Talking Dirty

Adrian Scamp of the Award-winning Scamp's Daffodils, joins Alan Gray (East Ruston Old VIcarage) and Thordis to chat all things Daffodil, from exploring the thirteen divisions to sharing favourite varieties, plus tips for naturalising Narcissi in your lawn and the new varieties that might be heading to your garden soon. It's a riot of absolute stunners, which will leave you with a wishlist longer than you ever imagined!

PLANT LIST

Narcissus 'Saint Mary Immaculata'

Narcissus 'Nickelodeon'

Narcissus 'Bravoure'

Narcissus 'Belize'

Narcissus 'Rebekah'

Narcissus 'Doublet'

Narcissus 'Rose Mullion'

Narcissus 'Rose of May'

Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus

Narcissus poeticus 'Actaea'

Narcissus 'Bath's Flame'

Narcissus 'Argent'

Pseudonarcissus lobularis

Narcissi Bulbocodium 

Narcissus cyclamineus

Narcissus 'Paper White'

Narcissus 'Royal Connection'

Narcissus 'Avalanche' 

Narcissus 'Warbler' 

Narcissus 'Innovator'

Narcissus 'Erlicheer'

Narcissus 'Rip van Winkle'

Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête' 

Narcissus triandrus

Narcissus 'Ice Wings'

Narcissus 'Beryl'

Narcissus 'Jenny'

Narcissus 'Jetfire'

Narcissus jonquilla

Narcissus 'Hugus'

Narcissus 'Green Lawns'

Narcissus poeticus praecox  

Narcissus 'Caramel'

Narcissus 'Fashion'  

Narcissus 'The Godfather'

Narcissus 'Medway Gold'

Narcissus 'Rataplan'

Narcissus 'Firebrand'

She's the woman behind one of the most famous of British brands - this week Emma Bridgewater joins Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis Fridriksson, to talk about the botanical inspiration behind the pottery. Plus why Dandelions are front and centre of their latest collection, the people in her life who sparked a life-long love of plants, lockdown gardening endeavours with limited supplies, and a recent discovery she's very excited about.

PLANT LIST

Chimonanthus praecox  

Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata'  

Daphne odora f. alba 'Sakiwaka'  

Carex oshimensis 'Everlime'

Rosa x odorata 'Bengal Crimson

Rosa 'Mortimer Sackler'

Leucanthemum vulgare – Oxeye Daisy 

Populus × jackii

Crocus tommasinianus

Eccremocarpus scaber  

Pelargonium

Carex oshimensis 'Everlime'  

If you've ever wondered how some plants come into existence, then wonder no more as plant breeder Joe Sharman gives us a fascinating insight into the labour of love behind many of the plants that fill our gardens.

Join Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis Fridriksson as they hear about Joe's dreams for Galanthus breeding, plus the work he's doing with Eranthis (Aconites) and Celandines (Ficaria). There are also dreamy, dinky Narcissi, and an elusive Butcher's Broom (Ruscus aculeatus) and lots of laughs along the way.

Across the world Botanic Gardens are doing amazing work. And at Cambridge University Botanic Garden, there are wonders to behold in every corner of its 40 acres. But the glasshouses are perhaps the most memorable, packed with exotic plants which will stay in your memory forever.

This week on the podcast, Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis Fridriksson are joined by Alex Summers, Glasshouse Supervisor at the Botanic Garden, for a chat about everything from his love of parasitic plants and epiphytes, to plant-collecting trips, the garden's amazing Jade Vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys) and database!

Plus an exciting gift courtesy of Mike Clifford (@mikesrareplants on Instagram - go follow him, he's amazing!) and a potential Birthday present for Alan!

PLANT LIST

Strongylodon macrobotrys (Jade Vine)

Vasconcellea pubescens

Lachenalia viridiflora

Ixia viridiflora

Magnolia Sapiensis

Magnolia insignis

Huodendron tibeticum

Polyspora

Tetrapanax papyrifer 'Rex'

Euphorbia horrida

Viscum minimum

Viscum crassularae

Cyphostemma juttae

Cyphostemma currorii

Portulacaria afra

Rafflesia 

Lathraea clandestina

Amorphophallus titanum

Cinnamomum camphora

Furcraea macdougallii 

Furcraea longaeva

Tulipa sprengeri

Stapelia

The name Charles Dowding has become synonymous with 'No Dig' techniques, but what exactly does 'No Dig' involve? And why is it such a successful and popular method of gardening? This week on the podcast, Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis are joined by Charles to talk about the lattice of ideas that make up the method, plus loofa antics and some Show and Tell that looks good enough to eat!

It's a podcast jam-packed with revelations about everything from soil to slugs, paths to weeds - with plenty of ideas for your allotment, potager or kitchen garden.

Charles even shares some of his favourite Winter salads for those of you growing your own at home.

Calling all Galanthophiles, this week Alan Gray (a self-confessed Snowdrop addict) and Thordis (doing her best to resist!) are joined by two gardeners who long ago succumbed to Galanthamania.

Award-winning Garden Writer, Val Bourne, shares her experiences of growing Snowdrops in the Cotswolds, while Brian Ellis, who sells many special varieties of Galanthus talks from the Norfolk perspective.

The conversation winds from the extraordinary people who make the Snowdrop community so special, to the varieties Val and Brian hold most dear. And while the gang didn't get to mention all the things they wanted to, there's certainly no shortage of specatular Snowdrops to set your heart racing.

PLANT LIST

Galanthus lagodechianus

Galanthus 'S. Arnott'

Galanthus 'Primrose Warburg'

Galanthus plicatus 'Priscilla Bacon'

Galanthus plicatus 'Joe Sharman'

Galanthus 'Phil Cornish'

Galanthus 'Matt Bishop'

Galanthus plicatus 'South Hayes'

Galanthus elwesii 'Kite'

Galanthus 'Green Tear'

Galanthus 'Dryad Gold Sovereign'

Galanthus 'Dryad Gold Medal'

Galanthus nivalis f. pleniflorus 'Lady Elphinstone'

Galanthus plicatus 'Sarah Dumont'

Galanthus x valentinei 'Belvedere Gold'

Galanthus plicatus 'Golden Fleece'

Galanthus 'Lapwing'

Galanthus plicatus 'Yaffle'

Galanthus valentinei 'Saraband'

Galanthus nivalis 'Alan's Treat'

Galanthus elwesii 'Godfrey Owen'

Galanthus plicatus 'Diggory'

Galanthus elwesii 'Mrs Macnamara'

Galanthus elwesii 'Margaret's Star'

Galanthus plicatus 'Amy Doncaster'

Galanthus 'Hans Guck in die Luft'

Galanthus × valentinei 'Wind Turbine'

Galanthus ‘Anglesey Double Spikey’

Galanthus nivalis 'Alburgh Claw'

Galanthus 'Onkel Oskar'

Galanthus nivalis 'Trois Jardins'

Galanthus 'Percy Picton'

Galanthus nivalis 'Magnet'

Galanthus 'Long John Silver'

Galanthus plicatus 'Trym'

Galanthus plicatus 'Trimmer'

Galanthus elwesii 'Margaret Biddulph'

Galanthus elwesii 'Claud Biddulph'

Galanthus nivalis f. pleniflorus 'Blewbury Tart'

Galanthus 'Ding Dong'

Galanthus 'Green of Hearts'

Galanthus 'Washfield Colesbourne'

Galanthus 'E.A. Bowles'

Galanthus 'Ailwyn'

Galanthus 'One Drop or Two?'

Galanthus nivalis 'Kirtling Tower'

Three months after his last appearance, Ben Preston is back with Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis Fridriksson for another plant-filled appearance on the podcast.

From the regimental precision of seed-sowing at York Gate Garden, to the sad demise of their favourite Galanthus, he brings us all up to date with what's been going on in his patch.

Plus an impressive Lobelia grown from seed, grass inspiration, a diminutive darling of a Narcissus, and a show-stopping Prunus!

If you've never been to Hunting Brook Gardens in Ireland, get ready to be transported by its owner Jimi Blake. He tours us through his favourite plants for structure and foliage, plus his newer forays into houseplants and the latest additions to his Snowdrop collection.

As usual Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis share their FLOMO (the plants at the top of their wishlists) and it turns out Jimi has quite a few as well!

PLANT LIST

Lindera triloba

Pseudopanax lessonii 'Moa's Toes'

Pseudopanax crassifolius

Pseudopanax laetus

Schefflera delavayi

Schefflera Rhododendrifolia 

Schefflera taiwaniana

Schefflera alpina

Musa basjoo

Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii'

Daphnephyllum

Fatsia polycarpa

Pseudopanax lessonii 'tuatara' 

Galanthus plicatus 'Lucy'

Galanthus 'Phantom'

Galanthus elwesii 'Godfrey Owen'

Galanthus plicatus x rizehensis 'Tryzm'

Podophyllum difforme 'Starfish'

Pseudopanax 'Fiddlesticks'

Musa 'Siam Ruby'

Dahlia 'Brown Sugar'

This week Matthew Pottage - the man behind one of the UK's five gardens run by the Royal Horticultural Society - shares his love of conifers, variegated plants and houseplants. We get a tour of his collection of plants in his house plus a peek at his London garden at home. Get ready for FLOMO galore!

Get ready for an avalanche of evergreens from variegated wonders to a cacophany of conifers ((Ilex and Cryptomeria to Griselinia and Astelia). The Plant Doctor brings some serious show and tell to the table for his latest appearance on the Podcast. And, not to be left out, Alan Gray shares some of the treasures found in his garden.

Also including a fantastic tip to help with your forced Hyacinths, a must-have plant for scent and some exquisite Irises!