Perhaps nowhere do we face the realities of life and death more frequently and intimately than we do within the garden. We witness a cycle of growth, dieback, and rebirth on a seasonal, weekly, and even daily basis. And so, as we once again inch closer to a new season – to autumn, a time of abundance, growth, but also, let’s face it, decay – we’ve decided to take a deeper look at what gardens and our beloved flora can reveal about both life and death. We’ll hear from Dr. Ross Cameron about his 2023 release How Plants Can Save Your Life, get a behind-the-scenes peek at the field of forensic botany, travel to The Poison Garden in Alnwick to learn about their pernicious new addition, and finally, take a second look at the life cycle of wasps.

Warning: This episode contains a story about police investigations into death, murder and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

Links:

Gardening for Health and Wellbeing

How Plants Can Save Your Life

Murder Most Florid: Inside the Mind of a Forensic Botanist

Mark Spencer's Lindley Late Lecture

The Alnwick Garden

Endless Forms: Why We Should Love Wasps