East Ruston Old Vicarage - home to Get Gardening's Founding Father Alan Gray - is back open for 2023 and celebrating a very special year! As the garden marks its Golden Anniversary, Alan and Thordis talk about plants of the moment, plus propagation tips and FLOMO*!

*FLoral/plant-based fear Of Missing Out

PLANT LIST

Pelargonium 'Lord Bute'

Pelargonium 'Purple Unique'

Pelargonium papilionaceum

Pelargonium 'Babylon'

Rosa 'Colombian Climber' 

Narcissus 'Candlepower'

Narcissus 'Rip van Winkle'

Eranthis hyemalis

Narcissus 'Tiny Bubbles'

Narcissus 'Canaliculatus'

Hesperantha coccinea 'Major'

Gladiolus 'Thunder'

Gladiolus primulinus

Agrostemma githago

Anthemis arvensis

Centaurea cyanus

Glebionis segetum

Papaver rhoeas

Phacelia tanacetifolia

Agave montana

Cornus kousa

Cornus Florida 'Cherokee Chief'

Trachycarpus fortunei

Ficus carica 'Jolly Tiger' 

Ficus johannis subsp. afghanistanica ‘Silver Lyre’

Trachycarpus fortunei 'Variegata'

As the garden at East Ruston Old Vicarage reopens for 2023, Alan Gray and Thordis sit down for a chat about how the garden is evolving in its 50th year, plus plants of the moment, from Magnolias to Violets and some top propagation tips from Alan's potting shed.

Next week Daffodils, Pelargoniums and lots of FLOMO*!

*FLoral/plant-based fear Of Missing Out

PLANT LIST

Magnolia 'Caerhays Belle'

Magnolia 'Genie'

Clematis florida 'Sieboldii'

Cyclamen hederifolium 'Silverme Pink'

Anagallis monellii 'Skylover'

Clematis 'Perle d'Azur'

Lunaria 'Somerset Marble'

Lunaria annua 'Corfu Blue'

Lunaria annua subsp. pachyrhiza

Dahlia 'Labyrinth'

Catalpa bignonioides

Catalpa bignonioides 'Nana'

Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'

Liriope muscari

Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Burgundy Wedding Train'

Viburnum tinus

Impatiens niamniamensis

Primula vulgaris 'Taigetos'

Primula 'Wanda Hose-in-hose'

Viola odorata 'King of Violets'

Last week Tim Fuller of Norfolk nursery The Plantsman's Preference wowed Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis with Ferns, Ivy and wonderful winter foliage. This week - in part two - we turn our attention to flowers, from bulbs to shrubs, most of them amazingly scented.

PLANT LIST

Sarcococca confusa

Sarcococca ruscifolia

Sarcococca saligna

Sarcococca hookeriana 'Winter Gem'

Lonicera standishii 'Budapest'

Tellima grandiflora

Lonicera × purpusii 'Winter Beauty'

Anemone flaccida

Corydalis quantmeyeriana 'Chocolate Star'

Ypsilandra thibetica

Chrysosplenium macrophyllum

Ipheion uniflorum 'Froyle Mill'

Ipheion uniflorum 'Wisley Blue'

Ipheion uniflorum ssp. tandiliense

Iris unguicularis

Ipheion uniflorum 'Miss Hannah'

Ipheion uniflorum 'Hoo House'

Ipheion uniflorum 'Rigel'

Oxalis semiloba

Cornus mas

Cornus officinalis

Sarcococca bleddynii

Anemonoides nemorosa

Anemonoides ranunculoides

Anemone x lipsiensis

If you're in the market for interesting plants to bring greenery to your garden in winter then look no further than Tim Fuller's latest appearance on Talking Dirty.

The South Norfolk-based Nurseryman (The Plantsman's Preference) brings along an amazing array of Ivy, Ferns, Cyclamen and Arums to form a foil to your winter and spring flowers. Next week he's got more of a floral focus in part two and lots of scent to tempt your olfactory senses!

PLANT LIST

Pittosporum 'Irene Paterson'

Linnaea chinensis syn Abelia chinensis

Cenolophium denudatum

Farfugium japonicum 'Wavy Gravy'

Galanthus 'Trumps'

Galanthus plicatus subsp. byzantinus 'Trym'

Galanthus plicatus 'Golden Fleece'

Arum italicum subsp. neglectum 'Chameleon'

Arum italicum

Hedera pastuchovii 'Ann Ala'

Hedera helix 'Buttercup'

Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia'

Hedera helix 'Pink 'n' Curly'

Hedera helix 'Erecta'

Hedera helix 'Very Merry'

Hedera helix 'Silver Ferny'

Hedera hibernica 'Rona'

Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty'

Hedera hibernica 'Spetchley'

Agrostis gramineus 'Ogon'

Acorus gramineus 'Variegatus'

Acorus gramineus 'Yodo-no-yuki'

Cyclamen hederifolium 'Red Sky'

Cyclamen coum

Cyclamen hederifolium 'Silverme Pink'

Crocus tommasinianus

Polypodium cambricum 'Oakleyae'

Asplenium scolopendrium 'Angustatum'

Asplenium scolopendrium 'Golden Queen'

There are few houses that aren't home to an Orchid. But with 28,000 species, distributed in about 763 genera, the world of Orchidaceae goes far beyond Phalaenopsis and Cymbidium.

This week we're joined by Cambridge University Botanic Garden Glasshouse Team Leader Luigi Leoni, and Orchid expert Phil Gould, to see some of the plants wowing the crowds at the moment and share amazing stories behind them. Plus their FLOMO*s for not only the Botanic Garden, but private collections at home.

FLOMO = FLoral/plant-based fear Of Missing Out

PLANT LIST

Strongylodon macrobotrys

Coelia bella

Polystachya tsaratananae

Cattleya

Laelia

Vanda

Dendrobium

Miltonia

Cymbidium iridioides

Cymbidium tracyanum

Angraecum sesquipedale

Bulbophyllum saltatorium var. albociliatum

Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis

Stapelia gigantea

Erythronium 'Joanna'

Calanthe striata

Dendrobium speciosum

Cypripedioideae

Myrmecophila tibicinis

Neomoorea wallisii syn N. irrorata

Laelia anceps

Laelia anceps var veitchiana

Coelogyne

Coelogyne cristata

Coelogyne nitida

Phalaenopsis lowii

Schoenorchis fragrans

Ludisia discolor

Phalaenopsis gigantea

Coryanthes macrantha

Phalaenopsis schilleriana

Phalaenopsis stuartiana

This week Talking Dirty is 'Grasping the Nettle' as Tamsin Westhorpe returns to talk about her new book. Tamsin, who gardens at family plot Stockton Bury in Herefordshire has spent her life caught up professionally and personally in horticulture in almost every way imaginable - from working in Parks and Gardens, to Magazine Editor and everything in between.

Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis giggle their way through her riotous stories and indulge in good old planty chat as usual.

PLANT LIST

Geranium robertianum

Geranium robertianum 'Album'

Cobaea scandens

Eranthis hyemalis 'Pauline'

Galanthus 'S. Arnott'

Galanthus 'Little Dorrit'

Galanthus 'South Hayes' 

Galanthus 'Nothing Special'

WisteriaGalanthus 'Augustus'

NasturtiumIris histriodes 'Katharine Hodgkin' 

Iris reticulata 'Blue Note'

Iris reticulata 'Pauline'

HepaticaGalanthus 'Timms Hill Poë'

Galanthus nivalis 'Green Tear'

Galanthus elwesii 'Godfrey Owen' 

Galanthus elwesii 'Mrs Macnamara'

Galanthus 'Rainbow Yo-Yo'

Galanthus plicatus 'Wandlebury Ring'

Galanthus plicatus 'Wendy's Gold'

Galanthus 'Treasure Island'

Cyclamen coum

Lathyrus odoratus 'Earl Grey'

Lathyrus odoratus, 'Prince Of Orange'

Papaver rhoeas 'Amazing Grey'

Lathyrus odoratus 'Henry Eckford'

Rosa 'Tottering-by-Gently'

Rosa 'Yellow Mutabilis' 

Rosa × odorata 'Mutabilis'

Rosa x odorata 'Bengal Crimson'

Rosa 'A Shropshire Lad'

Rosa 'Munstead Wood'

Galanthus 'Mother Goose'

Galanthus plicatus 'Golden Fleece'

Galanthus 'Primrose Warburg'

After last week's Snowdrop extravaganza, in part two of his Talking Dirty appearance, Brian Ellis is wowing Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis with a whole host of Winter Garden plants...ideal bedfellows for this extensive Snowdrop collection.

