grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

Latest Episodes:

Q&A: Can you split Dahlia tubers when they’ve grown too big? What are the best long-flowering spring plants? How do you put together colour collections? Feb 20, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to the next Q&A episode for February, where Sarah & Josie answer even more of your questions for a bountiful spring garden!

In this episode, we learn how to split Dahlia tubers once they’ve grown extremely large, round up the best flowers for long-lasting beauty throughout the spring, and touch on the ways to create your own complementary collections of flowers.

Be sure to leave your questions in comments across social media for Sarah & Josie to answer in a future Q&A episode.

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

A Year Full of Pots: The Inspiration Behind Sarah’s New Book with Arthur Parkinson - Episode 159 Feb 15, 2024

Show notes

Over 380 pots call Perch Hill home, and bring such joy and seasonal splendour, which makes Sarah’s latest book a must-read for anyone hoping to do the same in their own space.

Sarah’s joined by Arthur once again on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, this week to share the inspirations behind her love of pots, her simple approach to beautifully combining colour palettes, and the huge range of subjects covered in the book: A Year Full of Pots.

In this episode, discover:

Why Sarah chose to write on pots, and how she was inspired by Josie and Arthur
The four colour palettes that Sarah curates and combines to create gorgeous pot showings
Why ‘A Year Full of Pots’ is written in the same, simple to follow format as many cookbooks
The range and variety of topics covered within the book

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Charming Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas with Arthur Parkinson - Episode 158 Feb 08, 2024

Show notes

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and for those looking to bring a floral flair to their gift-giving this year, Sarah and Arthur’s shortlist is full of delightful ideas.

As you’d expect there’s a varied selection of flowers beyond the traditional roses, and other ways to bring joy to your loved ones with mini-landscapes and pins to keep one’s favourite flowers and animals close.

In this episode, discover:

Why the charm of printing photos is so important to relive fond garden memories
Sarah’s ‘from acorns to oak trees’ mantra for gifting seeds like Verbena ‘Bampton’ and Dahlia ‘Bishop’s Children’
The joy in Arthur’s butterfly pin collection and his desire to keep it growing
How puzzles are a wonderful way to familiarise yourself with your garden’s wildlife

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Q&A: When can you move seedlings outside? How do I treat gangly sweet peas? What can we do to combat dahlia gall? Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to the first of February’s Q&A podcast episodes, addressing questions directly from our listeners with Sarah Raven and Josie Lewis.

Kicking off the month, we’ve a timely question on moving seedlings outside when they’ve been in a window propagator, and Sarah shares her golden rule to prevent sweet peas from developing a ‘gangly’ appearance.

We also hear the latest on ‘dahlia gall’, with an abundance of Josie’s expertise on pests and diseases, and tips on how to prevent its spread in your own garden.

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

The 12 Best Flowers for Glorious, Long-Lasting Presence in the Garden with Josie Lewis - Episode 157 Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

A desirable feature in so many plants is their ability to bring beauty to the garden for as long as possible, and in this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ we’re focusing on 12 of the very best.

From stunning showstoppers to rampant climbers with gorgeous scent, Sarah is joined this week by Head Gardener Josie Lewis to discuss the 12 best long-performing flowers.

In this episode, discover:

Which shrubs and trees are perfect for making a huge impact with fantastic blossoms
The perennial plants perfect for bold splashes of colour like Dahlia Molly Raven, or for a softer display like Erigeron Karvinskianus
What makes the truly unique Cobaea Scandens such a fantastic, exotic-looking addition to your garden throughout the year

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

This month in your garden: February Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

Join Sarah Raven and Perch Hill’s Head Gardener, Josie Lewis, for a rundown of February’s essential gardening jobs.

In the next of this mini-series leading you through the month’s most important tasks, we run through the flower groups that need sowing soon, how to keep your potatoes growing, and what wildlife to look out for - plus plenty more to keep you busy throughout February!

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

The Charm and Value of Garden Ponds Great or Small with Dr Steve Head - Episode 156 Jan 25, 2024

Show notes

The humble pond is a staggering ecosystem in itself, and supports much of the creatures surrounding it, making any garden pond a wonderful place for wildlife to thrive.

Steve Head returns to the podcast this week with a rousing call to action for us all to create our own ponds, great or small. He shares the value they bring, why one shouldn’t be concerned about a pond’s size, and the gorgeous array of flora and fauna that a pond can introduce.

In this episode, discover:

The essential value that ponds bring to both the ecosystem within them, and the wildlife that uses them
How to design a charming pond that best serves wildlife of all varieties
Whether your pond drying out is a problem to be prevented, or actually part of a useful cycle

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Q&A: Can a well-established peony tree be moved? How many bulbs should be in a container? Jan 23, 2024

Show notes

Welcome back to the latest in our exciting new Q&A podcast episodes, where Sarah and Josie share their expertise on your top gardening queries.

This time round, we’re looking at whether it’s safe to move a well-established peony tree without damaging it, and Josie’s curious new revelation for the perfect number of bulbs in any sized container.

Get involved with future episodes by posing Sarah and Josie your questions - just pop us a message on the podcast review pages, email or our social media posts, and keep an eye (or ear!) out for Sarah’s response in these regular Q&A episodes.

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Celebrating the Extraordinary Role of the Farmer’s Wife with Helen Rebanks - Episode 155 Jan 18, 2024

Show notes

Rural life in a farming home owes a great deal to the unsung work of those who support it behind the scenes, a fact that’s captured beautifully in Helen Rebanks’ new book, The Farmer’s Wife.

Sarah chats with Helen this week to hear some of the stories woven from the wider farming community’s work, and a few of the book’s recipes, which follow Helen’s refreshingly honest and simple cooking style.

In this episode, discover:

The inception of Helen’s passion for great, simple recipes
Helen’s many touching stories from the book that detail the incredible influence of others in the local farming community
How Helen found adoration for the lifestyle of a farmer’s wife, being an utterly vital part of any farming home

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Gardening Through the Winter Frost and Snow with Josie Lewis - Episode 154 Jan 11, 2024

Show notes

In the early months of the year, gardeners are faced with particularly challenging weather conditions, requiring care and attention to keep your garden thriving through the frost and snow.

This episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ centres around the things you can do to keep your garden glowing amid the battering winds and relentless rain - Josie Lewis joins Sarah to share her top tips.

In this episode, discover: