Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

This week's interview is with Kenya-based organic farming champion Simon Murungi. Simon is an organic farming trainer and founded the organization SOFAFRICA (Spreading Organic Farming in Africa). He is passionate about Agro Ecological Regenerative Agriculture and Rural Development and sees organic farming methods as a sustainable approach that can turn around smallholder agriculture from mere subsistence farming to a more commercial enterprise. We talk about why Simon believes organic agriculture is important for Kenya's farmers, how it can be implemented and the challenges farmers face. About Simon Murungi: Simon is an organic farming trainer who founded the organization SOFAFRICA (Spreading Organic Farming in Africa). He is passionate about Agro Ecological Regenerative Agriculture and Rural Development as a viable and sustainable approach to turn around smallholder agriculture from mere subsistence farming to a more commercial enterprise. He is a promoter and experienced trainer of Agro-ecological techniques towards social, economic and environmental conservation in Africa. Simon is also a change maker on how food is produced and linking the plate with the farm for a more safe and nutritious food to the ever increasing population. He champions and advocates for Organic Market Enterprises and Agribusinesses through value addition, creating employment in the rural areas and reversing the rural to urban migration. SOFAfrica provides training to farmers, youths and schools on climate change mitigation strategies, indigenous seed saving, water and soil conservation, organic agriculture, natural resources conservation, rural development, nutrition, animal welfare, human rights especially for the young, elderly, those with disabilities and related issues based on public policy, the best available research science, and effective management. SOFAfrica has a vision to provide economic opportunity through innovation, helping rural Kenyans to thrive; to promote agriculture production that better nourishes Kenyans/ Africans while also helping feed others throughout the world; and to preserve their Nation's natural resources through conservation, restored forests, improved watersheds, and healthy private working lands in line with the sustainable development goals SDGs. Their strategic goals serve as a roadmap towards helping to ensure they achieve their mission and implement their vision. What We Discuss: The work of SOFAfrica The popularity of organic farming in Kenya The reasons Simon believes organic farming is important and is the right way to grow food Seed sourcing and the importance of using organic seed Objections from farmers and growers to organic growing methods How Simon spreads the organic farming message How Fair Trade initiatives work alongside ecologically sustainable farming practices; Whether organic growing reduces the water requirements Whether there is a measurable impact on the 'inputs' and the yields Links: Simon Murungi on LinkedIn SOFAfrica on Facebook Spreading Organic Farming in Africa Get in touch: Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Support me on Patreon Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

This week I'm speaking to expert ornithologist Ricky Whelan about a talk he gives on the Secret Life of Crows, which has surprised Ricky with its "unexpected but massive interest and attendances". As a life long lover of crows myself, I thought it would be great to find out a bit more about these birds in general, but also in a garden context. So if you're intrigued to find out how corvids organise their societies, how they communicate, about their love lives and about the good and not so good things they do in the garden, join us as we put an eye to the key hole and spy on the secret life of crows. About Ricky Whelan: Ricky grew up in the Irish midlands surrounded by rural landscapes and bogland and it was here he developed his love for nature. After university Ricky left Ireland and started his conservation career in the UK working for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) as part of their reserve's teams in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. On return to Ireland Ricky began working for BirdWatch Ireland on the Dublin Bay Birds Project and now leads on Urban Bird projects with a large focus of his work being on Swifts. Outside of work Ricky volunteers with a number of wildlife and conservation projects close to home and has had unexpected but massive interest and attendances with and at his "Secret Life of Crows Talk" which he regularly gives around the country. Ricky lives close to his birthplace with his Claire and their son Art. What We Discuss: Some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding crows Their societal structures Do crows mate for life? How clever are crows? Their repertoire of songs and sounds How crows recognise humans Their main food sources Do they cause problems for gardeners or can they be beneficial? The most amazing thing Ricky has discovered about crows during his research Links: Ricky Whelan on Twitter On Instagram Snowboarding Crow Get in touch: Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Support me on Patreon Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

This week, I'm talking to journalist and author Val Bourne about her book The Living Jigsaw: the secret life in your garden. Val is a perfect example of a gardener who loves ornamental plants as much as she respects the wildlife in her garden. She walks the walk, produces writing based on her observations and has a palpable love for all the things that share her garden. We talk about how to achieve an outdoor space where there's room for everything to flourish. About Val Bourne: Val Bourne is an award-winning author and journalist, photographer and lecturer. She gardens organically in the Cotswolds, growing a huge range of ornamental and edible plants. Val is a true plantaholic and her work is informed by growing often challenging plants and observing how they interact, not only with each other but with other species that share the garden. What We Discuss: The idea behind The Living Jigsaw Slugs and snails in the garden - how bad are slug pellets? Garlic spray? Which roses work in an organic garden Is leaving patches of garden undisturbed a necessity? Some key wildlife plants When to cut grassy areas of the garden Some of the best and worst practices for a wildlife garden Links: Val Bourne - The Natural Gardener The Living Jigsaw: the secret life in your garden by Val Bourne - Kew Publishing, 2017 SLUGS IN GARDENS: THEIR NUMBERS, ACTIVITIES AND DISTRIBUTION. PART 2 - Barnes, H. F. and Weil, J. W. 1945. Slugs in gardens: Their numbers, activities and distribution. Part 2. Journal of Animal Ecology. 14 (2), pp. 71-105. Get in touch: Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Support me on Patreon Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

This week I'm chatting to author of the book I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast, Michael Holland. The book is a botanical and environmental textbook for children that makes learning about even quite complex topics such as plant scientific names seem like fun. I talk to Michael about activities you can do with children using stuff you can find in your cupboard, about some of the most engaging horticultural concepts for kids and how you can make learning entertaining. About Michael Holland: Expert ecologist, educator and author, Michael Holland FLS is on a mission to educate and inspire people from all walks of life about the powerful world of plants and the vital role they play in our daily lives. Michael's first book, I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast is published by Flying Eye Books on April 1 2020. Printed on Munken Arctic Paper and with ink using soya beans and linseeds, it provides an inspiring and accessible introduction to the wonderful world of plants and how they are relevant to our lives. Colourfully illustrated, it is packed with hints, tips, practical ideas and fun-filled activities to get children 7+ and their families informed, engaged and excited about plants. Michael studied Ecology at Lancaster and Oregon State Universities and is a keen photographer, wildlife gardener and all-round composting nerd! Michael had a 25-year career at the eminent Chelsea Physic Garden in London, latterly as Head of Education for over 17 years. He has taught tens of thousands of people, aged 2 to 92, about the natural world. He is both a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London and of the London Environmental Educators' Forum (LEEF) - both organisations that work tirelessly ensuring people from all walks of life are connected to nature and natural history. Michael has spoken at a number of global conferences; a highlight being invited to talk at a botanical garden in Japan on subjects including 'State of the Art Medicinal Plants', 'Container Gardening', 'London's Parks & Gardens' and 'Five Plants that Changed the World'. Michael has delivered a herb-planting master class for the team at Jo Malone London for their Herb Garden perfumes cologne collection, and in 2003, developed the innovative and award-winning Shelf Life project, labelled by Head of Interpretation, Sharon Willoughby at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, as "the most effective piece of plant-based interpretation." What We Discuss: Michael's background in horticulture The importance of the book having roots in science and botany as well as being fun Some of the best experiments kids can do with plants Michael's favourite fact to reel a child in to horticulture The Shelf Life project Useful online resources Links: www.growingunderstandings.co.uk I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast by Michael Holland and Phillip Giordano - Flying Eye Books, 2020 Get in touch: Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Support me on Patreon Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

This episode is the fourth and final part of the Design Experts series and this week's guest is New Zealand-based garden designer Xanthe White who runs Xanthe White Design which has offices in Auckland and Wellington. As with the other episodes in the design experts series, we talk about the practicalities of running a design practice in the region, what the client design relationship looks like and the evolving face of garden design. The interview starts with me asking Xanthe about the beliefs underpinning her practice. This series has very kindly been sponsored by the London College of Garden Design. About Xanthe White: Xanthe is one of New Zealand's top landscape designers. Her studio works with clients to design gardens that work for them on a personal level, creating gardeners as well as gardens. Her work is fused throughout with concerns for sustainability, ecosystems and the cultural significance of the spaces she builds. She has won medals at the 2006 and 2011 RHS Chelsea Flower Shows and has also won top awards at the Ellerslie International Flower Show and the Gardening World Cup in Japan. What We Discuss: The ethos behind Xanthe White Design What would Xanthe's ideal client looks like Some of the biggest challenges Xanthe faced as a garden designer in New Zealand Xanthe's favourite part of the design process Who or what inspires Xanthe right now How Xanthe sees the discipline of garden design evolving over the coming decades Links: www.xanthewhitedesign.co.nz With thanks to the episode sponsor, the London College of Garden Design. www.lcgd.org.uk Tel +44 (0) 1483 762955 Email info@lcgd.org.uk Get in touch: Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Support me on Patreon Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

This is an interview I did with garden designer and author of the book Scent Magic, Isabel Bannerman. You will deduce from some of the comments in the episode that it was recorded in autumn last year and for one reason or another, I've sat on it all that time, never quite sure when to release it. Of course, there are scents in the garden all year round, but when you're heading towards winter and the scent of a sweet pea flower seems a lifetime away, somehow I couldn't quite get together the enthusiasm for the subject matter that I felt this episode deserved, especially as scents are such an important thing to me. If you read the book, you will realise these ethereal, ephemeral things make up an integral part of our very being and yet we don't have a consensus on a vocabulary to even begin to describe them. As the natural world bursts into green and flower around us, stick your nose in the air and have a good sniff. About Isabel Bannerman: Alongside Julian Bannerman, Isabel heads up a garden design practice. Together, the couple have designed gardens for HRH The Prince of Wales, clients from the worlds of film and fashion and have won gold medals at RHS Chelsea for their work. Isabel is also an accomplished photographer with 4 solo shows under her belt and is the author of two books, 'Scent Magic' and 'Landscape of Dreams' (2016). What We Discuss: The importance of scent to Isabel's design work. Designing scentscapes. Dreaming scents; why don't we? Air pollution and its affect on the way scent carries Unexpected or overlooked scents in the garden How aspect affects the way scent travels The faecal smell that sometimes underscores the top notes of flowers Some of Isabel's favourite scent combinations Combinations that don't work together Links: Scent Magic by Isabel Bannerman - Pimpernel Press, 2019 Isabel & Julian Bannerman Garden Design www.howgreennursery.co.uk Get in touch: Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Support me on Patreon Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

I'm speaking to Peter Marren, author of Chasing the Ghost: My Search for all the Wild Flowers of Britain. Peter travelled the length and breadth of Britain to track down those native species he'd never seen growing in the wild. Like all the best hero's journeys, the path must be littered with challenges, disappointments, interesting characters, in this case both plants and people and the drama of the journey travelled surpasses the quest. This episode is perfect for those of us lucky enough to still have access to nature and my hope is that by the end of it at least one or two of you will have a new hobby/obsession! About Peter Marren: Peter Marren is an all-rounder naturalist, nature writer and conservationist. Peter is the author of many books, including volumes on nature conservation, mushrooms and butterflies. His writing has appeared in every issue of British Wildlife since 1990, where he writes a satirical column 'Twitcher in the Swamp'. What We Discuss: The quest embarked upon in Chasing the Ghost How many species of native wildflower are there in the British Isles? How many did Peter need to see in order to see the 'full set'? How the book is as much about the people Peter met along the way as it is about plants Peter's best/most triumphant find Of all the plants Peter saw, which is the most endangered, in his opinion? His most dangerous expedition Plant twitching as a hobby Some of the most interesting common names How could a person embark upon their own plant hunting quest? Where would be a good place to get started? Links: Chasing the Ghost: My Search for all the Wild Flowers of Britain - Peter Marren Vintage Publishing, 2019 Harrap's Wild Flowers by Simon Harrap - Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018 Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland by Marjorie Blamey, Richard Fitter, Alastair H. Flitter - Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013 The New Concise British Flora by Rev. W Keble Martin - Sphere Books Ltd, 1972 www.fertilefibre.com www.naturalgrower.co.uk www.GardenTopsoilDirect.co.uk Get in touch: Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Patreon Link Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

This week I'm talking to anarchist organiser, agroecologist and grassroots herbalist, Nicole Rose. Nicole runs the Solidarity Apothecary, an organisation supporting mainly prisoners and refugees either by supplying herbal remedies or by facilitating the growing and making of these. We talk about Nicole's work to help prisoners, refugees and other facing state repression by helping them with their physical and mental wellbeing through a connection to nature. About Nicole Rose: "I'm undertaking a four-year clinical training with The Plant Medicine School in Ireland to develop my skills as a practitioner. This site shares my learning journey as well as the work of my project, the Solidarity Apothecary. Plants and social struggle have always been inseparable to me. I learnt how to grow food on a 3.5 year prison sentence for a campaign to close down Europe's largest animal testing company. Inside, it was the plants cracking the concrete that kept me going. On release, I have organised with many collectives and campaigns, from helping organise the first Radical Herbalism Gathering in the UK to stopping fracking in Somerset. I now mostly engage with campaigns against prison expansion and the prison industrial complex, as well as supporting prisoners and people experiencing repression. As a massive and unashamed plant geek, my main field has been agroecology and food autonomy. I started Empty Cages Design in 2011 to offer design consultancy services and community education in liberatory forms of land use, including teaching an annual Vegan Permaculture Design Course. In 2013, I co-founded Feed Avalon, a workers cooperative that works for socially-just and ecologically sound food production in Glastonbury, Street and surrounding villages. We have community gardens, a kitchen, mushroom farm and all sorts of projects! I complimented this grassroots work with studying for a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design, as well as a BSc Integrative Ecosocial Design and MSc Applied Agroecology with Gaia University." - https://solidarityapothecary.org/about-nicole/ What We Discuss: The Solidarity Apothecary and what sparked Nicole to start the project Who benefits from the herbal remedies Nicole produces? What are some of the most popular remedies? What are the benefits to prisoners of connecting with nature? How much opportunity do they have to engage with the natural world and healing plants whilst they are in prison? How the Solidarity Apothecary benefits people outside the prison system The idea of Queer Ecology How inaccessible horticulture, ecology and permaculture can seem to LGBTQ+ people. What can be done about this. Links: www.solidarityapothecary.org Email Nicole Rose info@solidarityapothecary.org The Prisoner's Herbal by Nicole Rose Land In Our Names Justice for Kevan Get in touch: Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Patreon Link - Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

This week I'm speaking to Tomos Jones. Tomos is a PhD student at the University of Reading where he's currently researching invasive plants. There are 17000 plant species from all over the world currently residing in our gardens here in the UK. A small percentage of these manage to jump the garden fence and survive in the wild and a smaller percentage still become a problem. But although it's a small percentage that become invasive, anyone who's done battle with Japanese Knotweed knows they can be a huge problem. Tomos is working to predict which plants may become a problem in the future, using a range of forecasting techniques, coupled with help from gardeners. This episode is published in support of another of our independent nurseries, Ivy Hatch Plants, who continue to deliver fantastic plants to customers at this time. Please support them! www.ivyhatchplantsupplies.co.uk About Tomos Jones: Tomos Jones is a NERC SCENARIO PhD student at the University of Reading and a passionate gardener. His research focuses on the 17,000 plant species - introduced from all over the world - which are found in our gardens. A small number of these ornamental plants have become invasive, having a detrimental impact on native biodiversity. Climate change could provide opportunities for more plants to become a problem. Tomos' challenge is to identify which plants might become our future invaders. Gardeners are crucial to his approach to this challenge; in both their choice of plants to grow and in understanding how ornamental plants can escape gardens and potentially become invasive. Before starting his PhD, Tomos worked at Treborth Botanic garden in N. Wales. Tomos also completed a British Council internship at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden in Yunnan, China, where he focused on in situ orchid conservation. These are only two of many fantastic gardens he has visited around the world giving him an appreciation of the long history of global horticultural trade, and the risk ornamental plants can pose to native biodiversity. What We Discuss: What is a native plant and what is a non-native? How many new species of plant do we introduce to the UK each year and of those, how many 'jump the garden fence' and become established in the wild? Of those, how many cause an identifiable problem and become invasive? The definition of an invasive plant Do non-native plants cause problems by occupying a niche that could otherwise be taken up by a native plant? Non-native plants appear to perform OK in terms of providing nectar and pollen sources, but how do they compare to native plants as host plants? Should there be tighter controls on the importation of plants into the UK? Ornamental plants which might naturalise in the future and why Which ornamental plants have invasive potential, now and under future climate scenarios? Can gardeners be effective in identifying invasive potential early in the invasion process? Will the way we garden will change in the future as a result of threats to our ecosystems, eg less plants imported, a smaller range available, the banning of certain species, etc? Links: Tomos Jones's Blog Get in touch: Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Patreon Link - Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe

This week I'm speaking to butterfly expert Peter Eeles. If you're interested in encouraging more butterflies into your garden and you'd like to know what plants to grow to encourage them, we discuss how you can be a better gardener for butterflies and it doesn't stop at growing some buddleia! Peter is the author of the book Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies. The book is THE definitive guide to UK butterflies and documents the different life stages from adults down to the smallest eggs. This episode is supporting Independent UK Nursery Johnson's Sweet Peas. What We Discuss: How many British butterfly species are there? How many life stages are documented in the book? What are the chances of us recreating butterfly habitats in our gardens? What are some of the most important host or nectar plants we can include in our gardens? Are butterflies fussy about their food plants? Are some plants better than others? Do any of our butterflies overwinter in the UK or are they all migratory? Do we have any invasive species that force others out? Which species are most able to cope with a loss in habitat? Will we see a proliferation of one or two successful species that are more adaptable? The key period we should avoid cutting back foliage in our gardens/meadows/road verges Links: www.ukbutterflies.co.uk Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies - Peter Eeles, NatureBureau 2019 Peter Eeles on Twitter @petereeles www.johnsonssweetpeas.co.uk Johnson's Sweet Peas on Twitter @JohnsonsSweetPs Johnson's on Instagram @johnsonssweetpeas Get in touch: Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram @rootsandallpod Patreon Link: Help me keep the podcast free & independent by subscribing at Patreon! Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe