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

Josie Lewis: Choosing roses for perfume and performance - Episode 279

There are few flowers more quintessential than the rose, and it’s safe to say that there’s a perfect rose for everyone’s tastes. This week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ delves into the world of roses, with someone whose love for a great rose knows no bounds: Josie Lewis.Whether you’re looking for a rose with a particular colour to combine with the beauty of your existing garden, or you’re more pressed by scent and structure, we hear which are the absolute best roses to grow, and how best to tend to them for healthy, reliable growth.In this episode, discover:Which varieties of Roses are the standout performers for each colour groupThe best ramblers, bloomers and climbers, from the huge, creamy white Wedding Day to the beautiful copper-brown Hot ChocolateHow to make your roses last in water for maximum vase lifeSee our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-eventsGet in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Enjoying the brilliance of alliums all year round - Episode 278

This Christmas might feel a while away, but if there’s one way to prepare right now for a more stunning and sustainable tree, it’s with alliums.Sarah’s love of alliums is well-documented on the podcast, but this week she’s recalling some of the most show-stopping varieties with which to decorate this Christmas, and the joys that they’ll bring as ‘colour baton-carriers’ in spring.In this episode, discover:Which alliums are perfect for bridging the gap between tulips going over and sweet peas emergingSome extravagant, statement-making varieties like the remarkably tall ‘Summer Drummer’ or sculptural shapes of ‘Magic’Tips for preparing your alliums to sustainably decorate your tree this ChristmasProducts mentioned:Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-hollandicum-purple-sensationAllium cristophiihttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-cristophiiAllium nigrumhttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-nigrumAllium stipitatum 'Summer Drummer'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-stipitatum-summer-drummerAllium schubertii 'Magic'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-schubertii-magicAllium jesdianum 'Purple Rain'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-purple-rainSee our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-eventsGet in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

The brilliant biennials perfect for scent and versatility - Episode 277

Biennials – plants which flower in their second year – may often be overlooked by us gardeners, but between their value for money, wonderful scent, and versatility they’re among the best plants to sow and grow in any garden.Sarah makes the case for brilliant biennials in this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, exploring how she came to appreciate their beauty, and which varieties are best for all aspects of your space.In this episode, discover:How the right mix of biennials can fill the awkward May gap with prolific blooms, all for the price of a seed packetThe best early-flowering biennials, from fragrant wallflowers to the scented sweet rocket, Hesperis matronalisMoth-pollinated varieties with rich fragrance and velvety textures to create a pollinator paradiseProducts mentioned:Digitalis purpurea 'Sutton's Apricot'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/digitalis-purpurea-suttons-apricotDigitalis purpurea f. albiflorahttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/digitalis-purpurea-albaMalope trifida 'Vulcan'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/malope-trifida-vulcanLunaria annuahttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/lunaria-annuaIceland poppy (Papaver nudicaule)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/papaver-nudicaule-champagne-bubbles-mix-f1See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-eventsGet in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Pollyanna Wilkinson: Simple tips for a spectacularly designed garden - Episode 276

Every garden space deserves a chance to be transformed into a beautiful space which breathes, rather than constricts, and Pollyanna Wilkinson is a master of such designs.Polly joins Sarah this week to share her no‑nonsense methods for transforming everything from boxy new‑build plots to tired, inherited gardens into layered, soulful spaces. In this episode, discover:How to think like a garden designer, surveying, shaping and structuring spaces before you plantPractical ways to transform new‑build and small gardens, or refresh an existing gardenGuidance on choosing materials and finishes that feel good underfoot, are easy to maintain, and will age beautifully over time.How to use colour and planting layers to create a soulful, wildlife‑friendly garden with interest through the seasonsProducts mentioned:Amelanchier lamarckii:sarahraven.com/products/amelanchier-lamarckiiLavender ‘Munstead’: sarahraven.com/products/lavender-munsteadNepeta x faassenii 'Kit Kat':sarahraven.com/products/nepeta-x-faassenii-kit-katSee our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-eventsGet in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Arit Anderson: An RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden for every Parkinson’s journey - Episode 275

Chelsea is upon us, and among the beauty of all the show gardens lies a very special offering from Arit Anderson and Parkinson’s UK.She’s planting with purpose in a garden which promises to reflect every Parkinson’s journey in a beautifully poignant way, and on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, she walks us through the planting ethos and careful design behind one of Main Avenue’s great sights for 2026.In this episode, discover:How Arit is reflecting her sister Julie’s Parkinson’s journey in a meaningful Chelsea Flower Show garden for Parkinson’s UKWhat Parkinson’s really is beyond the stereotypes, and why it’s so often misunderstoodHow thoughtful garden design can respond to real medical challengesPractical ideas for making any garden more accessible, sensory and restorative, whether or not you’re living with Parkinson’sThe garden’s relocation to the John Radcliffe Hospital, and how it will serve the Parkinson’s community long after ChelseaProducts mentioned:Digitalis purpurea ‘Alba’ (White Foxglove): sarahraven.com/products/digitalis-purpurea-albaSee our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-eventsGet in touch: info@sarahraven.comShop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest