The Eden Project and The Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall are two of the most important horticultural projects of recent times, both helmed by the brilliant mind of Sir Tim Smit – Sarah’s guest on the podcast this week.

Tim’s work on pioneering projects like Eden is guided by three pillars that also resonate for Sarah – education, entrepreneurialism, and the environment. In this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, we gain a rare insight into how Tim brings these values to life in projects that help reconnect people with the land and explore the potential of their own relationships with the natural environment.

In this episode, learn more about:

• Tim’s entrepreneurial streak, and how his Dutch and English heritage has informed his remarkable journey with nature and the environment
• How innovative thinking on sustainability and the environment underpins Tim’s current and future projects, including the new Eden Project in Morecambe Bay
• The huge importance both Tim and Sarah place on improving education for the future of our natural world and the next generation of environmental entrepreneurs

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

Eden Project Morecambe: https://www.edenproject.com/new-edens/eden-project-morecambe-uk

The Lost Gardens of Heligan: https://www.heligan.com/

Get in touch: [email protected]
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

If you're looking to support wild birds in your garden, the RSPB’s upcoming Big Garden Birdwatch is an essential event for us all.

Adam Nicolson and Emma Marsh, Executive Director of the RSPB, join Sarah in this week’s bird-focused episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ to discuss how to get involved in this weekend’s annual bird count, how it came to be, and the many ways that gardeners can actively support and encourage more wild birds in our gardens and green spaces.

In this episode, discover:

• The role that gardens and gardeners play in restoring a bustling wild bird population.
• What we all can do to provide natural sustenance, shelter and safety for birds with our choice of planting.
• How the Big Garden Birdwatch came to be, and how you can get involved this coming weekend.

Verbena bonariensis
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/verbena-bonariensis
Lupinus ‘Masterpiece’ (Westcountry series)
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lupinus-masterpiece
English Yew (Taxus baccata)
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/english-yew
Rosa ‘Rambling Rector’
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/rose-rambling-rector

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

Join the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch: https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch

Get in touch: [email protected]
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Savannah Miller’s newfound passion for growing cut flowers, in particular dahlias, feeds fantastically into her contemporary bridal designs.

In this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Sarah and Savannah discuss her successful career in fashion, an unexpected foray into bridal design, and her newfound joy in growing cut flowers and vegetables. Plus, discover Savannah’s top picks for the easiest and best performing flowers in her Gloucestershire garden.

In this episode, discover:

• How Savannah began her fashion journey, and the motive behind her unexpected move into the bridal world
• The standout dahlia varieties that have captured a newfound passion for growing ornamental flowers
• More about the creative intersection of gardening and bridal fashion in Savannah’s latest collection 

Products mentioned:

Savannah’s Wedding Dahlia Collection
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/savannah-miller-dahlia-collection
Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/anemone-honorine-jobert
Digitalis purpurea 'Sutton's Apricot'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/digitalis-purpurea-suttons-apricot

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

Get in touch: [email protected]
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Be it a fully fledged kitchen garden, or a few window boxes outside your back door, It’s never too early to start planning which edibles you want to grow for the season ahead.

Following last week’s flower-focused episode, this week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ continues the sowing theme to highlight Sarah’s top pick of outstanding edibles to grow from seed from the beginning of the year, through to the end of March.

In this episode, discover:

• How to embrace winter growing, sowing some of the hardiest crops for tasty salads and nutritious greens to liven up winter dishes
• Which varieties offer the most transformative, flavoursome plants – from the punchy flavour of mustard wasabi to the ‘Sungold’ tomato’s unbeatable sweetness
• Tips on sowing direct into gutter pipes or outdoors with protection

Products mentioned:
Salad Rocket 'Serrata'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salad-rocket-serrata
Mizuna 'Red Knight' F1
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/mizuna-red-knight-f1
Chervil 'Vertissimo'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/chervil-vertissimo
Spinach 'Medania'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/spinach-medania
Spinach 'Rubino' F1
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/spinach-rubino-f1
Mustard 'Red Frills'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/mustard-red-frills
Mustard wasabi
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/mustard-wasabi
Lettuce 'Merveille de Quatre Saisons'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lettuce-merveille-de-quatre-saisons
Flat Leaf Parsley 'Gigante di Napoli'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/parsley-gigante-di-napoli
Coriander 'Leisure'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/coriander-leaf-form-leisure
Tomato 'Sungold'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tomato-sungold
Tomato 'Black Russian'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tomato-black-russian
Pea 'Nairobi'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/pea-nairobi
Courgette 'Bianca di Trieste'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/courgette-bianca-di-trieste

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

Get in touch: [email protected]
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

There are few more therapeutic jobs in the potting shed or polytunnel than sowing seeds, and if you’re looking to fill your spring garden with colourful cut flowers, now is the time to start sowing your standout varieties.

In the first of two back-to-back episodes of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Sarah turns her attention to the cut flowers she’ll be sowing from early January onwards, working week by week to create an invaluable sowing calendar you can easily follow at home.

In this episode, discover:

• Sarah's love of seed sowing, and the meditative quality it brings
• Top performing seeds for the start of the year, from fragrant sweet peas to easy growers like cerinthe
• A unique tip to prevent mice from spoiling your sweet pea seeds

Products mentioned:

Sweet Pea 'Erewhon'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sweet-pea-erewhon

Sweet Pea 'Matucana'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lathyrus-odoratus-matucana

Cobaea scandens
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cobaea-scandens-purple

Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cerinthe-major-purpurascens

Antirrhinum majus 'Liberty Classic Crimson' F1
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-f1-liberty-classic-crimson

Antirrhinum majus 'White Giant' F1
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-giant-white

Linaria maroccana 'Sweeties'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/linaria-maroccana-sweeties

Ammi majus
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/ammi-majus

Salvia viridis 'Blue Monday'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-viridis-blue

Centaurea cyanus 'Polka Dot Mixed'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/centaurea-cyanus-polka-dot-mixed

Malope trifida 'Alba'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/malope-trifida-alba

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

Get in touch: [email protected]
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

For those who garden, whether on a windowsill or on a grander scale, it soon becomes a source of inspiration, passion and peace. A way to ground and find solace and, increasingly, a test of resilience and adaptability too.

In a reversal of the usual ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ format, journalist and broadcaster Alex Clark turns guest question master to steer the conversation on Sarah’s journey into horticulture, what they both get from gardening, and the sensory delights that growing, plants and wildlife can bring into our lives.

In this episode, discover:

• How Alex came to gardening as a newfound passion
• Incredible tips for newcomers from Sarah’s 30+ years’ of growing experience at Perch Hill
• Sarah’s original career path, and how she found the love of flowers that she now shares with us all
• Why pot gardening is ‘the great equaliser’ and a fantastic way for everyone to garden wherever they are 

Get in touch: [email protected]
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Every Ottolenghi book is a gift, filled with a treasure trove of unique recipes and the latest, Comfort – perfectly timed for Christmas feasting – is no exception. In fact, by the end of this week’s episode you may well be rethinking your own festive menu…

A self-confessed Ottolenghi fan, Sarah is joined Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley – two of the co-authors of Comfort, the latest Ottolenghi cook book – to share some of their favourite comfort food recipes including a delicious chocolate mousse inspired by the nostalgia of Terry’s Chocolate Orange, and a curry leaf dukkah guaranteed to jazz up any vegetable side dish.

In this episode, discover:

• The diverse culinary backgrounds of the Ottolenghi team, and how they've brought together the best comfort food recipes from around the world
• How to transform traditional Christmas veg like Brussels sprouts into a slow-cooked flavour sensation
• Nostalgic and novel dessert recipes for puddings to top off a delightful Christmas or New Year’s feast

Ottolenghi Comfort:
https://ottolenghi.co.uk/blogs/stories/ottolenghi-comfort

Get in touch: [email protected]
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Christmas is one of the most joyous times of the year, and sustainability need not detract from that joy. With a little bit of forethought, we can all enjoy a colourful and creative celebration that respects our planet too.

Sarah is a passionate advocate for sustainability, so in this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ she shares some of the most exciting, naturally sourced and low impact ways to decorate your home, festive table and tree, as well as a fantastic guide to creating your own compostable wreath.

In this episode, discover:

• Sustainable ways to create a festive wreath using foraged branches, moss and flowers from the garden
• Whether real trees are a benefit to the environment over faux trees
• Highlights from the winter garden to create beautiful decorations for the table and tree 

Products mentioned:

Rosemary 'Foxtail': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/rosemary-foxtail

Trachelospermum jasminoides:
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/trachelospermum-jasminoides

Clematis & Wisteria:
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/clematis-and-wisteria

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

Eucalyptus gunnii 'Azura':
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/eucalyptus-gunnii-azura

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

Helleborus x ballardiae 'Maestro':
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/helleborus-x-ballardiae-maestro

Lunaria annua:
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lunaria-annua

Panicum miliaceum 'Violaceum':
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/panicum-violaceum

Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation':
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/allium-hollandicum-purple-sensation

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

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

Briza maxima:
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/briza-maxima-greater-quaking-grass

Chasmanthium latifolium:
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/chasmanthium-latifolium

Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris:
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hydrangea-petiolaris

Get in touch: [email protected]
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Welcome to the December Q&A episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, where Sarah & Josie answer questions sent in by our lovely listeners each month. 

In this episode, Josie shares how best to create your dream garden from one that you’ve just moved into, and enlightens us on what constitutes part-shade and full-sun, so that we can plant our flowers where they’re best suited. Sarah also gives us some fantastic wreath decoration ideas which are foraged, therefore more sustainable, and lauds the benefits of coppicing.

Get in touch: [email protected]
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Christmas is only a few short weeks away, and while the garden may be winding down into winter mode, it’s the perfect time to spread joy to green-fingered friends with some well-considered gifts and elegant decorations.

With Arthur joining Sarah this week for an exciting journey through the pages of our latest Christmas catalogue, Sarah explains why she’s more excited by this year’s festive range than ever before.

In this episode, discover:

• Irresistible decorations for the tree, with a few specific nature-themed baubles catching Arthur’s eye
• Tried and tested favourites that deliver year upon year, like the ever-reliable Solar Allium Stake Lights
• An increased focus on sustainability in the range, as well as living gifts like our Thyme & Rosemary in Terracotta Pots and Sarah’s favourite Double Paperwhites in a Leaf Trough

Products mentioned:
Ceramic Pomegranate Candleholder
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/ceramic-pomegranate-candleholder
Star Sequinned Mini Glass Baubles
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/star-sequinned-mini-glass-baubles
Gold and Silver Ribbed Baubles
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/gold-and-silver-ribbed-baubles
Jade Gemstone Light String
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/jade-gemstone-lit-garland
Solar Allium Stake
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/solar-allium-stake
Sissinghurst Gold Painted Glass Candleholder
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sissinghurst-gold-painted-glass-candleholder
Whopper Glass Fruit Decorations
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/whopper-glass-fruit-decorations
Luxury Christmas Crackers
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/luxury-christmas-crackers
As-if-from-Venice Green Glass Bauble
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/as-if-from-venice-green-glass-bauble
Corcertina White Paper Garland
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/corcertina-white-paper-garland
Bumblebee Glass Baubles
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/bumblebee-glass-baubles
Thyme & Rosemary in Terracotta Pots
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/thyme-and-rosemary-in-terracotta-pots
Galanthus nivalis (Common Snowdrop)
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/galanthus-nivalis
Snowdrops in Terracotta Pots
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/snowdrops-in-terracotta-pots

Get in touch: [email protected]
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

The garden winds down in December, but there’s still a few small jobs that’ll stand it in good stead for the year to come.

In this monthly episode of ‘grow, cook, eat arrange’, Sarah takes us through which bulbs can be forced now, and an experimental watering technique, while Josie runs down the winter pruning plans and why it’s not too late to plant your tulips.

Get in touch: [email protected]
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest