The Newt Podcast

At the heart of The Newt in Somerset stands Hadspen House — an elegant country home shaped by more than three centuries of history, craftsmanship and changing taste. Built in the late 17th century and gracefully remodelled during the Georgian period, Hadspen has evolved through generations of family life before becoming the house at the heart of The Newt today — a place where heritage is carefully...

Step outside into the Somerset countryside and join host Arthur Cole as he walks the fields, woodlands, and margins of the Newt estate with naturalist and countryman David Morris. In this episode, they go deep into the hidden world of the barn owl, one of Britain's most iconic yet endangered birds. From the extraordinary biology behind the barn owl's heart-shaped facial disc and its rada...

In this episode, we leave The Newt and travel across Somerset to Cannwood, the home of environmentalist and rewilding advocate Ben Goldsmith. Here, a once conventionally farmed landscape is being transformed into a rich mosaic of woodland, scrub, meadow and wetland. We explore a landscape shaped by beavers building dams along the headwaters of the River Frome, red deer moving through regenerating...

In this episode, we step inside the Bristol Fungarium for a behind-the-scenes journey into the art and science of growing functional mushrooms. Founder Tom Baxter leads us through the laboratory, introducing the team of mycologists working at the frontier between nature, cultivation and science. We follow the extraordinary life cycle of fungi—from wild specimens and cultures in the lab, through my...

The Bristol Fungarium's founder, Tom Baxter, leads us through the genesis tale of the UK's most recognised functional mushroom company, the weird and wonderful kingdom of fungi, the story of fungi and human evolution, the association between the compounds in mushrooms and our bodies. We dig deep into functional mushrooms, what they may provide for us as a species. We learn about cordycep...

Our host, Arthur Cole, takes us on an early morning tour of the Newt's most recent garden, The Four Seasons Garden. We delve into the design, planting and midsummer blooms bursting from the beds. We get closer to the early 20th Century Peter Pan statue, and move through all four seasons in one morning. We learn how Queen Anne's Lace got it's name, philosophise over the liminal natur...

In this episode, we welcome flower farmer, florist, seed grower and author Milli Proust for a beautiful conversation about growing with the seasons and finding creativity in the garden. Recorded as part of The Great Garden Show 2026, Milli shares her thoughtful approach to flowers, seed saving, naturalistic planting and the rhythms that shape life on a flower farm. From the joy of cultivating beau...

n this episode, we welcome conservationist, writer and campaigner Merlin Hanbury-Tenison for a moving and wide-ranging conversation about Britain’s forgotten temperate rainforests. Recorded as part of The Great Garden Show 2026, Merlin reflects on his work at Cabilla on Bodmin Moor, the healing power of ancient woodland, and the urgent need to restore and protect one of the UK’s rarest habitats. F...

In this episode, we take a walk with the world-renowned fermentation revivalist Sandor Katz to explore the world of fermented foods. From Miso Soup, to Blackberry wine, asparagus and beyond, Sandor shares the stories, traditions and microbial magic behind fermentation practices that have nourished communities for thousands of years.  Whether you're an experienced fermenter or simply curious a...

On Saturday 16 May, we welcomed renowned gardening experts Alan Titchmarsh, Marian Boswall, Charles Dowding, Tony Kirkham and Matthew Pottage to field questions from visitors inside the Story of Gardening. Recorded in front of a live audience at The Great Garden Show 2026, this special episode is hosted by our very own head gardener, Harry Baldwin, who leads a fascinating and wide-ranging conversa...

Ahead of The Newt's inaugural  Great Garden Show 9th-17th May 2026, we take you into the gardens to meet the team members getting their areas ready to show off their splendour.  Voices featured:  Head Gardener, Harry Baldwin Espalier fruit trainer, Henry Thurgood Colour gardens lead, Joe Dransfield Victorian terrace lead, Deanne Lewis Head of Ornamental Gardens, Andy Apples The Newt Podcast i...

Pete Olley, Head of Compost at The Newt, takes us on an exploratory journey into the heart of The Newt's compost heaps. We begin in the prunings, clippings, peelings and coffee grounds and end in the 'black gold' so coveted by gardeners and growers alike. Pete explains the processes at work, how to compost 'like a Newt', the keys to success, tips on how to get started at h...

Water Buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis ), form an important part of the Newt’s farm. Their milk is used by Margaretha Van Dam, the Newt’s Head Cheesemaker, for the signature cheeses made in the Creamery at Castle Cary railway station, a couple of miles from The Newt’s HQ. Cameron Knee, The Newt’s Farm Manager, takes us on a tour around the buffalo farm and brings us mic-to-nose with these remarkable, fas...

Jim Pitcher, Gamekeeper of The Newt, introduces us to the animals of the estate - some familiar, and others less so. Jim has worked on the estate for decades, and has watched how it has changed over all those years. He has also seen how the English landscape has changed in those years and shares his insights about wildlife management and countryside traditions. Come ear to beak with a menagerie of...

Charles Dowding , possibly the best known name in ‘no-dig’ gardening circles, has spent 44 years growing organic food the no-dig way.   A Somerset native, Charles comes from a farming family and has always had an appreciation of how soil health is directly related to our health. As Charles puts it in his own words, “I was conventional as a teenager, not questioning the world I saw. Then, in 1979,...

Paul Lamb , master hedgelayer, has spent over 25 years refining and practising his craft across the West Country and, more recently, in Gower, South Wales.  Working by hand with traditional tools, he restores and creates living boundaries that support wildlife, prevent erosion, and preserve the character of the British countryside. His book Of Thorn & Briar and his Instagram account @westcount...

Gaz Oakley , chef, grower and cookbook author visits The Newt ahead of cooking dinner at the Garden Café on Thursday 12th March 2026 and his kombucha masterclass in the gardens on Friday 13th March 2026. Selected subjects covered: Ferments, pickles, preserves in the vaulted cellars of Hadspen House (02:00) Intentional house building (prioritising functional design over purely profit-driven convent...

The Newt’s Head of Food, Gelf Alderson, leads us on a journey through The Newt’s four restaurants, meeting the chefs that give them their unique identities. The Newt Podcast is created by the team at The Newt in Somerset and produced by Harry Coade at Sound Matters.  If you enjoyed this episode, follow The Newt Podcast to enjoy more walks and talks across the estate, or better still become a Newt...

The Newt's Head Beekeeper, Kerry Redman, lifts the lid of the Newt's hives and invites you to peek in and learn about why you should keep bees and the ethos that underpins responsible beekeeping. This episode was recorded in spring. Key subjects covered: What is a honey sommelier? (03:40) The difference between honeys (04:10) Is all honey real honey? (04:50) Different hive design (05:15)...

What do the gardens of the Newt look like from an insect's eye view? We meet the Newt's resident entomologist, Tom Oliver PhD, who gives us illuminating insight into the world of insects. Key subjects covered in this episode: What the job of an entomologist entails (01:10) The role and importance of insects in the health of the Newt's habitat (01:50) The life of a bumblebee queen (0...

Bruce Parry, Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg, Marian Boswall & Gaz Oakley delve into the cultural momentum around nature and discuss what it all really means and why it is more relevant than ever. Recorded in-front of a live audience at the Gather & Grow: Connections Festival 2025. We bring together a stellar line-up of thought leaders, writers and experts for three days of relevant, impactful di...

Rupert Sheldrake PhD, Melissa Hemsley, Alice Vincent and Head of Programmes at The Newt, Arthur Cole explore how we can foster belonging, meaning and a deeper sense of place in an increasingly fragmented world. Recorded in-front of a live audience at the Gather & Grow: Connections Festival 2025. We bring together a stellar line-up of thought leaders, writers and experts for three days of relev...

Professor David Nutt, Dr. Martha Deiros Collado & Lorraine Candy explore how we can nurture resilient, connected children in a digitally saturated world. Recorded in-front of a live audience at the Gather & Grow: Connections Festival 2025. We bring together a stellar line-up of thought leaders, writers and experts for three days of relevant, impactful discussions. The three-day event was p...

Arthur joins Eva Kruse, producer of new environmental documentary Bee Wild to record in front of a live audience at Ladbroke Hall during London Climate Action Week. In this episode, we hear from Eva on the plight of the world’s pollinators, what businesses and individuals are doing to protect them, and what we can be optimistic about. Arthur also shares more on The Newt’s biodiversity programme to...

Seasoned war reporter, photojournalist, writer and filmmaker, Lalage ‘Lally’ Snow, joins Arthur Cole for a fascinating dawn walk around the Deer Park. Lally shares first-hand insights into the power of gardens in conflict zones and what green spaces can teach us about healing hearts and minds torn apart by war. We also hear about her newly published memoir, ‘My Family and Other Seedlings: A Year o...