Gardening walks and green thoughts from award winning writer Ben Dark and guests.
Dear Gardener
Claim This Podcastby Ben Dark
5.0(3 reviews)
14 episodes
Updated Daily
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Podcast Overview
Gardening walks and green thoughts from award winning writer Ben Dark and guests.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
10/17/2022
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Recent Episodes
July 4, 2023
[Solo Episode] A Chronicle Botanical: Parham House, Uppark, and the joy of stolen plants
<p>On this episode of Dear Gardener, host Ben Dark explores gardening life and gardening death. From the ranunculus flower’s writhing stem - a cut flower snake, trying to find its way back into the garden - to tulips drooping in a vase, the importance of writing accurately about plants is emphasised.</p><p>Literary comings and goings-on are explored on a visit to Parham House and hints are given for those of us in temporary gardens (aren’t we all?) We look at how to string a tomato and take soft-wood summer cuttings from a grape vine. Also, what to do with your moat and why hippoptamuslike plants are no good at all.</p><p>https://ko-fi.com/bendark</p><p>www.bendark.com</p>
June 15, 2023
[Interview] The Thousand Year Old Garden: Inside the Secret Garden at Lambeth Palace with Nick Stewart Smith
<p>Nick Stewart Smith spent seven years as Head Gardener at Lambeth Palace. Here he tells Ben Dark about his hidden life as a link in thousand-year horticultural chain, about his unique philosophy of place-making and about how to work in dialogue with a garden.</p><p>Nick's book: https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/the-thousand-year-old-garden/9781803993041/</p><p>Wild Times in a London Park by Nick Stewart Smith: https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/wild-times-in-a-london-park/</p><p>Support Dear Gardener on Kofi: https://ko-fi.com/bendark</p><p>Episode Breakdown:</p><p>[00:00:03] Podcast intro: introducing Nick Stewart Smith, author of "The Thousand Year Old Garden"</p><p>[00:04:07] The personal nature of the book.</p><p>[00:06:23] Gardeners and garden features as links in a very long chain.</p><p>[00:09:38] Creating a dialogue with the garden.</p><p>[00:13:26] Life at Overbecks, the eccentric National Trust garden of rock face and banana.</p><p>[00:16:07] Exploring the book’s focus on the forgotten gardeners of Lambeth Palace</p><p>[00:21:50] The Glades, Nick’s signature effect with colourful perennials and nomadic annuals.</p><p>[00:27:56] Gardening, finding balance, small scale focus.</p><p>[00:29:33] Awareness of nature crisis, positive gardening, adaptation.</p><p>[00:32:36] Tolstoy, Levin and the transcendental power of scything.</p><p>[00:35:57] Van Gogh & Dürer - painters as inspiration.</p><p>[00:40:51] Farewell and thanks to guest, Nick.</p><p><br></p>
June 7, 2023
[Solo Episode] Losing and Finding Beauty: Munstead, Laburnums and the Afterlife of Gardens
<p>On this episode of Dear Gardener, host Ben Dark explores the legacy and afterlife of gardens. The starting points are: a Laburnum safari through Østerbro, a fence-climb into an abandoned garden, and a run through the acid-sands of West Sussex.</p><p>Featuring Gertrude Jekyll, Edwin Lutyens and the National Trust in the news that Munstead Wood is 'to be preserved for the nation'</p><p>Support the show on Kofi https://ko-fi.com/bendark</p><p>Tickets to the Birmingham Talk here: https://www.bournvillehub.com/box-office/the-grove-a-nature-odyssey-in-19-1-2-front-gardens </p><p> Episode Breakdown:</p><p>[00:00:06] Lime tree mist season in Copenhagen. Excellent for spoiling cars</p><p>[00:05:36] Tennyson praised for 'rosey plumelets bud the larch'</p><p>[00:08:24] Golden chain tree and the particularity of its yellow</p><p>[00:13:01] Lilac's use as a besmirching foil. The neighbour's trampoline of huge and surprising beauty</p><p>[00:15:38] Father's death inspires thoughts on gardens.</p><p>[00:19:16] Gertrude Jekyll and the Arts and Crafts movement</p><p>[00:23:52] Gardens best seen after suffering?</p><p>[00:27:32] The Canterbury tales as told on the Hidcot coach.</p><p>[00:29:27] Small towns end abruptly.</p><p>[00:32:41] Rhododendron ponticum invasive but lovely in the shade</p><p>[00:35:50] Stalin's mimosa.</p>
14 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is Dear Gardener?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
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This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
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Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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