Show Notes
Off the plot today and into the Suffolk garden of writer, critic and lifelong gardener Olivia Laing. Laing's diverse career began with their involvement in road protests in the 1980s & 1990s where they lived completely off grid: this led to training as a herbalist, before moving into the literary world. As the deputy books editor of The Observer they wrote extensively on arts and culture, before authoring award winning auto-fiction novel Crudo, and several celebrated works of non-fiction - the most recent of which, The Garden Against Time, uses today’s Suffolk garden setting as a lens through which to explore the concept of paradise and the varied, surprising stories of gardens.
Whilst Flo and Olivia pot up geraniums they discuss the concept of the gardens as a queer haven for artists like Derek Jarman, Cedric Morris, Vita Sackville-West and the ladies of Llangollen. Flo has her first go at worm harvesting and Flo and Olivia reflect on the growing urgency for public gardens that provide a refuge from urban stressors as well as the climate crisis.
Presenter - Flo Dill, Producer - Lizzy King, Editing - Femi Oriogun-Williams, Sound Recording & Mastering - Sophie Ellison
Music - Cleaners from Venus - The Artichoke That Loved Me, courtesy of Martin Newell & Captured Tracks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Digging with Flo
This week Flo is in the picturesque town of Wivenhoe, Essex for a slightly different take on Digging. She’s meeting one of the UK’s most quietly remarkable musical figures: Martin Newell. Singer-songwriter, poet, columnist and author - as well as the man behind cult guitar pop outfit Cleaners from Venus (whose song The Artichoke That Loved Me has heralded the start of this podcast since launch back in 2023) - Martin is a hero of the DIY music scene.
Flo is in the greenhouse today with avant-garde artist, musician and filmmaker Laurie Anderson. Laurie is an enduring creative force who has been at the forefront of innovations in music and technology since the 1970s, including her creation of the Talking Stick and voice filters. As the pair plant out crocus sativa bulbs they compare strange counting habits, their very different takes on AI, and Laurie’s time hanging out with Andy Kaufman.
Flo is in the polytunnel today with venerated British musician, producer and composer Dev Hynes. Previously part of dance punk outfit Test Icicles, he ventured into solo music as Lightspeed Champion before evolving into Blood Orange, which he releases music under today.
It’s officially autumn on the allotment, and Flo is joined by beloved contemporary art critics The White Pube, aka Zarina Muhammad and Gabrielle De La Puente. Raised on Tumblr and MySpace, the duo met at art school, and began publishing reviews, criticism and essays on their website under their collective name The White Pube. Over the last 10 years they have become a vital voice in the contemporary art world, and their project has evolved to include reviews of video games, a podcast, a discord community, and most recently a book: Poor Artists.
Flo is back on the allotment today with a packed-out interview featuring a beguilingly down-to-earth star.