Episodes
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From the “slaughterous red, luscious and fantastic” rhododendrons of Daphne
Du Maurier’s Rebecca to Beatrix Potter’s perilous kitchen garden to George
Eliot’s hot house flowers to the festooned Deep South of Laura Child’s Tea
Shop Mysteries, we explore some of our favourite fictional gardens. -
Where should you put your indoor plants? How much light do they need? How
much water? When should you fertilise them? We answer all the common
questions about how to grow beautiful, healthy indoor plants. We recommend
plants that you pretty much cannot kill, Instagram ready favourites and the
plants that we love to grow. -
Missing episodes?
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From window taxes, to glasshouses, to fern mad Victorians, we explore the
history of indoor plants. -
There is no other flower on our planet that is as evocative and as
celebrated as the rose. Join us for a brief but perfumed history of the
genus Rosa (war, romance, royalty!) or skip straight to 28 mins to learn
how to grow roses. -
There is nothing more satisfying than getting in the garden with a pair of
secateurs (well, we think so!). Here’s our tips on when to prune, the four
golden rules of how to prune, and advice for pruning roses, hydrangeas and
hedges. -
Let’s propagate! There is nothing like watching a seedling push through the
soil or popping a cutting in the ground and seeing it grow. It takes some
preparation and practice, but once you know how you’ll be thrilled with the
results. Here is everything you need to know about the art and science of
propagation. -
Wondering about winter vegetables? Here’s our best tips from our radio show
to keep your vegetable garden thriving over the colder months. Because who
doesn’t need a hearty vegetable soup or a zesty stir-fry to lift the
spirits? Join us each Sunday streaming live from noon (Australian Eastern
Standard Time) on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM. -
Colourful, emotive and sometimes illegal, poppies have long been an inspiration for artists and poets. We unearth the facts behind the folklore and discuss how to bring a little poppy panache to your garden.
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Music may conjure up great memories of a time and a place, but so can plants. From the bougainvillea and wisteria-festooned patios of Clare’s childhood to the begonias and roses of Colan’s past and present, we remember the plants that have marked a time and place in our lives. Co-starring chainsaw-wielding dads, very bad neighbours and drunken kangaroos.
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Did you know your trusty pair of secateurs were invented by a French aristocrat who escaped the guillotine? Do you know the difference between a shovel and a spade? Or where can you buy the most beautiful gardening tools? All this and lots of other fascinating facts about gardening tools.
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Everything you need to know to grow dazzling daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs, such as tulips and hyacinths. If you’d also like to read about planting and growing bulbs, read our blog post.
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Watering and fertilising sounds boring, right? Wrong! Okay, it’s not the most exciting part of growing a garden, but if you don’t do it your garden may not reach its full potential, or, you know, die. And if you do it too much, well, ditto. We uncover the facts.
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Everything you need to know about permanent structures in your garden, ie trees, hedges, shrubs! And... follies.... listen and we'll explain.
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So you planted a garden… and then what do you do? Are those plants dead? Are they dormant? Should you prune, plant, propagate? What to do next in your garden. It’s fun and not that hard.
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In this episode we drink champagne and discuss the Zen nature of Japanese gardens, the famous English garden, Sissinghurst, its creator Vita Sackville-West (and her very interesting life and lovers), and perhaps the most underrated gardener of his time, HRH Prince Charles.
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It is the end of season one (spring!) and to celebrate Clare and Colan are drinking champagne! (Ok, technically, sparkling wine) and discussing curious, disgusting and amusing facts about the natural world. In this soirée we impart everything we know about terrible ways plants can kill you and virgin creation (AKA parthenogenesis)
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Let’s get these suckers (we mean these beautiful oxygenators of the earth) in the ground. How to plant with confidence – yes, there are rules and we are going tell you what they are (and then we’ll tell you when to break them).
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It’s time to buy some plants. Hurrah! Give in to temptation…but just a little. How to choose your plants wisely, without breaking the bank (or buying plants you really do not need).
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You wouldn’t build a house without drawing up a plan, would you? Your garden needs a greenprint. Here’s how to get started planning a beautiful garden.
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Do you want a cottage garden, a prairie garden, a formal garden, a tropical garden? How to decide what style of garden is right for you (and where you live – that is super important!)
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