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

Tom Stimpson: The 12 best dahlias to enhance the late-summer garden - Episode 255

Every year, we venture out to the Netherlands in search of the most captivating dahlias, each worthy of a spot in your garden to liven up the late-summer months.Tom Stimpson joins us again on the podcast to share their current ‘cream of the crop’, from reliable classics like ‘Molly Raven’ and ‘Adam’s Choice’, to gorgeous growers like ‘Strawberry Cream’ and ‘Princess Nadine’. Join us for an episode packed with garden inspiration for any colour palette, and a glimpse into how we choose our standout favourites from a field of hundreds and thousands.In this episode, discover:How Sarah and Tom select stellar dahlias from Dutch trial fields, and the characteristics that make truly exceptional plantsVarieties that are pollinator-friendly to bring a buzz of life into the gardenHow to condition your dahlias for mighty vase lifeProducts mentioned:Dahlia 'Princess Nadine'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-princess-nadineDahlia 'Skyfall'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-skyfallDahlia 'Café au Lait'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-cafe-au-laitDahlia 'Adam's Choice'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-adams-choiceDahlia 'Polka'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-polkaDahlia 'Strawberry Cream'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-strawberry-creamDahlia 'Honka Pink'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-honka-pinkDahlia 'Molly Raven'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-molly-ravenDahlia 'Labyrinth'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-labyrinthDahlia 'Lou Farman'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-lou-farmanDahlia 'Break Out'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-break-outDahlia 'Verrone's Obsidian'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-verrones-obsidianFollow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Get in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Shane Connolly: How to bring intimate, floral charm to large, extravagant spaces - Episode 254

Shane Connolly is a master of many arts, and one that he exhibits throughout the year is how to use sustainable floristry to create a sense of charm often reserved for the tiniest of tables.That’s why he’s in such high demand - we talk through his exciting, varied year of arranging in this week’s podcast, with a look at the festive season, and a few tips to serve your own arranging in the festive season, taking inspiration from Shane’s wondrous wedding displays.In this episode, discover:How Shane approaches weddings, intimate dinners, grand public events and royal occasionsWhy he favours seasonal, British-grown flowers and how he builds close relationships with growers and suppliersThe behind-the-scenes logistics of big museum dinners and public events, from long tables to thousands of tiny vases and candlesHow Shane creates sustainable, glitter-free Christmas magic, including his Marie Antoinette-inspired V&A tree and reusable decorationsProducts mentioned:Convallaria majalis (Lily of the Valley)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/convallaria-lily-of-the-valleyFollow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Get in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Arthur Parkinson: The 12 best low-maintenance perennials for easy garden impact - Episode 253

Whether you're nurturing a bustling city plot or a country border, there’s a spot in everyone’s gardens, pots and borders for beautiful, productive perennials throughout the year.Following on from last week’s episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Arthur is with us again to focus this time on perennials that are light-touch and bountiful for those of us putting together a low-maintenance garden.In this episode, discover:Perennials, shrubs, and self-seeding annuals that provide long-lasting beauty with minimal carePersonal stories, hands-on tips, and garden-tested wisdom to help you with your plant selection and garden upkeepNew and improved varieties bred for reduced invasiveness, greater disease resistance, and extended flowering seasonsPlants that attract bees and other wildlife, showcasing how low-fuss gardens can support biodiversity tooProducts mentioned:Aster x frikartii ‘Mönch’https://www.sarahraven.com/products/aster-x-frikartii-monchSalvia x jamensis 'Nachtvlinder'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-x-jamensis-nachtvlinderPhlox paniculata 'David'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/phlox-paniculata-davidGeranium 'Rozanne'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/geranium-rozanneGeranium wallichianum 'Bloom Me Away'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/geranium-wallichianum-bloom-me-awayPennisetum macrourumhttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/pennisetum-macrourumChasmanthium latifoliumhttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/chasmanthium-latifoliumStipa giganteahttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/stipa-giganteaFollow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Get in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Arthur Parkinson: The 12 top self-seeding perennials for an effortless garden - Episode 252

The ideal garden for our busy daily lives has a border bursting with colour, without the need for hours spent toiling to achieve it.This week’s episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ is the perfect antidote to fussy flowers - Arthur Parkinson returns to laud the best self-seeding perennials for a low-maintenance garden brimming with lasting impact and scent.You’ll hear inspiring ornamentals and edibles to sow, how best to maintain their beauty with minimal effort, and which varieties are most tolerant of tricky soil.In this episode, discover:The beauty and resilience of self-seeding, low-maintenance perennials in creating effortless gardensHow personal stories and childhood memories shape our gardening choices and appreciation for certain plantsPractical tips for encouraging thriving gardens with minimal intervention, including soil, watering, and deadheading adviceEnhancing gardens for wildlife by choosing plants that support pollinators through every stage of their life cycleOrder Arthur’s new book - Hen Party: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/459749/hen-party-by-parkinson-arthur/9780241674703Products mentioned:Alcea rosea 'Giant Single Mixed'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hollyhock-giant-single-mixedEuphorbia oblongatahttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/euphorbia-oblongataHelleborus argutifoliushttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/helleborus-argutifoliusPapaver rupifragum 'Orange Feathers'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/papaver-rupifragum-orange-feathersRed Valerian (Centranthus ruber)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/centranthus-ruber-coccineaAlchemilla mollishttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/alchemilla-mollisVerbena bonariensishttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/verbena-bonariensisVerbena officinalis var. grandiflora 'Bampton'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/verbena-officinalis-var-grandiflora-bamptonAubrieta deltoidea 'Cascade Mix'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/aubrieta-deltoidea-cascade-mixLychnis coronaria (Rose campion)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lychnis-coronariaGet in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Josie Lewis: The 12 best container plants for a showstopping summer display - Episode 251

Following on from last week’s wintry themed episode on containers, this week we’re setting our sights on the summer ahead, on what’ll bring colour to your pots at the season’s peak.Josie’s absolute burning passion is containers, and this week she gives her plant picks for pots taking us through summer and autumn.Join us on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ as we delve into the ‘thriller, filler, pillar, spiller’ method for arranging containers, which combinations have stood out in their trials, and how to gently treat your flowers for maximum impact.In this episode, discover:The “thriller, filler, pillar, spiller” secret to building showstopping containers that brim with colour and texture right through summer to autumnSarah and Josie’s favourite plants that promise to lift your pots from simple to spectacularHow to keep blooms coming with gentle, tried-and-true maintenance tips, from deadheading tricks to overwintering Plant pairings and playful combinations, perfect for either grand displays or tiny terracesProducts mentioned:Pelargonium 'Designer White' (Zonal)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/pelargonium-designer-whiteAbelia x grandiflorahttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/abelia-x-grandifloraThunbergia alata 'African Sunset'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/thunbergia-african-sunsetIpomoea lobatahttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/ipomoea-lobata-mina-lobataSalvia 'Peach Melba'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-peach-melbaNemesia 'Lady Ruby'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nemesia-lady-rubyGet in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeuFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest