Gardens, weeds and words (Andrew O'Brien: gardener, blogger, podcaster)
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| Date | Titre | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Jan 2021 | S03 Episode 3: Writing with trees. With Jackee Holder | 01:07:18 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links.
Garden soundtrack Dawn breaking in the garden Trees in the landscape Reading from Wildwood, A Journey Through Trees, by Roger Deakin 2:25 Read by Richard Chivers
Interview with Jackee Holder 4:54 05:13 'Coach and author and cultural creative' – the scope of Jackee's work, and how it came about 7:57 The path to being a cultural creative – Jackee's career choices, and the common thread 8:43 What is a cultural creative? 10:52 Jackee's South London background 11:26 Avoiding restrictive labels 12:49 'Jack of all trades'. Ouch. 14:25 Drawing influences widely 15:49 A deep connection with nature 17:45 Something bigger. The wonder of it all. 19:24 The parks of London 19:54 The loneliness of the long distance runner 21:05 Making friends with trees Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer "I understood at a very early age that in nature, I felt everything I should feel in church but never did." Alice Walker 22:33 Jackee's tamarind tree in Barbados 24:14 Dressing the trees at Christmas in the Carribean 27:54 Tree books. Tree Wisdom by Jacqueline Memory Paterson https://amzn.to/3csqx5Z 32:07 Jackee's connection to to the elder tree 39:35 The trees in Jackee's city garden 41:30 Listening to nature, mindfulness and being in 'receive mode'. 46:59 Solitude 48:33 Joy in the context of 2021. COVID, BLM. 49:26 Unapologetically celebrating nature. Charlotte Delbo, Auschwitz and After 50:55 Sorrow and joy interwoven An account of Milton Erickson and the African Violet Lady https://danielkarim.com/the-african-violet-a-teaching-tale-of-milton-h-erickson/ 55:24 "Nature was our first mother" Tina Welling "Nature is not a place to visit. It is home." Gary Snyder 55:36 Being rooted. 57:46 Trees and writing. Jackee's writing map "Writing with Fabulous Trees" 59:22 Journal writing (and being a stationery addict!) 101:30 The practice of writing. Using the 'Morning Pages' technique from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way https://amzn.to/3pErewE 103:00 Making space for mindful practices 104:32 Jackee's mission to connect people with the urban forest ***
Thank you to Jackee Holder for giving up her time to talk to me about her creative plant-inspired practice. You can find Jackee on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/jackeeholderinspires/ – please note Jackee's Instagram handle has changed since the interview in this episode! Or on her website: http://www.jackeeholder.com/ Grateful wotnots to Richard Chivers for stepping forward with his usual patient and willing response to my last-minute plea for a reading! I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. Enrolment will open towards the middle of February for one last time at the introductory price, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. https://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/garden-coaching
website: gardensweedsandwords.com email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 03 Jul 2019 | S01 Episode 13: Joined-up gardens. With Jo Thompson | 00:45:08 | |
S01 Episode 13: Joined-up gardens. With Jo Thompson A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack The fox who ate my socks. Joined-up gardens Micro book review The Bumblebee Flies Anyway by Kate Bradbury, published by Bloomsbury 2018 Extract read by Rachel Coldbreath Interview with Jo Thompson 07:46 08:27 The BBC Springwatch garden at RHS Hampton Court Flower show 17:05 Talking to the neighbours 17:44 Does a wildlife garden have to look messy? 21:45 Letting nature find its balance 22:46 A conversation with nature – a cooperative way to garden 26:12 An ongoing relationship between a designer and her gardens 30:42 The concept of “rewinding” in garden design 34:08 Jo’s planting style 38:21 Jo’s love for roses: what’s the attraction of roses? Arne Maynard’s head gardener Steve Lannin on roses An article by Sarah Raven in the Telegraph on growing roses at Sissinghurst Light touch gardening – a winning situation for all A huge thank you to Jo for joining me on this episode. You can find her here: instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jothompsongarden/ Thanks also to Rachel Coldbreath for reading the extract from The Bumblebee Flies Anyway. You can find Rachel on Twitter at https://twitter.com/chiller. And I’m indebted as ever to Richard Chivers, for giving voice to the Garden Jargon Buster. You can find Richard’s blog here http://sharpenyourspades.co.uk/, or seek him out on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sharpenyourspades/ or Twitter https://twitter.com/spadesharp. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 28 Feb 2020 | S02 Episode 7: How to Get Kids Gardening. With Lee Connelly | 00:41:42 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Almost March. Children in the garden… …a gardener’s perspective The gardener in the garden… …a child's perspective Poem 03:04 The Gardener by Robert Louis Stevenson Read by Peta Cootes Early experiences of plants and gardens – a minor obsession How do you get kid’s gardening? Interview with the Skinny Jean Gardener, Lee Connelly 09:21 10:14 What’s this about Skinny Jeans? 12:07 The Skinny Jean Gardener podcast and Monty Don 14:40 Being the Blue Peter gardener 16:58 Lee’s early plant and garden memories 21:11 Time for gardening as a family 22:53 The importance of getting children interested in gardening 25:00 The role of schools and parents 27:40 Schools allotment project with Marks & Spencer 30:55 Ornamentals or veg? What has the most educational value for children? 34:53 The new book, How to Get Kids Gardening *** Thank you to Lee for joining me on this episode. Lee's book is How to Get Kids Gardening https://amzn.to/2wQYUkc The Skinny Jean Gardener Podcast is here http://skinnyjeangardener.co.uk/podcast Lee on Instagram instagram.com/skinnyjeangardener. Thanks too to Peta Coote for reading for us. You can find Peta and her work here instagram.com/nourishingsoulfully With thanks to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. One-to-one online garden coaching I’m very excited about my new venture – it’s a way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. A few limited places left on introductory prices! website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 21 Feb 2019 | S01 Episode 07: On the threshold. With Lia Leendertz | 00:41:30 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Birdsong, growing by the day One more week of winter Meteorological and astronomical calendars Somewhere on the threshold between two seasons #thatwinterspringthing hashtag Great Comp Garden Comp Lane Platt, Nr Sevenoaks Kent TN15 8QS Micro book review ‘Galanthus’ from Bulb, by Anna Pavord Published by Mitchell Beazley 2009 Interview with Lia Leendertz 07:06 Plant memories 11:04 What Lia’s garden says about her 16:43 Lia’s cookbook Petal, Leaf, Seed – taking flavours from the garden 17:44 How the Almanac came about 22:15 The benefits of living in tune with the seasons 27:16 What if the stories run out? 30:42 Hope for the future Stephen Blackmore https://twitter.com/SteveBlackm0re, British botanist, former Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, and chair of Botanic Gardens Conservation International http://www.bgci.org/ 33:48 Lia’s favourite season 36:53 The Instagram hashtag #myalmanacmoment: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/myalmanacmoment/ Seasonal signs – are the seasons merging? Help The Woodland Trust track the effects of weather and climate change with Nature’s Calendar You can find Lia on on Twitter at https://twitter.com/lialeendertz and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lia_leendertz/ The Almanac, a seasonal guide to 2019 is available at your local indy book stores, or you can buy it from Amazon here https://amzn.to/2VcP82D With thanks to Lia for being my guest this episode, and to Charles Budd for his wonderful reading. You can find Charlie here: Twitter https://twitter.com/charliebudd Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thetallphotographer/ website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 30 Nov 2019 | S02 Episode 4: Nature in a virtual space. With Sara Tasker | 00:53:43 | |
Nature in a virtual space. With Sara Tasker A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Gardening in the rain Most used garden tools An argument for including a smart phone Social media and gardening community Micro book review 05:09 from Rootbound. Rewilding a Life by Alice Vincent Published by Canongate Books January 2020. Preorder here https://amzn.to/2splqOU Extract read by Rose White The role of Instagram in disseminating an awareness of plants, flowers and the natural world. Interview with Sara Tasker 09:42 10:58 Sara’s social media beginnings 12:46 The role of nature in Sara’s photography, and the move from Manchester to Yorkshire 16:58 Autumn in the city and the countryside 18:00 Gardens or wider landscape? 19:38 Nature getting her way 20:21 The mood of the pictures – escapism, or freedom? 24:07 The common theme in a multi-hyphenated career 25:39 Communicating ideas with Instagram 26:18 Insta cliches, meaning and language 28:27 The effect of social media on mental health 31:39 A female space? 36:03 The algorithm. Female-male dynamic – tensions between creativity and control. 39:43 Natural creativity winning out. 41:03 Sara’s favourite plant… 44:41 Online courses to help express ideas through using flowers and natural elements in photography 46:45 15 Minute Magic Thank you to Sara for joining me on the podcast. You can find out all about Sara’s work and her courses on her website here www.meandorla.co.uk, dive into her Instagram grid here https://www.instagram.com/me_and_orla/, or chat to her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/meandorla. Her podcast Hashtag Authentic is here https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/hashtag-authentic-for-small-businesses-bloggers-online/id1200930280, and of her book of the same name, subtitled Finding creativity and building a community on Instagram and beyond, https://amzn.to/34yy0K1, is definitely worth reading. 49:20 A mutually beneficial relationship between nature and technology? Thanks too to Rose White for her wonderful reading from Rootbound. Rewinding a Life by Alice Vincent https://amzn.to/2splqOU. You can find Rose on Instagram at www.instagram.com/liveawelllife, and with her professional nutritionist hat on here. www.liveawelllife.co.uk. With thanks to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. One-to-one online garden coaching I’m very excited about my new venture – it’s a way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. If you’d like to find out more, please leave me your email address on the following link. I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as soon as this launches! website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 04 Dec 2020 | S03 Episode 2: a plant-inspired practice. With Katie Robbins | 00:54:54 | |
A plant-inspired practice. With Katie Robbins A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Seasonal markers, and The Almanac from Lia Leendertz. Catching up with Lia Leendertz. What's new in the 2021 edition? 03:44 Reading from The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2021 10:28 https://amzn.to/36LqUFH Read by Milli Proust The independent plant-inspired businesses bringing cheer and lightening our darkness. Interview with Katie Robbins 13:22 14:50 A love of the natural world and of ceramics 16:02 The formative planty encounter -- sunflowers, a flat cap and a fag 18:40 Potter... or ceramic artist? 19:52 If not a potter, would Katie have worked with plants in some other way? Grace Alexander flowers: https://www.gracealexanderflowers.co.uk/ Milli Proust: https://www.milliproust.com/about Bex Partridge (Botanical Tales): https://www.botanicaltales.com/ 21:50 The power of a good parcel, and delighting your customer Beautiful and sustainable packaging 24:49 A journey to the potter's wheel 26:43 The shortest commute -- working from home. Pluses and minuses of the WfH life 29:12 A tour of the garden studio 34:57 Katie's creative process 40:17 Inspiration from peers 41:48 The inevitabilities of creative cross-fertilisation 44:23 Working in porcelain 46:49 Clay from the ground 50:00 Inspirations *** Thank you to Katie Robbins for giving up her time to talk to me about her creative plant-inspired practice. You can find Katie on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/ceramicmagpie/ Or on her website: https://www.ktrobbinsceramics.com/ Thanks also to Lia Leendertz for joining me to talk about The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2021 I'm immensely grateful to Milli Proust for lending us her mellifluous tones for the reading. And of course, I'm ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details and add your name to the waiting list to be the first to hear when enrolment opens up again. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 14 Nov 2019 | S02 Episode 3: Garden outlaws and weedy rebels. With Jack Wallington | 00:40:05 | |
Garden outlaws and weedy rebels. With Jack Wallington A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Distracted by leaves What happens when the landscape meets a garden fence? The benefits of cultivated plants Where weeds come in Reading 04:48 from Weeds. The Story of Outlaw Plants by Richard Mabey Read by Milli Proust. What do we mean by the word “weed”? Native wildflowers and non-native invasive intruders Stinking Bob and Squinterpip. Interview with Jack Wallington 10:50 11:15 What Jack was doing before he became a garden designer. The Royal Horticultural Society qualifications Levels 2 and 3 Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 15:41 Jack’s earliest experience of plants and gardens within the landscape 20:16 Is there a plant nearer to Jack’s heart that the dahlia he’s so often associated with? 21:46 Sustainability in Jack’s work 24:44 The tension between how nature behaves, and how we want her to behave in the garden 27:50 Jack’s new book, Wild about weeds. Garden design with rebel plants. 33:01 Responses to the idea of purposefully incorporating weeds into the garden. Thanks so much to Jack for coming along to talk about his new book, Wild about weeds. Garden design with rebel plants, published by Laurence King. https://amzn.to/2CHHiH4. The best place to find out more about Jack, his garden design practice and his personal gardening journey, is on his website at www.jackwallington.com. I’m also enormously indebted to Milli Proust for lending her wonderful voice skills to the podcast with the reading from Richard Mabey’s book. You really should check out Milli’s instagram page https://www.instagram.com/milliproust/ to see the amazing things she does with flowers – I don’t think there can be a grower who works harder. For a fully rounded picture of everything that she gets up to, check out Milli’s website at https://milliproust.com/. With thanks to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. One-to-one online garden coaching I’m very excited about my new venture – it’s a way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. If you’d like to find out more, please leave me your email address on the following link. I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as soon as this launches! website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 23 Oct 2020 | S03 Episode 01: Home. With Jennie Spears of Lemon Tree Trust | 00:52:28 | |
Home. With Jennie Spears of the Lemon Tree Trust A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Why do we build gardens? Looking back to the very first episode of the podcast and Tim Massey's garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the Lemon Tree Trust Reading 05:21 Extract from How to grow your dinner without leaving the house by Claire Ratinon, published by Laurence King in 2020, read by the author. https://amzn.to/2QrpPtD A quick catch up with Claire since the release of her book, my review of which you can find here Interview with Jennie Spears 09:42 09:42 Bristol community gardens "Gardening is the most therapeutic and defiant act you can do. Plus you get strawberries." Ron Finley https://www.ted.com/talks/ron_finley_a_guerrilla_gardener_in_south_central_la?language=en 10:24 Sara Venn and Incredible Edible Bristol 11:29 Jennie's background in horticulture 13:09 Childhood plant memories Border Alpines, her parents' nursery Black viola, Viola 'Molly Sanderson' 16:13 The work of the Lemon Tree Trust, and how Jennie became involved 19:10 Bringing plants from home to the camps 25:36 How gardening happens in the camps 30:59 What to do with plant surpluses - a working economy? 35:01 Food and gardening 37:13 Plumbing in the camps 38:49 "At some point, people want to LIVE". The joy of plants 40:27 The impact of COVID on the work of the Lemon Tree Trust in Kurdistan 44:08 Upcoming projects and the best way to support the Lemon Tree Trust 46:49 A call from Jennie to get in touch if you know of any UK based refugee or migrant based gardening projects that would benefit from seeds from the Lemon Tree Trust (see below for contact details *** Thank you to Jennie for joining me on this episode to talk about the Lemon Tree Trust. You can find the charity's website here with more details of their work, their campaigns and the gardeners in the camps in Iraq. https://lemontreetrust.org/about/ And on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/lemontreetrust/ You can find Jennie's work for Bloom PR here: Bloom PR website: http://www.bloom-pr.co.uk/ Bloom's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloom_pr_insta/ Thanks also to Claire Ratinon for joining me to talk about her book, How to grow your dinner without leaving the house I’m ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details and add your name to the waiting list to be the first to hear when enrolment opens up again. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 17 Dec 2022 | S03 Episode 6: Flower & Story. With Milli Proust | 00:58:16 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Winter bringing new and rare experiences – December snow in Kent, and recording the audio version of my new book. Reading from To stand and stare 2:10 Read by Andrew Timothy O'Brien To stand and stare: how to garden while doing next to nothing, by Andrew Timothy O'Brien. DK Life, 2023. 04:35 An introduction to From Seed to Bloom: a year of growing and designing with seasonal flowers, by Milli Proust. Quadrille, 2022 Reading from From Seed to Bloom 5:15 Read by Milli Proust 09:29 Interview with Milli Proust 10:55 The original plan 12:45 Working with intention – Milli loves a strategy 13:45 The other aspect of Milli's professional life! Molly Wansell, 42 Management & Production 15:18 A sustainable business Paris Alma Flowers 17:08 Working as part of a team On the business with Paris, on the book with photographer Éva Németh 18:54 The visual aspects of the book Theatre, storytelling, atmosphere. The human experience of connecting with nature. 23:03 Milli's earliest plants and gardens memories 26:53 A gardening (self)education 29:00 Why grow your own floristry supplies? 30:43 Using foliage, and the stories of plants in weather 34:00 Design principles in floral arrangement 38:00 From Seed to Bloom: 40:51 How becoming a mother might impact Milli's creative practice – new perspectives and opportunites 45:45 A seasonal perspective 48:30 Grower, or gardener? What's the difference? *** Thank you to Milli Proust for giving up her time to talk to me about the beautiful work she brings into the world from her patch of land in West Sussex. You can find Milli on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/milliproust/ Or on her website: https://www.milliproust.com/ My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, will be published by DK Life on Feb 2, 2023, and is available to preorder here https://geni.us/Qs2d I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coachingIf you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up in spring 2023n, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 13 Aug 2024 | S03.5 Episode 00: Trailer | 00:05:56 | |
This is a little bit of a teaser. Series 4 of the Gardens, Weeds & Words podcast is starting to come together, but you know how long it takes for things to assemble inside my head. And, from there, to make the journey through all the twigs, and moss, and soil and stuff, into the editing software and out into the real world in a state I can share it with you. So I thought, while I’m working away on that, I’d put a little something out in the meantime. So here comes season three and a half, a short series on the subject of weeds, what they’re trying to tell us, and how they can lead us to a beter understanding of our gardens. Listen to the trailer for an idea of what’s in store... | |||
| 28 Jul 2019 | S01 Episode 14: Affirmations, arguments, and alstroemerias | 00:08:12 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Preparing for the visit of gardening friends, with the help of Dear Friend and Gardener: Letters on Life and Gardening by Christopher Lloyd and Beth Chatto, published by Frances Lincoln 1998 In Your Garden by Vita Sackville-West, published by Frances Lincoln, reissued 2004 I’m getting mightily bored of saying that things are out of print, but both of these are, which seems… daft. There’s a Kindle version of the Christo/Beth Chatto book, and second hand copies about. Used copies of the Vita book are crazy prices, so your local library may well be the best bet. The affirmation that comes from reading a passage written by one of your gardening heroes who agrees with you… … until they go and spoil it by banging on about a flower you can’t stand! Alstroemerias, how I don’t like them, but you probably should. The wonderful work done by British flower grower Ben Cross as seen on his Instagram feed https://www.instagram.com/alstroemeriaben/ A trail for the next full episode, featuring writer and podcaster Lucy Lucraft, kicking off an occasional series where I’ll be talking to new gardeners about their experiences getting to grips with plants, garden centres and, let’s face it, other gardeners. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 15 Apr 2025 | S03.5 Episode 4: What your garden wants from you | 00:35:05 | |
Gardens, weeds and words podcast, S03.5 E04 show notes A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links.
00:40 spring settling in, and it’s been a warm, dry start 02:34 what your garden wants from you, the last in my series of readings on how to find yourself in a state of harmony with your garden
reading 08:00 ‘Cow Parsley’ from Jack Wallington’s Wild About Weeds, read by Milli Proust
interview 10:52 Jack joins us to talk about the impact of his book five (now six!) years on, how practical it really is to incorporate weeds purposefully into our gardens, and whether a gentler, more natural approach to planting has any cut through beyond the garden media. 12:08 Did Jack’s pro-weed stance feel like a lonely position to be adopting back in 2019? 13:28 The effect on Jack’s garden design practice 13:54 The manifesto approach to writing your first book 14:42 Has there been a noticeable change in the attitude of gardeners towards weeds since the publication of the book? 17:50 Has there been any trickle down to the general public from a wilder look embraced by top garden designers at shows like Chelsea? 22:54 A plant in the wrong place? Weren’t they here first? But gardening is largely about declaring what we want to grow and where. How does Jack find a middle ground? 25:25 Managing a weedy population – regular culling 26:22 Jack’s wildflower meadow and help with weeding 27:15 Practical steps with embracing weeds – where do you start with becoming wild about weeds? 29:22 A weedy through-line – how weeds flow through all of Jack’s work *** Thank you to Milli Proust for her delightful reading from Jack’s book, Wild About Weeds, published by Lawrence King in 2019. My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.
substack: Bramble & Briar | |||
| 16 Feb 2023 | S03 Episode 7: To Stand and Stare. With Andrew Timothy O'Brien | 00:51:50 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Cracking ice while walking through the fields – is it too soon to say, or is winter beginning to think about handing over to spring? A great time for mulching. Reading from To stand and stare 3:02 Read by Andrew Timothy O'Brien To stand and stare: how to garden while doing next to nothing, by Andrew Timothy O'Brien. DK Life, 2023. 05:47 Interview with Andrew, by Alice Vincent 06:40 role reversal 07:35 Introducing the book – Andrew 09:14 Introducing the book – Alice 10:00 A book that grants permission 11:12 on the plus side of getting it wrong 11:46 jumping to the book's Acknowledgements 14:00 how the book came to be 17:56 Alice on 'looking' 20:48 Alice on gardening as 'a tiny altering' 21:52 being empowered to garden the way you want to, rather than the way you feel you *should* 22:33 Andrew on the pros and cons of lists 26:08 Pottering A breath from elsewhere, by Mirabel Osler. Bloomsbury, 1997. https://amzn.to/3Stlvr9 28: 41 How much the soil holds – memories, stories, our selves 33:15 Bill's place in the book 38:15 The 'how to' sections 43:19 The research – the 'science stuff' 46:30 Andrew's recent standing and staring – and Andrew answer to an Alice question *** Thank you to Alice Vincent for her table-turning stint in coming to interview me on my own podcast! Keep an eye out for Alice's upcoming book, Why Women Grow: stories of soil, sisterhood and survival, published by Canongate on 2 March 2023. https://amzn.to/3k6yu75 You can find Alice on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/noughticulture/ and the Why Women Grow podcast here https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/why-women-grow/id1659885168 My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here https://geni.us/Qs2d I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coachingIf you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up in spring 2023, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 27 Mar 2020 | S02 Episode 8: Unearthed. With Claire Ratinon | 01:04:04 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Poem 00:53 Digging by Seamus Heaney Read by Jemma Mullholland from Death of a Naturalist, Seamus Heaney, Faber & Faber 1966 (new edition 2006) https://amzn.to/3bwuPpk A feeling of connection to the land. Taken for granted. Interview with the Claire Ratinon 03:39 4:50 TV Production in New York: Claire’s Eureka Moment Brooklyn Grange Farm https://www.brooklyngrangefarm.com/ 8:14 Career change gardeners 11:15 Early plant memories. Or not! 16:47 Formative food memories. 18:42 Living and growing in Hackney 20:33 Claire’s organic growing training OrganicLea https://www.organiclea.org.uk/ Growing Communities https://www.growingcommunities.org/ 25:14 The importance of urban growing 27:58 A taste of what’s possible. The role of a growing educator. 30:32 Organic. Urban. Mindful. 37:39 The representatino of People of Colour within gardening and growing. Tokenism, racial passing. Having to aggressively assimilate. 44:58 Burden, responsibility or privilege? 51:09 The party played by Claire’s relationship to the land in her identity. 58:09 After Hackney 60:56 What’s next for Claire? *** Thank you to Claire for joining me on this episode. You can preorder Claire’s book How to grow your dinner without leaving the house, to be published by Laurence King in September 2020, here https://amzn.to/2xx6O2p Claire’s website: https://www.claireratinon.com/ Claire on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/claireratinon/ Thanks too to Jemma Mulholland for reading for us. You can find Jemma on social media here https://www.instagram.com/popcorn_for_lunch/ I’m ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. One-to-one online garden coaching I’m very excited about my new venture – it’s a way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. A few limited places left on introductory prices! website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 01 Nov 2018 | S01 Episode 03: "More light", with Ros Atkinson of @her_dark_materials | 00:25:01 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack The end of British Summertime, and what the sun has been getting up to. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad/ Overcoming the Winter Blues https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/dealing-with-winter-blues-sad/ A micro review of American Primitive by Mary Oliver https://amzn.to/2P3lAGf, including ‘Fall Song’, read by Ben Dark of the Garden Log podcast Replacing the light we’ve lost… Interview with Ros Atkinson, food and lifestyle photographer The pea that caused the problems – ‘Kelvedon Wonder’ https://www.thompson-morgan.com/p/pea-kelvedon-wonder/107TM Tutu, Ros’s own. Ros’s veg shopping shopping: Daylesford Organic Farm https://www.daylesford.com/ Oxford covered market http://oxford-coveredmarket.co.uk/ “More light” – a little bit about Goethe website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 10 May 2019 | S01 Episode 10: Someone else's garden. With Marian Boswall | 00:36:52 | |
S01 Episode 10: Somone else’s garden. With Marian Boswall A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack The cuckoo. Someone else’s garden Micro book review Sweet Peas for Summer by Laetitia Maklouf, published by Bloomsbury 2012 Extract read by Laetitia Turning someone else’s garden into your own – the client-designer relationship. Who really is the client? Interview with Marian Boswall. 08:34 08:35 The client is the planet 10:19 Using Instagram to engage people about their gardens 12:00 The difference between landscape architect and garden designer 14:14 A spiritual side of gardening 17:00 The Blackthorn Trust https://www.blackthorn.org.uk/?page_id=6 17:46 Biodynamic gardening 19:30 Domestic gardens and the landscape 22:10 The garden city movement https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_city_movement 22:52 Planning nature back in to our towns 23:50 Gardening across society 25:00 Gardening in the city 26:00 Wakehurst Place and the Millennium Seed Bank https://www.kew.org/wakehurst/whats-at-wakehurst/millennium-seed-bank?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgZut7LGQ4gIVz7ftCh1eFgYSEAAYASAAEgLCNvD_BwE 26:32 INTENTION and PURPOSE in the garden 28:00 The ‘Bossy Garden’ 29:40 Big ticket garden design – how does it trickle down? A huge thank you to Marian for joining me on this episode. You can find her here: instagram: instagram.com/marianboswalllandscapes/ twitter: twitter.com/MarianBoswall website: https://www.marianboswall.com/ Thanks also to Laetitia Maklouf for reading from her book, Sweet Peas for Summer. You can find Laetitia online on her website here https://laetitiamaklouf.com/, where you can sign up for her regular newsletter. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 30 Aug 2024 | S03.5 Episode 1: Wild About Weeds | 00:21:34 | |
Gardens, weeds and words podcast, S03.5 E01 show notesA blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Shamelessly pinching the title from Jack Wallington’s fabulous 2019 book for this episode – which is only fair, as it’s the jumping off point for this whole mini season. We’re looking at how we can understand our gardens – even enter into a state of harmony with this space around our homes – but I don’t think we can even begin without getting to grips with the whole subject of weeds, what they’re trying to tell us about our soil, and how we can learn from them. We salute summer as it reaches its peak and, just as quickly, begins to pass the baton on to the next season, and enjoy a reading from the introduction to Jack’s book.
05:14 What I love about the garden in summer 10:59 A reading from the introduction to Wild About Weeds, by Jack Wallington 15:20 The first in my series of readings on understanding your garden
*** Thank you to Milli Proust for reading so beautifully from Jack's book, Wild About Weeds, published by Lawrence King in 2019. (Milli's own book, the wonderful From Seed to Bloom (Quadrille, 2022) is available here). My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.
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| 29 Nov 2021 | S03 Episode 4: Ready for the weather. With Hannah McDonald | 00:52:23 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack The last days of autumn, winter blowing in on the back of Storm Arwen. Coping with post-COP26 despair and overwhelm. Reading, 'Sudden Shower', by John Clare 03:22 Read by Lulu Peddar Interview with Hannah McDonald, Illustrator 6:47 I chat to Hannah about her nature inspired illustration practice from her home and studio in Amsterdam, how life there compares to life in London, and whether the Dutch or the English are better at coping with what the weather has to throw at them. Work/life balance, slow living, and having a garden room on the Dutch equivalent of an allotment are all covered, together with how Hannah decides exactly what to draw, and the character of her own particular lines and dots. We get through all of this without mentioning Hygge once, though we're deeply in cosy, homely territory throughout, while always bearing in mind the importance of our connection to the natural world outside, both for our own mental health, and that of the planet. I hope you enjoy listening! *** Thank you to Hannah McDonald for giving up her time to talk to me about her creative nature-inspired practice. You can find Hannah on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/hannah.mcdonald.illustration/ Or on her website: https://www.hannahmcdonald.co/ And bouquets of gratitude due to Lulu Peddar for providing the reading from John Clare's poetry. I particularly loved the bit about "patted on my hat" – thanks Lulu, please come again! I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up early in the new year, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 16 Sep 2018 | S01 Episode 01: September. Wondering why we make gardens, and chatting with Jane Perrone. | 00:24:59 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. Garden soundtrack.
September.
A micro review of The Almanac – a seasonal guide to 2018, by Lia Leendertz, and a trail for the 2019 version, just published.
Question: why do we make gardens? Tom Massey’s garden for the Lemon Tree Trust at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018 The impulse to create a home with plants, and what to do when you don’t have a garden? Houseplants. A chat with Jane Perrone www.janeperrone.com of the On The Ledge Podcast Plants Jane mentions: Burning bush Kochia scoparia var. trichophylla Philodendron ‘Pink Princess’, Philodendron ‘Prince of Orange’, Philodendron ‘Xanadu’ Monstera deliciosa, Monstera borsigiana (Monstera deliciosa var. borsigiana) Do plants clean the air? How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 houseplants that purify your home or office by B.C. Wolverton A couple of links to back up our random allusions to “various ... studies” with regard to the beneficial effects of greenery on our mental wellbeing. Gardens and health: implications for policy and practice. Kings Fund report commissioned by the National Garden’s Scheme in 2016. The Therapeutic Landscapes Network – the resource for gardens and landscapes that promote health and well-being http://www.healinglandscapes.org/about/mission.html With thanks to Jane for coming along to chat about her life with plants, and for Ben Dark for lending his voice for the reading. You can find Ben’s podcast here: Ben Dark, The Garden Log podcast | |||
| 30 May 2019 | S01 Episode 11: Gardens and food. With Victoria Wade | 00:31:20 | |
S01 Episode 11: Gardens and food. With Victoria Wade A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Bees on the fishbone cotoneaster Gardens and food Micro book review Tender, Vol 1. A cook and his vegetable patch by Nigel Slater, published by Fourth Estate 2009 https://amzn.to/30RYt3T Extract read by Richard Chivers In discussion with Richard about Nigel Slater’s books, and why you should bother growing your own food. Interview with Victoria Wade 14:10 14:40 The importance of food in Vic and Joe’s garden designs 15:12 Cooking over fire 16:33 Design making outdoor cooking easy 17:56 Primal nature of fire, role of fire in the home 18:49 Relax and soften 19:10 Incorporating edibles into planting designs 20:59 Planting style 23:33 Underlying structure and stone 25:12 Foraging – bringing outdoor eating and gardening in the landscape together. A huge thank you to Vic for joining me on this episode. You can find her here: instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoria__wade/ website: https://www.victoriawade.co.uk Thank you to Richard Chivers, both for the reading and for chatting to me about his Nigel Slater habit, and the effect vegetables are having on his marriage. You can find Richard’s blog here http://sharpenyourspades.co.uk/, or seek him out on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sharpenyourspades/ or Twitter https://twitter.com/spadesharp. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 28 Jul 2018 | Trailer for the new Gardens, Weeds & Words podcast | 00:01:25 | |
A new gardening podcast is coming, from Andrew O'Brien, gardener and blogger at Gardens, Weeds & Words. It's a blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, as well as readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.
Don't forget to subscribe! | |||
| 10 Oct 2023 | S03 Episode 09: Gardens for Good Causes. With Hattie Ghaui | 00:56:58 | |
Gardens for Good Causes, with Hattie Ghaui A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack The glory of October 3:25 Reading from Kew Gardens, by Virginia Woolf. Written in 1919, available in hardback from Kew Publications, 2018 Read by Milli Proust 8:19 Interview with Hattie Ghaui 9:00 A summary of Project Giving Back’s work... 10:56 … and how Hattie became involved 11:25 How PGB is funded 12:13 The original goal 12:30 Me, failing to get Hattie to preempt the announcement (made in late September) about the extension of the original remit 14:35 Hattie, repping the business world on Gardens, Weeds & Words! 15:00 Hattie’s own childhood memories of plants and gardens 22:20 Hattie’s present garden and gardening style 24:29 An unexpected plug for To Stand and Stare 25:15 Hacking Big Money for charities at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Can philanthropy really help? 31:02 PGB's due diligence process for charities and corporate partners 34:45 What kind of difference can Chelsea make to a charity? Gardens for good causes, the PGB podcast https://www.givingback.org.uk/podcasts 40:27 The variety of different charities supported 41:36 Sustainability at Chelsea, and the legacy of a PGB show garden 45:23 Keep asking the questions, PGB and the RHS 47:20 A few stand out PGB projects 50:09 The long term impact of the gardens 53:41 Book writing – To Stand and Stare, and what comes next from me *** Thank you to Hattie Ghaui for joining me on this episode of the Gardens, Weeds & Words podcast. You can find Hattie on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/hghaui/ and Project Giving Back here https://www.instagram.com/project.giving.back/ and on the web here https://www.givingback.org.uk/ With thanks once again to Milli Proust for this episode’s reading. Milli’s beautiful instagram is here https://www.instagram.com/milliproust/ My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here https://geni.us/Qs2d I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coachingIf you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up after Christmas, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 25 Jun 2019 | S01 Episode 12: Midsummer rain. A weedling | 00:12:07 | |
S01 Episode 12: Midsummer rain. A weedling A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack What is a "weedling"? Rain in June Petrichor Flooding Oberon's speech, A Midsummer Night's Dream, ACT II SCENE I... Enter Puck. Oberon: Hast though the flower there? Welcome, wanderer. Puck: Ay, there it is. Oberon: I pray thee, give it me. I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlip and the nodding violet grows, Quite overcanopied with luscious woodbine, With sweet musk roses, and with eglantine. There sleeps Titania sometime of the night, Lulled in these flowers with dances and delight; And there the snake throws her enamelled skin, Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in... *** Midsummer, so soon. But plenty of long, lazy summer evenings to go. Next episode: Jo Thompson Book recommendation: Weeds: the story of outlaw plants by Richard Mabey. https://amzn.to/2Ncavly website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 15 Mar 2019 | S01 Episode 08: Words and gardens. With Sean Swallow | 00:41:02 | |
S01 Episode 08: Words and gardens. With Sean Swallow A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Is there anything left to write about gardens? The garden as a place of ideas The garden as a place of activity – where ideas can flow. Words as containers for thoughts and ideas Interview with Sean Swallow 07:38 intro 07:56 from garden designer to poet 16:38 the garden at Scatterford 20:17 are gardens ineffable? Why do we bother trying to capture then in words 22:46 strong gardens 22:30 disruptive poets 23:40 thieving bumblebees. Carpenter bees stealing nectar by drilling through flowers https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=14120 24:56 Death in the garden, Poussin’s Et in arcadia ego https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Et_in_Arcadia_ego 29:40 Poems ‘strong enough to help’. Seamus Heaney, The Redress of Poetry https://www.seamusheaney.com/the-redress-of-poetry 30:42 gardens reflecting the shape of thoughts A short film of Sean, his work, and his garden Sean’s garden at Scatterford on the NGS website You can find Sean on the web at http://www.seanswallow.net and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sean_swallow/ Further reading on writers and gardens: The Writer’s Garden: how Gardens inspired our best-loved authors Jackie Bennett website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 31 Jul 2020 | S02 Episode 11: Gratitude, privilege, responsibility. With Ann-Marie Powell | 00:53:59 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Back after a break for the last episode in the series Dogs and gardening Lockdown and #BlackLivesMatter – did these change how you felt about your garden? Privilege in the gardening world Telling the stories of plants Reading 05:30 Extract from 'Science and Colonial Expansion. The role of the British Royal Botanical Gardens' by Lucile H. Brockway in American Ethnologist, Journal of the American Ethnological Society, Volume 6 Issue 3, 1979, read by Sui Searle. https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/ae.1979.6.3.02a00030 The book of the same name, available here: https://amzn.to/2PbSC4z Gardening should be political – more of this in series three. Gratitude, privilege and responsibility – what that's meant to me in lockdown Interview with the Ann Marie Powell 11:20 11:48 What's behind @myrealgarden? 15:22 Plants, People, Place 18:37 Living in a horticultural household, and how it effects domestic gardening 22:12 How Ann-Marie became a garden designer 23:16 Horticulture within the education system – being given the choice 25:18 Andrew talking absolute rubbish about "gardening with your ears" 27:10 Ann-Marie Powell Gardens – the vital importance of a great team 31:17 The effect of the Hampshire landscape on AMPG's design work 33:47 Is there anything the RHS needs to learn when it comes to reaching new people with shows like Chelsea? 38:56 Ann-Marie's gardens at RHS Wisley in Surrey 42:43 Pro-bono work for Greenfingers charity https://www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk/ 46:03 Quickfire EITHER/OR questions! Fatsia japonica https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/plant/fatsia-japonica Schefflera rhododendrifolia https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/plant/schefflera-rhododendrifolia Crûg Farm Nursery https://www.crug-farm.co.uk/ *** Gratitude, privilege and responsibility vs Plants, People, Place. Pick your mantra! Thank you to Ann-Marie for joining me on this episode. You can find Ann-Marie online here: AMPG website: https://www.ann-mariepowell.com/ Ann Marie's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ann_mariepowell/ The @myrealgarden instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/myrealgarden/ And also to Sui Searle for reading from the Lucile H. Brockway paper. You can find Sui on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/thetemperategardener/ and here https://www.instagram.com/decolonisethegarden/ I’m ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details and add your name to the waiting list to be the first to hear when enrolment opens up again. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 12 Oct 2018 | S01 Episode 02: Gardening in the landscape with Celia Hart | 00:25:02 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. Garden soundtrack October reflections A micro review of Monty Don's The Ivington Diaries, published 2009 by Bloomsbury. Criminally, this now appears to be out of print, but I’m sure you can track a second hand copy down. https://amzn.to/2yd3SFE Gardening in the landscape. How we impose ourselves on the landscape with our gardens (as well as our towns and cities and all the built infrastructure of modern life) – which might sound a little overcooked but, really – hear me out here. An interview with the splendid Celia Hart, whose illustrations you may well know from Gardens Illustrated Magazine and now the new Almanac for 2019. Celia's website is here. www.celiahart.co.uk Gardens Illustrated Magazine. https://www.gardensillustrated.com/ A review of The Almanac: a seasonal guide for 2019 by Lia Leendertz with illustrations by Celia Hart on the blog at http://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/gwwblog/almanac-2019 An interesting article on green corridors for wildlife in urban environments. The role of green corridors for wildlife conservation in urban landscape: a literature review. H A Aziz and M H Rasidi, 2014 Derek Jarman at Prospect Cottage. Modern Nature: The journals of Derek Jarman 1989-1990, which details the creation of the garden at Prospect Cottage https://amzn.to/2yz3Nvk Derek Jarman’s Garden, a hardback volume dedicated to the garden, including Jarman’s own handwritten notes. https://amzn.to/2NDs4pE Dungeness links Dungeness Old Lighthouse https://dungenesslighthouse.com/ RSPB Dungeness http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/d/dungeness/index.aspx Dungeness page of the Romney Marsh website https://theromneymarsh.net/dungeness Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway http://www.rhdr.org.uk/ Beth Pinkerton, our charming reader for this episode's book review. Twitter https://twitter.com/MissPinks Instagram instagram.com/misspinks | |||
| 24 Jan 2019 | S01 Episode 06: To stand and stare. With Laura Ellen Bacon | 00:47:10 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack January, and standing about in the cold. Winter readings. Lines from Alexander Pope’s Epistle IV, to Richard Boyle, Earl of Burlington, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genius_loci Leisure, by William Henry Davies Interview with Laura Ellen Bacon 05:39 Plant memories 10:00 Laura’s materials 12:05 Describing Laura’s work 14:08 Creative process 15:10 Finding a sense of place 18:10 Characteristics of a space 18:46 Laura’s own garden 22:38 Working with a softer, more organic backdrop of the garden 31:05 Movement in Laura’s work 33:16 How being a mother has changed things 38:52 Creating intimate garden spaces Laura’s website is http://lauraellenbacon.com You can find her on on Twitter at http://twiter.com/lauraellenbacon and Instagram http://instagram.com/lauraellenbacon You can read details about the Woman’s Hour Craft Prize here https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/about-the-womens-hour-craft-prize?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwKnAxLqE4AIVyOFRCh2_fwraEAAYASAAEgKmCfD_BwE With thanks to Laura for being my guest this episode, and again to Beth Pinkerton for providing her smooth tones for the reading, once more at absurdly short notice. You can find Beth here: Twitter https://twitter.com/MissPinks Instagram instagram.com/misspinks website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 08 Aug 2023 | S03 Episode 8: Designing with flowers. With Hazel Gardiner | 01:01:13 | |
Designing with flowers. With Hazel Gardiner A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Over the hump of the year 1:56 Vita Sackville west struggling with summer Readings from In Your Garden, Vita Sackville West. Oxenwood Press, 1996 Read by Andrew Timothy O'Brien 5:30 Interview with Hazel Gardiner 5:55 Creating in relationship with others – elevating and encouraging. 8:25 Hazel’s career path. Dealing with burnout and serious illness 13:11 Retraining in floristry. Transferable skills. 18:50 Choosing the floristry path, rather than gardening or garden design 21:50 The through-line in a varied career 24:00 Fearless. A parental gift of confidence 27:10 Building a team 29:23 A typical week 30:45 Incorporating artificial flowers 33:15 Hazel’s early gardening memories 40:46 Creating installations that flummox – Hazel’s ideal brief 43:12 A ‘chewy’ style – texture, layer and story 46:15 How people interract with the work 48:00 The place of sustainability, seasonality and a responsive approach 51:28 Natural mechanics 52:22 Hazel’s own garden 56:38 Bramble & Briar, the Substack for the more confessional side of my gardening content. Sign up at https://andrewtimothyobrien.substack.com/ 57:28 An extract from my book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, DK Life, https://geni.us/Qs2d *** Thank you to Hazel Gardiner for joining me on this episode of the Gardens, Weeds & Words podcast. You can find Hazel on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/hazelgardinerdesign/ and on the web here https://www.hazelgardinerdesign.com/studio My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here https://geni.us/Qs2d I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coachingIf you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up in September 2023, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 21 May 2020 | S02 Episode 10: The Five Minute Garden. With Laetitia Maklouf | 00:42:11 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Gardening without Chelsea. The RHS Virtual Chelsea Flower Show https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/virtual-chelsea Lockdown gardening interest The Independent Plant Nursery Guide http://independentplantnurseriesguide.uk/ Should we look for a silver lining? Reading 03:20 Extract from The Five Minute Garden by Laetitia Maklouf, read by Emma Jo Real Davies. https://amzn.to/36l871Z Interview with the Laetitia Maklouf 05:15 05:44 Standard Laetitia Lore and the Sweet Pea Seeds 07:29 Sharing online 08:44 How Laetitia has changed as a gardener 09:28 Gardening in small spaces – the benefits of limits 10:03 Moving to real earth – option paralysis 10:36 Prescriptive approach vs you do you 11:08 Trust in your gardening instinct 12:13 Being ruthless. Or… not…! (Hotbin Darling) 13:10 Lockdown sourdough progress 14:24 Teaching the children through gardening 20:34 Being politely steely 22:00 Gardening overwhelm 26:10 The Five Minute Gardener 31:37 Gardening as a transactional relationship 33:25 On the decision not to have photographs in the new book 36:44 What is Laetitia going to do when she grows up? *** Lockdown gardening communicators on Instagram Just some of the folk who have really taken the opportunity to bring people into their own gardens (particularly encouraging and inspiring when some of them are multi award-winning designers) over the past couple of months. Don’t miss Ann-Marie Powell’s lunchtime talks at https://www.instagram.com/myrealgarden/, or Jo Thompson’s daily morning dog rambles through the Sussex countryside in the company of birds and her lovely labrador Rush https://www.instagram.com/jothompsongarden/. And of course, past friends of the podcast Alice Vincent https://www.instagram.com/noughticulture/ and Caro Langton at RoCo https://www.instagram.com/studio.roco/, teaching us about small space gardening and houseplants in their stories. All incredibly generous, and remarkably accessible. Thank you to Laetitia for joining me on this episode. Laetitia's book The Five Minute Garden, published by National Trust Books, 2020, is available here https://amzn.to/36l871Z Laetitia's website: https://laetitiamaklouf.com/ Laetitia on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laetitiamaklouf And to Emma Jo Real Davies for reading from Laetitia’s book. Emma Jo’s brilliant podcast, The Female Struggle is Real is here https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-female-struggle-is-real/id1215423183 or you can find her on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/emjorealdavies/, or on the airwaves here https://www.kmfm.co.uk/on-air/the-hit-list-with-emma-jo/ I’m ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. PLEASE VOTE FOR THE GARDENS, WEEDS & WORDS PODCAST IN THE BRITISH PODCAST AWARDS LISTENER CHOICE CATEGORY Lockdown discounts: A year of garden coaching I’ve been very excited about my new venture – even before the lockdown I’d decided that online garden coaching would be a fantastic way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. With the all the uncertainty around our lives just now I’m holding the the introductory price for the full 12 month programme as well as offering a quarterly payment plan, and there’s 50% off an hour’s Skype consultation call. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 26 Sep 2019 | S02 Episode 1: Nature all around. With Caro Langton | 00:36:31 | |
S02 Episode 1: Nature all around. With Caro Langton A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Autumn is here Nature all around us Reading 03:40 To Autumn by John Keats Read by Rose White, Richard Chivers and Rachel Coldbreath. 05:55 Nature Unnoticed 07:28 The pot of basil Interview with Caro Langton 08:46 09:25 House of Plants 10:09 Where did the journey into plant obsession begin for Caro? 13:41 What’s going on in the plant:person equation? The Moth Snowstorm: nature and joy by Michael McCarthy 17:23 Plant tribes and communities The Houseplant Festival at the London Garden Museum, 21 September 2019 21:04 Plant installations 23:42 What makes a garden? 26:15 A deep connection with plants in a short space of time. 31:34 What’s next in the RoCo story? Huge thanks to Caro for making time to talk to me about her work and her life with plants. You can find out more about Caro and the work she does with Rose Ray as RoCo here: website: https://www.ro-co.uk instagram: http://instagram.com/studio.roco House of Plants: living with succulents, air plants and cacti by Rose Ray and Caro Langton, published by Frances Lincoln 2016 Root, Nurture, Grow: the essential guide to propagating and sharing houseplants by Caro Langton and Rose Ray, published by Quadrille 2018 You can read my review of Root, Nurture, Grow here The effect of plants in the workplace on productivity… Nieuwenhuis, M., Knight, C., Postmes, T., & Haslam, S. A. (2014). The relative benefits of green versus lean office space: Three field experiments. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 20(3), 199-214. Do plants increase workplace productivity? https://www.goget.com.au/blog/plants-in-the-office/ With thanks to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 26 Oct 2022 | S03 Episode 5: Where the sun don't shine. With Susanna Grant | 00:50:27 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack The joys of October in the garden. Reading from A breath from elsewhere, by Mirabel Osler 4:28 Read by Jemma Cooper A breath from elsewhere, by Mirabel Osler. Bloomsbury, 1997. https://amzn.to/3Stlvr9 06:52 Gardening in the shade 08:10 Interview with Susanna Grant 08:20 First encounters Wild about Weeds, by Jack Wallington 09:17 Sharing weeds (and weeds) 10:48 How the name – and the business – 'Linda' came about 12:35 A Jack of All Trades – Susanna's other work 16:11 A Fair Weather Shop 19:26 Susanna's childhood memories of plants and the natural world Flower Fairy books, by Cicely Mary Barker Observer Book of Wild Flowers 21:26 Arnold Circus and the Boundary Estate – the community garden Radicle, edited by Sui Searle aka @decolonisethegarden Volunteering: a problem and an opportunity? by Joanna Pidcock 29:49 From Gardens Where We Feel Secure, by Susanna Grant and Rowan Spray, published by Rough Trade Books and The Garden Museum 35:31 Practicalities of window box gardening with perennials *** Thank you to Susanna Grant for giving up her time to talk to me about her creative nature-inspired practice. Susanna's book Shade is published by Bloom, 2022, and is available here The Rough Trade/Garden Museum pamphlet by Susanna, with photography by Rowan Spray is From Gardens Where We Feel Secure, and is available here Pamphlets in the same series, such as Horticultural Appropriation by Claire Ratinon and Sam Ayre, are also available here You can find Susanna on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/hellotherelinda Or on her website: https://www.hellotherelinda.com/ My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, will be published by DK Life on Feb 2, 2023, and is available to preorder here https://geni.us/Qs2d I'm so grateful to Jemma Cooper for lending us her lovely tones for the reading from Mirabel Osler's A breath from elsewhere. You can find Jem on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/thecountrynurse_ I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. A year of garden coaching If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up early in the new year, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 06 Nov 2024 | S03.5 Episode 2: What we want from our gardens | 00:20:40 | |
Gardens, weeds and words podcast, S03.5 E02 show notesA blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Autumn is settling in and, if we’re honest, we start to spend less time actively gardening. More time for the soil to grow what it really wants, more time for us to start dreaming next year’s garden into being. In this episode, we hear how weeds have evolved to depend upon us making room for them to exploit, with another reading form Jack Wallington’s Wild About Weeds. And I bring you the second instalment of my series on easing into harmony with your garden.
Garden soundtrack 00:40 How we could use our gardens more all year round 02:00 Essential kit for experiencing a soggy garden 03:20 Assessing the garden in autumn, and making a habit of showing up 04:20 What the weeds are getting up to, and how humans and weeds go hand in hand
reading 05:55 from Jack Wallington's Wild About Weeds, read by Rose White
08:29 Purpose and intention in the garden – weedy, or not so weedy? It's up to you! 09:23 What do you want from your garden? The second instalment of my series on easing into harmony with your garden.
18:48 A special quality to gardening at this time of year – read more on Bramble & Briar, my publication on Substack (you can listen there, too)
On lazy clouds, and the softness of November, Andrew O'Brien, on Bramble & Briar
*** Thank you to Rose White for reading so beautifully from Jack's book, Wild About Weeds, published by Lawrence King in 2019. (You can order Rose’s own book of her poetry, Songbird, here. 10% of all proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the charity BEAT Eating Disorders). My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.
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| 13 Feb 2025 | S03.5 Episode 3: the picture perfect garden | 00:18:11 | |
Gardens, weeds and words podcast, S03.5 E03 show notes A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links.
Winter conditions in the garden. 01:17 A weed for every situation reading
04:15 When to start sowing seeds – a flurry of mild debate 05:28 What instinctively feels right for us in the garden? 06:09 How do you want your garden to look and feel? The third instalment of my series on easing into harmony with your garden. Q1. How do you want to feel when you’re in your garden? Q2. ...and what’s getting in the way of this right now? Q3. What do you like about you garden? Q4. What do you dislike about your garden? Q5. What aspects of gardens and gardening do you find visually appealing? Q6. ...and how do you think you might incorporate these into your garden? Q7. What stories do you want your garden to tell?
*** Thank you to Andy Wain for his spirited reading from Jack’s book, Wild About Weeds, published by Lawrence King in 2019. My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.
substack: Bramble & Briar | |||
| 03 Jan 2020 | S02 Episode 5: healing nature. With Alys Fowler | 01:05:22 | |
Healing nature. With Alys Fowler A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack January, getting back out into the garden. Rains and flooding. A sign that not all’s ok with our relationship with nature Micro book review 03:30 from The Garden Jungle or Gardening to Save the Planet by Dave Goulson. Published by Jonathan Cape July 2019 https://amzn.to/2ZRfueo Extract read by Rachel Coldbreath Insect declines and why they matter, Dave Goulson, FRES, 2019. Dorset Wildlife Trust https://www.flipsnack.com/devonwildlifetrust/insect-declines/full-view.html Interview with Alys Fowler 06:04 07:05 Urban vs. country – where were Alys’s skills for observing the natural world honed? 09:03 Nature under your feet. Being detail orientated. 09:55 Plant blind Plant blindness Wandersee, J. H., & Schussler, E. E. (1999). Preventing plant blindness. The American Biology Teacher, 61, 82–86. Wikipedia Article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_blindness Article on Plant Blindness by Sandy Knapp of the Natural History Museum (London) https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ppp3.36 12:20 The way we garden and how it interacts with the wider landscape 14:43 How well is the rewilding message being communicated? 15:20 A generational shift to a more sympathetic relationship with nature 16:35 Countering late stage capitalism 17:25 How long change takes 18:36 Caring in spite of it all 19:43 Mindfulness vs. paying attention 22:42 Vested interests and inertia 24:52 How our gardens help us to make sense of it all 26:29 Finding meaning and hope in a relationship with plants 27:25 What’s the definition of a gardner? 28:32 Thrifty gardening – recycling 31:37 Style vs. meaning in the garden 34:20 A multi-faceted job description 36:55 The relationship of the garden to the house – pushing the boundaries 39:10 Approaches to making gardens 42:20 Japanese gardens – listening to nature 44:45 Control, dominion – human relationships to nature and the garden. Patriarchy, religion, feminism. 48:46 A Modern Herbal – Alys’s take on herbs and herbals. 52:49 Gender roles in the transmission of herb lore 55:29 Herbal medicine and conventional medicine. Gayla Trail 56:40 Can we garden our way out of this, Alys?! *** New Year, New You. A new relationship with nature. Paying it back. Thank you to Alys for joining me on this episode. You can find Alys on Instagram here instagram.com/alysf and on the Guardian pages here https://www.theguardian.com/profile/alys-fowler. In the interview we talked about Alys’s latest book, A Modern Herbal, published by Michael Joseph in 2019. You can find that here https://amzn.to/39DaVc4. Of course, as she says in the interview, the best way to get hold of her is by phone! Thanks too to Rachel Coldbreath for a cracking reading from Dave Goulson’s book . With thanks to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. One-to-one online garden coaching I’m very excited about my new venture – it’s a way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. A few limited places left on introductory prices! website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 20 Dec 2018 | S01 Episode 05: Gardening for wildlife. With Kate Bradbury | 00:41:53 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Winter reading, micro reviews. The Well-Tempered Garden, by Christopher Lloyd, paperback edition published 2014 by Weidenfeld and Nicolson https://amzn.to/2UVFJNX Home Ground, by Dan Pearson, published 2011 by Conran Octopus Using #betwixtmas to plan the garden for the coming year – a chance to think about making provision for wildlife. Interview with Kate Bradbury 08:42 Plant memories 11:16 What are gardens for? 16:05 The buddleia incident BARRATT HOMES/RSPB BBC WILDLIFE MAGAZINE 22:21 Planning wildlife into built environments 24:15 The Bumblebee Flies Anyway – what's in a name? 26:09 Lawns, are they really so bad? NHS Insect bites and stings advice 33:08 Placing an economic cost on "environment services" 34:06 What hope going forward? Review of Kate’s latest book, The Bumblebee Flies Anyway: a year of gardening and (wild)life https://amzn.to/2K9wF2U, on the Gardens, Weeds & Words blog, here: Kate’s previous book, The Wildlife Gardener, available here: https://amzn.to/2zY1cvH Hydrangeas with better wildlife value It’s true, the ubiquitous mophead Hydrangea macrophylla has a flower head packed with sterile florets, which offer no food for pollinating insects. But those with the flower structure known as “lacecap”, where small, tightly furled fertile florets are surrounded by a thing ring of their sterile counterparts, are much richer in nectar. These include varieties of paniculate hydrangea, such as Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’ or ‘Limelight', the climbing hydrangea Hydrangea anomoloa subsp. petiolaris, and the impressive oakleaved hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia, with its wonderful autumn colouration. Varieties of Hydrangea arborescens, including the popular ‘Annabelle’, are also worth including in your pollinator-friendly plantings. With thanks to Richard Chivers for providing his Welsh tones for the reading. You can find Richard’s acclaimed blog at sharpenyourspades.com, and the gent himself lurks on social media here: Twitter https://twitter.com/spadesharp Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sharpenyourspades/ That’s it for 2018! Thank you for all your support and lovely messages. Looking forward to bringing you more slow gardening radio and conversations with creatives and plant-inspired makers next year. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 11 Apr 2019 | S01 Episode 09: Who is gardening for? With Sara Venn | 00:42:51 | |
S01 Episode 09: Who is gardening for? With Sara Venn A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack April in the garden Bees on the goat willow. Micro book review Letters to a Beekeeper by Alys Fowler and Steve Benbow, published by Unbound 2017 Extract read by Rose White How accessible is gardening to everyone? Or…Who is gardening for? Interview with Sara Venn 07:45 Why should people care about gardening? 11:37 Gardening helping people to reclaim agency 16:30 Access to gardening – can the industry and the media get in the way? 20:46 Entry points to gardening – the problem with garden centres... 22:35 The Independent Plant Nursery Guide The Hardy Plant Society The Herb Society The Alpine Garden Society 26:41 How is gardening doing as regards representation? 29:30 How about gardening jargon as a barrier? 34:08 Who is gardening for? 36:50 Three reasons to get involved with gardening A huge thank you to Sara for joining me on this episode. You can find Sara here: instagram: instagram.com/saralimback twitter: twitter.com/saralimback blog: thecommunitygarden.co.uk website: ediblebristol.org.uk Thank you to Rose White and Richard Chivers for contributing their warm and wonderful tones to this episodes with the readings. Rose is an intuitive eating coach, and you can find her on instagram at instagram.com/liveawelllife, or on her website at liveawelllife.co.uk. Richard is the man behind the highly acclaimed Grow Your Own blog at sharpenyourspades.com, also hanging out in the tiny squares at instagram.com/sharpenyourspades. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 24 Oct 2019 | S02EP02: Unknown ground. With Grant Simon Rogers | 00:33:36 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Soggy October. Knowing a place, season to season. The idea of UNKNOWN GROUND (Terra Incognita) Reading 04:48 from Landmarks by Robert MacFarlane Read by Rachel Coldbreath. Interview with Grant Simon Rogers 06:46 07:14 "Keep sharing the beauty” 10:46 An introduction to Grant’s work 13:16 The importance of walking through the landscape – immersion or escape? 15:14 The process of taking (or making) a photograph 17:00 A cinematic quality 17:44 The representation of the human element 18:19 The reaction of the public during photography 19:14 London: Brockwell Park – Daphne and the Bad Wildlife 20:00 Learning trees 20:39 Favourite plants to photograph – individuals, or types? 22:14 Berlin: Tempelhof – grasses and birds of prey in the city 23:26 Documenting the wildlife, or passing through? 24:24 ‘Terra Incognita’ – always new ground? How well do we know the ground under our feet? The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the younger. 27:19 A subtle approach to storytelling I’m so grateful to Grant for making time to talk to us about how he works in and sees the landscape around him. You can find out more about Grant and see examples of his photographs on the following links: Online instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grantsimonrogers/ Exhibitions The Last Supper, 42 Webb’s Road, SW11 6SF, London, +44 (0)742 763 6306 or +44 (0)207 223 8900 La Camera Chiara, Pestalozzistraße 13 / Berlin / 10625 With thanks to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. I'm grateful, once again, to Rachel for helping me out with the reading. You can find Rachel here: twitter.com/agildedeye. One-to-one online garden coaching I’m very excited about my new venture – it’s a way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. If you’d like to find out more, please leave me your email address on the following link. I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as soon as this launches! website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 22 Aug 2019 | S01 Episode 15: Absolute beginners. With Lucy Lucraft | 00:38:13 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Peak productivity in the garden. Does nature need our help? The joy of growing things, but where to start? Micro book review How to Grow Stuff by Alice Vincent, published by Ebury Press, 2017 Extract read by the author Interview with Lucy Lucraft 07:39 07:52 Earliest memory of plants and gardens 08:48 The attraction of a house with a garden 10:17 What kind of plants Lucy’s growing right now. Edibles. 13:00 The perils of gardening jargon 13:37 Finding gardening intimidating 14:00 the shed of doom, and pots of dead stuff 15:15 “I don’t really understand weeding" 16:00 Catching the weeding bug, and some garden tool geekery 17:23 Keeping houseplants alive 20:00 Gardening with small children 23:37 Veganism and gardening, growing your own and eating seasonally 26:34 What one thing Lucy would change to make gardening more approachable for beginners A huge thank you to Lucy for joining me on this episode. You can find her here: instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucylucraft/ website: https://lucylucraft.com Thank you also to Alice Vincent for reading from her book, How to Grow Stuff. You can find Alice on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/noughticulture/. Details for the House Plant Festival, which Alice is hosting on Sunday 29 September 2019 at London’s Garden Museum, are available here: https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/events/houseplant-festival/ With thanks to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. The music towards the end was Gift Horse, a track from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, reproduced under the Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 22 Nov 2018 | S01 Episode 04: Call yourself a gardener? Gardening without a garden, with Alice Vincent | 00:25:01 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Call yourself a gardener? Gardening without a garden, with Alice Vincent. Garden soundtrack Autumn ending. A micro review of The Thrifty Gardner, by Alys Fowler https://amzn.to/2zlYlgG, with an extract read by Beth Pinkerton. Do you need a garden to consider yourself a gardener? Interview with Alice Vincent, journalist and author of How to Grow Stuff https://amzn.to/2PM28OP, host of the Noughticutlurep talks at the Garden Museum https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/event_location/the-garden-museum/, and tap dancer extraordinaire. Alice Vincent in the Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/alice-vincent/ Alice on Instagram instagram.com/noughticulture LED growlights from Modern Sprout https://www.modsprout.com/ Jack Wallington, garden blogger, designer, and Telegraph Gardening columnist https://www.jackwallington.com/ With thanks to Beth Pinkerton for providing her smooth tones for the reading, at criminally short notice. You can find Beth here: Twitter https://twitter.com/MissPinks Instagram instagram.com/misspinks website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 31 Jan 2020 | S02 Episode 6: Rootbound. With Alice Vincent | 00:47:48 | |
Rootbound. With Alice Vincent A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack More winter behind than before us The cold and damp – joys of a good fire at the end of the day. Micro book review 02:02 Roger Deakin’s Notes from Walnut Tree Farm https://amzn.to/2uRIWVU Published by Hamish Hamilton, 2008 Extracts read by Rose White Winter - a challenge for the indoor gardener Being rootbound – a problem for houseplants… …and also for plants in nurseries …though a very few plants respond well to having their roots restricted. At least in terms of flowering. A rootbound person? Some restrictions might be beneficial, but no-one likes to feel bound... Interview with Alice Vincent 09:26 10:40 Alice describes her new book 11:47 Three ways in which gardening gets us 17:25 Writing a nature memoir 24:14 The experiences of women as represented in the book 26:35 Gendered questions that keeps coming up around nature 30:33 What’s the draw of Japan? 36:53 Gardening now on the Treehouse Balcony 42:25 What’s next for Alice *** Thank you to Alice for joining me on this episode. Alice’s first book is How to Grow Stuff https://amzn.to/2PM28OP. You can read my review of Rootbound. Rewilding a Life on the blog here https://gardensweedsandwords.com/gwwblog/rootbound-alice-vincent Find out more about the Noughticulture talks at the Garden Museum https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/event_location/the-garden-museum/ Alice Vincent in the Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/alice-vincent/ Alice on Instagram instagram.com/noughticulture Thanks too to Rose White for reading for us once again, this time from Roger Deakin’s Notes from Walnut Tree Farm. You can find Rose here instagram.com/liveawelllife With thanks to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. One-to-one online garden coaching I’m very excited about my new venture – it’s a way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. A few limited places left on introductory prices! website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 23 Apr 2020 | S02 Episode 9: Practical, useful & pretty. With Katie Rushworth | 00:45:31 | |
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack Birdsong, and gardening in the new normal. Gardening in one place over time. Reading 04:00 Extract from The Garden Log Podcast, episode 74, read by the host, Ben Dark. https://thegardenlog.libsyn.com/ Interview with the Katie Rushworth 05:51 06:21 Not the only Yorkshire-born gardener on the telly… 07:00 Katie’s experience of nature and plants growing up 09:29 Chomping for wood! 10:12 The place of the Yorkshire landscape in Katie’s garden design work 11:44 Gardening is about a feeling 12:43 Before gardening… 16:32 Juggling gardening, TV schedules and being a mum 17:43 Transferrable skills – an appreciation of colour, shape, form and texture 19:11 Garden coaching and mentoring 26:35 Domestic gardens 27:21 Practical, useful & pretty 30:42 The biggest obstacles people face in their gardens 32:54 Plants – just pretty window dressing, or more than fluff? 36:25 Productively using our time in the garden *** Thank you to Katie for joining me on this episode. Katie’s book Plants, Beds & Borders is available here https://amzn.to/3ayCySE Katie's website: http://katierushworth.com/ Katie on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thequeenofspades00/ I’m ever grateful to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees. Lockdown discounts: A year of garden coaching I’ve been very excited about my new venture – even before the lockdown I’d decided that online garden coaching would be a fantastic way for me to work with more people than I can physically get around to, helping them to make the very best of their gardens in a way that suits the life they lead. With the all the uncertainty around our lives just now I’m holding the the introductory price for the full 12 month programme as well as offering a quarterly payment plan, and there’s 50% off an hour’s Skype consultation call. website: gardensweedsandwords.com Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB | |||
| 08 Feb 2024 | S03 Episode 10: Rosemary for remembrance. With Maya Thomas | 00:59:33 | |
Gardens, weeds and words podcast, S03E10 show notesA blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing. These notes may contain affiliate links. Garden soundtrack February; the natural world waking up; the bossiness of raised beds 2:00 Reading from I was right all along, on my Substack, Bramble & Briar 3:41 the resilience of the purple sage
4:45 Interview with Maya Thomas Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Diploma in Herbology Ballymaloe Cookery School at Ballymaloe House in Cork, Ireland Elisabeth Luard, author, journalist and broadcaster Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, Kandy, Sri Lanka, where Maya’s great uncle used to work Rewilding the Kitchen, Toast 2021, Maya Thomas Returning to the Urban Wilderness, Toast 2021, Maya Thomas Grow Easy: Organic crops for pots and small plots, Anna Greeland, Mitchell Beazley 2021
57:01 To Stand and Stare turns one year old *** Thank you to Maya Thomas for joining me on this episode of the Gardens, Weeds & Words podcast. You can find Maya on Instagram, and also on the web at The Modern Herbal My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, is published by DK Life, and is available here I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.
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