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

Latest Episodes:

The 12 Autumn Sowing Essentials for a Gorgeous Spring Garden - Episode 137 Sep 14, 2023

Show notes

September has brought us a perfect storm of hot weather, warm ground, and cool enough nights for dew to moisten the soil, ideal for germinating seed quickly.

That’s why this week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ celebrates the supreme ornamental seeds for autumn sowing, whether you’re after the poise of Ammi Majus or the watercolour beauty of Nigella Hispanica.

In this episode, discover:

Why warm, moist soil in September is perfect for sowing right now
The glamourous, tried and tested favourite of Ammi Majus
Why Euphorbia Oblongata is curiously misconceived to be completely perennial

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

Garden Cook - A Cookalong Series: Combining Your Kales in a Healthy, Hearty Salad Sep 12, 2023

Show notes

Kale is among the top of the superfoods, and combined with a rich dressing it makes an unbeatable, nutritious salad.

In the next of our video cookalong series, Sarah takes us through a recipe that’s just as quick as it is deliciously rewarding. Follow along as we craft a dish with our favourite kales, like Redbor and Nero di Toscana.

In this episode, discover:

The science behind why kale is one of the healthiest foods you could ever grow
Which kale varieties are unbeatable for flavour and texture
How to toss a salad delicately so as to not bruise the veg
An invigorating combination of ingredients for the perfect dressing

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 Spectacle of Dahlia Breeding in Holland with Josie Lewis - Episode 136 Sep 07, 2023

Show notes

There’s almost no more intoxicating feeling in the floral world than catching eyes with a showstopping, undiscovered variety, particularly if it’s a rousing new Dahlia.

Fresh back from Holland on a Dahlia-hunting expedition, Sarah Raven and Josie Lewis share the joys of visiting Dahlia breeders, what makes the perfect Dahlia, and what’s on our radar for 2024 and beyond…

In this episode, discover:

New and exciting varieties being trialled for the Sarah Raven range
The joyous moment of discovering new, remarkable Dahlias in Holland
How you can cross fertilise you own Dahlias at 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

Garden Cook - A Cookalong Series: The Best Fresh and Fabulous Tempura Recipe Sep 05, 2023

Show notes

In the next of our cookalong episodes of the podcast, Sarah turns her attention to a fabulous, versatile summer garden harvest meal - tempura.

There’s no better way to use your most varied fresh produce, from baby vegetables to edible flowers and herbs, and it’s perfect for serving 4-6 people at a stunning summer party.

In this episode, discover:

How to make a perfectly balanced batter, without the egg
The extra step of stuffing courgettes that takes this tempura recipe to the next level

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

Picking the Perfect Potted Plants for Urban Gardens with Tom Stimpson - Episode 135 Aug 31, 2023

Show notes

Tom Stimpson is our Head of Horticulture, and with a fairly compact urban garden of his own he’s got wonderful vision for potted plants with showstopping impact.

Join us for ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ as Tom shares his pick of the perennials and annuals which bring simplicity and impact to any urban garden, and the three top varieties he’d never pass-up on.

In this episode, discover:

Tom’s background in horticulture and the charming urban garden he’s curated
A selection of stunning, pot-based perennials like the easy-to-flower Pelargonium Sidoides
Which of Tom’s potted flowers are must-haves to bathe any sized garden in uplifting scent

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

Garden Cook - A Cookalong Series: Use Your Veg in an Invigorating Gazpacho Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to the first episode of our brand new cookalong podcast series! We’ll be bringing 5 fantastic recipes to life in real time across 5 episodes, starting with a quick and simple gazpacho.

These episodes are accompanied by videos on YouTube to see Sarah cook this fresh recipe yourself, but either way you’ll learn how to combine a flavoursome variety of tomatoes and cucumber to indulge in this marvellous dish.
Recipe can be found here: https://www.sarahraven.com/articles/all-day-gazpacho

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

Creating Recipes with Seasonal Inspiration & Kitchen Creativity with Blanche Vaughan - Episode 134 Aug 24, 2023

Show notes

Blanche Vaughan’s stellar journey through cookery at top restaurants and becoming a literary authority on creative recipes is absolutely stunning.

It’s these experiences that have culminated in her new book, A Year in the Kitchen, boasting seasonal recipes for year-round joy. Blanche offers an insight into her rich background and wonderfully creative recipes in this week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’.

In this episode, discover:

Blanche’s remarkable history in cookery & cheffing
The move towards evocative recipe writing through her extensive range of books
A number of delightful recipes which make such novel, creative use of beloved ingredients

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 Joys of Garden Birds & How to Protect Them with Adam Nicolson - Episode 133 Aug 17, 2023

Show notes

While our gaze often falls to flower beds for our appreciation of nature, when we set our sights to the skies, there’s wonderful garden & woodland birds all around us.

Having shared the lives and loves of sea birds in his award-winning book, Adam Nicolson’s next literary adventure shares the avian wonders that you’ll find closer to home.

Join Sarah & Adam in this week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ for a delightful foray into the species behind the songs that fill every joyful woodland walk.

In this episode, discover:

A charming app to enlighten your walks with bird information on-the-go
The sophistication of birds’ alarm calls for dangers like foxes, crows and snakes
What we stand to learn from birds about nurturing the natural world around us
Our favourite species of bird to look out for in your own gardens and green spaces

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

12 Top Flowers for Tasty Tisanes & Cordials All Year Round - Episode 132 Aug 10, 2023

Show notes

Since we’ve recently shone a spotlight on the year’s most exciting edibles for food, it’s only fitting that we do the same for drinks, inspiring you with bold and flavoursome tisanes and cordials.

Sarah runs through each month and offers up 12 delightful flowers for garden-based drinks, from easy growers like Chamomile and Lemon Balm to absolute classics like Lemon Verbena.

In this episode, discover:

The deliciously rewarding ways in which you can create garden-grown drinks
A recipe which elicits the flavour of Turkish Delight using a favourite Pelargonium of ours, Attar of Roses
How drying Chamomile flowers & Lemon Verbena leaves that bloom in summer can provide a colourful blend of teas for the winter season
Which of these flowers are easiest to grow from seed

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

KITCHEN GARDEN MINI-SERIES: Must-Have Edibles for Compact Gardens Aug 08, 2023

Show notes

Kitchen gardens needn’t be acres and acres - there’ll be many urban gardeners turning window boxes and balconies into extensions of their kitchen.

This final episode of our Beginner’s Kitchen Garden Mini-Series is brimming with must-have herbs and veg for the smallest spaces, packing the punchiest flavour and boasting the very best productivity.

In this episode, discover:

Flat Leaf Parsley’s rightful reverence for its ease of growing, hardiness and everyday picking
A climbing Courgette perfect for training up a wall or over an arch
How to cook Swiss Chard, which is perfect for compact gardens with its remarkable versatility

Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Veg: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sarah-ravens-a-year-full-of-veg

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