Scotland Grows Show

"You can teach skill, but you can't teach passion." M.T O'Donnell chats to Sarah Forbes in this episode, winner of the ALBAS Horticulture Learner of the Year, who traded the corporate world for muddy boots and the historic gardens at Stirling Castle. Discover how a chance apprenticeship changed her life, leading her to literally ground herself every day by connecting with nature and Scottish histo...

"Hellebores cope with the Scottish weather really, really well. Scottish gardening is different, particularly with the late frosts, but hellebores are robust.” Step into the enchanting world of Kirklands with passionate gardeners Peter and Gill Hart for ‘A Celebration of Hellebores’ as we discover what makes these jewel-like winter blooms a Scottish garden essential. From their incredible resilien...

Join us on the Scotland Grows Show as M.T. O'Donnell sits down with Una Treanor, Head Gardener at the historic Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye. From battling relentless rain and storm-force winds to cultivating resilient gardens in one of Scotland’s most dramatic climates, Una shares her honest insights and hard-won gardening wisdom. Discover the real challenges — and unexpected joys — of gard...

"There’s no point in having a patio in somewhere that’s damp and shady because who’s going to sit there?" arden designer and Scotland Grows columnist Joanne Evans joins M.T. O'Donnell to reveal the secrets of successful garden planning. Whether you're dreaming of a brand new space this year or eager to revamp your existing patch, this episode unwraps the why, when, and how of creating outdoor area...

"It’s like magic. I just don’t understand how anybody can’t just love gardening because honestly, it’s like magic." In this episode of the Scotland Grows Show, Lewis Swales, head gardener of not one but two stunning National Trust gardens in Aberdeenshire, welcomes us behind the scenes to discover the secrets of Pitmedden Garden and Haddo House. From the intricate parterres and miles of hedging to...

“It’s quite humbling actually... the realisation when I made my first hybrid, then it bloomed for the first time... it was the culmination of decades of effort and knowledge.”   In this fascinating episode of the Scotland Grows Show, M.T. O'Donnell welcomes Luke Callaghan, expert orchid grower and passionate plant enthusiast, for a conversation that travels from a childhood sparked by the breathta...

"Manufacturers and the government have a duty to us as the amateur gardener, to really try and help us with this transition to peat-free."    Horticulturist Scott Smith returns to the Scotland Grows Show to share the results of his hands-on trial comparing three peat-free composts with a traditional peat-based mix.   Conducted in real-world home conditions in the northeast of Scotland, Scott’s pro...

In this episode of the Scotland Grows Show, host M.T. O'Donnell welcomes Dr. Anna Florence from the National Trust for Scotland to unravel the massive PLANTS Project , a three-year botanical deep dive that’s reshaping how Scotland’s most treasured gardens are protected, understood, and shared.   Discover how an ambitious team travelled Scotland’s length and breadth to record 86,000 living plants,...

“Getting your hands dirty in a compost heap - there’s not a lot that’s better than that in my mind.”   Head Gardener Callum Halstead shares the secrets from Cambo Gardens ’ Festival of Compost, practical advice for composting at home, and lessons learned from a challenging Scottish summer to inspire resilient, beautiful gardens all year round.   Callum’s expert advice will make you to look at soil...

It is high time we spoke more on the Scotland Grows Show about the legacy the great Scottish plant hunters left on our shores, through the most intrepid and life-threatening plant-hunting expeditions.   Acclaimed writer Ann Lindsay has uncovered the stories of the Scottish plant hunters who shaped the nation's gardens and in this episode, we’ll look at the legacies of famous explorers like David D...

“Crathes is a garden of real change. It’s got everything from early hedges from 1702 right up to contemporary new gardens. It’s a real kaleidoscope of colours.”   Step behind the historic garden walls of Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire in this episode with head gardener James Hannaford, as he reveals what it’s really like to care for a living tapestry that stretches back to 1609.   From resilient...

“There’s nothing beats actually being outside and seeing how plants grow.”     Get ready in this episode to be inspired by one of Scotland’s most influential gardening voices!     RHS Judge, former garden centre owner at New Hopetoun Gardens, and Beechgrove Garden legend, Lesley Watson joins us for a personal deep-dive.     From her pivot as chemistry teaching to horticulture, from her behind-the-...

M.T. O'Donnell is joined by gardener and Scotland Grows writer Andy Peasgood to discuss the journey of transforming a typical new-build garden into a thriving green space. Andy shares his experience of creating a garden from scratch, tackling compacted clay soil, drainage challenges, and maximising every inch of his 8x6 metre plot. Key Topics Covered: Starting from Scratch: Andy recalls the early...

As the Estate Factor at Teasses Estate , Craig Cameron is dedicated to cultivating beautiful, sustainable landscapes while celebrating the traditions and heritage of this stunning historic estate.  The gardens at Teasses have been created and developed on the Estate since the present owners came to the Estate in the mid-1990s.  The sixty-acre gardens comprise of formal gardens, decorative woodland...

There is something special about Branklyn Garden - a 2-acre garden, set on the side of Kinnoull Hill, overlooking Perth, created from 1922 onwards by beginner gardeners John and Dorothy Renton, using amongst other things seeds and plants collected by plant hunters. The garden was left to the National Trust for Scotland in the late 1960s by the couple, and today attracts 18,000 visitors a year to i...

For the first time in the RHS Chelsea Flower Show’s history, seagrass the ocean’s only flowering plant, will take centre stage in a garden designed by Ryan McMahon of Falkirk based MUSA Landscape Architecture , for marine restoration charity Seawilding , supported by Project Giving Back.   The Seawilding Garden’s design is inspired by the landscape found at Loch Craignish on the west coast of Scot...

The Down's Syndrome Scotland Show Garden, inspired by a young Scottish boy called Liam, has been designed by Chelsea newcomers, Duncan Hall and Nick Burton  of Burton Hall Garden Design , who wanted to design a Show Garden for Down’s Syndrome Scotland to help break some of the barriers and stigmas faced by people who have Down’s syndrome, whilst celebrating their many positive qualities.  In this...

We’re celebrating the start of our ninth series with a guest whose passion for growing to show is truly infectious. Calum Clunie takes us behind the scenes of competitive gardening, offering a treasure trove of insider tips on what to grow, which varieties excel on the showbench, and how to boost your chances for that coveted rosette. From his first big wins with stump-rooted carrots at age 15 to...

Brian Cunningham makes a welcome return to the Scotland Grows Show, two years since he appeared as the very first guest on the show.  In this episode, we talk about the ways in which Scone Palace Garden Fair has evolved over the last few years including the introduction of a speakers’ tent, the launch of the small space and showcase garden in the Scottish Garden Design Competition, a new demonstra...

Kate McClorey made the bold transition from a career in IT to becoming Assistant Head Gardener at Floors Castle in the Scottish Borders, and she is back on the podcast to share her experiences over the past few years, including studying a diploma course in garden history at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.  Kate discusses her motivation for understanding garden history, particularly in the cont...

Have you found it a little confusing growing in different peat-free composts?   With the impending ban on peat-based composts on the horizon, we welcome Scott Smith, of Husky Horticultural, and former head gardener at ‘Beechgrove’ garden, back to the Scotland Grows Show to talk about his research trial for the RHS Master of Horticulture.   Through his trial with sun gold tomatoes, Scott will explo...

In this episode, we welcome back Simon Jones, a Gardens and Designed Landscape Manager with the National Trust for Scotland in a timely conversation about the devastating impact of Storm Eowyn on National Trust Gardens across Scotland.  Storm Eowyn saw windspeed of over 100mph hits parts of the west coast of Scotland and Simon shares insights on the extensive damage caused by this recent storm, th...

Welcome back Fiona Thackery to our revisited series of the Scotland Grows Show where Fiona explains the concept of therapeutic horticulture: using gardening, nature connection, and plants to improve health and well-being, under the guidance of a trained practitioner. Fiona and M.T. explore the role of Trellis in nurturing this emerging practice across Scotland, supporting over 520 projects that br...

In this first revisited episode of the Scotland Grows Show, we're thrilled to welcome back Lizzie Schofield, who, since her last appearance, has become a regular on the gardening series 'Beechgrove'. Lizzie reflects on her flourishing transition from primary school teaching to full-time gardening and presenting, offering inspiring insights and advice for those considering a similar path. She also...

Our guest today talks about the weather all day long, probably even more than us gardeners do, so it’s very fitting that we talk to none other than Scotland’s own weatherman Sean Batty about this changing climate of ours for our special Christmas episode. Sean is a meteorologist and weather presenter for STV, having worked for the channel since 2007, but he has been interested in the weather from...