Series 4 - Our Plant Stories

This week's plant story began when Sam Turner mentioned gooseberries to me and a collection of bushes that might still be hiding in the undergrowth of a long-abandoned botanical research station in the shadow of Britain's largest radio telescope at Jodrell Bank. One of the things I love most about making Our Plant Stories is the way that stories are now coming from listeners, which we can tell together. Listen to hear how Sam and I venture into that undergrowth, where there are many very large stinging nettles, to see if we can find those gooseberry bushes. If we find them, we can also tell the story of Frank Carter and a prize gooseberry growing tradition in Cheshire, that goes back over 200 years. Sign up to the podcast newsletter here so you can get every episode of Our Plant Stories in your inbox on the day I publish. A half hour plant fix! In this podcast I strive to bring you not just the plant but the place, hoping that gets you closer to the joy of these stories. You can support this ambition through Buy Me A Coffee and a donation of any size is appreciated. Can I share my plant story with you? YES PLEASE! I called this OUR Plant Stories for a reason and that is that I love to hear from listeners wherever you are in the world! You can email me [email protected] and tell me your plant story. That's all you need to do - I'll do the rest. I'll work out who we can talk to. Can we find someone who shares your passion for the plant, they maybe in the same country as you or the other side of the world.

In 2017 Paul Oldroyd bought a Japanese banana plant. He got it home in the passenger seat of his car. He didn't have a lot of money to spend on plants but he had a very large space to fill. He had taken on a one acre former commercial greenhouse that was six foot deep in thistles. Find out in this episode why that first banana plant has been so important to creating a community space - Oldroyd's Corner - in Beverly East Yorkshire. Maybe you'll want to grow a banana plant by the end of this episode - Paul in conversation with Florence Mansbridge, from the Eden Project will tell you how. Paul's partner, Jo Lax, who listens to Our Plant Stories told me about this garden and I love it when the stories come from listeners. If you have a plant story you would like to share - just get in touch. Our Plant Stories is presented and produced by Sally Flatman The music is Fade to Black by Howard Levy

Try saying "compost" to gardeners and see what happens. Inspired by a recent episode - Compost Tales - that's what I did for this short 'Just Say Compost' bonus listen. I hope these stories of waste and worms will inspire you to share with us, your compost story. Old hands or newbies, head gardeners or renters, bins or heaps, we'd love to see your photos and hear your tales. How to take part: Post a photo of your compost to Instagram and TAG @compost_tales Or send a photo to [email protected] Can I dig into more plant stories? YES! You can check out the website where there are lots of photographs of plants and how to grow instructions. Our Plant Stories website You can also follow the weekly blog where you will get the behind the scenes lowdown on making the podcast and you could also contribute - readers have suggested gardens to visit, plants to feature, experts to contact. Our Plant Stories blog And you can follow more plants over on my Instagram account Instagram

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, opens its doors to the public today - this is one of the gardening world's great horticultural moments - drawing around 157,000 visitors to the 23 acre grounds of the Royal Hospital. First held in 1913, Chelsea has spent over a century inspiring gardeners and growers to showcase the very best in horticulture, all competing for the coveted Chelsea Gold Medal. This year, watch out for the Missing Collector Garden, built by the charity Plant Heritage, sponsored by Project Giving Back - this is their first ever Chelsea garden. Over the past 6 months, I have been exploring how this garden has come to life. Designed by Sally-Anne Rees, Kate Campbell and William Murray, from the Planting Design Collective, the garden conjures a mysterious gardener who has just stepped away from his precious plant collection. It aims to shine a light on how many beloved garden plants remain unprotected by national collections. After 18 months of planning, it's finally being revealed to public and judges alike. Other episodes I have made about this garden which you might enjoy. The Idea The Plant Grower. The Chair Farmer Our Plant Stories is presented and produced by Sally Flatman The music is Fade to Black by Howard Levy

In this episode we are focused on compost and listen out because there will be a chance for you to get involved and tell us about your compost journey. Liz Elton is an artist whose work looks at waste and the recycling of matter. She sometimes thinks she "sees the world through her compost bin". For the past few years she has been photographing the compost caddy in her kitchen. The images are beautiful. In this episode we also learn how to compost from gardener and writer Helen Hutchings-Cox who also has a passion for compost and how it is vital for soli health. And we hear how composting, from their different perspectives, has for both of them changed their views of the world. You can share your compost photos by posting them on your instagram account and tagging or collaborating with @compost_tales telling us a bit about your picture. Or you can email your photograph to: [email protected] Sign up to the newsletter at www.ourplantstories.com to get every new episode of the podcast direct into your inbox. Our Plant Stories is presented and produced by Sally Flatman The music is Fade to Black by Howard Levy (Transcription is automatically generated)