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB   

Rootbound. With Alice Vincent   A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.   These notes may contain affiliate links.        Garden soundtrack   More winter behind than before us   The cold and damp – joys of a good fire at the end of the day.     Micro book review 02:02 Roger Deakin’s Notes from Walnut Tree Farm https://amzn.to/2uRIWVU   Published by Hamish Hamilton, 2008   Extracts read by Rose White     Winter - a challenge for the indoor gardener   Being rootbound – a problem for houseplants…   …and also for plants in nurseries   …though a very few plants respond well to having their roots restricted. At least in terms of flowering.   A rootbound person? Some restrictions might be beneficial, but no-one likes to feel bound...       Interview with Alice Vincent 09:26    10:40 Alice describes her new book   11:47 Three ways in which gardening gets us   17:25 Writing a nature memoir   24:14 The experiences of women as represented in the book   26:35 Gendered questions that keeps coming up around nature   30:33 What’s the draw of Japan?   36:53 Gardening now on the Treehouse Balcony   42:25 What’s next for Alice   ***     Thank you to Alice for joining me on this episode. Alice’s first book is How to Grow Stuff https://amzn.to/2PM28OP. You can read my review of Rootbound. Rewilding a Life on the blog here https://gardensweedsandwords.com/gwwblog/rootbound-alice-vincent   Find out more about the Noughticulture talks at the Garden Museum https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/event_location/the-garden-museum/   Alice Vincent in the Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/alice-vincent/ Alice on Instagram instagram.com/noughticulture     Thanks too to Rose White for reading for us once again, this time from Roger Deakin’s Notes from Walnut Tree Farm. You can find Rose here instagram.com/liveawelllife   With thanks to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.      One-to-one online garden coaching I’m very excited about my new venture – it’s a way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. A few limited places left on introductory prices! https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching       website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB