In The Weeds With Anne

Welcome back to In The Weeds With Anne. In this episode I’m talking to Louise Elliott, the Head Gardener at Bignor Park Gardens, part of the privately owned Bignor Park Estate near Pulborough. Beautiful gardens in a wonderful setting. I know she’s really passionate about plants and gardening, and I’m looking forward to learning about her career path and how she developed an interest in horticulture. For more information about Bignor Park House and Gardens, visit their website. Bignor Park House, Bignor Park, Pulborough, West Sussex RH20 1HG Opening times for the gardens as part of the National Gardens Scheme can be found here. For Weddings, Events and Group Tour enquiries: please contact the Events Promoter, Louise Hartley: [email protected] Instagram / Facebook

In this episode I'm talking with Professor Dave Goulson from the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Sussex. He has had a life long fascination with insects, nature and wildlife in general. His academic speciality is the study of bees but he's also written a number of popular science books, the most recent being: The Garden Jungle. It's about gardening to save the planet; how small individual actions can make a big difference to our precious environment. www.sussex.ac.uk/lifesci/goulsonlab [email protected] Twitter: @davegoulson Instagram: @dave.goulson & @intheweedswithanne

It's the end of February and I'm talking to Ray and Wendy Bates, who own and run Rotherview Nursery in Hastings and are also holders of one of the highest accolades in the horticultural world: gold medals from The Chelsea Flower Show. https://shop.rotherview.com Instagram: @rotherview & @intheweedswithanne

  Approaching the end of 2019 and the beginning of a new decade, I was delighted to spend time talking to Claire Brown, the owner and energetic powerhouse behind Plantpassion - a fantastic cut flower farm based in the Surrey Hills. As you'll hear, Claire is a passionate advocate for British cut flowers - and so much more than just a flower farmer! I couldn't wait to find out more about her and the establishment and development of Plantpassion; now entering its eighth year as a cut flower farm. www.plantpassion.co.uk www.facebook.com/plantpassion Contact: [email protected] Instagram: @plantpassion & @intheweedswithanne  

In this episode I talked to Paul Seaborne, a knowledgeable and experienced horticulturist, nurseryman and all round expert in the mysteries of plant propagation. I've met Paul at various plant fairs and at events at The Garden House in Brighton. I was so delighted to get, effectively, a one-on-one masterclass with a terrific plantsman. Contact: [email protected] Instagram: @pelhamplants & @intheweedswithanne

This September, I was delighted to meet and talk with Jean Jackman, who gardens in the heart of the Sussex countryside and is someone who has long been a proponent of planting to attract wildlife into the garden (way back, before it became fashionable!) She's also the creator of the remarkable annual Floral Fringe Fair, organising it with her husband, Steve. It's become a much anticipated event in Sussex, the next one will be held at Leonardslee Gardens on the 30th and 31st of May 2020. www.floralfringefair.co.uk www.facebook.com/floralfringefair Contact: [email protected] Instagram: @floralfringefair & @intheweedswithanne The soil improving recipe for clay, suggested by Sarah Raven, appeared in an article in The Telegraph in September 2007, and was along the lines of this:-  Clay needs organic matter and grit in equal measure to make it work well: think of making apple-crumble topping on a large scale.  The soil is like butter, all sticky and smooth.  You want to add granulated sugar, coarse and sharp, to break it up: in the garden, that means horticultural grit.  You also need flour to bulk it out: the garden version is organic material, one barrow load to every 3 sq. metres.  So, when cultivating the ground, you spread barrow after barrow of grit and compost over the soil, then dig it in. (Easier said than done, one suspects!)          

This week I'm really thrilled to be chatting to Vikki Leedham, the wonderful & enthusiastic Co-Curator and Gallery Manager at The Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden. Created over 35 years ago in Ockley, Surrey, this was the first garden of its kind in the UK. It seemed appropriate to talk outside as that's where the sculptures are - the garden is their gallery. This did mean dealing with aeroplane noise, mowers and electric saws. Still, proof positive that we genuinely were enjoying the outdoors! http://www.hannahpescharsculpture.com https://www.surreyartschool.com Instagram: @hannahpescharsculpt & @intheweedswithanne Twitter: @Hannah_Peschar

This week I'm talking to Chris & Jackie Burgess in their beautiful cottage garden at Golden Cross in East Sussex. From being, frankly, rather lukewarm gardeners, over the years they've become plantaholics & developed a garden which eventually featured in the National Garden Scheme. As is often the case, there's a backstory to this garden. Raising money for charity is part of it but perhaps even more important are the therapeutic benefits Chris & Jackie have experienced by being out in the natural world & wildlife; totally absorbed in the process of creating & sharing this with others. http://www.rosecottagegarden.co.uk https://www.ngs.org.uk/rosecottage Circles Network Charity: http://www.circlesnetwork.org.uk Cornelia De Lange Syndrome Foundation: http://www.cdls.org.uk Instagram: @intheweedswithanne

This week I'm talking to Jane Baker; Assistant County Organiser for the National Garden Scheme. Jane and her husband Nick have raised over £116,000 for the NGS by opening their lovely woodland garden to the public in Clayton, near the South Downs in Sussex. http://www.pemburyhouse.co.uk http://www.ngs.org.uk Instagram: @intheweedswithanne & @nationalgardenscheme  

This week I'm meeting Pauline McBride, who together with her husband Paul, designed & created the wonderful Sussex Prairie Garden; an 8 acre garden planted in a naturalistic style at Morlands Farm near Henfield. http://www.sussexprairies.co.uk/ Instagram: @intheweedswithanne & @sussexprairies