kitchen gardens

Autumn has arrived on the shores of the UK - a slight freshness to the mornings and a waning of the light signal that subtle change to the season. In the garden the peak colour and growth is starting to give way to the texture and autumnal colours that signal the slow, but beautiful descent, into a period of more dormant reflection. Autumn can be one of the most beautiful times of year and also a celebration of what has gone before, the present harvest of abundance but also the future excitement of gardening plans and work.

With Saul and Lucy being big fans of top quality horticultural waffle, what better place to look for inspiration than the pages of the RHS journal, The Garden? Expect discussions on garlic planting, curry ingredient growing, lowering your carbon footprint via vegetables and much more, as the duo inadvertently stumble across abundant grow your own features. Let's hope that next month's issue of the magazine is an exotics extravaganza!

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 

Autumn has arrived on the shores of the UK - a slight freshness to the mornings and a waning of the light signal that subtle change to the season. In the garden the peak colour and growth is starting to give way to the texture and autumnal colours that signal the slow, but beautiful descent, into a period of more dormant reflection. Autumn can be one of the most beautiful times of year and also a celebration of what has gone before, the present harvest of abundance but also the future excitement of gardening plans and work.

Mild weather continues this October - and although this may not bring on a classic display of Autumn colour for our trees, the end of October and start of November is peak season for reds, yellows and oranges. It's also school half-term, Lucy is enjoying some time with her little one, so Saul is left to guide you around Stonelands looking at some of the best trees and flowers that are giving us our final send off the gardening year.

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 

Autumn has arrived on the shores of the UK - a slight freshness to the mornings and a waning of the light signal that subtle change to the season. In the garden the peak colour and growth is starting to give way to the texture and autumnal colours that signal the slow, but beautiful descent, into a period of more dormant reflection. Autumn can be one of the most beautiful times of year and also a celebration of what has gone before, the present harvest of abundance but also the future excitement of gardening plans and work.

With mild weather predicted on the horizon, and beautiful days for gardening while the leaves turn their wonderful shades of crimson and yellow, its time to get out and get those gardening tasks done before the winter sets in. Lucy and Saul have a look at some of the Autumn tasks they are getting on with over the next few weeks, from bulb planting, sowing broad beans and pruning their roses. Its an ideal time to get ahead of next seasons plans and use this Indian summer to its fullest.

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 

Autumn has arrived on the shores of the UK - a slight freshness to the mornings and a waning of the light signal that subtle change to the season. In the garden the peak colour and growth is starting to give way to the texture and autumnal colours that signal the slow, but beautiful descent, into a period of more dormant reflection. Autumn can be one of the most beautiful times of year and also a celebration of what has gone before, the present harvest of abundance but also the future excitement of gardening plans and work.

Accessing trade accounts, swapping skills with tradesfolk, propagation, upcycling and much more - Saul and Lucy have got plenty of tips for their podcast listeners on how to save money and stretch our funds. Lucy also discusses how she's juggling her busy work schedule, and Saul soldiers on with talks and networking events whilst fighting off a nasty bug. It might not be rock 'n' roll, but it's always authentic! 

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 

Support the show

Autumn has arrived on the shores of the UK - a slight freshness to the mornings and a waning of the light signal that subtle change to the season. In the garden the peak colour and growth is starting to give way to the texture and autumnal colours that signal the slow, but beautiful descent, into a period of more dormant reflection. Autumn can be one of the most beautiful times of year and also a celebration of what has gone before, the present harvest of abundance but also the future excitement of gardening plans and work.

A key trait of any successful gardener is the humility to confess that there is still so much to learn. With decades of horticultural experience under their belts, Saul and Lucy still get a real buzz from sharing their observations about what this gardening year has taught them. Lucy tells Saul what this spring's storms revealed to her, and Saul shares his insight into the Devonshire plants that, surprisingly, toughed out the summer drought.

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 

Support the show

Autumn has arrived on the shores of the UK - a slight freshness to the mornings and a waning of the light signal that subtle change to the season. In the garden the peak colour and growth is starting to give way to the texture and autumnal colours that signal the slow, but beautiful descent, into a period of more dormant reflection. Autumn can be one of the most beautiful times of year and also a celebration of what has gone before, the present harvest of abundance but also the future excitement of gardening plans and work.

After a good break the Talking Heads duo are back - Head Gardeners Lucy and Saul have recharged their batteries after a long, dry and somewhat busy busy and are looking forward to Autumn and Winter in their respective gardens. FOr many that means protecting precious plants of all levels of hardiness. But what is Hardiness and how does it differ across the country? And how should that effect the level of protection you give your plants - are you a risk taker or experimentalists? Do you want to make sure your on the safe side for everything or is tailoring your plant choice to your microclimate more important? Lucy and Saul take a look at this complicated world on todays episode.

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Autumn has arrived on the shores of the UK - a slight freshness to the mornings and a waning of the light signal that subtle change to the season. In the garden the peak colour and growth is starting to give way to the texture and autumnal colours that signal the slow, but beautiful descent, into a period of more dormant reflection. Autumn can be one of the most beautiful times of year and also a celebration of what has gone before, the present harvest of abundance but also the future excitement of gardening plans and work.

Saul returns with another episode from his back garden - at its peak of lushness much of what was foliage has now turned floral. Gingers, Brugmansia, Salvias, Begonias have burst forth with a range of hues and scent that makes September the month for the lush jungle gardens around the UK, and a last hurrah of many gardens before the colder weather begins the slow work of pruning and protection for the winter. 

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Long summer days, high temperatures and maximum sunlight are the hall marks of a good summer (lets hope for a little rain though!). The Summer of 2022 is eagerly awaited by all the keen gardens up and down the UK as herbaceous borders, roses, veg gardens and meadows are awash with new plantings, flower and a general sense of abundance that only Summer can bring. Whereas Spring is a steady ramping of growth the Summer is a time for 'peak  plant' followed by the mellow and relaxed waning into Autumn - so slap on that sun scream, stick on your favourite summer hat and get out and enjoy all the hard work you've undertaken in your garden!

Lucy and Saul are out and about again. This time working at BBC Gardeners World Autumn Fair held at the beautiful Audley End House and Gardens. The pair have been given the run of the amazing 2.5 acre Walled Garden and along with the gardening team of Louise, Gemma, Kelly, Ursula and Angi they've been waxing lyrical on Fruit and Veg to many of the shows visitors. So sit back and enjoy a few of the sights, sounds and highlights from their weekend. 

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

From time to time Lucy and Saul decided they wanted to record conversations with other Head Gardeners, Curators, Garden Owners and fellow horticulturists across the UK, these will be published as Bonus Episodes alongside their usual format of chatting about their gardening lives. We hope you enjoy.

For the Bonus Episode #17 we are joined by Head Gardener Louise Ellis, Kitchen Garden Supervisor Gemma Sturges and Senior Kitchen Gardener Kelly Fowler from Audley End House and Garden, and English Heritage managed estate in Essex. Both Lucy and Saul along with Louise and her staff will be at BBC Gardeners World Autumn Fair (2nd-4th September) giving tours of the walled garden and appearing on the various stages giving insights into their work and lots of gardening advice. So we find out about how they got into gardening, some of the crucial elements that go into managing an extensive garden and two and a half acre walled kitchen garden, as well as a few insights into their favourite gardening jobs!

Twitter links:
Gemma @gemma_sturges
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Instagram links:
Gemma madamtuberist
Kelly fedbyplants
Lucy headgardenerlc

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Long summer days, high temperatures and maximum sunlight are the hall marks of a good summer (lets hope for a little rain though!). The Summer of 2022 is eagerly awaited by all the keen gardens up and down the UK as herbaceous borders, roses, veg gardens and meadows are awash with new plantings, flower and a general sense of abundance that only Summer can bring. Whereas Spring is a steady ramping of growth the Summer is a time for 'peak  plant' followed by the mellow and relaxed waning into Autumn - so slap on that sun scream, stick on your favourite summer hat and get out and enjoy all the hard work you've undertaken in your garden!

The sporadic nature of summer thorms is testing the patience of Head Gardeners, Saul and Lucy. Rain may be falling locally, but not on their respective Devonshire and Essex estates. So, how do the pair contemplate managing such erratic water supplies, and what can home gardeners do to emulate the same thinking? Water storage tanks, domestic dwelling planning regulations and grey water recycling all get the Talking Heads treatment - plus, we get an insight into what can happen in a head gardener's bathtub!

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 

Support the show

Long summer days, high temperatures and maximum sunlight are the hall marks of a good summer (lets hope for a little rain though!). The Summer of 2022 is eagerly awaited by all the keen gardens up and down the UK as herbaceous borders, roses, veg gardens and meadows are awash with new plantings, flower and a general sense of abundance that only Summer can bring. Whereas Spring is a steady ramping of growth the Summer is a time for 'peak  plant' followed by the mellow and relaxed waning into Autumn - so slap on that sun scream, stick on your favourite summer hat and get out and enjoy all the hard work you've undertaken in your garden!

Gardening is portrayed in all sorts of media - from Monty on Friday nights, local radio garden phone-ins to YouTube influencers providing the latest gardening trends. The world of Gardening Media may seem glamorous but it is wide in its breadth with many outlets providing a space for the Horticultural voice to be heard. Lucy and Saul thoroughly enjoy using these platforms to  promote their beloved career and pastimes, and give a few tips and advice if you too want to give a little media work a go yourself.

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 

Long summer days, high temperatures and maximum sunlight are the hall marks of a good summer (lets hope for a little rain though!). The Summer of 2022 is eagerly awaited by all the keen gardens up and down the UK as herbaceous borders, roses, veg gardens and meadows are awash with new plantings, flower and a general sense of abundance that only Summer can bring. Whereas Spring is a steady ramping of growth the Summer is a time for 'peak  plant' followed by the mellow and relaxed waning into Autumn - so slap on that sun scream, stick on your favourite summer hat and get out and enjoy all the hard work you've undertaken in your garden!

We're all so much more aware of the benefits of growing your own fruit and vegetables these days, and if you're a Head Gardener on an estate with a large kitchen garden, it's happy days during August. Saul and Lucy both love growing food for their employers, so what have they been harvesting over the past few days? Hear tales of courgettes, French beans, salads and agretti (plus, don't forget the fruit!). August is also a key month to start off hardier crops to yield during the cooler months, so Lucy urges you to utilise your glasshouse to the max this autumn and winter. In essence, get sowing!

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 

Support the show

Long summer days, high temperatures and maximum sunlight are the hall marks of a good summer (lets hope for a little rain though!). The Summer of 2022 is eagerly awaited by all the keen gardens up and down the UK as herbaceous borders, roses, veg gardens and meadows are awash with new plantings, flower and a general sense of abundance that only Summer can bring. Whereas Spring is a steady ramping of growth the Summer is a time for 'peak  plant' followed by the mellow and relaxed waning into Autumn - so slap on that sun scream, stick on your favourite summer hat and get out and enjoy all the hard work you've undertaken in your garden!

Whilst May might have been unseasonally rainy for many UK gardeners, June and July have proved characteristically dry, especially for Lucy in Essex. This prompted the Head Gardener duo to assess their lawns, and ponder what the future might hold for them. Should we just accept that summer droughts equate to brown turf, or are there other planting or management options that will give us the desired green growth between our bare summer toes? Listen in to their thoughts as Lucy and Saul discuss ryegrass, Bermuda grass, and a re-think of brown grass.

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 

Support the show

Long summer days, high temperatures and maximum sunlight are the hallmarks of a good summer (lets hope for a little rain though!). The Summer of 2022 is eagerly awaited by all the keen gardens up and down the UK as herbaceous borders, roses, veg gardens and meadows are awash with new plantings, flower and a general sense of abundance that only Summer can bring. Whereas Spring is a steady ramping of growth the Summer is a time for 'peak  plant' followed by the mellow and relaxed waning into Autumn - so slap on that sun scream, stick on your favourite summer hat and get out and enjoy all the hard work you've undertaken in your garden!

Summer hit the UK (and a lot of Europe) square in the face this week, the heat of Monday and Tuesday was very unusual with England, Wales and Scotland all breaking their record high temperatures. Gardening in the heat is not pleasant, but in a warming world and longer periods of heat in the summer predicted for our usual temperate climate, Gardeners will have to adapt, not only in their working practices but in some areas their plant palettes too. Luckily Lucy had (for the sake of the podcast) just returned from a holiday in Rhodes, where she assures Saul she did plenty of botany to research the topic of todays podcast!

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 

From time to time Lucy and Saul decided they wanted to record conversations with other Head Gardeners, Curators, Garden Owners and fellow horticulturists across the UK, these will be published as Bonus Episodes alongside their usual format of chatting about their gardening lives. We hope you enjoy.

For the Bonus Episode #16 we are joined by Deborah Lambkin, Botanical Artist. Deborah is an award winning artist who has worked for many botanical institutions around the UK and Ireland including primarily at RBG, Kew and for the RHS Orchid Committee as well as journals such as Curtis Botanical. Luc and Saul have an in depth conversation about Botanical art, how Deborah approaches the process and why it is so important.

Twitter links:
Deborah @DeborahLambkin
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Instagram links:
Deborah deborahlambkin
Lucy headgardenerlc

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Long summer days, high temperatures and maximum sunlight are the hallmarks of a good summer (lets hope for a little rain though!). The Summer of 2022 is eagerly awaited by all the keen gardens up and down the UK as herbaceous borders, roses, veg gardens and meadows are awash with new plantings, flower and a general sense of abundance that only Summer can bring. Whereas Spring is a steady ramping of growth the Summer is a time for 'peak  plant' followed by the mellow and relaxed waning into Autumn - so slap on that sun scream, stick on your favourite summer hat and get out and enjoy all the hard work you've undertaken in your garden!

The Summer is in fall swing, as the summer solstice has been and gone and warm (even hot!), long days are ahead. Head Gardeners Saul and Lucy realise they haven't seen each other for quite some time, let alone chatted about tales from their respective gardens! So in this episode let the garden chit-chat begin as they Lucy brings stories of bindweed success, bio-fumigant experimentation and meadows that are both Poppy-less but none the less beautiful.

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 

Long summer days, high temperatures and maximum sunlight are the hall marks of a good summer (lets hope for a little rain though!). The Summer of 2022 is eagerly awaited by all the keen gardens up and down the UK as herbaceous borders, roses, veg gardens and meadows are awash with new plantings, flower and a general sense of abundance that only Summer can bring. Whereas Spring is a steady ramping of growth the Summer is a time for 'peak  plant' followed by the mellow and relaxed waning into Autumn - so slap on that sun scream, stick on your favourite summer hat and get out and enjoy all the hard work you've undertaken in your garden!

With Lucy's family visiting from Down Under, Saul takes a solo look at his Exotic back garden, focussing on some of his plant passions and those plants he believes need a wider recognition in our Botanical lexicon as gardeners. Brugmansia, Gingers, Bannanas and his recent interest in Proteaceae all feature, as he tries to keep his thoughts on a small section of his plant collection to half an hour. So enjoy an episode of big leaves, fancy flowers and dreams of more tropical climes.

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 

Saul and Lucy are at BBC Gardener's World Live 2022 as the Plant Experts. The show spans the 16th-19th June and is back to its usual sprawling best after the pandemic years - a smorgasbord of plants, gardens and the latest horticultural products (as well as the BBC Good Food Show) bringing some beautiful gardens and wonderful plants to see and buy.
 
Saul and Lucy take a good wander around the show both inside the Floral Marquee and out in the Show Gardens and Beautiful Borders taking a look at a couple of the exhibits and catching up with some friends - both old and new - that have come to see the show as well.

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Long summer days, high temperatures and maximum sunlight are the hall marks of a good summer (lets hope for a little rain though!). The Summer of 2022 is eagerly awaited by all the keen gardens up and down the UK as herbaceous borders, roses, veg gardens and meadows are awash with new plantings, flower and a general sense of abundance that only Summer can bring. Whereas Spring is a steady ramping of growth the Summer is a time for 'peak  plant' followed by the mellow and relaxed waning into Autumn - so slap on that sun scream, stick on your favourite summer hat and get out and enjoy all the hard work you've undertaken in your garden!

Lucy realised that its been quite some time since we talked Fruit and Veg, which Saul thought was impossible with the Queen and Fruit and Veg - so its time to set the record straight as we bring you up-to-date with what is going on in our respective Kitchen Gardens. Expect tales of the acceptance of mice, blooming large artichokes and catch cropping to the maximum. June is always that time when the Kitchen Garden seems to be running at full steam and soon enough tasty Veg and Fruit will be the norm from our productive plots.

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 

Support the show

Spring 2022 has arrived and a new chapter in our gardening lives has started as bulbs, early blossom and the early tufts of seedlings and herbaceous perennials speak of the year ahead. As days in spring seem to tumble one after another in an ever-accelerating list of garden jobs, plantings and hum of mowers - it's a great time to shake off the winter slumber and start to engage with the natural world around us, enjoying the spectacles of spring that lie within. As ever, Saul and Lucy will bring you their waffled musings and exciting revelations as this most joyous of seasons unfolds!

Lucy and Saul are thoroughly enjoying the 2022 growing season, especially as society gets used to opening its doors again. With Chelsea under their belts, the duo are excited to visit their favourites gardens and plant fairs this summer, but what does it take to be a nursery owner on this relentless shows circuit? Long working hours and excessive time on the road can make it tough, so we think we owe these unsung heroes of the plant hunting world a well deserved pat on the back.

Twitter links:
Saul @GardeningSaul
Lucy @HeadGardenerLC

Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)