There’s an intricacy and generosity of spirit to the work of floral artist and broadcaster Hazel Gardiner that betrays her love of story telling, as well as hinting at her ability not just to absorb energy from the creatives she works along side, but to amplify that vibrancy and share it back around. In this episode she joins me to talk about her varied career path, the roots of her artistic approach and, of course, her garden
Read moreThe Gardens, Weeds & Words podcast, Series 3 Episode 7
To celebrate the publication of my first book, To Stand and Stare: how to garden while doing next to nothing, I’m having the tables turned on me. For this episode, I find myself on the other side of the mic as friend of the podcast Alice Vincent drops by to interview me about how the book came about, how it relates to my wider work, and why a title that’s very much not a ‘how to garden’ manual still manages to have so many ‘how to...’ sections in it.
Read moreThe Gardens, Weeds & Words podcast, Series 3 Episode 6
I’m so delighted to have florist and grower Milli Proust on the podcast for the last episode of 2022. Her book From Seed to Bloom was one of the highlights of the year for me, as it has been for many others, and the images of her floral arrangements and beautiful growing space in West Sussex continue to provide a gorgeous backdrop to pleasant reveries. We discuss her emphasis upon the seasons and the land, on story and theatre, and the impact that becoming a mother has had on her work. And laugh, a lot.
Read moreThe Gardens, weeds & words podcast, Series 1 Episode 7
Each day now the sound of birdsong gets louder – spring is in the air, but we wait on the threshold, wondering if winter’s quite done with us yet. I can think of noone better to discuss seasonal living with than gardening writer Lia Leendertz, author of the hugely successful Almanac, a seasonal guide to 2019, and was delighted she could join me for this episode.
Read moreThe Almanac: a seasonal guide to 2019
This year’s Almanac – a seasonal guide by Lia Leendertz quickly became something of an essential and trusted companion, and so the publication of 2019’s version has been greeted with great enthusiasm from all quarters. Is it a worthy successor? Read on to find out.
Read more#thatwinterspringthing hashtag project
To the uninitiated, hashtags are probably the most confounding aspect to social media. But a little delving reveals them to be a powerful tool for cutting through the online flotsam and plucking related content out from the relentless flow of global chatter. As winter turns to spring, I’m launching a hashtag to encourage Instagram users to share their seasonal images.
Read moreThe Almanac
My in-tray is wobbling at me dangerously. I have an article to write, invoices to send and a small pile of books to review. But I’m so excited about this one that it’s jumping the queue. Lia Leendertz’s much anticipated Almanac has arrived, and I’m delighted to have got my hands on a copy.
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