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This week’s guest is veg growing expert Huw Richards. Huw grows a vast range of plants in his garden in mid-West Wales and is always trialling and experimenting with new ways of growing. He has an enormously popular YouTube channel and has authored a number of books, the latest of which is ‘The Vegetable Grower’s Handbook’ which draws on his experience as very much a thoughtful and philosophical gardener. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Flower Crab Spiders What we cover Gardening with a mission statement Being organised in the garden; keeping checklists, batching jobs, planning Some of the most surprising things Huw’s discovered on his gardening journey Poly culture  Intercropping Having an odds and ends bed Harvesting water in the garden  The method of multisowing New veg Huw’s trialling in 2022 On being a philosophical gardener Links The Veg Grower’s Handbook by Huw Richards - Dorling Kindersley Ltd, March 2022 Huw on YouTube Huw on Facebook Huw on Instagram  Patreon Membership

This week’s guest is Clare Keller, a fashion designer and stylist who’s previously work at Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Pringle, Chloe and Givenchy. Clare is currently a Trustee and spokesperson for the British Iris Society, a society dedicated to promoting and preserving UK irises and providing resources to iris growers. We talk about these picturesque, perpetually popular flowers. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Organic recyclers What we cover How Clare became involved with the British Iris Society and interested in irises Species of iris Ideal iris growing conditions Iris hardiness Propagation of irises Easy irises to grow Links The British Iris Society On Facebook Patreon Membership

This week’s guest is Frank Hyman, a certified mushroom forager who teaches mushroom identification to chefs, arborists, organic farmers and the general public. Frank’s latest book is called ‘How to Forage for Mushrooms Without Dying’ and contains guidance on mushroom identification, on your suitability for becoming a mushroom forager on which subject he writes “if you have a reputation among your friends and family for exercising poor judgement…you may not be a very good candidate”, about the sniffy attitude of the English to mushrooms versus that of mainland Europeans and a whole host of other myco-related topics that should help you in your quest to survive foraging. Despite dealing with a potentially lethal topic, both book and author are laugh out loud funny and I was delighted that Frank agreed to an interview. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Viruses What we cover Can you take a mushroom guide from one country or continent and use it in another? Frank’s three different types of mushrooms Mycophobia Should you be careful of the soil mushrooms are growing in? Nutritional and medicinal values Cleaning and cooking mushrooms About Frank Hyman Frank is a certified mushroom forager who teaches mushroom identification to chefs, arborists, organic farmers and the general public. His writing on foraging has appeared in Forbes, Paleo Magazine and Hobby Farms. He lives in Durham, North Carolina.  Links How to Forage for Mushrooms Without Dying: An Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Identifying 29 Wild, Edible Mushrooms by Frank Hyman Other episodes you might like: Edible Mushrooms with Geoff Dann In Search of Mycotopia with Doug Bierend Patreon Membership

This week I’m speaking to April Windle. April is a naturalist with a particular interest in lichens, especially those occupying our rainforest habitats along the western seaboard of the British Isles. April works on a variety of lichen education and conservation projects and co-chairs the Education & Promotions Committee of the British Lichen Society. April talks to me about what lichen actually is, where you can find it and why it’s interesting and worth studying.  Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Brimstone butterflies What we cover What is a lichen? Might they be confused with algae, moss or fungi? The provenance of lichens UK species Where you can find them Lichen propagation  Lichens as species or material specific What is life like for lichen given things like development, air pollution and climate change? Edible and medicinal uses Where you can find out more about lichens About April Windle April Windle is a naturalist with a particular interest in lichens, especially those occupying our rainforest habitats along the western seaboard of the British Isles. She is currently self-employed and involved in a variety of lichen education and conservation projects, whilst co-chairing the Education & Promotions Committee of the British Lichen Society.  Her employment history includes Plantlife International, the Natural History Museum, Exmoor National Park Authority and the RSPB.  Links www.britishlichensociety.org.uk  April on Twitter: @aprilwindle Patreon Membership

This week I’m chatting with New England-based horticultural therapist and master gardener, Erik Keller, who is also the author of the book A Therapist’s Garden: Using Plants to Revitalise Your Spirit. Over 20 years, Erik has worked with thousands of people of all ages and types, using horticulture and therapeutic techniques to help them deal with physical, emotional and mental challenges. Erik talks about using an outdoor space as a place for therapy and learning and about the downs and ups of bringing horticulture into peoples’ lives as a way to heal.  Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Home grown bugs What we cover Erik’s background in therapeutic gardening The most therapeutic and stimulating plant scents for people to work with  How plants spark memories  Establishing a connection between growing and eating plants Techniques to stop attention wandering whilst completing a task  Techniques you use if people are exhibiting undesirable behaviour Lesson planning and being flexible during gardening sessions Using your garden year round How seasonal changes can help garden users deal with their personal issues and relate to the garden About A Therapist’s Garden: Using Plants to Revitalise Your Spirit The Zen of mixing mud with seniors; crafting surprising salads out of weeds; and a hidden rabbit bringing joy to girls in a juvenile detention center. These are a few of the nearly 100 stories that Erik Keller takes readers on through a journey of how interacting with plants and nature can help heal mental, emotional, and physical trauma. Through the lens of January to December in a New England landscape, discover how horticultural therapy improves the lives of those in pain including special-needs children, cancer patients, and disabled seniors.  A Therapist’s Garden is unique in portraying how gardening, nature-based arts, plants and horticulture can revitalize the spirit of people. It encompasses over 20 years of experiences seeing the healing power of horticultural therapy. Its themes and subject material are universal in interest as different portions of this book apply to nearly anyone who likes plants or to garden, both booming activities today, as well as therapists who will find the approach interesting and of use to their client bases.  About Erik Keller Over the last 20 years, Erik Keller has worked with thousands of people of all ages and types using horticulture and therapeutic techniques to help them deal with physical, cognitive, social and emotional challenges. Venues have ranged from special-needs schools, to prisons, to nursing facilities to private homes. Certifications from the University of Connecticut as a Master Gardener in 2000 and the New York Botanical Garden in Horticultural Therapy in 2009 has given Keller a strong base of knowledge from which he has been able to help his clients. He is a member of the American Horticultural Therapy Association, the Northeast Horticultural Therapy Network as well as the Connecticut Master Gardeners Association. He writes extensively about the healing power of horticultural therapy on a variety of social media platforms and on his website www.grohappy.com.  For over a decade, Keller has been running a twice-monthly horticultural therapy (HT) program at Ann’s Place, a not-for-profit facility helping those with cancer located in Danbury, CT. Since the emergence of COVID-19, Keller has developed a wide variety of virtual and hybrid HT sessions for clients. He also manages and maintains the grounds at Ann’s Place, which he designed over a decade ago to accommodate therapeutic needs of the client base.  Keller is also a commissioner for the Ridgefield Conservation Commission, which manages and maintains over 5,800 acres of open space in Ridgefield, CT. In the past, he has run horticultural therapy programs at senior living and nursing facilities as well as run programs at Green Chimneys, a school for special-needs children in Brewster, NY.  Earlier in Keller’s career, he spent a decade as a journalist and editor for a variety of technology- focused trade publications, a decade as a Research Fellow at Gartner, Stamford, CT (the leading technology advisory firm in the world), and another decade as a management consultant with his own firm. During that time he received many awards for editorial, writing and analytical excellence. He also wrote a well-received book for the technology community called Technology Paradise Lost (Manning Publications) in 2004.  Keller graduated from State University of New York at Stony Brook with a Bachelor’s of Engineering degree as well as minored in English and Journalism. While at Stony Brook, he won the University’s Martin Buskin Memorial Scholarship for Journalism.  Links Black Rose Publishing - A Therapist’s Garden: Using Plants to Revitalise Your Spirit www.grohappy.com Patreon Membership

This week I’m talking with Jack Willgoss, who along with wife Laura, runs Wildegoose Nursery in Shropshire where they hold the Bouts collection of violas. The collection comprises over 160 varieties and includes some favourite varieties which date back to the 1800s. Jack talks about his collection, the different types of violas you might come across and how you can best grow them in your garden either in the ground or in containers. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Biodiversity Decline What we cover Jack’s collection of violas How many species of viola there are The history of violas in cultivation Violettas  Pruning violas Viola growing conditions and feeding Hardiness Violas and scent Viola colours Propagation Edible flowers Links www.wildegoosenursery.co.uk Patreon Membership

This week’s guest is Dr Si Poole, founder of Mintopia, a website dedicated to mint featuring its own online reference library for the different types, the mintopaedia. Si holds one of the National Collections of mint and holds getting on for 200 different cultivars. From his plastic-free, organic nursery, he sells themed collections of mints and he’s passionate and knowledgable about every aspect of the Mentha genera, impressive given that there’s much more to this plant than mint sauce and mojitos.  Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Locusts What we cover How Si became interested in mint The different species and cultivars of mint The Mintopia Mint Collections How is mint propagated? The cultivation of mint in the garden  Is it true that you shouldn’t allow mints of different varieties grow in the same container otherwise they all end up tasting the same?  Mint pests and diseases Links Mintopia  Patreon Membership

I stumbled across a book called The Humanure Handbook: Shit in a Nutshell and of course, I had to buy a copy. I’ve long thought that if we’re aiming towards a closed system within our gardens then our own waste needs to be factored into the equation so I was intrigued to find out what the book’s author Joseph C Jenkins had to say on the matter. What I didn’t expect was the book to be one of those that slaps you in the face with facts and makes you question the whole way you’ve lived your life, in this case in relation to loos and their contents. Not only does Joe comprehensively explain how you can take the contents of your loo and compost it along with your garden waste so that you have a clean and useful product that can be used on everything from vegetables to houseplants, he will make you wonder why you ever thought the alternative of flushing it away was a sensible, viable option. There is so much I wanted to cover with Joe and we only scratched the surface of the subject in this interview. I urge you to get the book and think about the issue of how we deal with waste, it’s a vitally important environmental issue. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Eating insects What we cover The background to Joe’s work on composting toilet waste and his book, The Humanure Handbook In order to put back what we take out of the soil, we need to be reusing our waste as well as all household and garden waste - how can this work in practice? Is a flushing toilet the holy grail of comfort and civilised living for all? Composting and pathogens Composting and drug residues Compost toilets vs dry composting systems Links Humanure Handbook can be downloaded here Humanure videos Humanure videos on Youtube Humanure research papers: 2018 2015 2013 2011 2009 Patreon Membership

The flora of Armenia is one of the most diverse and interesting in the world and includes many favourite garden plants and their relatives. This week’s guest, Tamar Galstyan, has travelled the length and breadth of the country botanising and leading guided plant tours. She’s recently published ‘A Field Guide to the Plants of Armenia’ which includes more than 1000 of the diverse range of plants found in the country and in the interview, we cover the range of habitats and climates found in Armenia, what it’s like to travel there to find plants and how the native flora is threatened by things such as climate change and grazing animals. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: UV light What we cover How Tamar become interested in plants What makes Armenia so significant in terms of plants The sorts of climates experienced in Armenia The rarest plants you could find Armenian wild plants that are also garden cultivars The protection given to the native flora How to see the plants in Armenia and the best time to visit About Tamar Galstyan Tamar Galstyan graduated from the University of Art and Theatre in Yerevan, Armenia. After some years she studied ecology and worked with children as an ecology teacher. Tamar began travelling regularly in Armenia, taking numerous pictures of plants and identifying them. She created a website to help her students learn about the Armenian flora and this led to her popular Facebook page 'Plants of Armenia'. In 2012 Tamar was invited to guide a botany trip in Armenia. Gradually the geographical range of her trips expanded and some are managed through her own travel company, SkyGreen. Travels in Georgia, Iran and Central Asia deepened Tamar’s love of nature as well as her plant knowledge. She learns by travelling and is passionate about sharing what she has learnt during the past nine years guiding botany trips.  Links A Field Guide to The Plants of Armenia by Tamar Galstyan Patreon Membership

This week, I’m talking to Susan Young, author of the book ‘Growing Beans’. As I’ve looked further into having a sustainable diet, into growing and storing crops and into sources of plant protein, beans just seemed to tick every box, but I needed to know more. So Susan’s book ‘Growing Beans’ is exactly what I’ve been looking for, because it covers growing, harvesting and storing beans and it argues a very convincing case for a fact that many people the world over have known for centuries; that beans are good not only for you but for the planet, because they’re such a resilient, easy to grow, low carbon footprint crop. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Tobacco whitefly What we cover What makes beans such a good crop to grow, in terms of their eco credentials?  The beans we commonly grow here in the UK Beans to grow for their green pods, as fresh green beans, half dried and drying Bean nutritional needs Overwintering tubers of runner bean plants Drying beans in a UK climate Bean toxicity Storing different types of beans Easy beans to grow Beans for taste and aesthetics Preparing and cooking beans About ‘Growing Beans: a diet for healthy people and planet' by Susan Young Susan's new book brings together 10 years of experimentation with multiple varieties of beans. She clearly explains how to sow, grow, harvest, dry, store and cook them, and shares her six ‘must grow’ varieties.  Beans are easy to grow and cook, help build healthy soil in the garden, and also provide a nutrient-rich diet, helping to reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer – they are good sources of protein, fibre, folate, iron and potassium. Plus, they can reduce your carbon footprint and food miles as well! Links 'Growing Beans: a diet for healthy people and planet' by Susan Young Beans and Herbs  Publishers of the book, Permaculture Magazine, on Facebook  Patreon Membership

This week’s guest is Nick Macer, plant hunter, self-taught botanist, rare species expert and owner of Pan Global Plants, a nursery based in the Severn Valley, which, to quote the website, offers “a selection of the finest, most desirable and often rarest plants capable of growing on these isles”. And that’s key - Nick hand selects plants, in the past, directly from where they were growing in the wild and brings them into cultivation. He’s renowned for choosing sublime varieties and for openly sharing his knowledge and experience. I did intend to talk to Nick a bit about his plant hunting trips, but as a stop has been put to these recently due to rules around the transportation of plant materials, the conversation went in other directions. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Mealybugs What we cover How Nick got into plant hunting How plants make the grade for inclusion into your nursery catalogue Rare plants - hardy or non hardy? Propagating rare plants Using rare plants in the garden About Nick Macer Coincidentally connected to last week’s episode on Georgian gardens, Nick Macer rented land at Painswick Rococo Garden before moving to Frampton-on-Severn to set up Pan-Global Plants, which specialises in rare and unusual plants, many of which are well-suited to growing in a UK climate. Nick trained at Merrist Wood and went on to have placements at Westonbirt Arboretum and the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens. He’s travelled the globe to find the most beautiful specimens to bring into cultivation and continues to work at the nursery and to share his knowledge in person and in the media. Links www.panglobalplants.com Patreon Membership

I’m speaking to Dr Cathryn Spence this week, about Thomas Robins, a painter who documented the country estates of the Georgian gentry in all their Rococo splendour. Robins captured images of this flamboyant age of outdoor design where gardens were laden with symbolism and crammed full of Chinoiserie, follies ruins and the latest imports of exotic animals and plants. Follow the story of Robins as he moves from jobbing fan painter to star of his own paintings, the development of the floral borders around his canvases, for which he’s famed, and the evolution of the Georgian garden and what remains of this style today.  Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Fig wasps What we cover The artist Thomas Robins and when and where he worked What gardens looked like at the time Robins was painting What is a Rococo garden? Why Robins painted floral borders around his paintings How exotic species came to be included in these frames In the book, Cathryn references “the Rococo’s requirement of asymmetry”. How did this manifest in Robins’ artworks and in gardens?  Political themes in Georgian gardens Robins’ botanical art How contemporary painters painted entire estates on one canvas Remaining examples of rococo gardens About ‘Nature’s Favourite Child – Thomas Robins and the Art of the Georgian Garden’ Thomas Robins the Elder (1716–1770) recorded the country estates of the Georgian gentry—their orchards, Rococo gardens, and potagers—like no other, with both topographical accuracy and delightful artistry, often bordering his gouaches with entrancing tendrils, shells, leaves, and birds. Robins's skill was honed by the delicacy required for his early career as a fan painter and is shown too in his exquisite paintings of butterflies, flowers, and birds. This ravishing and scholarly study emerges from many years’ research by Dr Cathryn Spence, the curator and archivist at Bowood House who has also worked for the V&A, the Bath Preservation Trust, and the National Trust. This is the first full study of Thomas Robins since John Harris’s Gardens of Delight, published in two volumes in 1978; Harris, in fact, made over all his research notes to Spence in 2005 when she embarked on her work. Chinoiserie is everywhere—a wooden bridge over the Thames, delicious kiosks in a garden, a view of Bath with sampans, and Chinese fishermen on the river. There are also fascinating views of Sudeley Castle and other great houses that incorporated more or less ruined monastic structures, destroyed in the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Spence has tracked down many previously unknown paintings by Robins and sets his elusive life and work in the framework of his patrons. More detective story than art historical monograph, this lavish study delights in Robins’s astonishing proficiency as a topographical, botanical, entomological and naturalist artist.  About Cathryn Spence Dr Cathryn Spence is a museum professional, lecturer and historic gardens and buildings consultant. After a career in London and Bath museums, including the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Building of Bath Museum, she is now Lord Lansdowne’s consultant Archivist and Curator at Bowood House, Wiltshire. She has published several books on the architectural and social history of Bath, most recently The Story of Bath (2016). Her study of Thomas Robins is the culmination of over fifteen years research.  Cathryn has worked with the team at Painswick Rococo Garden, a site restored using Robins’s paintings from 1984, for the last 5 years advising on the continuing heritage and conservation of the garden.  Links Nature’s Favourite Child – Thomas Robins and the Art of the Georgian Garden by Cathryn Spence is available from John Sandoe Books or directly from the author. Email thomasrobinselder@gmail.com (£45 to include p&p to a UK address, for RoW postage contact Cathryn on the above email for quote). Painswick Rococo Garden Patreon Membership

This week, I’m talking to Joyce Veheary about her fantastic Lend and Tend project, which aims to match garden owners who perhaps don’t have the time, experience, desire or means to tend their garden with gardenless gardeners keen to employ their green fingers,  pairing up people who are local to each other, then sending them on their merry way in the hopes they will have a long and happy garden sharing relationship. Joyce talks about why she felt the need to begin the project, how it works, what happens when it succeeds and why the idea is of benefit to whole communities, as well as the individuals involved. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Indoor houseplant bugs What we cover Lend and Tend and how it came about How likely are you to find someone on Lend and Tend who shares the same view of what a garden can and should be?  Some of the keys to having a mutually beneficial relationship between lender and tender What about tools? Practical considerations such as insurance and references The social element of Lend and Tend and how it benefits the community Where to find out more and get involved About Joyce Veheary Joyce is the founder of Lend and Tend and is a self-taught gardener with a passion for sharing skills and experiences. She is particularly interested in growing her own produce to cook with and she’s a keen forager too.  Joyce is always looking for ways to look after the environment and to promote social justice. Her aim with Lend and Tend is to democratise access to growing space, which she rightly views as an act of horticultural rebellion. She’s also a film and TV actor and her latest role is in Zack Snyder’s Justice League where she plays a Gotham cop. Talk about multi-talented! Links www.lendandtend.com Lend and Tend on Facebook  Twitter  Instagram  Patreon Membership

Hello and welcome to this episode of the podcast, where I’m speaking to Madeline McKeever, owner of Brown Envelope Seeds. Madeline’s company produces organic, open-pollinated seeds, which are harvested from crops grown on site at the Brown Envelope Seeds’ HQ, a farm in Skibbereen in County Cork. Madeline talks about why open-pollinated seeds are essential in the fight to feed people and for greater food biodiversity, the benefits of seed saving and sourcing seeds locally and how you can harvest your own seeds. P.s. for those expecting exotic plants and sunny climes as promised last week, apologies! The course of podcasting never did run smooth - hopefully next week! Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Overwintering moths What we cover Brown Envelope Seeds and how Madeline started the company Why organic seeds? Why open-pollinated? On the Brown Envelope Seeds website, Madeline writes that open pollinated seeds “are naturally pollinated - by insects or wind; not enforced pollination or in-breeding”. She expands on what she means by this. Food plant biodiversity Why you should try to buy seeds from a seed producer in your region or from one who has similar growing conditions Saving our own seeds If we save seeds each year, are the resulting plants are getting better and better? What to look for when saving seed Potential problems with seed crops that can affect the quality of the seed The situation globally with seed production and seed sellers? About Madeline McKeever Madeline began Brown Envelope Seeds in 2004 with 25 varieties. Since then, the company has grown, along with the amount of varieties offered (especially tomatoes!) to a family business supplying organic and open-pollinated vegetable seeds to Irish growers.  Madeline’s mission statement is to enable people to grow their own food and she believes producing and saving seeds is a vital part of that. She is doing her part to preserve and safeguard the future of food diversity in Ireland and by sharing her knowledge and expertise, is helping this happen on a global scale.  Links www.brownenvelopeseeds.com www.seedie.ie Other episodes you might like: Episode 12 - Esiah Levy’s SeedsShare Project  Patreon Membership

This year’s first guest is organic vegetable grower Anna Greenland. Anna has supplied produce to some of the UK’s top chefs, including Raymond Blanc and Jamie Oliver, has created gardens at Soho Farmhouse, Kew Gardens and the Huntington Botanical Gardens in LA. She is currently establishing a market garden and gardening school in Suffolk and has just released a book called ‘Grow Easy’. Anna talks about working with the best chefs in the best kitchens and catering to their clientele, about producing pristine veg organically, about growing food in different climates and the fundamentals of veg garden success. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Overwintering fruit & vegetable bugs What we cover Anna’s background How Anna begins to plan a veg garden from scratch What makes a good site The chefs Anna has worked with  Growing food for a professional kitchen Keeping a veg garden in a public space looking good all year round The biggest challenges for new veg gardeners and how they can be overcome About Anna Greenland Anna was working as a model when she moved to Cornwall and began working at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall. Bitten by the veg growing bug, she took on a job at The Lost Gardens of Heligan and began supplying produce to Jamie’s restaurant. From there, she moved to LA to study Ecological Horticulture and set up a food growing garden at Huntington Botanical Gardens.  After moving back to the UK, she worked at Soho Farmhouse, Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons for Raymond Blanc and has set up a productive area at Kew Gardens. She won gold and Best in Show for her ‘Herbs and Preserves’ garden at RHS Hampton Court Flower Show in 2018 and has just released a book, ‘Grow Easy’. She now lives in Suffolk where she is setting up a market garden and gardening school. Links www.annagreenland.co.uk Anna on Instagram  Grow Easy: Organic crops for pots and small plots - October 2021, Octopus Publishing Patreon Membership

Welcome to this pre-Christmas episode of the podcast, the final one of 2021. And what a year this has been! In this episode, I talk about what’s been happening at Roots and All and look back over some of the favourite episodes from this year.  Thank you for supporting the podcast this year and a Merry Christmas to you! What I cover The redesigned Roots and All website and the bookshop Episode 94 - Wild Gardens with Jo McKerr Episode 99 - Pollinators & Pollination with Prof Jeff Ollerton Episode 108 - Dr Glynn Percival of Bartlett Tree Research Episode 125 - Modern Plant Hunters with Dr Sandy Primrose Episode 136 - The View from Federal Twist with James Golden Patreon Membership

This week’s guest is Dr Jude Piesse. Jude’s book ‘The Ghost in the Garden’ is essentially about Charles Darwin’s largely forgotten garden in Shrewsbury but the book turned out to be much more than a study of the garden, its history and the man himself. In fact, these aspects are almost incidental to the other characters in the book and this makes it an amazing narrative where many aspects are hung together on the framework of the garden. In the interview, Jude tells us about how the book developed, the characters that animated the garden and how it fed into Charles Darwin’s work and life.  Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Winter Bumblebees Please don’t forget to rate, review and share the podcast! What we cover How Jude first came across Charles Darwin’s garden and what was it about the garden that interested her Jude says the book is more a collective biography and memoir than just the story of Darwin and it incorporates a whole host of characters. She talks about whether this was intentional. When the garden was built and what the contemporary horticultural world was like  How might the change from landscape gardens to the collectors’ gardens with their array of exotic species have contributed to scientific discoveries at that time? Whilst he was on The Beagle, the correspondence between Darwin and his family seems to have been set against the backdrop of seasonal events in the garden. Was this merely a common topic of conversation or were these updates of a deeper significance?  Who were the Darwins’ gardeners and what role did they play in shaping the garden and Darwin’s work?  How much did the garden feed into his work?  Did Darwin love the garden or was it a laboratory?  What is the condition of the garden now? Whose ghost is it in the garden?  About Dr Jude Piesse Jude Piesse is an academic and writer. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia and a PhD in English Literature from the University of Exeter. She has published widely on nineteenth-century literature and culture, including her book about emigration literature, British Settler Emigration in Print, 1832–1877 (OUP, 2016). Though she grew up in Shropshire, she did not discover Darwin’s childhood garden until she moved to Shrewsbury with her young family to take up her first lectureship. She now works as a lecturer in English Literature at Liverpool John Moores University. https://scribepublications.co.uk/books-authors/books/the-ghost-in-the-garden-9781913348052 Links The Ghost in the Garden by Jude Piesse - Scribe Publications, 2021