Gardens, weeds and words

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Winter bringing new and rare experiences – December snow in Kent, and recording the audio version of my new book. Reading from To stand and stare 2:10 Read by Andrew Timothy O'Brien To stand and stare: how to garden while doing next to nothing, by Andrew Timothy O'Brien. DK Life, 2023. https://geni.us/Qs2d 04:35 An introduction to From Seed to Bloom: a year of growing and designing with seasonal flowers, by Milli Proust. Quadrille, 2022 https://amzn.to/3hGlcNg Reading from From Seed to Bloom 5:15 Read by Milli Proust 09:29 Interview with Milli Proust 10:55 The original plan 12:45 Working with intention – Milli loves a strategy 13:45 The other aspect of Milli's professional life! Molly Wansell, 42 Management & Production https://www.42mp.com/ 15:18 A sustainable business Paris Alma Flowers https://parisalmaflowers.com/ 17:08 Working as part of a team On the business with Paris, on the book with photographer Éva Németh https://www.evanemeth.com/ 18:54 The visual aspects of the book Theatre, storytelling, atmosphere. The human experience of connecting with nature. 23:03 Milli's earliest plants and gardens memories 26:53 A gardening (self)education 29:00 Why grow your own floristry supplies? 30:43 Using foliage, and the stories of plants in weather 34:00 Design principles in floral arrangement 38:00 From Seed to Bloom: 40:51 How becoming a mother might impact Milli's creative practice – new perspectives and opportunites 45:45 A seasonal perspective 48:30 Grower, or gardener? What's the difference? *** Thank you to Milli Proust for giving up her time to talk to me about the beautiful work she brings into the world from her patch of land in West Sussex. You can find Milli on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/milliproust/ Or on her website: https://www.milliproust.com/ My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, will be published by DK Life on Feb 2, 2023, and is available to preorder here https://geni.us/Qs2d I'm ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up in spring 2023n, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. http://www.andrewtimothyobrien.com website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: [email protected] Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack The joys of October in the garden. Reading from A breath from elsewhere, by Mirabel Osler 4:28 Read by Jemma Cooper A breath from elsewhere, by Mirabel Osler. Bloomsbury, 1997. https://amzn.to/3Stlvr9 06:52 Gardening in the shade 08:10 Interview with Susanna Grant 08:20 First encounters Wild about Weeds, by Jack Wallington https://amzn.to/3FbVU31 09:17 Sharing weeds (and weeds) 10:48 How the name – and the business – 'Linda' came about 12:35 A Jack of All Trades – Susanna's other work 16:11 A Fair Weather Shop 19:26 Susanna's childhood memories of plants and the natural world Flower Fairy books, by Cicely Mary Barker https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09PGM2YBD?binding=hardcover&searchxofy=true&ref_=dbs_s_bs_series_rwt_thcv&qid=1666786266&sr=1-19 Observer Book of Wild Flowers https://amzn.to/3SxxWCo 21:26 Arnold Circus and the Boundary Estate – the community garden Radicle, edited by Sui Searle aka @decolonisethegarden https://radicle.substack.com Volunteering: a problem and an opportunity? by Joanna Pidcock https://radicle.substack.com/p/volunteering-a-problem-and-an-opportunity 29:49 From Gardens Where We Feel Secure, by Susanna Grant and Rowan Spray, published by Rough Trade Books and The Garden Museum https://amzn.to/3Dpdrn4 35:31 Practicalities of window box gardening with perennials *** Thank you to Susanna Grant for giving up her time to talk to me about her creative nature-inspired practice. Susanna's book Shade is published by Bloom, 2022, and is available here https://amzn.to/3F6eGsu The Rough Trade/Garden Museum pamphlet by Susanna, with photography by Rowan Spray is From Gardens Where We Feel Secure, and is available here https://amzn.to/3Dpdrn4 Pamphlets in the same series, such as Horticultural Appropriation by Claire Ratinon and Sam Ayre, are also available here https://roughtradebooks.com/collections/editions You can find Susanna on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/hellotherelinda Or on her website: https://www.hellotherelinda.com/ My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, will be published by DK Life on Feb 2, 2023, and is available to preorder here https://geni.us/Qs2d I'm so grateful to Jemma Cooper for lending us her lovely tones for the reading from Mirabel Osler's A breath from elsewhere. You can find Jem on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/thecountrynurse_ I'm ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up early in the new year, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: [email protected] Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack The last days of autumn, winter blowing in on the back of Storm Arwen. Coping with post-COP26 despair and overwhelm. Reading, 'Sudden Shower', by John Clare 03:22 Read by Lulu Peddar Interview with Hannah McDonald, Illustrator 6:47 I chat to Hannah about her nature inspired illustration practice from her home and studio in Amsterdam, how life there compares to life in London, and whether the Dutch or the English are better at coping with what the weather has to throw at them. Work/life balance, slow living, and having a garden room on the Dutch equivalent of an allotment are all covered, together with how Hannah decides exactly what to draw, and the character of her own particular lines and dots. We get through all of this without mentioning Hygge once, though we're deeply in cosy, homely territory throughout, while always bearing in mind the importance of our connection to the natural world outside, both for our own mental health, and that of the planet. I hope you enjoy listening! *** Thank you to Hannah McDonald for giving up her time to talk to me about her creative nature-inspired practice. You can find Hannah on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/hannah.mcdonald.illustration/ Or on her website: https://www.hannahmcdonald.co/ And bouquets of gratitude due to Lulu Peddar for providing the reading from John Clare's poetry. I particularly loved the bit about "patted on my hat" – thanks Lulu, please come again! I'm ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up early in the new year, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: [email protected] Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.

These notes may contain affiliate links.

Garden soundtrack

Dawn breaking in the garden

Trees in the landscape

Reading from Wildwood, A Journey Through Trees, by Roger Deakin 2:25

https://amzn.to/3r6geIJ

Read by Richard Chivers

Interview with Jackee Holder 4:54

05:13 'Coach and author and cultural creative' – the scope of Jackee's work, and how it came about

7:57 The path to being a cultural creative – Jackee's career choices, and the common thread

8:43 What is a cultural creative?

10:52 Jackee's South London background

11:26 Avoiding restrictive labels

12:49 'Jack of all trades'. Ouch.

14:25 Drawing influences widely

15:49 A deep connection with nature

17:45 Something bigger. The wonder of it all.

19:24 The parks of London

19:54 The loneliness of the long distance runner

21:05 Making friends with trees

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

"I understood at a very early age that in nature, I felt everything I should feel in church but never did." Alice Walker

22:33 Jackee's tamarind tree in Barbados

24:14 Dressing the trees at Christmas in the Carribean

27:54 Tree books. Tree Wisdom by Jacqueline Memory Paterson https://amzn.to/3csqx5Z

32:07 Jackee's connection to to the elder tree

39:35 The trees in Jackee's city garden

41:30 Listening to nature, mindfulness and being in 'receive mode'.

46:59 Solitude

48:33 Joy in the context of 2021. COVID, BLM.

49:26 Unapologetically celebrating nature.

Charlotte Delbo, Auschwitz and After

50:55 Sorrow and joy interwoven

An account of Milton Erickson and the African Violet Lady

https://danielkarim.com/the-african-violet-a-teaching-tale-of-milton-h-erickson/

55:24 "Nature was our first mother" Tina Welling

"Nature is not a place to visit. It is home." Gary Snyder

55:36 Being rooted.

57:46 Trees and writing.

Jackee's writing map "Writing with Fabulous Trees"

http://www.jackeeholder.com/tree/writing-with-fabulous-trees-writing-map-for-parks-gardens-and-green-spaces/

59:22 Journal writing (and being a stationery addict!)

101:30 The practice of writing. Using the 'Morning Pages' technique from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way https://amzn.to/3pErewE

103:00 Making space for mindful practices

104:32 Jackee's mission to connect people with the urban forest

***

Thank you to Jackee Holder for giving up her time to talk to me about her creative plant-inspired practice.

You can find Jackee on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/jackeeholderinspires/ – please note Jackee's Instagram handle has changed since the interview in this episode!

Or on her website: http://www.jackeeholder.com/

Grateful wotnots to Richard Chivers for stepping forward with his usual patient and willing response to my last-minute plea for a reading!

I'm ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.

A year of garden coaching

If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. Enrolment will open towards the middle of February for one last time at the introductory price, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book.

https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching

website: gardensweedsandwords.com

email: [email protected]

Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB

Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB

A plant-inspired practice. With Katie Robbins

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.

