We’re stepping once more into Tom Stimpson’s tiny town garden to see how he coaxes months of colour from the smallest of spaces. 

In this episode, Tom shares the mini bulbs that have truly earned their keep in pots and window boxes – from long-flowering iris and species tulips to cheerful muscari and dwarf narcissus. 

Together we explore simple planting “recipes”, clever table‑top displays, and a low‑maintenance watering approach that lets the weather do most of the work. 

In this episode, discover:

• How Tom turns a tiny town garden into months of spring colour using mini bulbs in pots, tabletops and window boxes
• Which small bulbs really earn their keep in containers – from Ipheion ‘Alberto Castillo’ and ‘Wisley Blue’ to favourite species tulips and dwarf narcissus
• Simple ways to plan a small-space bulb display, including easy paper layouts and colour planning
• A low-maintenance watering approach for bulbs in pots that relies on deep, occasional soaking rather than constant fussing
• Practical tricks for protecting bulbs from squirrels and how to give narcissi, muscari and Iris reticulata a second life in borders.

Products mentioned:

Ipheion ‘Alberto Castillo’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/ipheion-alberto-castillo

Tulipa sylvestris: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulipa-sylvestris

Anemone blanda ‘Blue Shades’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/anemone-blanda-blue-shades

Muscari ‘Blue Magic’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/muscari-blue-magic

Muscari ‘Valerie Finnis’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/muscari-armeniacum-valerie-finnis

Narcissus ‘Minnow’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-minnow

Narcissus ‘Sailboat’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-sailboat

Scilla / Squills (Siberian Squill): https://www.sarahraven.com/products/scilla-siberica

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

If you love the idea of beautiful pots that don’t need replanting every five minutes, perennials in a container can be the perfect solution, and just as stunning as a bed or a border.

Tom Stimpson returns to discuss trusted “banker” perennials for containers – from long-flowering hellebores and acers underplanted with geraniums, to hydrangeas, heucheras and beloved agapanthus. 

You’ll hear exactly which combinations have stood the test of time in Tom’s garden as well as at Perch Hill, and how to get colour from winter through to late autumn.

In this episode, discover:

• How to design perennial pots that give you colour and structure from winter through to late autumn, without constant replanting
• Which plants Sarah and Tom rely on most strongly for containers 
• Practical planting combinations for small gardens, such as Pittosporum with hellebores and scabious, or an acer underplanted with Geranium ‘Rozanne’
• A realistic regime for watering, feeding and deadheading perennial pots so they stay sturdy rather than sappy

Products mentioned:

Helleborus niger: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/helleborus-niger

Helleborus orientalis: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/helleborus-orientalis-pretty-ellen-spotted

Helleborus ‘Ice n’ Roses Red’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/helleborus-x-glandorfensis-ice-n-roses-red

Pittosporum ‘Bannow Bay’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/pittosporum-tenuifolium-bannow-bay

Scabiosa atropurpurea ‘Black Cat’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/scabiosa-atropurpurea-black-cat

Scabiosa ‘Kudo Pink’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/scabiosa-incisa-kudo-pink

Geranium ‘Rozanne’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/geranium-rozanne

Geranium ‘Dreamland’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/geranium-dreamland

Hydrangea ‘Madame Emile Mouillère’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hydrangea-macrophylla-madame-emile-mouillere

Hydrangea ‘Little Lime’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hydrangea-paniculata-little-lime

Hydrangea ‘Limelight’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hydrangea-paniculata-limelight

Hydrangea ‘Little Fresco’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hydrangea-paniculata-little-fresco

Heuchera ‘Black Taffeta’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/heuchera-black-taffeta

Gaura ‘The Bride’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/gaura-lindheimeri-the-bride

Gaura ‘Flamingo’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/gaura-collection-for-pots

Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-nemorosa-caradonna

Salvia ‘Peach Melba’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-peach-melba

Verbena rigida: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/verbena-rigida

Linaria ‘Peachy’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/linaria-x-purpurea-peachy

Agapanthus ‘Midnight Blue’ / ‘Navy Blue’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/agapanthus-navy-blue

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

We’re approaching the perfect moment for bulb planting, and if you’re looking to force bulbs for a lovely indoor winter, then look no further than the sage advice of Tom Stimpson.

In this episode, Sarah and Tom - our Head of Horticulture - share their favourite bulbs to force indoors, and how to pot and water them, plus a few simple tricks to keep them flowering for weeks on end. 

In this episode, discover:

• The best bulbs to force indoors, from dramatic amaryllis and classic paperwhites to scented narcissus, hyacinths and tiny muscari
• Simple methods for planting, positioning and watering indoor bulbs so they flower reliably
• The importance of “mean” watering to avoid rot and keep flowers lasting longer
• Easy ways to move forced bulbs from house to garden so they go on to provide colour and cut stems for seasons to come

Products mentioned:

Amaryllis ‘Papillio’ (Papilio): https://www.sarahraven.com/products/amaryllis-papillio

Amaryllis ‘Green Magic’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/amaryllis-green-magic

Amaryllis ‘Nymph’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/amaryllis-nymph

Paperwhite Narcissus ‘Ziva’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-papyraceus-ziva-for-forcing

Narcissus ‘Polar Hunter’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-polar-hunter

Hyacinth ‘China Pink’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hyacinth-china-pink

Hyacinth ‘Delft Blue’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hyacinthus-orientalis-delft-blue-forcing

Muscari ‘Blue Magic’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/muscari-blue-magic

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

When cancer enters a life, it carries a profound impact on the places in which you seek comfort, which is why the human-centred gardens at Maggie’s centres are so unbelievably important.

