The Sodshow, Garden Podcast - Sod Show

With much thanks to CED Natural Stone, we bring you the last in the series on the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019 episodes and today Peter Donegan chats with the great British artist and sculptor John O'Connor.From day dreams and counting snowflakes, to how John left landscaping, his first attempt at sculpting and art school to becoming one of the most talented sculptors that I have ever had the honour to sit and chat with. The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores. Spotify Tim Howell. Spotify ! The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Peter Donegan returns to chats with Con Traas' Apple Farm in Tipperary. It is an apple farm. But it's also a lot more than just an apple farm.  It's worth noting maybe that Peter was on holidays working whist camping, again; surrounded by all that the fruit farm has to offer. The old buddies chat practices that were then acceptable, what is done now, changes in presentation over the eons and just what the supermarket will want to see and what is logic in growing and being responsible.  Subscribe to The Sodshow in iTunes, all good podcast stores and via www.sodshow.com Show Links: The Apple Farm Website: www.theapplefarm.com Con Traas on Twitter: @theapplefarmer The Apple Farm on Facebook: The Apple Farm Further information: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

With thanks to CED Natural Stone, on this episode Peter Donegan speaks with Jilayne Rickards, designer of the CAMFED Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019. To quote CED Stone: The CAMFED garden was just one of the gardens that we were lucky enough to work on. The charity is fantastic and works to help women obtain the education they need in order to prosper. Thank you so much to CAMFED, Jilayne Rickards and Cormac from Conway Landscapes for letting us join in on this fantastic garden! Garden Details: The CAMFED Garden: Giving Girls in Africa A Space To GrowDesigner: Jilayne RickardsContractor: Conway LandscapesMaterials: Red Sandstone Rockery & Sandstone BouldersAwards: Gold MedalFind out more about CAMFED and their amazing work here: https://camfed.org/ Visit our website: https://cedstone.co.uk/ The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores. Spotify Tim Howell. Spotify ! The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Peter Donegan returns to chats with Con Traas' Apple Farm in Tipperary. It is an apple farm. But it's also a lot more than just an apple farm.  It's worth noting maybe that Peter was on holidays working whist camping, again; surrounded by all that the fruit farm has to offer. The old buddies chat practices that were then acceptable, what is done now, changes in presentation over the eons and just what the supermarket will want to see and what is logic in growing and being responsible.  Subscribe to The Sodshow in iTunes, all good podcast stores and via www.sodshow.com Show Links: The Apple Farm Website: www.theapplefarm.com Con Traas on Twitter: @theapplefarmer The Apple Farm on Facebook: The Apple Farm Further information: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Jamie Bigham is the person in charge of Dereen Gardens based in Kenmare and speaks with Peter Donegan.  Derreen Garden covers more than 60 acres of garden and has over 12 km of paths which wind through mature and varied woodland full of rare and exotic plants. The garden is also a haven for wildlife and a habitat for Sika deer, Irish hares and red squirrel. Seals can often be seen from the shore and there have been sightings of otters and Kerry’s rarest mammal, the pine marten. By the shore there is an abundance of bird life, including cormorants, oyster catchers, gulls, great northern divers, guillemots, and sea eagles. Website: www.derreengarden.com West Cork Garden Trail: www.westcorkgardentrail.com The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

With thanks to CED Natural Stone, on this episode Peter Donegan speaks with Helen Boem, Floral Marquee Manager for The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). From volunteering for RHS shows to her actual job now, her career before as a garden designer and meeting her Mammy at RHS Chelsea to just how much it takes to fill a floral marquee at Chelsea Flower Show, the work that goes in behind the scenes for the growers and nurseries and of course everything else that manages to run through Peters brain. The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores. Spotify Tim Howell. Spotify ! The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Peter Donegan chats with Neil Grant. When Neil Grant asked his careers master about horticulture as a career during his O levels he was told not to waste his time. Being stubborn he applied to RHS wisely gardens to train he was also advised to go back to school and take his A levels and go to college. Destiny took him to Writtle College where he met his future (and still) wife Linda. This romance led to the eventual title of Managing Director at Ferndale Garden Centre just south of Sheffield (or north Derbyshire if your allergic to northerners). Neil plays and active role in industry bodies such as the HTA, is BBC Radio Sheffields garden phone In expert every Sunday morning. Neil is the founder of National Children’s Gardening Week. Neil’s long involvement in the Ornamental horticulture industry gives him a broad view of current issues and he’s quite happy to tell anyone who will listen. He’s known in the industry as ‘the one who always wears flowery shirts’ The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores. Spotify Tim Howell. Spotify ! The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Peter Donegan chats with Taina Suonio, designer of The Roots in Finland garden at RHS Chelsea 2019. Whilst Taina's garden was sponsored by the Kyrö Distillery Company, this episode could not have happened without the support of Tim Howell (pictured above) who has for ever been unwavering in his support of this thing I do and, CED Natural Stone who have made this and the entire series of 2019 RHS Chelsea episodes possible and supported Taina's garden. Thank you !  Built by Conquest Creative Spaces, Taina and Peter together chat living away from home, whilst show garden building, that process, the amount of sponsors involved in this case including the Embassy of Finland, London, Roslings Manor Gardens, Finnish-British Chmabers of Commerce, UPM WISA Plywood, Loimann Kivi Ltd, Taimisto Huutokoski Ltd, Ru Runeberg Artist, Creepers Nursery, Sursum Ltd, Kekkitā BVB, Tapio Anttila and Artek. The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores. Spotify Tim Howell. Spotify ! The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Peter Donegan chats with Neil Grant. When Neil Grant asked his careers master about horticulture as a career during his O levels he was told not to waste his time. Being stubborn he applied to RHS wisely gardens to train he was also advised to go back to school and take his A levels and go to college. Destiny took him to Writtle College where he met his future (and still) wife Linda. This romance led to the eventual title of Managing Director at Ferndale Garden Centre just south of Sheffield (or north Derbyshire if your allergic to northerners). Neil plays and active role in industry bodies such as the HTA, is BBC Radio Sheffields garden phone In expert every Sunday morning. Neil is the founder of National Children’s Gardening Week. Neil’s long involvement in the Ornamental horticulture industry gives him a broad view of current issues and he’s quite happy to tell anyone who will listen. He’s known in the industry as ‘the one who always wears flowery shirts’ The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores. Spotify Tim Howell. Spotify ! The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Peter Donegan chats with good friend, all round legend and repected maestro of the horticulture world Rocky Coles. Rocky is a hands on professional horticulturist, maintaining and developing private gardens in Northamptonshire under the guise of Well Planted. A skilled gardener who loves wielding a sharp pair of secateurs, transforming shrubby blobs and wild wisterias allowing them to shine. Known to some as the dancing gardener, he is a firm believer of bringing joy and fun to the garden and making gardening accessible for all. Rocky is the brainchild behind the Northampton shoeplants project.  Originally set up in 2017 as a street entry in Northampton in Bloom, the campaign has gone from strength to strength. Supported the last two years by the council and Northampton BID, a small team has created around a hundred pairs of Planted shoes which decorate railings to high street shop fronts across the town centre. Celebrating the history of the town and supporting the high street, this horticultural project has brought curiosity, inspiration and smiles to many. The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores. Further info: web: www.rockycoles.com Instagram: rockycoles Twitter: @rocky_coles The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