These notes may contain affiliate links.

Garden soundtrack Pondering the onset of winter, with twinkling lights and fried potatoes. Seasonal markers, and The Almanac from Lia Leendertz. Catching up with Lia Leendertz. What's new in the 2021 edition? 03:44 Reading from The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2021 10:28 https://amzn.to/36LqUFH Read by Milli Proust The independent plant-inspired businesses bringing cheer and lightening our darkness. Interview with Katie Robbins 13:22 14:50 A love of the natural world and of ceramics 16:02 The formative planty encounter -- sunflowers, a flat cap and a fag 18:40 Potter... or ceramic artist? 19:52 If not a potter, would Katie have worked with plants in some other way? Grace Alexander flowers: https://www.gracealexanderflowers.co.uk/ Milli Proust: https://www.milliproust.com/about Bex Partridge (Botanical Tales): https://www.botanicaltales.com/ 21:50 The power of a good parcel, and delighting your customer Beautiful and sustainable packaging https://www.ktrobbinsceramics.com/blog/2020/8/24/beautiful-safe-and-sustainable-packaging 24:49 A journey to the potter's wheel 26:43 The shortest commute -- working from home. Pluses and minuses of the WfH life 29:12 A tour of the garden studio 34:57 Katie's creative process 40:17 Inspiration from peers 41:48 The inevitabilities of creative cross-fertilisation 44:23 Working in porcelain 46:49 Clay from the ground 50:00 Inspirations *** Thank you to Katie Robbins for giving up her time to talk to me about her creative plant-inspired practice. You can find Katie on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/ceramicmagpie/ Or on her website: https://www.ktrobbinsceramics.com/ Thanks also to Lia Leendertz for joining me to talk about The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2021 https://amzn.to/36LqUFH I'm immensely grateful to Milli Proust for lending us her mellifluous tones for the reading. And of course, I'm ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details and add your name to the waiting list to be the first to hear when enrolment opens up again. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: [email protected] Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB

Home. With Jennie Spears of the Lemon Tree Trust A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Why do we build gardens? Looking back to the very first episode of the podcast and Tim Massey's garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the Lemon Tree Trust https://www.tommassey.co.uk/the-lemon-tree-trust-garden Reading 05:21 Extract from How to grow your dinner without leaving the house by Claire Ratinon, published by Laurence King in 2020, read by the author. https://amzn.to/2QrpPtD A quick catch up with Claire since the release of her book, my review of which you can find here http://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/gwwblog/how-to-grow-your-dinner Interview with Jennie Spears 09:42 09:42 Bristol community gardens "Gardening is the most therapeutic and defiant act you can do. Plus you get strawberries." Ron Finley https://www.ted.com/talks/ron_finley_a_guerrilla_gardener_in_south_central_la?language=en 10:24 Sara Venn and Incredible Edible Bristol https://ediblebristol.org.uk/ 11:29 Jennie's background in horticulture 13:09 Childhood plant memories Border Alpines, her parents' nursery https://www.borderalpines.co.uk/ Black viola, Viola 'Molly Sanderson' 16:13 The work of the Lemon Tree Trust, and how Jennie became involved 19:10 Bringing plants from home to the camps 25:36 How gardening happens in the camps 30:59 What to do with plant surpluses - a working economy? 35:01 Food and gardening 37:13 Plumbing in the camps 38:49 "At some point, people want to LIVE". The joy of plants 40:27 The impact of COVID on the work of the Lemon Tree Trust in Kurdistan 44:08 Upcoming projects and the best way to support the Lemon Tree Trust 46:49 A call from Jennie to get in touch if you know of any UK based refugee or migrant based gardening projects that would benefit from seeds from the Lemon Tree Trust (see below for contact details *** Thank you to Jennie for joining me on this episode to talk about the Lemon Tree Trust. You can find the charity's website here with more details of their work, their campaigns and the gardeners in the camps in Iraq. https://lemontreetrust.org/about/ And on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/lemontreetrust/ You can find Jennie's work for Bloom PR here: Bloom PR website: http://www.bloom-pr.co.uk/ Bloom's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloom_pr_insta/ Thanks also to Claire Ratinon for joining me to talk about her book, How to grow your dinner without leaving the house I'm ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details and add your name to the waiting list to be the first to hear when enrolment opens up again. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: [email protected] Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Back after a break for the last episode in the series Dogs and gardening Lockdown and #BlackLivesMatter – did these change how you felt about your garden? Privilege in the gardening world Telling the stories of plants Reading 05:30 Extract from 'Science and Colonial Expansion. The role of the British Royal Botanical Gardens' by Lucile H. Brockway in American Ethnologist, Journal of the American Ethnological Society, Volume 6 Issue 3, 1979, read by Sui Searle. https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/ae.1979.6.3.02a00030 The book of the same name, available here: https://amzn.to/2PbSC4z Gardening should be political – more of this in series three. Gratitude, privilege and responsibility – what that's meant to me in lockdown Interview with the Ann Marie Powell 11:20 11:48 What's behind @myrealgarden? 15:22 Plants, People, Place 18:37 Living in a horticultural household, and how it effects domestic gardening 22:12 How Ann-Marie became a garden designer 23:16 Horticulture within the education system – being given the choice 25:18 Andrew talking absolute rubbish about "gardening with your ears" 27:10 Ann-Marie Powell Gardens – the vital importance of a great team 31:17 The effect of the Hampshire landscape on AMPG's design work 33:47 Is there anything the RHS needs to learn when it comes to reaching new people with shows like Chelsea? 38:56 Ann-Marie's gardens at RHS Wisley in Surrey 42:43 Pro-bono work for Greenfingers charity https://www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk/ 46:03 Quickfire EITHER/OR questions! Fatsia japonica https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/plant/fatsia-japonica Schefflera rhododendrifolia https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/plant/schefflera-rhododendrifolia Crûg Farm Nursery https://www.crug-farm.co.uk/ *** Gratitude, privilege and responsibility vs Plants, People, Place. Pick your mantra! Thank you to Ann-Marie for joining me on this episode. You can find Ann-Marie online here: AMPG website: https://www.ann-mariepowell.com/ Ann Marie's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ann_mariepowell/ The @myrealgarden instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/myrealgarden/ And also to Sui Searle for reading from the Lucile H. Brockway paper. You can find Sui on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/thetemperategardener/ and here https://www.instagram.com/decolonisethegarden/ I'm ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details and add your name to the waiting list to be the first to hear when enrolment opens up again. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: [email protected] Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Gardening without Chelsea. The RHS Virtual Chelsea Flower Show https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/virtual-chelsea Lockdown gardening interest The Independent Plant Nursery Guide http://independentplantnurseriesguide.uk/ Should we look for a silver lining? Reading 03:20 Extract from The Five Minute Garden by Laetitia Maklouf, read by Emma Jo Real Davies. https://amzn.to/36l871Z Interview with the Laetitia Maklouf 05:15 05:44 Standard Laetitia Lore and the Sweet Pea Seeds 07:29 Sharing online 08:44 How Laetitia has changed as a gardener 09:28 Gardening in small spaces – the benefits of limits 10:03 Moving to real earth – option paralysis 10:36 Prescriptive approach vs you do you 11:08 Trust in your gardening instinct 12:13 Being ruthless. Or… not…! (Hotbin Darling) https://www.hotbincomposting.com/ 13:10 Lockdown sourdough progress 14:24 Teaching the children through gardening 20:34 Being politely steely 22:00 Gardening overwhelm 26:10 The Five Minute Gardener 31:37 Gardening as a transactional relationship 33:25 On the decision not to have photographs in the new book 36:44 What is Laetitia going to do when she grows up? *** Lockdown gardening communicators on Instagram Just some of the folk who have really taken the opportunity to bring people into their own gardens (particularly encouraging and inspiring when some of them are multi award-winning designers) over the past couple of months. Don't miss Ann-Marie Powell's lunchtime talks at https://www.instagram.com/myrealgarden/, or Jo Thompson's daily morning dog rambles through the Sussex countryside in the company of birds and her lovely labrador Rush https://www.instagram.com/jothompsongarden/. And of course, past friends of the podcast Alice Vincent https://www.instagram.com/noughticulture/ and Caro Langton at RoCo https://www.instagram.com/studio.roco/, teaching us about small space gardening and houseplants in their stories. All incredibly generous, and remarkably accessible. Thank you to Laetitia for joining me on this episode. Laetitia's book The Five Minute Garden, published by National Trust Books, 2020, is available here https://amzn.to/36l871Z Laetitia's website: https://laetitiamaklouf.com/ Laetitia on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laetitiamaklouf And to Emma Jo Real Davies for reading from Laetitia's book. Emma Jo's brilliant podcast, The Female Struggle is Real is here https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-female-struggle-is-real/id1215423183 or you can find her on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/emjorealdavies/, or on the airwaves here https://www.kmfm.co.uk/on-air/the-hit-list-with-emma-jo/ I'm ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. PLEASE VOTE FOR THE GARDENS, WEEDS & WORDS PODCAST IN THE BRITISH PODCAST AWARDS LISTENER CHOICE CATEGORY https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/vote Lockdown discounts: A year of garden coaching I've been very excited about my new venture – even before the lockdown I'd decided that online garden coaching would be a fantastic way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. With the all the uncertainty around our lives just now I'm holding the the introductory price for the full 12 month programme as well as offering a quarterly payment plan, and there's 50% off an hour's Skype consultation call. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: [email protected] Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Birdsong, and gardening in the new normal. Gardening in one place over time. Reading 04:00 Extract from The Garden Log Podcast, episode 74, read by the host, Ben Dark. https://thegardenlog.libsyn.com/ Interview with the Katie Rushworth 05:51 06:21 Not the only Yorkshire-born gardener on the telly… 07:00 Katie's experience of nature and plants growing up 09:29 Chomping for wood! 10:12 The place of the Yorkshire landscape in Katie's garden design work 11:44 Gardening is about a feeling 12:43 Before gardening… 16:32 Juggling gardening, TV schedules and being a mum 17:43 Transferrable skills – an appreciation of colour, shape, form and texture 19:11 Garden coaching and mentoring 26:35 Domestic gardens 27:21 Practical, useful & pretty 30:42 The biggest obstacles people face in their gardens 32:54 Plants – just pretty window dressing, or more than fluff? 36:25 Productively using our time in the garden *** Thank you to Katie for joining me on this episode. Katie's book Plants, Beds & Borders is available here https://amzn.to/3ayCySE Katie's website: http://katierushworth.com/ Katie on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thequeenofspades00/ I'm ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. Lockdown discounts: A year of garden coaching I've been very excited about my new venture – even before the lockdown I'd decided that online garden coaching would be a fantastic way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. With the all the uncertainty around our lives just now I'm holding the the introductory price for the full 12 month programme as well as offering a quarterly payment plan, and there's 50% off an hour's Skype consultation call. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: [email protected] Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Poem 00:53 Digging by Seamus Heaney Read by Jemma Mullholland from Death of a Naturalist, Seamus Heaney, Faber & Faber 1966 (new edition 2006) https://amzn.to/3bwuPpk A feeling of connection to the land. Taken for granted. Interview with the Claire Ratinon 03:39 4:50 TV Production in New York: Claire's Eureka Moment Brooklyn Grange Farm https://www.brooklyngrangefarm.com/ 8:14 Career change gardeners 11:15 Early plant memories. Or not! 16:47 Formative food memories. 18:42 Living and growing in Hackney 20:33 Claire's organic growing training OrganicLea https://www.organiclea.org.uk/ Growing Communities https://www.growingcommunities.org/ 25:14 The importance of urban growing 27:58 A taste of what's possible. The role of a growing educator. 30:32 Organic. Urban. Mindful. 37:39 The representatino of People of Colour within gardening and growing. Tokenism, racial passing. Having to aggressively assimilate. 44:58 Burden, responsibility or privilege? 51:09 The party played by Claire's relationship to the land in her identity. 58:09 After Hackney 60:56 What's next for Claire? *** Thank you to Claire for joining me on this episode. You can preorder Claire's book How to grow your dinner without leaving the house, to be published by Laurence King in September 2020, here https://amzn.to/2xx6O2p Claire's website: https://www.claireratinon.com/ Claire on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/claireratinon/ Thanks too to Jemma Mulholland for reading for us. You can find Jemma on social media here https://www.instagram.com/popcorn_for_lunch/ I'm ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. One-to-one online garden coaching I'm very excited about my new venture – it's a way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. A few limited places left on introductory prices! https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: [email protected] Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB