A short bonus episode to help us celebrate the UK's National Apple Day! Listen for just 15 minutes and you will have some fascinating facts both historical and horticultural to share with others this weekend or just anytime! And I hope you will look at the trees, the apples and the pips in a slightly different light. See pictures of the Reverend Wilkes on the website along with links to all the organisations and charities mentioned in this episode. Here's the original Plant Story and...

In October, 140 years ago, Mr R. Gilbert of 'the Gardens Burghley House in Stamford' exhibited the Peasgood's nonsuch apple at the National Apple conference held by the RHS in Chiswick. In Episode 5, we learned of the Peasgood's nonsuch; apples the size of small training footballs. Mr R. Gilbert was a prize winning Victorian gardener in charge of the walled and pleasure gardens at Burghley House. His staff: 120 gardeners! The walled gardens have hardly been touched since the late sixties....

We return to two lovely florists with a passion for flowers in this Offshoot episode. We first met Hannah and Maya in Episode 9, when Hannah told us the story of her plant tattoos, which honour and remind her of her mum. Maya introduced us to floriography - the language of flowers. Hannah offered to take me to New Covent Garden Market where she goes to buy flowers which is a place I have always wanted to go. So this Offshoot takes us to the market and hears more from Hannah and Maya...

We first visited the Manor in Hemingford Grey in Episode 8, admiring the topiary: crowns and orbs that were shaped for the Queen's coronation. But this is a garden that holds many stories, including airmen from the second world war, picnicking on the lawn and the adventures of the children from the Green Knowe story books. You can see photographs of this special garden on the episode page. Check out Episode 8 for everything you need to know about topiary including how to start your...

Imagine taking your 'babies' from show to show to show. That's what Vicky Meads has been doing with her Hostas all Summer. We first met Vicky back in May when she was gearing up for the season. I caught up with her first at RHS Malvern and then at the big one - the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. This is a chance to see the shows through the eyes of the grower. Can she achieve that prestigious Gold Medal? Check out Episode 7 and the shownotes for everything you need to know about growing...

Jane Perrone, as a small child was given a very responsible job in the school library, involving Spider plants and look what it has led to - a houseplant podcast called On the Ledge and a book 'Legends of the Leaf'. I hope, if you have a forgotten Spider plant somewhere in your home, this episode will inspire you to repot it and show it a little more love! We learn where and how Chlorophytum comosum to give it the Latin name grows in the wild in South Africa and we hear from two people who...

In Episode 3 we heard about Fig Tree cuttings carried by the Italian Immigrants to new homes in America. In this Fig tree Off-Shoot we hear about Fig tree cuttings that were a gift from the Pope in Rome to the Archbishop of Canterbury, 500 years ago! And the three Fig Trees are still growing in the Lambeth Palace courtyard in London. Nick Stewart Smith has just published a book called The 1000 Year Old Garden about Lambeth Palace garden and in this episode he describes what it is like to...

Over 30 years ago Emma Dogliani planted a Magnolia tree. The reason she planted the tree was a sad one, a miscarriage in her first pregnancy. But that tree over the years also became a great source of joy. Recently she moved house. She would really like to take a cutting from that tree for her new home. She's tried once but it didn't work, can we help her? You can find all the advice and photos on the website www.ourplantstories.com Presented and Produced by Sally Flatman Music: Fade...

It's 200 years since the first Camellia arrived at the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney, Australia. This is truly a plant story that spans continents and history but it's not all about the past. A new Camellia garden is about to be planted and there's been a 'Camellia Ark' to find and collect plants from across Australia. You can find photographs, information and bonus audio on the website www.ourplantstories.com Presented and Produced by Sally Flatman Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

As Summer approaches and we shed the sweaters, I am sure you will start to notice people's tattoos. Hannah is a florist, so if you met her, you might not be surprised by her plant tattoos. But the selection of each plant has a story and they are interwoven with her Mum. This is an episode that touches on love, grief and memory. You can see Hannah's plant tattoos and learn this week how to grow freesias, on the website. Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy Presented and produced by Sally...

"The individual trees take on their own character - it's like your garden is peopled and generations of humans have passed by, scurrying about at their feet". Two gardeners discuss slow gardening; topiary. Planting a yew bush that could live up to 1000 years. Find lots of pictures and information on the website: www.ourplantstories.com Fade to Black by Howard Levy Presented and Produced by Sally Flatman

Hostas - discuss them with your friends and you inevitably end up talking about slugs and snails. Unless you are Alison, whose hostas grow unchallenged with not a snail in sight. For the rest of us, Vicky Meads of New Forest Hostas is a fount of knowledge. Who knew you could eat them and that a sacrificial lamb may save your hostas from snails. There is lots of information in the show notes on the website www.ourplantstories.com Presented and produced by Sally Flatman Music: Fade to...

A Willow tree on a beautiful English river bank. A big pillow of nature where you can sit surrounded by leaves. Known also to the artist Andrew Carter as 'the tree I fell out of' and the inspiration for a wonderful print. Can we recreate that special place in our own gardens? Find pictures and information in the show notes at www.ourplantstories.com Presented and Produced by Sally Flatman Music: Fade to Black by Howard Levy

Andy Peasgood has a childhood memory of hopping around under a huge apple tree that had apples the size of small footballs. Is his memory playing tricks? Anna in BC says her Great Grandmother grew the tree from an apple pip but can we find Anna? The story of the Peasgood's nonsuch apple tree takes us on a journey and we learn that apples are like humans! Find masses of information about this in the show notes on the website: www.ourplantstories.com Music: Fade to Black by Howard...

This week we share a story about mint, picked for a tea and a time to sit and talk. Except that is not so easy when you are now in London and your family are in Kyiv, but still Anya describes it as 'a plant which keeps us together.' We hear about a chain of gardening knowledge passed through 4 generations of Ukrainian women. We also talk about how people garden even in the midst of war with war journalist Lalage Snow. And Jean Levy the holder of a National Mint collection shares her...

In Dion's backyard in Boston there was a Fig tree. Every Fall, his dad, watched by the six children, would wrap it up to protect it against the Winter weather. But where did the Fig tree come from and why was it so important to him? Mary Menniti runs the Italian Garden Project and she knows the answers to these questions. She has travelled across America gathering the stories of these Fig trees. Music by Howard Levy Show notes on the website www.ourplantstories.com

A Passion flower, Passiflora in a South London garden that seemed as glamorous and exotic as the grandmother who grew it; both a little mysterious. A grower - Myles Steward Irvine, who read an article in a Sunday paper, sent off for a catalogue and ended up breeding them. What is the attraction of this plant? Spanish priests called it - La flor de las cinco heridas or the flower with five wounds: ‘A lot of people think the passion is to do with love but of course it’s the...

There was one plant in Lynne and Gilly McCadden's childhood garden that the sisters were never allowed to go near or to touch. It was one of their mum's favourite plants - a peony. Now Lynne is desperate to find out it's name, all she knows is it was scarlet. Can Claire Austin, plantswoman and nursery owner with 40 years of experience in horticulture, identify the lost peony? She certainly shares a wealth of advice and knowledge to help all of us grow this glamorous plant. Show notes...

Listen to this short trailer of a brand new podcast featuring plant stories. Series one will start on the 2nd April. Do get in touch via www.ourplantstories.com if you have a plant story you would like to share. You can also get a sneak preview of some of the forthcoming stories via the website. The series is presented and produced by Sally Flatman and you can see more about the series on the Instagram account @ourplantstories_podcast