The Plant Based Podcast

*Virtual Chelsea Special episode*

This extra-special episode of the Plant Based Podcast delves behind the scenes of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and features Sue Biggs, Director General of the RHS, and Jill Otway, who is the Plant Committee Manager.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic means that, along with so many other events, all RHS shows this summer have sadly been cancelled. Most notably the Chelsea Flower Show, which had to be cancelled for the first time since the Second World War.

Sue discusses the weight of the responsibility of having to make the decision of cancelling the show, despite know the impact it will have on the horticultural world. She reveals that it's the hardest thing she's had to do in her time at the RHS, but that the interests of public safety had, of course, to come first.

Excitingly, the show must go on! Soon after the cancellation, the RHS announced that Virtual Chelsea would take place instead. In the subsequent eight weeks, teams across the RHS have united and worked around the clock to arrange a fantastic line up. We'll be able to nosey around gardens of big horticultural names and celebrities, as well as watching Q&As and how-to videos from growers, designers and nurseries.

It all starts on Monday 18th May 2020 where the online content will be available exclusively to RHS members - just like the first day of the real show is.

In the second half of the episode, Michael chats with Jill Otway, who is responsible for organising the incredible Plant of the Year awards at Chelsea. Winning Plant of the Year can have a huge impact on a plant's sales, so it is a highly coveted title. Jill explains the rigorous process for how all the new plants at the show are whittled down to just one deemed worthy of the title, as well as revealing exactly what the judges are looking for.

They look back at previous winners and how this year, for the first time, the RHS will be celebrating the Plant of the Decade! You can cast your vote and pick your favourite winner from the past ten shows at the RHS website. Jill had always planned for Plant of the Decade to take place this year, and for it be voted for by the public so it lent itself perfectly to the new online format.

Read Michael's article, 'Chelsea best bits' here. Read Ellen's article, '5 Chelsea memories' here.

Visit the RHS Virtual Chelsea Flower Show here.

The Plant Based Podcast:

www.theplantbasedpodcast.net

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

This episode of The Plant Based Podcast is brought to you by our friends at Natural Grower. Launched in 2019, their award-winning liquid fertiliser and soil conditioner is made entirely from maize. Naturally rich in nitrogen, potash, phosphate and other trace elements that plants and vegetables love, it is approved by the Soil Association, Vegan Society and Organic Farmers and Growers.

Visit NaturalGrower.co.uk to nurture your soil and boost your plants and veg. Enter PBP15 for a 15% discount as a Plant Based Podcast subscriber.

Instagram: @natural_grower

*Virtual Chelsea Special episode*

This extra-special episode of the Plant Based Podcast delves behind the scenes of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and features Sue Biggs, Director General of the RHS, and Jill Otway, who is the Plant Committee Manager.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic means that, along with so many other events, all RHS shows this summer have sadly been cancelled. Most notably the Chelsea Flower Show, which had to be cancelled for the first time since the Second World War.

Sue discusses the weight of the responsibility of having to make the decision of cancelling the show, despite know the impact it will have on the horticultural world. She reveals that it’s the hardest thing she’s had to do in her time at the RHS, but that the interests of public safety had, of course, to come first.

Excitingly, the show must go on! Soon after the cancellation, the RHS announced that Virtual Chelsea would take place instead. In the subsequent eight weeks, teams across the RHS have united and worked around the clock to arrange a fantastic line up. We’ll be able to nosey around gardens of big horticultural names and celebrities, as well as watching Q&As and how-to videos from growers, designers and nurseries.

It all starts on Monday 18th May 2020 where the online content will be available exclusively to RHS members - just like the first day of the real show is.

In the second half of the episode, Michael chats with Jill Otway, who is responsible for organising the incredible Plant of the Year awards at Chelsea. Winning Plant of the Year can have a huge impact on a plant’s sales, so it is a highly coveted title. Jill explains the rigorous process for how all the new plants at the show are whittled down to just one deemed worthy of the title, as well as revealing exactly what the judges are looking for.

They look back at previous winners and how this year, for the first time, the RHS will be celebrating the Plant of the Decade! You can cast your vote and pick your favourite winner from the past ten shows at the RHS website. Jill had always planned for Plant of the Decade to take place this year, and for it be voted for by the public so it lent itself perfectly to the new online format.

Read Michael's article, 'Chelsea best bits' here. 
Read Ellen's article, '5 Chelsea memories' here. 

Visit the RHS Virtual Chelsea Flower Show here. 

The Plant Based Podcast: 

www.theplantbasedpodcast.net

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook 

This episode of The Plant Based Podcast is brought to you by our friends at Natural Grower. Launched in 2019, their award-winning liquid fertiliser and soil conditioner is made entirely from maize. Naturally rich in nitrogen, potash, phosphate and other trace elements that plants and vegetables love, it is approved by the Soil Association, Vegan Society and Organic Farmers and Growers.

Visit NaturalGrower.co.uk to nurture your soil and boost your plants and veg. Enter PBP15 for a 15% discount as a Plant Based Podcast subscriber.

Instagram: @natural_grower

A very special inside out episode, where Michael looks at indoor windowsills, and Ellen looks at balcony planting.

Gardening has become the highlight of our lockdown days. It's exciting to see during the pandemic, so many people enjoying gardening and growing their own food. But what if you don't have much space? How do you enjoy the natural world from a balcony or patio or perhaps a windowsill?

First up, Michael chats through what's growing on his windowsill at the moment. He has been experimenting with some outdoor patio plants, and the results have been really quite surprising.

In the second half of this episode, Ellen Mary discusses outside gardening in small spaces with container gardening on patios, balconies and window boxes. From top tips for keeping your containers thriving to her favourite balcony vegetables and perennials. There's some fun window box combo's in this episode too. Give them a try and tag us in with photos on social media!

The Plant Based Podcast:

www.theplantbasedpodcast.net

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

This episode of The Plant Based Podcast is brought to you by our friends at Natural Grower. Launched in 2019, their award-winning liquid fertiliser and soil conditioner is made entirely from maize. Naturally rich in nitrogen, potash, phosphate and other trace elements that plants and vegetables love, it is approved by the Soil Association, Vegan Society and Organic Farmers and Growers.

Visit NaturalGrower.co.uk to nurture your soil and boost your plants and veg. Enter PBP15 for a 15% discount as a Plant Based Podcast subscriber.

Instagram: @natural_grower

A very special inside out episode, where Michael looks at indoor windowsills, and Ellen looks at balcony planting.

Gardening has become the highlight of our lockdown days. It’s exciting to see during the pandemic, so many people enjoying gardening and growing their own food. But what if you don’t have much space? How do you enjoy the natural world from a balcony or patio or perhaps a windowsill?

First up, Michael chats through what’s growing on his windowsill at the moment. He has been experimenting with some outdoor patio plants, and the results have been really quite surprising.

In the second half of this episode, Ellen Mary discusses outside gardening in small spaces with container gardening on patios, balconies and window boxes. From top tips for keeping your containers thriving to her favourite balcony vegetables and perennials. There’s some fun window box combo’s in this episode too. Give them a try and tag us in with photos on social media! 

The Plant Based Podcast: 

www.theplantbasedpodcast.net

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook 

This episode of The Plant Based Podcast is brought to you by our friends at Natural Grower. Launched in 2019, their award-winning liquid fertiliser and soil conditioner is made entirely from maize. Naturally rich in nitrogen, potash, phosphate and other trace elements that plants and vegetables love, it is approved by the Soil Association, Vegan Society and Organic Farmers and Growers.

Visit NaturalGrower.co.uk to nurture your soil and boost your plants and veg. Enter PBP15 for a 15% discount as a Plant Based Podcast subscriber.

Instagram: @natural_grower

In this episode hear all about Garden Day - the nationwide community benefit movement that takes place on Sunday 10th May 2020.

During the current lockdown, more and more people around the world are enjoying their outside space. So this year's call is for gardening enthusiasts to consider a virtual celebration with family and friends.

In this episode Ellen Mary discusses the wellbeing benefits of plants and gardening while Michael provides some great ideas to celebrate the day virtually. Plus hear from Ann-Marie Powell, Jonathan Moseley, Camila Klich & Marianne Mogendorff.

Get your flower crowns ready and take time out to celebrate the positive effects of gardening on Sunday 10th May, the UK's biggest virtual garden get-together across social media and video calling platforms.

To find out more, visit www.gardenday.co.uk/getinvolved. Follow @GardenDayUK on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Candide, and share your Garden Day celebrations on social media, using #GardenDayUK.

Garden Day is supported by Candide, the app for plant lovers.

Here's the full timetable of Garden Day zoom events on Sunday 10th May:

https://www.gardenday.co.uk/events/virtual-garden-gathering/

Plus- on the day- Michael will be holding his"houseplant party" on Instagram live at 6pm on Garden Day-

www.instagram.com/mr_plantgeek

The Plant Based Podcast:

www.theplantbasedpodcast.net

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

In this episode hear all about Garden Day - the nationwide community benefit movement that takes place on Sunday 10th May 2020.

During the current lockdown, more and more people around the world are enjoying their outside space. So this year’s call is for gardening enthusiasts to consider a virtual celebration with family and friends.

In this episode Ellen Mary discusses the wellbeing benefits of plants and gardening while Michael provides some great ideas to celebrate the day virtually. Plus hear from Ann-Marie Powell, Jonathan Moseley, Camila Klich & Marianne Mogendorff.

Get your flower crowns ready and take time out to celebrate the positive effects of gardening on Sunday 10th May, the UK’s biggest virtual garden get-together across social media and video calling platforms.

To find out more, visit www.gardenday.co.uk/getinvolved. Follow @GardenDayUK on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Candide, and share your Garden Day celebrations on social media, using #GardenDayUK.

Garden Day is supported by Candide, the app for plant lovers.

Here’s the full timetable of Garden Day zoom events on Sunday 10th May:

https://www.gardenday.co.uk/events/virtual-garden-gathering/

Plus- on the day- Michael will be holding his“houseplant party” on Instagram live at 6pm on Garden Day-

www.instagram.com/mr_plantgeek

The Plant Based Podcast: 

www.theplantbasedpodcast.net

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook 

Know your Melianthus from your Mahonia? We've put together this new short, fun quiz for you to follow along with online. There are 20 quick fire questions in total. Seems some of you are serious plant geeks who tried our last quiz with a high score of 36! Can you get all of these questions correct? All you need to do is listen along to the podcast, where you will hear the questions. Open up the web page here https://theplantbasedpodcast.net/the-plant-based-pub-quiz-2/ and fill in your answers. Once you've completed, you will then get to see your total score. Good luck plant lovers!

The Plant Based Podcast:

www.theplantbasedpodcast.net

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Know your Melianthus from your Mahonia? We’ve put together this new short, fun quiz for you to follow along with online. There are 20 quick fire questions in total. Seems some of you are serious plant geeks who tried our last quiz with a high score of 36! Can you get all of these questions correct?

All you need to do is listen along to the podcast, where you will hear the questions. Open up the web page here https://theplantbasedpodcast.net/the-plant-based-pub-quiz-2/ and fill in your answers. Once you’ve completed, you will then get to see your total score. Good luck plant lovers!

The Plant Based Podcast: 

www.theplantbasedpodcast.net

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook 

"Plants are a great equaliser. A geranium is a geranium, no matter where in the world you are, or what you are experiencing"

Lalage Snow is an award-winning freelance photojournalist, writer and filmmaker who has experienced life in some of the most hostile and war-torn places on the planet. Her book, "War Gardens" explores gardens tended to by those caught up in conflict around the world and shows how gardening can bring peace in times of conflict and in the most extreme places.

Lalage, Michael and Ellen chat about how gardening takes you out of the present, puts you in the future and gives you a sense of hope – quite fitting for an episode recorded during the coronavirus pandemic.

In her book, Lalage uses photography and the domesticity of a garden setting to divert from the horrors of a war zone. She believes that gardening can provide common ground in isolation. In this powerful episode of The Plant Based Podcast, she discusses how people garden in different ways, for different reasons, across different conflicts. She explains how in Ukraine people garden for self-sufficiency out of necessity, with imports from China and Russia being cut off and supermarkets shutting; how in Gaza urban density means gardening brings peace and a sense of returning to what previous generations did; and how in Afghanistan having to garden is second nature.

The Plant Based Podcast:

www.theplantbasedpodcast.net

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

This episode of The Plant Based Podcast is brought to you by our friends at Natural Grower. Launched in 2019, their award-winning liquid fertiliser and soil conditioner is made entirely from maize. Naturally rich in nitrogen, potash, phosphate and other trace elements that plants and vegetables love, it is approved by the Soil Association, Vegan Society and Organic Farmers and Growers.

Visit NaturalGrower.co.uk to nurture your soil and boost your plants and veg. Enter PBP15 for a 15% discount as a Plant Based Podcast subscriber.

Instagram: @natural_grower

“Plants are a great equaliser. A geranium is a geranium, no matter where in the world you are, or what you are experiencing”

Lalage Snow is an award-winning freelance photojournalist, writer and filmmaker who has experienced life in some of the most hostile and war-torn places on the planet. Her book, “War Gardens” explores gardens tended to by those caught up in conflict around the world and shows how gardening can bring peace in times of conflict and in the most extreme places.

Lalage, Michael and Ellen chat about how gardening takes you out of the present, puts you in the future and gives you a sense of hope – quite fitting for an episode recorded during the coronavirus pandemic.

In her book, Lalage uses photography and the domesticity of a garden setting to divert from the horrors of a war zone. She believes that gardening can provide common ground in isolation. In this powerful episode of The Plant Based Podcast, she discusses how people garden in different ways, for different reasons, across different conflicts. She explains how in Ukraine people garden for self-sufficiency out of necessity, with imports from China and Russia being cut off and supermarkets shutting; how in Gaza urban density means gardening brings peace and a sense of returning to what previous generations did; and how in Afghanistan having to garden is second nature.

The Plant Based Podcast: 

www.theplantbasedpodcast.net

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook 

This episode of The Plant Based Podcast is brought to you by our friends at Natural Grower. Launched in 2019, their award-winning liquid fertiliser and soil conditioner is made entirely from maize. Naturally rich in nitrogen, potash, phosphate and other trace elements that plants and vegetables love, it is approved by the Soil Association, Vegan Society and Organic Farmers and Growers.

Visit NaturalGrower.co.uk to nurture your soil and boost your plants and veg. Enter PBP15 for a 15% discount as a Plant Based Podcast subscriber.

Instagram: @natural_grower