Not Just a Garden

This week on our Gardeners’ World 2025 episode 7 recap, we discuss slug fun-facts including the first organism who’s scientific name is based on the welsh language, composting humans, 250 ton wisterias, Nigel Palfrey’s Dukes of Hazzard moment (available on the Patreon ) and why do bugs like mating on Sweetpea? We join Sue Kent in her place in Wales for some more plant experiments including sowing...

On this week's Gardeners' World recap, we discuss fasciation, Portland, Oregon’s smallest urban park in the world, and why Australia has roos and emus on its coat of arms. before visiting Carol Klein at the stunning Glebe Cottage. Jess Goddard gives us a tour of her beautiful and packed balcony and then Monty talks to Jamie Butterworth, Clare Matterson and Jo Whiley about his dog-friendly gar...

This week on our recap of Gardeners’ World 2025 episode 5, we get a bird’s eye view of Adam Frost’s pretty garden complete with Ash and Buster, the new addition to the Frost household. Rachel de Thame takes us to Junker’s Nursery in Milverton to see the magnificent magnolias with Torsten. Joe and Linda in Northampton show us around their incredible water garden inspired by the many rainf...

This week Adam Frost is in the Lake District at the stunning Holehird Gardens, home of 6 national collections. We meet Pat Murphy who shows the impressive collection of meconopsis and Alison Sandford describes how she manages the 120 volunteers who make the magic happen. Matthew Simmons in Bedminster tells us about the wonderful Secret Gardens Trail and we meet Sarah and Mo in their wild...

Monty and Ned are presenting from Longmeadow again. Nick Bailey is given an interesting tour by Stefano Marinaz of the pretty matrix planting at Church Barn in Shalford, near Braintree and Anna May shows us around her beautiful dahlia farm - Dorset Dahlias - in Bridport West Dorset. Frances Tophill takes us to Bradford city centre to the wonderful Wibsey community garden where we meet Da...

Monty and Ned are at home at Longmeadow whilst Joe Swift heads to the beautiful front gardens of Railway Cottages on Dorset Road in North London to meet Cathy Brogan, Jane Stevens, Mike Ainger and Eddy Wessman. Mike Werkmeister gives us a tour of the incredible grade 1 listed cottage garden of Margery Fish at East Lambrook Manor in Somerset, before Sue Kent takes us to Llanelli in Carmarthenshire...

Gardeners' World is back - hooorah!🕺🏼 The team kick off the 2025 series with Monty up a VERY high ladder before Frances Tophill takes us to Melksham in Wiltshire to Lorraine and Sandy Macfarlane's beautiful garden equipped with recycled, upcycled and salvaged farmyard paraphernalia. We visit Puppetry Director & Designer Oliver Hymans & his Arts Communication Consultant partner Marcus Cro...

The garden designer, Tom Hoblyn was on Gardeners' World 2024, episode 29 and joins us for the final episode of this series of Chit-Chats to tell us about his dream garden. We find out about leeches in natural swimming ponds, how he’s preparing for his last ever Chelsea Flower Show (no seriously), horticultural qualifications, retracing Sir Joseph Bank’s footsteps and why Joe Swift wouldn’t chip-bu...

Liz Colebrook and Fi Pidduck were on episode 22 of Gardeners' World last year where they gave us a wonderful masterclass on all things daylily. In this Good Ol' Chit-Chat we find out what their dream gardens would look like and they're a riot of 8-sided hexagons and Lazy-Liz's (patent-pending), bubble-wrap hacks and Tottering-by-Gently's. Some mentions from Liz & Fi, links can be found here: h...

Jaap Schuuring was on Gardeners' World 2024/25 Winter Specials Episode 3 showing us his incredibly practical Christmas tree dead-hedges. In this episode of Chit-Chats we find out how the Netherlands handle droughts, invasive plants, and their varied wildlife. We also hear how on the back of his Your Gardens appearance, Jaap has been approached by both local TV and radio stations, as well as a city...

We have a good ol' chit-chat with the lovely Delia May West this week, after her late summer appearance on Gardeners' World 24. Delia invites us into her colourful world of cottage garden style planting, pink blossom vinegar, happy chickens, singing crickets, countryside views and more as she describes her idyllic dream garden. Some mentions from Delia, links to which can be found here: https://no...

Mark Turner from Elite Orchids in Gloucestershire was on Gardeners' World 2024 episode 21 and he joins us this week to tell us about his dream garden. We hear about raising orchids from seed to adulthood, nibbles, wells, tortured toads and explosions💥 Some mentions from Mark, links to which can be found here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/gardens/ Elite Orchids Eden Project More Not Just a Garden...

A lot of fan-girling as gardening titan Derry Watkins joins us this week. Derry’s dream garden of streams, waterfalls and plunge-pools is the wonderfully watery backdrop to our meandering conversation about how she got on a Chelsea Flower Show, setting up plant nurseries, secret gardens in Ireland, floating under pea plants, and have you heard of a waterblommetjie? Some mentions from Derry, links...

Eddie Bailey was on Gardeners’ World 2024 ep30 and he joins us this week to impart more of his vast knowledge on the importance and function of soil food web microorganisms. We also hear about the close relationship between soil and gut health, the beautiful gardens of Exeter University, and which trees he planted for each of his sons. Some mentions from Eddie, links to which can be found here: ht...

Benn Storey from Gardeners' World 2024 episode 20 joins us this week as we find out more about how he designed and created his incredibly beautiful terraced garden in Clapham. We hear about his memories of growing up in Durham, how to successfully use gabions, opening a garden through the NGS, his award-winning botanical photography, how hot walls work, and much, much more! Benn's garden is open t...

Kris & Deane Saunders-Stowe from Gardeners' World 2024 episode 22 take us on a wild ride of meandering boardwalks, ever-growing greenhouses, cutting tool filing systems, scaling cliffs with a wheelchair on the back, Virgin ads, hypnotherapy, and will Deane secure Kathy Bates & Melissa McCarthy for his sci-fi film? Some mentions from Kris & Deane, links to which can be found here: https...

Tom Nielsen from Biocentric in Somerset joins us this week for a Good Ol' Chit-Chat. We hear about how his dry garden didn't perform quite as expected on the day of filming with Gardeners' World, his experience with the heebeegeebees, how he makes his kombucha home brew and much, much more. Some mentions from Tom, links to which can be found here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/gardens/ Bristol Bota...

Violet Croll from Gardeners' World 2024, Compilations Episode 1 joins us for a Good Ol' Chit-Chat this week! She tells us all about the story behind her Jamaican flag, her competitive sweetcorn and how Avalon came about (spoiler, it wasn't Excalibur). Some mentions from Violet, links to which can be found here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/gardens/ Geoff Hamilton’s garden - Barnsdale Gardens Helig...

✨It’s a Christmas Special🎅🏽 Mellie Lewis from Aeonium Mellie pops in for another Good Ol’ Chit-Chat, this time to transport us to a winter wonderland of kidnapped botanists, well-boiled Brussel sprouts and her deconstructed Christmas crackers🎄 Some mentions from Annmarie & Andrew, links to which can be found here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/gardens/ Lullingstone Castle Stiperstones - The...

The last Gardeners' World of 2024☹️ and it's with Ned and Monty. We have a quick catchup on Good Ol Chit-Chat friends - Nigel Palfrey, who's been building a woodman's bothy, and Geoff Stonebanks, who's currently in the press as Britain's most festive man! Toby Buckland takes us around his gorgeous garden in South Devon before we join Frances Tophill at Bridewell Gardens near Witney, Oxford, where...

Annmarie & Andrew from Fifty Shades of Green join us for a Good Ol’ Chit-Chat! We find out about their love of tropical planting, how they’ve found each other’s lobster and that size most definitely does matter📏 Some mentions from Annmarie & Andrew, links to which can be found here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/gardens/ George's Jungle Garden Garden Of The Year 2022 with Zoe Ball, Manoj M...

The penultimate Gardeners' World Winter Special of 2024 sees Frances Tophill presenting from Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh after we find out about Martin and Trixie from Big Cactus Rescue identifying cacti with their tongues on You Bet! We meet Sadie Barber - Research Collections Manager, Marc Gilbert – Glasshouse Horticulturist, Dr Olwen Grace - Deputy Director of Science, Milo Philips - As...

The man, the myth, the legend..it’s… Nigel Palfrey. We had a Good Ol’ Chit-Chat this summer, finding out more about the crinkle crinkle folly, Nigel’s use of morse code and his special apple-tree. Towards the end there was a little confusion over a plant name which we noted as an Edulis but it was in fact an Ercilla volubilis! Some mentions from Nigel, links to which can be found here: https:...

Will Teare from Will Teare Garden Design joins us this week for a Good Ol' Chit-Chat. He tells us about the secret woods at the end of his garden, his ambitious shed plans and the best way to eat dandelions. Some mentions from Will, links to which can be found here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/gardens/ John Little brownfield gardening Sheffield Botanical Gardens James Hitchmough South African see...

Ash and Adam Frost are presenting this week's Gardeners' World Winter Special. Rachel de Thame takes us to Cheltenham to visit ex-commercial airline pilot Linda Marsh and her beautiful garden at The Stables, with influences from Piet Oudolf. We visit Jack First in Porthmadog near Gwyneth who shows us the incredible success he has with hotbeds. Toby Buckland gives us a tour of Caisson Gardens near...