Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

This episode, my guest is Susan Poizner. Susan is the author of the award-winning fruit tree care book Growing Urban Orchards and her new book, which is now an Amazon Number One Bestseller, Grow Fruit Trees Fast. Susan trains thousands of new growers worldwide through her award-winning fruit tree care training program and is the host of The Urban Forestry Radio Show and Podcast and an ISA Certified Arborist. She founded the Ben Nobleman Park Community Orchard in Toronto in 2009, helps others establish and maintain community orchards and food forests in Toronto and beyond and has won multiple awards for her work.

Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Ivy Mining Bees

What We Talk About

Selecting trees for disease resistance and planning for a staggered harvest if you grow multiple trees

Choosing a spot for your tree

Tree roots as the tree matures

Feeding your fruit trees

Mulching

Success in a community orchard

Summer and winter pruning

About Susan Poizner

Susan is the author of the award-winning fruit tree care book Growing Urban Orchards and her second book Grow Fruit Trees Fast. Susan trains thousands of new growers worldwide through her award-winning fruit tree care training program and is the host of The Urban Forestry Radio Show and Podcast and an ISA Certified Arborist. She founded the Ben Nobleman Park Community Orchard in Toronto in 2009, helps others establish and maintain community orchards and food forests in Toronto and beyond and has won multiple awards for her work.

Links

Growing Urban Orchards

Grow Fruit Trees Fast

The Urban Forestry Radio Show

Great Dixter Charitable Trust

Other episodes if you liked this one:

Plan, Plant & Maintain Fruit Trees

Apples

Patreon

This episode, my guest is qualified herbalist Meghan Rhodes. Meghan discusses how we can tap into our gardens for better health, why herbs are good for dealing with conditions that are manifestations of multiple problems, such as stomach issues, the 7 keys tastes you find in herbs and how you can get started on your own journey using herbs for wellbeing.

Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Spanish Slug Story

What We Talk About

How herbalism adds another layer of wellbeing to gardening

Why taste is baked into our biologies, even if you’re brand new to working with plants and herbs

How to recalibrate your palette to be able to detect the 7 key tastes of herbs

How understanding tastes helps you make the most of foraged and homegrown herbs

About Meghan Rhodes

Meghan Rhodes is a qualified herbalist who has helped over 80 people start living herbalism, making healthier, safer solutions for themselves and their families a reality. As the founder of Rhodes Roots & Remedies, she has written 10 course books, authored the books Easy Herbal Remedies for Infants and Slow-Infused Self-Care, as well as developed a unique four season sense-based herbalism course and journey, Awaken Herbal Wisdom.

Meghan’s practice of herbalism is rooted in the belief that we must remember, reclaim and relearn our knowledge of our bodies, our autonomy and how to work with plant medicine in order to bring control of our own health back into our families and homes for a sustainable future for ourselves and the planet.

Meghan is a member of both the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy and the Ayurvedic Professionals Association.

Links

• Get on the waiting list for Meghan's intensive herbalism course - Awaken Herbal Wisdom - enrolling annually - or DM Meghan the word ACCESS for the link.
• Exclusive access to exploring one of the seven tastes
• Instagram - @rhodesrootsandremedies

GreenBlue Urban

Other episodes if you liked this one:

Sensory Herbalism

The Herb Society

Patreon

Hello and welcome to Roots and All, where my guest this week is urban apiculturist Mark Patterson. Mark founded and runs Apicultural where he work with businesses and communities to invest in natural capital, improving the environment for pollinators and delivering pollinator monitoring surveys for clients. He provides honey bee hive management solutions, beekeeping training and education and also supplies quality urban honey to a select group of establishments. So you’d think Mark would be all for the idea of urban honeybees, right? Listen on…

Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Ear Wigglers

What We Talk About

How many hives are there in London, does anybody have an estimate? Is it a sustainable number? Where are they foraging for floral resources? Are there enough of these?

Are urban conditions more taxing for bees? Do environmental stressors lead to higher incidences of disease, for example?

Do managed bees outcompete wild bees when it comes to consuming pollen and nectar?

