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Today on the podcast we take you through some of the prep we are currently doing for Chelsea Flower Show. It's this time of year we get into the "real" growing for the flowers shows and we start cutting back some of the herb plants. In this episode, you will hear Alan and Ray talking over why the plants are cut back and what cutting back is. It's a wonderful insight into the world of Flower Shows and some of what goes into making these stunning displays. If you grow herb plants this is going to be a great listen for you as we also go over why it is relevant for your garden plants too.

In this episode of the podcast, we take you out onto the nursery and talk all things sowing. Over the years Newlands Nursery has sown millions of seed and you can't help but learn a thing or two about how best to grow plants from seeds over that time. Join Alan and Ray on the Nursery as they talk over how to sow seeds with some examples of seeds that you may want to try at home. Also in this episode, you can hear how the seeds are sown on a commercial scale (the machinery is a bit loud, sorry!) and listen to our explanation of some horticulture terms you may have come across.

Join Antony, Alan and Ray in the Newlands Nursery as they discuss the process involved in accepting 15,000 cuttings from Israel. Within the next six-to-eight weeks, those cuttings will grow into the herbs and houseplants that you can buy from our website. In today's podcast, you'll learn how we propagate those cuttings and turn them into viable plants.

This week's episode I have wanted to bring to you for some time. As many of you regulars to the podcast will know Newlands Nursery is coming close to its 70th year. (The actual age is of some contention as you will hear in the episode) So this week we are joined by Ray Lodge (Alans Dad). Together we chat about how the Nursery started and the changes it has been through over the years. Including how Newlands Nursery came to exhibit at the RHS shows and specialize in Chilli and Herb plants. At the top of the episode I mention our Jumbo Scented geraniums. If you want to check them out you can find them here. https://plants-uk.co.uk/collections/scented-geraniums/products/jumbo-scented-geranium-mixed-pack-three-jumbo-1-litre-plants

We have a slightly different episode for you this week which we’re very excited about. Since the launch of The Plants and Me Podcast we’ve spoken to a huge number of knowledgeable gardening experts who have shared their fantastic tips and have discussed about the people who have inspired them. As we get to the start of the growing season in the UK it’s well worth repeating some of the tips our guests have shared with us to help inspire you. In this episode we look back at some of our most memorable guests who’ve joined us on the podcast and reflect on the brilliant tips they’ve shared and their stories about the people who have inspired them.

We have a slightly different episode for you this week which we’re very excited about. Since the launch of The Plants and Me Podcast we’ve spoken to a huge number of knowledgeable gardening experts who have shared their fantastic tips and have discussed about the people who have inspired them. As we get to the start of the growing season in the UK it’s well worth repeating some of the tips our guests have shared with us to help inspire you. In this episode we look back at some of our most memorable guests who’ve joined us on the podcast and reflect on the brilliant tips they’ve shared and their stories about the people who have inspired them.

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to our first episode of 2020! Joining us this week is Rob Coleman from 7 Pot Club and like myself, Rob has a passion for chillies and has loved hot food from a young age. In this episode you’ll learn about how Rob’s passion for chillies began, the variety of chillies he grows in his front yard and how he preserves chillies and makes his own chilli sauces. Learn more about Rob and 7 Pot Club by visiting: Website: 7pot.club YouTube: 7 Pot Club Facebook: @7PotClub Instagram: @7potclub Twitter: @7potclub

Joining us on our last episode of 2019 is Jan McIntosh from Organic Edible Garden and she joins us all the way from New Zealand. Jan created ‘The Palmers Garden Show’ which is a long-running television series in prime-time, and we discuss about her experiences as a television director and producer as well as her experiences in horticulture and organic gardening. Learn more about Jan and Organic Edible Garden by visiting: Website: https://organicediblegarden.co.nz/ Facebook: @oegarden Twitter: @oegnz Instagram: @organicediblegarden

Joining us on our last episode before Christmas is John from Backyard Eden and John discusses about his small urban farm and his inspirations for growing as much as he can. John runs the Backyard Eden blog where he shares experiences growing on his urban homestead, along with some great tips to inspire others to grow their own food. Learn more about John and his homestead experiences by visiting: YouTube: Backyard Eden Facebook: @backyardeden Instagram: @backyardeden Twitter: @backyardeden1 I just want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who continuously listen to The Plants and Me Podcast each week. I hope you have a lovely Christmas and a happy New Year!

On the podcast this week we’re joined by avid house plant growers, Matthew and Stephen from Seattle who run the Plant Daddy Podcast. We had a great discussion about their passion for house plants and they share some great advice about how to get into growing house plants and caring for them. This is a brilliant episode for house plant lovers and for those who are keen to start growing them. Learn more about Plant Daddy and their great podcast by visiting: Website: www.plantdaddypodcast.com Facebook: @plantdaddypodcast Instagram: @plantdaddypodcast Twitter: @plantdaddypod

Richard Chivers joins us this week and we had a brilliant chat about his passion for growing fruit and vegetables on his family allotment and he also shares some brilliant tips on how best to approach an overgrown allotment you’ve taken on. Richard runs his blog, Sharpen Your Spades where he writes about his allotment progress, his gardening knowledge and his passion for food and cooking. This is a great episode for anyone who’s keen to take on an allotment or is passionate about growing fruit and vegetables. Learn more about Richard by visiting: Website: sharpenyourspades.com YouTube: Sharpen Your Spades Facebook: @Sharpenyourspades Instagram: @sharpenyourspades Twitter: @spadesharp

We chat about all things succulents with the succulent expert, Debra Lee Baldwin. An author of three bestselling books, Debra has contributed to various garden magazines, including Sunset, Better Homes & Gardens Garden Design and is a presenter at a range of venues such as the Epcot Centre, the Cactus and Succulent Society of America convention, botanical gardens, universities and horticultural groups across America. In this episode you’ll learn about Debra’s experiences writing for Sunset magazine, how to grow succulents outdoors and she shares some brilliant tips on growing and collecting succulents. Learn more about Debra by visiting: Website: debraleebaldwin.com YouTube: Debra Lee Baldwin Facebook: @debraleebaldwinofficial Instagram: @debralbaldwin

Gardening is a brilliant outdoor activity and encouraging children to get into gardening can be an enjoyable hobby filled with education and creativity. Scott Wilson joins us on the podcast this week to discuss about his life in horticulture and his experiences in teaching children how to garden. Learn more about Scott by visiting: Website: gardenerscott.blogspot.com YouTube: Gardener Scott Facebook: @GardenerScott

Joining us this week is Ross Minton from Grow Your Own Life. Ross vlogs about disability and his allotment growing and in this episode, Ross discusses how gardening has made a positive impact on his life and how it can do the same to others. You’ll also learn how to make the most of gardening and being in touch with nature if you have a small garden, or no garden at all. I really enjoyed chatting with Ross and I hope you enjoy listening to this episode. You can learn more about Ross by visiting: YouTube: Grow Your Own Life Twitter: @Shrop_Allotment

I chat to Simeon from Swedish Homestead who discusses his homesteading journey with us and shares his advice for people who want to become a homesteader. Simeon also talks about how Joel Salatin inspired him and how he even went out to Virginia to visit Joel to spend some time with him on his farm. Joel Salatin is a farmer from Polyface Farm in Virginia, and you can learn more about Joel by visiting polyfacefarms.com If you’re interested in homesteading, you don’t want to miss Simeon’s tips on where to start for beginners in this episode! Check out Simeon’s videos and his homesteading journey by visiting: YouTube: Swedish Homestead Facebook & Instagram: @swedishhomestead

We get all techy this week with George Williams, the CEO of SmartPlant. SmartPlant is a plant identification & care app which identifies plants with a photo and provides simple monthly care advice to ensure your plants stay green and healthy. In this episode you’ll learn how SmartPlant began, how it works, why it’s a must-have app for all plant lovers and how it is helping the plant retail ecosystem. Learn more about SmartPlant by visiting: Website: smartplantapp.com Facebook: @SmartPlantUK Instagram: @smartplanthome Twitter: @SmartPlantUK

This week we chat about all things landscaping with Rob Woodhouse, the managing director of Solent Garden Services. The business was set up by his dad and Rob discusses the history of the business and explains his experiences in working with gardens and how they have interestingly evolved over the years. We even come onto the very controversial subject about artificial grass… Learn more about Rob and Solent Garden Services by visiting: Website: solentgardenservices.co.uk Facebook: @solentgardenservicesltd Instagram: @green_fingerz_

Joining us on the podcast is Mark Valencia from Self Sufficient Me. Mark has always had a passion for self-sufficiency and it wasn’t until he retired from his military career that he decided to start a more self-sufficient, healthier lifestyle by growing as much produce as possible to supplement a single income. Mark encourages people to become more self-sufficient through his blog where he teaches people about organic gardening and realistic self-sufficient living and focuses on growing our own produce, looking after our mental and physical health and our environmental footprint. Learn more about Mark and his self-sufficient living by visiting: Website: selfsufficientme.com Forum: selfsufficientculture.com YouTube: Self-Sufficient Me

Lizzie Dean joins us this week to share her allotment journey and how she lives zero waste, not only throughout her home but also in her allotment. If you’re not sure what zero waste means, it’s using products that are recyclable, renewable and creates minimal waste for landfills. She also discusses about accessible gardening and shares her tips on how to make gardening possible when living with a disability. When she’s not busy in her allotment, Lizzie spends her time making how-to videos on her YouTube channel where she shares some great life hacks and tips to living zero waste. Learn more about Lizzie by visiting: YouTube: Lizzie Dean Makes Facebook: @LizzieDeanMakes

We’re very excited to have Michael Perry, also known as Mr Plant Geek, join us this week. Michael has been in the horticultural industry for many years, previously working at Thompson and Morgan and helping them win a range of awards, as well as getting involved with TV and radio having appeared on QVC, This Morning, The Alan Titchmarsh Show and The One Show. Michael has introduced hundreds of plants to the UK and this has been one of his main activities during his career. Some of these plants include Climbing Pelargoniums, Ground Cover Lilies, TomTato and was also involved in getting the UK to grow Goji berries. Learn more about Michael and check out his awesome social media pages: Website: mrplantgeek.com Facebook: @mrplantgeek Instagram: @mr_plantgeek Twitter: @mr_plantgeek