Mic The Gardener - Gardening Podcast

In this episode I head to the nursery of Sienna Hosta to chat about: How to get the very best from your hostas How to win the war with slugs & snails Sienna Hosta's incredible success at nationwide flower shows and their exciting plans for Chelsea 2025, and of course lots more. To find out more and see the incredible range of hostas available to buy, head to the Sienna Hosta website www.siennahosta.co.uk. Don't forget to followed subscribe, and, if you're able please do leave a review. See you shortly for Episode 2! Mike

Welcome to this Chelsea Flower Show special addition with fantastic contributions from: TV presenters Gaby Roslin & Ben Thompson Garden designer Jo Thompson Garden writer Arthur Parkinson Michael Marriott & Rosie Irving Naomi Slade and daughter Holly She Grows Veg Kim Stoddart & Ruth Hayes Sienna Hosta Harespring Cottage Flowers Adam Kirtland Kelly Stone Tom Coleman Alice Hare, and Susie White It's a fascinating episode, as always, which sees me snooping around the Chelsea Flower Show on press day. Thanks for listening and watch out for series 8 coming soon! Mike

In this week's episode I chat with writer, author and owner of Bressingham Gardens, Adrian Bloom. We talk about: The beautiful gardens at Bressingham. Adrian's career, to date The creation of Foggy Bottom His new book, Foggy Bottom - A Garden to Share Photography, plants, and lots, lots more To order Adrian's new book, Foggy Bottom - A Garden to Share, click here. To learn more about Bressingham, click here. To learn more about Foggy Botton garden, click here. To follow me on my Instagram account click here. As always, my thanks to you for listening and don't forget to follow/subscribe and please leave a review if you are able. Thank you. Mike

In this week's episode, I chat with garden writer and author, climate change expert and editor of Amateur Gardening magazine, Kim Stoddart. We chat about: Kim's excellent new book, 'The Climate Change Resilient Vegetable Garden', published by Cool Springs Press. Resilience The importance of connecting with nature Wellbeing Emotional regulation Nutrient density, and, of course, lots more To learn more about Kim head to her website by clicking here, or to her Instagram account by clicking here. You can learn more about me by heading to my Instagram account bye clicking here, or have a read of my writing on Substack by clicking here. Thanks to you all for listening and please don't forget to follow/subscribe and please leave a review if you are able. I'll see you next week. Mike

In this week's, episode, I head back to the Cotswolds for what is fast, becoming my annual get together with garden writer, Val Bourne. The weather, not on our side, this time, meant we had to record this episode in the lounge of Val's beautiful cottage. We chat about: Writing for a living Val's pretty cottage garden Erythroniums Dahlias Ed Sheeran (!), and, Lots more as always Please don't forget to follow/subscribe as there are more episodes to come. And please do leave a review if you are able. To follow me on my Instagram account tap here. See you next week. Mike

In this week's, episode of the Mike The Gardener – Gardening Podcast, I chat to my friend and one time tutor, garden writer, broadcaster, and author, David Hurrion.   Twenty years ago, I was lucky enough to have had David as the tutor of my RHS level 1 course. As you will hear in today's episode, David's vocation has been to share his vast knowledge of all things, plants, gardening and horticulture with others. He's also been a journalist, writer and editor, working for publications, including Amateur Gardening magazine and Gardeners' World magazine.   David's new book The Raised Bed Book, has recently been published by DK books, and in today's episode we chat about:   David's new book and how it came about David's career to date The importance of inspirational teachers/tutors Broadcasting on radio and television, and lots lots more My thanks to David for joining me in today's episode, and to find out more about him or to order the book, please click here.   You can find out more about me and follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here.   Thanks for listening, and please don't forget to follow/subscribe, and if you are able, please do leave a review.   See you next week.   Mike

In this week's episode of the Mike the Gardener - Gardening Podcast, I chat with garden writer, veg grower and author, Rob Smith.  Rob's new book ‘Grow to Eat: Growing Colourful & Tasty Vegetables From Seed' is published by Quadrille Publishing on 28th March, 2024 and in this episode we chat about: How Rob's passion for growing veg started His career to date How the book came about The BBC TV programme, The Great Allotment Challenge, which Rob won in 2015 Rob's plans for the future, and of course lots more.  We also speak to Rob's friend, gardener, maker, upcycler and lover of all things vintage, Darren Lakin.  It's a great episode and my thanks to Rob, and Darren for coming along to have a chat with us.  You can learn more about about Rob by clicking here. You can learn more about Darren by clicking here. And, you can learn more about me by clicking here.  Please don't forget to follow/subscribe and please leave a review if you're able.  Thanks for listening.  Mike

In this week's episode of the Mike the Gardener - Gardening Podcast, I chat with award-winning garden designer, Manoj Malde. We chat about his new book 'Your Outdoor Room' published by Frances Lincoln on 21 March 2024. We chat about: His childhood His career in the fashion industry The book and how it came about Manoj's Chelsea Flower Show Gardens His TV work, and lots more You can find out more about Manoj by clicking here and follow him on Instagram by clicking here You can follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here. Please don't forget to follow/subscribe and leave a review if you can. See you next week. Mike

In this week's episode of the Mike the Gardener - Gardening Podcast, I chat with Lucy Hutchings (@shegrowsveg) about her career to date. In 2018, Lucy took to Instagram to chart her progress growing her own fruit & vegetables. She now has a following of over 180,000.  In this episode, I chat to Lucy about her career to date, including her work as a writer, author, garden designer, and now, entrepreneur as she and business partner, Kate Cotterell have set up the UK Heirloom Seed Company. Lucy also shares exclusively their plans for the Chelsea Flower Show in May 2024. To follow Lucy on her Instagram account click here. To follow me on my Instagram account click here. Thanks for listening and please don't forget to follow/subscribe as there are more episodes to follow.  And, if you are able, please leave a review. See you next week. Mike

Hello and welcome back to this week's episode of the Mike The Gardener - Gardening Podcast. This week, I speak to garden, owner and author, TJ Maher. TJ is an artist who has an incredible eye for using colour, forms and texture in his beautiful Patthana Garden in Wicklow, Ireland. His new book, published by Pimpernel Press on 7th March 2024 is ‘Grounded in the garden - an artist's guide to creating a beautiful garden in harmony with nature' and looks closely at the creation of the Patthana Garden, including how to use colour, planting and lots more. In this delightfully, intimate interview we chat about: TJ's career to date The importance of colour in the garden How TJ crafted this stunning garden  How the book came about How TJ found the writing process  How the garden has developed, and of course lots more My thanks to TJ for taking time to come and chat to us. You can follow TJ on his Instagram account by clicking here. You can follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here. Thank you, as always for listening and don't forget to follow/subscribe as there are more episodes to come. If you are able, please do leave a review. Thank you. Mike

In this week's episode of the Mike The Gardener - Gardening Podcast, I chat once again to Jekka McVicar whose new book '100 Herbs to Grow' is published 7 March 2024 by Quadrille Publishing. In this fascinating and in-depth chat, we talk about: Jekka's new book, '100 Herbs to Grow'. How to inspire people to grow The future of small and independent specialist nurseries How Jekka spends her ‘me-time' Her plans for the future, and much more. This is truly another great chat with Jekka, and I am re-releasing our first chat alongside this episode as some of our conversations relate back to our first meeting. My thanks to Jekka for taking time from her schedule to chat to us today.  You can follow Jekka's Herb Farm by clicking here. And you can follow Jekka's personal account by clicking here. And you can follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here. Please don't forget to follow/subscribe and if you are able, please leave a review. Thank you and see you next week. Mike 

In this week's episode of the Mike The Gardener - Gardening Podcast, I chat with Scotland Grows Editor and Podcaster and freelance writer M.T. O'Donnell.  Amongst many topics, we discuss: MTs, role as Editor and Podcaster for Scotland Grows. The Scotland Grows magazine. The challenges of gardening in Scotland.  The TRELLIS charity - Gardening for Well-Being, and lots more.  You can find out more about Scotland Grows by clicking here. My thanks to MT for taking time out of her schedule to come and chat to us today. You can follow MT on her Instagram account by clicking here.   And you can follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here.    My thanks, as always, for listening, and please don't forget to follow/subscribe as there are more great episodes to come. See you very soon.  Mike

In this week's episode of the Mike the Gardener - Gardening Podcast, I return to Kingston Maurward, horticultural college, where I learnt my trade many, many years ago. Nigel Hewish, the Head Gardener there, is responsible for the national collection of salvias held within the grounds of the college. What Nigel doesn't know about salvias frankly, isn't worth knowing. In this informative episode, we chat about: Where salvias originate from How to grow them How to propagate them How to get the very best from them Planting companions Pests and diseases, and much more My thanks to Nigel for taking time to come and talk to us today. If you want to know more about me and my own garden, you can follow me on my Instagram account, mike_the gardener.  My thanks to you for listening, and please don't forget to follow/subscribe as there are more great episodes to come. And, if you are able to, please leave a review so that other gardening enthusiasts can find us here. Thanks for listening and see you next week.

Hello and welcome to the Mike the Gardener - Gardening Podcast. In this first episode of Series 7, I'm delighted to be joined by the rather lovely Anya Lautenbach, a.k.a. Anya, The Garden Fairy (Instagram). Anya's brand new book, her first, The Money Saving Gardener is published on 8 February by DK books. We chat about: How the book came about The writing process Anya's first gardening memories How a personal tragedy led to her building a beautiful garden of her own How she got into propagation Her plans for the future, and lots, lots more. You can follow Anya on her Instagram account by clicking here and details of her new book and can be found here. You can find out more about me and my garden by following me on my Instagram account.  Click here for more information.  Thanks for listening and I'll be back next week. Mike

In this weeks episode, I chat to another Head Gardener, Nigel Hewish of Kingston Maurward college in Dorchester. I completed my horticultural training at Kingston Morwood many years ago, and it was a delight to catch up with Nigel to talk about the gardens and his career. In this chat, we cover: Nigel's career to date His love of trees and shrubs The plant collections at Kingston Maurward The impacts of climate change, and lots more. There's also some very handy gardening advice and tips about caring for penstemons and salvias. To learn more about Kingston Maurward, click here. To learn more about me, click here Thanks to you all for listening to this series and I will be back shortly with Series 7. Mike

In this fascinating episode,  I chat to Charles Carr, who is the Head of Wholesale Nurseries at Hillier Nurseries Limited.  Charles took me on a tour of the site and it's just incredible to see this massive operation, and the technology thats in use, the skills of the staff all around the site and most importantly, the quality of the plants that are produced. I chat to Charles about his role and, as with so many conversations I've had in this series, we talk about the impact of climate change and going peat free and how the industry is responding to these very real challenges. Hilliers Nurseries are pretty much peat free, and they have some fascinating technology to help them learn about this new growing medium. And for all of us, whatever the size of our garden, we too will need to learn about how to grow our plants in a peat, free medium. As you might expect, we cover a lot of ground within this discussion, including pests and diseases, what happens during the winter months, the importance of learning and development for staff, new plant development, and Charles own plant passions and of course lots more. Thank you all for listening to this series of the Mike The Gardener – Gardening Podcast and I will be back in the New Year with one more episode for this series, before picking up again in spring with Series 7. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy, 2024. Mike

In this episode of the Mike the Gardener - Gardening Podcast, I go back to a garden, that's not too far from me, the Harold Hillier Gardens in Ampfield near Romsey to chat to Head Gardener, Fran Clifton. I last visited Fran a couple of years ago, when we talked about the stunning winter garden, but today, we talk about: Fran's role as head gardener What the role entails How much time does she actually get to spend in the garden as opposed to looking after the paperwork in the office How has her role as head gardener changed over the years and more.  We also touch upon the very important topic of climate change and Fran shares how she is responding to the challenges of an ever-changing weather pattern. And for those of you, who think that gardening comes to an end in winter, Fran tells us exactly how she and her team get ready for next year's season and what jobs need to be done. We also talk about dahlias, tulips, the Chelsea Flower Show, re-wilding, National Collections and lots, lots more. I think it's fair to say this episode is crammed with helpful information.

Hello, and welcome to this weeks episode of them Mike The Gardener - Gardening Podcast.  This week I chat with Harry Baldwin, the Head of Horticulture at the beautiful Borde Hill Gardens near Haywards Heath, West Sussex, UK.  In this current series of the podcast, I've been chatting to a number of Head Gardeners & Heads of Horticulture about their roles, their careers and the gardens they work in.  I met with Harry in late September to talk about his career, his job at Borde Hill, the gardens, the challenges they face and lots, lots more.  To follow Borde Hill Gardens, click here.  To follow me on my Instagram page, click here.  As always, thanks for listening and don't forget to follow/subscribe. Mike

Hello and welcome to this episode of the Mike The Gardener - Gardening Podcast. In this episode, I chat to gardener, writer and author, Miranda Janatka, whose second book, Happy Indoor Garden has just been published by Batsford Books. Until recently, Miranda was also a senior content creator for the fabulous Gardeners' World magazine. We chat about: Her career to date How she got into gardening Her books and the writing process How own garden, and of course lots more My thanks to Miranda for taking time to come and have a chat with us. You can follow Miranda on her Instagram account by clicking here. You can follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here. Please don't forget to follow/subscribe as there are more episodes to come. Thanks for listening! Mike

In this episode I travel to Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens near Weymouth in Dorset (UK) where I chat to Curator, David Pearce. We chat about: His role as Curator. The gardens and how they're looked after and maintained. The historic plant collection Gardening jobs for autumn and winter. David's own plant passions. Why people should go to Abbotsbury Gardens. The joy and passion that working in the garden, and within the horticultural industry brings about. To learn more about Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, click this link. To learn more about David Pearce, click this link. As always, don't forget to follow/subscribe as there are more great episodes to come. And you can learn more about me by following me on my Instagram account by clicking this link. Thanks for listening and see you soon. Mike

Hello, and welcome back to episode two of series 6 of them Mike The Gardener - Gardening Podcast. In this episode, I chat with Roz Chandler, a cut flower farmer and teacher, writer, speaker, and fellow podcaster. And, if that were not enough, she is also an award-winning wedding florist based in Milton Keynes. I chat with Roz about everything you could possibly need to know about growing cut flowers from how she started to how to keep the business running successfully. To learn more about Roz click here to check out her fantastic Instagram account Thanks for listening to this episode and please don't forget to follow/subscribe. And, you can follow me on my Instagram account, Mike_the Gardener by clicking here. And I will see you all very very soon. Mike

Hello and welcome back to Series 6 of them Mike The Gardener - Gardening Podcast. The eagle eyed amongst you will have noticed the title of the podcast has changed very slightly. I'm ditching the 'MIC' (which was a nod to the microphone element) in favour of MIKE. And, in a further change for this series, I will have an occasional co-host who I introduce you to in today's episode. Going forward, there will still be your favourite content, including: Interviews with great, gardening, personalities, gardeners, garden, designers, broadcasters, and more. In-depth plant specials The ever-popular Slot From the Plot, and Much, much more As always, please do contact me with your questions, suggestions, comments and feedback at my new email address mikethegardenerpodcast@gmail.com, or you can contact me via my Instagram account @mike_thegardener. Please do recommend the podcast to your gardening friends & family and if you're able, why not give me a share on social media. And to make sure you don't miss out on a single episode please follow/subscribe. Thank you! Mike

Hello, and welcome to this bonus episode of the Mic the Gardener – Gardening Podcast. This time we return to the allotment with Otis to see what has been happening since we were last there a few weeks back.  And, I can assure you, the allotment has been very, very productive. I know that, because we've been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of some of the delicious crops, including bumper hauls of courgettes, beans and beetroot.  In today's episode, we touched upon the use of peat-free compost.   Have you been using peat-free compost on your allotment this year? We'd be really interested to know how they have performed for you? Do tell us which products you have used and the results you have got. In the meantime, I will be back with Series 6 in mid-September, so I look forward to seeing you all then. Mike

Hello and welcome to this last episode in the current series of a Mic The Gardener - Gardening Podcast. As I said last week, we have a great final guest today, in fact, it's my youngest guest on the podcast ever.  Now, one day, when I was whiling away time on good old Instagram, I stumbled across an account in the name of The First Time Gardener. Now, there are two people behind this particular account, one of whom is probably more in charge of the shall we say administration, whilst the other person is the face of the account. So, completely bowled over by the contents of their page, I contacted them to ask if they would come and have a chat on the podcast. So, today, I'm absolutely delighted to be joined by Joanne and her son Charlie. We talk about: How the account came about? What Joanne was hoping to achieve through the account? How Charlie became the face of the account? Their plans for the future (gardening and Instagram), and Charlie's plans for the future, and lots more. My thanks to Joanne and Charlie for taking time to come and have a chat with me. You can follow their account by clicking here. You can follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here. I will be back shortly with another Slot from the Plot special. As always, please don't forget to follow/subscribe and please leave a review if you are able. Mike

In this week's episode, I head back to Otis and Ben's allotment to see how things are progressing so far this season. I'm delighted to advise that for the first time in the series, so far, the weather was absolutely gorgeous. Clear blue skies, a very gentle breeze and temperatures soaring, especially in the tunnel. Today we chat about: Some nifty little hacks, including how to make more cuttings from tomatoes Companion planting The impact of the current and prolonged dry spell in the UK and across Europe, and there's some food tasting along the way! And of course, we have a good look around the plot to see what's cropping, what is due to crop and discuss any little problems along the way. You can follow Otis on his Instagram account by clicking here. And, you can follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here. Next week is our last proper episode in the current series, and I will be chatting to a very young gardener, Charlie and his mum Joanne. You can find out more about Charlie and Joanne by following them on their Instagram account by clicking here. I will be heading back to the plot to chat to Otis and Ben in the weeks ahead, so do tune in to our specials in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, please don't forget to follow/subscribe, and if you are able to leave a review that would be wonderful. See you next week, as always. Mike

In this week's episode of the Mic The Gardener - Gardening Podcast, I chat with friend and nursery owner, Ruth Goudy. Ruth is one of the owners of the Kiln Farm Nursery in Kesgrave, Ipswich alongside husband Paul. We chat about: How the nursery came about How it grew and developed into the thriving business it is today What is entailed in running a successful garden centre What are the future plans for the garden centre? And lots, lots more. It's a fascinating insight into garden centres, which we, as avid gardeners frequent in the hunt for good, quality plants and garden supplies for our gardens. My thanks to Ruth for her time. You can find out more about Ruth by following her popular Instagram page @theflowerwriter. and, you can find out more about me by following my Instagram page @mike_thegardener. Please don't forget to follow/subscribe, and if you are able, please leave a review. Thanks for listening. Mike

In this week's, episode of the Mic The Gardener - Gardening Podcast, I chat to Gardeners' World presenter, garden designer, and author, Adam Frost. Probably one of the most requested chats from all of you over the last two years, and finally it's happened. In an open, frank and very honest, interview Adam talks about: His career to date. Working alongside the legend that was Geoff Hamilton. His new garden His own recent health issues “An Evening with Adam Frost” UK shows, and much , much more Adam will be appearing at this year's Gardeners' World Live in Birmingham 15-18 June. Check show press for his appearances and schedule of activities. My thanks to Adam, his team and the BBC Gardeners' World team for their help in arranging this chat. As always, please don't forget to follow/subscribe and leave a review if you are able. And, as always, I will see you next week. Mike

In this weeks episode of the Mic the Gardener – Gardening Podcast, I chat to YPHA committee member, Sarah Want. The YPHA is the Young People in Horticulture Association and is a fantastic initiative for anybody in gardening or horticulture under the age of 35.  In this episode, I chat to Sarah about: What the YPHA is? Who it's for? What its objectives are? How it helps its members? And lots, lots more. To join the YPHA, or get more information tap this link. The YPHA can be found on Instagram and LinkedIn by tapping these links. Thanks for listening, as always, and please don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE, and if you are able, please do leave a review. I will see you next week. Mike

In this week's episode of the Mic The Gardener - Gardening Podcast, I take you all to the Chelsea Flower Show Press Day. I'm very lucky to be invited to this, and decided it would be great if I could share some of the atmosphere of the day with you here on the podcast. Celebrities and gardening personalities wander up and down Main Avenue and around the Great Pavilion. It's the place to be seen on Press Day. In this episode, I speak to the following people: Rossana Porta: I was lucky enough to work alongside Rossana, who worked alongside Manoj Malde, to orchestrate the planting of his beautiful Garden of Unity. Rossana tells us all about her career and her role in making this beautiful garden. Sienna Hosta (Chris): Chris and Ollie have both been previous guests on the podcast, and I catch up with Chris to see how their Chelsea journey has been. And it certainly hasn't been without a few problems along the way. Lincolnshire Pond Plants (Dawn): I chat to Chelsea first timers, Leicestershire Pond Plants, and Dawn tells me all about their experience of exhibiting in the Great Pavilion for the very first time.  Steph Hafferty & Kim Stoddart: Kim has been a recent guest on the podcast when she chatted about climate change gardening. I caught Steph and Kim shortly after they entered Chelsea to find out what they were hoping to get from the day. Michael Perry a.k.a. Mr Plant Geek, and Ellen Mary: Again two lovely people have been guests on the podcast previously. I bumped into Michael in the Great Pavilion, and, as he was sharing his Chelsea experience, we were joined by the lovely Ellen Mary. Tom and Jenny Williams (The Laundry Garden): I visited Tom and Jenny last year at the beautiful Laundry Garden, which was a very popular episode on the podcast. I caught up with them in the Great Pavilion as they shared their plans for the day and their plans for the future. Thanks for listening as always, and don't forget to follow/subscribe. As always, if you are able to leave a review that would be great. See you next week, as usual. Mike

In this week's, episode, I chat to gardener, cook, writer and author, Mark Diacono.  We talk about Mark's career and how he first got into gardening and became a foodie. We also chat about music, which is a strong theme in Mark's life, photography and Mark's love of the written word and of course lots lots more.  You can find out more about Mark by heading to his Instagram page or website and you must read his brilliant, Mark Diacono's Imperfect Umbrella Substack page which can be accessed via this link.  You can also follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here. Thank you so much for listening, and if you are able, please do subscribe/follow and if you are able please leave a review. See you next week. Mike

In this week's episode of the In this week's episode of the Mic the Gardener - Gardening Podcast, I chat to climate change gardening expert, Kim Stoddart.  Kim's new book, ‘The Climate Change Garden', which she co-authored alongside Sally Morgan gives us a fascinating insight into climate change, and how we as gardeners need to adapt our working practices to achieve bountiful and productive gardens in a world, where the weather patterns are constantly changing and are at times becoming extremely challenging Kim tells us about: How the changing weather patterns impact how we garden How it climate change is impacting the timing of the arrival and types of pests we find in our gardens How looking at the gardening practices and approaches of yesteryear and embracing thrift and connection, could actually lead us to better resilience in our own green spaces, and much, much more We also chat about how it's important for us as gardeners to adapt to the changing climate with some helpful and handy tips on things we can incorporate in our own green spaces to make positive changes. It's a fascinating and timely chat about a subject that we will all have questions and concerns about.   To buy a copy of ‘The Climate Change Garden' click here. To find out more about Kim visit her website by clicking here, and you can follow her on her Instagram account by clicking here. You can also follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here. Thanks for listening and don't forget to follow/subscribe and, if you are able, please do leave a review.  See you next week. Mike 

In this week's, episode of the Mic the Gardener - Gardening Podcast I chat with gardener, writer, podcaster, garden coach, and now author, Andrew Timothy O'Brien. In his own words, Andrew says he is the owner of a too-loud laugh. I disagree, it's great to hear the sound of people laughing in a world where there's too much sadness and bad news, don't you think? I chat to Andrew about his new book 'to stand and stare' published by DK books. There's a lot of gardening advice out there. But none that invites you to think about how to be while you're in your garden. With increasingly busy lives, yet another list of chores seems like the last thing we need when it comes to our own practice of self-care and relaxation. After all, aren't these the things we wanted to escape to the garden for in the first place? What if there was a more low-intervention way to garden, some reciprocal arrangement through which both you and your soil get fed - with minimum fuss, effort and guilt on your part, and the maximum measure of healthy, organic growth for your garden? We chat about:  How the book came about Andrew's love of the writer and spoken word Andrew's podcast, Garden Weeds & Words, Our thoughts on gardening on social media and of course, lots more You can buy a copy of 'to stand and stare' by clicking this link. You can get more information about Andrew by visiting his website, and you can follow him on his Instagram account by clicking here. You can also follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here. Thanks for listening and please don't forget to follow/subscribe as there are more episodes to come. And, if you are able, please leave a review with your preferred podcast provider. Thank you! See you next week. Mike

In this week's episode of the Mic The Gardener – Gardening Podcast we head back to Otis and Ben's allotment in Wimborne.  Despite the cold, grey weather, there is plenty of activity going on on the plot as you'll hear in this episode. But, Ben and Otis have also had their fair share of trials and tribulations to contend with, so it hasn't all been plain sailing. If you are interested in jotting down exactly what they are growing in the allotment, at the moment, here is the list: Spring onions, garlic, French beans, wineberries, gooseberries, turnips, carrots, parsnips, beetroot, zucchini, shallots, potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, courgettes, sweet, peppers, and cucumbers.   And to keep all of us ornamental growers happy you come include lupins and dahlias on that list Thanks for joining us, and don't forget, you can follow me on my Instagram account where I am @mike_thegardener, Otis is @otisthegardener and Ben is @shortish.  As always, don't forget to follow/subscribe and if you're able and please do leave a review for other listeners. And I will see you as usual next week for some more gardening podcast fun. Mike 

In this weeks, episode of the Mic The Gardener – Gardening Podcast I chat to friend, YouTube sensation, homesteader and author, Liz Zorab. Liz's new book, The Seasoned Gardener has just been published on Permanent Publications, and I chat to her about: - How she started homesteading  - - - How she started her successful YouTube channel with over 122,000 subscribers. - How she started writing, and, lots lots more. If growing your own and homesteading is something you have considered, have just embarked upon, or would like to embark upon, then this episode is perfect for you. You may even be one of Liz's 122,000 subscribers, in which case you'll be interested to hear how Liz set up her successful YouTube channel. Or, you may just be interested in listening to another great chat with a very inspirational and determined lady. You can follow Liz on her YouTube channel by clicking here. You can learn more about Liz and order her books by visiting her website. As always, don't forget to follow/subscribe and if you're able and please do leave a review for other listeners. And I will see you as usual next week for some more gardening podcast fun. Mike 

In this week's episode of the Mic The Gardener - Gardening Podcast, I chat with hardy geranium expert, Gary Carroll of the Cranesbill Nursery. Geraniums are a fantastic, genre with plants that fit into so many different aspects within our gardens and indeed in containers. In this episode, Gary tells us about: Geraniums for different places (dry and damp locations in sun, shade and containers) How to look after hardy geraniums Pests and diseases How to propagate hardy geraniums, and much, much more It's a fascinating episode, which will have you reaching for pen and paper before heading to the Cranesbill Nursery website, www.cranesbillnursery.com.  You can also follow the Cranesbill Nursery on Instagram by clicking here.  You can follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here. Thanks for listening and don't forget to follow/subscribe, and if you are able, please do leave a review. See you next week. Mike

In this week's episode of the Mic the Gardener – Gardening Podcast, I chat with best-selling novelist, Erica James. Erica's latest novel, ‘A Secret Garden Affair' has just been published and unsurprisingly is already heading towards the top of the charts. We chat about: Her career to date. How she first got published. How she writes. Her new novel, A Secret Garden Affair, and lots, lots more   And, did we really record the second half of our chat in the shower? You'll just have to listen to find out more. You can follow Erica on her Instagram page by clicking here or head to her website www.ericajames.com. Please don't forget to follow/ subscribe as there are still more episodes to come. And, if you are able, please do leave a review with your preferred podcast provider. See you next week. Mike

In this week's episode of the Mic the Gardener – Gardening Podcast, I chat to Sarah Gerrard/Jones, a.k.a. The Plant Rescuer. Sarah is a self-taught houseplant obsessive who firmly believes every plant deserves a happy life. Her determination to see beyond the 'perfect plant' and to rescue unloved plants makes her the go-to guide. We chat about: - Her career to date. - How her obsession with houseplants began. - Her new book, The Plant Rescuer – The Book Your Houseplants Want You To Read - And, her fantastic Plant Rescue Box initiative. You can find out more about Sarah by visiting her website www.theplantrescuer.com or head to her Instagram page by clicking the link here. Thank you for listening and please don't forget to follow/subscribe and, if you're able, please leave a review with your preferred podcast provider. See you next week. Mike

In this special bonus Slot From the Plot episode recorded on 29th March we head back to a cold, wet and blowy allotment for our second visit of the season to chat with Otis. Sadly, all is not well at the allotment. And this I'm sure will be familiar to many allotmenteers who sow seeds for this seasons crops, only to find that something has got in there and nibbled their plans for successful seedlings. However, in better news, Otis tells me what has been planted, what is growing along well and what their plans are for the next few weeks. We start this episode by reviewing the frustrating developments in the polytunnel. If you have any tips for success, especially around keeping mice away from your prize seedlings, do drop me a line and let me know, so we can share your tips on the next episode.  You can follow us on Instagram, where I am @mike_thegardener and Otis is @otisthegardener. We will be back here again on the slot very soon. Thanks for listening. Mike

In this week's, episode of the Mic the Gardener Gardening Podcast. I chat to peony expert, RHS gold medal winner, and owner of the Primrose Hall Nursery, a peony specialist about, well, you've guessed it, peonies. we talk about: - Different types of peonies. - How to look after peonies. - How to maintain peonies. - Pests and diseases. - And, we dispel a few old house wives tales along the way. It's an incredibly informative podcast episode, so grab a pen and paper before you start listening. And, Alec's new book 'A Love Affair with Peonies' is available via his website www.primrosehallpeonies.co.uk. Thanks for listening and don't forget to follow/subscribe and, if you're able, please leave a review. Mike

Hello and welcome back to this weeks episode of the Mic the Gardener – Gardening Podcast. This week, I chat with BBC TV Gardeners' World and ITV Love Your Garden TV presenter and horticulturist, Frances Tophill.   We chat about: Her career How she secured roles with ITV's Love Your Garden and BBC's Gardeners' World The importance of community gardening Her very own new garden Collaborating on a show garden with Grayson Perry, and Lots, lots more. I also ask Frances, if she were given him the opportunity to appear on one of the following reality TV programmes, which would it be: C4's The Piano BBC TV's The Great British Sewing Bee, or C4's The Great Pottery Throwdown It's a fascinating, delightful and insightful chat with one of our favourite TV gardening presenters and authors. To learn more about Frances head to her Instagram page by clicking here. You can follow me on my own Instagram account by clicking here. Thanks for listening and as always, don't forget to follow/subscribe, as there are plenty more episodes still to come. And, if you are able, please do leave a review with your preferred podcast provider if you are able. Thank you. Mike

Hello and welcome back to this week's, episode of the Mic the Gardener - Gardening Podcast. This week we return to the allotment to chat to Otis about: What went well last year What didn't go quite so well last year? What's new for the plot this year? What they learnt from Year One? We also chat about some exciting new additions to the plot. If you are an allotment holder or are thinking about starting an allotment, do let me know as I love to hear from you. Also, if you can recommend any particular varieties of crop that have done, particularly well, and those which haven't, again, do let me know, so we can include them on a future episode. You can follow Otis and Ben on their respective Instagram accounts by clicking here for Otis, and here for Ben. You could also follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here As always, thanks for listening and don't forget to follow/subscribe and leave a review if you are able. See you all soon. Mike

Hello and welcome back to this week's episode of the Mic the Gardener - Gardening Podcast. And so here it is, the one you've all been waiting for, including me! So many of you have contacted me asking if we can do a special episode on hellebores. There's clearly a lot of love for our heavenly hellebores out there, and I'm a massive fan, that's for sure. So, I racked my brain, wondering who I could approach to talk to about these wonderful plants. There was, in all honesty, only one person on my agenda, so I dropped him a line. And, lo and behold, he agreed. I am, of course, talking about the wonderful, John Massey (VMH). John suggested, however, that he bring along his top hellebore breeder, Kevin Belcher, to join in the conversation. You wait just over two two years for a hellebore expert come along and then two come along at once! This fascinating and insightful episode will have you reaching for pen and paper to jot down some timely and extremely helpful hellebore facts as we discuss: How to get the very best in your hellebores Planting tips Maintenance advice Dealing with pests and diseases Propagation, and much, much more My thanks to John and Kevin for their time, and for making the recording of this episode an absolute delight. You can get more information about hellebores, and buy online by visiting www.ashwoodnurseries.com and you can follow Ashwood Nurseries on their Instagram account by clicking here. Whilst I'm in the process of thanking people, my thanks to all of you for your questions, your support, and for listening to the Mic the Gardener – Gardening Podcast. You can follow me in my garden on my Instagram account by clicking here. As always, please don't forget to follow/subscribe and leave a review if you are able. See you next week. Mike

Hello and welcome to this week's, episode of the Mic the Gardener – Gardening Podcast. In this week's, episode, I chat with a passionate young horticulturalist, Josh Simmonds. I first met Josh a couple of years ago, when I travelled to Ipswich to record a podcast episode with Michael Perry (a.k.a. Mr Plant Geek). I was early and Michael suggested I visit Kiln Farm Nursery before our interview. On arrival, a young lad was setting up for the day. This young lad was Josh, who invited me in to come and have a look around. Josh's passion for plants and all things gardening was incredible. As such, I was delighted when he contacted me recently to ask if he could come onto the show and chat about getting other young people interested in horticulture and gardening. It was a no brainer for me. Encouraging a younger generation of gardeners and horticulturalists into the industry is something I am extremely passionate about too. You can follow Josh on his Instagram account by clicking here. Follow Kiln Farm Nursery, where he works, by clicking here. And last, but certainly not least, you can follow me on my Instagram account by clicking here. Thank you for listening and please do follow/subscribe, so you don't miss a future episodes. And, if you're able, please leave a review with your preferred podcast provider. See you all next week and thanks for listening. Mike

Hello there and welcome to this weeks episode of them Mic The Gardener - Gardening Podcast. Are you a fan of ITV's Love Your Garden with Alan Titchmarsh? Or, BBC TV's Garden Rescue with Charlie Dimmock? Well, this week I chat with Matt Young, Head of Factual Entertainment at Spun Gold TV, who bring us these amazing TV programmes. I'll be asking all of those questions that we think about when we're watching the programme, including: How do they select the lucky garden owners? Who designs the gardens? Who actually does all of the work? And when the TV production team leaves the garden, how does the owner know how to look after the garden? It's a fascinating insight, behind-the-scenes of our favourite gardening programmes. Thanks for listening and don't forget to follow/subscribe to make sure you don't miss forthcoming episodes. And, if you're able, please do leave a review with your preferred podcast provider. You can follow me on Instagram by clicking this link See you all next week. Mike

Hello and welcome to this episode of the Mic the Gardener – Gardening Podcast, it's lovely to have you here, as always. There can't be a single gardener out there, who doesn't love snowdrops, can there? Well, in this week's episode, I catch up with garden writer and friend, Val Bourne in her beautiful Cotswold garden which is crammed cheek by jowl with a stunning array of snowdrops. And, as you will find out, when you listen to this episode, what Val doesn't know about snowdrops, frankly isn't worth knowing. We talk about: Where they come from Maintenance How to get the best from your snowdrops Best varieties Propagation And lots, lots more. Some of you will be aware that I visited Val last August to talk about Val's illustrious career to date. Click here to listen to that episode. To ensure you don't miss future episodes of them Mic The Gardener - Gardening Podcast, please hit the subscribe/follow button. Thank you to all of you who have left wonderful reviews. If you are able to leave a review with your podcast provider, it would be greatly appreciated. I read each and every one of them, but more importantly, it's a great way to attract new listeners. Happy gardening! Mike

In this second episode of the Mic the Gardener - Gardening Podcast I chat with award-winning garden writer, television presenter and wildlife gardening expert, Kate Bradbury. We talk about Kate's wonderful new book 'The Tree in My Garden: Choose One Tree, Plant It - Change the World' published by DK Books which is a real page turner and packed with useful information to help you choose one (or more) perfect trees for your garden. We also chat at length about Kate's career to date and much, much more. You can follow Kate on her Instagram page by clicking here. Make sure you don't miss out on the exciting future episodes of the Mic the Gardener - Gardening Podcast by hitting the FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE button. You could also learn more about me by following me on my Instagram account. Click here for details. Thanks for listening and see you soon. Mike

Hello and welcome back to this weeks episode of the Mike the Gardener – Gardening Podcast. This week, I'm over the moon to announce that my guest is none other than Queen of Herbs, Jekka McVicar. Jekka McVicar is an organic grower of herbs and horticultural author, designer, consultant, judge and moderator. She is renowned for her passion and knowledge of herbs and has built an international reputation for growing and designing sustainable herb gardens. Jekka has an impressive list of credentials. These include the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Vice President and Ambassador for Health & Wellbeing and the RHS top accolade, the Victoria Medal of Honour. She is an Honorary Member of the RHS Fruit, Vegetable & Herb Committee and a regular judge at RHS Flower shows. In 2018 she was chairman of the judging panel for the Great Pavilion at the Chelsea Flower Show. She has also been awarded the 2012 Gardeners Media Guild Life Time Achievement Award for services to horticulture, design, education and communication, and excellence in the field of organic herb growing. I visited Jekka a few weeks ago and chatted to her at length about her career, how she got started, how the business has grown, her writing, her flute playing, yes, you read that correctly, and how one of her books came to are in the hands of Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales. As always, please do follow/subscribe as there is still more to come and, if you are able, please leave a review with your preferred podcast provider. Many thanks Mike

Welcome to the last episode in series 4 of the Mic The Gardener – Gardening Podcast. In this week's episode I chat to gardening guru, Charles Dowding. Charles is a gardening legend in the making, an English horticulturalist, an author who has pioneered modern no-dig and organic soil management since 1983. Charles is on a mission to teach gardeners that there is no need to dig over the soil. In fact the less you dig the better its structure which is vital to the health of all plants.  This is the very essence of the no-dig system that Charles has perfected over a lifetime of growing vegetables. I chat to Charles about his new book ‘No-Dig'. It's set to become the bible for new growing enthusiasts and literally leaves no stone unturned. To find out more about Charles head to his website where you will find loads more information about Charles, his no dig philosophy, courses and lots lots more. Despite this being the last in the current series, please do continue to message me at the podcast email address micthegardener01@gmail.com or you can message me directly via Instagram where you will find me as @mike_thegardener. And if you haven't already, please do follow/subscribe and if you are able please leave a review. And I will see you with Series 5 very soon. Mike

Hello, hello, hello and welcome to this weeks episode of the Mic The Gardener - Gardening Podcast. Today I chat once again, to another returning guest to the podcast, Michael Perry a.k.a. Mr Plant Geek. Michael was a guest on the podcast at the beginning of Series 2 (click here to listen to that episode) when I travelled to his wonderful garden and sat in the August sunshine talking all things gardening, plants, social media and of course lots lots more. So I'm absolutely delighted to invite Michael back again to chat about his new book, Hortus Curious, published by DK books. In this episode Michael tells me everything about the book including how it came about, how the writing process worked for him and the illustrator Aaron Apsley. We also talked at length about the look, feel and style of this incredible book which will literally pop off the shelves when you walk into your local bookshop. We also touch on social media, awards and what Michael is up to next. And at the very beginning of our chat there are some extremely helpful tips on how and when to use a certain brand of moisturising oil to keep the wrinkles at bay… Yes, you heard me right! If you haven't already, please follow/subscribe to the podcast and if you're able, please do leave a review with your preferred podcast provider. You can also follow me on Instagram where you will find me as @mike_thegardener. Thanks so much. Mike

Hello and welcome back to this weeks episode of the Mic the Gardener – Gardening Podcast sponsored by Natural Grower. If you're look for amazing results with all your fruit and vegetables, flower beds, lawns and house plants, then Natural Grower's award-winning, certified organic peat-free compost and fertiliser knock the socks of chemical products! All products are certified organic, 100% chemical free and 100% peat-free. And those lovely people and Natural Grower have given me an exclusive 10% discount off all products. Just pop MIC10 in the apply coupon field when you checkout. In this weeks episode I speak to garden writer Barbara Segall about her new book 'Secret Gardens of the South East' published by Frances Lincoln. In Kent, Sussex and Surrey, a wealth of history and horticulture has combined with geography in the shape of rolling landscapes, would it valleys and meandering waterways, to provide some of the most beguiling and interesting gardens in the United Kingdom. Barbara tells me all about her new book, how she writes and talks about her career, her friendship with the late Peter Seabrook and much more. You can find out more about Barbara by heading to her website or why not subscribe to her blog, The Garden Post. My thanks to Barbara for coming along to chat with me this week. Well folks, that's it for today thank you so much for joining me and Barbara. There are just a few more episodes to go before we reach the end of Series 4 so do make sure you follow and subscribe to make sure you don't miss out on any of the horticultural fun here on the Mic the Gardener - Gardening Podcast and I will see you, as always, next week Bye-bye for now, bye-bye

Hello and welcome back to this weeks episode of the Mic the Gardener – Gardening Podcast sponsored by Natural Grower. If you're look for amazing results with all your fruit and vegetables, flower beds, lawns and house plants, then Natural Grower's award-winning, certified organic peat-free compost and fertiliser knock the socks of chemical products! All products are certified organic, 100% chemical free and 100% peat-free.  And those lovely people and Natural Grower have given me an exclusive 10% discount off all products. Just pop MIC10 in the apply coupon field when you checkout. It warms the cockles of my heart and I'm sure all of us when we hear heartwarming stories of success in the face of possible adversity. Today, I chat to Chris Wiley the founder of Sow Successful Ltd a company which trials and tests garden plants and garden products, which he set up just as the UK headed into its first lockdown. Chris shares his story about how his Sow Successful business came about, how he got started in horticulture and his journey along the way. Chris also tells us why this year, 2022 has been such a very special year for him It's an incredible story involving hard work, determination, a friendship with the late, great Peter Seabrook and a delightful story about how a posy of very, very special sweet peas travelled across London on the underground to be presented to Her Majesty the Queen at her last Chelsea Flower Show earlier this year.  And this episode was recorded a couple of months ago before the very sad death of Her Majesty the Queen on September 8th. To order the exquisite, frilly, lilac sweet pea Peter Seabrook head to precious-plants.co.uk and with 12 seeds per packet, price includes delivery and £1 charity donation to the Floral Fantasia garden at RHS Hyde Hall. Chris's Sow Successful website is www.sow-successful.com. And you'll find loads of information there about Chris and the business. And the new website sustainableplantstore.com is due to launch in October so do head over and have a look for more information about Chris and this incredible company and look out for his plastic free, pesticide free and peat-free plants at a sensible price. My thanks to Chris Wiley for coming along to chat with me this week. What an incredible story and I know we all wish Chris and wife Britney all the very best for an equally successful 2023. Well folks, that's it for today thank you so much for joining me and Chris and we have just one a few more episodes to go before we reach the end of Series 4 so do make sure you follow and subscribe to make sure you don't miss out on any of the horticultural fun here on the Mic the Gardener - Gardening Podcast and I will see you, as always, next week Bye-bye for now, bye-bye