the happy garden podcast

Andy Load, the general manager of The National Trust joins us with great news. The felled Sycamore Gap tree has started to regrow! After a nail biting 10 months, it seems nature will out. Darren answers a bumper crop of your gardening questions. Find out the best position for a greenhouse, how best to grow potatoes and why you get different coloured heads on a hydrangea. Andy Lound brings you the...

August is one of the most beautiful times in the garden. So full of colour and produce. We take a look at some of the insects that you may see in your garden during August and Darren profiles what you can forage this month - food for free! Andy Lound brings us the history of the humble cherry and a few of your gardening questions answered too. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We'd love to hear...

A fascinating episode! We talk flying ants. How do they all know when to fly? Why do they mate on the wing? We find out the answers. Darren talks about his huge landscape project which is nearly at the end - three show gardens in one, amazing work. Mollie chats with Butterfly conservation about this year's Big Butterfly Count, why it is important and how to get involved. Andy Lound has his horticu...

We chat to Matthew Ingram, a wonderful beekeeper who passion for bees has turned in to his business. Matthew started and runs Holt Hall Apiary in Staffordshire. We find out what beekeeping entails and ask if it is easy to start. We also talk to Plant Heritage who are seeking gardeners to become the custodians of national plant collections. You may be surprised that we are all eligible! Andy Lound...

Mollie chats with the lovely Roger Parsons who is President of the Sweet Pea Society and also keeper of the national collection of sweet peas and other lazaruth. Roger has a Seed bank of around 1400 varieties from around the world and has been growing and conserving sweet peas for 40 years. Andy Lound also brings us the history of the sweet pea. Darren will be answering some interesting questions...

Meet James Carnell. He is the head gardener at Wightwick Manor which is a National Trust property near Wolverhampton. Hear about his passion and vision for the magnificent gardens and find out about his team and how the gardens help so many people in so many different ways. Andy Lound brings us the history of the National Trust too. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We'd love to hear from you t...

Mollie and Darren are back together! Mollie spends a few hours at David Austin Roses in Shropshire and finds out all about the history and heritage of the roses, whilst walking amongst the beautiful show gardens. Andy Lound has the history of the BBQ and lots of your gardening questions are answered. Darren also profiles a few NGS gardens for you to visit this week. Follow us on Instagram and Face...

We talk with Mike Griffin, the CEO of Tools With A Mission. TWAM is a Christian charity that collects unwanted usable tools, refurbishes them, sorts them into trade tool kits and sends them to the developing world for livelihood creation. The work they do is amazing. Andy Lound brings us the fascinating history of pea genetics. We explore PotWatch, set up to detect non native species coming i...

Welcome to an episode covering the magnificent show which is BBC Gardeners' World Live 2024. You'll hear from Adam Frost who has designed the headline show garden at this year's show. Also from Ade Sellars, the Good Life gardener who is hosting the new Urban Gardening stage. Kevin Smith, Editor of Gardeners' World Magazine tells us about the talks in the theatre. There are lots of other people to...

An allotment special on the happy garden podcast! There are around 330,000 plots in the UK. We talk to the Allotment Society about why plots are so vital to this country in terms of food security, as well as mental and physical health. Andy Lound provides the history of the allotment and we meet Bob who has been on the same plot for nearly 60 years! Lots of you getting in touch with stories and ph...

We meet listener Karen who is opening up her garden for The Nation Garden Scheme for the first time this year. Hear how she's getting ready and why she's so nervous! We catch up with Craighouse Cacti who scooped gold at Chelsea to see how they are feeling and also chat to Buglife to discover which insects we will find in our gardens in June. Questions on non flowering wisteria and bedding plants a...

The Chelsea Flower Show 2024 - what an exceptional show! Mollie went along to see the show gardens, the show displays, and the floral marquee. She chats to Miria Harris who designed the Stroke Association's Garden for Recovery. Hear about Miria's journey. She herself suffered a stroke and the journey to recovery, which is ongoing, is reflected in this wonderful space. Follow us on Instagram and Fa...

Horticulturalist Chris Baines talks about his own garden and attracting wildlife. He also discusses his show garden at Chelsea - the first ever wildlife garden 40 years ago - it had a strange reaction from people who didn't quite understand it at the time. Darren has a hanging basket masterclass. Andy Lound has a VERY sexy horticultural history this week! We'll be answering your gardening question...

An awful lot to cover in this episode! We find out about RHS Malvern Spring Show. Listener Penny tells us all about her hydroponic growing system. We find out about the catastrophic results of the Bugs Matter Splatter UK survey and ask what we can do about it. It's national hedge week, so Andy Lound has the history of the hedge. Darren's jokes will have you rolling in the aisles this week...oh and...

May is such a beautiful month in our gardens. This weeks we look at which insects we'll see in our gardens in May and what can be foraged. Chris Baines, one of the UK's leading environmentalists will be joining us to tell us all about International Dawn Chorus Day which he founded as a way to celebrate his birthday! Andy Lound has the horticultural history of the apple and we discuss World Naked G...

A very important episode this week. After a listener got in touch with a cautionary tail of how a blackthorn thorn in his finger resulted an overnight hospital stay, we talk garden safety. ROSPA join us to tell how we can all keep safe. Darren also discusses the subject of plants responding to music. We find out which plants enjoy which type of music! Lots more, included growing vegetables in smal...

Another jam packed episode. Mollie talks to the RSPB who reveal this years results of the Big Garden Birdwatch - who has done well this year? Darren explains the ins and outs of being buried in your own garden, you'll be surprised at what he has found out! Jimmy the mower talks to us about lawn care in this dreadful wet weather and Darren continues his seed sowing master class. Jobs, jokes, money...

We do like to introduce you to fascinating people and this episode is no different! We meet Jimmy the Mower, who, thanks to one tweet that went viral, is now a turf influencer. The passion Jimmy has for his job is inspirational. Darren continues his series on getting plants started at this time of year. LOTS of reaction from last week's conversation about composting human bodies. Jobs, jokes, a bi...

A fascinating episode. Mollie talks to the founder of a facility in America that composts human bodies. How? Why? We found out... Darren continues his series in profiling how to grow and prick out seedlings and answers your gardening questions. We also start a monthly foraging slot in an effort to save you some money. Andy Lound has the history of the tulip and we shall have some smiles along the...

Well, we're still dodging those showers, but plenty to be getting on with! Darren has his April edible foraging guide, his seed growing masterclass continues and he also answers your questions. Mollie chats to charity Froglife about their campaign "Stop Spawn Sales" raising awareness of selling wild caught spawn and tadpoles illegally. Andy has the horticultural history of carrots and there are pl...

At last, it is officially Spring! The wonderful charity Froglife join Mollie for a chat to discuss how frogs and toads have fared after what was the wettest February on record. Have they come out of hibernation early? What will that mean for them? Find out in this episode. Darren answers lots of your gardening questions and has a brilliant beginners guide to seed sowing. Lots more on this packed e...

We chat to the Daffodil Society about these sunny beauties and find out about their annual show. Andy Lound brings us more horticultural history with the fascinating history of the greenhouse! Darren answers your questions and profiles exactly what we can be sowing and growing this week. For more info on the Daffodil Society, visit www.thedaffodilsociety.com Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We...

Well, we've had a bit of sunshine this week so we've been inspired to look ahead to the flower shows of 2024. Mollie talks to NGS who are getting ready for their second only show garden at Chelsea and Craighouse Cacti who will also be hoping for another Chelsea gold medal with their stand. Darren proudly profiles his workplace - the amazing Winterbourne gardens in Birmingham. He also answers some...

Hear from Caroline Quentin as she talks us through creating her fabulous new book Drawn to the garden. Her passion is amazing. Andy Lound guides us through the history of using manure on our gardens. Darren explains care for air plants and lots of other horticultural tit bits to enjoy too! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We'd love to hear from you too! If you have suggestions for topics or fe...

Welcome to another pod! We hear from Kaleb Copper from Clarkson's Farm about some of the finds that have come up with the plough. Darren answers some of your gardening questions and Monty Don tells us why we must tolerate badgers and share our garden space. All the usual podcast horticultural bits and bobs thrown in too, thank you for joining us. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We'd love to h...