100 episodes

The Garden Log is an award winning podcast from Ben Dark, Head Gardener at an English country estate. Episodes begin with a review of events in the flowerbeds, meadows and woodland, before moving on to discuss horticultural matters more generally.

Ben is an ever-curious host who does not take himself, his job or gardening too seriously. A half-hour spent in his company is a half-hour spent far away from the myriad concerns of modern life.

The Garden Log Ben Dark

    • Leisure
    • 4.8 • 56 Ratings

The Garden Log is an award winning podcast from Ben Dark, Head Gardener at an English country estate. Episodes begin with a review of events in the flowerbeds, meadows and woodland, before moving on to discuss horticultural matters more generally.

Ben is an ever-curious host who does not take himself, his job or gardening too seriously. A half-hour spent in his company is a half-hour spent far away from the myriad concerns of modern life.

    Hellos and Goodbyes

    Hellos and Goodbyes

    A fond farewell from Ben and directions to the new podcast Dear Gardener, where the Garden Log lives on in spirit.
    I'm going to keep the Garden Log online for those who want to relisten or are finding it for the first time. I'm think ready to start again from the beginning!
    Dear Gardener can be found on apple here: https://linktr.ee/deargardener 
     
    If you have enjoyed the Garden Log over the past 4 years or would like to contribute to its ongoing hosting fees consider buying me a digital coffee at https://ko-fi.com/bendark
     

    • 5 min
    How to keep plants alive (and other mysteries)

    How to keep plants alive (and other mysteries)

    In this excellent episode Ben finds roses like cats, lawns like dunes and flowers like clothes pegs. Also featuring a few simple tricks to stop things dying.
     

    • 34 min
    Pine riots, wolf-vines and the joy of other people's gardens: A gardening podcast

    Pine riots, wolf-vines and the joy of other people's gardens: A gardening podcast

    Its a sultry spring day on the Garden Log. We muse on the kindness of strangers, advise on planting for a rubble-strewn drive and yearn for romance.
    https://ko-fi.com/bendark
    linktr.ee/bendark

    • 39 min
    Underrated shrubs, sweet perfumes and the art of the Garden Room: A petal strewn podcast

    Underrated shrubs, sweet perfumes and the art of the Garden Room: A petal strewn podcast

    In this recreation of a lost walk Ben visits the garden of G. N Brandt (deceased) who brought the arts and crafts movement to Denmark and whose modest orchard-watergarden-woodland survives in the suburbs north of Copenhagen.
    https://ko-fi.com/bendark

    • 32 min
    #100 Perfect mistakes, rhubarb, rollercoasters, tulips and timeslips: A gardening podcast

    #100 Perfect mistakes, rhubarb, rollercoasters, tulips and timeslips: A gardening podcast

    Its spring and Ben is gardening hard. In a special dispatch from the flowerbeds he reports on sparrows, cosmos and creeping jenny. Also featuring a trip to the fairground, tabloid libel and a woman named X
     

    • 30 min
    #99 Wildflowers, Tyrants and Sweet Magnolia: A Gardening Podcast

    #99 Wildflowers, Tyrants and Sweet Magnolia: A Gardening Podcast

    Ben discusses Ornithogolum, irises, poppies and golden fleece. Also featuring a trip to the Boboli gardens in Florence and a reading from The Grove: A Nature Odyssey in 19 1/2 Front Gardens - recently described by The Daily Telegraph as ‘the best gardening book of 2022’ and available to order from everywhere here: linktr.ee/bendark 
    https://ko-fi.com/bendark
     
     

    • 36 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
56 Ratings

56 Ratings

Denver1601 ,

Smoldering passionate gardening

So I don’t think he’s always talking about gardening? Oh dear! But then some of us get pretty worked up when we walk into a garden center, or open a Fall bulb catalogue!! If you aren’t a passionate gardener you may not get absorbed.

Me? I totally get it. He makes the listener visualize what he’s experienced that week. I was relieved to get the damned moldy acanthus ripped out. I love this podcast. It’s a bit exhaustive. But Ben covers a lot of territory.

I recommend a glass of wine with this podcast and dim the lights.

trinity river dog ,

A Breath of Very Fresh Air!

Working on several of our properties up in the mountains of Northern California, I found and have exhausted several wonderful podcasts centered on organic growing and sustainability.

But podcasts entertain and educate me as I lug wheelbarrows of various soil types, operate the tractor, reconfigure the greenhouse and pot up hundreds of seedlings from some known donors last fall taken.

Some are from my crops as well as mystery plants. It is all an adventure and I love it, but I need input from many sources and it took a dreadful exploration into less engaging US offerings before Ben appeared.

From his first droll sentence, I was captivated. I’ll pursue the funding route for his podcasts because he is infinitely worth it. I owned and ran a great, conservation-based whale watching company on California’s Monterey Bay for many years and the Brits were some of my favorite passengers. I will say about Ben’s podcasts what they often said about our cruises:
“Brilliant!”

nicccccknnnamme ,

Men-centric ?

So far I have only listened to one episode. I like the poetic language and interesting commentary. As a professional gardener who is also a woman, I was a little put off by the consistent references to other gardeners and garden helpers who are all male... :/. I may listen to another episode and see how it goes, but that was my initial reaction. Thanks.

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