Talking Dirty

Time for Part Two of our Alpine Extravaganza with Paul Spriggs and Kenton J Seth. The pair have decades of Crevice Garden experience between them, captured in their book 'The Crevice Garden' from Filbert Press.

Last week we took a look at their plots at home; this week we hear about more of their favourite Crevice Garden plants and their FLOMO*

*FLOMO = the FLower or plant that gives you a fear Of Missing Out

PLANT LIST

Eriogonum ovalifolium

Delosperma

Mesembryanthemum

Echinocereus triglochidiatus

Trichocereus

Opuntia

Moltkia petraea

Asplenium ceterach

Helichrysum milfordiae

Dionysia

Bolax (Azorella) gummifera

Silene acaulis

Pleione

Crevice Gardens are on the rise and whether you're creating a small version in a trough or Crevice Gardening on a giant scale, they provide excellent opportunities to grow some amazing plants. This week's guests joining Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis certainly know their Crevice Gardens and their Alpine Plants. Paul Spriggs and Kenton J Seth are the brains behind 'The Crevice Garden' book from Filbert Press. Join us as we not only chat about the book, but take a look at both of their Crevice Gardens at home in Colorado and British Columbia.

PLANT LIST

Arenaria montana

Acantholimon trojanum

Achillea ageratifolia

Dianthus gratianopolitanus

Dianthus microlepis

Epilobium canum syn Zauschneria californica

Hormathophylla spinosa

Globularia cordifolia

Agave parryi v couesii

Echinocereus

Sclerocactus parviflorus

Eriogonum heermannii

Achnatherum hymenoides

Festuca ovina

With the publication of his much-anticipated new book 'No Dig', Charles Dowding joins Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis to share amazing insight into the soil we grow our precious plants in, and also Show and Tell some of his favourite varieties from his plot this year.

PLANT LIST

Brussel Sprout 'Evesham Special'

Celery 'Victoria' F1

Beetroot 'Boltardy' 

Tomato 'Sun Heart'

Aubergine 'De Barbentane'

Snack Pepper 'Flynn'

Apple 'Ribston Pippin'

Plum 'Coe's Golden Drop' 

Tomato 'Brandywine'

Melon 'Ogen'

Radicchio '506 TT' 

Amaranthus 'Red Army'

Mike Clifford returns with a bumper crop of unusual plants. We've got leaves as big as dinner plates and flowers like ducks wearing bonnets! Plus a FLOMO* inspired by a trip to RHS Wisley.

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

PLANT LIST

Pterospermum acerifolium

Aristolochia fimbriata

Ricinus communis

Hoffmannia ghiesbreghtii

Coniogramme emeiensis

Brillantaisia ulugurica Lindau

Lobelia giberroa

Dendroseris litoralis

Begonia luxurians

Phytolacca americana 'Variegata'

Solenostemon 'Redhead'

Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Pink Chaos'

Solenostemon 'Fishnet Stockings' 

Begonia 'Red Undies'

Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow'

Cereus jamacaru 'Spiralis'

Crassula lycopodioides variegata

Crassula perfoliata var. falcata

Aloe polyphylla

Deppea splendens

Tithonia rotundifolia

Schismatoglottis wallichii

Carex trifida 'Rekohu Sunrise'

Synadenium compactum var. rubrum

Manihot grahamii

Brassaiopsis dumicola

Brassaiopsis mitis

Brassaiopsis hispida

Eccremocarpus scaber

Mike Clifford is back on Talking Dirty. The master grower of unusual and rare plants has some fabulous things to show and tell, from rare Strobilanthes to a bleeding flower. And great propagation and plant care tips as well.

Part two follows next week with more fabulous plants and FLOMO*!

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

PLANT LIST

Nesocodon mauritianus

Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia

Begonia luxurians

Brillantaisia

Strobilanthes gossypinus

Strobilanthes lactea

Colocasia esculenta 'Pharaoh's Mask'

Zantedeschia aethiopica 'African Gold'

Vasconcellea pubescens

Wercklea ferox

Cecropia pachystachya

Musanga cecropioides

Balsa tree - Ochroma pyramidale

Paulownia tomentosa

Something a bit different this week on The Talking Dirty Podcast. You may have heard a couple of weeks ago Jimi Blake popped to East Ruston Old Vicarage to take a look around with Alan Gray.

Afterwards, before Jimi shot off to Beth Chatto's garden in Essex for a Symposium on Rewilding, the pair sat down to share some of their thoughts from the day.

PLANT LIST

Lophosoria quadripinnata

Dicksonia antarctica

Pteris wallichiana

Ricinus communis 'Blue Buddha'

Lobelia tupa

Romneya coulteri

Brassaiopsis mitis

Tetrapanax papyrifer 'Rex'

Agave montana

Amaranthus cruentus 'Hot Biscuits'

Papaver commutatum 'Ladybird'

Salvia microphylla

Salvia confertiflora

Salvia curviflora

Meconopsis betonicifolia

Time for Part Two of our fun-filled, plant-tastic trip around Derry Watkins' Gravel Garden at Special Plants.

Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis are particularly inspired, considering the drought they've both experienced in East Anglia this summer! Look out for some of these plants at East Ruston in coming years...

PLANT LIST

Potentilla × hopwoodiana

Allium senescens ssp. montanum

Geranium incanum

Limonium latifolium

Limonium sinuatum 'Apricot Beauty'

Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'

Stipa barbata

Morina longifolia

Nicotiana mutabilis

Eschscholzia californica coastal form

Zauschneria californica

Erigeron karvinskianus

Agastache rupestris

Tropaeolum polyphyllum

Epilobium glabellum

Lablab purpureus

Erodium 'Fran's Choice'

Scabiosa argentea

Verbascum roripifolium

Scutellaria suffrutescens 'Texas Rose'

Dianthus 'Chomley Farran'

Euphorbia rigida

Eryngium maritimum

Glaucium corniculatum

Seseli gummiferum

Allium schubertii

Schizachyrium scoparium 'Prairie Blues'

Schizachyrium scoparium 'Standing Ovation'

Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'

Verbena officinalis var. grandiflora 'Bampton'

Romneya

Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea'

Restio

Erythrina crista-galli

Spigelia marilandica

Ficus carica 'Jolly Tiger'

Origanum 'Kent Beauty'

The Wonder Woman returns! Derry Watkins of Special Plants is always inspiring and this week, returning to chat with Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis, is no different.

Last time she appeared we took a tour of some of her garden, but we were left wanting more...we only just glimpsed the gravel garden before phone battery forced us to head inside. So this time round we're dedicating the podcast to her drought-tolerant plants...and what a list of plants it is!

Part two arrives next week with yet more inspiration!

PLANT LIST

Phlox paniculata 'Blue Paradise'

Trachelospermum asiaticum

Salvia greggii 'Stormy Pink'

Paeonia cambessedesii

Salvia rosmarinus 'Green Ginger'

Ugni molinae

Eryngium 'Pen Blue'

Eryngium × oliverianum

Eryngium bourgatii Graham Stuart Thomas's selection

Salvia yangii (Perovskia atriplicifolia)

Cephalaria transylvanica

Erythrina crista-galli

Albizia julibrissin

Iochroma fuchsioides

Sonchus fruticosus

Verbascum roripifolium

Euphorbia 'Blue Dome'

Salvia 'Nachtvlinder'

Corydalis ochroleuca

Stipa gigantea

Origanum 'Kent Beauty'

Bougainvillea

Parahebe perfoliata

Geranium incanum

Last week Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis heard about Jack Wallington's new garden near Hebden Bridge. This week we're taking a trip through some of his favourite plants of the moment, from those he's grown from seed to new planty purchases.

PLANT LIST

Monarda didyma 'Panama'

Monarda 'Cambridge Scarlet'

Astrantia

Pittosporum

Agapanthus

Eucalyptus

Foeniculum vulgare

Trachycarpus fortunei

Verbena bonariensis

Ricinus communis

Jacobaea vulgaris

Leucanthemum vulgare

Heracleum sphondylium

Vicia sepium

Geranium × oxonianum

Thalictrum Splendide White

Helenium 'Waltraut'

Dahlia 'Magenta Star'

Dahlia merckii

Dahlia 'Waltzing Mathilda'

Prunella vulgaris

Leucadendron argenteum

Ficus carica 'Jolly Tiger'

A brand new guest this week for The Talking Dirty Podcast. Jack Wallington is a horticultural powerhouse - Landscape Designer, Author and Wildflower lover - he's got heaps of enthusiasm and knowledge to share.

This week we get to hear about his new adventures near Hebden Bridge, the challenges of his new garden and how he incorporates Wildflowers into the mix.

Next week more wonders from Monardas to Dieramas and extra Wildflowers!

PLANT LIST

Allium porrum 'Musselburgh'

Allium porrum 'Saint Victor'

Pastinaca sativa

Allium schoenoprasum

Allium schoenoprasum 'Pink Bere'

Allium schoenoprasum 'Wallington White'

Allium schoenoprasum f. albiflorum

Allium stipitatum 'White Giant'

Allium stipitatum 'Mount Everest'

Brassica oleracea 'Red Russian'

Brassica oleracea 'Nero di Toscana'

Reseda luteola

Reseda odorata

Veronicastrum virginicum 'Diane'

Veronicastrum virginicum 'Album'

Persicaria amplexicaulis 'September Spires'