Not Just a Garden

This week we chat about our trip to Cerney House Gardens, and we also look at the Via Verde project “turning Mexico City’s grey to green”, the drone discovery of a 40,000 strong turtle nesting site in the Amazon, the removal of 80 tonnes of duckweed from Stourport Basin, ballooning spiders, and the surprising nutritional value of figs. Gardeners' World is at Adam, Ash and Buster Frost's place this...

To say we were chuffed to bits is an understatement when Tamsin Westhorpe offered to join us for episode 41 of A Good Ol’ Chit-Chat! Although her uncle Raymond Treasure was in front of the camera when Gardeners’ World visited Stockton Bury Gardens earlier this year, Tamsin was very much involved behind the scenes, and we get to hear a lot more about the history of the gardens, how it’s being...

We recap Gardeners' World 2025 episode 18 and this week we chit-chat about multi-million dollar wildlife crossings, the potential major health benefits of magic mushrooms, seed-embedded national newspapers, how woodlice can remove heavy metals from the ground, the most expensive flower in the world, and how we got on at Great Dixter, despite being completely wired after a dodgy breakfast order. On...

We first came across Sharnee Gates on Gardeners' World 2025 episode 11 and were delighted when she joined us for a Good Ol' Chit-Chat to tell us about her dream garden. We find out about the value of Wisley apprenticeships, the beautiful Kings Park Botanic Garden in Perth, the very important website to visit if you're looking for gardening jobs, and much more. Some mentions from Sharnee, links can...

"Shish kebabs", do we have a packed episode this week! As well as recapping Gardeners' World 2025 episode 17, we also take a look at Switzerland's latest railway innovation, we learn how dandelions are once again saving the day, how plants cry when they're stressed, what Wellington, New Zealand got up to with 180 cabbages back in 1978, and the serious need for personal space between male and femal...

Martin Dohrn was on Gardeners' World 2025, episode 11 when he showed us around his fascinating garden of 60 species of bees. We were thrilled to have him join us for a Chit-Chat during which we learned a bit more about his award winning film My Garden of a Thousand Bees, some of the challenges of natural history film-making, and a bit of behind the scenes on how he captured his tiny subjects on ca...

Owen Hayman - Horticulture Innovation Manager, Certified Surveyor of Japanese Knotweed, Open Water Swimmer, UK Nursery Aficionado, Ribena lover - joins us for this week’s episode of Chit-Chats. We learn about Wisley diplomas, the global rock stars of planting design - Nigel Dunnett and James Hitchmough, the invasive potential of plants, poo-powered ponies, how free-range chickens are threatening o...

Once again we cover an array of topics on our Gardeners' World recap including fun facts about Hampton Court and Wimbledon, kissing orchas, Lazy Housewives, Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter, influential 19th century Spanish women, hummingbirds vs sunbirds, and Antonio Banderas. We also answer some of the bigger questions such as where Frances and Rachel found their dresses. This week Gardeners'...

Elliott Neep was on Gardeners' World 2025 episode 10 where he gave us a tour of his magnificent garden in South Oxfordshire. He joins us on the podcast for a Chit-Chat with a difference; we cover all sorts of horticultural topics such as how Elliott got into gardening, transforming his garden from neglected soil to a thriving haven, how he successfully uses no-dig, and growing roses in alkaline so...

We have a lot to chat about this week as we learn that there are more than 3 states of matter after all, how Giant Hogweed is running riot this year in the UK, how Japan handles trees that are in the way of construction, what scientists can learn from geckos, and how David Beckham can help us remember a particular fern name. Gardeners' World is back at Longmeadow with Monty and we head to Stockton...

Mags & Mon brought the laughter to GW25 episode 8 and despite Mon’s broken ankle, they brought it in spades to this episode of Good Ol’ Chit-Chats too! Even though we meander down dark alleys of death, destruction, coffins, cemeteries, toxic towns, and funerals, we also find out about shops on allotments, camomile lawns, the incredible health benefits of a certain purple coloured vegetable, an...

This week we learn a bit about a massive underground water reservoir located 400 miles beneath Earth’s surface, the clever way Hong Kong saves 320 million cubic meters of freshwater each year, that gardening is taking video gaming by storm, how beavers are saving the day and millions of euros in the Czech Republic, what the process for getting a perfect endive entails, and the illuminati. Frances...

Dan Stearne from Dan's Plants was introduced to us by Adam Frost at Malvern (on Gardeners’ World 2025 episode 9) as the entrepreneurial new kid on the block. He joins us for a Good Ol’ Chit-Chat and we find out about setting up a plant business alongside studies, the huge value and benefits of apprenticeships, the challenges of selling online, tips for displaying plants at any of the big shows, ba...

It’s GW Live 2025 but we once again deviate. We talk smeared broad-beans, Australian firehawks, how AI is keeping the Swiss integrated transport system on point, the marvel of Paris’ underground urban farm, what efforts we could make to encourage younger gardeners, and how Nick Bailey’s dance skills have progressed from "Quick Quick Slow" to something a little more contemporary. This week RdT...

Michael Kennard, self-confessed compost nerd, was on Gardeners' World 2025 episode 7 and taught us a thing or two about healthy soil, healthy plants and healthy humans. On this episode of Chit-Chats, we find out about Mycobacterium vaccae, composting humans, living in a Luton van with a home cinema, 65 degree compost, and we have our first fedge! Some mentions from Michael, links can be found...

This week we discuss bird soundtracks on Gardeners’ World, which magnesium supplement aids sleep (and which one categorically doesn’t), the lesser known G5 Aston Martin, anting, which plants might counteract the negative impacts of microplastics, how AI could be redeeming itself, and Sweetpea finally gets to the end of her pineapple trilogy. Adam Frost takes us to the stunning Bedfords Park Walled...

Fiona Cumberpatch was on Gardeners' World 2025 episode 1 with her small but perfectly formed urban cottage style flower garden. She joins us for a Chit-Chat and, as well as hearing about her dream garden, we talk gardening magazines versus fashions mags, Hügelkultur, how to get a kg of Tumbling Tom tomatoes, and Fiona's superb ethos of “just give it a go” when it comes to gardening. We also immedi...

On the podcast this week we find out about some of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show’s medal winners, water divining in Cornwall, bacteria killing paint, golden ratios, and growing vegetables for victory. Monty and Ned are presenting from Longmeadow again before we head to the Peak District to hear from Rekha in her incredible hillside veg garden. Professional wildlife cameraman Martin Dohrn takes...

Wayne Williams was on Gardeners' World 2025 episode 1 showing us the incredible Ventnor Botanic Gardens. He joins us for a Good Ol' Chit-Chat and we hear about all things tropical paradise! We learn about Helen's hybrid bananas, how to be awarded a national collection, what defines you as an Overner, Grockle or Culkhead, and what scent is used in Chanel no.5 Eau de Parfum. Sound was not on our sid...

Adam Jones was on episode 2 of Gardeners' World 2025, giving us a tour of his incredible vegetable garden. He joins us for A Good Ol' Chit-Chat to regale us with stories of marsh fritillary butterflies, hazel dormice, hen harriers, composting loos, tackling invasive weeds with hens, drawbridges, crossbows, de-complicating gardening, tips for creating bog gardens, keeping bees, and the best use for...

This week we learn a bit about concrete impregnated with moss, the dangers of being a sloth, the healing benefits of microbacterium vacii, and we get stuck down a fairly large rabbit hole on the relationship between mental health and screen/tech time. We’re back at Longmeadow with Monty this week and Carol Klein takes us through her late spring plants before we visit Elliott Neep in his absolutely...

Patrick Gale joins us for a Chit-Chat after his beautiful garden near Land's End was featured on Gardeners' World 2024 episode 5. We find out about growing trees on granite, barn owl manors, bee-keeping, how to speed up your leaf mulching process, and a handy and completely delicious Nigella recipe to keep in your back pocket in the event of a chard glut. Some mentions from Patrick, links can be f...

This episode we discuss the virtues of chaos gardening, how Sweetpea makes her stinky fertiliser, supramolecular plastics, blue sausage fruit, and the dangers of Artemisia absinthium - mostly a concern if you’re in the vicinity of any French impressionists. Sue Kent and Adam Frost present Gardeners' World 2025, episode 9 this week from RHS Malvern Spring Festival. The show gardens featured are: Ga...

Layla Robinson was on Gardeners' World 2024 episode 25 and joins us for a Chit-Chat about her dream garden. We learn about modern apprenticeships, her transition from fresh to everlasting flowers, the inspiration behind her book Everlasting Blooms, rainbow vegetables, mushroom trees, and have we finally broken Sweetpea?🤯 We also get an insight into the floral design and story behind her exhi...

For our recap this week, we have a natter about the pro’s and con’s of AI in horticulture, why & when plants change their scents, canine insect pest control, Yoofs, ICDs, and the bad boy of gardening. Joe Swift and Rachel de Thame present Gardeners’ World 2025 episode 8 from Malverleys in Newbury with Head Gardener Mat Reese and his wife Jess. We meet Will Tomson from Sheffield at his beautifu...