Talking Dirty

Burghley House Head Gardener, Joe Whitehead

Talking Dirty

Show Notes

This week one of the nicest men in horticulture is back on The Talking Dirty Podcast. Joe Whitehead is Head Gardener at Burghley House on the Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire border. He talks Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis through some of the changes which have been going on in the garden, and shares his favourite shade plants of the moment. PLANT LIST Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea' Paulownia tomentosa Cornus kousa 'Milky Way' Betula utilis subsp. jacquemontii Dodecatheon meadia syn Primula meadia Lonicera involucrata Tulip bakerii 'Lilac Wonder' Tulipa sylvestris Lunaria annua 'Chedglow' Lunaria annua 'Somerset Marble' Smilacina racemosa syn Maianthemum racemosum Arum italicum subsp. neglectum 'Monksilver' Lamium orvala Epimedium 'Amber Queen' Epimedium 'Sphinx Twinkler' Epimedium pubigerum Omphalodes cappadocica 'Cherry Ingram' Lamium orvala 'John Foster' Lunaria annua 'Corfu Blue' Digitalis purpurea 'Pam's Choice' Taraxacum pseudoroseum Crepis rubra Toona sinensis 'Flamingo' Acer pseudoplatanus 'Brilliantissimum' Ficaria verna 'Brazen Hussy' Ficaria verna 'Double Mud' Helianthus annuus 'Teddy Bear' Erysimum 'Parish's' Erysimum 'Ruston Copper Knob' Campanula medium

More from Talking Dirty

Sep 30, 2026

Alan Gray and Thordis Fridriksson return with a look at the plants causing a sensation at East Ruston Old Vicarage this September, after a long and droughty summer.

Jun 25, 2026

With apologies for long absence, Alan Gray and Thordis return for more planty joy - with some 'Show and Tell' of what's looking great at East Ruston Old Vicarage at the moment!

Feb 6, 2026

A new year and plenty to talk about. Join Alan Gray as he takes you and Thordis on a 'wander' through the plants wowing at East Ruston Old Vicarage this month. PLANT LIST Clianthus puniceus ‘Kākā King’ Lachenalia rubida Fuchsia 'Wapenveld's Bloei' Tropaeolum majus 'Hermine Grashoff' Tropaeolum majus 'Margaret Long' Tropaeolum majus 'Darjeeling Gold' syn 'Darjeeling Double' Phlebodium aureum 'Davana' Viola hederacea Carex buchananii Galanthus plicatus 'Wandlebury Ring' Iris unguicularis Iris lazica Narcissus 'Rijnveld's Early Sensation' Narcissus 'Pueblo' Prunus mume 'Beni-chidori' Malva arborea 'Variegata' Salix alba var. vitellina 'Britzensis' Arum 'Hungarian Rhapsody' Galanthus 'Wasp' Galanthus 'Glimmer of Gold' Galanthus plicatus 'Golden Fleece' Galanthus 'Primrose Warburg'

Dec 17, 2025

It's been a little while. Thank you for your patience. Alan and Thordis wish you a very merry Christmas and all the best for 2026. PLANT LIST Anemone pavonina Agave montana Daphne bholua ‘Spring Beauty‘ Punica granatum var. Nana Cordyline australis 'Charlie Boy' Galanthus plicatus 'Three Ships' Galanthus 'S. Arnott' Arum pictum Arum maculatum Arum italicum subsp. neglectum 'Monksilver' Musa sikkimensis 'Bengal Tiger' Lagerstroemia indica Weigela ‘Wings of Fire' Euphorbia mellifera Iris unguicularis Iris unguicularis 'Peloponnese Snow' Iris unguicularis 'Walter Butt' Fascicularia bicolor Dicksonia Antarctica Viola hederacea Begonia luxurians Ilex aquilifolium ‘Nellie R Stevens’ Cyclamen persicum 'Dragon Deep Blue' Plumbago auriculata Bomarea caldasii

Sep 24, 2025

September already and East Ruston Old Vicarage is as bursting with colour as you might expect! Alan Gray brings just a few favourites for Show and Tell, while Thordis is FLOMO*ing over a very 'Alan' container she spotted on holiday! *FLOMO = FLoral/plant-based fear Of Missing Out

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