Is it ever okay to have a plastic owl in your tree? What is the secret to placing sculpture without looking like you’re trying too hard? And why are some of you planting your underwear? We explore the fine, often blurry line between high-end abstract art and the "tut and tat" that haunts our sheds.

In this episode:

The Gnome Controversy: Did the King really force Chelsea to bring them back?

Sculpture 101: Why empty pots are art, but planted-up toilets are... well, something else entirely.

Pest Control or Pure Kitsch: Are plastic herons and balloons actually doing anything, or just scaring the neighbours?

The "Jekyll" Gnome: A look back at the original garden-gnome drama.

James & Joe’s Personal Collections: The good, the bad, and the slightly unhinged pieces lurking in our own gardens.

Have a piece of kitsch you’re secretly proud of? Let us know on socials!

This episode is sponsored by Kress, leaders in robotic lawnmowing and battery landscaping tools. Learn more here: https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

About our hosts

James Alexander-Sinclair is a garden designer, writer and broadcaster. He is an RHS Vice-President and was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to horticulture in 2022. He is the RHS Ambassador for Garden Design and a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers.

Joe Swift is a familiar face on television as a presenter of BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World and other gardening programmes. He is a garden designer, broadcaster, writer and design director of Modular.

Support James and Joe by becoming a member of The Garden Collective - a community for anyone who loves plants, gardens and sharing what they love - a place where experts and fellow gardeners all come together to inspire, entertain and keep us company whilst we’re weeding (or staring out of the window at the rain).

You'll get access to articles written by some great gardeners, live Q&A sessions, livestreams, podcasts and loads more.

It’s more than a platform - it’s a place where we can answer questions, offer biscuits and share our triumphs and disasters.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe now⁠: https://join.scribehound.com/gardening?ref=share&sharer=uu4ouXbbErgc54CBD&shareType=SbzpSgeEBK&channel=gardening%E2%81%A0

Follow James & Joe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesandjoegarden/

Follow The Garden Collective on ⁠⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garden_collective_/

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the boys are diving deep into the listener mailbag to rescue a frustrated subscriber from a bureaucratic nightmare, investigate a neighbour utilising military-grade precision on a front lawn, and honour a beloved friend of the show.In this episode:

The Planning Inspectorate Stand-Off: Will from Oxfordshire is being formally mandated by the government to rip up his healthy Prunus serrula and mature hedge to lay down a pristine, unsustainable lawn. James and Joe immediately advocate for direct action—specifically, gluing oneself to the beautifully polished mahogany bark.

The Desert Island Luxury Pivot: Joe calls out James' historical choice of taking "a large quantity of York stone paving" to a desert island, leading to a new strategy involving Fred Astaire’s tap dancing catalog and a highly practical (but potentially illegal) fishing rod.

The Laser-Levelled Lawn: A neighbour is spotted using a spirit level and a laser line to mow their front yard. Joe breaks down why a flat lawn is completely useless for a putting green, while James remembers his father's bizarre habit of signing the family name "Liversedge" into household dust.

The Death of the Pure Nursery: Toby from Aberdeen vents about the corporate takeover of garden centers by John Lewis lifestyle aesthetics. Joe reveals the actual margin on a £3 cup of coffee and calculates food costs strictly "by the mouthful."

Housing Association Turf Wars: Sarah from Manchester is judging a local garden competition. Co-Chair of Assessors James shares a cautionary tale of judging an anonymous flower show that nearly required a security detail, before providing a bulletproof breakdown of how a clipboard and a rigorous point system can save you from neighborhood politics.

Remembering Matthew Biggs: James and Joe take a heartfelt, reflective moment to pay tribute to the late, great Matthew Biggs—the warmest, funniest plant hunter to ever grace the stage at Malvern.

This episode is sponsored by Kress, leaders in robotic lawnmowing and battery landscaping tools. Learn more here: https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

About our hosts

James Alexander-Sinclair is a garden designer, writer and broadcaster. He is an RHS Vice-President and was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to horticulture in 2022. He is the RHS Ambassador for Garden Design and a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers.

Joe Swift is a familiar face on television as a presenter of BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World and other gardening programmes. He is a garden designer, broadcaster, writer and design director of Modular.

Support James and Joe by becoming a member of The Garden Collective - a community for anyone who loves plants, gardens and sharing what they love - a place where experts and fellow gardeners all come together to inspire, entertain and keep us company whilst we’re weeding (or staring out of the window at the rain).

You'll get access to articles written by some great gardeners, live Q&A sessions, livestreams, podcasts and loads more.

It’s more than a platform - it’s a place where we can answer questions, offer biscuits and share our triumphs and disasters.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe now⁠: https://join.scribehound.com/gardening?ref=share&sharer=uu4ouXbbErgc54CBD&shareType=SbzpSgeEBK&channel=gardening%E2%81%A0

Follow James & Joe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesandjoegarden/

Follow The Garden Collective on ⁠⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garden_collective_/

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh from the world's most prestigious showground, James and Joe are back to completely deconstruct the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026. After a week where national tabloids picked up their last episode and accused Joe of launching a "scathing, fiery rant" against David Beckham and the BBC, Joe uses his right to reply to set the record straight on why he actually stepped down from the TV coverage after 24 years.

Meanwhile, James - reigning supreme as this year's Co-Chair of Assessors - takes us inside the hyper-exclusive, highly secretive world of Main Avenue judging.

This episode is sponsored by Kress, leaders in robotic lawnmowing and battery landscaping tools. Learn more here: https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

About our hosts

James Alexander-Sinclair is a garden designer, writer and broadcaster. He is an RHS Vice-President and was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to horticulture in 2022. He is the RHS Ambassador for Garden Design and a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers.

Joe Swift is a familiar face on television as a presenter of BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World and other gardening programmes. He is a garden designer, broadcaster, writer and design director of Modular.

Support James and Joe by becoming a member of The Garden Collective - a community for anyone who loves plants, gardens and sharing what they love - a place where experts and fellow gardeners all come together to inspire, entertain and keep us company whilst we’re weeding (or staring out of the window at the rain).

You'll get access to articles written by some great gardeners, live Q&A sessions, livestreams, podcasts and loads more.

It’s more than a platform - it’s a place where we can answer questions, offer biscuits and share our triumphs and disasters.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe now⁠: https://join.scribehound.com/gardening?ref=share&sharer=uu4ouXbbErgc54CBD&shareType=SbzpSgeEBK&channel=gardening%E2%81%A0

Follow James & Joe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesandjoegarden/

Follow The Garden Collective on ⁠⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garden_collective_/

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James and Joe are back for another "unhinged" Q&A. With Joe calling in from a hotel room (and struggling with a single device for both recording and reading), James takes the lead on the accents, the questions, and the "perfectly unreasonable" answers.

In this episode:

The "Horticultural Bore" Threshold: Scarlett from Northampton asks when the transition from "contemporary" to "old bore" is complete. James reveals the true litmus test: Do you like Alpines yet?

The Mystery of the Ghostly Trowels: A listener from Edinburgh finds random tools buried in their beds. Joe reflects on the "Brookside" husband-under-the-patio trope and the actual treasure they've found, from Victorian oyster shells to poison bottles.

Scent & Memory: Sarah from Manchester (via Australia) asks about the power of smell. Joe talks about cut grass and football pitches, while James recalls the "musty humidity" of greenhouses and his grandmother's waxy Hoya plant.

The Rhubarb Ribbon Revolution: An amazing tip from a listener in Hawaii/Oregon—making "cordage" (that’s string for the unpretentious) out of dried daylilies and crimson rhubarb ribbons.

Front Garden Veggie Wars: Nigel from Derby wants a front-yard veg patch, but his wife thinks it’s "not the done thing." Joe gives a masterclass in how to sell it as a "Potager" to avoid the "keeping up appearances" drama.

Royal Near-Misses: James recounts the time he nearly took out the Queen with an extravagant elbow gesture at Chelsea and the terrifying physics of a vibrating glass garden floor.

Follow, rate and subscribe on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode is sponsored by Kress, leaders in robotic lawnmowing and battery landscaping tools. Learn more here: https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

About our hosts

James Alexander-Sinclair is a garden designer, writer and broadcaster. He is an RHS Vice-President and was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to horticulture in 2022. He is the RHS Ambassador for Garden Design and a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers.

Joe Swift is a familiar face on television as a presenter of BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World and other gardening programmes. He is a garden designer, broadcaster, writer and design director of Modular.

Support James and Joe by becoming a member of The Garden Collective - a community for anyone who loves plants, gardens and sharing what they love - a place where experts and fellow gardeners all come together to inspire, entertain and keep us company whilst we’re weeding (or staring out of the window at the rain).

You'll get access to articles written by some great gardeners, live Q&A sessions, livestreams, podcasts and loads more.

It’s more than a platform - it’s a place where we can answer questions, offer biscuits and share our triumphs and disasters.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe now⁠: https://join.scribehound.com/gardening?ref=share&sharer=uu4ouXbbErgc54CBD&shareType=SbzpSgeEBK&channel=gardening%E2%81%A0

Follow James & Joe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesandjoegarden/

Follow The Garden Collective on ⁠⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garden_collective_/

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James and Joe are in high spirits as the "Flower Show Season" officially kicks off. With Joe calling in from a BBC-funded hotel in Tewkesbury and James gearing up for his 20th year of judging, this episode dives into the chaotic, glamorous, and occasionally freezing world of the Chelsea Flower Show.

In this episode:

The Malvern Warm-up: Joe shares his "smart day" filming schedule at Malvern and why James is relieved to be skipping the stage after 20 years of "three grannies" in the audience.

Thirty Years of Chelsea: Joe reflects on 24 years of filming and James on two decades of judging. James reveals how a rude complaint to the RHS head of shows accidentally landed him a judging gig.

The Front-Right Tree Rule: The boys share a legendary show-garden secret: why a tree in the front-right corner is the ultimate "tantalizing" design move.

Logistics & "Ronald McDonald": Meet Steve, the traffic legend who keeps 15-ton trees moving on an 11-acre site, and why the embankment turns into an articulated lorry graveyard.

The Gala & The Stars: James’ "indiscreet" wedding at the Royal Hospital, Joe’s invite from The Times, and a look at David Beckham’s upcoming appearance on a garden designed by the brilliant (and potentially exhausted) Frances Tophill.

Canteen Secrets: Why the "Exhibitors Restaurant" has gone from "rough" to "delicious," and James’ tradition of throwing Haribo (and nuts for the vegans) at landscaping teams to keep them moving.

Follow, rate and subscribe on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode is sponsored by Kress, leaders in robotic lawnmowing and battery landscaping tools. Learn more here: https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

About our hosts

James Alexander-Sinclair is a garden designer, writer and broadcaster. He is an RHS Vice-President and was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to horticulture in 2022. He is the RHS Ambassador for Garden Design and a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers.

Joe Swift is a familiar face on television as a presenter of BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World and other gardening programmes. He is a garden designer, broadcaster, writer and design director of Modular.

Support James and Joe by becoming a member of The Garden Collective - a community for anyone who loves plants, gardens and sharing what they love - a place where experts and fellow gardeners all come together to inspire, entertain and keep us company whilst we’re weeding (or staring out of the window at the rain).

You'll get access to articles written by some great gardeners, live Q&A sessions, livestreams, podcasts and loads more.

It’s more than a platform - it’s a place where we can answer questions, offer biscuits and share our triumphs and disasters.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe now⁠: https://join.scribehound.com/gardening?ref=share&sharer=uu4ouXbbErgc54CBD&shareType=SbzpSgeEBK&channel=gardening%E2%81%A0

Follow James & Joe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesandjoegarden/

Follow The Garden Collective on ⁠⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garden_collective_/

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we’re answering your perfectly unreasonable questions while James attempts to explain why he treads on his compost bags to get an extra 10 litres of value.

In this episode:

The "Horticultural Bore" Transition: Scarlett from Northampton asks at what age we officially become "bores." Joe and James debate the warning signs - is it the corduroy trousers, the interest in heritage potatoes, or the sudden, inexplicable love for Alpines?

Lush Cornish Jungles: James from Cornwall is worried his garden is becoming a Jurassic Park set. The boys discuss "machete gardening" and why the Lost Gardens of Heligan stayed lost for so long.

Chelsea Survival Kit: Georgina from Oxfordshire is heading to the Chelsea Flower Show with "financial dread." Joe offers a Martin Lewis-style savings plan: take out cash, leave your credit card at home, and whatever you do, buy a Horatio’s Garden mug.

The Hedgehog Census: A shocking fact about 1950s hedgehogs vs. modern wood pigeons. Plus, Joe’s footage of a resident hedgehog in his "March update."

Follow, rate and subscribe on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode is sponsored by Kress, leaders in robotic lawnmowing and battery landscaping tools. Learn more here: https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

About our hosts

James Alexander-Sinclair is a garden designer, writer and broadcaster. He is an RHS Vice-President and was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to horticulture in 2022. He is the RHS Ambassador for Garden Design and a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers.

Joe Swift is a familiar face on television as a presenter of BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World and other gardening programmes. He is a garden designer, broadcaster, writer and design director of Modular.

Support James and Joe by becoming a member of The Garden Collective - a community for anyone who loves plants, gardens and sharing what they love - a place where experts and fellow gardeners all come together to inspire, entertain and keep us company whilst we’re weeding (or staring out of the window at the rain).

You'll get access to articles written by some great gardeners, live Q&A sessions, livestreams, podcasts and loads more.

It’s more than a platform - it’s a place where we can answer questions, offer biscuits and share our triumphs and disasters.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe now⁠: https://join.scribehound.com/gardening?ref=share&sharer=uu4ouXbbErgc54CBD&shareType=SbzpSgeEBK&channel=gardening%E2%81%A0

Follow James & Joe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesandjoegarden/

Follow The Garden Collective on ⁠⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garden_collective_/

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James and Joe are digging into the future of horticulture - or at least the part where we can sit in a hammock while a machine does the "bloody" mowing. From Joe’s "Doofy" the robot mop to James’ beloved "Kressida" the mower, the boys explore whether technology is a blessing or a way to distance ourselves from the soul of our gardens.

Follow, rate and subscribe on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode is sponsored by Kress, leaders in robotic lawnmowing and battery landscaping tools. Learn more here: https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

About our hosts

James Alexander-Sinclair is a garden designer, writer and broadcaster. He is an RHS Vice-President and was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to horticulture in 2022. He is the RHS Ambassador for Garden Design and a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers.

Joe Swift is a familiar face on television as a presenter of BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World and other gardening programmes. He is a garden designer, broadcaster, writer and design director of Modular.

Support James and Joe by becoming a member of The Garden Collective - a community for anyone who loves plants, gardens and sharing what they love - a place where experts and fellow gardeners all come together to inspire, entertain and keep us company whilst we’re weeding (or staring out of the window at the rain).

You'll get access to articles written by some great gardeners, live Q&A sessions, livestreams, podcasts and loads more.

It’s more than a platform - it’s a place where we can answer questions, offer biscuits and share our triumphs and disasters.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe now⁠: https://join.scribehound.com/gardening?ref=share&sharer=uu4ouXbbErgc54CBD&shareType=SbzpSgeEBK&channel=gardening%E2%81%A0

Follow James & Joe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesandjoegarden/

Follow The Garden Collective on ⁠⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garden_collective_/

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to the James & Joe Garden Show, where the rules are made up and the singing is (mostly) banned by court order of James’ wife. This week, we’re answering your questions with our trademark blend of dapper charm and "bloody" bad advice. From the hidden paths of York Gate to the sewers of London, we’re digging deep.

In this episode:

The York Gate Connection: James admits to "stealing" path designs from the legendary Perennial garden, York Gate. Plus, the rise of the "Sand Garden" trend—is it a revolution or just a weed-filled sandpit?

The Traveling Gnome: Kathy from Yorkshire wants to send her gnome on an Amélie-style world tour. James suggests Machu Picchu; Joe suggests a plumbing-challenged rocket to the moon.

The Mystery of the Drowning Worms: Andrea from Lancashire has a pond full of stinking, dead worms. Joe thinks they’re stupid; James thinks there’s a bird "refrigerator" conspiracy or a child with a fishing rod involved.

A Canadian Winter: Jackie from Ontario asks if she’s "naughty" for gardening after four months of snow. The boys discuss "snuggling" as a winter hobby and the mental health cost of being snowbound.

The Main Event: A Royal Rumble of gardening legends. Can Charlie Dimmock take down Christine Walkden? Is Carol Klein the ultimate cage fighter? And why is Tommy Walsh disqualified for dirty goalkeeping?

Follow, rate and subscribe on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode is sponsored by Kress, leaders in robotic lawnmowing and battery landscaping tools. Learn more here: https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

About our hosts

James Alexander-Sinclair is a garden designer, writer and broadcaster. He is an RHS Vice-President and was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to horticulture in 2022. He is the RHS Ambassador for Garden Design and a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers.

Joe Swift is a familiar face on television as a presenter of BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World and other gardening programmes. He is a garden designer, broadcaster, writer and design director of Modular.

Support James and Joe by becoming a member of The Garden Collective - a community for anyone who loves plants, gardens and sharing what they love - a place where experts and fellow gardeners all come together to inspire, entertain and keep us company whilst we’re weeding (or staring out of the window at the rain).

You'll get access to articles written by some great gardeners, live Q&A sessions, livestreams, podcasts and loads more.It’s more than a platform - it’s a place where we can answer questions, offer biscuits and share our triumphs and disasters.⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe now⁠: https://join.scribehound.com/gardening?ref=share&sharer=uu4ouXbbErgc54CBD&shareType=SbzpSgeEBK&channel=gardening%E2%81%A0

Follow James & Joe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesandjoegarden/

Follow The Garden Collective on ⁠⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garden_collective_/

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James and Joe are back, and per James’ wife’s instructions, the singing has been (mostly) binned. This week, the boys tackle a thorny question: Who actually has the rubber stamp that declares a garden "Great"? Is it a committee over a long lunch, or is it the snogging teenagers behind the topiary at Sissinghurst?

Follow, rate and subscribe on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode is sponsored by Kress, leaders in robotic lawnmowing and battery landscaping tools. Learn more here: https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

About our hosts

James Alexander-Sinclair is a garden designer, writer and broadcaster. He is an RHS Vice-President and was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to horticulture in 2022. He is the RHS Ambassador for Garden Design and a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers.

Joe Swift is a familiar face on television as a presenter of BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World and other gardening programmes. He is a garden designer, broadcaster, writer and design director of Modular.

Support James and Joe by becoming a member of The Garden Collective - a community for anyone who loves plants, gardens and sharing what they love - a place where experts and fellow gardeners all come together to inspire, entertain and keep us company whilst we’re weeding (or staring out of the window at the rain).

You'll get access to articles written by some great gardeners, live Q&A sessions, livestreams, podcasts and loads more.It’s more than a platform - it’s a place where we can answer questions, offer biscuits and share our triumphs and disasters.⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe now⁠: https://join.scribehound.com/gardening?ref=share&sharer=uu4ouXbbErgc54CBD&shareType=SbzpSgeEBK&channel=gardening%E2%81%A0

Follow James & Joe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesandjoegarden/

Follow The Garden Collective on ⁠⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garden_collective_/

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by Kress, leaders in robotic lawnmowing and battery landscaping tools. Learn more here: https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

About our hosts

James Alexander-Sinclair is a garden designer, writer and broadcaster. He is an RHS Vice-President and was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to horticulture in 2022. He is the RHS Ambassador for Garden Design and a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers.

Joe Swift is a familiar face on television as a presenter of BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World and other gardening programmes. He is a garden designer, broadcaster, writer and design director of Modular.

Support James and Joe by becoming a member of The Garden Collective - a community for anyone who loves plants, gardens and sharing what they love - a place where experts and fellow gardeners all come together to inspire, entertain and keep us company whilst we’re weeding (or staring out of the window at the rain).

You'll get access to articles written by some great gardeners, live Q&A sessions, livestreams, podcasts and loads more.It’s more than a platform - it’s a place where we can answer questions, offer biscuits and share our triumphs and disasters.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe now⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://join.scribehound.com/gardening?ref=share&sharer=uu4ouXbbErgc54CBD&shareType=SbzpSgeEBK&channel=gardening%E2%81%A0 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices