Podcast appearances and mentions of peter seabrook

In this edition of DIG IT Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Chris Baines who is recognised as one of the UK's leading independent environmentalists and greatest pioneers in wildlife gardening. His best-selling book, How To Make A Wildlife Garden was published back in 1985 and has been in print continually ever since. Chris's ethos is simply to encourage us all to think more about wildlife and give it a helping hand in our gardens!People and places: Key Inspiration from Christopher Lloyd (Great Dixter Garden) and Dame Miriam Rothschild (passionate about getting wildflowers on motorway verges and attracting butterflies). War hero General Oliver Leese (a bonsai and cacti grower, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 1984, Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Kent apple Orchards, Wind in the Willows Books (Mr Toad reference). Wye College Agricultural and Horticulture Facility, Garden Organic, Sheffield Parks Department. Wildlife and Wetlands Trust created London Wetlands Centre, one of the most successful stories in Europe. English Nature, The Wildlife Trust and Wild Ken Hill, Norfolk featured on BBC SpringwatchPlant mentions: Cowslip, Crocus, Bolted Kale with flower buds, Daisies, Foxgloves, Grape hyacinths, Horse chestnut, Ivy, Michaelmas daisies, Runner beans, Silver Birch, and Saxifraga.Animal mentions: Blue Tits, Skylarks, Lapwings, Curlews, Robins, Swallows, Starlings, Swifts, Slugs, Caterpillars, Bats, Sparrow Hawks, Red Kites, Peregrine Falcons, Magpies, Foxes, Toads, Hedgehogs, Moths, Butterflies, Cabbage White Butterflies, Newts, Damsel flies, Wasps, Leatherjackets, and Woodcock.Product mentions: Bee hotels, Clay pots, Compost bins, Flexible Pond liners, and Nest boxes.Chris's garden with a large pond: Leyland Cypress, Holly, Yew, Crab Apple, Native Honeysuckle, Bird Cherry (Prunus padus), Rosa banksia, Pink Campion, Lily of the Valley, Meadow Cranesbill / non-native Geraniums, Pulmonaria (lungwort) and Wayfaring tree.Desert island must-haves: Hand lens / Macro lens binoculars and Secateurs.Media highlights: Pebble Mill at One (1989 - 92), Rich Habitat Garden created for Gardeners' World with Peter Seabrook. Blue Tits and Bumblebees (1985) one 40-minute programme, The Wildside of Town, and Countryfile one of the original presenters from 1989 - 92.The Thames Estuary Partnership: The Living Thames film won the 2019 UK Charity Film Award and has won prizes and awards on four continents. It has an introduction by Sir David Attenborough and is available worldwide through Amazon. Chris is currently working on the sequel, The Historic Thames, which is scheduled for autumn release.Chris's books: The Wild Side of Town, The RHS Companion to Wildlife Gardening (originally titled How to Make a Wildlife Garden), and A Guide to Habitat Creation.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of DIG IT Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Stuart Lowen, the Marketing Manager at Ball Colegrave, a leader in all areas of floriculture excellence. Stuart gives us the latest news from the seasonal plant industry, hanging basket advice, plus new bedding plants to look out for this summer.The Blue Flag winner in 2024 was Lantana Passion Fruit, a trailing spreading variety with a long flowering season of fruity, coloured flowers.The Tree of Life display at Ball featured Petunia Bee's Knees.Mad About Mangave ® Praying Hands, a unique foliage plant, similar to an artichoke that grows up like a teardrop.Plants mentioned and to look out for this summer include; Antirrhinum Snap in Black Pink. Begonia Hula, Begonia Megawatt, Begonia Angel Wings, Trumpet Flower, Bidens Bee Happy, Coleus King Jr Rose, Coleus canina (Scaredy cat), Cosmos Cherry Chocolate (bright cherry pink flowers with the chocolate fragrance, Calibrachoas, Dahlia Gardenetta range of varieties, Geranium Moonflair (ivy leaf), Impatien Beacon ® Raspberry Sundae Mixed (highly resistant to downy mildew), Impatien Glimmer ® Pink, Mandevilla Tropica Jade Red, Osteospermum Akila Hawaii Sunset Mixed, Pansy Cool Wave (trailing pansy), Petunia Fanfare Heartbreaker, Petunia Surfinia and Sunflower PetiSol.Kitchen Buddies, a range of compact growing vegetable plants including Cucumber Quick Snack, Pepper Hot Banana, Sweet Corn Pot of Gold and Tomato Tumbling Tom Yellow.Product mentions: Control-release fertiliser, Miracle-Gro and a high potash fertiliser such as Tomato Food. Water-retaining granules such as Swell-Gel. Popular Speedplanters, Pop-In/ Drop-Ins, popular for instant colourful results.The late Peter Seabrook created an amazing garden at RHS Hyde Hall in Essex called Floral Fantasia, the garden is designed to showcase and celebrate the spectacular potential of seasonal plants. The garden acts as a bridge between the growing industry and the general public. Peter's legacy lives on in this garden which you can visit to see the latest innovations, including this summer, Begonia Trials. 2025 is the Year of the Begonia.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of DIG IT, Peter Brown turns the microphone around and chats with Chris Day about his life and times working with plants, garden centres, radio, people in horticulture, and even a few greenhouses! From a humble apprentice at Rochfords to plant publicity manager at Buckingham Garden Centre, Chris spills the beans on some of his gardening wisdom along the way. Plant mentions: Aloe Vera, Aspidistra, Basil, Beloperone guttata (shrimp or prawn plant!), Cymbidiums, Sweet peas, lawn turf, Kentia palms, Melon, Pineapple, Tomato, Cucumber, Snake plant, Mother-in-Laws (Sansevieria), African Violets (Saintpaulia), Poinsettias, Phalaenopsis (Moth Orchid), Universal Winter Pansies from Colegraves, Cacti, Money plants (Crassula), Chloropytum, Venus Fly Traps and Yuccas. Floral Flame for the Manchester Olympic bid at Manchester Airport created with Begonias, Lobelia, Marigold, Parsley, Perilla, and Impatien). Product mentions: Greenhouse: Corrugated plastic, aluminium (glass to ground), Wooden greenhouse, staging, Victorian style. Paraffin heaters, thermostatically electric fan heater, Garland propagating products, LED grow lights, roller benches, red spider mite pests, pH soil tests and soil science. Wool pots and Mycorrhizal products (RootGrow). People and Place mentions: Amateur Gardening magazine, Alan Beswick, BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Three Counties Radio, Blue Peter Garden, Alan Down, Bridgemere Garden World, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Dutch Flower Auctions at Aalsmeer, Graham Clarke, Fred Downham, Rochford Houseplants (commercial growers), Garden Centre Association, Guernsey Flower Show, Horticulture Week, Peter Seabrook, Louise Lear, Peat Free UK houseplant growers, Val Bourne, Myerscough College and Writtle College. Hotbeds, created with strawy manure, and John Innes Compost No3. Chris's Desert Island luxuries: Felco secateurs and Potato ‘Home Guard' Chris's book co-authored with Rob Keenan Amateur Gardening Complete Gardening Answers (published by Robinsons). Catch Chris's online Garden Centre postings on Facebook and Instagram Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neil Gow - Peter Seabrook New Plant Award

Chris Baines is one of the UK's leading independent environmentalists and an award-winning writer and broadcaster.A trained horticulturist and landscape architect, he spent some years practising and teaching landscape design but has spent most of his career a professional adviser to Government and other bodies including the National Trust, National Grid and energy regulator Ofgem.Fornerly a presenter of BBC Countryfile, his 1986 film Blue Tits and Bumblebees is often credited with starting the trend towards gardening with nature.Back in 1979 Baines bucked the trend in a chemical-driven gardening decade and created a "rich habitat garden" for Gardeners World. "At that stage, I just remember vividly...Peter [Seabrook] looking at me and saying..'you really think Britain's gardeners are going to be interested in that?' It was a supreme put down, really. And then they were absolutely avalanched with requests for the leaflet that I'd produced about how to create a rich habitat garden."With his best-selling book How to Make a Wildlife Garden continuously in print for almost 40 years, a new expanded edition was published in 2023 as an RHS classic, he reflects on where nature gardening and rewilding is today.His new book RHS Companion to Wildlife Gardening updated edition is out now.With Biodiversity Net Gain now in legislation, Baines shares his concerns: "If the outcome of the new legislation is that more creative partnership with the Wildlife Trust and others managing the investment that's required from the developers, that would be brilliant...If it finishes up with just little patches of trees planted on, in many cases, landscape, which is rather more valuable without its trees for wildlife than it will be with trees on it, then that will be a wasted opportunity. But I'm eternally optimistic."He discusses the pros and cons of bird feeding and the prospects for and importance of local parks in this election year."It's wonderful to have national parks out in the countryside, but actually most people most of the time need access to green space right where they live and work. And we need to take that much more seriously because neglect and lack of safety in those spaces puts people off going there." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of Dig It we chat with multi-award-winning Garden Designer and Landscape Contractor Alan Sargent, a Fellow of The Institute of Horticulture and Founder of The Association of Professional Landscapers. Alan Sargent is a proper landscape gardener who over the past five decades has won countless awards, including over sixty Royal Horticultural Society Show Garden medals at Chelsea, Hampton Court, Tatton Park and Gardeners' World Live.Alan's latest book, Confessions of a Gardener, helps support the fantastic charity Perennial - the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Society. £4 will be donated to Perennial. You can order it here.Product mentions: Consider a Hydrological survey which documents the source (inflow), route, and flow (outflow) of springs, brooks, streams, rivers, and culverts. The report also notes water depths, seasonal flooding, and the significance of surface water runoffs on your land and beyond. Lasers for levels rather than water levels. Butyl pond liner, Bradstone paving and stone, Porcelain, Indian sandstone paving, importance of permeable materials for drainage.Plant mentions: Palm trees, wildflowers, and re-wilding to help attract birds, bee friendly plants for pollinators and Japanese maples.People mentions: Alan Titchmarsh - mentor to Alan, Peter Seabrook, Prince Phillip Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Alexandra, Patron of Action for Blind People as well as being President of Sightsavers. Garden designers Robin Williams, Mark Gregory, who has been involved with 99 gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show, with a total of 160 show gardens for the RHS, making him the most medalled garden builder within the RHS. Peter Rodgers, garden designer. TV presenter and botanist Dr David Bellamy. Peter Rodgers, garden designer.Desert island tool: A Swiss army knife.Alan Sargent's website Landscape Library (educational resource)The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL, Find a Landscaping Professional) The Professional Garden Consultants Association The Chartered Institute of HorticultureOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of Dig It we chat with freelance garden writer and broadcaster Steve Bradley. Steve and wife Val (also a qualified horticulturist) have worked for The Sun newspaper since 2002, writing the gardening column with the late and legendary Peter Seabrook. Peter Brown and Chris Day share Steve's many memorable moments of a full and brilliant gardening career.Media mentions: Books Propagation Basics (winner of the Garden Media Guild Award for Best Practical Book), The Pruner's Bible, Winter Gardening, The Fragrant Garden and What's Wrong With My Plant? and The Grafter's Handbook. Consumer testing in Amateur Gardening magazine, RHS The Garden magazine and Gardeners' World magazine. BBC Radio Kent. TV Channel 4 series: Plant Life and Garden Doctors and BBC's Ground Force.Plant and product mentions: Lettuce ‘Iceberg' Tomato rootstocks (variety Submarine), grafted tomatoes, grafting clips, Managing honey fungus and Rootgrow.Steve's desert island essential: Alan TitchmarshCollege mentions: Askham Bryan College, Cannington College (Bridgwater and Taunton College), Pershore College, Merrist Wood College and Writtle University College.To find out more about Steve and The Sun gardening visit this website Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episdoe sponsored by Genus Gardenwear Joff talks to wildlife expert Chris Baines about his book THE RHS COMPANION TO WILDLIFE GARDENING - how to make a wildlif garden. First published in 1985 this book has now been fully updated and revised by Chris with new illustrations and highlights the changes in garden wildlife over the last 30 years.  It incorporates the latest RHS research and updated best practice.  Chris talks about his days on BBC Gardeners World in the late 80's with Peter Seabrook and his time at BBC pebble Mill in the 80's.  This book was first released at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 1985 where Chris built a groundbreakingwildlife garden that caught the nation's imagination.    Chis also discusses why to make a wildlife garden in the first place. What different habitats you can create, and what to expect to see - quite a lot for those with the time and patience to sit and observe. An oxymoron? A wild vegetable garden? Chris was instrumental in setting up National Nest Box Week and International Dawn Chorus Day.  This book from Quarto/Frances Lincoln is being released on 16th February 2023.

Nick Hamilton, of Barnsdale Gardens in Rutland, has written an autobiography, The Right Genes, about his relationship with his father Geoff Hamiton, the pioneer in peat-free organic gardening, who presented BBC Gardeners World for 17 years.They worked together for several years before Geoff's untimely death in 1996. Nick talks about why Geoff is still recalled so fondly and how and why they are so similar.Bankruptcy and hard times hit the Hamiltons when he was a teen, before Geoff's big break into garden journalism and TV. Nick recounts this as well as his experience training at Writtle College, Darby Nursery Stock and Raveningham Hall, the home of Sir Nicholas Bacon, and going into business father at Barnsdale Gardens.Geoff's organic and peat-free ethos was ahead of its time and Nick mulls over a feud between Geoff and the late Peter Seabrook about their different gardening philosophies,Meanwhile, Barnsdale Gardens, where Adam Frost started work, is under threat from a solar farm and Nick talks about his concerns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

HortWeek editor Matthew Appleby speaks to Jeff Colegrave, Nicole Higginson and Neil Gow, all trustees of the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation.The former David Colegrave Foundation was set up in 1993, in memory of seedsman David Colegrave. During his career, David took a keen interest in supporting and promoting the development of young people, and it was with this in mind that the foundation was launched.His great friend Peter Seabrook, and fellow horticulturist, became one of the founder trustees until his death in January 2022. His name was added to the foundation earlier this year as a mark of respect and also to "lend us additional credibility and allow us to push forward our agenda of helping young people in horticulture".Colegrave, Higginson and Gow talk about the benefits of working with the foundation and how it has changed. Nicole Higginson is one of several new trustees and she explains why she agreed to take on the role.They outline the scholarships that are now available to encourage the students that "are going to be the future of the industry...embrace the new technologies, the new ways of doing things".Blue Diamond Garden Centres recently initiated a scholarship which is funding apprentices to help them through their horticulture studies. One of these, an apprentice at New Leaf Plants Tom McDonald, is studying his Level 3 Crop Technician qualification at Pershore College. Other highlights include Majestic Trees funds a travel scholarship and the Colegrave Markham scholarship which funded Tim Curley and James Hearsom and helped them to career success.Gow speaks about the promotion of the scholarships and then Colegrave discusses the fundraising push the foundation is making – going out to industry players.Gow says horticulture is not seen as a profession by many people from outside the industry and is struggling to attract enough good people.Colegrave points out: "We are really the only charitable organisation who's major remit is to support the next generation coming through into the industry... which is why we are asking companies to support our efforts...to lend their name to some of the scholarships that we support by sponsoring them." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Make sure you're ready for August in the garden with Dig It's round-up of garden news, events as well as a look at those essential tasks to be getting on with top advice from Buckingham Garden Centre's Peter Brown and Chris Day.What's on 3rd-7th August RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show, Chelmsford, Essex 4th August Summer Cycle at the Royal Botanic Kew Gardens, Richmond, 5.30-8.30pm Wednesday 17th at 4pm and repeated Saturday 20th August at 3pm at Buckingham Garden Centre FREE Masterclass talk: Growing Your Favourite Hobby plants12th and 13th August Shrewsbury Flower Show, Quarry Park, Shrewsbury19th - 21st August RHS Garden Rosemoor Flower Show, Torrington, DevonIn the newsCost and availability of allotmentsBall Colegrave Open day (garden trade only) highlighting the new double flowered impatiens walleriana 'Glimmer Appleblossom', recently recognised as Best in Show at the HTA's New Plant Award. The latest trend of using perennials to mix with seasonal bedding plants in displays, including containers.Peter Seabrook's Sweet PeaKew's giant waterlily news story in fullSpalding Flower parade set to return in 2023Anti-plastic lobby get turfed out. Plastic grass stays!Terry Walton's story on the safe use, storage and disposal of pesticides from PestSmartThis month's Dig It Top Five pest controls: At no5 Provanto Ultimate Fruit and Vegetable Killer, no4 Toprose Bug Killer, at no3 Bugclear Ultra Vine Weevil Killer, in 2nd place Provanto Ultimate Bug Killer and in top slot goes to Bugclear Ultra Gun! for edibles. Available at the Garden Centre.Plant mentioned: Maize (Zea mays), Taylors Summer Planting Seed Potatoes for Christmas new potatoes, seeds of Japanese onion ‘Senshyu Semi-Globe Yellow', spring cabbage, carrots – round varieties such as ‘Paris Market 5', Chinese cabbage, corn salad, winter lettuce and radish seeds can be sown this month. Summer-fruiting and autumn raspberry plants.Products mentioned: Bio-Bean, who manufacture Coffee logs, a popular product at the Garden Centre has been named a Best for the World ™ B Corp ™ . Miracle-Gro for higher nitrogen feeding and for encouraging improved flowering use Phostrogen or Tomato feed.Liquid lawn weedkillers such as Weedol Lawn WeedkillerComposts Westland New Horizon, Miracle Gro Peat Free,and Dalefoot Wool Compost for Potting. . Homebase Peat free Multi-Purpose Compost has fared well in our trials so far this season.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Neil Gow - Best New Plant Winner - Sweet Pea Peter Seabrook