In this powerful episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Sarah talks to Dame Laura Lee from Maggie’s, about how beautifully designed, garden-centred spaces are changing the experience of cancer care for patients and their families. 

In this episode, discover:

• How one simple question sparked the creation of Maggie’s Centres and a new idea of cancer support
• Why the design of a space can change how it feels to live with cancer
• What actually happens when someone walks from the hospital into a Maggie’s Centre
• How Maggie’s supports not only patients but their families and friends through the process
• The role of gardens and seasons as a gentle way to talk about hope, uncertainty, treatment, and even end of life

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

If you’ve ever let your vegetable garden wind down after summer, there’s a whole season you’re missing out on. 

This week on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Sarah breaks the year into two simple seasons and shows you exactly what to sow now so you can keep picking right through the grey months. 

From hardy salads and herbs to kales and chards, she shares 12 tried-and-tested crops that genuinely thrive in a UK winter. 

In this episode, discover:

• How to divide the gardening year into two simple seasons so you can plan for year-round harvests
• Which 12 tried-and-tested crops Sarah relies on for winter and early spring eating
• The exact sowing window for late-summer and early-autumn sowings, and why timing is crucial if you want strong plants going into winter
• Practical ways to cook and enjoy your winter veg, including Sarah’s wilted kale salad, and how to use herbs to brighten cold-season salads

Products mentioned:

Lettuce ‘Merveille de Quatre Saisons’:

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lettuce-merveille-de-quatre-saisons

Mustard ‘Red Frills’: 

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/mustard-red-frills

Flat-leaf Parsley ‘Giant of Napoli’: 

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/parsley-gigante-di-napoli

Spinach ‘Medania’: 

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/spinach-medania

Chard: 

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/chard-lucullus

Florence Fennel / Bulb Fennel (‘Romanesco’): 

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/florence-fennel-romanesco

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Stepping out into the garden with a sketchbook in hand is a novel, powerful practice which, given time, can transform the way we look at plants we think that we know like the back of our hand.

In this week’s podcast episode, Sarah is joined by artist and gardener Matthew Rice to explore how drawing becomes a kind of “recorded looking” that deepens our relationship with flowers and gardens - from choosing the right subjects and materials to capturing the feeling of a border in full swing.

In this episode, discover:

• How drawing functions as “recorded looking”, helping deepen your relationship with your garden
• Which flowers and garden plants are most forgiving to draw as a beginner, and practical ways to get started with garden drawing
• Where Matthew Rice finds inspiration, from historic watercolourists to everyday details in his own greenhouse and garden

Products mentioned:

Snakeshead Fritillaries: sarahraven.com/products/fritillaria-meleagris

Iris reticulata: sarahraven.com/products/iris-reticulata-blue-note

Courgettes: sarahraven.com/products/courgette-soleil-f1

Mint: sarahraven.com/products/mint-moroccan

Matthew Rice: https://www.instagram.com/matthewricewatercolours/

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

The National Garden Scheme is a national treasure, raising millions for charities and giving access to gorgeous gardens for those who need them most.

It’s a joy this week to be joined by former GP and National Garden Scheme CEO Dr Richard Claxton to explore how 3,200 gardens – from stately homes to hospital rooftops and new-build backyards – are transforming health and access to green space across the UK. 

In this episode, discover:

• How the National Garden Scheme quietly turns open gardens, tea and cake into £3.9 million a year for nursing and healthcare charities
• Why Richard Claxton believes gardening is one of the most powerful tools we have for long-term wellbeing
• How the NGS has evolved from stately homes and rectories to include community gardens, and small, relatable plot
• The story behind transformative projects like the intensive care roof garden at King’s College Hospital
• How balconies, new-build gardens and shared plots can play a vital role in our health and connection to nature

Richard Claxton:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richardclaxtongardens/
The National Garden Scheme: https://www.instagram.com/nationalgardenscheme/

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

We’ve learned from years of unpredictable weather patterns that the climate is demanding more of our plants than ever before, and while some struggle, others quietly thrive throughout it all.

In this episode, Sarah is joined by Josie Lewis to explore which plants are quietly thriving through late frosts, heatwaves and torrential rain with a practical, down-to-earth shortlist of resilient perennials, shrubs, grasses and ground covers to help your garden cope with an increasingly unpredictable climate.

In this episode, discover:

• How long-observed changes in weather are reshaping which plants can thrive in the garden
• Which resilient perennials, shrubs and grasses are coping best with “swivelly” weather, and why traits like tap roots and silver, hairy foliage matter
• Which much-loved plants are starting to struggle with mildew, black spot and stress
• Practical, down-to-earth techniques for helping your garden weather extremes conditions

Products mentioned:

Bluebells (Native British): https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hyacinthoides-non-scripta-bluebells

Eryngiums (Sea Hollies): https://www.sarahraven.com/products/eryngium-alpinum?srsltid=AfmBOopO4Ifg4rzCW2YkMWRcqgDXIRlXUqsM8bCbvKl2l68rTKaBJU4l

Lavender: sarahraven.com/products/lavender-munstead

Rosemary ‘Tuscan Blue’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/rosemary-tuscan-blue?srsltid=AfmBOoqw1cACNvCEpOmZsANIbxqDCLnJbnUK2yiqwuVl2Cvfo8ZtYvMy

Origanum vulgare (Oregano): https://www.sarahraven.com/products/wild-marjoram?srsltid=AfmBOopv0ainVpy6LtMUQZNXz7j2uk0S8_o0MhkfGzThC64AF9eaF1l-

Lychnis coronaria (Magenta): https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lychnis-coronaria

Stipa gigantea: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/stipa-gigantea

Quaking Grasses (Briza species): https://www.sarahraven.com/products/briza-maxima-greater-quaking-grass?srsltid=AfmBOorNYwPg5Ia0BbbQNr1nHeMdY4zpd_RelqlM_oWx8Ukfkg6qb-Yp

Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare): https://www.sarahraven.com/products/leucanthemum-vulgaris?srsltid=AfmBOoqICKKwsHKsI_Az1IDEef6FTGyX2985v8xOzJWJz6vK2m39rH80

Salvia ‘Cerro Potosi’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-microphylla-cerro-potosi

Salvia ‘Jezebel’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-jezebel?srsltid=AfmBOoo9zChqz4ORp4p1PjjxPn-FE0S9HtVs0nqaEzWg3SHc0sPNNdRE

Salvia ‘Royal Bumble’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-x-jamensis-royal-bumble?srsltid=AfmBOorDeIIZi7sAEHWbPIlPsgg6Nvy-c1HUTkEyZNvgfHTKvBI0VLH5

Phlox ‘David’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/phlox-paniculata-david

Phlox ‘Blue Paradise’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/phlox-paniculata-blue-paradise

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

What Pam Corbin doesn’t know about preserves, isn’t worth knowing. She’s an oracle on all things jam - hence her apt nickname, ‘Pam the Jam’.

For the home cook, and for those with a kitchen garden worthy of capturing its fruity goodness, this week’s episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ with Pam is a perfect entry point to creating your own jams.

She and Sarah share the secrets behind turning seasonal fruit and veg into beautiful jars of low‑sugar jams, compotes and chutneys that actually taste of the fruit, not just the sugar!

In this episode, discover:

• How Pam moved from a tiny jam business in a converted pig unit to writing modern classics on preserves
• Why traditional jam recipes were so heavy on sugar, and how to safely make lower‑sugar, soft‑set jams today
• Practical, step‑by‑step tips for tricky fruits like strawberries and raspberries – including staging your jam, managing foam, and avoiding overcooked, rock‑hard results
• Simple ways to make more than just jam from your harvest, from apricot compotes and bottled cherries to clever uses for rhubarb, courgettes and runner beans
• How to choose and use basic preserving kit so you can confidently turn garden gluts into jars on your shelf

Order ‘Pam the Jam: The Book of Preserves’:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pam-Jam-Book-Preserves-Corbin/dp/1408884496

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

There are few flowers more quintessential than the rose, and it’s safe to say that there’s a perfect rose for everyone’s tastes. 

This week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ delves into the world of roses, with someone whose love for a great rose knows no bounds: Josie Lewis.

Whether you’re looking for a rose with a particular colour to combine with the beauty of your existing garden, or you’re more pressed by scent and structure, we hear which are the absolute best roses to grow, and how best to tend to them for healthy, reliable growth.

In this episode, discover:

• Which varieties of Roses are the standout performers for each colour group
• The best ramblers, bloomers and climbers, from the huge, creamy white Wedding Day to the beautiful copper-brown Hot Chocolate
• How to make your roses last in water for maximum vase life

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

This Christmas might feel a while away, but if there’s one way to prepare right now for a more stunning and sustainable tree, it’s with alliums.

Sarah’s love of alliums is well-documented on the podcast, but this week she’s recalling some of the most show-stopping varieties with which to decorate this Christmas, and the joys that they’ll bring as ‘colour baton-carriers’ in spring.

In this episode, discover:

• Which alliums are perfect for bridging the gap between tulips going over and sweet peas emerging
• Some extravagant, statement-making varieties like the remarkably tall ‘Summer Drummer’ or sculptural shapes of ‘Magic’
• Tips for preparing your alliums to sustainably decorate your tree this Christmas

Products mentioned:

Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-hollandicum-purple-sensation

Allium cristophii

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-cristophii

Allium nigrum

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-nigrum

Allium stipitatum 'Summer Drummer'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-stipitatum-summer-drummer

Allium schubertii 'Magic'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-schubertii-magic

Allium jesdianum 'Purple Rain'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-purple-rain

See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events

Get in touch: [email protected]

Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest