Gardening is a diverse pursuit, and there’s no shortage of tools and kit that can help transform horticultural chores into an easier, more pleasurable experience.In this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Perch Hill’s Josie Lewis joins Sarah to look back over the gardening year and nominate the top 10 desert island tools that no gardener should live without.In this episode, discover:Tools and containers perfect for making light work of planting and sowingSarah and Josie’s favourites vases...

Butterflies and bees can only thrive in a garden with a ‘living buffet’ to which they can flock, which is why biodiversity is the hot topic for Sarah and Arthur in this latest episode of grow, cook, eat, arrange.Reflecting on a year in which pollinators have struggled and needed particular support, they share the best plant varieties for bringing a much-needed buzz into your gardens, and discuss why nighttime pollinators ought not be forgotten.In this episode, discover:Sarah & Arthur’s ab...

Welcome to the November Q&A episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, where Sarah & Josie answer questions sent in by our lovely listeners each month. In this episode, Sarah answers timely questions on forced bulbs and whether it’s too late to plant them now for Christmas, as well as the things you can still sow at this time of year. Meanwhile, Josie gives us a crash course on bare root plants, and what’s currently being planted at Perch Hill, which might inspire your own planting t...

Please be aware: This episode contains sensitive discussion about animal death and stillbirth, which some may find upsetting.Seasonality is a powerful quality in any recipe, to which the abundance of delicious culinary ideas in Julius Roberts’ new book ‘The Farm Table’ is perfect testament.We explore Julius’ journey as a chef, farmer, grower and author on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ this week, in an episode bound to inspire you with a renewed outlook on cooking, and a fresh appreciation for th...

November signals a real turn in the weather, and this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat arrange’ is a perfect collation of all the jobs you should consider to prepare your garden for the impending season.Sarah gives a rundown of the tasks at the top of her mind, from sowing pea tips and lovely scented sweet peas, to preparing paperwhite narcissus for planters.Elsewhere in the garden, Josie nudges us to prepare your soil for winter, and to prune your roses to protect them from the elements in the mo...

Even in smaller, urban gardens and balcony spaces, you can breathe life into them with charming pots and bulb lasagnesCurating her own balcony garden with that vision of city-bound colour in mind, Jemima Bowker returns to ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ this week to share with Sarah how she’s taking on the challenge of small space gardening for the autumn months, with fantastic tips aplenty for those of you doing the same.In this episode, discover:The small space gardening solutions that Jemima an...

Biodiversity thrives on the presence of hedges, and autumn presents a wonderful time to get them planted, bringing a beautiful birdsong into your garden.Adam Nicolson joins Sarah for this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, sharing his ever-bountiful knowledge on all things biodiversity, and which hedges are perfect protection for an enchanting ensemble of birds and butterflies.In this episode, discover:How maintaining hedges at a warbler-y phase helps songbirds in particularLeafy, thorny ...

In this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Sarah is joined by celebrity hair stylist and keen gardener Sam McKnight MBE. Sam shares with Sarah his passion for gardening and how he indulges the solitude of the garden, as well as his fabulous career journey.Sam McKnight MBE is one of the most influential and celebrated hair stylists in the world today. His ethos ‘to empower women through hair’ has attracted an unparalleled list of collaborators from Vogue and Chanel to Princess Diana and Ka...

Sarah Raven is now certified B Corp, a delightful announcement as an industry-first within the online retail gardening industry.For those unfamiliar with the certification, this special bonus episode talks through the many reasons that B Corp status matters, and what it means for both us as a company, and you as gardeners.Sarah shares what makes us a B Corp, why biodiversity, sustainability and quality matter so much to us, and the caring vision that this helps us to grow into.Get in touch: i...

Welcome to the October Q&A episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, where Sarah & Josie answer questions sent in by our lovely listeners each month. In this episode, Sarah shares which of the bulbs you should plant out as soon as you receive them and why, and Josie talks through when you should mulch dahlias if you’re not lifting them over winter.Josie also covers everything you need to know to prepare dahlias for the winter, from lifting them out of pots to knowing when & how ...

It’s prime bulb-planting time, and top of mind for Sarah right now is a stunning collection of colourful, inspiring bulbs to plant.This week’s episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ is a must-listen for bulb fanatics, as Sarah talks us through her desert island bulbs, how to plant for colour succession in the spring months, and the delightful stories behind how some of Sarah’s favourite bulbs were discovered.In this episode, discover:Charming stories behind the discovery of some of Sarah’s fav...

Welcome to the last of our floristry mini-series, perfect for any social affair - Sarah takes you through how to compose a stunning arrangement in a bowl for table flowers.Step by step, you’ll see how she creates a natural scaffold through which the display emerges, and shares some of her favourite flowers and foliage to work with in an arrangement that’s both gorgeous and utterly relaxed.Products mentioned:Niwaki Pin Holderhttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/niwaki-pin-holderFlexi-Tie Sethtt...

Flowers have been used in cooking for centuries, but there’s an art to the edible flower with which many of us are yet to experiment. It’s this art which is central to Carolyn Dunster’s latest book - this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ sees Arthur Parkinson explore Carolyn’s journey with edibles, the simplest and best varieties to grow yourself, and some marvellous recipe ideas to try at home.In this episode, discover:Carolyn’s first discovery of flowers being edible, and how that...

Welcome to the latest in the Be Your Own Florist Mini-Series, this time showing you how to craft a stunning display in a vase.Any vase can be turned into a gorgeous arrangement, but Sarah shows how best to use the flared neck and wide belly of a vase like our own ‘Favourite Jade Vase’, bringing bombastic structure to your arrangement both upwards and outwards.Products mentioned:Favourite Jade Vasehttps://www.sarahraven.com/products/favourite-jade-vaseEucalyptus Stemshttps://www.sarahraven.com...

As days shorten and the cold rolls in, we’re prompted to undertake some key jobs in the garden this month, so join Sarah and Josie for October’s most important tasks in this special episode.Sarah and Josie share the need to plant out the likes of hardy annual salad leaves, and biennials if you’ve sown them already. They also touch on the need to harvest your pumpkins and squash, plus the perfect day of the year to plant out more of your tulip bulbs and vegetables.Get in touch: info@sarahraven...

Garden design is certainly a creative affair, and while Hazel Gardiner’s background was once in fashion, her floristry studio exudes inspiration from which we can all learn.This episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ explores Hazel’s journey from fashion to floristry, the thought process behind her own garden, and her absolute favourite plants for the garden and as cut flowers.In this episode, discover:How Hazel’s background in fashion and events gives her such a wonderful eye in the gardenThe...

Welcome to the next episode in our floristry mini-series, and in episode 3 we’ll be sharing the best way to create a gorgeous, flowing hand-tied bunch.Join Sarah as she shows the process from the stable scaffold-like base of foliage, to the simple, delicate addition of your most eye-catching flowers, and how to use the bride-bridesmaid-gatecrasher approach to balancing them perfectly...Products mentioned:Pelargonium 'Attar of Roses' (Scented)https://www.sarahraven.com/products/pelargonium-att...

Town gardening often demands that we as gardeners use our spaces wisely, and Tom Stimpson’s use of pots can teach us so much about creating a vibrant ensemble in the most modest of spaces.This episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ takes us on a tour of Tom’s garden, brimming with inspiration for us all to plant more in pots to breathe life into compact gardens.In this episode, discover:Which flowers have best transformed Tom’s space over the 20 years he’s been there into a vibrant, aromatic h...

Welcome to the latest episode in our floristry mini-series, this time bringing the best of your garden to life in a gorgeous tabletop ensemble.Join Sarah as she demonstrates how she arranges sweet peas, erigeron, phlox and more, talking through the perfect approach to structuring them for their eye-catching moment in the limelight at any gathering.Products mentioned:Sweet Pea 'Erewhon'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sweet-pea-erewhonSweet Pea 'Nimbus'https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sw...

Arthur Parkinson may be a wonderful champion for the portable nature of the potted urban garden, but it’s an exciting prospect that he has the opportunity to grow on some new land in Gloucestershire.Between the rare breeds of hen and the lovely collection of dahlias that he’s built up, this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ should inspire anyone looking to keep either some delightful poultry or radiant flowers alike.In this episode, discover:Arthur’s experience in Gloucester, and how he c...

Welcome to our latest mini-series: Be your own florist - pick and arrange your own garden flowers, with Sarah Raven. Focused on the joys of floristry, Sarah will take you through the essential steps to bring the best of your garden to life in a vase.This first episode is a fantastic crash course in conditioning your cut flowers, following Sarah’s 5 S’s for giving plants the most impressive vase life possible, with guidance on the vital steps like searing stem ends, sterilising bulbs, and...

Welcome to the September Q&A episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, where Sarah & Josie answer questions sent in by our lovely listeners each month. In this episode, Sarah shares the ideal time to mulch your dahlias and how best to tackle the task, and when to start working on forced, scented bulbs ready for Christmas. Meanwhile, Josie picks up questions on deciding what to cut back and what to leave on the way into autumn, plus how to spot the ideal time to start planting o...

With the changing of seasons brings an exciting new catalogue from which to draw inspiration for the year ahead.In this episode full of possibilities, Arthur joins Sarah to peruse the latest and greatest from the Sarah Raven Autumn catalogue, shining a spotlight on the great performers and showstoppers to sow now, ready to breathe life into the garden next spring.In this episode, discover:Bold and perennial tulips like the almost-fluorescent ‘Queensday’What makes narcissi the sustainable bulb...

September signals a time where we’re preparing our plants for the colder months, which makes this episode rounding up the essential monthly jobs such an important one.Sarah and Josie direct you towards the edibles you should concentrate on - namely the hardy annuals - and remind us of the need to deadhead your dahlias. September is also the time to plant out your biennials before the cold sets in, start forcing bulbs, and take cuttings of your tender perennials.Get in touch: [email protected]...