In this premiere episode, Cass Dowding speaks with Hayden Schueler, who went from studying music composition at the Victorian College of Arts to running Vereya Gardening in the Dandenong Ranges. His story comes full circle, now living just over the fence from his childhood home, on land where he once played as a boy collecting chestnuts and climbing trees.

In this conversation, Cass and Hayden discuss:

• His journey from a "closeted gardener" while studying music to embracing gardening as a career
• The chestnut trees and camellias that connect him to childhood memories
• How following your passion sometimes means embracing an unexpected path
• His journey through Europe visiting centuries-old topiary gardens planted in the 1600s
• The fascinating differences between Japanese topiary and European formal shapes
• What it means to maintain gardens that hold decades of memories for their owners
• How specific plants trigger powerful childhood memories through both sight and scent
• Why gardens are never truly "finished" ... only constantly evolving

If you've ever found meaning in a particular plant, felt connected to a childhood garden, or simply believe that gardens are more than just collections of plants, this conversation is a perfect place to start.

Follow Hayden on Instagram @vereyagardening

Read show notes about the guests and access the full transcript by clicking here or visiting thesentimentalgardener.com/podcasts

Follow Cass on Instagram, Facebook, or Threads — @the_sentimental_gardener. Links to social pages and more are available at bio.site/thesentimentalgardener.

Music written and performed by Hayden Schueler from @vereyagardening

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