With thanks to CED Natural Stone, on this episode Peter Donegan speaks with Designer Kate Gould and Keith Chapman who made the Greenfingers Charity Gardenat RHS Chelsea 2019.  According to The RHS:  Even experienced Chelsea designers face unexpected challenges, and for Kate Gould, it was creating a completely accessible garden. “I didn’t think it would, but it’s definitely changed the way I think about garden design,” said Kate, ahead of her appearance at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. “It’s made me appreciate accessibility more – you can’t put a price on being able to go outside and feel the wind on your face and look up at the trees.” Sponsored by Greenfingers, a charity dedicated to supporting children in hospices through the creation of gardens, the Show Garden will be split on two levels, with a lift for access to the top floor. “This is a garden for times you come together as a family,” said Kate, “making memories in a beautiful, outdoor space.” The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores. Spotify Tim Howell. Spotify ! The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow  

With thanks to CED Natural Stone today Peter Donegan chats with Alistair Bayford. Alistair is a Chartered Landscape Architect and designer of The Family Monsters Garden at RHS Chelsea 2019.  Alistair studied at Writtle College achieving a 1st Class Honours degree in Landscape and Garden Design in 2004; later completing his post graduate diploma at the University of Greenwich in 2006; becoming a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute in 2008. His professional career started at Liz Lake Associates in 2004, progressing on to a Project Management role at Lee Valley Regional Park Authority in 2009 overseeing a number of Olympic related projects within Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the Olympic Fringe. Alistair joined idverde in 2012 as Park Manager for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park responsible for the mobilisation of the 10 year maintenance contract achieving a prestigious BALI Principal Award in 2015. His current role sees him leading professional services and landscape construction throughout London and the South East, specialising in park improvement and public realm projects winning nine BALI Awards in the past six years. Alistair is a current Director of The Parks Alliance, the voice of UK Parks, acting as Vice Chair from 2016-2018.The Family Monsters Garden celebrates 150 years of Family Action supporting families across the country and idverde's 100 years of creating and maintaining landscapes for the benefit of local communities. The garden shows the pressures faced by every family and the journey families take to face these challenges. From financial problems to health and wellbeing issues, and from lack of time together to problems with communication and resolving disputes, the garden represents the range of pressures faced by families in Britain today. The journey to bringing these hidden issues out of the dark and into the open, so that they don’t become overwhelming, can be one of secrecy, shame and isolation, with pressures and progress obscured and hard to resolve. Ultimately their journey in this garden leads to a family space, where all come together to reflect, get their pressures out in the open and gather strength to face them together. The pool of clear water offers reflection and perspective. Through exhibiting this garden Alistair has discussed his own monster, how it impacted him and his young family, and how through sharing his troubles he found ways to overcome them and deal with them. Idverde is Europe’s largest provider of grounds maintenance services and landscape construction projects, with staff operating throughout the UK and France. We offer a holistic range of services to support the creation, maintenance and management of landscapes throughout the UK, working with both public and private sector clients to deliver bespoke solutions for each project’s unique challenges. Family Action is a national charity marking its 150th anniversary in 2019 and is committed to building stronger families by delivering innovative and effective services and support that reaches out to many of the UK’s most vulnerable people. We seek to empower people and communities to address their issues and challenges through practical, financial and emotional help. Contact: The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores. The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

This episode references the following:  The Landscape Show 2019 at Battersea Park, London Peter Donegan speaking at RHSI Garden Show Agents of Field and the wonderful Ade and Sophie The Gardens of Peace, France  The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, sotify and all good podcast stores. For garden talks, speaking and MC duties contact Peter Donegan at www.DoneganLandscaping.com 

With thanks to CED Natural Stone today Peter Donegan chats with sculptor David Harber. Designed by Andrew Duff, The Savills and David Harber Garden was created on Main Avenue at RHS Chelsea 2019. I had been standing at the Oxford Planters stand chatting with head don Sarah Pierce when all round lovely lady Gillian Goodson walked past. We got chatting about who I was due to and had spoken with, when round the corner walks David. I was more than aware of who he was and his work over the years at Chelsea and though we may have spoken, never had we chatted recorded.  If I do submit an entry for the Garden Media Guild awards, this will most probably be it. I'll leave the description there for now. Take a listen and enjoy. And thanks ever so much for listening.  web: www.davidharber.co.uk Twitter: @davidharber FB: davidharbergardens The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores. Spotify Tim Howell. Spotify !  The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

On this weeks episode Peter Donegan chats with Lee Burkhill, alias The Garden Ninja. Lee is the designer of The BBC North West Tonight Sunshine Garden at RHS Tatton 2019, in memory of Dianne Oxberry, a local weather presenter who sadly passed away from Ovarian cancer earlier in the year.The Garden brief is to pay tribute to Dianne's love of gardening, Tatton flower show and to bring bright garden positivity to visitors. Lee's design features take-home design ideas for an urban space. Along with community involvement in both the build and the pollen-rich summer planting scheme. The entire garden is being rehomed at Wirral St Johns Hospice afterwards so the Sunshine can continue.A Chelsea award-winning garden designer, vlogger and garden troubleshooter from the North West of England. Lee's approach is to encourage new gardeners by providing how-to guides has earnt him a place in both the top 10 Garden Blogger and Vlogger lists in the UK.Further info: Youtube - Garden Ninja LtdTwitter - @Garden_NinjaThe Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores.The Sodshow:Twitter: @sodshowfacebook: The Sodshowinstagram: sodshow

Rosiebie Morton is a sustainable English flower farmer and founder of The Real Flower Company Rosebie Morton. On todays episode of The SodShow she speaks with Peter Donegan. Rosebie started growing traditional cut roses in a corner of her mother-in-law's walled garden out of frustration as she couldn't understand why most of the flowers sold by florists didn't have the scent she remembered so fondly from her childhood. She was told by industry experts that she'd fail but The Real Flower Company is now in its 20th year and celebrating with an exhibit showing the journey from our flowers from field to vase in the main hall at the Chelsea Flower Show.  The sustainable flower farm is based in the South Down's national park in Hampshire. “Allow us to restore your faith in the beauty of real flowers. The average shop-bought bouquet, scentless and bland, is a long way from what nature intended – the magical array of colours and fragrances you might remember from your grandmother’s garden. We want to enchant you with our flowers and give you an uplifting and memorable experience.” Rosebie Morton, flower farmer and company founder Rosebie started growing scented roses in the walled garden of her family farm in the South Downs National Park, Hampshire, almost 25 years ago. Since then, The Real Flower Company has stayed true to her mission to make exquisitely scented garden roses and British seasonal flowers, herbs and foliage available to everyone. More information: web: www.realflowers.co.uk twitter: therealflowerco FB: therealflowercompany The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores. The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Beth Lynch grew up in rural East Sussex. She read English at Cambridge and went on to complete a doctorate in seventeenth-century literature. For the next decade she worked as a lecturer, creating gardens in her spare time and ultimately training as a garden designer. She then moved unexpectedly to Switzerland, where she lived and gardened for seven years. She has recently returned to the UK. WHERE THE HORNBEAM GROWS is her first book. The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, sotify and all good podcast stores.  The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow The book tells the story of how, when she unexpectedly had to move to Switzerland because of her husband’s job, Beth quickly realised that the sheer will to connect with people would not guarantee a happy relocation. Out of place and lonely, Beth knew that she would need to get her hands dirty to enable her to put down roots. And so she set about making herself at home in the way she knew best - by tending a garden, growing things. The search for a garden would take her across the country, through meadows and on mountain paths where familiar garden plants run wild, to the rugged hills of the Swiss Jura. In this remote and unfamiliar place of glow worms and dormice and singing toads she would learn to garden in a new way, taking her cue from the natural world. As she planted her paradise with hellebores and aquilegias, cornflowers and Japanese anemones, these cherished species forged green and deepening connections: to her new soil, to her old life in England, and to her deceased parents, whose Sussex garden continues to flourish in her heart. WHERE THE HORNBEAM GROWS is about carrying a garden inwardly through loss, dislocation and relocation, about finding a sense of wellbeing in a green place of your own, and about the limits of paradise in a peopled world. It is a powerful exploration by a dazzling new literary voice of how, in nurturing a corner of the natural world, we ourselves are nurtured.

Cherry Carmen part 2. With thanks CED Natural Stone. Cherry Carmen was a guest on The Sodshow garden podcast way back in 2016. On todays episode she's back, over 2 episodes, to chat with Peter Donegan about her return to RHS Hampton, designing for The APL and a garden that this year will be judged. Garden Designer Cherry Carmen returns to RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show with UK Landscape Association’s first show garden. Taking place 2nd - 7th July 2019, it will be the second consecutive year the UK based designer has been selected to work alongside and design on behalf of The Association of Professional Landscapers. Cherry Carmen began studying horticulture in 2009 achieving RHS horticulture levels 2 &3. In 2012 she established Cherry Carmen Garden Designs, specialising in large private gardens, the redesign and realisation of. Carmen won Silver at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in 2016 with her first show garden, won Gold at BBC Gardeners World Live 50th Anniversary Show 2017 and designed The APL feature garden at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2018. Sharing the same name as last year's feature garden, ‘A Place To Meet’ the garden sees Cherry’s third appearance at the prestigious location since winning Silver with her first ever show garden in 2016. At the 2018 Show, the APL Garden showcased just what is achievable when the finest Designers, Landscape Contractors and suppliers within the industry collaborate – for the 2019 Show the returning duo will step it up just a little into show garden category, allowing for the first-time ever an APL garden to be judged and awarded. Though Carmen maybe better known for the design of larger private estates and gardens, her show garden designs constantly elaborate on a graceful gifted talent that seamlessly and consistently evolves yet unravels evocatively subtle differences. Where the silver medal garden at Hampton 2016 had the deepest depth ever dug at the 10 hectare showground, 2018's planting remained the only elements sunken and 2019's design is set to have multiple levels of planting, a raised seating area, water feature, pond and private plunge pool. Further info: www.cherrycarmen.co.uk twitter: @cherrycarmenGD FB: Cherry Carmen Garden Design The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

With thanks to CED Natural Stone today Peter Donegan chats with garden designer Joe Perkins. Joe designed Beyond the Screen, the Facebook garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019.  Joe began as a landscape gardener in 1996 and has lived and studied garden design at the Oxford College of Garden Design, graduating with distinction in 2002. As a garden designer and landscaper Joe has worked for some of the best-known landscape companies. In 2007 he was an integral part of the team who produced the RHS Chelsea Gold and Best in Show garden ‘600 Days with Bradstone’, designed by Sarah Eberle, as well as winning the BALI Grand Award garden in the same year for Hillier Landscapes. In 2009 he joined landscape consultancy and construction firm The Outdoor Room, where he was a director and company manager. During his time at The Outdoor Room, Joe was involved with 15 medal-winning RHS show gardens and 5 national BALI awards and in 2012 he graduated from Greenwich University with an MA in Landscape Architecture. He is a Registered Member of the Society of Garden Designers (MSGD). web: www.joeperkinsdesign.com Twitter: @joeslandscapes Instagram: : @joeperkinsdesign FB: joeperkinsdesign The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, sotify and all good podcast stores. The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Cherry Carmen was a guest on The Sodshow garden podcast way back in 2016. On todays episode she's back, over 2 episodes, to chat with Peter Donegan about her return to RHS Hampton, designing for The APL and a garden that this year will be judged. Garden Designer Cherry Carmen returns to RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show with UK Landscape Association’s first show garden. Taking place 2nd - 7th July 2019, it will be the second consecutive year the UK based designer has been selected to work alongside and design on behalf of The Association of Professional Landscapers. Cherry Carmen began studying horticulture in 2009 achieving RHS horticulture levels 2 &3. In 2012 she established Cherry Carmen Garden Designs, specialising in large private gardens, the redesign and realisation of. Carmen won Silver at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in 2016 with her first show garden, won Gold at BBC Gardeners World Live 50th Anniversary Show 2017 and designed The APL feature garden at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2018. Sharing the same name as last year's feature garden, ‘A Place To Meet’ the garden sees Cherry’s third appearance at the prestigious location since winning Silver with her first ever show garden in 2016. At the 2018 Show, the APL Garden showcased just what is achievable when the finest Designers, Landscape Contractors and suppliers within the industry collaborate – for the 2019 Show the returning duo will step it up just a little into show garden category, allowing for the first-time ever an APL garden to be judged and awarded. Though Carmen maybe better known for the design of larger private estates and gardens, her show garden designs constantly elaborate on a graceful gifted talent that seamlessly and consistently evolves yet unravels evocatively subtle differences. Where the silver medal garden at Hampton 2016 had the deepest depth ever dug at the 10 hectare showground, 2018's planting remained the only elements sunken and 2019's design is set to have multiple levels of planting, a raised seating area, water feature, pond and private plunge pool. Further info:  www.cherrycarmen.co.uk twitter: @cherrycarmenGD FB: Cherry Carmen Garden Design The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Matt Biggs Part 2. Matthew Biggs is a well-known gardening expert, regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time, author of several books including RHS Lessons from the Great Gardeners and RHS Great British Village Show and a former guest of The Sodshow. A Nation in Bloom is his latest book and on this weeks episode of The Sodshow Garden Podcast he chats with Peter Donegan. This is Part 1 of 2. The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, sotify and all good podcast stores. The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow From its small beginnings in the 19th century to the global success of the Chelsea Flower Show today, the Royal Horticultural Society is truly part of the fabric of Britain. In A NATION IN BLOOM, we discover the new direction of the Royal Horticultural Society, how it aims to inspire us all through plants and gardens, to improve our lives, and to encourage gardeners for generations to come. Illustrated with beautiful photography throughout, this book is the rich, varied and compelling story of how plants and gardens can transform people’s lives and help to define the culture of an entire nation, both now and for the future. Matthew Biggs is a well-known gardening expert and regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time and author of several books including RHS Lessons from the Great Gardeners and RHS Great British Village Show. From hugely popular flower shows to the inspirational Britain in Bloom campaign, today’s RHS is flourishing as never before. In this beautiful new book, Matthew Biggs uncovers the beating heart of the nation’s largest gardening charity as it leads a renaissance of interest and enthusiasm for all things horticultural. We may think we know the RHS through its gardens at Wisley, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor and Harlow Carr, its flower shows, including the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, its prestigious medals, awards and prizes, and its libraries, laboratories, books and magazines. But the society is in a process of subtle, sometimes radical evolution to become more open, more friendly, more helpful, and more relevant to its members (now more than half a million) and to the wider benefit of all gardeners today. Campaigns like It’s Your Neighbourhood and community-generated work under the Greening Grey Britain banner sit alongside the Campaign for School Gardening – with schools around the country encouraging the next generation to learn and grow with plants. Author Matthew Biggs also draws attention to the campaigns which emphasise the important contribution gardeners make to improving our environment, and, at a time of increasing mental health problems, stress the vast range of proven benefits of gardening on our health and sense of wellbeing. He also looks at the work the RHS does to promote horticulture as a career to be proud of. The RHS promotes best practice through its plant science and plant trials; it recognises plants with the Award of Garden Merit; and helps give all gardeners – beginners or experienced – confidence that they can grow plants wherever they are in their gardening journey. Across the vast website, through myriad publications or engaging with it on its many social media platforms, there is a part of the RHS for everyone. Looking forward, some of the society’s work comes out from behind the scenes for the first time at Wisley’s forthcoming National Centre for Horticultural Science and Learning. Likewise, the exceptional collections at the RHS Lindley Library are in the process of being opened up through digitisation and a new exhibition space now shows some of its rare and beautiful items.

Dartmouth Films presents, Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf. Directed by Thomas Piper which Premieres in the UK at Picturehouse Central, 13 June 2019. On todays episode Thomas talks with Peter Donegan. The Sodshow is available weekly in iTunes, spotify, Youtube and all good podcast stores.  Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf is an immersion in the life and work of the most influential landscape designer of the last 50 years. Piet is responsible for New York’s High Line and many other iconic urban spaces. Closer home, Piet designed the landscaping for the entire site at Hauser & Wirth Somerset. He is in great demand for his revolutionary ideas of what gardens and public spaces can be, and the impact they can have. More than just a movie for gardeners, Five Seasons changes the way all of us think about and ultimately see beauty itself. The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow About Five Seasons: Celebrated by gardeners for his revolutionary designs, by ecologists for his significant contributions to bio-diversity, by horticulturalists and botanists for his unrivalled knowledge of plants, and by the art, design and fashion worlds for his innovative aesthetics, Piet Oudolf has achieved a level of influence and cultural relevance, rarely, if ever, attained by, in his own words, a modest plantsman. Over the course of the documentary, Piet leads filmmaker Thomas Piper and his camera on a wandering journey, visiting many of his iconic works, including his own garden in Holland and the great public works in New York, Chicago, and the UK, as well as far-flung sources of inspiration, from German industrial parks to the deep woods of Pennsylvania, and a Texas wildflower explosion. In between travel, we are afforded an exclusive look at the entire process of creating a garden — from winter studio sketches to foggy spring planting and, finally, a late September opening celebration — all through a single project, what Piet now refers to as his masterpiece, the 7000 square metre public garden for the art gallery, Hauser & Wirth Somerset. With meditative cinematography and intimate conversations, Five Seasons follows Piet over the course of a year, a structure that accentuates the element of time in Piet’s designs. Beginning in late autumn, the remnants of summer opulence in his gardens give way to the ‘skeletons’ and seed heads of winter. With spring, the cycle begins again, through the peak of summer flowers, and by the return of fall, a complex subject has helped us to appreciate his complex work, forever changing the way we see the world around us. Piet Oudolf: Piet Oudolf was born in 1944 in Haarlem, Netherlands. Since 1982, he has lived and worked in Hummelo, a tiny village in east Netherlands, where he started a nursery with his wife Anja, to grow perennials. His garden has since become renowned for its radical approach and ideas about planting design. Oudolf also co-founded Future Plants, a company specialising in selecting, growing, breeding and protecting plants for landscaping and public areas. Oudolf’s recent public projects include No. 5 Culture Chanel, Paris, France; The High Line, New York NY; Lurie Garden, Millennium Park, Chicago IL; Serpentine Gallery, London, England, and the Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy. Oudolf is also a successful author, having co-written numerous books such as; “Planting: A New Perspective” (2013); “Landscape in Landscapes” (2011); “Gardening with Grasses” (1998); “Designing with Plants and Planting Design” (1999); “Dream Plants for the Natural Garden” (2000); “Planting the Natural Garden” (2003), and “Planting Design: Gardens in Time and Space” (2005). In his 35-year career, Oudolf has achieved international acclaim, and has recently been awarded an Honorary Fellowship from RIBA for developing radical ideas in Planting Design (2012) and the Prince Bernhard Cultural Foundation Award (2013). Thomas Piper: Thomas Piper is an award-winning non-fiction filmmaker, specialising in documenting the contemporary arts. He holds the role of Director of Production for Checkerboard Films, and has directed, photographed and edited more than 25 films on contemporary painters, sculptors, photographers, architects, and writers. His 2008 film, Ellsworth Kelly: Fragments, won the Best Film for Television award at the prestigious International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) in Montreal. As an independent producer, he was commissioned by the Guggenheim Museum to make Art, Architecture, and Innovation: Celebrating the Guggenheim Museum, a documentary marking the 50th anniversary of the Frank Lloyd Wright museum building. He is currently in production on a documentary about the cult architecture firm, Lot-ek. His feature length documentary, Diller Scofidio + Renfro: Reimagining Lincoln Center and the High Line, was broadcast on PBS affiliates around the US, and accepted over 25 festivals around the world. Other subjects have included the artists Sol Lewitt and Kiki Smith, the writer James Salter, the art historian Vincent Scully, the architects Peter Eisenman, Steven Holl, Jean Nouvel and Thom Mayne, and MacArthur “genius” grant winner, Jeanne Gang.

Matthew Biggs is a well-known gardening expert, regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time, author of several books including RHS Lessons from the Great Gardeners and RHS Great British Village Show and a former guest of The Sodshow. A Nation in Bloom is his latest book and on this weeks episode of The Sodshow Garden Podcast he chats with Peter Donegan. This is Part 1 of 2.  The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, sotify and all good podcast stores. The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow From its small beginnings in the 19th century to the global success of the Chelsea Flower Show today, the Royal Horticultural Society is truly part of the fabric of Britain. In A NATION IN BLOOM, we discover the new direction of the Royal Horticultural Society, how it aims to inspire us all through plants and gardens, to improve our lives, and to encourage gardeners for generations to come. Illustrated with beautiful photography throughout, this book is the rich, varied and compelling story of how plants and gardens can transform people’s lives and help to define the culture of an entire nation, both now and for the future. Matthew Biggs is a well-known gardening expert and regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time and author of several books including RHS Lessons from the Great Gardeners and RHS Great British Village Show. From hugely popular flower shows to the inspirational Britain in Bloom campaign, today’s RHS is flourishing as never before. In this beautiful new book, Matthew Biggs uncovers the beating heart of the nation’s largest gardening charity as it leads a renaissance of interest and enthusiasm for all things horticultural. We may think we know the RHS through its gardens at Wisley, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor and Harlow Carr, its flower shows, including the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, its prestigious medals, awards and prizes, and its libraries, laboratories, books and magazines. But the society is in a process of subtle, sometimes radical evolution to become more open, more friendly, more helpful, and more relevant to its members (now more than half a million) and to the wider benefit of all gardeners today. Campaigns like It’s Your Neighbourhood and community-generated work under the Greening Grey Britain banner sit alongside the Campaign for School Gardening – with schools around the country encouraging the next generation to learn and grow with plants. Author Matthew Biggs also draws attention to the campaigns which emphasise the important contribution gardeners make to improving our environment, and, at a time of increasing mental health problems, stress the vast range of proven benefits of gardening on our health and sense of wellbeing. He also looks at the work the RHS does to promote horticulture as a career to be proud of. The RHS promotes best practice through its plant science and plant trials; it recognises plants with the Award of Garden Merit; and helps give all gardeners – beginners or experienced – confidence that they can grow plants wherever they are in their gardening journey. Across the vast website, through myriad publications or engaging with it on its many social media platforms, there is a part of the RHS for everyone. Looking forward, some of the society’s work comes out from behind the scenes for the first time at Wisley’s forthcoming National Centre for Horticultural Science and Learning. Likewise, the exceptional collections at the RHS Lindley Library are in the process of being opened up through digitisation and a new exhibition space now shows some of its rare and beautiful items.

Part 2 of 2: Over 2 episodes, the following tells the story of The Perennial Garden at RHS Flower Show Cardiff 2019. The garden was designed to celebrate Perennial's 180th Anniversary. More information: The RHS Perennial Garden 2019 The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, sotify and all good podcast stores. The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Rae Wilkinson is an award winning Garden and Landscape designer based in Sussex and working throughout London, the South East and beyond. Originally from an Arts background, Rae worked as a landscaper with some top landscape designers on hard then soft landscaping and garden maintenance for over ten years prior to qualifying and working as a garden designer herself in 2007. Her style combines sophistication with a sculptural, naturalistic feel, while a developed sense of sustainability and inspired planting are key to her creative approach to the landscape.  Rae has completed two award winning RHS show gardens at Hampton Court and is currently working on a variety of exciting residential and commercial schemes. The ‘Space Within’ garden is a biophilic meditation space in which to escape the hectic outside world for a moment of calm within nature. The moon gate climber curtain represents a portal from the busy outside world, through which the visitor passes to the space within. The central space symbolises the healing, tranquil space found within during meditation, whilst providing a space within which to attain this. A mini forest references Shinrin -yoku and the healing power of being amongst trees and forest bathing to enable wellbeing. Textural foliage which travels up the walls and brings the positive green element associated with biophilia, which is much needed within modern urban living. www.raewilkinson.com Twitter: @WilkinsonRae Instagram: : @WilkinsonRae The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, sotify and all good podcast stores. The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Over 2 episodes, the following tells the story of The Perennial Garden at RHS Flower Show Cardiff 2019.  The garden was designed to celebrate Perennial's 180th Anniversary.  More information: The RHS Perennial Garden 2019 The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, sotify and all good podcast stores. The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Peter Donegan chats with Claire Greenslade, head gardener at Hestercombe.  Following a degree in fashion and textiles, working in the clothing industry and making stained glass windows, she went on to volunteer at the Barley Wood Walled Garden at Wrington. That was the springboard to a three year National Trust gardening apprenticeship at Barrington Court, and from there to Hestercombe where she is integral in the development and preservation of this historic estate. She says: “Hestercombe is very special: it’s one of the few places in the country that you can walk into one of Jekyll’s designs,” Hestercombe is unique in that it boasts three centuries of garden design, and one of the best examples of collaboration between architect Edwin Lutyens and gardens designer Gertrude Jekyll. Owned by the Hestercombe Gardens Trust, Hestercombe attracts almost 100,000 visitors annually and offers a contemporary art gallery in the main house, and 50 acres of formal and landscape gardens. The ongoing restoration and preservation of Hestercombe is the driving force for the Trust, and future plans include reinstating a 400-year-old water gardens in the park area of the estate.  The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com More info: Website: www.hestercombe.com Twitter: @HestercombeGdns Instagram: @hestercombegdns Claire's instagram: @hestercombeheadgardner Facebook: hestercombe The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Peter Donegan chats with Jean Perry of Glebe Gardens of Baltimore West Cork, with very special thanks to Bev and Miriam of West Cork Garden Trail. You can subscribe and listen to The Sodshow every week in spotify / iTunes and all good podcast stores.  Show Links: web : www.glebegardens.com Facebook: GlebeGardensCafe  West Cork Garden Trail:  web: www.westcorkgardentrail.com twitter: @WestCorkTrail  The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Jack Dunckley is one of the hottest garden design talents in the UK. He has a won over 20 prestigious awards for his achievements including 10 RHS medals at shows including RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Notably, he is the youngest medal winner for a show garden at Chelsea to date. I first came across Jack at Chelsea in 2016, at the time and to his credit it was the day before judging and understandably and logically, we never got around to that interview. Three year later and alongside Andrew Fisher Tomlin of London College of Garden Design, Peter Donegan chats with Jack about all things garden design and his career to date. Of note, The Telegraph listed his ’Juxtaposition’ garden in their top ten 2013 Chelsea show gardens and 60,000 visitors walked through his ‘Just Retirement’ garden at the 2014 RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. The Guardian listed his ‘Bermuda Triangle' garden in the top three highlights of the 2017 Chelsea Flower Show. The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, spotify all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com Further info: web: www.jackdunckley.com twitter: @jackdunckley fb: jackdunckleyuk Insta: jackdunckleyltd Much thanks for listening X Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Anita Bates works with Perennial, the UK’s only charity dedicated to helping everyone who works in horticulture, and their families, when times get tough. You can contact Perennial in the following ways: web: www.perennial.org.uk Twitter @PerennialGRBS Facebook: PerennialGrBS Or via the following: Telephone: 0800 093 8510 Email: info@perennial.org.uk Write: Perennial 115 - 117 Kingston Road Leatherhead Surrey KT22 7SU

This episode of The Sodshow garden podcast is a little different as we hear from former guest Polly and a day by day journey through the build of her 2018 RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show garden, A Very Modern Problem.   The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, spotify all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com Further info: web: www.pollyannawilkinson.com twitter: @PollyannaWGD fb: PollyannaWilkinsonGardenDesign Much thanks for listening X Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

In studio with Andrew Fisher Tomlin, today alongside Peter Donegan we chat with Richard Wilford of Head of Garden Design at Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Richard has worked at Kew for over 30 years and albeit he was working with British Gas, he held a degree in Biology and started with a temporary job there before mbecoming responsible for a collection and moving into his current position. This episode with thanks to Andrew Fisher Tomlin and The London College of Garden Design.  Of himself Richard says: I am Head of Garden Design at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. I have been in this role for four and a half years but I have been at Kew for 30 years. I started in the Alpine Nursery back in 1989, mainly looking after the large, pot-grown bulb collection. I have also worked on the Rock Garden and managed the alpine, woodland, grass and herbaceous collections. In 2012 I graduated from the London College of Garden design with a Diploma in Garden Design. Projects I have worked on include rebuilding and extending parts of the Rock Garden, the landscaping and planting of the Davies Alpine House, which opened in 2006, and the design of the Broad Walk Borders- the 320 metre long double herbaceous borders at Kew that were finished in 2016. Current projects are the Children’s Garden, opening in May this year, and the Evolution Garden, due to be finished in July. The Evolution Garden is on the site of the Plant Family Beds and will show the plant ‘tree of life’, which is the result of research in molecular systematic (studies of plant DNA) that helps scientists understand how plants are related and how they have evolved. I have written books of tulips, alpines, bulbs and more tulips. I have another book on bulbs, ‘The Kew Gardener’s Guide to Growing Bulbs, due to be published this autumn. instagram: richardwilf This episode is with huge thanks to London College of Garden Design. The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com More information: London College Garden Design: web: www.lcgd.org.uk twitter: @LCgardendesign fb: TheLondonCollegeofGardenDesign The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

This April 12 - 14, The Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show Cardiff 2019 takes place at Bute Park.  There is an update to this story required...... we'll get there in due course.  The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

This 2019 Graham Bodle will design the Walkers’ Forgotten Quarry Garden at RHS Chelsea 2019.  On todays episode Andrew Fisher Tomlin and Peter Donegan with thanks to London College of Garden Design, chat with Graham about roses, conifers, trends and changes and just what it takes working in the industry of such a long period of time and staying fresh and at the top of your game for just so long.  Graham qualified and trained at Leeds with a bachelor of Arts degree in garden art and design in 2001. Based in Doncaster at the family business Walkers Nurseries, Graham has been landscaping and designing gardens for the last 16 years. He has exhibited at RHS Tatton Park gaining a gold medal in 2008 and 4 times at RHS Chelsea achieving one silver, two silver-gilt and one gold medal and best in artisan categories. Graham also exhibited at the first international flower show in Istanbul 2016. twitter: @walkersevents facebook: Walkers Nurseries web: www.walkersnurseries.tv This episode is with huge thanks to London College of Garden Design.  The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com More information:  London College Garden Design: web: www.lcgd.org.uk twitter: @LCgardendesign fb: TheLondonCollegeofGardenDesign The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

This is The Sodshow Garden Podcast listeners question time - Part 2 of 2 Over 2 episodes Lee Connelly sits down with Peter Donegan to ask all of the questions that you the listeners decided to ask. The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

This is The Sodshow Garden Podcast listeners question time - Part 1 of 2 Over 2 episodes Lee Connelly sits down with Peter Donegan to ask all of the questions that you the listeners decided to ask. The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com  The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Ed Burnham is the brains behind Burnham Landscaping, based in London. In business since 2011, The Burnham team have built no less than 13 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) gardens, their most recent being that for former guest Naomi Ferret Cohen at RHS Chelsea 2018.  The image above is from 2018 when Ed dropped by a garden I was realising in France and, though Ed and his team are due to build a garden with me at RHS Cardiff, this interview is not about that and very much about him and what he actually does.  The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com More info: web:  http://burnhamlandscaping.co.uk twitter: @burnhamlandscap  instagram: burnhamlandscaping The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

On this weeks episode of the garden podcast, a look at the other garden podcasts that are out there and not so much this one. Some have a large bag of dollars, some not mentioned in this at all (it's not a list), and others are just hard working class heroes to borrow a Joghn Lennon line who really, just love the gardening bits - and - if you like them and the cut of their jib, then get on the happy boat.  Not that this was produced in a rush, but I've to pack for an early flight and some stuff to do with the real job so I'll keep this text short. Drop me a line if you need anything. X  The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, spotify etc and good podcast stores.  The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

