Our Plant Stories

Philippa Steward of Justdahlias admits that her passion for dahlias has become somewhat of an obsession! So who better than Philippa to share with us that enthusiasm and love of this beautiful flower in its many shapes and colours. Philippa has a plant story for later in this series but I couldn't resist talking to her about dahlias now so we could all share her excitement and plant some for this summer. In this bonus episode we learn about planting tubers, she shares how to select your varieties and there is promise of gathering dahlia seeds in the future. Do follow Philippa on Instagram at Justdahlias. Produced and presented by Sally Flatman Music Fade to Black Howard Levy

Judith Kleinman had a Silver Birch tree outside her bedroom window when she was growing up. She now has three beautiful Silver Birch trees outside her back door in her small courtyard garden. But to understand why these trees are her plant story you need to go back to her first student summer and a terrible traffic accident that left her in a spinal injuries unit. She tells her story and returns to the hospital to see a garden that has been built by the charity Horatio's Garden and meet the Head Gardener Ashley Edwards. Will she find Silver Birch trees? You can see photographs of the trees on ourplantstories.com and of course we learn how to grow the plant. Judith has written a book - Finding Quiet Strength which I think draws inspiration from these strong and flexible trees. Presented and Produced by Sally Flatman Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

A short bonus episode in which David Gedye pieces together the story of how the Monkey Puzzle tree made its way to the UK and how it became so popular with gardeners in the country. David has been researching this tree and its links to his family for the past 68 years. He wrote a book about it, sadly sold out but luckily for us he shares his knowledge here. Presented and Produced: Sally Flatman Fade to Black by Howard Levy

David Gedye's mum told him a plant story when he was just 10 years old. It involved a very famous Monkey Puzzle tree and his great great grandfather, a head gardener. That story has led him on a lifetime trail, 68 years so far, to learn more about head gardener Philip Frost and to find out about that tree. Could the story be true - did his great great grandfather carry Monkey Puzzle seed in a tin in his waistcoat pocket and plant the famous Dropmore Monkey Puzzle tree? He shares his story here. Do take a look at the episode page on the website to see the wonderful photograph of David's great great grandfather beside the tree. Presented and Produced by Sally Flatman Fade to Black by Howard Lake

When Andrea bought a new house there was a Monkey Puzzle tree in the front garden. She wasn't keen, it was marked down to go but 12 years later it is still there. Find out why in this Monkey Puzzle Plant Story. These trees first came to the UK in 1795 but they didn't really start to become popular till the 1850s. Queen Victoria saw the tree and wanted one for Prince Albert. We have a Chilean botanist in the podcast to help us understand the tree, learn how to grow it and unravel that story about the original Monkey Puzzle nuts being stolen off a dinner table in Santiago. As ever there are lots of photos and all the information on the episode page on the website. Produced and presented by Sally Flatman Music by Howard Lake

Who were the celebrity gardeners of the 1850's and why were they important to a fledgling charity? The charity still exists today, Mona Abboud (Ep 3 Mona's Corokia) has decided to leave her garden to it - it's called Perennial. It's dedicated to looking after people working in horticulture and their families, at any stage of life. The charity's roots go back almost 200 years and garden historian, Francesca Murray has, for her Phd, spent many hours in its archive. She shares a fascinating story for this Offshoot episode. You can see photographs of original documents on the website: Our Plant Stories.com Our Plant Stories is presented and produced by Sally Flatman Fade to Black by Howard Lake

Never say to Mona Abboud - "this plant is only for trade". This is a wonderful story of one woman's hunt for a plant, there's detective work, there's blackmail! The result is a beautiful New Zealand garden in North London created by a woman who has never set foot in New Zealand. Mona is on a one woman mission to get us all to love corokia - see if she can persuade you too, aided by Fiona Eadie, the author of 100 best native plants for New Zealand gardens. As always this is the podcast where knowledgeable, passionate people will be teaching you how to grow the plant they love. All the information, photographs and growing advice is on the website. Presented and Produced by Sally Flatman Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

"What is a Purdom" by Vicky Aspin's own admission this was her first reaction to being sent to the Purdom bed in Holehird gardens. Then her curiosity was aroused by a name plaque on a bench: For Three Native Lakeland Gardeners, William Purdom and sons William and Harry and from that her hunt began...who was William Purdom? Her searches before the era of the internet, led her eventually to China and the Purdom Memorial Forest Park and you can hear the story of her search and Purdom's life in this Offshoot episode recorded on a sunny Autumn day, sitting on the Purdom bench in Holehird Gardens in Cumbria. As always there are photographs on the website. Presented and produced by Sally Flatman Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

Season 2 of Our Plant Stories is here! And we begin with a very beautiful story from Penn Allen, a listener to the podcast who contacted me with a plant story that takes us to the Lake District. Diaries from Penn's Great Grandmother Alice Hough and her husband Harry reveal a garden built with love in the midst of loss and a friendship with Will Purdom that spanned years and continents leading to plants from China being planted on a rock overlooking Windermere. To understand more about mindset of Will Purdom, we talk to Tom Hart Dyke who has built the World Garden at Lullingstone Castle. We also learn how to grow the Viburnum thanks to wonderfully knowledgeable gardeners at Holehird gardens in Cumbria. All the information about the podcast is on the website. Presented and Produced by Sally Flatman Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

Our Plant Stories is back for a second season and once again the plant stories are going to take us all over the world. To follow and dig into the stories we'll be meeting gardeners, botanists and historians and along the way of course we will learn how to grow the plants. Season 2 starts 12th January 2024. If you have a story that you would like me to follow up in this new series you can email me - sally@ourplantstories.com To find out about the plants featured in all the episodes just go to the website where you can also subscribe to a weekly blog which will mean you'll be first to hear about upcoming episodes. The series is presented and produced by Sally Flatman. Instagram: ourplantstories_podcast

Welcome to a bumper crop of plant stories! I'm looking back over some moments from this years episodes but I also invited 3 other plant podcasters to do the same with their podcasts - hence the 'friends'. We've all picked some clips from the past year that we hope you will enjoy. So thanks to Jane Perrone from On the Ledge, Sarah Wilson from Roots and All and M.T. O'Donnell of Scotland Grows. There are conversations about spiders and sacrificial lambs (well hostas actually), difficult decisions about felling trees and the value of researching local hedgerows. Jane, Sarah and M.T also talk about making their podcasts. I love the way Sarah describes herself as 'a kid chasing a butterfly'. All are connecting people with a passion for plants and it's been a real joy to talk to these fellow podcasters. I will put all the details of their podcasts on the website www.ourplantstories.com If you have a plant story you want me to investigate, you can email me: Sally@ourplantstories.com Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

I'd like to transport you to Levens Hall and a garden that was created in 1694 when topiary was the height of fashion and taste. Over the intervening 329 years this Lake District garden has had only 10 Head Gardeners and each has cared for and clipped that topiary. We first met the current head gardener, Chris Crowder, in Episode 8 in conversation with Diana Boston about the slow nature of gardening with topiary. You can of course listen to that Plant Story and its Offshoot. Hearing Chris talk about his annual job of clipping some 100 pieces of topiary was fascinating, so I went to find out more. I hope you enjoy this visit to the garden and you can see photographs on the website. Produced and Presented by Sally Flatman Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

A short bonus episode to help us celebrate the UK's National Apple Day! Listen for just 15 minutes and you will have some fascinating facts both historical and horticultural to share with others this weekend or just anytime! And I hope you will look at the trees, the apples and the pips in a slightly different light. See pictures of the Reverend Wilkes on the website along with links to all the organisations and charities mentioned in this episode. Here's the original Plant Story and Offshoot about apples. Presented and Produced by Sally Flatman Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

In October, 140 years ago, Mr R. Gilbert of 'the Gardens Burghley House in Stamford' exhibited the Peasgood's nonsuch apple at the National Apple conference held by the RHS in Chiswick. In Episode 5, we learned of the Peasgood's nonsuch; apples the size of small training footballs. Mr R. Gilbert was a prize winning Victorian gardener in charge of the walled and pleasure gardens at Burghley House. His staff: 120 gardeners! The walled gardens have hardly been touched since the late sixties. The current Head Gardener has a passion for walled gardens and a vision to bring this one back to life and there will be Peasgood's nonsuch apples in there. Join Joe Whitehead for a tour. You can see pictures of the fruit galleries, mushroom house and walled garden on the website. Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

We return to two lovely florists with a passion for flowers in this Offshoot episode. We first met Hannah and Maya in Episode 9, when Hannah told us the story of her plant tattoos, which honour and remind her of her mum. Maya introduced us to floriography - the language of flowers. Hannah offered to take me to New Covent Garden Market where she goes to buy flowers which is a place I have always wanted to go. So this Offshoot takes us to the market and hears more from Hannah and Maya about working as florists. You can see pictures of New Covent Garden Market on the website. Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

We first visited the Manor in Hemingford Grey in Episode 8, admiring the topiary: crowns and orbs that were shaped for the Queen's coronation. But this is a garden that holds many stories, including airmen from the second world war, picnicking on the lawn and the adventures of the children from the Green Knowe story books. You can see photographs of this special garden on the episode page. Check out Episode 8 for everything you need to know about topiary including how to start your own. Presented and Produced by Sally Flatman Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy + Abide with Me - Ernest Lough

Imagine taking your 'babies' from show to show to show. That's what Vicky Meads has been doing with her Hostas all Summer. We first met Vicky back in May when she was gearing up for the season. I caught up with her first at RHS Malvern and then at the big one - the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. This is a chance to see the shows through the eyes of the grower. Can she achieve that prestigious Gold Medal? Check out Episode 7 and the shownotes for everything you need to know about growing hostas. Presented and Produced by Sally Flatman Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

Jane Perrone, as a small child was given a very responsible job in the school library, involving Spider plants and look what it has led to - a houseplant podcast called On the Ledge and a book 'Legends of the Leaf'. I hope, if you have a forgotten Spider plant somewhere in your home, this episode will inspire you to repot it and show it a little more love! We learn where and how Chlorophytum comosum to give it the Latin name grows in the wild in South Africa and we hear from two people who hold National Plant collections of them. I have been learning about Variegatum, Vittatum, Ocean and Bonnie - there's a lot to learn. You can find lots of photographs of these plants growing in the wild and more information about them on the website ourplantstories.com If you have a plant story you want me to investigate you can email me: sally@ourplantstories.com Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

In Episode 3 we heard about Fig Tree cuttings carried by the Italian Immigrants to new homes in America. In this Fig tree Off-Shoot we hear about Fig tree cuttings that were a gift from the Pope in Rome to the Archbishop of Canterbury, 500 years ago! And the three Fig Trees are still growing in the Lambeth Palace courtyard in London. Nick Stewart Smith has just published a book called The 1000 Year Old Garden about Lambeth Palace garden and in this episode he describes what it is like to garden in a place with such a long history. You can find all the information about this episode on the website www.ourplantstories.com Presented and Produced by Sally Flatman Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

Over 30 years ago Emma Dogliani planted a Magnolia tree. The reason she planted the tree was a sad one, a miscarriage in her first pregnancy. But that tree over the years also became a great source of joy. Recently she moved house. She would really like to take a cutting from that tree for her new home. She's tried once but it didn't work, can we help her? You can find all the advice and photos on the website www.ourplantstories.com Presented and Produced by Sally Flatman Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy