If you’d looked through my kitchen window a couple of weeks ago you would have seen me jumping up and down, followed by frantic messaging and social media posting. The Cut Flower Podcast had made it to No.4 in Apple Podcast’s GB Home and Garden chart!
Podcasts are more popular than ever and there is a wealth to choose from, including plenty on horticultural and environmental topics with a particular areas of expertise. This – along with the fact that we were only ‘outcasted’ by BBC Gardener’s Question Time, Sarah Raven and friends and Gardening with the RHS – makes our chart position a real testament to time spent behind the scenes producing the show.
In my mission to entice experts and enthusiasts to join me in in the studio, I have myself discovered some truly exceptional people and learned so, so much from chatting to them. The podcast archive now runs across 11 pages on my website, so if you’re looking for a particular episode or just want to find a diving in point, here’s my ‘pick of the pod’ so far:
THERAPEUTIC GARDENS & GARDENING
Horatio’s Garden Co-Founder and Trustee, Dr Olivia Chappele
GP and ‘Greenfingers’ charity Trustee Dr Richard Claxton
Garden Therapist and Head Gardener at Horatio’s Garden London, Ashley Edwards
Therapeutic gardens with health psychologist Bethany Harries
Above L-R: Dr Oliva Chappele, Dr Richard Claxton, Ashley Edwards
MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING
Finding joy and connection in the garden with Anya Lautenbach (aka Anya the Flower Fairy)
Mental health and gardening (including gardening in schools) with Helen Cross
Self-care and the well-gardened mind with Dr Menije Boduryan
Alice Vincent, author of the book ‘Why Women Grow’
WILDLIFE & BIODIVERSITY
Beekeeper and honey expert, Helen Rogers
Bees, Insects, Peat and the Planet with Professor Dave Goulson
Biological pest control with Tessa Dooley of Ladybird Plantcare
The Compost Club with Michael Kennard
Above L-R: Anya Lautenbach, Prof Dave Goulson, Helen Rogers
GARDENING FOR A CHANGING CLIMATE
Embracing climate-resilient gardening with Sally Morgan
Sustainability, the Environment & Gardening – Marian Boswall
RHS Director of Science & Collections, Professor Alastair Griffiths
Sustainability and supply chains with Dr David Bek
FEATURING FLOWER FARMERS
From lockdown seeds to flower farm dreams with Sue McGlasson
The next generation of flower farmer: Hannah Benson
Amber Partner from Howe Farm Flowers
The Beauty of British Flowers with Nicola Hill of Gentle Blooms
HORTI BROADCASTERS, PODCASTERS & INSTAGRAM INFLUENCERS
RHS grad, garden designer and podcaster ‘Mike the Gardener’
Green Fingered City Boy: Discovering the joy of gardening with Adam Marshall
FLORISTRY
The School of Sustainable Floristry with Cissy Bullock
Floral artist and grower Joanna Game
Revolutionising floristry: the sustainable solution with Dundee Butcher of Phoam Labs
FLOWER FOCUS
All about Chysanthemums with Tom Simpson from Woolmans
Sweet Peas with National Collection holder Roger Parsons
Dried Flowers with Bex Partridge
Talking Tulips with Emily Von Trapp
Spotlight on Dahlias with Gardener’s World Live expert Kim O’Brien
Ranunculus with Andrew Bly of Italian Ranunculua
Above L-R: Elonor Tivey, Ben Cross, Bex Partridge
GROWING YOUR BUSINESS
De-clutter your life: Ready to grow your business – with life coach Kerry Hales
Knowing your customer and social media visibility with Katie Colella
Roz’s Top Tips for making money as a Flower Farmer
That is just a selection of my conversations and recordings – there are plenty more!
You can find the entire Cut Flower Podcast archive here and I would love to hear your feedback in the comments section.
Happy listening.
Roz