Will dogs ruin your flowerbeds? Should cats be banned to save garden wildlife? And why do snakes love James's doorstep? Find out the answers to these and many other pressing issues in this week's show, in which hosts James Alexander-Sinclair and Joe Swift discuss the pros and cons of animals in the garden. Plus they answer your questions, including alternatives to a bunch of roses as a romantic gift, whether naked sunbathing is OK and why Photinia 'Red Robin' needs to get the chop.

Support James and Joe by becoming a Scribehound Gardening subscriber

About the 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.

Spring offer: Try one month for £1 followed by 40% off an annual subscription!

⁠Subscribe now.⁠

Follow Scribehound Gardening on ⁠Instagram.⁠

Contact us: [email protected].

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Whether you've got a tiny patio or several acres to play with, growing fruit trees offers entrance to a tasty array of fruits that you can't buy in the supermarket, from medlars to mulberries. Expert grower Mark Diacono chats to Jane Perrone, sharing his tips on how to plan your dream orchard from scratch, covering everything from rootstocks to pollination groups. You can ⁠read the article Mark is discussing in this episode here.

Mark Diacono is a multi-award winning writer who spends most of his time growing, eating, writing and talking about food. He tends a Devonshire garden dominated by unusual, delicious perennials. Support Mark on Scribehound Gardening.

Jane Perrone is head of inspiration at Scribehound Gardening. Support Jane on Scribehound Gardening.

Find out more about ⁠Scribehound Gardening.⁠

Follow ⁠Scribehound Gardening on Instagram.⁠

Contact us: [email protected]

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They are the majestic centrepieces of our gardens, but do we even know the difference between a tree and a shrub? Hosts James Alexander-Sinclair and Joe Swift discuss the joys of tree planting, reveal their favourite species and answer your questions, including how to care for a tree fern, how to get revenge on an annoying neighbour and what to do about a smelly tree. Support James and Joe by becoming a Scribehound Gardening subscriber.

About the 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.

Spring offer: Try one month for £1 followed by 40% off an annual subscription!⁠

Subscribe now.⁠

Follow Scribehound Gardening on ⁠Instagram.⁠

Contact us: [email protected].

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

When comedy writer Jan Etherington's husband Gavin was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, she decided to take up the task of tending their garden. Jan talks to Jane Perrone about the joys and challenges of learning all about plants - and writing about it on Scribehound. Read the article by Jan that we discuss in this episode here.

Jan Etherington is a comedy writer whose long-running Radio 4 series Conversations From A Long Marriage stars Joanna Lumley. She lives on the Suffolk coast with her husband Gavin. Support Jan on Scribehound Gardening.

Jane Perrone is head of inspiration at Scribehound Gardening. ⁠Support Jane on Scribehound Gardening.⁠

Find out more about ⁠⁠Scribehound Gardening.⁠⁠

Follow ⁠⁠Scribehound Gardening on Instagram.⁠⁠

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]

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Wild and woolly or bare and minimalist? Hosts James Alexander-Sinclair and Joe Swift discuss how our choices on everything from shrubs to sculpture dictate your garden's character. Plus they dissect different garden styles, from the sofa-on-the-grass 'Shameless' garden to the 'outdoor room' beloved of footballers' wives.

Plus - James and Joe tackle your gardening dilemmas, including what to grow for a bird garden, are supermarket plants worth it, and a zesty question about a lemon tree.⁠Support James and Joe by becoming a Scribehound Gardening subscriber⁠.

Want to earn your very own Scribehound Gardening gnome?

Submit your gardening queries to James and Joe at ⁠[email protected]⁠. We’ll send a gnome to anyone whose question gets read out on air. Just remember when you’re formulating your emails - James and Joe don’t do dead things!

About the 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.

Spring offer: Try one month for £1 followed by 40% off an annual subscription!⁠

Subscribe now.⁠

Follow Scribehound Gardening on ⁠Instagram.⁠

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]⁠

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

Anna Greenland joins Jane Perrone to talk about highs and lows of growing salads for a Michelin-starred chef. Find out Anna's tips for tending your own salads at home and why growing chicons isn't for the faint-hearted. You can read the article by Anna discussed in this episode here.

Anna Greenland is an organic vegetable grower, gardener and writer. For over 15 years she has grown produce for chefs like Raymond Blanc and Jamie Oliver: now she is bringing her own Suffolk small-holding to life. Support Anna on Scribehound Gardening.

Jane Perrone is head of inspiration at Scribehound Gardening. Support Jane on Scribehound Gardening.

Find out more about ⁠Scribehound Gardening.⁠

Follow ⁠Scribehound Gardening on Instagram.⁠

Contact us: [email protected]

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

From robot mowing to scything, scarifying to aeration, lawns are an integral part of the British gardening experience. But where do they fit into horticulture in 2025? Hosts James Alexander-Sinclair and Joe Swift offer up a potted history of the lawn, reveal the unusual name James gave his robot mower, and discuss the pros and cons of No Mow May. Plus - James and Joe tackle your gardening questions, including overrated garden trends and how many houseplants is too many.⁠

Support James and Joe by becoming a Scribehound Gardening subscriber⁠.

Want to earn your very own Scribehound Gardening gnome?

Submit your gardening queries to James and Joe at ⁠[email protected]⁠. We’ll send a gnome to anyone whose question gets read out on air. Just remember when you’re formulating your emails - James and Joe don’t do dead things!

About the 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.

Spring offer: Try one month for £1 followed by 40% off an annual subscription!⁠

Subscribe now.⁠

Follow Scribehound Gardening on ⁠Instagram.⁠

Contact us: ⁠[email protected]⁠

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

Would you love to start researching your garden's history? Find out how in this chat with Sandra Lawrence. She joins Jane Perrone to talk about how the Victorians solved London's sewage problems - and how this links into horticulture. You can read the article by Sandra discussed in this episode here.

Sandra is a garden writer, garden historian and the author of many books including 'Miss Willmott's Ghosts', a biography of the influential horticulturist Ellen Willmott. Support Sandra Lawrence on Scribehound Gardening.

Jane Perrone is head of inspiration at Scribehound Gardening. ⁠Support Jane on Scribehound Gardening.⁠

Find out more about ⁠⁠Scribehound Gardening.⁠⁠

Follow ⁠⁠Scribehound Gardening on Instagram.⁠⁠

Contact us: [email protected]

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

Hosts James Alexander-Sinclair and Joe Swift discuss the horticultural rollercoaster that is the Chelsea Flower Show. They dissect everything from the perils of judging to the rush of the plant selloff at the end of the week. Listen out for hilarious anecdotes garnered from years of working at the world's most prestigious flower show.

Plus - James and Joe tackle your gardening queries, including plants for a shady balcony, whether garden gnomes should make a comeback, tips for a walled garden restoration and how to grow food even if you forget to water.

Want to earn your very own Scribehound Gardening gnome?

Submit your gardening queries to James and Joe at [email protected]. We’ll send a gnome to anyone whose question gets read out on air. Just remember when you’re formulating your emails - James and Joe don’t do dead things!

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.

Spring offer: Try one month for £1 followed by 40% off an annual subscription!

Subscribe now

Follow Scribehound Gardening on Instagram.

Contact us: [email protected]

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