Are managed bees necessary? Useful? Desirable? Filling a niche left by potentially dwindling numbers of wild bees? A useful pollination and food source for humans?

Why are commercial beekeeping companies trying to muscle in on the beekeeping tradition in London?

Do honeybees count as an ‘environmental credit’ in terms of planning and building?

About Mark Patterson

After completing a National Diploma in Agriculture, Land use and recreation which included a practical Horticultural course Mark went on to study for an Honours Degree in Countryside Management and Ornithology at Kingston Upon Hull University - an ecology based course of study. It was during this time at University that Mark was introduced to bee keeping by a fellow student.

As senior Consultant Mark has amassed over 26 years of experience in the fields of nature conservation and ecology. His past professional positions include marine biologist/ranger on the Farne islands national nature reserve, Countryside Ranger for a local Authority, Nature reserve manager for Durham Wildlife services, Worked on a bird of prey Reintroduction program with the RSPB , Freelance consultancy and 11 years as a project and program manager for a national Environmental regeneration Charity, Groundwork.

Having assisted others with their beekeeping for several years Mark began bee keeping on his own in 2010 having attended an introduction course and a seasons mentoring. Since then he has volunteered extensively for Bee keeping associations, serving as elected committee official and Trustee to the LBKA, taught courses and organised forage planting activities for the bee keeping community he serves. Mark spent 3 years working for DEFRA as a seasonal Bee Inspector and currently cares for around 30 colonies of honey bees,10 of which are his own.

Mark currently posses the BBKA Bee basic certificate, BBKA Honey bee management certificate, several of the BBKA modular exam certificates and the General Husbandry certificate. Mark has extensive training and experience in notifiable bee diseases diagnosis and management.

As well as Honey Bees Mark is also highly knowledgeable about Solitary bees and Bumblebees and teaches Bee identification courses for the Field Studies Council as part of the nationwide BioLinks program.

Links

www.apicultural.co.uk

Mark Patterson on LinkedIn

www.howgreennursery.co.uk

Other episodes if you liked this one:

The Garden Jungle with Professor Dave Goulson

Pollinators with Professor Jeff Ollerton

Patreon

My guest this week is David Hedges-Gower. David is a prominent figure in the UK's lawn care industry, known for his expertise and dedication to promoting sustainable lawn care practices. He wrote the book ‘Modern Lawn Care’, is the Chairman of The Lawn Association, founded the world’s first lawn care qualification and works tirelessly to promote responsible, sustainable lawn care practices that benefit the environment and homeowners. What David has to say on lawns certainly challenged my notions on what lawn care involves, whether they’re a sensible option to those concerned about wildlife and the environment and what they can and should be like from a horticultural perspective, so listen on with an open mind…

Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Horse Chestnut Moth

What We Talk About

Lawns and their uses

Do lawns have to be high maintenance?

Ideal grass species for sustainable lawns

Do you have to feed a lawn?

Can lawns be of use to wildlife?

Artificial lawns

About David Hedges-Gower

David Hedges-Gower is a prominent figure in the UK's lawn care industry, known for his expertise and dedication to promoting sustainable lawn care practices. His background in greenkeeping, including his role as Superintendent at the prestigious Oxfordshire Golf Club, provided him with a strong foundation in turf management.

After recognizing the need for better information and knowledge in the lawn care field, David transitioned into lawn care and authored a book titled "Modern Lawn Care" in 2014. This publication served as a valuable resource for those seeking to improve their lawn maintenance practices.

In addition to his book, David has been actively involved in educating people about proper lawn care through training days, seminars, and advisory services. He is a trusted source of information, having accumulated 43 years of experience in the field. He often serves as an expert for publications, radio channels, and other advisory bodies, helping to disseminate his knowledge to a wider audience.

One of David's notable achievements is founding the world's first lawn care qualification, which caters to both homeowners and professionals. This qualification helps individuals gain a better understanding of modern and sustainable lawn care practices, contributing to the overall improvement of lawn maintenance.

David Hedges-Gower is also the Chairman of The Lawn Association, an organization dedicated to promoting the value of living lawns and distinguishing between genuine sustainable lawn care and marketing tactics that claim sustainability without delivering on it. The association collaborates with significant horticultural bodies like English Heritage to educate staff, trainees, and apprentices on sustainable lawn care methods.

Recently, David launched the True Garden Range, a groundbreaking product in the form of 2-in-1 fertilizers and soil conditioners made from composted recycled food waste. This product addresses the need for sustainable lawn care options in the retail market, providing a more environmentally friendly choice for gardeners.

David's passion lies in making sustainable lawns a priority, countering the practice of franchises that prioritize profits over the health of lawns. He envisions sustainable lawns as not just a feature of our surroundings but a necessity, and he works tirelessly to promote responsible lawn care practices that benefit both the environment and homeowners.

Links

www.davidhedges-gower.com

Modern Lawn Care by David Hedges-Gower

www.lawnassociation.org

Other episodes if you liked this one:

Tapestry Lawns

So & Mo

Patreon

This week, my guest is Andrew Bullock, who runs The Lavender Garden Nursery. Andrew holds the National Collection of Buddlejas and grows a huge range of lavenders and buddlejas from his nursery in The Cotswolds. We talk about how to attract pollinators to your garden, when and how to prune your buddlejas and lavenders, whether buddlejas are invasive, why lavenders are sometimes short-lived and anything else you ever wanted to know about these two plants for pollinators.

Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Mosquitoes

What We Talk About

Which is better for bees - buddleja or lavender?

The best varieties for bees/butterflies/pollinators in general

Night time pollinators

How to grow lavender and buddleja

When to prune and how much to take off

Buddleja - invasive?

Causes of short-lived lavender

Links

The Lavender Garden

Contact Andrew on the phone: 01453 860356 or 07837 582943

www.premierpolytunnels.co.uk

Other episodes if you liked this one:

Pollinators & Pollination

Bugs in Your Garden

Patreon

Several years ago, Penn Allen inherited a collection of diaries that had been meticulously maintained by her great grandmother. Penn discovered the diaries documented the building of her great grandmother and grandfather’s Arts and Crafts house and the development of the garden that followed.She uncovered an untold story of her family, of plant hunting and of rock gardens - one that has significance to the wider world of horticultural history and in fact, goes some way to rewriting it.

Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Buddleias and Butterfly Tongues

What We Talk About

What the book is about and why Penn felt it was important to write it

How the garden helped heal; through providing a space to contemplate, a space to communicate, a distraction…

Alpines and rock gardening

Plant hunters

Reginald Farrer

Will Purdom

What became of house and garden

About Penn Allen

Having spent most of my life in the UK, I moved permanently to the beautiful Lot region in SW France with my husband around fifteen years ago. I have a passion for my garden and the outdoors and can generally be found either striding over a windswept hillside or upside down in my flower beds, always with a Labrador or two by my side. The Lost Garden of Loughrigg is my first story, though hopefully not my last!

Links

The Lost Gardens of Loughrigg by Penn Allen

Tickets to see Penn Allen at the Kendal Mountain Book Festival

Twitter @PennAllenwrites

Instagram penn.allen

www.modicagardens.com

This episode, my guest is green roof guru, urban designer, photographer, birdwatcher, punk ideologist and all-round straight talker Dusty Gedge. We talk about green infrastructure, encouraging species back into landscapes, how to maintain landscapes for habitat value and what’s being and can be done to up the green value of public spaces.

Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Woodlice

What We Talk About

Brownfield gardening

Biodiversity in decline

The problems faced by birds in urban environments

What initiatives Dusty is most excited by

What happens if biodiversity starts causing a problem?

Maintaining green roofs as habitats

About Dusty Gedge

Links

www.dustygedge.co.uk

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

LinkedIn

Collecting the Love 1

Collecting the Love 2

Other episodes if you liked this one:

The Botanical Mind

Public Green Spaces

Patreon

My guest this week is Amy Anthony, a certified clinical Aromatherapist and Aromatic Gardener. In addition to that, Amy is an aromatherapy educator, podcaster, herbalist, certified master composter, and artisanal distiller and is one of New York’s top aromatherapy practitioners. We talk about the importance of connecting with nature through scent, how aromatherapy can support wellness and vitality and how you can become an aromatic gardening practitioner yourself.

Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Rosemary Leaf Beetles

What We Talk About

What is aromatherapy?

What is aromatic gardening?

What’s the difference between plant aromatics and synthetics?

What are best essential oils for supporting wellness and vitality?

Do you need to be careful with any aromatic oils? What are safe and practical approaches to aromatherapy?

How are you connected to plants from your culture?

“Aromatherapy is not a consumptive exercise.” Why? What can we do about this in our own gardens?

How is aromatherapy linked to the moon?

Where to find out more

About Amy Anthony

Amy is a certified clinical Aromatherapist and Aromatic Gardner who left her career in marketing research to pursue what is closest to her heart: working with plants. As a certified aromatherapist, aromatherapy educator, herbalist, gardener, certified master composter, and artisanal distiller, Amy is one of NYC’s top aromatherapy practitioners.

Host of theEssential Aromatica podcast, Amy also tends her own aromatic garden on the North Fork of Long Island where she distills her unique products.

Listed as one of America’smost influential aromatherapists,Amy Anthony is currently the New York State representative for theAlliance of International Aromatherapistsand has her private practice calledNYC Aromaticawhich includes one-on-one customized aromatherapy sessions, online class offerings, corporate consulting andarticle writing.

Links

Essential Aromatica Podcast

NYC Aromatica

Other episodes if you liked this one:

Scent Magic with Isabel Bannerman

Gardening for Your Senses

Patreon

This episode is an interview with environmental landscape artist, TED Speaker and art21 Educator Tobacco Brown. Tobacco connects art and environmental justice and is a visual artist, digital storyteller, master gardener, social practitioner, cultural historian and intuitive environmental advocate. We talk about community green spaces, how humans connect with the land and why it’s so important that we do.

Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Beewolf

What We Talk About 

What can gardens teach us about ourselves? 

Lessons we can learn from a garden that help us live our lives well

Are there lessons we can take from life that will help us be better gardeners? 

Wisdom residing in the soil

Land justice

Communication blight remediation

How gardens grow with you as you go through life

About Tobacco Brown

Links

Tobacco Brown

What Gardening Taught Me About Life - Tobacco Brown’s TED Talk

On Instagram

art21

Other episodes if you liked this one:

The Botanical Mind

Public Green Spaces

Patreon

My guest this week is Blanche Cameron, who leads UCL Bartlett School of Architecture's Environmental Design and Greening Cities modules, and is an urban green infrastructure advocate who works closely with industry and the government on urban greening issues. To say our towns and cities are not always good examples of environmentally sound design and biodiversity would be quite the understatement, but Blanche is one of a group of outspoken advocates for nature inclusive design who are are working towards better outcomes in this regard.

Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Dagger flies

What We Talk About 

The built environment and biodiversity collapse

Landscaping in towns and cities

How good design can help mitigate biodiversity loss and climate change

Vertical planting and green roofs

Do we need a coherent plan or is it up to individuals to start changing their landscapes?

“Productising” and the construction industry’s need for homogeneity

Where does technologically fit in?

About Blanche Cameron

Blanche leads UCL Bartlett School of Architecture’s Environmental Design and Greening Cities modules and contributes to other modules and programmes, including the Landscape Architecture and Sustainable Heritage MSc.She coordinated the Living Landscape Strategy for UCL’s £1Bn UCL East development, and sits on UCL’s campus greening ‘Wild Bloomsbury’ steering group. Blanche is an urban green infrastructure advocate, working closely with industry and government, bringing practitioners into the heart of teaching, including John Little, biodiverse landscapes innovator, and Dusty Gedge, living roofs expert and founder in 2004 of the independent advisory organisation, Livingroofs.org. Blanche edited the GLA's 2019 10-year update report on the impact of a decade of urban greening since the London Plan's Green Roofs and Walls 2008 policy, co-written by Dusty Gedge and Gary Grant.

Links

Blanche on LinkedIn

www.naturalgrower.co.uk

www.veteransgrowth.org

Other episodes if you liked this one:

John Little

Green Roofs with Dr Anna Zakrisson

Patreon