For the lifestyles that many of us lead, low-maintenance and high performing plants are the perfect combination, for which pelargoniums are an absolute must-have.
Sarah Raven & Arthur Parkinson delve into the very best pelargoniums, highlighting some irresistibly scented varieties too, and share the best tips for propagating them in either your pots or your borders.
In this episode, discover:
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest
Products mentioned:
Pelargonium 'Attar of Roses' (Scented): https://www.sarahraven.com/products/pelargonium-attar-of-roses
Pelargonium 'Prince of Orange' (Scented): https://www.sarahraven.com/products/pelargonium-prince-of-orange
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Arthur Parkinson’s urban garden is, like many in more built up areas, somewhat overlooked by neighbours, and perhaps the most natural solution to this is with the help of some gorgeous climbers.
In this podcast episode, Sarah & Arthur focus on the varieties of clematis, honeysuckle, and other climbers which look stunning combined with the likes of hazel, corten, or even rebar.
In this episode, discover:
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest
Products mentioned:
Clematis viticella 'Etoile Violette': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/clematis-viticella-etoile-violette
Clematis 'Madame Julia Correvon': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/clematis-viticella-madame-julia-correvon
Clematis ‘Blue River’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/clematis-blue-river
Lonicera periclymenum 'Rhubarb and Custard'®: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lonicera-periclymenum-rhubarb-and-custard
Akebia quinata (Chocolate Vine): https://www.sarahraven.com/products/akebia-quinata
Thunbergia alata 'African Sunset': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/thunbergia-african-sunset
Ipomoea lobata: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/ipomoea-lobata-mina-lobata
Dahlia 'Night Silence': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-night-silence
Dahlia 'Adam's Choice': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-adams-choice
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Welcome to the Q&A episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ for July, where we put your questions directly to Sarah & Josie in this special monthly episode.
This month, we’ve some timely questions on the best edibles that it’s not too late to sow, and what we’re harvesting at Perch Hill right now.
Josie also gives us a comprehensive look at growing lavender to look its very best, we hear Sarah’s advice on growing sweet peas to have the longest stems they possibly can, and Josie has some fantastic advice on how to keep containers alive, even when you’re away on holiday.
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
The UK’s bird population are dearly beloved for their song, as much as their service in keeping slugs and snails at bay, so how can we best provide safe havens for them in our gardens?
Adam Nicolson’s next book, Bird School, sees him immersed in what’s best for birds and their important role in our gardens, so joins us on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ to share in his knowledge and journey so far.
In this episode, discover:
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
While Andy Murray’s tennis career is well documented, and the Cromlix hotel has brought years of joy for he and wife Kim Murray, the home-grown haven of the garden plays such a huge role in Kim’s life.
It’s a delight to host Kim on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ this week as she shares her experience discovering gardening, what she grows to indulge her artistic creativity, and the local, sustainable roots behind the hotel project.
In this episode, discover:
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Summer is emerging, and with July upon us comes a lovely time to be tending to our gardens, so what needs the most care and attention this month?
In this month’s episode, Sarah and Josie prompt you to sow what’s about to go out of season, think about thinning your biennials, take perennial cuttings from the likes of your salvias and pelargoniums, and continue your staking for the inevitable windy days.
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
This Christmas might feel a while away, but if there’s one way to prepare right now for a more stunning and sustainable tree, it’s with alliums.
Sarah’s love of alliums is well-documented on the podcast, but this week she’s recalling some of the most show-stopping varieties with which to decorate this Christmas, and the joys that they’ll bring as ‘colour baton-carriers’ in spring.
In this episode, discover:
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers: https://bit.ly/2TWHJcz
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Veg: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sarah-ravens-a-year-full-of-veg
Products mentioned:
Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-hollandicum-purple-sensation
Allium cristophii: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-cristophii
Allium nigrum: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-nigrum
Allium stipitatum 'Summer Drummer': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-stipitatum-summer-drummer
Allium schubertii 'Magic': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-schubertii-magic
Allium jesdianum 'Purple Rain': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-purple-rain
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Being busy doesn’t bar you from growing vegetables and herbs to bring a homemade joy to your cooking, and there’s few people better-placed to share how than Jess Gough.
This week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ episode centres around Jess’ journey into vegetable gardening, how she balances full time work with her thriving smallholding, and tips for keeping snails and slugs away from your seeds.
In this episode, discover:
Follow Jess: https://www.instagram.com/happy_smallholding/
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers: https://bit.ly/2TWHJcz
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Veg: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sarah-ravens-a-year-full-of-veg
Products mentioned:
Pea 'Hurst Green Shaft': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/peas-hurst-green-shaft
Broad Bean 'Stereo': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/broad-bean-stereo
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
As spring rolls into summer, the kitchen garden offers a bounty of opportunities to use your vegetables and herbs in an exciting variety of ways.
This week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ shines a spotlight on six of Sarah’s favourite edibles at this time of the year, as she shares a huge array of recipes, and growing tips to make your edibles taste better for longer.
In this episode, discover:
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers: https://bit.ly/2TWHJcz
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Veg: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sarah-ravens-a-year-full-of-veg
Products mentioned:
Artichoke 'Violet de Provence': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/artichoke-violet-de-provence
Broad Bean 'Stereo': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/broad-bean-stereo
Parsley 'Gigante di Napoli': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/parsley-gigante-di-napoli
Wild Rocket: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/wild-rocket
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Welcome to the Q&A episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ for June, where Sarah & Josie answer listeners’ burning questions.
In June’s episode, it’s the month of roses so we hear from our resident ‘Rose Queen’ how best to maintain them and whether or not they need deadheading.
Sarah also shares the harvesting highlights of the edible garden, and we look at how best to maintain all your plants at their peak as we enter the scintillating start of the summer season.
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
The careful composition of colour is a particularly joyful part of designing any garden, and choosing the right combination of palettes is among Sarah’s gardening pillars.
Whether you’re a new listener to ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ or simply need a refresher, this episode is a fantastic foray into Sarah’s four palettes, and how best to combine the standout flowers from each.
In this episode, discover:
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers: https://bit.ly/2TWHJcz
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Veg: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sarah-ravens-a-year-full-of-veg
Products mentioned:
Digitalis purpurea f. albiflora:
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/digitalis-purpurea-alba
Nicotiana sylvestris 'Only the Lonely': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nicotiana-sylvestris
Acanthus mollis 'Rue Ledan' (Latifolius Group):
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/acanthus-mollis-rue-ledan
Tulip 'La Belle Epoque': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-la-belle-epoque
Tulip 'Apricot Foxx': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-apricot-foxx
Tulip 'Sarah Raven': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-sarah-raven
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
June brings us the weather that we’ve been waiting so long to indulge in, so what should we focus on in the garden to help it thrive in the sunlit warmth?
In this monthly episode, Josie Lewis shares the biennials you should be sowing to plug next year’s May gap, and Sarah lauds the appearance of rhubarb with a lovely cordial recipe.
We also look at a new way that we’ve developed for picking sweet peas at this time of year, how to know when your pots need watering, and what makes this the month of hardy annuals.
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Since we’re still in the joyous wake of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, it’s a perfect time to see the show through the eyes of a newcomer to gardening and explore its greatest lessons.
As the leader of our new range aimed at beginner gardeners, and a huge part in our presence at the show this year, Jemima Bowker returns to the podcast this week to share her RHS Chelsea Flower Show experience, and what novice gardeners can learn to brighten up their own spaces this summer.
In this episode, discover:
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers: https://bit.ly/2TWHJcz
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Veg:
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sarah-ravens-a-year-full-of-veg
Products mentioned:
Nasturtium 'Purple Emperor' (Tropaeolum majus): https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nasturtium-purple-emperor
Petunia 'Tidal Wave Red Velour' F1: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/petunia-tidal-wave-f1-red-velour
Nasturtium 'Ladybird Rose' (Tropaeolum minus): https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nasturtium-ladybird-rose
Sweet Pea 'Painted Lady': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lathyrus-odoratus-painted-lady
Runner Bean 'Hestia': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/runner-bean-hestia
Runner Bean 'Polestar': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/runner-bean-polestar
Zinnia haageana 'Jazzy Mixture': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/zinnia-haageana-jazzy-mixture
Runner Bean 'White Lady': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/runner-bean-white-lady
Runner Bean 'Aurora': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/runner-bean-aurora
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
This year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show has been an extraordinary display of floral beauty, and it’s been a pleasure for our hut to have been a part of the show.
Fresh from the show, Sarah & Arthur take this week’s special podcast episode to bring you Chelsea’s highlights, and the months-long and years-long stories behind them.
In this episode, discover:
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers: https://bit.ly/2TWHJcz
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Veg: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sarah-ravens-a-year-full-of-veg
Products mentioned:
Geum 'Totally Tangerine': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/geum-totally-tangerine
Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/gladiolus-communis-subsp-byzantinus
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
May is all about the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and we’ll be bringing the abundant beauty of Perch Hill’s cutting garden to our trade stand.
That’s why in this week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Sarah and Arthur are taking an exciting look forward to our spot at the show, the hard work it’s taken to prepare, and highlights of what you can expect to see across the week-long spectacle.
In this episode, discover:
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers: https://bit.ly/2TWHJcz
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Veg: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sarah-ravens-a-year-full-of-veg
Products mentioned:
Calendula officinalis 'Indian Prince': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/calendula-officinalis-indian-prince
Calendula officinalis 'Sunset Buff': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/calendula-officinalis-sunset-buff
Salvia viridis 'Blue Monday': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-viridis-blue
Petunia 'Tidal Wave Red Velour' F1: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/petunia-tidal-wave-f1-red-velour
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Welcome to May’s monthly Q&A podcast, where once again Sarah & Josie chime in with answers to listeners’ burning questions.
This time round, Josie shares the key to propagating the stunning Dianthus ‘Green Wicky’, and we explain what you should do with spring bulbs now that they’ve gone over - and it’s not to throw them away!
Also in this month’s episode, it’s dahlia planting time and Josie explains how best to plant them in terms of depth and distance apart, and Sarah gives us the comprehensive rundown on what’s being harvested to eat right now.
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
The Victorian era gave the horticultural world one of the most charming designs for the cloche, or cold frame - a charm that’s being renewed by the wonderful Beth Gregg.
Arthur Parkinson hails Beth as the ‘Goddess of Cloches’ through her faithful revival of those original designs with Claverton Cloches.
In this week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, learn what earns the cloche its spot in any garden, and how Beth breathes new life into an oft-overlooked apparatus.
In this episode, discover:
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers: https://bit.ly/2TWHJcz
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Veg: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sarah-ravens-a-year-full-of-veg
Claverton Cloches: https://www.clavertoncloches.com/
https://www.instagram.com/clavertoncloches/
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
The 4th of May marks a very special day at Perch Hill, particularly this year - it’s 30 years since Sarah and Adam first arrived and started making history here.
Perch Hill looks so vastly different to how it began in 1994, as it’s taken shape over the decades, and in this week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ Sarah & Adam share stories from their time here so far, the many phases that Perch Hill has seen, and how the garden in particular has developed.
In this episode, learn:
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers: https://bit.ly/2TWHJcz
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Veg: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sarah-ravens-a-year-full-of-veg
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
With overnight frosts receding, the opportunities in your garden throughout May are among the most exciting all year.
For May’s ‘Monthly Jobs’ episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, join Sarah and Josie for a run through the month’s most exciting errands, from planting out half-hardy dahlias and tomatoes, to preparing your pots, and how to handle the influx of slugs and snails..
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
With spring racing onwards, the window in which to plant out your half-hardy seeds is upon us, and it’s a time that should spark joy in the imaginations of veg gardeners.
This week on grow, cook, eat, arrange, half-hardy vegetables take centre stage - Sarah takes us through the 6 must-have categories of veg, and shares an array of mouth-watering recipes perfect for the avid kitchen gardener.
In this episode, discover:
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers: https://bit.ly/2TWHJcz
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Veg: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sarah-ravens-a-year-full-of-veg
Products mentioned:
Tomato 'Black Russian': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tomato-black-russian
Tomato 'Sungold': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tomato-sungold
Tomato 'Garnet': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tomato-garnet
Cucumber 'La Diva': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cucumber-la-diva
Pea 'Nairobi': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/pea-nairobi
Sweet Basil: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/basil-sweet
Courgette 'Romanesco': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/courgette-romanesco
Courgette 'Soleil' F1: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/courgette-soleil-f1
Courgette 'Bianca di Trieste': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/courgette-bianca-di-trieste
Tulip 'White Valley' syn 'Exotic Emperor': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-white-valley
Carrot 'Nantes 5': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/carrot-nantes-5
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Early May is on its way, bringing a fresh bloom of fragrant and fabulous flowers. It’s this abundance of impact and perfume on which Simon Lycett thrives.
His style of floristry is so striking, and one from which we cannot fail but to learn - Simon joins us to share his highlights of the spring season and how you can choose the perfect varieties to create your own stunning arrangements.
In this episode, discover:
Connect with Simon: https://www.instagram.com/simonlycett
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Welcome back to our monthly Q&A podcast episodes for April, where Sarah and Josie answer questions from you, our lovely listeners.
In this month’s episode, Sarah turns her attention to sweet peas as she shares how deep to sow seeds, and how far apart to sow them based on our trials at Perch Hill. Also this month, we hear which plants are ideal for planting out in April, particularly those that bring instant impact.
Sarah takes us through what seeds should be sown now, from the ornamental garden featuring erigeron to the kitchen garden with kales and flat leaf parsley.
Josie also shares a wonderful selection of seeds that are ideal for growing cut flowers in containers, with a lovely mention for the likes of the cosmos sonata series.
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
For any organic gardener, companion planting is one of the most essential, rewarding and productive ways to ward off bugs and fungal infections.
As the seasons are beginning to turn, it’s a wonderful time to recap the importance and joy of companion planting - Sarah is joined once again by Arthur Parkinson, where we revisit classic combinations, and share some unconventional pairings that you might not have considered.
In this episode, discover:
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers: https://bit.ly/2TWHJcz
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Veg:
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sarah-ravens-a-year-full-of-veg
Products mentioned:
Tagetes tenuifoila 'Red Gem': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tagetes-red-gem
Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tagetes-tenuifolia-tangerine-gem
Tagetes patula 'Linnaeus Burning Embers':
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tagetes-linnaeus
Salvia x jamensis 'Nachtvlinder': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-x-jamensis-nachtvlinder
Sweet Basil: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/basil-sweet
Tagetes minuta: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tagetes-minuta
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
For those with a vegetable garden, The Pig’s offering is a source of inspiration and envy among many, all of which thrives under the watchful eye of Group Head Gardener, Ollie Hutson.
This week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ brings us a fantastic array of tips and recipes to take from Ollie’s expertise and bring into our own growing and cooking, drawing on a love of the natural world that’s spanned his entire life.
In this episode, discover:
Ollie Huston: https://twitter.com/olliehutson85
The Pig: https://www.thepighotel.com/
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers: https://bit.ly/2TWHJcz
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Veg: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sarah-ravens-a-year-full-of-veg
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Light levels are increasing and life in the garden is well and truly bustling, which makes this time of year such a joyful one for gardeners!
Returning to our ‘Monthly Jobs’ series, this month’s episode sees Sarah & Josie share which flowers and edibles are perfect for sowing at this stage of the year, as well as how to revitalise your whopper pots once the Tulips go over.
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/