With thanks London College of Garden Design for supporting...... In 2018 Kate Gould competed at Ascot Spring Garden Show, Singapore and at Chelsea. On todays show, Kate's second appearance on The Sodshow garden podcast, Peter Donegan with Andrew Fisher Tomlin of London College of Garden Design - of which I am very grateful for their support of this show and do please go check out their garden courses - chat with Kate about this, life as a designer, making show gardens work and of course and naturally we deviate entirely off the point. This episode, whilst a little noisy in parts (Kate was in a petrol station when we called, it happens..... ) is with thanks to London College of Garden Design. The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com London College Garden Design: web: www.lcgd.org.uk twitter: @LCgardendesign fb: TheLondonCollegeofGardenDesign More info: web: kategouldgardens.com twitter: @KateGouldGarden instagram: kategouldgardens The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Ken White is the alongside his wife Sarah, is the Co-Founder of Supershoes Charity, that empowers children fighting Cancer in the UK. He is also Managing Director of Frosts Landscapes Construction, which has a heritage of over 45 years, winners of over 60 BALI Awards including the Grand Award in 2015 and is a multi Chelsea medal winning contractor. Of more recent, he completed the management buyout of Frosts Landscapes with 2 of his fellow directors Adrian Meeker and Fred Perry. Ken is also the past Chairman of the Association of Professional Landscapers and a very good friend of London College of Garden Design who are very much to thank for this episode being pieced together. Today, episode 400 of The Sodshow garden podcast, Peter Donegan alongside Andrew Fisher Tomlin talks this and so much more.  Of Supershoes Ken notes: Supershoes are laced with hope and provided to children fighting cancer, each pair of shoes are designed specifically for a particular child or young person and hand painted by a Super Artist to express the child and all of the things they like. This could be a favourite game, sports team, music, animals or all of the above! In fact, anything that the child holds dear. Supershoes are as unique as the child or young person that wears them and act as a reminder to that child of who they are, despite their illness, challenges and treatment. Shoes are hand painted by a dedicated team of over 300 volunteer artists. The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com London College Garden Design: web: www.lcgd.org.uk twitter: @LCgardendesign fb: TheLondonCollegeofGardenDesign The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

John Wyer is one half of one of the UK's finest landscaping and design companies Bowles and Wyer. On this episode of the garden podcast and with much thanks to London College of Garden Design, the legend sits for a chat with Peter Donegan. When I asked John for a biography, he gave me two: John started his working life in the mud on site, before studying landscape architecture at Manchester Polytechnic, qualifying in 1983. He has worked in garden design and landscape architecture ever since, running Bowles & Wyer for the last 25 years or so. He is a strong believer in collaboration and speaks regularly and widely at industry and other events. According to his profile, he ‘eats, drinks and sleeps good design.’ And secondly: John was born on the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous many years ago. After studying cycling and cookery for several decades and working in a fulltime position colouring-in, he switched to the landscape industry in 1977, first working on site before studying landscape architecture and mixing up concrete in the holidays. He set up Bowles & Wyer in 1992 and now spends most of his time pretending to tell others ‘Why don’t you do it like this instead?’. Above all things, John Wyer is an absolute gentleman. And there again exists the respect for the man and secondary for the spaces that he creates. The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com London College Garden Design: web: www.lcgd.org.uk twitter: @LCgardendesign fb: TheLondonCollegeofGardenDesign John Wyer: Web www.bowleswyer.co.uk Blog: https://www.bowleswyer.co.uk/blog/ Twitter: @WyerJohn Instagram: @Wyer.John The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Peter Donegan chats with David Ward, Garden and Nursery Director at Beth Chatto Gardens. Beth Chatto was born and bred an “Essex Girl” with both her parents keen gardeners. She studied to become a teacher and always tried to include gardening in her classes. Beth married Andrew Chatto in 1943 and settled into domestic life, raising two daughters. Living next door to Ramparts nursery run by Pamela Underwood, Beth learnt the art of Flower arranging and was introduced to the local plantsman Sir Cedric Morris who became a “spiritual father to her. The family moved to Elmstead Market in 1960 and Beth set about creating her garden and opened a nursery “Unusual Plants” in 1967. Beth was catapulted into the gardening world in 1976 with her iconic Chelsea displays and 10 Gold Medals. A natural communicator, through her books, lectures as well as one to one with visitors to the gardens, many people have a personal connection. Championing the mantra of “right plant, right place” with her own practical experience and artistic skills. Sadly Beth passed away in May 2018 but her garden and nursery continues to thrive under her loyal team along with an Educational Trust, set up in her name to further Beth’s horticultural ethos. Dave first met Beth as a Horticultural student in 1977 whilst studying Nursery practices at Merrist Wood College in Surrey. After working at Bressingham Gardens, on nurseries in Boskoop, Holland and a couple of tree nurseries in this country he eventually settled at Avon bulbs in Somerset for three years. Regularly visiting Beths garden and seeing her at Chelsea as a fellow exhibitor he was taken by her range of plants. Dave joined her team in 1983 when Beth was looking for someone to train up to take over the propagation. Beth seemed particularly keen to employ a fellow East Anglian (I was born in Norwich). His experience allowed him to update the nursery and freed Beth up to concentrate on the garden and Chelsea. As the propagation team grew he was able to spend more time with Beth in the garden and helped her create the Gravel garden as well as plant up our woodland garden following the great storm in October 1987. The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow Beth Chatto Gardens: web: www.bethchatto.co.uk facebook: bethchattogardens twitter: @bethchattogdns

Peter Donegan chats with Matthew Biggs; a gardener, writer and broadcaster On leaving school at sixteen he rapidly found office work too claustrophobic and rushed outdoors where he has remained happily ever since. He is currently developing his Hertfordshire garden and learning to love clay soil. Fascinated by plants of any kind he grows exotics, heritage fruit, unusual vegetables, tree and masses of bulbs. Matt is in love with Echium wildpretii has grown it several times in his garden but still dreams of seeing it in the wild. His latest book is The Secrets of Great Botanists. Botanists are the trailblazers who first discovered how plants work and searched the globe for many of the plants we grow in the garden today. Each of the thirty five profiles, reveals their fascinating life stories from botanizing Pirate William Dampier to pioneering photographer Anna Atkins and modern day collectors and conservationists Bleddyn and Sue Wynn-Jones. Special feature pages reveal the qualities that brought them success and what we can learn from them. Illustrated with beautiful period watercolours and vibrant, colourful photographs, this is the ideal book for anyone who loves real life adventures. The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com Matt Biggs: Octopus Publishing: The Book - Secrets of Great Botanists twitter: @plantmadman web: www.matthewbiggs.com The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

River of Flowers is a non-profit eco-social enterprise founded by rewilding strategist and botanist Kathryn Lwin and musician songwriter Peter Lewinson, which works in diverse partnerships to create trails or 'rivers' of wildflowers and wild flowering trees through cities for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. River of Flowers co-designed the Honeycomb Meadow Bee Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018 with Studio SuperNatural in partnership with Urban Bees, which achieved a Silver Medal. With very much thanks to CED Natural Stone, on todays episode, Peter Donegan chats with landscape architects Gabrielle Shay and Kerrie Mckinnon to find out why an just what River of Flowers is. The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com Gabrielle Shay and Kerrie Mckinnon set up Studio SuperNatural after meeting at University studying Landscape Architecture last year. They work collaboratively on public and private landscape design and Landscape Architecture projects in the UK and abroad. Gabrielle worked at Petersham Nurseries for some years before going onto study Landscape Architecture at the University of Greenwich. Gabrielle won a gold medal at the RHS Hampton Court 2015 for her show garden 'African Vision' and co-designed the Honey Comb meadow bee garden Rhs Chelsea flower show 2018 with Kerrie. Kerrie worked as a graphic designer for several years before studying Landscape Architecture, through her passion for plants and the environment. Kerrie now works as a Landscape Architect for a practice in Greenwich​ as well as collaborating with Gaby on Landscape Architecture projects. Kerrie became a director of River of Flowers in 2017. Much thanks for listening X Further info: Read: CED Stone on River of Flowers Twitter: @RiverofFlowers web: www.riverofflowers.org And also: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

On todays episode Peter Donegan and Giles Heap of CED Natural Stone everything from trends in how stone in landscape design has evolved over the last 30 years, from what was (or, more to the point) what was not available, a super saturation of affordable sandstone and what the future maybe, all the way back to crazy paving, wooden sets and making your own in the 1970's.  We talk Giles eventual entry into the stone industry, going on holidays with Dad, how a daughters education and a change in thinking wraps around todays products and just how that has changed how we use and lay them. In a nutshell, this is not how I imagined this conversation would go - but then, I think that's every episode of The Sodshow since time began.   The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com With thanks to London College of Garden Design for making this one happen.  London College Garden Design: web: www.lcgd.org.uk twitter: @LCgardendesign fb: TheLondonCollegeofGardenDesign Giles Heap at CED Natural Stone: twitter: @Giles_At_CED fb: CED Ltd Natural Stone web: www.cedstone.co.uk The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

This is part 1 of a 2 part episode - with Tim Richardson. Tim Richardson is a London-based writer, historian and critic specialising in landscape, gardens and art. He writes regularly for the Daily Telegraph and other publications including Country Life and Gardens Illustrated. He is the author of a number of books including Arcadian Friends (Bantam, 2007), Avant Gardeners (Thames & Hudson, 2008) and The New English Garden (2013). A collection of his journalism entitled You Should Have Been Here Last Week has just appeared in paperback. Tim advises the National Trust on gardens and wrote the course on landscape history for Oxford University. He is the founder-director of the Chelsea Fringe Festival, now in its eighth year. On todays episode Peter Donegan chats with Tim. The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Linda Petrons, better known to me as Lou, is the Director of Communications at Greenfingers. As they word it, they are a national charity dedicated to supporting children who spend time in hospices around the UK, along with their families, by creating inspiring gardens. On todays episode Peter Donegan sits with Lou to chat working with some of the UK's top garden designers, why they do what they do and just what it means to be a child or a member of their family with a photosynthetic outdoor place to be just that, if only but for a moment or a memory in time.  We talk why the entire industry simply adores them so very much, the Agents of Field Christmas video, their upcoming 20th anniversary and so much more.   The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com and this episode is brought to you with very special thanks to The London College of Garden Design celebrating their 10th anniversary and who more importantly made this episode possible. For that I thank you so very much.  Peter  London College Garden Design: web: www.lcgd.org.uk twitter: @LCgardendesign fb: TheLondonCollegeofGardenDesign Greenfingers Charity: twitter: @greenfingerscha fb: Greenfingerscharity web: www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

This is part 1 of a 2 part episode - with Tim Richardson.  Tim Richardson is a London-based writer, historian and critic specialising in landscape, gardens and art. He writes regularly for the Daily Telegraph and other publications including Country Life and Gardens Illustrated. He is the author of a number of books including Arcadian Friends (Bantam, 2007), Avant Gardeners (Thames & Hudson, 2008) and The New English Garden (2013).  A collection of his journalism entitled You Should Have Been Here Last Week has just appeared in paperback. Tim advises the National Trust on gardens and wrote the course on landscape history for Oxford University. He is the founder-director of the Chelsea Fringe Festival, now in its eighth year. On todays episode Peter Donegan chats with Tim.   The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com  The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Will Williams has completed three show gardens, including at RHS Hampton Court and of his latest, at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show, he walked away with Gold and The RHS Young Designer of the Year award for 2018.  On todays episode Peter Donegan sits with Will to ask all of the why's. From how he ended up in landscape design, his first show garden, real friends and mentors not just of horticulture, but of life - to what the future holds, staying in business and standing tall with the very best.  The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com  With thanks to London College of Garden Design for making this one happen.  London College Garden Design: web: www.lcgd.org.uk twitter: @LCgardendesign fb: TheLondonCollegeofGardenDesign Will Williams Garden Design: twitter: @WillWilliamsGD   web: www.willwilliamsgardendesign.com The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Misti Little is an biologist and environmental consultant based out of Houston, Texas by day, and gardener, podcaster, and outdoor enthusiast when she can fit them in the other hours of the day. On todays episode, Peter Donegan also a long time fan of Misti's ramblings and conversation chats about all of the why's than invariably pop up in gardening more hours than one could shake a stick at and also exist in one day.  As Misti notes it, she founded The Garden Path Podcast in 2015 to fill a niche in the American gardening podcast genre. Connecting with other like-minded gardeners and naturalists to share their stories through the podcast has become one of her favorite hobbies. Show Links: The Garden Path Podcast - www.thegardenpathpodcast.com Instagram - TheGardenPathPodcast. Misti's outdoor adventures - www.oceanicwilderness.com Much thanks for listening, always X Peter Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

Part 2 of 2 - Jo Thompson This episode also features Charlie Hart. At RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden Designer Jo Thompson has won three Gold and five Silver Gilt medals. She is also a member of the RHS Gardens Committee, a Garden Advisor for RHS Rosemoor and a member of the RHS Show Gardens Selection Panel. Recorded in two parts, on todays episode Jo chats with Peter Donegan about starting in business, staying fresh, controversy and what makes a great garden. I should also add that Jo lectures and also tutors amongst others at The London College of Garden Design who I should also add huge note of thanks for piecing this episode together. The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com London College Garden Design: web: www.lcgd.org.uk twitter: @LCgardendesign fb: TheLondonCollegeofGardenDesign Jo Thompson: twitter: @Gardendesigner1 fb: JoThompsonGardenDesign web: www.jothompson-garden-design.co.uk The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow