Podcasts about stourhead

In this weeks episode Bunny talks to Bella Hoare in her magnificent garden next to Stourhead, the world famous 18th Century landscape garden created by Henry Hoare (Henry the Magnificent) . Bella is a direct descendant from Henry, and like him she is a banker and gardener but is also an artist.  Her exhibition ‘A Different Green'  takes place at The Oxo Tower on London's South Bank between 22nd May and 2nd June 2024.   Bella has lived and worked in Russia, opens her garden under the NGS and is passionate about colour.  See the video featuring the Bella's garden, and Bunny and Bella, on Bunny's YouTube Channel. #bellahoare #bunnyguinnesspodcast 

This week we're talking to two artists inspired by the nature.    Emily Young, hailed as Britain's greatest living female stone sculptor, specialises in using materials from abandoned quarries and Francis Hamel is known for his portraiture and landscape paintings.  Emily lives and works mostly in an isolated part of Tuscany, where she free carves in reclaimed uncut natural stone, often found in abandoned quarries. She evokes beautiful ancient figures from an unknown mythology.   Her main objective is to explore the relationship of humankind and the planet through her interaction with stone.  Her 25 new works in stone are being exhibited at Richard Green on Bond Street, in association with Willoughby Gerrish Ltd.    Francis has lived and worked for over 25 years at Rousham, one of England's most prized historic house and gardens. He explains how the garden at Rousham became the starting point for his exhibition when he was seeing it afresh during lockdown.  From there he went on to paint some of Britain's best-known gardens including Sissinghurst, Great Dixter, Sezincote, and Stourhead, as well as some private ones designed by renowned gardeners like Sarah Raven, Arthur Parkinson and Tom Stuart-Smith. His exhibition of garden paintings launches at his Oxfordshire home of Rousham before moving to John Martin on London's Albemarle Street.   Together they talk about how they work, what inspires them and what they set out to achieve. It's a fascinating conversation about the artistic process and highlights their similar and different approaches to stone and to paint. Emily Young: Pareidolia in Stone from 25th October to 10th November Richard Green https://www.richardgreen.com Francis Hamel: Thirty Gardens from 12th to 27th October John Martin https://www.jmlondon.com   This episode is brought to you with the kind support of support of Lomi, makers of ‘smart waste appliances' that transform food waste into plant food.  Go to Lomi's website at uk.lomi.com and use promo code breakout at the checkout for a £50 discount.

Hallo luitjes! Is het zomaar ineens begin juni! In deze aflevering tips voor het voorkomen van spierpijn tijdens het zomerklaar maken van je tuin, een tip voor een klimmer op een balkon, ik bespreek mijn interview in de Telegraaf én ik neem je mee op tuinvakantie in het zuidwesten van Engeland. Daar ontmoet ik een vrouw die op haar 83ste nog tuiniert in haar prachtige -en enorme- bordertuin op een heuvel in Devon. Ook sleep ik mijn gezin mee naar de beroemde landschapstuin Stourhead. Veel plezier ermee!

Better Lawns and Gardens Hour 2 – Coming to you from Summit Responsible Solutions Studios,  Big News!  Teresa announces her next garden tour in Spring 2023! The Best of English Gardens and The Chelsea Flower Show will be May 16th through May 25th, 2023! Nowhere in the world is the passion for horticulture expressed more vividly than in Britain, where gardens have served as inspiration for painters, writers and poets for centuries. From great country estates to miniscule inner-city gardens, the British use their exceptionally long growing season to fullest advantage, and we've timed your visit to bring you the best of English gardens.  This is your invitation to see some of England's most famous gardens at a time of year when color runs rampant. You will visit the Royal Horticultural Society's flagship garden at Wisley, Kiftsgate and Hidcote Manor. Royal schedules permitting, you will also take a private tour of King Charles III's estate at Highgrove. You will explore Christopher Lloyd's gardens at Great Dixter, that offer innovative ideas set against a backdrop of topiary, mixed borders and natural ponds. Additional highlights include time in the Georgian city of Bath, and visits to many other magnificent gardens, including Sissinghurst, Iford Manor and Stourhead.   In London you will have a full day at the Chelsea Flower Show. Your tour includes membership in the Royal Horticultural Society so that you may attend on members-only day when the crowds are smaller than on the public days. There will also be free time in London to explore famous sights, museums and galleries you may wish to visit, from the Tate to the tiny Museum of Garden History. Come along and join other garden lovers for a stroll through the most impressive English gardens. This trip is a quintessential celebration of springtime.   Teresa: I would love to have you join me on this wonderful bouquet list (pronounced bucket) adventure!  Garden questions and texts include keeping plumeria small and dealing with rust, yellow jasmine, black spot on roses, when to plant edamame, UF Turf Field Day CEUs, and more.  https://bit.ly/3c1f5x7 Graphic credit: Teresa Watkins    Listen to Better Lawns and Gardens every Saturday 7 am - 9 am EST.  Call in with your garden questions 1.888.455.2867, or text 23680.     #WFLF #WFLA #FNN #WNDB #BetterLawns #gardening #Florida #planting #gardeninglife #radio #southflorida #northflorida #centralflorida #tropical #floridalife #photography #SHE #fertilizer #turf #grass #landscaping #fruits #vegetables #Orlando #Sarasota #Miami #FortLauderdale #BLGradio #WRLN #WiOD #gardening #fertilizer #SummitResponsibleSolutions #QualityGreenSpecialists #BlackKow #gardentour #travel #tours #Chelsea #UK #London #ChelseaFlowerShow

On The Alfred Daily Today: Shaftesbury Town Council secures funding for free under-16s swimming Shaftesbury phone network switch to fibre will bring fast, robust broadband Shaftesbury British Heart Foundation store to close permanently Meet my Pet – Percy Lizzard's ducks Arts village pops up outside Town Hall for Fringe Shaftesbury Fringe Friday highlights Walk of the Week - Tom Perrett strolls in the Stourhead area Kate Scott's chicken keeping diary - warning, cougar alert! Karen Cole's book review - The Daves Next Door by Will Carver Soundscapes - Young magpies on Castle Hill

Listeners to our podcast will likely really love this. There's a great free event taking place on the first bank holiday here in the UK, from April 30th to May 2nd 2022. Planted Country is being hosted at the beautiful National Trust property here in the UK, at Stourhead with its 600 year old chestnut trees. It's free to attend, and if you love nature, love design, good food and you love beautiful spaces, then come to Planted Country, you're going to love it.Based around the principles of biophilic design, Planted Country will be exploring the health and creative benefits of connecting with nature, presenting sustainable design, a high-calibre talks programme entitled Save our Soil, nature-based workshops and a botanical market. The event will be exploring the importance of looking after the land for farming, for food and for nature, and the role that design can play in designing spaces which are much more sympathetic and empathetic to nature and part of our city and wildlife.We speak with the co-founder Sam Peters and biophilic design advisor, Oliver Heath to find out how the event builds on their inaugural event, Planted Cities, which they held last year in London's Kings Cross, and what Planted Country will explore in this more Rural setting on the Wiltshire-Somerset border. The theme is Save our Soil We are in a climate emergency. Planted Country is also going to be looking at things from literally what is the land beneath our feet, what is soil? Why is it so important, why should we protect it? What does it give us? What does it give the planet? What can we store in it? Conversations around carbon capture, biodiversity, water. What does farming look like in the future? How can farmers be part of the huge solution here? There will be a series of talks, looking at regenerative farming, rewilding and more. Also exploring how architects and designers are really starting to look at local vernacular materials and the role they play in mitigating embedded carbon, as well as the beauty and sense of place they bring.As Oliver says at the end: “It's essential. If we strengthen that connexion to nature, there are benefits for the way that we live in cities and the resilience that it can bring to the spaces that we live in, but also how it can support our physical, mental and social wellbeing. Nature plays such a fundamental role in how we're going to shape happier, healthier, more resilient futures.” To book tickets and find out more visit: https://planted-community.co.uk/events-countryFor more information about Oliver Heath visit our previous podcasts with him, such as this one: https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/podcast-journal-of-biophilic-design/oliver-heath-designing-a-healthy-home and https://www.oliverheath.com And our previous interview with Sam Peters who gives us a background on what Planted is all about: https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/podcast-journal-of-biophilic-design/planted-cities To view other podcasts and more information and the journal itself visit www.journalofbiophilicdesign.com Credits: with thanks to George Harvey Audio Production for the calming biophilic soundscape that backs all our podcasts. Did you know our podcast is also on Audible, Amazon Music, Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, Stitcher, vurbl, podbay, podtail, and most if not all the RSS feeds?Facebook https://www.facebook.com/journalofbiophilicdesign/Twitter https://twitter.com/JofBiophilicDsnLinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/company/journalofbiophilicdesign/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/journalofbiophilicdesign

Something a little different in this episode – not a walk but a whole area! We open with a mention of Glyn's talk at the Bratton History Association on the subject of Blind Houses at 4:00pm on Sunday 16 January. The event will be held at Bratton Church Institute. It is but a vicious rumour that Glyn will be performing his talk as dance. After saying we've had a quiet two weeks we then embark on an extended round up of the last two weeks, in which mud featured large. Lenka Stokes asked in the Facebook Group whether anyone could recommend a walk that didn't involve mud. This was a tricky one! The answer wasn't quite a resounding “no” but people did struggle with ideas.  Meanwhile, Paul has done two walks this week, one in Wiltshire and one just outside. The walk outside Wiltshire was just over the border in Oxfordshire taking in a stretch of the Ridgeway, which of course extends into Wiltshire and includes Avebury. Being a little closer to home than North Uist and France (Paul having taken some flack for a Facebook post about prehistoric monuments in these two places) it's well worth venturing over the border to see the Uffington White Horse, Uffington Castle and Wayland's Smithy. He did though make comparisons with similar monuments in Wiltshire in order to justify the mention! This part of south Oxfordshire did though trump Wiltshire for mud. It was shocking! Paul's other walk was firmly in Wiltshire, albeit not too far from the Hampshire border. David Dawson at Wiltshire Museum has asked us to lead a walk to include Tidcombe long barrow, Hippenscombe and the Kinwardstone (aka Kenwood Stone or Devil's Waistcoat). So, accompanied by his trusted walking buddy Stu, Paul knocked together a route which he proceeded to trial. The weather was grey and drizzly so did not show this beautiful part of the world in its best light. Watch out for a blog and podcast about this in due course. But despite the weather and the mud Paul and Stu did complete the walk, throwing in an extension to include the Iron Age bivallate hill fort of Fosbury Camp – a worthwhile deviation. Hippenscombe features in British water colourist Eric Ravilious' famous painting “The Causeway”. Recently both Glyn and Paul have been to see the unique exhibition of his paintings, entitled Downland Man, at Wiltshire Museum in Devizes. It was interesting to compare the landscape that Ravilious painted in 1937 to how it looks today. The area now hosts industrial scale game shooting, something that is not so evident in Eric's beautiful painting. He also painted the aforementioned Uffington White Horse, thereby completing the circle! The exhibition is on until the end of January so there is not long left before the pieces are returned to their owners. The Causeway in particular will henceforth be kept in a dark room for several decades to reduce light damage so for many of us this will be the last chance to see it. It should be noted the exhibition is now getting very busy so it would be wise to book ahead. The main subject in this episode of the podcast was Whitesheet Hill near Stourhead, and the surrounding area. We discuss the myriad prehistoric monuments on Whitesheet Hill, nearby Long Knoll, and Park Hill Camp at Stourton as well as medieval Mere Castle, and memories of the Second World War by way of Zeals aerodrome and the poignant Dakota Memorial close by Whitesheet at Beech Clump. As usual in our part of the world, there are immense views everywhere, including across Dorset and Somerset. In the podcast Paul mentions the connection with the late 18th/early 19th century poet Percey Bysshe Shelley with this area, and in the process gets it completely wrong. Paul said Shelley met his first wife, Harriet Westbrook here. In fact it was his first love, Harriet Grove, whose family owned Ferne House at nearby Donhead St Andrew. This must be a first – issuing a correction at the same time as the podcast is released! What is even more hilarious is that we discovered that Wikipedia cited Paul's Hidden Wiltshire blog about Long Knoll and Little Knoll on their page about Long Knoll. If only they knew! Then on to the wrap up: Steve Dixon's piece leading into our main subject is entitled “Downland” for obvious reasons. As ever the piece in the introduction and at the end of the podcast is entitled “The Holloway”. Don't forget to check out the Hidden Wiltshire online shop on the website if you'd like to help us keep the lights on. Both Hidden Wiltshire books can be purchased there. The second book is also available at Devizes Bookshop and Wiltshire Museum in Devizes. And don't forget to subscribe to the Hidden Wiltshire Newsletter from the website. Links: Details of the Eric Ravilious exhibition at Wiltshire Museum, Devizes can be found here Eric Ravilious - Downland Man We talk in further detail about the whole area around Whitesheet Hill in a number of blogs on the Hidden Wiltshire website – links as follows Whitesheet Hill Zeals and Dakota Memorial Castle Hill, Mere Park Hill Camp, Stourton Long Knoll and Little Knoll Glyn's photographs can be seen on the Hidden Wiltshire website and on his Instagram feed @coy_cloud Paul's photography can be found on his website at Paul Timlett Photography and on Instagram at @tragicyclist Steve Dixon's sound art can be found on Soundcloud where his username is River and Rail Steve Dixon River and Rail. His photographs can be found on Instagram at @stevedixon_creative and his graphic design business website is at Steve Dixon Creative And finally you'll find the Hidden Wiltshire online shop here Hidden Wiltshire Shop  and a link to Glyn's blog about the latest book and how to purchase a copy here Hidden Wiltshire from near and far

VENERIS DIES. Nuestra sección de arte, música y cultura general está dirigida para todos aquellos que disfrutan de las obras de arte, de escuchar un buen disco y entender la vida de los diferentes artistas que han pasado por la historia de la humanidad. Tenemos una sección donde se hablará del Séptimo Arte de forma sencilla y entendible visto desde una concepción de un neófito “domiguero” HISTORIA DEL ARTE *La edad de la razón 299. Sir Christopher Wren – Catedral de san Pablo , Londres, 1675 300. Sir Christopher Wren – Interior de la iglesia de San Esteban Walbrook, Londres, 1672 301. Lord Burlington y William Kent – Chiswick House, Londres, h. 1725 302. El parque de Stourhead, Wilshire, trazado a partir de 1741 303. William Hogarth – La carrera del libertino (El libertino en el manicomio), 1735 304. Sir Joshua Reynolds – Joseph Baretti, 1773 305. Sir Joshua Reynolds – Miss Bowles con su perro, 1775 306. Thomas Gainsborough – Miss Haverfield, h. 1780 307. Thomas Gainsborough – Escena rural, h. 1780 308. Jean- Baptiste-Simeón Chardin – La bendición de la mesa, 1740 309. Jean-Antoine Houdon, Voltaire, 1781 310. Jean-Honoré Fragonard – El parque de Villa d´Este, Tivoli, h. 1760 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irving-sun/message

On The Alfred Daily Today: Shaftesbury venues keep fingers crossed for festive season. The foundation ensuring performing arts access for all Shaftesbury children. Chaldicott Barns' first festive fair. Experience the Creative Dorset Makers' seasonal sale at Springhead. Tom and Jan Perrett take us on a less frequent walk on the Stourhead estate. Paul Merefield's pub quiz. Shaftesbury chicken keeper Kate Scott's weekly diary. Meet my Pet - Karen Brazier meets Fran Hill with her labradoodles. Shaftesbury weekend what's ons and job vacancies. Shaftesbury book blogger Karen Cole reviews a Kiwi crime thriller. Soundscapes - Blackbirds grab the final holly berries on Breach Lane bush.

A real treat in store in this episode as we interview David Dawson, Director of Wiltshire Museum in Devizes. But first we have our usual round-up of what we've been up to since the last episode. The second Hidden Wiltshire book is approaching completion. Apart from providing the music for the podcast Steve Dixon is a graphic designer. He's now cast his eye over the draft and given us some great advice. We're nearly ready to send it off for a draft print before ordering the full print run. The book will be available from the Hidden Wiltshire online store in time for Christmas. Meanwhile Paul has returned from a month in France to a cold damp Wiltshire. But this week's volunteering at Parsonage Down warmed him up after being given the run around by a ram in a very large field who was reluctant to share a paddock with two other rams. His (the ram, not Paul's) eye was on the sheep further up the hill. It took six people on foot plus a seventh in a Landrover to catch the bugger! (Which idiot left that gate open??) Still, that was better than being eaten alive by a swarm of midges later the same afternoon. The midges of Scotland would have been proud of their southern cousins. Earlier in the week Paul and regular walking chum Stu did a recce for a walk in the countryside around Hippenscombe and the Chute Causeway. If you follow the Hidden Wiltshire Facebook page or members' Group you will have seen the report and photographs. We're planning to run an extra combined Hidden Wiltshire/Wiltshire Museum walk in the area this winter but there's so much to see we may have to split it in two. Parking will also be a challenge in the narrow lanes and little villages there. We then turned to our interview with David Dawson. We've got to know David well over the course of this year during our programme of Hidden Wiltshire/Wiltshire Museum walks, in which David's expertise and his “box of tricks” (finds from the areas in which we've walked) have been invaluable. This was a really fascinating discussion which could have gone on for hours, and explains why this episode of the podcast is slightly longer than usual.  David's interest in archaeology began when he was a boy and he's been passionate about it ever since, having studied archaeology at university. A qualified museum curator he patiently waited over the course of several years for the role at Wiltshire Museum (which was founded in 1853) to become vacant in 2008. He didn't hesitate and he's been here ever since. Our discussion ranged from David's particular areas of interest, the structure and funding of Wiltshire Museum to a taster of the some of the internationally significant exhibits that can be seen at the museum in Devizes. Followers of the podcast have heard us talk on a number of occasions about amateur archaeologist (although the term was not used then) and antiquarian William Cunnington of Heytesbury, and his patron Sir Richard Colt Hoare of Stourhead. David really brought these characters to life for us. Listeners may also have heard us talk about landscape artist Eric Ravilious. Whilst not from Wiltshire he was a lover of our chalk downlands and painted many local scenes, including one of our favourites which is of Hippenscombe from the Chute Causeway entitled simply “The Causeway”. Wiltshire Museum currently has an exhibition of Ravilious' artwork. Entitled Downland Man the exhibition runs until 30 January 2022. This is a unique opportunity to see 25 examples of his work, on loan from their owners all over the country. For the entry fee of £6 (children free), which also covers access to the museum's other exhibits, this is an absolute bargain. You'll find a link to the museum's website with more details below. Finally we discussed the museum's plans to relocate to the old Devizes Assize Courts building next to Wadworth Brewery. This is a long-term project which hopefully will see the museum relocate in around 8-10 years' time. But first there's the small matter of raising the £12m-£13m required. Fortunately David's not inconsiderable skills include raising funds! Then on to the wrap up: Steve Dixon's piece leading into the interview with David Dawson is entitled “Porto”, for no other reason than we haven't used it before and it conjured up the image of Steve in a beret playing the accordion! As ever the piece in the introduction at the end of the podcast is entitled “The Holloway”. Don't forget to subscribe to the Hidden Wiltshire Newsletter from the website. Thanks again to the ever-patient Tim Kington at TKC Sales, the UK distributors of Lowa walking boots and shoes, and for the 20% discount on their products to Hidden Wiltshire podcast listeners. Listen to the show for the discount code. It can't last forever! You'll find a link to Lowa Boots' website below. And finally, help us keep the lights on by heading to the Hidden Wiltshire Online shop. Link below. The second Hidden Wiltshire book will be available there soon. Links: Wiltshire Museum's website and details of the Eric Ravilious exhibition, Downland Man, can be found here Wiltshire Museum Glyn's photographs can be seen of course on this website and on his Instagram feed @coy_cloud Paul's photography can be found on his website at Paul Timlett Photography and on Instagram at @tragicyclist Steve Dixon's sound art can be found on Soundcloud where his username is River and Rail Steve Dixon River and Rail. His photographs can be found on Instagram at @stevedixon_creative and his graphic design business website is at Steve Dixon Creative You can find Lowa Boots UK at Lowa Boots UK And finally you'll find the Hidden Wiltshire online shop here Hidden Wiltshire Shop 

This week Laura and Will are doing dealer's choice and are heading off to Laura's choice of day out: Stourhead Gardens on the Wiltshire/Somerset border. It's a place that Laura has a lot of affection for, having visited it a lot as a child and they check out it's beautiful views and delightful secrets on a sunny day in September. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On The Alfred Daily Today: MP Simon Hoare to discuss home demolition comments with Melbury residents. Fontmell woman faces fears for wing walk in memory of niece. Wiltshire elects new Police Commissioner. Shaftesbury student's jaw-dropping acrobatics will create a buzz at Fringe. Tom Perrett walks around Stourhead. Meet My Pet – with The Potting Shed's Nick Andrew and Sox. Paul Merefield's pub quiz. Shaftesbury chicken keeper Kate Scott. Shaftesbury what's ons. Karen Cole reviews ‘The Dark' by Emma Haughton. Soundscapes – a grey squirrel defends territory on Castle Hill.

"Mental health awareness week special"In this episode We talk to Emz Finch Emz is a contemporary artist, living and working from her home studio in South West London. Her work is strongly influenced by nature and the great outdoors, having grown up on a National Trust farm on the Stourhead estate. She has a particular interest in impressionism and likes to make paintings that focus on bold colour and a striking marks.  Emz has painted all her life, and after a successful career in the city and then in TV, she took it up professionally after having her daughter in 2017.  Since then, Emz has completed a foundation at the London Fine Art Studios, won a scholarship to the Creative Visionary Programme 2019 and sells work online and through First View Gallery in Wiltshire.Emz has been disabled all her adult life following a failed hip replacement when she was just 18. Painting is has played a huge part in her mental health and acceptance of the disability.  It allows her the space to feel herself again and has helped a huge deal to come to terms with life with reduced mobility.I've had two miscarriages during lockdown.  Both at 12 weeks.  Both ending in operations, the first one an emergency op after hours of trauma in hospital alone. I came away from this with no indication that my mental health might be effected, and absolutely no follow up or support when I reached out to the hospital to tell them about the debilitating flashbacks I'd be having.  I was diagnosed with PTSD and waited 6 months for CBT therapy, then sadly had another miscarriage at the end of Feb this year.  I had an experience in my local woods one day when I saw a pebble in a tree that said ‘be happy', the trees compelled me to lay under the tree and within seconds I was breathing deeply.  I started to feel better, started to see colour again and the only way I could describe what had happened was to paint it.  That was the first tree, nearly 10 weeks ago.  And I now have over 80 trees in my studio.  You can see a few of them on my instagram feed.  I'll need several hundred to realise my dream of creating this space - a space for everyone to come and lay down and reflect on what they may have lost during lockdown.In the short term, I need some money to buy more paint and canvasses, so I'll be selling art prints of two of the trees for one week 10th - 16th May (mental health awareness week - which this year has the theme of nature).  Anything you can do to share my project during this week would be so amazing.In the medium to long term I need to find a venue and a sponsor/philanthropist/grants/gallery/charity to be able to put this on.  I'm trying to speak to as many people as I can at the moment to see what leads I can generate.07770398205www.emzfinchart.co.ukhttps://www.instagram.com/emzfinchart--- #gardening #trees #gardening-podcast #horticulture #nature #flowers #podcast #herbs #vegetables #mentalhealth #wellbeing #outdoors  #forestbathing Support the show (https://trowelsandtribulations.buzzsprout.com/)

On The Alfred Daily Today: Council reacts to rules ending online meetings. Uncovered - the graffiti wall filled with Shaftesbury workers' names. Turner Darren Wheeler finds creative outlet with fairy woodcraft. Paul Merefield's pub quiz. Tom Perrett's weekly walk - a springtime stroll around Stourhead. Kate Scott's plan to keep her chickens out of her veg plot. How Karen Cole's book reviews are recognised by publishers. Shaftesbury weekend what's ons. The cooling sound of the Sturkle at Woodfrys Farm in Melbury.

Whether you are new to gardening or an old hand, weeding is part and parcel of the pastime. But maybe it’s time to give some of those weeds a second chance. This weekend on Gardeners’ Corner, David Maxwell hears from Amy Kelly on weeds she wouldn’t be without. He meets Lori Hartman who is planting ‘prairie style’ in her first garden in Broughshane to remind her of her native USA. Also on the programme, an update from Alan Power as he gets to know a new garden in county Kerry after many years at Stourhead in Wiltshire and David is joined by Cherry Townsend and Maurice Parkinson to answer listeners’ questions including, how to stop your tomatoes trusses falling before they ripen and getting out of the seed coat – should we give those new shoots a hand? The team will be taking live calls and texts on the usual numbers or you can email anytime gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

While we’re on a break busily preparing for season 5, we’re taking this opportunity to listen back to some of our favourite episodes. This month it’s ‘Caring for the Country’s Rarest Plants’ from Season 3. In this episode Alan Power, former Head gardener at Stourhead, navigates his way to the Trust‘s secret Plan Conservation Centre to see exactly what it takes to look after some of the planets most important plants.    We’d also like to know what you think of the podcast so we can make Series 5 the best series yet.  You can help us do this by filling in our short survey, which you can find at nationaltrust.org.uk/podsurvey

In this extract from the National Trust Theatre at BBC Countryfile Live 2019, we join Charlotte Smith Charlotte Smith in conversation with Alan Power, National Trust Head Gardener from Stourhead and Carol Klein from Gardeners’ World who answer your gardening queries and share their passion for the joys of gardening. If you’d like to be there in person for BBC Countryfile Live 2020, go to countryfilelive.com (https://www.countryfilelive.com/) to join the mailing list and for ticket information. You can learn more about podcasts from the National Trust at nationaltrust.org.uk/podcasts (https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/listen-to-podcasts-from-the-national-trust) .

Meet Annette Woolcock who promotes the eating of game through the organisation Taste of Game. Listen on for a fascinating discussion of the merits of eating wild meat PLUS the pros and cons of shooting in the modern British countryside. You can vote in the Eat Game Awards mentioned in the podcast until 29 February. Editor Fergus Collins hosts this podcast in the wonderful setting of the National Trust's Stourhead Estate in Wiltshire. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

National Trust places are great to spend time at with those we know and love, but they can also be places where new friendships are born. In this mini episode we follow Joanna and Rachel, two mothers that met at a charity-run buggy walking group at Stourhead, as they embark on one of the National Trust’s most unique adventures. We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts, so please do give us your feedback, via social media or drop us a line at: podcasts@nationaltrust.org.uk (mailto:podcasts@nationaltrust.org.uk) This episode of the National Trust podcast was made possible by Cotswold Outdoor, recommended outdoor retail partner for the National Trust 

Are you swimming in zucchini yet?   Emily Seftel, of The Tennessean, wrote an article in 2006 that was titled Gad zuks!- which I think is hilarious; we don’t use that term enough, do we?   Anyway, the article started out this way:   "Zucchini, the summer squash, is the Rodney Dangerfield of the produce world it gets no respect."   Then, the article goes on to share some recipes, which were offered by Chef Laura Slama who said,   "When you’re cooking with zucchini, all you need to do is add a little olive oil and kosher salt to bring out it’s flavor."   The three recipes she shared, were for Mexican Zucchini Corn and Black Tostadas - that looked amazing. Then, Sautéed Zucchini Strings; which is basically zucchini that’s been turned into spaghetti. And, finally, she shared an Orzo Pasta with Roasted Zucchini.   One of my favorite recipes for zucchini is from The New Zucchini Cookbookand Other Squashby Nancy Ralston and Mary Jordan.   It’s for a zucchini basil tart:   You drain salted zucchini and tomato slices on paper towels. You purée basil in a food processor with ricotta and eggs and you add mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Then you line a 9 inch pie shell with zucchini slices. Spoon the basil mixture over the top and then put tomato slices on the top. Then brush the whole top of it with olive oil and bake it for 40 to 50 minutes. Yum.    I’ll put the link to the recipes in today show notes as well as a link to the cookbook.       Brevities #OTDToday is the birthday of Magness Holman who was born in 1745. Holman was the painter who completed a portrait of Carla Ness that most people recognize. The portrait was painted around 1780. #OTD  Today is the birthday of François-Andre Michaux.   He was the son of the botanist Andrea Michaux. His father named an oak in his honor.   Michaux's mother died a few weeks after he was born. His father was so despondent, he turned to botany to deal with his grief. His mentors just happened to be some of the top gardeners in the Royal Gardens.    When François-Andre was 15 years old, he accompanied his dad to North America.   His father established a botanical garden in 1786 on property that’s now occupied by the Charleston Area National Airport.   As you leave the airport, you’ll notice a stunning mural that pays tribute the Michaux's - from the rice fields along the Ashley River to the Charleston Harbor where he introduced one of the first camellia plants. Andre-François and his father are depicted in the potager or kitchen garden. The mural was installed in 2016.   François-Andre stayed in America where he established a nursery in Hackensack, New Jersey and also in Charleston, South Carolina.   France was still eager to obtain trees from North America to replenish their forests and François-Andre grew them in his nursery.   He returned to France briefly in 1790 and participated in the French revolution. By 1801, he returned to the United States because the French government wanted him to get rid of the nurseries in Hackensack and Charleston.   François-Andre did as instructed and also explored the United States as far north as Maine, as far south as Georgia, and as far west as the Great Lakes. After his explorations, he returned to France, he had enough material and experience to prepare his masterpiece, North American Silva or North American Forests.   #OTD   Today in 1805, the Lewis and Clark expedition was near the Narrows of the Columbia river when the serviceberry was discovered.   Serviceberry are available in a number of different species.   There’s a wonderful graphic showing the different types of serviceberry featured on the spruce.com. I'll share a link to that in today's show notes.   Serviceberries are a member of the Rose family. Now that you know that, you’ll be able to recognize the family resemblance the next time you see one.   Serviceberry are primarily prized for their four-season interest: you get beautiful blossoms in the spring, fruits in the summer, fantastic autumn color, and wonderful bark coloration in the winter time.   The Maryland Department of Resources says that the etymology of the name serviceberry comes from church services which resumed around Easter time. People used to say that when the serviceberries were in flower, the ground had thawed enough to dig a grave.        #OTD  Today is the birthday of the third son of Charles Darwin, Francis Darwin - known to his family as Frank. Francis published the results of his work with his dad in a book called The Movement of Plants. The book details their experiments which showed that young grass seedlings grow toward the light.     OTD  It’s the anniversary of the death of Kenneth Woodbridge, who died on this day in 1988.   Woodbridge was known for his work on the history of garden design in England and France.   Woodbridge wrote a book called The Stourhead Landscape, a book about one of England’s greatest gardens.   Stourhead was the work of an English banker named Henry Hoare who lived during much of the 1700s.   Woodbridge's last book was called Princely Gardens it was published in 1986.   Princely Gardens analyzes the French formal style of landscape architecture. Despite not having the academic background of many garden historians, Woodbridge was a relentless researcher and writer. His obituary stated that his wife Joanne always balanced his intensity. Unearthed Words “August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time.”  ― Sylvia Plath “This morning, the sun endures past dawn. I realize that it is August: the summer's last stand.”  ― Sara Baume, A Line Made by Walking “The month of August had turned into a griddle where the days just lay there and sizzled.”  ― Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees Today's book recommendation: Plant Parenting by Leslie Halleck   This is a new book that just came out in June of this year from Timberpress.   The images are gorgeous and this book feels quite modern and very on trend. This is a very beginner friendly introduction to plants, flowers, and seeds. Today's Garden Chore Add more color to your garden with bee balm or monarda.   It is also an herb.  Plant it in full sun.   Pollinators love it, as do hummingbirds.   I remember the first time I planted bee balm, I was blown away by the incredible enticing fragrance - a wonderful combination of mint, oregano, and thyme.   Once you smell it, you'll never forget it.  Bee Balm starts flowering now and will last throughout the summer.    When John Bartram was exploring North America, he made contact with the Native Americans who shared with him that they brewed a tea with bee balm to treat chills and fever. He called it Oswego.   But, it was made with Monarda. After the Boston tea party, the colonists needed something to drink and Oswego tea tasted pretty good and it also helped with sore throat’s and headaches.   Manarda is considered both a flower and an herb.   And in the fall, you can harvest the leaves and dry them and store them for later - when you want to make your own Oswego tea.   Something Sweet  Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart When I was researching  Kenneth Woodbridge, I ran across an article about his son, Tim Woodbridge. The article came out last year in February in the London Economic and it was called, "The incredible story of how a grieving landowner created one of Europe’s most celebrated gardens."   Tim was piggybacking on the subject his dad wrote about which was Stourhead Garden in Wiltshire. Tim says his dad discovered 95% of everything that is known about the garden today.   The garden is breathtaking because it is surrounding this gloriously breathtaking man-made lake.   All along people have assumed that the lake was part of the plan by Henry Hoare, the banker, who established the garden as his lasting legacy. But Tim believes he’s uncovered a secret about the garden that had been lost to time.   In 2005, the National Trust commissioned an underwater survey of the lake.   Tim’s book, called The Choice, explains that the lake is hiding a first garden – the garden that was built to honor Hoare's dead wife, Susan.   The garden was nearly completed when suddenly Hoare's son and only heir, Henry, died of smallpox in Naples. He was just 22 years old.   Tim believes that the garden became too painful and that Hoare's shocking next move was to do something about it.  Tim believes that Hoare built a dam and then flooded the garden; creating the magnificent great lake that people drive to see from all over the world. Instead of a planned part of the design; The lake was an outward sign of grief of a husband and father whose tears hid the garden he had built for posterity.   And I think, if a garden could cry... this is what it would look like.      Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

This time on Alfred, the podcast for Shaftesbury, The Vale and Chase areas of North Dorset and West Wiltshire: Alfred meets the Semley tree-climbing expert touring England’s summer festivals. We spend the morning at Stourhead, where Mark Hawes is giving some Motcombe schoolchildren the opportunity of scaling a tulip tree. He explains how he left the London rat-race for a new life in the Shaftesbury area. And Mark says that his business is reaching new heights! (00:24) Tales of Peking to Paris in a pink Rolls-Royce will raise funds for a church in The Donheads. Alfred visits Sir John Stuttard in his St James home to meet ‘Harrison’, a beautiful classic car and hear ‘his’ story. (08:17) Alfred visits Wincombe Park and chats with Phoebe Fortescue who operates a summer English school for overseas students. We were interested to hear what surprises the teenagers about Shaftesbury. (19:17) Water-based workouts are proving popular at the improved Shaftesbury Oasis Pool. Alfred meets Claire and Laura, who are offering Aquafit sessions in the warm waters of the outdoor pool as part of the Town Council’s goal to better promote the Oasis Pool’s benefits. (28:11) Street art will showcase the best of Shaftesbury Fringe. Alfred chats with Rob Neely and James Thrift about the eye-catching art installations that will be used to promote Fringe shows in the town centre. (32:37)

Since 2008 Alan Power, head gardener at Stourhead in Wiltshire, has joined Radio 4's PM programme to tell us about the autumnal view. This year, there was something extra to talk about. (Photo: Stourhead. Credit: PA)

NARRATOR: Chiswick was a new and revolutionary kind of garden. At the beginning of the 18th century, it was fashionable to have formal gardens, which were laid out in carefully planned geometric shapes. Lord Burlington bucked that trend, with more natural-looking stretches of water and groves, opening out into sweeping lawns which created vistas, or picturesque views. These more informal gardens gave birth to the English landscape movement and were widely copied across England, including Stourhead in Wiltshire and Stowe in Buckinghamshire. Terraces like the one you’re now walking along weren’t particularly new in garden design, but Lord Burlington set a precedent by planting his with ‘… all manner of sweet shrubs, roses and honeysuckles.’ From this terrace, visitors had spectacular views across the meadows. At its height the garden estate would have been more extensive than today. Part of the land was leased to the London Horticultural Society (later the Royal Horticultural Society) for an experimental garden open to the public. Today, many landmarks in Chiswick are reminders of what was once there, such as a nearby cul-de-sac known as Horticultural Place. Many artists came to paint Chiswick including Flemish artist Andreas Rysbrack who made a series of paintings […]

The walled garden at Stourhead is home to a superb collection of pelargoniums, from the geranium family. Alan Power and Emily Utgren discuss how they protect and manage these beautiful plants, and what they tell us about the estate’s history. We'd love to know what you thought of this series to help us make more of them in the future. Please let us know in our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/gardens-survey GERANIUM CAKE RECIPE Serves: 8 Cook Time: 50 minutes Prep Time: 25 minutes Effort: easy INGREDIENTS 6-8 rose geranium leaves 240 g butter 240 g caster sugar 4 eggs 140 g self-raising flour, sieved 120 g semolina Caster sugar, for dusting Fresh cream and rose petals, to serve METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Grease and line a 23cm spring-form cake tin with baking parchment. Lay the geranium leaves around the base of the tin, upside down, stalk-end pointing towards the centre of the tin. Cream together the butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy, and then gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time. Fold in the flour and semolina. Spoon the cake mixture into the tin, taking care not to disturb the leaves. Bake in the centre of the oven, for about 45-50 minutes, until the cake is firm but springy to the touch. Take the cake out of the oven, release the spring clip and carefully remove the sides of the tin. Turn the cake gently over onto a cooling rack set over a plate, bottom side up and carefully remove the base of the tin and the baking parchment. Leave until completely cold, dust with caster sugar, and serve with fresh cream and rose petals. PLANTS AND TREES IN ORDER OF REFERENCE Pelargonium tomentosum - mint chocolate scented Pelargonium triste

The first of our little extra “Cuttings”. Autumn is the perfect time to build a compost heap. Join the staff at Stourhead to learn the science behind “cooking” the perfect organic compost. We'd love to know what you thought of this series to help us make more of them in the future. Please let us know in our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/gardens-survey

Beginning the series on his home turf, Alan takes a walk around Stourhead in Wiltshire, one of England’s greatest landscape gardens. Its fabulous tree collection make autumn a favourite time of year for visitors, volunteers and staff alike. We find out what the walled garden tell us about life in the 18th century, and how dormice are thriving on the Stourhead Estate. We'd love to know what you thought of this series to help us make more of them in the future. Please let us know in our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/gardens-survey PLANTS AND TREES IN ORDER OF REFERENCE Lavender – Lavandula angustifolia Agapanthus africanus Variegated Tulip Tree – (Liriodendron tulipifera aureomarginata) Poplar trees / Trembling Poplar – European Aspen) Birch – Betula Cherries – Prunus Taihaku Red Maple – Acer rubrum Willow – Salix alba ‘Britzensis’ Japanese Maple – Acer palmatum Handkerchief tree – Davidia involucrata seedlings – for tree nursery Katsura trees – Cercidiphyllum Guelder Rose – Viburnum opulus Rowan – Sorbus aucuparia, commonly known as the Rowan or Mountain-ash Whitebeam – Sorbus aria