grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

Sissinghurst is one of the country’s crowning gems of National Trust gardens, and a place in which Adam was brought up, around the beauty curated by his grandparents.

This week on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, we’re delving into the centuries of legacy which led to a spot perfect for Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson to create the poetic space we know and adore today, and how their vision is being revived today for generations to come.

In this episode, discover:

• The remarkable story of how Vita Sackville-West turned a ruined Elizabethan courtyard house into one of the world’s most celebrated gardens
• How Sissinghurst evolved through centuries – from Renaissance palace to poetic family home and garden, and all in between
• The creative partnership between Vita and Harold Nicolson
• What makes the white garden so magical, from its glowing night-time palette to its scented, moth-pollinated plants
• How the newly reimagined Delos garden brings a Greek hillside to Kent, blending historical inspiration with modern design

Products mentioned:

Ammi majus: 

sarahraven.com/products/ammi-majus

Ammi visnaga: 

sarahraven.com/products/ammi-visnaga

Agrostemma githago 'Milas Snow Queen':

sarahraven.com/products/agrostemma-githago-milas-snow-queen

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

The magic of growing your own food is hard to overstate, and while some lament the labour necessary, it takes far less time and space than many imagine.

This week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ once again features the remarkable Huw Richards, fresh from the release of ‘How to Grow Food’ - his new book which dives into the detail of how anyone can grow a kitchen garden in real spaces, with a planting schedule that fits around busy lives.

In this episode, discover:

• How Huw plans and plants to grow enough veg for a family of four on a half allotment in just a few hours a week
• Simple permaculture-inspired tricks for better germination
• What causes common problems like courgette fruits rotting and dropping off, and how you can fix them
• How to choose between longer crops and cut-and-come-again with limited space
• Huw’s must-sow crops for April, including squash, runner beans, cucumbers, and courgettes

Episode Cover Photo Credit: Dorling Kindersley: Jason Ingram

Products mentioned:

Runner Bean 'Black Knight'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/runner-bean-black-knight

Runner Bean 'White Lady'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/runner-bean-white-lady

Nasturtium 'Tip Top Mix' (Tropaeolum majus)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nasturtium-tip-top-mix

Nasturtium 'Ladybird Rose' (Tropaeolum minus)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nasturtium-ladybird-rose

Borago officinalis (Borage)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/borago-officinalis

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

The sunnier months in April present a fresh opportunity for gardeners to sow some of the fastest-germinating seedlings, bringing a productive garden closer than you might think.

We return to Josie Lewis this week for an episode all about what she’s sowing in mid-April, how to prick out and pot on seedlings, and the simple tricks they use to keep plants growing hard and healthy at this most promising time of year.

In this episode, discover:

• How to prick out seedlings confidently, and when to do it for promoting strong growth
• Practical ways to get more from your dahlias, such as turning pinched tips into new plants with simple cuttings
• Why mid‑April is the ideal time to sow cosmos and zinnias, and how to avoid the common mistake of starting them too early
• Step‑by‑step tips for taking cuttings of pelargoniums, salvias and other favourites
• Two slightly different but complementary approaches to hardening off plants, and how to choose a method that works for your own garden

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

There’s something uniquely calming about a garden washed in cool pastels – soft tones that feel like frosty mornings and freshly laundered linen. 

Moving us onto the 4th and final palette in Sarah’s colour system, we explore the washed palette in this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’. She takes you through the colour combinations, productive plant families, and tips for crafting a soothing, contemplative feeling in your garden.

In this episode, discover:

• How to use Sarah’s washed colour palette of cool pastels to create a calm, clean and harmonious garden
• Which plant families and specific varieties reliably deliver this palette from late winter to autumn
• How to plan colour through the year in two‑month blocks, ensuring there’s always something in flower without breaking the palette
• Simple design techniques to avoid jarring colour clashes
• Why sticking to a coherent palette can make your garden feel both deeply restful and quietly bold

Products mentioned:

Narcissus ‘Polar Hunter’: 

sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-polar-hunter

Narcissus ‘Avalanche’: 

sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-avalanche

Narcissus ‘Thalia’: 

sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-thalia

Narcissus ‘Actaea’: 

sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-actaea

Tulip ‘White Triumphator’: 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-white-triumphator

Tulip ‘Purissima’: 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-purissima

Fritillaria acmopetala (likely "Green Eyes"): 

sarahraven.com/products/fritillaria-acmopetala

Sweet Pea ‘Nimbus’: 

sarahraven.com/products/sweet-pea-nimbus

Nicotiana sylvestris: 

sarahraven.com/products/nicotiana-sylvestris

Nicotiana alata ‘Grandiflora’: 

sarahraven.com/products/nicotiana-alata-grandiflora

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

A comforting garden can feel as soft and familiar as your favourite cashmere jumper, and in this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Sarah shares a palette which achieves exactly this feeling.

In the latest of the Colour Guide Mini Series episodes, Sarah shares how to create a mood using the comforting palette, the key plant families and varieties, plus how to sequence them through the seasons, so your borders feel gentle and soothing from early spring to late autumn.

In this episode, discover:

• How to create a warm, comforting colour palette in your garden using soft pastels like café au lait, peach, putty pink and ivory
• Specific plant families and varieties that deliver these soothing tones
• A clear, season-by-season planting framework so your comforting palette runs from early spring right through to late autumn

Products mentioned:

Narcissus ‘Precocious’: sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-precocious

Antirrhinum ‘Appleblossom’: sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-majus-appleblossom

Cosmos ‘Apricotta’: sarahraven.com/products/cosmos-bipinnatus-apricotta

Calendula ‘Sunset Buff’: sarahraven.com/products/calendula-officinalis-sunset-buff

Phlox drummondii ‘Cherry Caramel’: sarahraven.com/products/phlox-drummondii-cherry-caramel

Zinnia ‘Queeny Lime Orange’: sarahraven.com/products/zinnia-elegans-queeny-lime-orange

Dahlia ‘Break Out’: sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-break-out

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

For many, the garden should be a peaceful place where its colours invite you in and envelop you in their earthy tones, and that’s the role of Sarah Raven’s velvet palette.

In this episode of the Colour Guide Mini Series, Sarah moves us to her next, and perhaps favourite palette of the four. She talks through their calming colours, and the flower families that help keep that tranquility in your garden through a reliable planting succession.

In this episode, discover:

• How to create a velvet colour palette in your garden using deep crimsons, golds, bronzes and inky purples that feel cosy and enveloping
• Which reliable plant families and standout varieties deliver these rich, velvety tones
• How to plan succession planting so the velvet palette runs from late winter and early spring right through to autumn
• Practical ideas from Sarah’s own garden on combining colour and texture to create a sense of haven, enclosure and warmth outdoors

Products mentioned:

Tulip ‘Palmyra’: 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-palmyra

Tulip ‘Ridgedale’: 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-ridgedale

Tulip ‘Hermitage’: 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-hermitage

Tulip ‘Cairo’ (Copex Cairo): 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-copex-cairo

Tulip ‘Belleville’ (Bellville): 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-bellville

Tulip ‘Dom Pedro’: 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-dom-pedro

Amaranthus ‘Coral Fountain’: sarahraven.com/products/amaranthus-caudatus-coral-fountain

Dahlia ‘Verrone's Obsidian’ (Veronese Obsidian): sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-verrones-obsidian

Dahlia ‘Rip City’: 

sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-rip-city

Dahlia ‘Sarah Raven’: 

sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-sarah-raven

Dahlia ‘Molly Raven’: 

sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-molly-raven

Dahlia ‘Schipper's Bronze’: 

sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-schippers-bronze

Antirrhinum ‘Liberty Classic Crimson’: sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-f1-liberty-classic-crimson

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Seeds sown in March are the great givers of colour and fragrance in a cutting garden or container, from spring right through to autumn.

This week, Sarah is joined by Josie Lewis to walk through 12 of the most trusted plants to sow now, how to fill your beds, pots and vases, and feed the birds from a single month’s sowing.

In this episode, discover:

• Practical techniques for handling both big and dust-fine seeds, including when to sow in trays and when to direct sow
• Specific tips for making the most of tricky or easily-flopped favourites like cerinthe, amaranth and poppies, so they thrive both in the garden and in the vase
• How to get more from each plant – from cut-and-come-again grasses to edible flowers and home-made calendula remedies
• How to plan your March sowing so it supports wildlife, with seed heads that feed birds well into winter

Products mentioned:

Cerinthe major 'Kiwi Blue' https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cerinthe-major-kiwi-blue

Amaranthus ‘Hot Biscuits’ https://www.sarahraven.com/products/amaranthus-hot-biscuits

Amaranthus ‘Coral Fountain’ https://www.sarahraven.com/products/amaranthus-caudatus-coral-fountain

Moluccella / Bells of Ireland https://www.sarahraven.com/products/moluccella-laevis

Antirrhinum ‘Giant White’ https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-giant-white

Antirrhinum ‘Liberty Crimson’ (Liberty Classic Crimson F1) https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-f1-liberty-classic-crimson

Antirrhinum ‘Apple Blossom’ https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-majus-appleblossom

Antirrhinum majus 'Sonnet Burgundy' F1

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-sonnet-burgundy

Antirrhinum majus 'Sonnet Orange Scarlet' F1

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-sonnet-orange-scarlet

Antirrhinum majus 'Sonnet Carmine' F1

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-sonnet-carmine

Cobaea (Cup-and-saucer vine) https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cobaea-scandens-purple

Poppy ‘Amazing Grey’ https://www.sarahraven.com/products/papaver-rhoeas-amazing-grey

Poppy ‘Mother of Pearl’ https://www.sarahraven.com/products/papaver-rhoeas-mother-of-pearl

Black Single Papaver somniferum (Opium Poppy) https://www.sarahraven.com/products/papaver-somniferum-black-single

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

The garden is a welcoming place for all, particularly for newcomers when guided by the gentle eye of Milli Proust, and under the instruction of her calming new book.

Milli joins us once again, this time to share the inspiring journey that’s led up to her most approachable book to date, and some of the easy-to-understand frameworks to create an effortlessly beautiful garden.

In this episode, discover:

• How Milli Proust found floristry, and began creating a deeply loved, biodiverse garden in West Sussex
• A gentle but practical way to think about why we garden focused around connection, memory, and belonging to nature
• Milli’s “plant pyramid” and other simple frameworks for beginner gardeners planning borders 
• Ideas for low-maintenance but beautiful gardens, including orchards underplanted with bulbs, and using local materials

Milli’s taster course at Perch Hill on Wednesday 6th May 2026:

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/milli-proust-taster-course-beginner-gardeners?srsltid=AfmBOopaQgpAKlaAx724RwtbLXGrmm_NkyOCTWu2N42YnAOUzRlu--wl

Order Milli’s Book, ‘How Does Your Garden Grow?’:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Does-Your-Garden-Grow/dp/1837832250

Products mentioned:

Aquilegia Vulgaris 'Hensol Harebell'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/aquilegia-hensol-harebell

Galanthus nivalis (Common Snowdrop)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/galanthus-nivalis

Wild Marjoram (Origanum vulgare)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/wild-marjoram

Syringa meyeri 'Flowerfesta Pink'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/syringa-meyeri-flowerfesta-pink

Viburnum tinus

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/viburnum-tinus

Daphne 'Perfume Princess'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/daphne-perfume-princess

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

The luminous palette - a rich, stained glass collection of citrus, scarlet and pinky-purples - is the first of Sarah’s colour combinations that we’ll walk through in depth for this episode of the Colour Guide Mini Series.

Sarah explains the six key colours, which ones to use together throughout the year, and the flower families which she considers the most prominent and productive as they pass the colour baton through the year.

In this episode, discover:

• How to use Sarah’s luminous palette without overwhelming your garden
• The key plant families and varieties that reliably deliver bold, stained‑glass colour
• Sarah’s favourite colour combinations and how to place ‘shouty’ colours so they look intentional
• A simple season‑by‑season planning method using two‑month blocks and the ‘bride, bridesmaid, gatecrasher’ idea to keep colour going from March to October

Products mentioned:

Euphorbia ceratocarpa

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/euphorbia-ceratocarpa

Tulip 'Ballerina'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-ballerina

Tulip 'Black Parrot'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-black-parrot

Tulip 'Rococo'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-rococo

Tulip 'Go Go Red'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-go-go-red

Tulip 'Mariette'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-mariette

Tulip 'Purple Heart'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-purple-heart

Lunaria annua

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lunaria-annua

Crocosmia 'Lucifer'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/crocosmia-lucifer

Phlox paniculata 'Blue Paradise'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/phlox-paniculata-blue-paradise

Dahlia 'Thomas A. Edison'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-thomas-a-edison

Sweet Pea 'Blue Velvet'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sweet-pea-blue-velvet

Sweet Pea 'King Edward VII'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lathyrus-odoratus-king-edward-vii

Sweet Pea 'Matucana'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lathyrus-odoratus-matucana

Salvia 'Jezebel'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-jezebel

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Colour is best when it’s tangible, and if you’re planning a patch in your garden then this episode of the Mini Series is perfect to help you bring your plans to life.

In this episode of the Colour Guide Mini Series, Sarah dives into the practical side of using colour as the backbone of your garden design - from using candles to visualise colour combinations, to the ‘bride, bridesmaid, gate crasher’ structure that’ll help guide you towards an ensemble that works in harmony.

In this episode, discover:

• How to choose a garden colour palette based on the feeling you want to create (washed, velvet, comforting or luminous)
• A simple “bride, bridesmaid, gate crasher” recipe for combining plants in harmonious yet lively colour schemes
• Practical ways to test and refine palettes using coloured candles, mood boards and real flowers in your hand or in a vase
• How to plan colour in succession by breaking the year into seasonal chunks and identifying plants that “carry the baton” across months
• Real planting examples and border ideas drawn from Sarah’s own garden, including her vase-to-border comforting palette scheme

Products mentioned:

Nepeta x faassenii 'Kit Kat'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nepeta-x-faassenii-kit-kat

Alchemilla mollis

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/alchemilla-mollis

Clematis viticella 'Etoile Violette'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/clematis-viticella-etoile-violette

Cosmos bipinnatus 'Sonata Carmine'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cosmos-bipinnatus-sonata-carmine

Salvia viridis 'Blue Monday'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-viridis-blue

Dahlia 'Peaches'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-peaches

Campsis x tagliabuana 'Indian Summer'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/campsis-x-tagliabuana-indian-summer

Phlox drummondii 'Blushing Bride'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/phlox-drummondii-blushing-bride

Abelia x grandiflora

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/abelia-x-grandiflora

Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' AGM

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hydrangea-paniculata-limelight

Stipa gigantea

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/stipa-gigantea

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest