Outsiding

Alex James invites us round... and we get to inspect his asparagus!

Our first Outsiding roadtrip! We’ve decided to let Caitlin and Adam loose in another garden, and this one is a beauty. We hit the road and travel to the Cotswolds to Alex James’ incredible farm, for a walk around the orchards, vegetable plots and his herb garden. Alex, the bassist from Blur, bought the site while on honeymoon with his wife Claire in 2003. The world of Blur had calmed down somewhat and he had a deep desire to go rural... and make cheese! The impressive 200-acre site is now also used to host thousands of festival goers at The Big Feastival, which celebrates music, food and family every August bank holiday. This year’s line-up includes The Streets, Basement Jaxx, Mimi Webb, and Bastille and tickets are available right now. Alex, who grew up in Boscombe and spent his first Blur pay cheque on an astronomy book, has always had a strong connection with nature and life outside. This has been converted into a lifestyle running an impressive farm. From plum trees, to corn plots, and several stunning gardens, Adam and Caitlin were in dreamland for this interview, made even more special by discussing the joy of growing asparagus, and the potential of a cold glass of cider to finish. Let us know if you’re enjoying Outsiding and please send us your favourite outside places, memories, smells and gardening questions to hello@outsiding.co.uk Follow Outsiding on Substack for gardening tips, tricks, upcoming live Q&As with Adam and the progress of Caitlin’s garden project. Find us on Instagram too. You can watch full episodes of Outsiding on Spotify and YouTube. Our first live show is taking place in London on September 4 and you can buy tickets for it now. Outsiding is a Cold Glass Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phil Wang’s epic encounters with gangs of cows and urban foxes

He just wants to enjoy his walks and garden in peace! Phil Wang is a brilliant and talented stand-up comic and comedy writer. Phil was born in Stoke-On-Trent, and then brought up in Malaysia, where he had his quota of sunshine and hot weather for a lifetime. As part of sketch comedy group, Daphne, TV panel shows, and his own run of gigs, tours and streaming service specials, Phil has triumphed throughout his career. He sits down in the sunshine (sorry Phil, we couldn’t turn it off) ahead of the beginnings of his new tour, simply titled Uh Oh. Phil wins when it comes to first outsiding memories with a childhood surrounded by tropical climbs, screensaver worthy landscapes and dangerous creatures, but is still in the first steps of his own gardening journey. He’s still in the trimming and cutting back stage, potentially because he’s so distracted by the antics of urban foxes. Phil does love the outside though, and takes the chance to big up winding paths and the charm of a mid-walk stile. He just has to remain wary of the beasts that walk with him, including an instance with a very sharp and tactical herd of cows. Gardening is still to grab Phil by the horns, then, but will Adam’s gift change that? Let us know if you’re enjoying Outsiding and please send us your favourite outside places, memories, smells and gardening questions to hello@outsiding.co.uk Follow Outsiding on Substack for gardening tips, tricks, upcoming live Q&As with Adam and the progress of Caitlin’s garden project. Find us on Instagram too. You can watch full episodes of Outsiding on Spotify and YouTube. Our first live show is taking place in London on September 4 and you can buy tickets for it now. Outsiding is a Cold Glass Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lauren Laverne, founder of worm club, loves her hammock and hugging trees!

‘Gardens meet you, wherever you are’ Lauren Laverne is no stranger to Caitlin Moran’s garden. The pair are the closest of friends stretching back to big 90s nights out in clubs, followed by a lifetime of chatting and discussing their favourite trees. The legendary broadcaster can do it all. She presents on BBC Radio 6 Music every weekday from 10-1, hosts BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs and regularly leads the BBC’s coverage of Glastonbury. Lauren, who was born in Sunderland, started out in the music industry as the lead singer in Kenickie, before making the move to broadcasting. She comes with equally strong credentials in the natural world too, having founded her own worm club as a child so has much to discuss with Adam & Caitlin. Lauren loves trees, parks, napping outside and is our first guest to have a hammock. She recalls her favourite outside memories, and pays tribute to her own garden, which has provided a place to recover and provide perspective after treatment for cancer. We hear about a tarantula on a lead, the joy of rain on a car bonnet and Adam finds the perfect plant to give to Lauren... and Caitlin. You can also hear Lauren on BBC Radio 6 Music’s Indie Forever station with her Indie Focus mix. Let us know if you’re enjoying Outsiding and please send us your favourite outside places, memories, smells and gardening questions to hello@outsiding.co.uk Follow Outsiding on Substack for gardening tips, tricks, upcoming live Q&As with Adam and the progress of Caitlin’s garden project. Find us on Instagram too. You can watch full episodes of Outsiding on Spotify and YouTube. Outsiding is a Cold Glass Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike D shares his love of surfing and his gateway into gardening

We travel with him from Central Park to the Californian coast all from Caitlin’s garden. When we started Outsiding, we definitely couldn’t have predicted that Mike D would be among our first guests. But, luckily for us, the lure of the outside is strong. The founding member of hip hop pioneers Beastie Boys, is in the UK making a ‘joyous ruckus’ ahead of the release of his new record, Thank You, which is out on August 28th. He took a garden seat with Adam and Caitlin to explore his connection with nature, how surfing can provide you with both beautiful and humbling moments, and his own unique experience of getting started with gardening. Mike grew up in New York with Central Park on his doorstep, providing endless exploration, before ending up in his Californian home, right by the coast. He explains how he’s always loved park life, including spending time in London’s best offerings and their beautiful lawns. We also chat about taking his sons to Green School in Bali, where they were also introduced to the gamelike delights of music software. He now tours with his sons Skyler and Davis as part of his supporting band, 5D. Mike D’s 5D have just announced a run of international live tour dates, with tickets available now. Let us know if you’re enjoying Outsiding and please send us your favourite outside places, memories, smells and gardening questions to hello@outsiding.co.uk Follow Outsiding on Substack for gardening tips, tricks, upcoming live Q&As with Adam and the progress of Caitlin’s garden project. Find us on Instagram too. You can watch full episodes of Outsiding on Spotify and YouTube. Outsiding is a Cold Glass Production 00:00 Welcome back! 00:17 Adam’s run-in with a Tawny Owl! 02:40 Today’s guest 03:42 Mike D is here! 04:24 Growing up in Manhattan 05:58 Connecting to the outside 06:56 Central Park & the magic of New York 08:45 Entering his gardening era 12:41 Surfing 16:08 Jungle school? 17:28 Bamboo scaffolding! 18:08 The beauty of Bali 19:02 Fatherhood & bandmates 21:20 Mike’s garden & lawn chatter 22:59 Quickfire 27:30 Mike D’s spirit bird 29:28 Adam’s gifts to Mike & some last advice! 33:12 Goodbyes & get in touch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dawn O’Porter on the magic of Guernsey, L.A. gardens and hiking fashion

Dawn’s not a gardener yet... but the knee pad is calling. We welcome Dawn O’Porter to our garden for an enlightening episode that starts with a chat about Harry Styles and ends with a conversation about Sandwich the tortoise. Two total icons in one show. Dawn joins us as she embarks on a few new journeys within her already incredible career. A writer, director and TV presenter, Dawn is in the early days of her new gig for Classic FM, where you can hear her on Saturday afternoons, from 12-3pm. She also is celebrating the release of her new memoir, Hungry Eyes, which looks at her favourite moments and memories associated with great meals and ingredients. The book is so good Caitlin has read it three times already. Dawn, who co-founded Choose Love, an organisation which provides help and support for refugees and displaced people, was born in Scotland and raised in Guernsey; two great sources for outside inspiration and formative memories. She now lives in Kew with her husband Chris O’Dowd and children, after moving back to the UK from a life in Los Angeles. With Kew so close by, we find out about Dawn’s relationship with gardening, the power of the Guernsey cliffs, and why a Weeping Willow is her favourite tree. Let us know if you’re enjoying Outsiding and please send us your favourite outside places, memories, smells and gardening questions to hello@outsiding.co.uk Follow Outsiding on Substack for gardening tips, tricks, upcoming live Q&As with Adam and the progress of Caitlin’s garden project. Find us on Instagram too. You can watch full episodes of Outsiding on Spotify and YouTube. Outsiding is a Cold Glass Production. 00:00 Welcome! 00:17 Catching up from the Cherry tree! 01:43 Today’s guest 02:32 Dawn O’Porter is here! 03:22 A special night for Choose Love at Harry Styles 04:58 The Harry Styles effect! 06:07 ‘Hungry Eyes’ & the joy of childhood food 07:55 A childhood between Scotland & Guernsey 09:26 Microclimates - fact or faux? 10:10 Gardening on the coast & Dawn’s uncle 11:22 Guernsey magic 13:00 Kew Gardens & Sandwich the tortoise 15:48 Hiking style & sequins at Glastonbury 19:27 Los Angeles life 23:44 Quickfire 27:29 Life at Classic FM 29:35 Dawn’s spirit bird 32:19 Adam’s gardening gifts to Dawn 34:58 Goodbyes & get in touch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices