James and Joe scroll through the digital garden to ask: has social media helped or harmed how we grow? They dig into the positives – inspiration, access, community – before tackling the pitfalls of fake perfection, fast trends, and the “gardenfluencer” effect. From Instagram-worthy borders to real soil under the nails, it’s a sharp, funny look at how the online world shapes our green ones.

AND - James does the most challenging and entertaining accent of all time. It’s near the end, so don’t miss it! 

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.

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

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]⁠.

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

James Alexander-Sinclair and Joe Swift dig into the fascinating – and often perilous – world of 18th and 19th century plant hunters. From Joseph Banks sailing with Captain Cook to Ernest Henry Wilson trekking through China and David Douglas scaling mountains in search of new species, these intrepid explorers risked disease, shipwreck, and worse to bring exotic plants home.

But were they explorers or exploiters? The duo explore the colonial questions behind the collecting craze, reveal the plants we owe to these expeditions – rhododendrons, magnolias, camellias, and more – and discuss how modern-day “plant hunters” work today at Kew and global seed banks to preserve biodiversity.

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.

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

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]⁠.

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

What do landscapers really want when the tea tray comes out – and what should never, ever be offered? James Alexander-Sinclair and Joe Swift tackle the vital subject of garden snacks, from Jaffa Cake compulsions to the heartbreak of a solitary rich tea. They reminisce about the best (and worst) client offerings and reveal which biscuits count as an indecent advance. Plus, your questions answered, as always.

Support James and Joe by becoming a Scribehound Gardening subscriber.⁠⁠

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.About Scribehound GardeningScribehound Gardening is a platform for garden writers to be supported directly by their audience. We are transforming garden writing by giving space for conversations that inspire, surprise, ignite joy and offer genuine human connections.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe now.⁠⁠⁠

Follow Scribehound Gardening on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram.⁠⁠⁠

Contact us: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠.

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

This week, James and Joe face off two autumn legends – Halloween and Bonfire Night. From America’s commercial pumpkin obsession to Britain’s love of fireworks and toffee apples, they debate which celebration really deserves the crown. Expect stories about costumes gone wrong, questionable trick-or-treat tactics, and the surprising world of international firework championships.

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

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe now⁠.

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

Pop star, actor, and now horticulturist - Will Young joins James and Joe as their first-ever guest for a conversation that’s equal parts hilarious and heartfelt. From childhood mini gardens and drunk dads cutting trees to walled gardens, healing through chaos and finding peace in imperfection, Will opens up about how gardening changed his life. Expect laughter, honesty, and a few rogue chainsaws.

BONUS EPISODE WITH WILL YOUNG AVAILABLE to all Scribehound Gardening Subscribers for just £1! James & Joe ask Will about his Dream Garden Party and Will gets stuck in with your listener questions. Go check out the bonus episode, get ad-free listening and all Scribehound Gardening content for £1 here: https://join.scribehound.com/gardening?ref=share&sharer=uu4ouXbbErgc54CBD&shareType=SbzpSgeEBK&channel=gardening%E2%81%A0

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

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

Pop star, actor, and now horticulturist - Will Young joins James and Joe as their first-ever guest for a conversation that’s equal parts hilarious and heartfelt. From childhood mini gardens and drunk dads cutting trees to walled gardens, healing through chaos and finding peace in imperfection, Will opens up about how gardening changed his life. Expect laughter, honesty, and a few rogue chainsaws.

BONUS EPISODE WITH WILL YOUNG AVAILABLE to all Scribehound Gardening Subscribers for just £1! James & Joe ask Will about his Dream Garden Party and Will gets stuck in with your listener questions. Go check out the bonus episode, get ad-free listening and all Scribehound Gardening content for £1 here: https://join.scribehound.com/gardening?ref=share&sharer=uu4ouXbbErgc54CBD&shareType=SbzpSgeEBK&channel=gardening%E2%81%A0

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

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

Pop star, actor, and now horticulturist - Will Young joins James and Joe as their first-ever guest for a conversation that’s equal parts hilarious and heartfelt. From childhood mini gardens and drunk dads cutting trees to walled gardens, healing through chaos and finding peace in imperfection, Will opens up about how gardening changed his life. Expect laughter, honesty, and a few rogue chainsaws.

BONUS EPISODE WITH WILL YOUNG AVAILABLE to all Scribehound Gardening Subscribers for just £1! James & Joe ask Will about his Dream Garden Party and Will gets stuck in with your listener questions. Go check out the bonus episode, get ad-free listening and all Scribehound Gardening content for £1 here: https://join.scribehound.com/gardening?ref=share&sharer=uu4ouXbbErgc54CBD&shareType=SbzpSgeEBK&channel=gardening%E2%81%A0

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

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

Feeling low? Grab a trowel. This week James Alexander-Sinclair and Joe Swift explore the deep connection between gardening and wellbeing. From mud therapy to mindful planting, they share personal stories of how gardens have helped them through tough times, discuss the NHS’s ‘green prescriptions’, and remind us that no garden is ever wrong if it makes you feel better.

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

This week James and Joe bite into the juicy world of orchards - and it’s a feast! From apple trees groaning under the weight of their fruit, to the mysterious medlar (known rather cheekily in French as the dog’s arse), the boys cover it all with their usual blend of knowledge, stories and silliness. It’s part horticultural wisdom, part comedy of errors, and all orchard goodness. Grab a glass of apple juice (or maybe just a russet from the table outside) and join in!

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

An action-packed episode in which James does an impression of a fern, Joe gets into a barney in a bathroom and they both explain why one must never stool a eucalypt. Plus: some practical advice about choosing spring bulbs. Whatever next?!

⁠Support James and Joe by becoming a Scribehound Gardening subscriber.⁠⁠

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.

About Scribehound Gardening

Scribehound Gardening is a platform for garden writers to be supported directly by their audience. We are transforming garden writing by giving space for conversations that inspire, surprise, ignite joy and offer genuine human connections.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe now.⁠⁠⁠

Follow Scribehound Gardening on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram.⁠⁠⁠

Contact us: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠.

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