Not Just a Garden

This week we learn a bit about a massive underground water reservoir located 400 miles beneath Earth’s surface, the clever way Hong Kong saves 320 million cubic meters of freshwater each year, that gardening is taking video gaming by storm, how beavers are saving the day and millions of euros in the Czech Republic, what the process for getting a perfect endive entails, and the illuminati.Frances Tophill is presenting Gardeners' World 2025 episode 14 from Alison Jenkins' beautiful Damson Farm this week. Carol Klein shows us some pretty plant combos in her enviable garden whilst Suzette Fuller in Bushey, Watford gives us a tour of her magical outdoor treasure trove. Finally Adam Frost meets Wendy Bundy and her incredibly resilient two acre plot on the River Derwent in North Yorkshire.Relevant links can be found on our website here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/recaps/To help make this podcast happen, please visit our Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/notjustagardenMore Not Just a Gardenhttps://notjustagarden.co.uk/https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/

Dan Stearne from Dan's Plants was introduced to us by Adam Frost at Malvern (on Gardeners’ World 2025 episode 9) as the entrepreneurial new kid on the block. He joins us for a Good Ol’ Chit-Chat and we find out about setting up a plant business alongside studies, the huge value and benefits of apprenticeships, the challenges of selling online, tips for displaying plants at any of the big shows, barking, and how to prepare your garden for the zombie-apocalypse🧟Some mentions from Dan, links can be found here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/gardens/Levens HallHolker HallPlumgarths Farm ShopBasecamp North LakesMore Not Just a GardenPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/NotJustaGarden/homeWebsite: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/

It’s GW Live 2025 but we once again deviate. We talk smeared broad-beans, Australian firehawks, how AI is keeping the Swiss integrated transport system on point, the marvel of Paris’ underground urban farm, what efforts we could make to encourage younger gardeners, and how Nick Bailey’s dance skills have progressed from "Quick Quick Slow" to something a little more contemporary.This week RdT, Arit, Adam, Ashley & The Don present from Gardeners’ World Live at Birmingham NEC. We see:When There’s Water There’s Life, Designer Rachel Bailey DesignMidlands Air Ambulance Charity’s Medicinal Garden, Designers Lucy Chapman and Helen SwanThe Greenfingers Charity Anniversary Garden, Designer Pip ProbertThe Wonder Garden, Designer Anthony MassieSuper Blooms!, Designer Rhoda PerrySlugs and snails, making friends with our foes!, Designer Deborah MoleThe One To Three Border, Designer Anita RoseThe Garden of Reflection, Designer Marc BuirskiCalon Lân, Designers Emma and Omar YousefThe NEW Build Garden, Designers Lucie & Henry Arthur PonsfordJust a garden…, Designer Carleen Osborne2050, Designer Vivien MoseleyThe Plant-Based Garden, Designer Nick BaileyWe also hear about pelargoniums from Stephen Pollard at Growing Crazy, and Annie and Simon Pugh-Jones at Isle of Portland Orchids.Some links can be found on our website here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/recaps/To help make this podcast happen, please visit our Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/notjustagardenMore Not Just a Gardenhttps://notjustagarden.co.uk/https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/

Michael Kennard, self-confessed compost nerd, was on Gardeners' World 2025 episode 7 and taught us a thing or two about healthy soil, healthy plants and healthy humans. On this episode of Chit-Chats, we find out about Mycobacterium vaccae, composting humans, living in a Luton van with a home cinema, 65 degree compost, and we have our first fedge!Some mentions from Michael, links can be found here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/gardens/Recompose in USHenbant PermacultureTom Stuart-Smith Plant LibraryJay Abrahams, Biologic DesignRidan Compost MachinesMore Not Just a GardenPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/NotJustaGarden/homeWebsite: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/

This week we discuss bird soundtracks on Gardeners’ World, which magnesium supplement aids sleep (and which one categorically doesn’t), the lesser known G5 Aston Martin, anting, which plants might counteract the negative impacts of microplastics, how AI could be redeeming itself, and Sweetpea finally gets to the end of her pineapple trilogy.Adam Frost takes us to the stunning Bedfords Park Walled Garden to meet the inspirational Lois Amos and her team of volunteers including Maxine, Pam Ditzel and Fay Chapman.  Andrew Jackson shows us his impressive new build garden in Beverley before we head over to Nick Bailey’s place to talk about making a meter matter and he shows us his exciting plans for the GW Live Headline Garden.  Finally we meet Elonor Tivey who gives us some top tips about growing peonies from her beautiful peony farm in Breedon on the Hill in Derby.Some links:To help make this podcast happen, please visit our Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/notjustagardenAnthocyanins Vs Microplasticshttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11803829/Reforestation Droneshttps://www.sparknify.com/post/ai-drones-reforesting-future#:~:text=Developed%20by%20innovative%20engineers%20in,fire%20damaged%20or%20deforested%20regions.Bedfords Park Walled Gardenhttps://www.facebook.com/BedfordsParkWalledGardenAndrew Jacksonhttps://www.instagram.com/thenewbuildmanifesto/?hl=enElonor Tiveyhttps://thepeonyfarmer.co.ukMore Not Just a Gardenhttps://notjustagarden.co.uk/https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/

Fiona Cumberpatch was on Gardeners' World 2025 episode 1 with her small but perfectly formed urban cottage style flower garden. She joins us for a Chit-Chat and, as well as hearing about her dream garden, we talk gardening magazines versus fashions mags, Hügelkultur, how to get a kg of Tumbling Tom tomatoes, and Fiona's superb ethos of “just give it a go” when it comes to gardening. We also immediately tried out her recipe recommendation for using up tomatoes and it was DELICIOUS! Some mentions from Fiona, links can be found here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/gardens/John Innes no3Diane Henry’s Tomato and Feta FrittersChiltern SeedsStocks & GreenPremier Seeds DirectFrank Matthews NurseryMore Not Just a GardenPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/NotJustaGarden/homeWebsite: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/

On the podcast this week we find out about some of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show’s medal winners, water divining in Cornwall, bacteria killing paint, golden ratios, and growing vegetables for victory.Monty and Ned are presenting from Longmeadow again before we head to the Peak District to hear from Rekha in her incredible hillside veg garden. Professional wildlife cameraman Martin Dohrn takes us into his fascinating world of bees in his back garden and Arit takes us to Anna Vallois-Davies’ place at Spring Cottage Flower Co in Stoke by Nayland to look at how she grows cut flowers. Finally Head Gardener Sharnee Gates shows us around the beautiful Arne Maynard designed gardens at the Old Rectory in East Sussex.Some links:To help make this podcast happen, please visit our Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/notjustagardenWater Divining in Cornwallhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DJxLxF6sCFo/Bacteria Killing Paintwww.nottingham.ac.ukMartin Dohrnhttps://martindohrn.comAnna Vallois-Davieshttps://www.instagram.com/springcottageflowerco/Sharnee Gateshttps://www.instagram.com/sharneegates/The Old Rectoryhttp://www.instagram.com/theoldrectorygardenhttps://www.arnemaynard.com/gardens/the-old-rectory/https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/.../the-old-rectory-warbletonMore Not Just a Gardenhttps://notjustagarden.co.uk/https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/

Wayne Williams was on Gardeners' World 2025 episode 1 showing us the incredible Ventnor Botanic Gardens. He joins us for a Good Ol' Chit-Chat and we hear about all things tropical paradise! We learn about Helen's hybrid bananas, how to be awarded a national collection, what defines you as an Overner, Grockle or Culkhead, and what scent is used in Chanel no.5 Eau de Parfum. Sound was not on our side, but Wayne's incredible dream garden of plants we've never heard of is loud and clear!Some mentions from Wayne, links can be found here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/gardens/Wayne’s Youtube channelVentnor Botanic GardenPershore CollegePlants of the World OnlineHill Hassal BeerPlant HeritageHartley BotanicMore Not Just a GardenPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/NotJustaGarden/homeWebsite: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/

Adam Jones was on episode 2 of Gardeners' World 2025, giving us a tour of his incredible vegetable garden. He joins us for A Good Ol' Chit-Chat to regale us with stories of marsh fritillary butterflies, hazel dormice, hen harriers, composting loos, tackling invasive weeds with hens, drawbridges, crossbows, de-complicating gardening, tips for creating bog gardens, keeping bees, and the best use for Tad-cu's rhubarb yet.Some mentions from Adam, links can be found here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/gardens/Aberglasney GardensFarmyard Nurseries, Richard BramleyMore Not Just a GardenPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/NotJustaGarden/homeWebsite: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/