As we garden into June, so the priorities of tasks change with maintenance, planting and sowing still important along with tasks to keep our gardens moving onwards and upwards, including wildlife ponds, pondwater coverage tips, tomato growing and some essential pruning. After a busy May, Dig It hosts Peter Brown and Chris Day look at some of the topical news stories, happenings at the garden centre and around the UK.What's on this monthWednesday 1st June – 31st August The Bugs Matter Survey.Wednesday 8th June at 4pm FREE Masterclass talk A Guide to Growing Roses.Thursday 16th - Sunday 19th June BBC Gardeners' World Live at the NEC in Birmingham. Sunday 19th June Father's Day.Thursday 23rd - 26th Sunday June: RHS Garden Harlow Carr Flower Show in Harrogate, Yorkshire.Friday 24th - Sunday 26th June: Blenheim Palace Flower show at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire.To locate the ancient trees and woodland site visit The Queen's Green CanopyDig It Top Five: Our best-selling packet flower seeds so far this year, starting at the top slot is Sunflower ‘Single Giant', Sweet Pea ‘Incense Mixed' in 2nd place; another Sunflower ‘Titan' in 3rd, Sweet Pea ‘Old Spice' Sweet Pea ‘Galaxy' taking 4th and 5th places respectively.Products and plants mentioned Roses, including ‘Platinum Jubilee' (limited availability at the Garden Centre) and ‘Dame Deborah James' (Harkness Roses) in aid of BowelBabe, launched at Chelsea.All about the Chelsea Gardens and Malvern Garden Buildings Planet Studio wins Gold. The Peter Seabrook garden featured plants from his garden together with a new Sweet Pea named after him.Wolf Garten Tools celebrate 100 years this year! We love their practical multichange tool range, innovative and space saving in our sheds. Dutch and Draw hoes.Sowing flowering biennial flowers for next year including Canterbury bells, Polyanthus, Primroses, Sweet William and Wallflowers. Vegetables to sow include Cabbage, French beans, Radish, Spring Onions, Lettuce, Cabbages and Kales for later in the season.Fibre pots, if you are wanting to ditch the plastic, The Drop-in Pop In instant planters are available at the Garden Centre but they sell out fast!Pygmy and dwarf growing water lilies are preferred where space is limited.Time to relax and enjoy our gardens – Weber BBQ, Pizza ovens, Chiminea and Fire Bowls, solar lighting and chill on some comfy garden furniture.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

February in the Garden show notesPeter and Chris look at some news stories of the moment. We delve into some of the plants and gardening tasks requiring attention this month and as the gardening season starts in earnest. Peter and Chris select some suggested events for you, including the Garden Centre's Graft and Grow Day on Saturday 5th February.News stories discussedNational Garden Scheme raises over three million pounds for charities in 2021.The Ripple Africa Christmas tree campaign means over 20 thousand trees were planted in 2021. Learn more about the work carried out by Ripple Africa in our recent podcastThe sad passing of gardening personality and friend of the garden trade Peter Seabrook.The Newt Hotel, will sponsor the Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show for the next 4 years. The BBC continues its exclusive coverage of the RHS Flower Shows for the next three years.We are delighted to announce that Tiggywinkles is the Garden Centre's charity of the year for 2022.What's on this monthKew Gardens' Orchid Festival returns Saturday 5th February 2022.Check out some of the best Snowdrop venues around the UK.Saturday 5th February (10am-4pm) Graft and Grow Day at the Garden Centre including the Scion Swap exchange with Mid Shires Orchard Group. Our Best Dressed Potato Competition is open to children and schools to find Buckinghamshire's Best Dressed Spud!Wednesday 16th February at 4pm. FREE Masterclass on Vegetable Growing For Beginners Products and plants mentioned Snowdrops, Sweet Box Japanese maples and Witch Hazel shrubs and a large selection of Summer bulbs.Seed potatoes, Rhubarb plants, Shallots and Garlic, Broad beans and Carrot Early Nantes. Purple Carrot Purple Sun. Bare-root hedging, ornamental and fruit trees. Bio- Bean Coffee LogsHouseplant Aloe vera and our recent houseplant podcast with Jane Perrone.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Last week, Friday 14th January we lost one of the Horticultural world's icons in Peter Seabrook - for six decades he relentlessly championed the sector, gardens and those gardeners he worked with. His sudden death has saddened many people including Saul and Lucy who had the honour to get to know him in their gardening lives. On this special tribute episode we pay tribute to him and replay our interview with him from the beginning of last year. RIP Peter.

People who knew Peter Seabrook share memories and reminiscences of him. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gardening expert, Peter Seabrook presents his weekly Podcast. In this edition Peter is joined by Andrew Tokely, Horticultural Director, of Kings Seeds. Andrew gives some great tips from how to grow plants from seed, when to plant certain crops to how to protect them. Visit the Kings Seeds website here: http://www.kingsseeds.com

For our final ever episode... of this series, Candide brings you a fascinating interview with legendary journalist, writer, broadcaster, presenter, lecturer and of course gardener, Peter Seabrook.Peter tells us everything about his lucky breaks and perseverance over his 80-year career digging deep into horticulture; from his early years cultivating sweetpea at the age of 6, to how he sees things have changed and his predictions for the future of gardening.Join us for this celebration of 50 episodes of Fresh from the Pod with a horticultural hero, Peter Seabrook, before we change things up a little for the second series!Produced by CandideHosted by Tamsin WesthorpeEdited, Mixed & Mastered by Antony NascèDirected by Helen Allsebrook

That episode where.. we've got RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Junk year show gardens, troublesome neighbours, someone calls the police and Peter Seabrook and Alan Titchmarsh get excited about a hose pipe. It was meant to be RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021 this week, until some pandemic thing put an end to that until September, so the RHS has put on a virtual edition in May. In this show we were supposed to be reviewing that virtual show, but it didn't quite work out like that. Richard Suggett of the Veg Grower Podcast calls in to discuss the Chelsea Flower Show and what he thinks about it, plus a dilemma from a charity gift, what should he do? And what does he think about a junk yard show garden at Chelsea? Could it work?Liam's back with more news on how he's getting on with his neighbour, which includes a visit from the police! But what should he do? It seems that this situation is escalating, but at least he had a nice birthday!A young Peter Seabrook (50 years old) Joins us from 1984 as we watch what the Chelsea Flower Show was like back then, and what the gardens used to look like! A surprising amount of lawns!Ian Beddoes is back in a rathe snazzy waistcoat, trying to find out what the terrain is like for a garden show next week. The Skinny Jean Gardener Podcast, here for high end entertainment, and customer service. Alan Titchmarsh shows us some of the very latest in 1984 of gardening gadgets that really changed the way of gardening FOREVER, you know thinks like a hose pipe reel! Real life changing stuff, but Alan was impressed so I suppose thats why really matters. And finally Sean James Cameron of the Youtube joins us to discuss RHS Bridgewater, the new garden, and his thoughts on what its going to be like.Thanks to this weeks sponsors;Sponsoring the podcast over the next few months, I have to say, literally I'm being paid to say this, but at the same time I really mean it too, that these tools are incredible. Well built, light and easy to use, anything that makes walking out to the shed, picking up a tool, and getting the job done quickly is a win in my book. Find the right tool for the job with WORX >>> www.worx-uk.com Look good and Feel good with clothing from Bestdays Vintage. The team over at BDV not only make you look good, they also care about your mental health too. Signing up to their newsletter, gives you not only deals on clothing to make you look good down the allotment, but also tips on how to look after your head if you have a bit of a wobble, which if we're honest we all have sometimes. >>> www.bestdaysvintage.co.uk TEACHER or PARENT? Want to get your school gardening? The School Gardening Success Plan is for you! Providing your class with all the equipment, all of the video lesson plans and most importantly all of the teacher support that will get your class successfully growing throughout the entire year! >>> skinnyjeangardener.co.uk/schoolsuccessENJOYING the Show? Help Lee get to this months target! 50% goes to keeping the microphone running and for Lee to get some great prizes, the other 50% goes to the Brain Tumour Charity that we talk alot about with veteran listener Stuart Jackson >>> paypal.me/Skinnyjeangardener

From time to time Lucy and Saul decided they wanted to record conversations with other Head Gardeners, Curators, Garden Owners and fellow horticulturists across the UK, these will be published as Bonus Episodes alongside their usual format of chatting about their gardening lives. We hope you enjoy.For the Bonus Episode #10 Lucy and Saul and joined in lovely conversation by Peter Seabrook - and 50 minutes is not nearly enough time to fit in this stalwart of Horticulture's extensive career and highly entertaining life in the Horticultural trade. We follow Peter through his career, chat to him about how the trade has changed, how it is responding to both the Pandemic and Brexit, as well as take you back to last years #TalkingHeadsEssexRoadTrip where we met up with him in his Floral Fantasia Garden at RHS Hyde Hall. Twitter links:Peter @lettucealoneSaul @GardeningSaulLucy @HeadGardenerLCLink to Peters 'This week in the Garden' PodcastIntro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Matt speaks to gardening writer Peter Seabrook about the Fleuroselect Rudbeckia trials, his Floral Fantasia display at RHS Hyde Hall and plans for 2021.  

2020 has been an unusual and difficult year for many, and we understand that the full repercussions of what we have all been through are still to be felt - but with summer waning and the glory of Autumn still to come, we continue with a healthy amount of discussion on some of our favourite horticultural topics, bringing a little dose of the garden to your daily lives.This weekend Saul is very excited to be going on his travels - all the way to deepest, darkest Essex, where Lucy will show him the delightful horticultural highlights of this gorgeous county - including visits to Ulting Wick and RHS Hyde Hall, and interviews with Matt Oliver and Peter Seabrook.Twitter links:Saul @GardeningSaulLucy @HeadGardenerLCMatt @MattOliver87Peter @lettucealoneIntro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Horticulture Week editor Matthew Appleby interviews Peter Seabrook about the construction of the Floral Fantasia Display created to celebrate the Sun's 50th Anniversary which was to have featured at RHS Chelsea Flower Show and how he helped reconstruct it at RHS Hyde Hall. He speaks in depth about the plants, the joy of bedding and his latest tips and discoveries.

Peter Seabrook is joined this week by Peter Jackson, formerly of Scotsdales.The Peters talk about the history of the industry and share some memories of their friend Laurence Flatman. Elsewhere, Peter gives us the usual tips and guides. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook is joined by Jo Davey, marketing manager at Whartons Roses, the largest wholesale rose nursery in Britain. Plus Peter has news on the greenhouse equivalent of sat-nav, colourful new flowers and the benefits of timber. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook is joined by author, journalist, editor and great gardening mind Graham Clarke. Plus Peter advises that the time is right to pay attention to fruit trees and start pruning. And there’s the discovery of a new auger to help with planting bulbs. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook speaks to Molli Christman from one of his favourite gardening families. Molli looks after the floral fantasia area at the Royal Horticultural Society garden at Hyde Hall. Peter has also been to Hyde Hall to plant a huge variety of bulbs, plus there’s advice on how to protect your garden from feline intruders. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook is joined by Ian Hodgson, editor at large for Garden News magazine, one of the first publications to publish Peter, to discuss his life within the field of horticultural journalism. Elsewhere there’s news of recycled containers at schools, smart-living lamp-posts and advice on planting spring-flowering bulbs. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook speaks to Arthur Edwards, royal photographer for The Sun, to discuss his travels all around the world with the royal family, including the recent trip to New Zealand with Prince Charles. In the garden, Peter’s been planting a vigorous new ranunculus flower, plus there’s news of trees resisting Dutch elm disease and sea buckthorn drinks in Scotland. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook is joined by Ellie Richardson from Johnson’s of Whixley – a nursery that goes back 3 generations in her family, which now turns over £14million. Elsewhere, Peter raises concerns over the future of the Chelsea if the show doesn’t become more sustainable. Plus there’s news of an app that can track garden centre business. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook speaks to David Chisholm, a lifelong plant breeder with a wealth of experience in seed production, to discuss his travels from China to Thailand. Plus Peter has news of a revival in green plants but the slowing of sales in bedding plants. And there’s a new poinsettia on the market called Blissful Red, with branches growing upright. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With Christmas just over a month away, Peter Seabrook is joined by Andy Bunker, an expert in the field of festive foliage, for advice on selecting the best Christmas tree. Plus Peter has news of a £50million scheme from the government to plant more trees to meet climate change goals. And there’s advice on fruiting raspberries and the best bulb buys. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Steve Bradley from The Sun joins us again on the podcast to tell us more about his life in horticulture, and what’s gone into writing some of the 40 books Steve has produced on the subject of gardening. Elsewhere, Peter Seabrook has news of silverware dished out across the industry, advice on winter digging and how hedges help fight pollution in the environment. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What goes into sowing your lawn and indeed the grass on a football pitch? Peter Seabrook is joined by Guy Jenkins from DLF Seeds & Science, one of the world’s leading grass seed companies. Peter’s been to Honda to hear how their new mower engines can benefit your grass. Plus there’s news on the money raised by vertical farming and advice on rot and ripening in apples and pears. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook delves into drainage pipes with Edward Naylor from The Yorkshire Flowerpot Company, discussing the importance of clay containing iron in flowerpots and how it’s also used in our sewer system. Plus Peter has mushrooms on his plate and news of huge expenditure on greenhouses that will account for 12% of the UK’s tomatoes. As well as weed-killing robots. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook is joined by Nick Finding, farmer and manufacturer of a soil improver Bloomin’ Amazing.Plus Peter has news on the lack of recycled pots, recommendations for strawberry vibrants, amongst others, and advice on autumn mums. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook is joined by Patrick Fairweather from Fairweather's Wholesale Nursery to discuss one of his favourite flowers – agapanthus. Elsewhere, there’s news of fanfare and ovation petunias that can take the wind and the wet. And Peter has advice on the composition of your compost bin. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook speaks to Jonathan Roger from Grazers, providers of eco-friendly garden care products, with advice on deterrents for slugs and pigeons. Plus Peter has news on new street trees in Southend, increased shares of apples and pears and advice on alstroemeria. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook speaks to Andrew Bird from Pro Veg, an expert on the best ways to grow garden peas, mangetout, sugar snap and the best cultivars for flavour and disease resistance. Plus Peter has news and advice on Clematis Little Lemons, Begonia Rex and lifting potatoes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook is joined by John Burrows, the owner of Pro Veg seeds, to discuss their tomato trials, disease-resistant cultivars no less, as well as the 30 year history of the company. Elsewhere, Peter was less than impressed with ITV’s The Trouble with Garden Centres. There’s also advice on how to re-use your black pots and sowing lawn seed. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook speaks to Alison Mulvaney from Mr Fothergill’s Seeds to discuss their seed trials and where the industry is going. Plus there’s advice on flagpole cherries as well as adding magnesium to tomatoes. And find out why ITV got Peter’s goat. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook welcomes back Paul Hansord – a man with over 40 years experience in the seed industry - to discuss the future of trade with the likes of China and India. Plus Peter has news of the UK’s first hydroponic living wall and advice on harvesting potatoes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook is joined by Chris Spanton from Vegetalis, who have specialised in breeding for pot and container growing for a decade now. Plus there’s priceless advice on your bulb purchases and news on garden centre acquisitions and additions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gardening expert Peter Seabrook presents his weekly Podcast. In this edition he finds out what RHS garden is encouraging you to take your shoes and socks off and run bare foot over their lush lawns.

Peter Seabrook speaks to someone who made growing your own a global business, Paul Owen from VegTrug, about their raised beds and what crops they can grow. Plus Peter has advice on flattened stems and news on the success of Impatiens Imara and their resistance to disease. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook is joined by John Chandler from Simply Succulents to discuss everything you need to know about your cactus. And of course, succulents. In the midst of a heatwave, Peter also has advice on a flu jab for your fruit, catching caterpillars and news on iceberg lettuce robots. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook speaks to Tom Nellist, creator of Uncle Tom’s Rose Tonic, one of the most popular plant foods in the trade. Plus Peter has problems with wildlife in garden (with some interesting solutions) and has advice on sowing sweet peas and building bigger bulbs. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Seabrook speaks to his colleague at the Sun, Steve Bradley – a man who has written over 40 books on the subject of gardening – about his remarkable career. Plus Peter has news and advice on various forms of pest, including oak processionary moth and a plague of pollen beetles. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.