Linden Groves of the Gardens Trust talks about the vital—and surprisingly vulnerable—protections for our historic parks and gardens, and the government's proposal to remove the Trust's statutory consultee role. We unpack what this would mean for our green spaces, why it matters to all of us, and how people can help.

Links

The Gardens Trust

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If you liked this week's episode with Linden Groves you might also enjoy this one from the archives:

Episode 336: Creating an Ark Sarah speaks with landscape designer and rewilding advocate Mary Reynolds about turning gardens and public green spaces into biodiversity-supporting "Arks," exploring how design choices can protect nature in everyday landscapes.

Episode 351: Wild Campuses, Wild Futures Sarah talks to Liz Morley about rewilding public and institutional landscapes, discussing how sensitive, ecologically informed design can support nature while still serving community needs.

I'm joined once again by permaculture designer and author Pippa Chapman to explore how beauty, productivity and wildlife-friendly principles can all thrive together in the garden. We dive into her creative approach, the ideas behind her new book, and how small, thoughtful changes can transform any space into a resilient, edible ecosystem.

Links

Permaculture Planting Designs by Pippa Chapman

Pippa on YouTube

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If you liked this week's episode with Richard Hayden you might also enjoy this one from the archives:

Episode 185: Food Forests for Plant Lovers Sarah speaks with Pippa Chapman about her book The Plant Lover's Backyard Forest Garden, exploring how to design beautiful, edible, wildlife-friendly forest garden spaces even in small gardens.

Episode 296: Regenerative Design

Sarah talks to Erik Ohlsen, a permaculturist and regenerative designer, about creating landscapes that repair the environment and follow ecological principles.

Richard Hayden of New York's High Line talks about how the space has grown and transformed—its evolving plantings, newly added areas, and the thoughtful maintenance practices that have helped it become a beloved, essential part of daily life for both residents and visitors. We trace how this once-industrial rail line has matured into one of the city's most treasured green spaces.

Links

www.thehighline.org

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If you liked this week's episode with Richard Hayden you might also enjoy this one from the archives:

Episode 323: Wildflowers, Community & Urban Nature Sarah speaks with Richard Scott and Polly Moseley of the Scouse Flowerhouse about creating biodiverse, people-centred urban landscapes and how community-driven planting can transform the character and ecological value of city spaces. Link: https://rootsandall.co.uk/podcast/wildflowers-community-urban-nature/

Episode 59: Public Green Spaces with Neil Sinden I talk with Neil Sinden from CPRE about the role of public green spaces in urban life, exploring access, stewardship, and how thoughtful planning can shape meaningful, lived-in landscapes for residents and visitors alike. Link: https://rootsandall.co.uk/podcast/public-green-spaces-with-neil-sinden/

I'm joined by Chris Whitelock, author of Growing Fruit, to explore how modern varieties are reshaping the way we grow fruit at home. We discuss everything from choosing space-saving or container-friendly trees to tackling pests, diseases, and even the challenge of keeping birds off your harvest.

Links

Growing Fruit: A Practical Guide to Growing Top and Soft Fruit

Chris Whitelock - Learning with Experts

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I'm speaking with Karen Hall, Program Director of Ecological Education at the Institute for Applied Ecology, about an inspiring initiative that connects conservation with social rehabilitation. We explore what ecological education involves, the features of the landscape and ecology of the region where Karen works and how changes to funding have affected these conservation in the efforts.

Links

Staff profile at IAE: Karen Hall – Institute for Applied Ecology — her bio, role description and contact information.

Curriculum materials she oversaw: Ecological Education Curriculum – Institute for Applied Ecology — downloadable education-units with her listed as Program Director.

Article on the prison-conservation work mentioning her: "When Gardening is a Lifeline and Game-Changer" (in Pacific Horticulture) — includes direct quotes from her about the prison-based conservation programme. Pacific Horticulture

A podcast featuring her and the prison conservation programme: Seeds for Change: An Institute for Applied Ecology Podcast — she appears discussing the "Sagebrush in Prisons" / conservation-in-prisons initiative.

Other episodes if you liked this one:

Episode 333: Designing for Habitat & Biodiversity

Ecological designer and waterway whisperer Emmaline Bowman talks about her mission to heal landscapes through nature-led design at her practice Stem Landscape Architecture & Design.

Episode 247: Botanical Education

I speak with Seb Stroud (Leeds University) about the state of botanical education, its implications for biodiversity & climate, and what is being done to revive it.

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Nancy Matsumoto discusses her new book Reaping What She Sows, an exploration of the women transforming our broken food system from the ground up. We talk about what an alternative food system really looks like, why women are at the forefront of this movement, and how they're reimagining the way we grow, distribute, and consume food could offer a more just, sustainable, and human-centric future.

Links

Reaping What She Sows by Nancy Matsumoto

Other episodes if you liked this one:

Episode 263: Ooooby – Out of Our Own Back YardIn this episode, Pete Russell discusses how the platform Ooooby links customers with small‑scale local growers, promoting a shift away from the large industrial system and toward local, independent food supply chains.

Episode 338: Real Organic vs Regenerative FarmingThis episode features Dave Chapman and delves into the broader food‑system issues: corporate consolidation in agriculture, how "regenerative" is being used (or misused) as a buzzword, and how the choice of farming systems impacts equity, transparency and consumer trust.

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This episode, Nicolas Salazar of Guardians Worldwide explores the often-overlooked role of rocks in our designed environments. We discuss their carbon storage potential, their deep relationship with plants, and why removing rocks from landscapes may have more impact than we think. It's a conversation that challenges us to see rocks not as static objects, but as vital, living parts of ecological systems.

Links

www.guardiansworldwide.org

Other episodes if you liked this one:

Episode 41: Natural Stone with Giles Heap In this episode, host Sarah Wilson speaks to Giles Heap of CED Stone about sourcing natural stone ethically, using materials appropriate to location and job, UK local‑stone options, production/process environmental impacts, permeability and drainage issues with hard surfaces and the future of stone products.

Episode 222: Nature from the Rubble In this episode, landscape architect Sally Bower discusses her RHS‑bursary‑winning report exploring gravel and recycled aggregate gardens in Essex and London (including Hilldrop, Hyde Hall, Beth Chatto's gravel garden, Langdon Nature Discovery Car Park and the Horniman Museum Grasslands garden) and shares surprising insights for designing with or growing in these media.

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Gardens Illustrated editor Stephanie Mahon has curated the magazine's first ever book, The New Beautiful — a celebration of gardens that reflect today's shifting ideas of beauty, sustainability, and design. We discuss what defines a 'Gardens Illustrated' garden, how the featured spaces in the book were chosen, about the evolving role of perennials to the challenges of capturing a garden's true character in a photograph, Stephanie shares insights from her years at the forefront of garden publishing — and offers a glimpse into where garden design might be heading next.

Links

www.gardensillustrated.com

The New Beautiful: Inspiring Gardens for a Resilient Future

Other episodes if you liked this one:

Episode 295: Picture Perfect Gardens with Mark Bolton In this episode, freelance photographer Mark Bolton discusses his approach to capturing gardens and interiors for editorial and commercial clients. He shares insights into creating visually appealing garden spaces and offers tips for gardeners looking to enhance the aesthetic appeal of their own gardens.

Episode 354: Modern Planting Design with Andrew Fisher Tomlin Garden designer Andrew Fisher Tomlin explores contemporary planting design, focusing on how modern approaches are shaping the aesthetics and functionality of gardens. He discusses trends, challenges, and the evolving role of planting design in creating beautiful and sustainable garden spaces.

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Luke Coleman is the founder of Luke Coleman Gardens, an Edinburgh-based studio known for bold, climate-resilient gardens rooted in story, ecology, and craft.

Luke was named RHS Young Designer of the Year 2025, winning Gold, Best Construction, and People's Choice at the Wentworth show. His work draws on landscapes from the Scottish Highlands to the Cape Floral Kingdom, exploring how gardens can tell stories of resilience and culture.

We talk about his design principles, what resilience means in a garden, and how gardens might bring cultures together.

Links

Website: lukecoleman.co.uk

Instagram: @lukecolemangardens

Other episodes if you liked this one:

Episode 305: Building on Nature In this one, Sarah speaks with Nick Townsend of NatureScaping about how to integrate wildlife‑friendly features into garden construction and landscape design. They explore how hardscape and structural elements can support or harm biodiversity.

Episode 222: Nature from the Rubble Sarah talks with landscape architect Sally Bower, whose work studies gardens using gravel, recycled aggregate, and other resilient growing media. They delve into designing with "non‑traditional" soils and how these gardens can help wildlife.

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Environmental scientist and author Shannon Jade talks about her work and her book A Song for the Earth — a poetic, hopeful take on the climate crisis. We talk about the themes in the book, our connection to nature, and the importance of finding your voice, whatever form that takes.

Links

• A Song for the Earth on Amazon UK
• A Song for the Earth on Goodreads
• A Song for the Earth on Bookshop
• Shannon Jade online
• Shannon Jade on Instagram
• Shannon Jade on TikTok

Other episodes if you liked this one:

Episode 336: Creating an Ark In this episode, Sarah talks with landscape designer and rewilding pioneer Mary Reynolds about her mission to turn gardens into wild sanctuaries. They explore how even small patches of land can play a part in restoring biodiversity.

Episode 340: The Nature of Resilience Author Nic Wilson joins Sarah to share how her relationship with the natural world supports her through chronic illness. They discuss the ways nature mirrors our inner worlds and offers space for healing.

Please support the podcast on Patreon

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On Instagram @rootsandallpod

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