From Arums to Eranthis, Hellebores to Hamamelis and Heuchera, there is SO much inspiration for your garden!

Our thanks to Dorset Perennials for allowing us the use of their picture of Brian's FLOMO plant. You can find it on their website here:

https://dorsetperennials.co.uk/product/wulfenia-x-schwarzii/#iLightbox[product-gallery]/4

PLANT LIST

Arum italicum subsp. italicum 'Tiny'

Arum italicum 'Monksilver'

Arum italicum 'Chameleon'

Arum italicum ‘Breiteseite’

Arum 'Hungarian Rhapsodie'

Ribes laurifolium 'Mrs Amy Doncaster'

Ribes sanguineum 'Koja'

Galanthus plicatus 'Amy Doncaster'

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Orange Beauty'

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane'

Hamamelis × intermedia 'Jelena'

Hamamelis vernalis 'Kohankie Red'

Lonicera elisae syn. Lonicera infundibulum var. rockii

Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill'

Rohdea japonica 'Talbot Manor'

Begonia masoniana

Galanthus 'Ophelia'

Galanthus nivalis f. pleniflorus 'Flore Pleno'

Galanthus plicatus

Galanthus nivalis sandersii group ‘Woodpeckers'

Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'

Lunaria annua 'Chedglow'

Hepatica

Ficaria verna 'Crimson Damson'

Heuchera 'Creme Brulee'

Heuchera 'David'

Galanthus 'Matt Bishop'

Arabis ferdinandi-coburgi 'Old Gold'

Carex oshimensis 'Everillo'

Sanicula epipactis syn Hacquetia epipactis

Sanicula epipactis 'Thor'

Euphorbia × martini 'Ascot Rainbow'

Adonis vernalis

Eranthis hyemalis 'Schwefelglanz'

Crocus tommasinianus

Crocus heuffelianus 'Shock Wave'

Helleborus multifidus subsp. hercegovinus

Helleborus x belcheri 'Pink Ice'

Helleborus × nigercors

Helleborus thibetanus

Corydalis popovii

Corydalis 'Korn's Purple'

Corydalis flexuosa 'Craighton Blue'

Corydalis solida 'Gandalf'

Corydalis 'Spinners'

Eranthis hyemalis 'Winterzauber'

Eranthis cilicica

Eranthis hyemalis 'Dooze'

Eranthis hyemalis 'Lady Lamortagne'

Eranthis hyemalis 'Euan Bunclark'

Eranthis hyemalis 'Andenken an Johannes Raschke'

Eranthis hyemalis 'Schwefelglanz'

Eranthis hyemalis 'Pauline'

Galanthus nivalis 'Ecusson D'Or'

Rosa 'Catherine'

Rosa 'For Your Eyes Only'

Rosa persica

Daphne bholua var. glacialis 'Gurkha'

Prunus mume 'Beni-chidori'

Dentaria enneaphyllos syn. Cardamine enneaphyllos

Wulfenia x schwarzii

Eranthis 'Lemon and Lime'

Galanthus plicatus 'Colossus'

Galanthus 'Sentinel'

Galanthus nivalis 'Green Tear'

Galanthus elwesii 'Rosemary Burnham'

Galanthus 'Trumpolute'

Galanthus 'Trym Ingram'

It's peak Snowdrop Season and here on Talking Dirty it looks like we've all caught the fever! Alan Gray has quite the collection at East Ruston Old Vicarage, while Thordis is enjoying her first forays into growing these delightful plants in her small suburban garden.

So this week Galanthophile Brian Ellis is back on Talking Dirty to share some interesting varieties and the stories behind them. And next week he'll share great companion plants in the border, from Eranthis to Corydalis, Hamamelis to Hellebores.

PLANT LIST

Galanthus nivalis 'Anglesey Abbey'

Galanthus plicatus 'Diggory'

Galanthus 'Wasp'

Galanthus 'Lydiard Diana'

Galanthus elwesii 'Kermode Bear'

Galanthus bursanus

Galanthus nivalis 'Blonde Inge'

Galanthus 'Schorbuser Irrlicht'

Galanthus x valentinei 'Chameleon'

Galanthus plicatus 'Glenorma'

Galanthus plicatus 'Ace of Spades'

Galanthus plicatus 'Trym'

Galanthus plicatus 'Trymming'

Galanthus plicatus 'Trymposter'

Galanthus plicatus 'Trymlet'

Galanthus x valentinei 'S. Arnott'

Galanthus 'Franz Joseph'

Galanthus 'Emma Thick'

Galanthus 'Norfolk Yellows'

Galanthus 'Mother Goose'

Galanthus elwesii 'Lynch Green’

Galanthus nivalis 'Funny Justine'

Galanthus 'Lord Lieutenant'

Galanthus nivalis ‘The Alburgh Claw'

Galanthus nivalis f. pleniflorus 'Walrus'

Galanthus 'Medusa'

Galanthus 'Icarus'

Galanthus 'Glenchantress'

Galanthus nivalis 'Wisp'

Galanthus elwesii 'Sybil Stern'

Galanthus plicatus 'Lambrook Greensleeves'

Galanthus x valentinei 'Compu. Ted'

Galanthus 'Arto's Secret'

This week we're heading to the allotment as Rekha Mistry (author, Instagram star and Gardeners' World presenter) joins Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis to talk about her new book 'Rekha's Kitchen Garden'.

Whether you've caught the Grow Your Own bug or not, Rekha is such a joy, as she shares the lessons she's learned and the varieties she loves to grow (plus the tasty dishes she creates with them!)

PLANT LIST

Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)

Calendula

Tagetes patula

Borago officinalis

Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes)

Phaseolus vulgaris 'Yin Yang'

Edamame beans

Capsicum annuum 'Aleppo'

Capsicum annuum 'Padron'

Sweetcorn 'Glass Gem'

Helichrysum bracteatum monstrosum, Mixed

Helichrysum bracteatum 'Salmon Rose'

Helichrysum bracteatum 'Purple Red'

Amaranthus 'Red Army'

Broad Bean 'Crimson Flowered'

In the second part of her latest appearance on Talking Dirty, award-winning garden writer Val Bourne has some fab Fern advice, including choice plants to grow. Plus an array of things on the wishlist for 2023.

*FLOMO = FLoral/plant-based fear Of Missing Out

PLANT LIST

Salvia officinalis 'Berggarten'

Achillea 'Moonshine'

Polypodium cambricum 'Richard Kayse'

Asplenium scolopendrium syn Phyllitis scolopendrium

Polystichum setiferum 'Plumosodensum'

Adiantum raddianum 'Ultragracillium'

Adiantum pedatum

Adiantum aleuticum

Adiantum aleuticum 'Miss Sharples'

Galanthus 'Green of Hearts'

Cornus officinalis

Cornus mas

Adiantum venustum

Anemone nemorosa 'Robinsoniana'

Anemone blanda

Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurascens 'Jingle Bells'

Clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles'

Lapageria rosea

Clematis napaulensis

Clematis cirrhosa var. balearica syn Clematis calycina

Amaranthus tricolor 'Early Splendor'

Seemannia sylvatica

Allium 'Lavender Bubbles'

Limonium 'Dazzle Rocks'

Veronicastrum virginicum 'Fascination'

Veronica spicata 'Christa'

Delphinium 'Alice Artindale'

Delphinium requienii

Lychnis coronaria 'Gardeners' World'

Veronica longifolia 'Marietta'

Kniphofia 'David Blake'

Stipa gigantea

Cornus stolonifera 'Flaviramea'