With much thanks to CED Natural Stone, we bring you the last in the series on the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019 episodes and today Peter Donegan chats with the great British artist and sculptor John O'Connor.
From day dreams and counting snowflakes, to how John left landscaping, his first attempt at sculpting and art school to becoming one of the most talented sculptors that I have ever had the honour to sit and chat with.

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Peter Donegan returns to chats with Con Traas' Apple Farm in Tipperary. It is an apple farm. But it's also a lot more than just an apple farm. 

It's worth noting maybe that Peter was on holidays working whist camping, again; surrounded by all that the fruit farm has to offer. The old buddies chat practices that were then acceptable, what is done now, changes in presentation over the eons and just what the supermarket will want to see and what is logic in growing and being responsible. 

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Show Links:

• The Apple Farm Website: www.theapplefarm.com
• Con Traas on Twitter: @theapplefarmer
• The Apple Farm on Facebook: The Apple Farm

Further information:

• Twitter: @sodshow
• facebook: The Sodshow
• instagram: sodshow

With thanks to CED Natural Stone, on this episode Peter Donegan speaks with Designer Kate Gould and Keith Chapman who made the Greenfingers Charity Gardenat RHS Chelsea 2019. 

According to The RHS: 

Even experienced Chelsea designers face unexpected challenges, and for Kate Gould, it was creating a completely accessible garden.

“I didn’t think it would, but it’s definitely changed the way I think about garden design,” said Kate, ahead of her appearance at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

“It’s made me appreciate accessibility more – you can’t put a price on being able to go outside and feel the wind on your face and look up at the trees.”

Sponsored by Greenfingers, a charity dedicated to supporting children in hospices through the creation of gardens, the Show Garden will be split on two levels, with a lift for access to the top floor.

“This is a garden for times you come together as a family,” said Kate, “making memories in a beautiful, outdoor space.”

The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores. Spotify Tim Howell. Spotify !

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Stephanie Mahon started out as a journalist in Ireland before moving to Italy, where she discovered a passion for horticulture. She worked on The English Garden magazine for seven years, and now edits the Garden Design Journal, and works freelance as a garden writer for newspapers, magazines and websites across the UK. In 2012, she won the Garden Media Guild Journalist of the Year Award.

Together Peter Donegan and Stephanie talk were it all started way back when when she was leaving school, working her way up to becoming Editor with The English Garden magazine to where she is now as Editor of The Garden Design Journal a part of The Society of Garden Designers. 

We go a stage further and chat Chelsea, The RHS, pitching your articles to magazines, controversy in gardening and The M and G Garden at RHS Chelsea 2017 by James Basson, gardening trends and changes in garden shows and so much more. 

The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and The Sodshow website.

Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

If you have a mo, a rate / review in iTunes would be fan-tastic. Much cheers for listening. And thank you. Xx

twitter: @hortihack web: www.gardendesignjournal.com

Peter Donegan chats with Ann Torrence and Robert Marc of Stray Arrow Ranch, Live from Salt Lake City Utah.

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Live from Salt Lake City Utah, brought to you by Thyme and Place, this is the first show from the first night of The Sodshow Live. Peter Donegan was there for a little over one week were 6 guests in total, over 2 nights either side of St Patricks Day 2017 were interviewed in front of a live audience.

That story is most probably better told by The Salt Lake Tribune. Stray Arrow Ranch is a 6 acre farm that grows 500 apple trees and has become Utahs first Orchard based cider making operation. The wonderful people behind this are Robert Marc and Ann Torrence.

Very much more to the reason why I admire them more, neither Ann nor Robert hold any formal horticultural training. Ann is in fact a former travelling photographer and author; and Robert a university scientist.

Of interest to you based in the UK and Ireland side of the globe, Stray Arrow Ranch gets about 12 inches of water per annum and because of the rights to water - they are allowed 12 hours of water per approximate 10 days - making, horticulture in mind, the growing of plants just that little more challenging.

We get into this, grafting of trees, Ann's book, how Robert and Ann actually met and just how they managed to settle in Utah and why they left their jobs to set up what is now Stray Arrow Ranch.

Further info:

web: Stray Arrow Ranch twitter: @StrayArrowRanch facebook: StrayArrowCiderApples More images: The Sodshow Live, Salt Lake City

The Sodshow Live Show Team: Event Organiser: Melinda Meservy Brought to you by: Thyme and Place Location: The Mandate Press, Salt Lake City The Sodshow Live Team:

The Sodshow Live Host: Peter Donegan Photography: Nick Sokoloff Sound: Greg and Clay, Pale Horse Sound Studios MC: Chris Hollifield You: Thanks you - you were as you are so very beautiful. In House Live Bands:

Rusted Reel - night 1 Homo Leviticus - night 2 Thyme and Place, The Sodshow Live Sponsors:

Bare Bones Living Hibernian Society of Utah 90.9 KRCL Wasatch Community Gardens and not forgetting The Kings English - Book Shop

Peter Donegan hosts The Sodshow Live from Dublin Castle, as part of Bloom Fringe 2017.

Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or facebook The Sodshow. And If you have a minute, you might leave a rate and review in iTunes. This series from Bloom Fringe 2017 is with very much thanks to The Church Bar and Restaurant Dublin - thanks lads.

Voice you will hear: Philip Crowe, CEO and Co-Founder Space Engagers.

Originally from Belfast, Philip's background is in architecture, urban planning, urban resilience and carbon management.

Space Engagers is a social enterprise founded in 2016, emerging from research on the EU TURAS project in UCD , which explored what urban resilience, or how cities can adapt to change, means in practice. Their research concluded that to address local social and environmental issues effectively we need the whole community to get involved, we need better data at the local scale, and we need new ways of doing things. 

Sara Venn, Incredible Edible Bristol

Sara Venn is a former guest of The Sodshow - an episode more than worth going back and taking a listen to. On this occasion however Sara talks in depth about making change, how Incredible Bristol began and more the change for the better that it has had on not only the spaces there, but also the people who interact with them.

Q and A

This session with Philip and Sara is followed by a Q and A session with our guests from the first Sodshow Live show from Dublin Castle, another episode more than well worth a listen and you can find that and the entire back catalogue in iTunes, all good podcast stores and www.sodshow.com

The Sodshow Garden Podcast releases every Friday and is available in iTunes, all good podcast stores and via The Sodshow website.

@sodshow on twitter facebook The Sodshow instagram: sodshow

At RHS Tatton 2017 Warnes McGarr were awarded not just a Gold medal, but also the award for Best Construction in Show and Best Future Spaces garden for their Cactus Direct #2101 garden. 

The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and The Sodshow website.

Together Peter Donegan and Michael talk, music, a love for you do, a journey into horticulture and the passion that fuels it as well as turning what it is you love doing into a business and being the favourite son.

They speak about the build at Tatton, how things may appear to the outside, what one really has to do to get there and the realities of really working in an industry were you may be considered unique and the pros and cons of that.

If you have a mo, a rate / review in iTunes would be fan-tastic. Much cheers for listening Xx

If you have a love of show gardens, are thinking about getting into the business or very simply wanna know what it like to be able to consider walking that walk, you're gonna love this one.

Part of the 2017 Tatton garden launch included a much loved set by Wigan based band Deep Shade who play out the interview between Michael and Peter.

My thanks also to Carolyn Hughes of Breathe PR for being wonderful and also the ladies and gentlemen of the Royal Horticultural Society Press Office - thank you so much.

Further info: web: warnes-mcgarr.co.uk / twitter: @warnesmcgarr  All the details in the show notes at www.sodshow.com or - Twitter: @sodshow / facebook: The Sodshow

Just one year in business under her own name Lara Behr designed the Macmillan Legacy Garden at The Royal Horticultural Society RHS Tatton Park 2017 show were she won Gold Medal and The People's Choice Award.

The Sodshow is available every Friday in iTunes, all good podcast stores and The Sodshow website.

Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow Together Peter Donegan and Lara chat studying law pre horticulture with Andrew Fisher Tomlin at the London College of Garden Design; Being raised in Zimbabwe, a career that would never be offered to an academic and the change to a more creative career were, the rewards are different, if I might call them that.

Design briefs, clients, influence and the challenges of show gardening in this case for MacMillan Cancer Support; we also talk what the future holds, what Lara hoped for the garden and everything in between.

Peter Donegan talks with Eddie Tarry, Community Engagement Manager at HMP Styal Prison and Horticulture Instructor Audra Bickerdyke. 

Of note, there's a bit of noise tapping in the background, entirely down to inclement weather and the fact that this was recorded in the speakers marquee / tent at Tatton Park. 

The team and ladies of Styal Prison designed and built the Stop Think Change garden at RHS Tatton 2017. 

The Sodshow is available in iTunes, all good podcast stores and The Sodshow website.  Twitter: @sodshow - facebook: The Sodshow

From dealing with self harm, well-being and mental health, we talk about the benefits of horticulture within and post leaving the prison; the journey through designing and building a garden at RHS Tatton and bringing women back into the community.

We chat why HMP Styal chose to take on the size of garden they did and at such a prestigious show, the differences between any other garden designer putting together a garden at a RHS show, their sponsors Novus Foundations for Change, what it means to those who were part of creating a RHS Silver medal garden and what it means to their future. 

Much congrats to sponsors Novus Foundations for Change, HMP Altcourse, HMP Garth, Four Oaks Nursery, Briggs Equipment and Spectrum and my thanks to all of the ladies who I met at the garden over my 2 days at RHS Tatton.  

My thanks also to the team at RHS Tatton Flower Show and The Royal Horticultural Society. 

Peter Donegan hosts The Sodshow Live from Dublin Castle, as part of Bloom Fringe 2017.

With much thanks to The Church Bar and Restaurant Dublin and the entire team for their fantastic support. And of course you for listening.

Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter. Facebook, The Sodshow. If you have a minute a rate and review in iTunes would be grand.

The voices you will hear are:

Laura Russo - scientist at Trinity College Dublin. Laura talks about bees, pollinators and what we do and can do. Lara talks the decline of bees, extinctions and others that also pollinate. Lara also refers to the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and the Campus Pollinator Plan at Trinity. 

Esther Gerrard, Marion Keogh and Rosin de Buitlear Esther talks about Bloom Fringe, why and what they do. Marion refers to the work that they have seen abroad and how that interacts with the changes they are trying to make in Dublin and Roisin chats about those she met and chatted with and on a very personal level the differences change not only a place but a person.

Ulla Maria Aude - Aarhus Denmark Aarhus European City of Culture - Active citizenship in Aarhus. Ulla talks about changing spaces from cars to people, making the city more cultural, the Institute for X, a place for music and art. A neighbourhood for creative activity, community gardens and testing things before you plan the park and making then making those things permanent.

Marie Overgaard Nielsen - Taste Aarhus & the Green Embassy Marie chats about putting the Green Embassy right in the heart of the green area; a space that is accessible, open and lit up round the clock for all to see to encourage them to come in. She also chats Taste Aarhus, a wild taste festival of ant eating with mohitos and toasted worms - but essentially, they encourage people to try - allowing them to fail and encouraging them to try again. It is also about gardens wild - but getting the people to the nature; urban community gardens for socialising and hanging out.

On This Weeks Garden Podcast:

Peter Donegan chats with Dr Paul Twigg, Professor at the University of Nebraska Kearney, Live from Salt Lake City Utah. 

We talk Paul about how he grew up and into the world of biology and plants, how he originally wanted to become a chemist, his work at the University of Nebraska where he teaches and has over 25 years mentored 160 undergraduate projects and 40 graduate projects. and just 

@sodshow on twitter - facebook The Sodshow

Live from Salt Lake City Utah, brought to you by Thyme and Place, this is from the second night of The Sodshow Live. Peter Donegan was there for a little over one week were 6 guests in total, over 2 nights either side of St Patricks Day 2017 were interviewed in front of a live audience.

That story is most probably better told by The Salt Lake Tribune. Further info:

twitter: @UNKBiol106 University of Nebraska, Paul Twigg More images: The Sodshow Live, Salt Lake City

Event Organiser: Melinda Meservy Brought to you by: Thyme and Place Location: The Mandate Press, Salt Lake City The Sodshow Live Team:

The Sodshow Live Host: Peter Donegan Photography: Nick Sokoloff Sound: Greg and Clay, Pale Horse Sound Studios MC: Chris Hollifield You: Thanks you - you were as you are so very beautiful. In House Live Bands:

Rusted Reel - night 1 Homo Leviticus - night 2 Thyme and Place, The Sodshow Live Sponsors:

Bare Bones Living Hibernian Society of Utah 90.9 KRCL Wasatch Community Gardens and not forgetting The Kings English - Book Shop

Peter Donegan talks with Mark Gregory, the most medalled RHS builder, and designer, of gardens. In fact Mark has never not won a RHS Chelsea medal. 

In total, he holds over 90 RHS Chelsea medals, in excess of 35 of them are Gold, 3 personal Gold's as a designer and 1 silver-gilt on Main Avenue and 150 Gardens for The Royal Horticultural Society over 28 years - which roughly equates to 3 years of his working life on that one site.

The Sodshow is available in iTunes, all good podcast stores and The Sodshow website. 

Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow

At Chelsea 2017 he built 4 gardens. 2 on Main Avenue and 2 Artisan Gardens. They included the RHS Greening Grey Britain garden for Nigel Dunett, the Yorkshire Forward garden for Tracey Foster; the Seedlip Garden for former guest of The Sodshow Catherine Mac Donald and The Poetry Lovers Garden for Fiona Cadwallader.

Mark also has a teaching college with (also) former guest of The Sodshow and Chelsea Gold medal winner Andrew Wilson. He is RHS and Kew trained. 

We talk inspiring the next generation of horts, inspiring the "younger generation", horticulture in the media and what needs to change and a fixation on ageism. We chat getting old, Marks future in garden building, getting it wrong and just how he started in the industry and a work ethic that stays with him to this day. 

Show Links:

web: www.landformconsultants.co.uk facebook:  Landform  Twitter: LandformUK

Peter Donegan chats with Paul Cook of Cooks Garden Centre.

Better known as Cookie or Cookie Boy, Peter and Paul met in the Floral Pavillion at RHS Tatton after former guest of The Sodhow Rob Hardy suggested we'd be a good partnership. He was not wrong.

Over the course of the next 30 minutes the two plant lovers chat Cookies garden centre - one I should add that survives surprisingly so in this day and age; on plant sales. We chat Cookie who is very famed for his plant breeding specialising in hydrangeas and his wife who runs the floristry side of the business.

We also talk getting your wife to arrange her own flowers and then (wait for it) deliver them to herself and a business that evolved from bedding plants to dwarf conifers and now is famed for hydrangea.

We also talk plant failures, damping off, spider man pyjamas, bamboo, trends and changesm the great personalities of yesteryear and so much more.

Peter and Paul met up at RHS Tatton Flower Show and my thanks to The Royal Horticultural Society for being absolutely brilliant.

The Sodshow is available in iTunes, all good podcast stores and The Sodshow website. Thoughts or comments ?

Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow Show Links:

web: www.cooks-garden-centre.co.uk facebook: cooksgardencentre

With thanks to CED Natural Stone today Peter Donegan chats with Alistair Bayford. Alistair is a Chartered Landscape Architect and designer of The Family Monsters Garden at RHS Chelsea 2019. 


Alistair studied at Writtle College achieving a 1st Class Honours degree in Landscape and Garden Design in 2004; later completing his post graduate diploma at the University of Greenwich in 2006; becoming a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute in 2008. 
His professional career started at Liz Lake Associates in 2004, progressing on to a Project Management role at Lee Valley Regional Park Authority in 2009 overseeing a number of Olympic related projects within Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the Olympic Fringe. 
Alistair joined idverde in 2012 as Park Manager for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park responsible for the mobilisation of the 10 year maintenance contract achieving a prestigious BALI Principal Award in 2015.

His current role sees him leading professional services and landscape construction throughout London and the South East, specialising in park improvement and public realm projects winning nine BALI Awards in the past six years.

Alistair is a current Director of The Parks Alliance, the voice of UK Parks, acting as Vice Chair from 2016-2018.
The Family Monsters Garden celebrates 150 years of Family Action supporting families across the country and idverde's 100 years of creating and maintaining landscapes for the benefit of local communities.

The garden shows the pressures faced by every family and the journey families take to face these challenges. From financial problems to health and wellbeing issues, and from lack of time together to problems with communication and resolving disputes, the garden represents the range of pressures faced by families in Britain today. The journey to bringing these hidden issues out of the dark and into the open, so that they don’t become overwhelming, can be one of secrecy, shame and isolation, with pressures and progress obscured and hard to resolve.

Ultimately their journey in this garden leads to a family space, where all come together to reflect, get their pressures out in the open and gather strength to face them together. The pool of clear water offers reflection and perspective.

Through exhibiting this garden Alistair has discussed his own monster, how it impacted him and his young family, and how through sharing his troubles he found ways to overcome them and deal with them.

Idverde is Europe’s largest provider of grounds maintenance services and landscape construction projects, with staff operating throughout the UK and France. We offer a holistic range of services to support the creation, maintenance and management of landscapes throughout the UK, working with both public and private sector clients to deliver bespoke solutions for each project’s unique challenges.

Family Action is a national charity marking its 150th anniversary in 2019 and is committed to building stronger families by delivering innovative and effective services and support that reaches out to many of the UK’s most vulnerable people. We seek to empower people and communities to address their issues and challenges through practical, financial and emotional help.

Contact:

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Nikki and Caroline, Bus Stop Boulevard, Tatton

Peter Donegan chats with Matthew Soper of Hampshire Carnivorous Plants.

A first for The Sodshow, but no ordinary first Matthew and his team have been awarded in excess of one hundred RHS gold medals including 19 consecutive Chelsea Gold medals. Take a breath and get ready for the next bit. They have also won The Witan and Anthony Huxley Awards (1998); since 2000 they have won 'Best in Show' awards at Gardening Scotland, Malvern Autumn, BBC Gardeners world live, RHS Tatton Park and the National Amateur Gardening Shows; The Tudor Rose Award (2004, 2010 and 2011) at Hampton Court Palace flower show.

But that's not the full story. Matthew was originally a builder. He is now a carnivorous plant breeder. Introduced to me by (former guest of The Sodshow) Rob Hardy at RHS Tatton, we go all the way back to when he was but a nipper, how the hobby became the career, his top 5 plants and why and in true Peter style, we go entirely off the point and hopefully come full circle.

Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow. If you have a minute to spare.... You might get time to leave a rate and review in iTunes or your podcast provider.

Show Links:

web: www.hantsflytrap.com twitter: @hantsflytrap facebook: hantsflytrap

Top 5 Carnivorous Plants including images are available on this episodes show notes at www.sodshow.com

Peter Donegan chats with Toby Buckland.

Toby Buckland has presented BBC Gardeners World, the BBC's coverage of RHS Chelsea Flower Show, The Great British Garden Revival and also on Channel 4 and ITV.

He has written 5 gardening books, is a regular voice on Radio 4's BBC Gardeners Question Time, writes regularly for The Daily Telegraph and amongst many things is also the Festival Director and host of Tobys Garden Festival. He began as a grower of roses in his home county of Devon.

More than that, Toby is a legend of world horticulture, a fellow Arsenal fan and one absolute gentleman. He really needs no introduction at all.

We met up at RHS Tatton for a chat.

The Sodshow is available in iTunes, all good podcast stores and The Sodshow website. Thoughts or comments ?

Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow Show Links:

web: www.tobygardenfest.co.uk facebook: TobyGardenFest twitter: @tobygardenfest

Peter Donegan chats with Christopher Woodward, Director of The Garden Museum, London.

From Christopher's background, the history of the museum building and how it was set to be turned into a car park to atrracting garden designer Dan Pearson to design the courtyard area, the 1000 plus pieces of a somewhat changing collection featuring Charlie Dimmock, a cucumber straightener and how there is literally something there for all ages.

Peter also chats with Press and Marketing Officer Nicola Price and Emma House Curator.

I almost forgot, there's also a 131 step journey to what are amazing views over Westminister - not for the faint hearted or those who may get in any way week at the knees.

Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow

Show Links:

web: www.gardenmuseum.org.uk facebook: GardenMuseumLDN twitter: @GardenMuseumLDN

Peter Donegan chats with Manoj Malde, Silver Gilt medal winner at RHS Chelsea 2017. This was his first time to design there.

It's worth noting maybe, that this interview was recorded before medals were awarded.

Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow

Inspired by the work of architect Luis Barragan, Beneath a Mexican Sky garden was sponsored by Inland Homes Plc.

Together Peter and Manoj chat first time everything at Chelsea, finding a sponsor, being bold, the confidence to go there and walk that walk. The garden build, leaving your partner very far away from the garden build, sanity and the right contractor by your side.

Manoj Malde was born in Kenya in 1967 and moved to the UK at the age of four. Although he was raised in the UK, he attributes much of his love of colour to his ethnic background and Indian ancestry.

As a graduate of the Master’s programme in fashion design at the Royal College of Art, Manoj’s career has taken him to Italy, Germany, New York, Hong Kong and India. He worked in the fashion industry for 18 years, latterly as creative director.

Manoj then studied garden design at the English Gardening School and uses much of his fashion experience within his present career as a landscape designer. Although the materials have changed, his thought process still begins with themes, mood boards, colour palettes and textures. Manoj says; “Designing a planting scheme is like creating a sumptuous print on silk. I’ve gone from Crinolines to Camellias; from haute couture to ‘hort’ couture.”

Manoj has created gardens for various private clients as well as property developers. He has worked as a consultant on many projects, given presentations to garden societies and also enjoys writing a gardening blog. His ambition is to expand his garden design career into TV, with the aim of inspiring a passion for gardening in the younger generation and those from ethnic backgrounds. He also plans to develop his design work further into public spaces, hotels, spas and more private gardens in the Mediterranean and further afield.

With thanks to Tanya and Rosie at Rose Tinted PR.

Twitter: @Manoj_Malde Facebook: CoutureGardens web: www.couturegardens.co.uk

Peter Donegan chats with Andrea Jones author of The Garden Photography Workshop.

Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow

Of Andrea her bio notes:

For over twenty years Andrea Jones has built an international reputation photographing landscape architecture, gardens and plants. The latter being the subject of Andrea's critically acclaimed book "Plantworlds" (2005). More recently, she travelled throughout the USA and Canada to illustrate "Great Gardens of America" (2009) whilst “The Garden Source” (2012) depicts inspirational ideas for gardens and landscapes. Having illustrated a multitude of garden related books for other authors “The Garden Photography Workshop” is her latest solo book in which she shares her experience and offers tips and techniques for photographing gardens.

Andrea studied art and photography in the late seventies and early eighties in Southern England. In the nineties she was elected a Fellow of the RSA and has since had several successful exhibitions. She works with leading Landscape Architects and Garden Designers worldwide documenting their work, for a multitude of magazines worldwide and also accepts private commissions. Her home is now in Scotland where she is represented by the photo library, Garden Exposures.

Of The Garden Photography Workshop Book, publishers Timber Press note:

One of the most rewarding aspects of gardening is sharing its beauty, both physically with those who visit and virtually with those who only see it on a screen. But capturing a garden's true essence is difficult, and often the moments worth sharing are ephemeral. In The Garden Photography Workshop, internationally known garden photographer Andrea Jones shares the trade secrets that make her photos sing. You'll learn the basic photography skills and tips on using a range of camera equipment, covering everything from DSLRs to smartphones and accessories. Profiles of real gardens from around the world exemplify the most common problems a photographer can face, like harsh light, wet weather, and cramped spaces, along with advice and techniques for addressing specific concerns. We live in a photo-driven world, and this helpful guide is a complete tutorial for anyone who wants that world to be filled with beautiful images of gardens and plants. On that note, huge thanks to the very wonderful team at Timber Press for their help in making this interview happen.

Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow

Show Links:

web: www.andreajones.co.uk facebook: AndreaJonesPhotographer via Amazon: The Garden Photography Workshop

Peter Donegan chats with Ballycommane House and Gardens owners Ingolf Jungmann and Andy Stieglitz.

With very special thanks to Bev and Miriam of West Cork Garden Trail this was a little bit of a treat.

Set on a landscape of about 4 acres, Andy and Ingolf hold around 1000 exotic native shrubs and trees chosen from literally the world over. In context, they include subtropical palms, bananas, tea trees, tree ferns and myrtles. They further specialise in growing their own collections from the southern hemisphere (Gondwana flora) and the Azores.

But Ballycommane is a little more than that. It is the owners, the out buildings, the homemade cakes and fine coffee and the attention and detail given to the landscape that surrounds it. And, I not only visited there when invited by West Cork Garden Trail, but I some months later then returned to visit with my good friends Anthony and Darren when I went camping with them.

Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow

Peter Donegan will be talking at the Blarney in Bloom Festival, July 9, 2017. It takes places at Blarney Castle and Gardens.

March 2017 saw Dublin based Landscape Garden maker and Designer Peter Donegan travel to Salt Lake City, Utah for a myriad of reasons; one of them was to do The Sodshow Garden Podcast, The Live Show.

Fair to suggest Donegan did a little more than that.

Over his nine days there either side of St Patrick's Day, the Dublin based horticulturist made his US TV debut on ABC4 Utah, the front page of The Salt Lake Tribune, hosted two live shows over 2 nights, marched in their St Patrick's Day Parade, gave 2 master garden classes, 3 radio interviews, 1 planting ceremony in his honour.... was the guest of honour and then presented a bowl of (real) shamrock to The President of The Hibernian Society of Utah at their annual luncheon- their first time in their history to have it and post a dinner sitting next to Mary Robinson and the Irish Consulate Philip Grant; where all 3 including Peter gave a speech; presented a piece of Blarney Stone to the society.

The reason (?) he traveled for 9 days either side of St Patrick's Day was entirely down to Melinda Meservy, owner of a boutique garden store called Thyme and Place.

How did it all happen and what actually happened whilst Peter Donegan was there ?

This is just some of the audio, edited down and collated from the before during and after that tells that story.

Live from Salt Lake City Utah, brought to you by Thyme and Place. Peter Donegan was there for a little over one week were 6 guests in total, over 2 nights either side of St Patricks Day 2017 were interviewed in front of a live audience.

That story is most probably better told by The Salt Lake Tribune. And in images by Donegan Landscaping @sodshow on twitter - facebook The Sodshow Further info:

web: www.thymeandplaceslc.com Facebook: Thyme and Place SLC Instagram: Thyme and Place SLC

With thanks to Lara Jones at KRCL, Chris and Krissy at I Am Salt Lake and all that I met there.

Peter Donegan chats with Gavin McWilliam and Andrew Wilson.

Wilson McWilliam designed and built their first Gold medal winning garden on main avenue Chelsea this June 2017. This interview took place before they were awarded this medal.

Considering their first gold post three silver gilt medals at RHS Chelsea, it really makes this interview, for me, quite an insight - because I guess the future for the Breaking Ground garden sponsored by Darwin Property Investment Management Ltd in support of Wellington College, was essentially unknown.

From their first garden built together, to how the duo work together in their design, to falling in love; horticulture in mind. And from what a gold medal really means, their 2017 garden at RHS Chelsea, the judging process and just why they strive for only the best and the disappointments that may come with and equally the successes.

Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow

Show Links:

web : www.wmstudio.co.uk Twitter: @GavinMcWilliam Facebook: Wilson Mcwilliam Studio #RHSChelsea

This year BBC Gardeners World celebrates 50 years on television.

And to coincide with that celebration, BBC Gardeners World Live are marking this milestone in broadcasting history with the commission of two feature gardens by two of the country most exceptional garden designers. One of those is Paul Stone and on todays episode, with thanks to BBC GWL, Peter Donegan chats the multi gold medal winning Chelsea Flower Show and Hampton Court Palace Flower garden designer.

From the (also) 50th anniversary of Sgt Peppers by The Beatles, in case you were not aware, Paul's garden design career, what is BBC Gardeners World and his appearances on the televison show to just what one can expect at the Live show and the garden he is creating there.

Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow

Show Links:

web and tickets: BBC Gardeners World Twitter: @BBCGWLive Facebook: BBCGardenersWorldLive #bbcGWLive

This episode references the following: 

• The Landscape Show 2019 at Battersea Park, London
• Peter Donegan speaking at RHSI Garden Show
• Agents of Field and the wonderful Ade and Sophie
• The Gardens of Peace, France 

The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, sotify and all good podcast stores.

For garden talks, speaking and MC duties contact Peter Donegan at www.DoneganLandscaping.com 

Peter Donegan chats with Esther Gerrard of Bloom Fringe Dublin, 2017.

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Formerly a molecular biologist now a landscape architect based in Dublin and Esther is one of the very merry Bloom Fringe ladies that are set to take over Dublin City Centre this weekend Saturday June 3rd and Sunday June 4th 2017.

As part of the 2 day event, The Sodshow will be Live from Dublin Castle on Saturday and Live from The Church Bar and Restaurant, Wolfe Tone Square on Sunday.

For tickets, for which almost all are free as a by the way (but may require booking) you'll all the info on www.bloomfringe.com or EventBrite and book them there.

Anything else ?

Twitter: @BloomFringe Facebook: bloomfringedublin Instagram: bloomfringe

Part 2 as Peter Donegan returns to chat with garden designer, tv presenter Ann Marie Powell.

Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow.

On this weeks episode, we talk being patron of Green Fingers Charity. A charity that works to make garden spaces better for childrens hopice's.

We chat show garden building, relationships with those you love and with those who you work alongside; show garden medals, working with DIY and garden store, UK based Homebase; TV, Chelsea Flower Show and so much more.

My thanks to you as always for listening to this episode of the garden podcast. That you do, means so very much.

Thank you, Peter. X

Peter Donegan chats with garden designer, tv presenter and pretty much one of the finest ladies you may ever have the pleasure to meet, Ann Marie Powell.

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The last time Ann Marie was on The Sodshow Garden Podcast was March 2016, just before she went to RHS Chelsea Flower Show to build The RHS garden there; an accolade greater in horticulture I really don't believe exists. And not only that but post the build, she then presented for the BBC and their coverage of RHS Chelsea 2016.

We discuss that, her Gold medal at Hampton, her childhood, her growing up and family life; we also stop along the way to chat what it means to be a little different, unique and maybe a bit special - depending on how you define those words. And in true Sodshow style, the conversation of course strays entirely off course and back again.

This as always when meeting Ann Marie, was again as it always is, an absolute honour. Part 2 of this interview airs a little earlier next week - part as I'm at Chelsea, I've a full time job as Donegan Landscaping and The Sodshow Live Show will be going live from Dublin Castle June Bank Holiday Weekend 2017.

You may post me a pint of guinness. Any thing else - www.sodshow.com

Peter Donegan chats with Ed Hick, Live.

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The Sodshow Live Show took place at Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, Dublin. This episode was one of the days series and was just one part of the very beautiful Bloom Fringe 2016 Festival.

To Ed, he is the man behind Hick’s Sausages, Hick’s Bacon Jam and Hick’s Butchers of Dun Laoghaire. He is a staunch member of Slow Food Ireland, a caver, a potholer, a wild food expert, and a guy who really loves showing kids how to make sausages. We only talk about the horticulture and in this episode, it is jam packed.

As part of of Bloom Fringe, Ed took a cycling foraging tour along the banks of The Royal Canal in Dublin. And so from non berry picking in june, preserving without freezing, to elderflower picking and champagne; And from foraging, the one third rule and so much more we delve right into the things both Peter and Ed were reared doing which has a little become a trend and maybe a little of a buzz..... but this, in the very heart of Dublin City Centre, where one might least expect it.

Music with thanks to the gentlemen that are Homo Leviticus.

Further info:

twitter: @edhick web: www.wildandslow.com - or - www.EdHick.com

Peter Donegan chats with author Karen Chapman.

Alongside Christina Salwitz and published by Timber Press they have written Gardening With Foliage First. On that note, huge thanks to the very wonderful team at Timber Press for their help in making this interview happen.

Incidentally, Gardening with Foliage First is a recommended title by The Royal Horticultural Society, The RHS.

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Karen Chapman’s love of gardening led her to establish her container and landscape design business, Le Jardinet, in 2006. She writes regular garden-related articles for online and print publications and her work has been featured in numerous national magazines, including Fine Gardening and Better Homes & Gardens titles. Karen is also an instructor for Craftsy and a popular speaker at garden clubs, nurseries and Flower and Garden Shows across the country. She lives on 5 rural acres in Duvall, Washington, where she is trying to create her dream garden – despite the deer.

Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz have been traveling along parallel paths for many years as horticulturalists, designers, speakers and writers, sharing their passion for creating inspirational gardens with readers and audiences nationwide.

Their designs, articles and photographs have been featured in many national publications including Garden Design, Fine Gardening, Sunset and Better Homes and Gardens and they are both popular container gardening instructors, teaching at local community colleges and custom workshops. They have also earned a reputation for being as entertaining as they are informative – which they hope is a compliment!

In 2013 they published the award winning book Fine Foliage and have just released their second book Gardening with Foliage First (Timber Press, 2017)

Show Links:

Gardening with Foliage First, by Timber Press web: www.fine-foliage.com facebook: finefoliage Karens Website and blog: www.lejardinetdesigns.com

Peter Donegan chats with Marybeth Janerich (pictured above on Peter's left), of Wasatch Community Gardens, Live from Salt Lake City Utah

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Live from Salt Lake City Utah, brought to you by Thyme and Place, this is the first show from the second night of The Sodshow Live. Peter Donegan was there for a little over one week were 6 guests in total, over 2 nights either side of St Patricks Day 2017 were interviewed in front of a live audience.

That story is most probably better told by The Salt Lake Tribune. Further info:

website: wasatchgardens.org twitter: @outreachWCG facebook: wasatchgardens

The Sodshow Live Show Team:

Event Organiser: Melinda Meservy Brought to you by: Thyme and Place Location: The Mandate Press, Salt Lake City The Sodshow Live Team:

The Sodshow Live Host: Peter Donegan Photography: Nick Sokoloff Sound: Greg and Clay, Pale Horse Sound Studios MC: Chris Hollifield You: Thanks you - you were as you are so very beautiful. In House Live Bands:

Rusted Reel - night 1 Homo Leviticus - night 2 Thyme and Place, The Sodshow Live Sponsors:

Bare Bones Living Hibernian Society of Utah 90.9 KRCL Wasatch Community Gardens and not forgetting The Kings English - Book Shop

Peter Donegan chats with Zenaida Sengo, Live from Salt Lake City Utah.

@sodshow on twitter - facebook The Sodshow

Live from Salt Lake City Utah, brought to you by Thyme and Place, this is the first show from the first night of The Sodshow Live. Peter Donegan was there for a little over one week were 6 guests in total, over 2 nights either side of St Patricks Day 2017 were interviewed in front of a live audience.

That story is most probably better told by The Salt Lake Tribune. Zenaida Sengo quite literally wrote the book on Airplants. A designer, horticulturist and artist in the western US. She's worked with plants, interiors, landscape and floral design in California since 2001, specialising in drought-tolerant minimal landscapes and unique floral artistry. Zenaida is a specialist in epiphytes and authored Air Plants - The Curious World of Tillandsias. In this richly photographed book one can learn vast amounts about both caring for and designing with Tillandsias.

Further info:

Zenaida Sengo book: The Curious World of Tillandsias, by Timber Press website: www.zsengo.com More images: The Sodshow Live, Salt Lake City The Sodshow Live Show Team: Event Organiser: Melinda Meservy Brought to you by: Thyme and Place Location: The Mandate Press, Salt Lake City The Sodshow Live Team:

The Sodshow Live Host: Peter Donegan Photography: Nick Sokoloff Sound: Greg and Clay, Pale Horse Sound Studios MC: Chris Hollifield You: Thanks you - you were as you are so very beautiful. In House Live Bands:

Rusted Reel - night 1 Homo Leviticus - night 2 Thyme and Place, The Sodshow Live Sponsors:

Bare Bones Living Hibernian Society of Utah 90.9 KRCL Wasatch Community Gardens and not forgetting The Kings English - Book Shop

@sodshow on twitter or facebook The Sodshow

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@sodshow on twitter or facebook The Sodshow

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Peter Donegan chats with Philip Turvil, Grow Wild UK, Programme Manager based at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

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This isn't Philip's first time on The Sodshow garden podcast; and fair to suggest that when he was last on the discussion was very much about his back story, his career in horticulture to date and his evolution up to taking on the position he now holds; that is, Grow Wild UK, Programme Manager.

More than anything Philip is a gentleman who I hold in very high regard and I feel it fair to suggest that he is as enthusiastic in my mind, as I would have been aged five or six. What's funny is that sometimes I feel like a child in grown-ups trousers - of horticulture that is. In that, that enthusiasm has never ever diminished in any way whatsoever. And to meet someone who without even trying, albeit with a very different career path, has a very similar set of (photosynthetic) values - is pretty awe inspiring.

What I personally found fascinating, was that he also gets to close his eyes, to imagine what if - and - to see it become a reality. And that ladies and gentlemen is the coolest job in the whole wide world.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Philip Turvil.

Show Links:

web: www.growwilduk.com twitter: @GrowWildUK facebook: GrowWildUK

With thanks to CED Natural Stone today Peter Donegan chats with sculptor David Harber.


Designed by Andrew Duff, The Savills and David Harber Garden was created on Main Avenue at RHS Chelsea 2019. I had been standing at the Oxford Planters stand chatting with head don Sarah Pierce when all round lovely lady Gillian Goodson walked past. We got chatting about who I was due to and had spoken with, when round the corner walks David. I was more than aware of who he was and his work over the years at Chelsea and though we may have spoken, never had we chatted recorded. 

If I do submit an entry for the Garden Media Guild awards, this will most probably be it. I'll leave the description there for now. Take a listen and enjoy. And thanks ever so much for listening. 

• web: www.davidharber.co.uk
• Twitter: @davidharber
• FB: davidharbergardens

The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores. Spotify Tim Howell. Spotify ! 

The Sodshow:

• Twitter: @sodshow
• facebook: The Sodshow
• instagram: sodshow

Garden photographer Jonathan Ward chats with Sodshow garden podcast host Peter Donegan.

The first ever garden photographer on The Sodshow, you may assume it would be as simple as it sounds. But and maybe as is always the case, this story is just that slight bit different.

Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow

From rose pruning and the influence from elders at a younger age, to management at a very high level and a stint at Myerscough College to some of the biggest landscaping projects one might not have considered, Jonathan's now title in mind. We delve sideways into the business that was landscaping and where and why it may not have gone according to plan for Jonathan. To just how and why one, within the UK horticulture industry ends up remaining slightly cleaner, still within that industry, travelling the world and doing (or maybe more to the point) viewing what it is you still love so very much.

Further info:

web: www.gingerhorticulture.co.uk twitter: @gingerhort

Peter Donegan chats with Brian Granahan, a school teacher at St Patricks Boys National School based in Skibereen in Cork.

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Whilst Peter and The Sodshow Live Show is off in the United States doing the live show, this is as close as one could get to St Patrick and Ireland, being the day that's in it and it is a fantastic story to hear.

Brian has set up what some may call a school garden but this one has a difference. It includes a sensory garden, a school garden and a geodesic dome which operates the entire way round the calender, eductaion (so to speak) and school closing and opening times aside. They also do a lot more than that and with a difference.

The fact that they also grow tea, an entire bed of carnivorous plants and rice whilst watching hand polinated sweetcorn growing and a trialing of banana and pineapple plants.

This is literally a school garden with a difference.

Peter Donegan chats with Charlotte Harris Designer of The Royal Bank of Canada Garden for RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017.

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“When designing this garden, I spent time in northern Ontario exploring on foot and by canoe – navigating the waterways, pine forests, flora and granite of the Boreal,” said Charlotte Harris. “This time was a precious source of inspiration for the design, providing an appreciation of what comprises this unique and beautiful environment, as well as the importance of living sustainably and in harmony with our precious ecosystems.”

The boreal forest is the largest intact forest and wetland ecosystem on earth, accounting for 25 per cent of the world’s freshwater resources and storing twice the amount of carbon as tropical forests, according to the International Boreal Conservation Campaign. The garden seeks to create a space inspired by this landscape, rather than to recreate it. A wilder garden folds around man-made elements, crafted from materials evocative of the boreal.

"We are excited to partner with Charlotte for our seventh garden at the 2017 RHS Chelsea Flower Show,” said Stuart Rutledge, CEO, RBC Wealth Management – International. “The garden design is a tribute to the beauty of Canada’s boreal forest. As one of the largest Canadian companies in the UK, we look forward to bringing Canada to Chelsea and marking the country’s 150th birthday.”

This will be Charlotte’s first time as lead designer at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, having previously worked on a number of Main Avenue gardens, including Luciano Giubbilei’s Best in Show garden of 2014 and Hugo Bugg’s Royal Bank of Canada Garden in 2016. Charlotte has chosen a strong female design team including architect, technical detailer and horticulturists.

web: www.charlotteharris.com twitter: @charlotteharris instagram: charloharris

Peter Donegan chats with Garden Designer Paul Hervey Brookes

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Paul Hervey-Brookes is a well-respected designer who has built a strong reputation for landscapes and gardens that are classically English relying on planting schemes to create spaces and rich, multi-layered habitats. His plant-focused philosophy is rooted in his early training at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh and subsequent garden experiences.

Paul has been described by his peers as arty, creative and possessing an immense plant knowledge. His ability to read landscapes and evoke intense feelings and emotions has won him acclaim across the board. He works on a diverse range of public landscapes and private gardens both in the Untied Kingdom and Internationally.

He has created a number of show gardens including four at the Chelsea Flower Show, where he won Gold with the BrandAlley Garden in 2013 along with creating gardens for Bradstone in 2010 and the RNIB in 2011, winning a Silver and Silver-Gilt Medal respectively.

Paul has also created show gardens on the International stage, most recently at RHS Tatton where he won Gold & Best in Show in 2016 and Gold at Hampton Court in 2016. In 2015 he won Gold at Philadelphia and ‘Best Colour’ award at the new Japan Home & Garden Show. In 2014 at Gardening World Cup Japan he won Best in Show, Gold and Best planting after winning gold there at the 2013 show. He has exhibited at the Ellerslie Flower Show in New Zealand in 2014 and at the inaugural Lyon Salon, Scenes du Jardin in 2015. Paul won Gold and Best Destination Garden for his Discover Jordan Garden at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in 2012. The garden was based on his personal experiences of this unique and richly diverse landscape.

Links:

Twitter: @HerveyBrookes web: paulherveybrookes.com

Peter Donegan chats with John Bevan, Head Gardener at Lisselan House, Clonakilty in West Cork.

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John was born in Glengariff, but as a younger man spent most of his summers in Garnish Island where his love of plants grew. He went on to study horticulture at the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin. Post that he started an apprenticeship in the Parks Department in Dublin and then moved back home to Cork when the job as head gardener when it arose about 17 years ago.

To his credit, John designed and built the current Fuchsia garden that exists there at the old enclosed garden. Currently the estate is for sale but still open to the public and part of West Cork Garden Trail.

Lisselan House:

Sited by the banks of the Argideen River, Lisselan was built between 1851 and 1853 by William Bence - Jones and was designed by Lewis Vuliamy. Designed by Sir Thomas Newenham Deane, in the late 1800's the smoke room wing was added. He also as a by the way designed the lodge at the front gate. In 1929 C.O. Stanley bought the property and in 1946 he added a single storey addition to the hall along the entrance.

Of Lisselan Gardens, it is noted:

Lisselan Gardens in Clonakilty were laid out in Robinsonian style from the early 1850’s. William Bence-Jones, the owner of the estate, chose a site on a promontory above the river for a French chateau style house, which was designed by Lewis Vuliamy. The Bence-Jones family created 30 acres of gardens which take advantage of the natural features of the West Cork landscape, contours provided by the valley and the Argideen river running through it.

Links:

web: www.lisselan.com twitter: @LisselanEstate facebook: LisselanEstate With thanks to West Cork Garden Trail's Miriam and Bev Cotton for being brilliant.

And also to Maxx Marshall for the music.

Peter Donegan chats with Melinda Meservy of Thyme and Place, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

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Formerly a business and data analysis expert who rarely saw home and lived from pretty much all over the world, 3 months ago Melinda opened the doors to her new business Thyme and Place, a garden shop based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

A bit of a change you say ? You'd be very correct in that assumption. And we get right into that and so much more, from a personal side of things.

To the business, that's also a little bit different, but in a good way. The pots Thyme and Place sell come from Kew Gardens, there's a boutique element to the store, their opening hours are from about 11am - but they run evening classes, workshops and courses. But then the climate is not that of Ireland or London.

More than that ? Melinda is for the week of St Patricks Day 2017, bringing The Sodshow to Salt Lake City to do The Sodshow Live Show. Wanna find out more on that (?), drop by the store or send Melissa a note and she'll pass you on all the details. Links:

Twitter: @ThymeAndPlaceSL Facebook: ThymeandPlaceSLC Instagram: ThymeAndPlaceSLC Address: 362 E 900 S, Salt Lake City, Utah And also:

My thanks to Chris and Chrissy at the very fantastic I Am Salt Lake Podcast. Love your show.

Peter Donegan talks to Juliet Roberts, the Editor of Gardens Illustrated Magazine.

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Formerly in the film industry, in 2012 Juliet was listed as one of the top 30 most influential gardeners and since the now Bristol based (formerly London) Gardens Illustrated magazine, that at present now boasts its highest ever subscription rate.

Peter and Juliet talk gardens, garden shows, James Alexander Sinclair, former guest of the show Noel Kingsbury, life in London and a history of veg plots. We chat life in Bristol, a life not always in the garden industry, but were the love for that was always there and how that evolved.

The next event on the horizon is of course the Gardens Illustrated Festival. Of that they note:

Join Gardens Illustrated magazine for their second Gardens Festival, taking place at the magnificent Westonbirt School, Tetbury in the heart of the Cotswolds on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 March. Visitors will enjoy a fascinating programme of talks from leading experts covering everything from discovering the allure of umbellifers with plantswoman Marina Christopher, to understanding the finer points of what makes a great garden with designer Annie Guilfoyle. Other speakers include Alys Fowler, Roy Lancaster and Sarah Raven.

To keep you busy in between the talks you are invited to browse the beautiful Shopping Marquee within the grounds of the spectacular Westonbirt School. The Shopping Marquee is free to all visitors and you'll find over 40 of the top traders in the industry including nurseries, artists and garden accessory companies. There will also be FREE plant and design clinics offering 10 minute individual advice and self guided tours of the stunning Westonbirt School gardens.

Tickets to the talks are limited and so be sure to book yours today by visiting www.gardensfestival.com or phoning 0871 230 7156. *calls cost 13p per minute plus standard network charges. Lines open 24 hours a day.

This interview with much thanks to Marie Davies and Caroline Roper. Thank you ladies for all of your hard work.

Show Links:

Tickets: Gardens Illustrated Festival twitter: @GdnsIllustrated Magazine: www.gardensillustrated.com FB: gardensillustrated

Peter Donegan chat with Tara Moloney of White Dove Nurseries, Limerick. @sodshow - twitter. facebook - The Sodshow

Live from Powerscourt Townhouse Centre as part of Bloom Fringe, Tara does what was unknown to Peter pre that, her first interview ever. In this case it was live, in front of an audience.

In late 2012, Tara moved to Co. Limerick from Surrey in the UK. Having both worked in the South East in professional horticulture, for more than 15 years, we had an idea that we might pool all of our green experience into one resource, and set about buying an old worm farm and turning it into a plant nursery in Templeglantine.

Of note: Tara has a weekly stall at Limerick's famous Milk Market, where they sell locally grown plants, plant curiosities and our range of heirloom seeds for flowers and vegetables.

Alongside Tara is Mark Lewis; an experienced Retail Horticulture Manager and Print Photographer with extensive plant knowledge and has worked for one of the UK's best known garden chains, Squires, for over 10 years. Mark now runs the Nursery at the farm.

Tara Maloney has worked in various niche roles in Retail Horticulture and Garden Management for over 10 years. Starting out at Squires in Twickenham as a part time assistant and then leading a region for Notcutts Tara managed some of the South East's best Planterias and worked as a Regional Horticulture Manager for Wyevale.

In 2009, she designed and built a garden for the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show, winning a Silver-Gilt Medal for 'The Dinosaur Den'.

Tara studied Garden Design and RHS qualifications, and worked for various private homes and A List clients in the central London area as a gardener, florist, and sometimes, as the clients demanded, a housekeeper! Tara also worked for the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, alongside Quincy Leon Head of Licensing and Product Development and as the plant buyer, sourcing plants for the gardens and shop, as well as providing an opportunity for engagement between the public and the gardeners at Kew.

Prior to moving to Ireland, Tara took on a year's consultancy with the staff of the aspirational Petersham Nurseries, in Richmond, Surrey. Working closely with Lara Boglione, Managing Director and Lucy Boyd, Culinary Director, Tara managed the team through a period of change at the Nursery - overhauling and re-organising the plant shop's business systems, horticulture practices and renovating and co-ordinating the re-design and opening of the last derelict Victorian Glasshouse into a fully flexible on site public arena for events, meetings as well as an aspirational indoor retail space.

This year they are working to set up an outdoor Cut Your Own Flower beds, and hope to be in some sort of running order by the end of July 2017. In the meantime, we have our permanent market stall at the Milk Market and are looking forward to another great year with our seed collection.

In the heart of the Cafe and Fashion Quarter, we offer a selection of houseplants, outdoor plants as well as in season cut flowers and planted gifts.

Links:

Twitter: @WhiteDoveLMK Facebook: WhiteDoveNurseries

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On this weeks garden podcast Peter Donegan chats with Philip Turvil of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

If I'm really honest, Philips love of horticulture is infectious. And he's pretty wonderful not only at what he does - you can read his bio below - but more for how he sees horticulture and what that achieves. And honestly really honestly, if there were trophies that I could give out for people who, in this industry, are really (really really) amazing, he'd be right up up there on the tallest podium I could find.

So carried away I got, again, listening to Philip - it appears I missed entirely what we got him on the sodshow for - to talk about the Grow Wild Programme. I'll fix that I promise. Grab a cuppa, go take a listen and enjoy.

On a mild side note, I first met Philip at the Garden Media Guild Awards and we last met, last weekend at the Party for Perennial. Fair to say, it has always been an honour.

Phlip Turvil - Biography:

Philip Turvil is responsible for Grow Wild; the UK’s biggest-ever wild flower campaign, bringing millions of people together to transform local spaces with UK native plants and fungi. Supported by the Big Lottery Fund, Grow Wild is the national outreach initiative of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Philip’s current focus is Grow Wild strategy to develop its impact with partner organisations.

Before joining Kew, Philip managed Master Gardeners; Garden Organic’s national volunteer mentor network sharing food growing advice in local communities. He previously worked in practical/education roles at botanic, heritage, and zoological gardens, and was a horticultural advisor for the BBC and London 2012.

Philip gained an honours degree in horticulture (University of Reading) and masters in management (Bath University). He was a finalist for Journalist of the Year in 2011 and 2012 (Garden Media Guild).

Show Links:

web: www.growwilduk.com twitter: @GrowWildUK facebook: GrowWildUK Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow

Part 2 as Peter Donegan returns to chat with Annie Dellbridge, Head Gardener at Fullers Mill Garden.

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Released in two parts, this is the very amazing and very beautiful story of Head Gardener Annie Dellbridge, how she got to Fullers Mill Garden her journey there and also a little of who she is both in and outside of work.

More than that it is also the story of Fullers Mill, how it became a garden to visit, it's ownership now under that of Perennial Gardeners Royal Benevolent Society, the volunteers that work there, how that operates and why and how it is on par with some of the best gardens the UK has that you may visit.

More than that again ? It is a story about people, their kindness and generosity and the more often very wonderful world we know as horticultural and the very many smiles that it can bring.

On this weeks episode Peter Donegan chats with Lee Burkhill, alias The Garden Ninja. 

Lee is the designer of The BBC North West Tonight Sunshine Garden at RHS Tatton 2019, in memory of Dianne Oxberry, a local weather presenter who sadly passed away from Ovarian cancer earlier in the year.

The Garden brief is to pay tribute to Dianne's love of gardening, Tatton flower show and to bring bright garden positivity to visitors. Lee's design features take-home design ideas for an urban space. Along with community involvement in both the build and the pollen-rich summer planting scheme. The entire garden is being rehomed at Wirral St Johns Hospice afterwards so the Sunshine can continue.

A Chelsea award-winning garden designer, vlogger and garden troubleshooter from the North West of England. Lee's approach is to encourage new gardeners by providing how-to guides has earnt him a place in both the top 10 Garden Blogger and Vlogger lists in the UK.

Further info: 

Youtube - Garden Ninja Ltd
Twitter - @Garden_Ninja


The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, spotify and all good podcast stores.

The Sodshow:

Twitter: @sodshow
facebook: The Sodshow
instagram: sodshow

On this weeks garden podcast Peter Donegan chats with Annie Dellbridge, Head Gardener at Fullers Mill Garden.

Released in two parts, this is the very amazing and very beautiful story of Head Gardener Annie Dellbridge, how she got to Fullers Mill Garden her journey there and also a little of who she is both in and outside of work.

More than that it is also the story of Fullers Mill, how it became a garden to visit, it's ownership now under that of Perennial Gardeners Royal Benevolent Society, the volunteers that work there, how that operates and why and how it is on par with some of the best gardens the UK has that you may visit.

More than that again ? It is a story about people, their kindness and generosity and the more often very wonderful world we know as horticultural and the very many smiles that it can bring.

Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow

Peter Donegan meets with Ben Brace of London National Park City.

Of London National Park City, they say:

Let’s make London the world’s first National Park City. A city where people and nature are better connected. A city that is rich with wildlife and every child benefits from exploring, playing and learning outdoors. A city where we all enjoy high-quality green spaces, the air is clean to breathe, it’s a pleasure to swim in its rivers and green homes are affordable. Together we can make London a greener, healthier and fairer place to live.

For those who may not know Ben, he is a Chartered Landscape Architect and fully qualified Horticulturist. He has worked literally worked from the ground up; as a landscape contractor, in landscape maintenance private and commercial, selling plants as a market stall trader and also for a small independant nursery and large commercial organisations. From these beginnings he worked his socks off to get himself qualified in the things he loves most - plants and design.

Aside from the day job, he is a Volunteer Tree Warden and a balcony gardener, a soon to be RHS mentor and an Ambassador for Landscape (for the Landscape Institute). He is a volunteer project leader for the Chelsea Fringe and for the Open Squares Weekend, a picking coordinator for Abundance London a member of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture and an Associate Member of the Arboricultural Association.

Of the Greater London National Park City initiative he describes himself as a general foot soldier.

London National Park City: web: www.nationalparkcity.london twitter: @LondonNPC twitter: Dan Raven Ellison Ben Brace: twitter: @Ben_Brace

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On this weeks garden podcast Peter Donegan chats with Lee Connolly of The Skinny Jean Gardeners.

Currently working with Blue Peter (bbc tv) and Jimmy Doherty (channel 4), they have also worked as part of the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution, designed a garden for the Gardening World Cup, Japan ; and from music festivals to BBC Gardeners World Live (alongside such names as Alan Titschmarsh) - Lee Connolly alongside his brother Dale, have litterally been there and done it all - all, in the space of just 4 years.

Not trained in horticulture and an electrician by trade, Dale works in marketing; and this journey started solely so they could spend more time with each other.

It was an absolute honour to chat with Lee to gain an insight into one half of the duo that only ever has made me smile - that in itself, is something alone that is more than deserved of standing applause - Infectiously, happy, wonderfully beautiful and one very fine gentleman. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Lee Connolly of The Skinny Jean Gardeners.

Show Links:

web: www.SkinnyJeanGardeners.com YouTube: SkinnyJeanGardeners Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow