Wild Flower (Half) Hour

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The #wildflowerhour podcast: tales from the botanists bringing the internet into bloom every Sunday night between 8-9pm. Half an hour of wild plants from Britain and Ireland.

#wildflowerhour


    • May 30, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 29m AVG DURATION
    • 44 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Wild Flower (Half) Hour with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Wild Flower (Half) Hour

    4. Why don't we love dandelions?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2021 28:00


    In the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman talks to botanist Joshua Styles about his love of dandelions and the many different species you can find growing wild in Britain and Ireland. She also hears from author Jon Dunn about lockdown botany, and we're off on another wild flower hunt with Leif Bersweden.

    3: Under Milkwort

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2021 32:37


    For more information on #wildflowerhour, visit our website.

    2: Get to know wild orchids

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2021 34:51


    The #wildflowerhour podcast finds out how you can identify orchids even when they're not in flower, hears more about your favourite plants, learns about a proper wild flower lawn, and goes on another one of those walks with Leif Bersweden. Presented by Isabel Hardman. Britain's Orchids: https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691177618/britains-orchids For more information on #wildflowerhour, visit our website.

    1: The flowers on our streets

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2021 29:05


    Isabel Hardman presents the first in a new series of the Wild Flower (Half) Hour podcast. She meets Sophie Leguil, who runs the More Than Weeds campaign, and hears from BBC presenters Chris Packham and Martha Kearney about their favourite wild flowers. Rebecca Wheeler introduces the challenges for the next two weeks of #wildflowerhour and Leif Bersweden takes us on a wild flower walk. To find out more about #wildflowerhour, visit our website.

    20: Men who stare at orchids

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2018


    The latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast includes an interview with a man who has created a wild orchid haven in his back garden, a look at Orchid Hunter Leif Bersweden's adventures studying orchids for his PhD, and another one of those lovely readings from Zoe Devlin's book, Blooming Marvellous.

    20: Men who stare at orchids

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2018 28:40


    The latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast includes an interview with a man who has created a wild orchid haven in his back garden, a look at Orchid Hunter Leif Bersweden's adventures studying orchids for his PhD, and another one of those lovely readings from Zoe Devlin's book, Blooming Marvellous.

    19: Hutton Roof

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2018


    Isabel Hardman visits Hutton Roof, a massive limestone pavement in Cumbria, with Bryan Yorke, who studies the rare orchids that grow there.

    19: Hutton Roof

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2018 31:55


    Isabel Hardman visits Hutton Roof, a massive limestone pavement in Cumbria, with Bryan Yorke, who studies the rare orchids that grow there.

    18: Plants ARE cool

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2018


    In the latest #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman challenges Dr Jonathan Mitchley of the University of Reading to explain why plants are important and even cool. We also hear a reading from Zoe Devlin's lovely book, Blooming Marvellous, and find out about why Dom Price from the Species Recovery Trust likes to lie down in fields and stare at ants. More information on #wildflowerhour on [wildflowerhour.co.uk](wildflowerhour.co.uk)

    18: Plants ARE cool

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2018 36:13


    In the latest #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman challenges Dr Jonathan Mitchley of the University of Reading to explain why plants are important and even cool. We also hear a reading from Zoe Devlin's lovely book, Blooming Marvellous, and find out about why Dom Price from the Species Recovery Trust likes to lie down in fields and stare at ants. More information on #wildflowerhour on [wildflowerhour.co.uk](wildflowerhour.co.uk)

    17: A violet obsession

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2018


    In the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, we find out about Moira O’Donnell’s love of violets, discover one of your favourite nature reserves, and learn about the fight to save Oxfordshire’s endangered plants.

    17: A violet obsession

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2018 26:47


    In the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, we find out about Moira O’Donnell’s love of violets, discover one of your favourite nature reserves, and learn about the fight to save Oxfordshire’s endangered plants.

    16: Fake news and frauds

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2018


    On the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman interviews Professor Mick Crawley about the English Bluebell and the threat from its Spanish relative and hears about the great botanical fraud of the 20th century from the journalist who revealed the full story, Karl Sabbagh.  More details on this podcast and on #wildflowerhour on our website, [wildflowerhour.co.uk](http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk)

    16: Fake news and frauds

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2018 26:29


    On the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman interviews Professor Mick Crawley about the English Bluebell and the threat from its Spanish relative and hears about the great botanical fraud of the 20th century from the journalist who revealed the full story, Karl Sabbagh.  More details on this podcast and on #wildflowerhour on our website, [wildflowerhour.co.uk](http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk)

    15: The best nature reserves

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2018


    #wildflowerhour members share their favourite nature reserves for wild flower hunting.

    15: The best nature reserves

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2018 28:18


    #wildflowerhour members share their favourite nature reserves for wild flower hunting.

    14: The wild flower that inspired LSD

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2018


    In the latest episode of the Wild Flower (Half) Hour, Isabel Hardman explores some of your favourite nature reserves, learns about a very popular roadside verges plant, and discovers the plant that inspired the creation of LSD.

    14: The wild flower that inspired LSD

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2018 30:10


    In the latest episode of the Wild Flower (Half) Hour, Isabel Hardman explores some of your favourite nature reserves, learns about a very popular roadside verges plant, and discovers the plant that inspired the creation of LSD.

    13: Wild flowers in the city

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2018


    In the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman learns about botany in a city, and how wild flowers have adapted to London life, finds out about the flowers in our latest challenge, and hears a reading from Zoe Devlin’s beautiful book, Blooming Marvellous. More information on the show and #wildflowerhour at [wildflowerhour.co.uk](Http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk)

    13: Wild flowers in the city

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2018 28:32


    In the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman learns about botany in a city, and how wild flowers have adapted to London life, finds out about the flowers in our latest challenge, and hears a reading from Zoe Devlin’s beautiful book, Blooming Marvellous. More information on the show and #wildflowerhour at [wildflowerhour.co.uk](Http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk)

    12: How to make your own wild flower meadow

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2018


    In the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman discovers the joy of small, overlooked plants in an interview with Peter Creed, speaks to Cumbria Wildlife Trust's Neil Harnott about how to create a hay meadow in your back garden, and hears from Kevin Widdowson about how to identify the plants in our latest challenge. More information on the [Wild Flower Hour website](http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk/).

    12: How to make your own wild flower meadow

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2018 28:21


    In the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman discovers the joy of small, overlooked plants in an interview with Peter Creed, speaks to Cumbria Wildlife Trust's Neil Harnott about how to create a hay meadow in your back garden, and hears from Kevin Widdowson about how to identify the plants in our latest challenge. More information on the [Wild Flower Hour website](http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk/).

    11: Floodplain meadows

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2018


    In the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman learns about the Starved Wood Sedge and why it needs some help from the Species Recovery Trust's Dom Price, and interviews Emma Rothero from the Floodplain Meadows Partnership. There's also details of our latest challenge. More information on the show and #wildflowerhour on our website, [wildflowerhour.co.uk](http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk/)

    11: Floodplain meadows

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2018 24:46


    In the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman learns about the Starved Wood Sedge and why it needs some help from the Species Recovery Trust's Dom Price, and interviews Emma Rothero from the Floodplain Meadows Partnership. There's also details of our latest challenge. More information on the show and #wildflowerhour on our website, [wildflowerhour.co.uk](http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk/)

    10: Roadside wild flowers

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2018


    In the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman finds out about our most important network of nature reserves: roadside verges. Mark Schofield works for the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and waxes lyrical about the importance of these scraps of land in saving wild flowers. We also learn about the Brassicaceae, or cabbage, family, which is the topic of this week's challenge, with some tips from expert botanist Tim Rich. And it's time for our monthly wild flower reading from Zoe Devlin. For more details about #wildflowerhour and all the guests on this show, visit [wildflowerhour.co.uk](http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk/)

    10: Roadside wild flowers

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2018 30:02


    In the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman finds out about our most important network of nature reserves: roadside verges. Mark Schofield works for the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and waxes lyrical about the importance of these scraps of land in saving wild flowers. We also learn about the Brassicaceae, or cabbage, family, which is the topic of this week's challenge, with some tips from expert botanist Tim Rich. And it's time for our monthly wild flower reading from Zoe Devlin. For more details about #wildflowerhour and all the guests on this show, visit [wildflowerhour.co.uk](http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk/)

    9: Blooms for bugs and the joy of monads

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2018


    Isabel Hardman finds out how urban wild flowers are saving our bugs and bees with Nick Packham from Buglife's Urban Buzz project, introduces the latest challenge, which is to find wild flowers growing on the pavement, and hears about the joy of monads (and what they are).

    9: Blooms for bugs and the joy of monads

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2018 32:01


    Isabel Hardman finds out how urban wild flowers are saving our bugs and bees with Nick Packham from Buglife's Urban Buzz project, introduces the latest challenge, which is to find wild flowers growing on the pavement, and hears about the joy of monads (and what they are).

    8: A wild flower Glastonbury?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2018


    In the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman interviews Joshua Sparkes, a gardener at Sissinghurst, about how we can make wild flowers culturally important in Britain and Ireland. We also hear a reading from Zoe Devlin from her book, Blooming Marvellous, and find out about the new #wildflowerhour challenge, on rosettes.

    8: A wild flower Glastonbury?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2018 23:43


    In the latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman interviews Joshua Sparkes, a gardener at Sissinghurst, about how we can make wild flowers culturally important in Britain and Ireland. We also hear a reading from Zoe Devlin from her book, Blooming Marvellous, and find out about the new #wildflowerhour challenge, on rosettes.

    7: The truth about snowdrops

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2018


    Isabel Hardman interviews Professor Mick Crawley about where snowdrops really come from and why they can cause an affliction called Galanthomania in some people. Also in this episode: the secret hunt to find a Tongue Orchid, and how on earth it turned up in a corner of Essex; and 6 year old Rebecca on wild flowers for butterflies. For more information on the plants featured on this podcast, go to [http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk/](http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk/)

    7: The truth about snowdrops

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2018 22:45


    Isabel Hardman interviews Professor Mick Crawley about where snowdrops really come from and why they can cause an affliction called Galanthomania in some people. Also in this episode: the secret hunt to find a Tongue Orchid, and how on earth it turned up in a corner of Essex; and 6 year old Rebecca on wild flowers for butterflies. For more information on the plants featured on this podcast, go to [http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk/](http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk/)

    6: The trouble with meadows

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2018


    On this latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman interviews Trevor Dines from Plantlife about why those well-known brightly-coloured 'wild flower' mixes are so misleading and potentially bad for our countryside. We also hear from Venetia, a #wildflowerhour member who has managed to find ten wild plants in bloom each week during the winter, and follow Adam Cormack from the Wildlife Trusts around as he goes on a #herbologyhunt with his 5 year old daughter. Read more here: http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk/blog/2018/01/28/podcast-the-trouble-with-meadows/

    6: The trouble with meadows

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2018 29:31


    On this latest episode of the #wildflowerhour podcast, Isabel Hardman interviews Trevor Dines from Plantlife about why those well-known brightly-coloured 'wild flower' mixes are so misleading and potentially bad for our countryside. We also hear from Venetia, a #wildflowerhour member who has managed to find ten wild plants in bloom each week during the winter, and follow Adam Cormack from the Wildlife Trusts around as he goes on a #herbologyhunt with his 5 year old daughter. Read more here: http://www.wildflowerhour.co.uk/blog/2018/01/28/podcast-the-trouble-with-meadows/

    5: Winter trees and wasp orchids

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2018


    Isabel Hardman interviews Kevin Widdowson on how to identify trees in winter, asks David Steere (also known as @Barbus59) how he became quite so good at botany so quickly, hears Lydia Massiah's tale of her wasp orchid hunt, and discovers what you all found in your New Year Plant Hunts.

    5: Winter trees and wasp orchids

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2018 30:12


    Isabel Hardman interviews Kevin Widdowson on how to identify trees in winter, asks David Steere (also known as @Barbus59) how he became quite so good at botany so quickly, hears Lydia Massiah's tale of her wasp orchid hunt, and discovers what you all found in your New Year Plant Hunts.

    4: Children's wild flowers

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2017


    Isabel Hardman launches the junior section of #wildflowerhour, with young botanists explaining why they love wild flowers.

    4: Children's wild flowers

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2017 37:45


    Isabel Hardman launches the junior section of #wildflowerhour, with young botanists explaining why they love wild flowers.

    3: Ghost Orchids and favourite wild flower finds

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2017


    Isabel Hardman interviews Sean Cole about why he has spent 17 years looking for an orchid he has never seen growing in Britain, hears from a number of #wildflowerhour members about the stories behind their favourite wild flower finds in 2017, and interviews award-winning botanist Brian Laney about how he spends his spare time saving plants from extinction.

    3: Ghost Orchids and favourite wild flower finds

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2017 28:08


    Isabel Hardman interviews Sean Cole about why he has spent 17 years looking for an orchid he has never seen growing in Britain, hears from a number of #wildflowerhour members about the stories behind their favourite wild flower finds in 2017, and interviews award-winning botanist Brian Laney about how he spends his spare time saving plants from extinction.

    2: A year of wild flower hunting and finding fruits

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2017


    Isabel Hardman interviews Zoe Devlin on her new book, Blooming Marvellous: A Wild Flower Hunter's Year; learns about identifying flowers by their fruit with Kevin Widdowson; and speaks to 22 year old botanist Joshua Styles about his mission to save rare plants in the North West.

    2: A year of wild flower hunting and finding fruits

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2017 27:35


    Isabel Hardman interviews Zoe Devlin on her new book, Blooming Marvellous: A Wild Flower Hunter's Year; learns about identifying flowers by their fruit with Kevin Widdowson; and speaks to 22 year old botanist Joshua Styles about his mission to save rare plants in the North West.

    1: An orchid gap year and winter wild flowers

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2017


    Isabel Hardman interviews Leif Bersweden about his new book, The Orchid Hunter, chats to Trevor Dines from Plantlife about the Back from the Brink project, and explores winter wild flowers.

    1: An orchid gap year and winter wild flowers

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2017 34:48


    Isabel Hardman interviews Leif Bersweden about his new book, The Orchid Hunter, chats to Trevor Dines from Plantlife about the Back from the Brink project, and explores winter wild flowers.

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