In this episode, gardening expert and The English Garden editor Clare Foggett joins us to explore what truly defines a cottage garden. We discuss why these spaces are defined by generous planting rather than rigid design, the magic of self-seeding plants, and how this traditional style fits into modern, sustainable, and biodiverse gardening.

Includes:

• Planted, Not Designed: Discover how cottage gardens evolve naturally through a passion for plants rather than a master plan.

• The Power of Self-Seeders: Learn why plants like foxgloves and valerian are essential for a relaxed, charming aesthetic.

• Modern Sustainability: Find out why this high-flower, low-lawn approach is the ultimate eco-friendly choice for contemporary gardeners.

Benny's Insect of the Week: Ivy Bee

Links

Beauty & Abundance: British Cottage Gardens by Clare Foggett

Nestboxes Talk - with Ian Rumley-Dawson

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If you enjoyed this week's episode with Clare, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:

Episode 168: Cottage Gardens with Andrew Sankey

Andrew Sankey has spent decades researching English cottage gardens, and this episode explores what defines the style, both historically and today, including the plants, planting techniques, edibles and wildlife-friendly qualities that make cottage gardens so distinctive. It's a particularly useful companion to Claire's exploration of how the cottage garden has evolved and why it remains so relevant to the way we garden today.

Episode 244: The Biodiversity Gardener with Paul Sterry

Paul Sterry explores how gardens can contribute to biodiversity, from the plants we grow and the way we manage them to the habitats we create for insects and other wildlife. Like Claire's conversation, it considers how a more relaxed, abundant approach to gardening can benefit nature as well as creating a beautiful garden.

We tend to think of plants as static things: rooted to the spot, quietly getting on with being plants. But what if, beneath our feet, there's a much more dynamic world of movement, adaptation and decision-making going on? In this episode I'm talking to plant ecologist and artist Curtis Lubbe about roots, bulbs and rhizomes, plant 'animacy' and why changing the way we think and talk about plants might change the way we treat them too.

Benny's Insect of the Week: Fig-Leaf Skeltoniser

Links

Curtis Lubbe Blog

Journal of Ecology profile: Curtis Lubbe

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If you enjoyed this week's episode with Curtis, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:

Episode 109: The Botanical Mind with Gina Buenfeld

This episode explores the relationship between art and the natural world, including ideas around plant intelligence, symbolism and the ways plants have been understood across different cultures. It's a particularly good companion to Curtis's thoughts on plant perception and the role of art in helping us see plants differently.

Episode 245: The Language of Trees

Artist and activist Katie Holten explores our relationship with trees through art, language, literature and ecology. Like Curtis's work, it asks us to rethink how we perceive plants and to find new ways of communicating their importance and complexity.

What if your garden could double as a living pharmacy? In this episode, I'm talking to gardener, chef and herbalism practitioner Vanessa Minton about growing medicinal herbs, using them in everyday life, and understanding both the benefits and limitations of herbal remedies.

Benny's Insect of the Week: Toadflax Brocade Moth

Links

From The Garden – Linktree

How to Grow Medicinal Herbs: An Illustrated Beginner's Guide to Growing, Harvesting, and Making Herbal Remedies at Home - Vanessa Minton

Please support the podcast on Patreon

As featured in the Feedspot Top 100 Horticulture Podcasts

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If you enjoyed this week's episode with Vanessa, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:

Episode 270: Herbology

This episode explores the long history of using plants to make remedies and therapeutic preparations, and the growing interest in reconnecting with traditional herbal knowledge. It's a natural companion to Vanessa's discussion of medicinal herbs and the garden as a source of plant medicine.

Episode 96: Sensory Herbalism with Karen Lawton

Karen Lawton talks about developing a deeper connection with medicinal plants through observation, sensory awareness and herbal practice. It's a lovely companion to Vanessa's discussion of bringing herbs into everyday life and getting to know the plants we grow.

Can we save nature by putting a quantifiable value on it? Tim Christophersen is a forester, former UN environmentalist and a leading voice in the global ecosystem restoration movement, championing regenerative agriculture and nature-based solutions. With the UK sweltering through multiple heatwaves, we discuss whether investment can really deliver the restoration we need — and what happens when living ecosystems become part of the financial system.

Benny's Insect of the Week: Toadflax Brocade Moth

About Tim Christopherson

Tim Christophersen joined Salesforce as VP, Climate Action in May 2022. Within the global Impact Team, he leads the work on climate and nature action and investments. Tim is based in Denmark. He is the author of 'Generation Restoration', a book about restoring nature at planetary scale. Before joining Salesforce, Tim was Head of the 'Nature for Climate' Branch at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and led a growing global movement backed by all UN Member States and over 300 partner organizations to 'prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide': the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030.

He holds a degree in Forestry and Forest Conservation Engineering from Dresden University of Technology. He previously worked for the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), where he led the portfolio on the conservation and sustainable use of forest biodiversity. From 2017-2019, he was elected Chair of the Global Partnership on Forest and Landscape Restoration. From 2002-2007 he was Regional Programme Coordinator for Europe, the Caucasus and the Commonwealth of Independent States at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). He also worked for the Danish Ministry of the Environment, and for the European Commission.

Links

Generation Restoration: How to Fix Our Relationship Crisis with Mother Nature by Tim Christopherson

Tim Christophersen on how to rebuild humanity's ties to nature

Other restoration projects of interest: Restor.eco decadeonrestoration.org

Tim's LinkedIn profile

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If you enjoyed this week's episode with Tim, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:

Episode 318: Care Not Capital

John Little challenges the idea that investing in green spaces is primarily about capital, arguing instead for investment in the people who care for them. It makes an interesting companion to Tim's discussion of the role money and investment can play in restoring nature.

Episode 58: A New Garden Ethic with Benjamin Vogt

Benjamin Vogt argues for a different relationship with nature, one in which we see ourselves as part of the wider ecological community rather than separate from it. It's a useful counterpoint to Tim's much bigger-picture discussion about how we value and restore the natural world.

Blending storytelling with facts can encourage children to see the wildlife on their doorstep in a completely different way. In this episode, I'm talking to children's author and wildlife expert Sonia Copeland Bloom about storytelling, wildlife and getting children curious about the natural world.

Benny's Insect of the Week: Rock Rose Prickly Leaf Beetle

Links

Amazing Tales & Truths about Garden Minibeasts by Sonia Copeland Bloom, with illustrations by Nick Page

First edition ISBN 978-917673-54-9.

Available on Amazon, to order from all good bookshops, including Amazon Kindle and on www.amentsoc.com along with Sonia's six smaller books.

For more info visit www.bugglebury.com and www.amentsoc.com

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If you enjoyed this week's episode with Sonia, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:

Episode 76: School Gardening with the MiniHorts

A look at the benefits of getting children gardening and connecting with nature from an early age. It's a great companion to Sonia's work bringing wildlife and the natural world to life for young readers.

Episode 343: Lines Across the Wild

Writer and naturalist Julian Hoffman explores threatened landscapes, wildlife and our deep connections to the natural world. It complements Sonia's passion for encouraging curiosity about the creatures and wild places around us.

Have you ever wondered who answers all those gardening questions that stump the rest of us? This week I'm chatting to Leigh Hunt, Principal Horticultural Advisor at the RHS, about what really goes on behind the scenes of the Society's advice service, the questions gardeners ask most often, and what those thousands of enquiries reveal about the way we're gardening in a changing climate.

Benny's Insect of the Week: Mexican Grass-Carrying Wasp

Links

RHS Gardening Advice

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If you enjoyed this week's episode with Leigh, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:

Episode 210: Gardening in a Changing World

Darryl Moore discusses how gardeners can respond to the climate crisis by rethinking the way we design and manage our gardens. His ideas about working with plants, rather than against them, make this an excellent companion to Leigh's observations on the changing questions the RHS is receiving as gardeners adapt to new weather patterns and growing conditions.

Episode 321: Weathering It All

Sarah talks to writer and naturalist Matt Gaw about our relationship with weather, exploring how storms, drought and seasonal change shape both landscapes and our experience of nature. It complements Leigh's insights into how increasingly unpredictable weather is influencing the advice sought by gardeners across the UK.

Could the secret to better health be sitting in a simple jar on your kitchen counter? Today I'm joined by food writer and fermentation expert Rachel de Thample to explore how fermentation can rewild the gut microbiome, preserve the seasons, and prove that making your own fermented foods is much easier than most of us think.

Benny's Insect of the Week: The Bee Wolf

Links

The Fermentation Year: Everyday techniques and recipes to rewild your microbiome by Rachel de Thample

Rachel on Instagram - @dethample

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If you enjoyed this week's episode with Rachel, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:

Episode 371: Wild Edibles

Wendy Russell and Freda Farquharson explore the potential of wild edible plants, from citizen science and biodiversity to health and climate-friendly farming. Their conversation about making better use of overlooked plants is a great companion to Rachel's discussion of fermentation, seasonal eating and increasing the diversity of the foods we eat.

Episode 306: The Soil Habitat

Sarah talks to geologist and soil food web specialist Eddie Bailey about the living world beneath our feet, why healthy soils are essential for healthy plants, and how soil health ultimately affects our own wellbeing. It pairs perfectly with Rachel's explanation of the links between soil microbes, fermentation and the gut microbiome.

The biggest changes in how we care for nature might start just outside our front door. This episode, I'm joined by adventurer and author Alastair Humphreys to discuss his latest book, Unwilding, and explore why reconnecting with the natural world is less about escaping to the wilderness and more about noticing what's already around us—from litter picking to climate handprints, and the power of small, everyday actions.

Benny's Insect of the Week: The Weld Bee

Links

Alastair Humphreys – Official Website

Unwilded – Book Page

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If you enjoyed this week's episode with Alastair, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:

Episode 370: Remembering Our Nature

Brigit Anna McNeill joins Sarah to explore what it means to truly reconnect with the natural world. Together they discuss healing through plants, reclaiming our relationship with nature, and how slowing down and paying attention can help us rediscover our place within it. It's a thoughtful companion to Alastair's reflections on finding wonder close to home and building a deeper connection with the landscapes around us.

Episode 373: V-Wilding

Sarah talks to Randal Plunkett about his ambitious rewilding project at Dunsany Nature Reserve, where farming has given way to a hands-off approach that allows nature to recover on its own terms. From biodiversity and conservation to rethinking our role in the landscape, this episode complements Alastair's conversation about repairing the places we already inhabit rather than searching for wilderness elsewhere.

What if the plants around us are carrying stories we've forgotten? This week, I'm joined once again by Amanda Edmiston of Botanica Fabula to explore her latest book, a rich blend of folklore, social history and the enduring stories of plants. We talk about how this knowledge is passed down through generations, and why now is the perfect time to start asking the people around us about the plants and traditions they remember.

Benny's Insect of the Week: The Sieve-winged Snailkiller

Links

Website

Amanda on Instagram

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If you enjoyed this week's episode with Amanda, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:

Episode 104: Botanical Storytelling with Amanda Edmiston

Amanda first joined Sarah to explore the art of botanical storytelling, her work inspired by Elizabeth Blackwell's *A Curious Herbal*, and the rich connections between plants, history and storytelling. It's the perfect companion to this conversation, offering the beginning of Amanda's journey and the ideas that have since grown into her latest books.

Episode 347: Can Plants Help You Find Lost Things?

In this episode, Sarah talks to Christina Oakley Harrington about the folklore, history and magic of plants. Together they explore the stories and traditions that have surrounded herbs and flowers for centuries, making it an ideal follow-on from Amanda's discussion of plant lore, memory and the enduring power of botanical storytelling.

What if the biggest barriers to experiencing nature aren't natural at all? Today, I'm joined by author, poet and disability activist Bethany Handley to explore accessibility, belonging, and how redesigning our landscapes could create richer places for both people and wildlife.

Benny's Insect of the Week: The Cinnabar Moth

Links

Bethany's website

My Body is a Meadow The Book

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If you enjoyed this week's episode with Bethany, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:

Episode 366: Universal Qualities of Healing Gardens

In this episode, Sarah talks to Sandra Schwarz about the restorative power of green spaces and the qualities that make gardens welcoming, supportive and healing. Together they explore how thoughtful design can help people connect with nature, making it an ideal companion to Bethany's conversation about accessibility, belonging and creating landscapes that work for everyone.

Episode 239: Growing Biodiversity

In this episode, Sarah chats with gardener Benny Hawksbee about bringing biology and ecology into horticulture. From creating wildlife-friendly gardens to challenging traditional gardening practices and encouraging community involvement, it's a natural follow-on from Bethany's discussion of designing landscapes that benefit both people and wildlife.

What happens when you stop trying to control a garden and start working with nature instead? This week, I'm joined by Charlie Harpur, head gardener at Knepp, to explore rewilding, biodiversity, and why careful observation and systems thinking can transform the way we garden.

Benny's Insect of the Week: The Pantaloon Bee

Links

Website

A link to all the garden tours and workshops

And a link to the Knepp garden blog which, written by Moy

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If you enjoyed this week's episode with Charlie, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:

Episode 376: From Rewilding to Renaturing

In this episode, Sarah talks to writer James Canton about *Renaturing* and his two-acre biodiversity project in Essex. Together they explore the differences between rewilding and renaturing, the value of close observation, and how thoughtful, small-scale interventions can help restore nature—making it an ideal companion to Charlie's discussion of rewilding in a garden setting.

Episode 239: Growing Biodiversity

In this episode, Sarah chats with gardener Benny Hawksbee about bringing biology and ecology into horticulture. From creating wildlife-friendly gardens to challenging traditional gardening practices and encouraging community involvement, it's a natural follow-on from Charlie's ideas about designing and managing gardens with biodiversity at their heart.