Pot And Cloche Garden Podcasts

In this episode Joff goes to the Malvern Autumn Show where he talks to Vanessa from garden boot makers Poddy and Black. He learns about traditional trug making from Robin at The Thomas Smith Trug Shop and then talks to Marsha O'Mahony who has written abook 'The Scratch of the Hop' about hop growing and picking in the midlands. At Glee he chats with Annabelle Padwick from Life at No 27. Bumps into Lee Connoly aka The Skinny Jean Gardener, before talking with Elliot Webb from Urban-Farm-it. He rounds off the show with an update from an old friend of the show Linda Petrons from the amazing children's charity Greenfingers.

This episode is a veritable butterfly extravaganza. Joff talks to a wide range of people about butterflies, plants they need, and their specific habitat requirements.  Joff meets Tricia Atkinson at Prinknash Abbey and has a tour of the nectar garden hearing about all the plants that are recommended for both the adult butterfly and the larvae. He spoke to ex national chairman of Butterfly Conservation Maurice Avent ten years ago and recorded their conversation on his battered old minidisc recorder. Thankfully the recording still exists and Maurice was able to tell him all about the history and habits of the Pearl Bordered Fritillary. Chris Tracey from the Gloucestershire branch is an expert on this declining species and showed Joff around the site she maintains to encourage it to breed and increase its population. Daneway Banks in Gloucestershire is one of the few UK strongholds for the enigmatic Large Blue Butterfly. Sue Smith Chairperson of the Gloucestershire branch of Butterfly Conservation met him there a

Joff Elphick visits the Malvern Plant and Garden Fair and discusses Restios with Ray Rowe of Sunray Plants. Andrew from international charity Plantlife talks about their work and Rob Hardy of Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants talks about his Frilly Knickers (yes really!!) and the range of plants he has on offer. Joff also has a final chat with his gardening chum Geoff about the time consuming and often expensive task of staking plants.  Many thanks to the sponsor of the show mywindowbox.com  

In this episode Joff travels to the big smoke and takes the tube to Islington where he visits The Garden Press Event at the Business Design Centre formerly the Horticultural Halls. He speaks to his favourite charity Greenfingers. The people behind the app and podcast Candide. Horty legends Rob and Rosie Hardy from Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants. James Mc Donald from Plant Surge demonstrates his unique watering aid and Steve Ratley from Henchman extolls the virtues of their highly popular tripod ladders.

In this episode sponsored by MY WINDOW BOX Joff travels to Worcestershire in the UK to experience The RHS Malvern Autumn Show. With hundreds of exhibitors it has more than enough to fill a whole day and plenty more for members of the family who might not put horticulture at the centre of their lives.  Joff has a great time and is extremely impressed with the organisation of the show which was very well attended on a bright though blowy day. Joff speaks to exhibitors about collecting old lawnmowers, groundsmanship, allotments, a record breaking collection of perry pears, and speaks to a charity, Herefordshire Growing Point, that has been offering horticultural therapy at a large number of sites around the country for over 30 years.  

In this episode sponsored by MYWINDOWBOX Joff visit the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham to attend Glee-The UK's leading garden and outdoor living trade shoe.Set in huge halls and with over 500 exhibitors Joff had a busy day and walked over 8km! Joff talks to Charlotte from Natural Grower who offers organic and vegan fertiliser products and soil conditioners which are a by product of her renewable energy plant. He then discovers a company called Prongcroft a British self-start company from Nottingham who have developed an ingenious weeding and cultivating tool and a gardening kneeler/apron. GoldLeaf Gloves are well known and loved in the horticulture industry. Launched in 2004 and endorsed by the RHS Joff talks to Kelly Cooney who explains the full range. David Kelly represents VivaGreen who have a range of compostable and biodegradable products. Joff talks to David about MossOff a safe biodegradable method of controlling moss on your lawn and hard surfaces. Melcourt Industries are well known supplier

In this episode sponsored by MYWINDOWBOX Joff talks to Henry Robinson who looks after the National Collection of rambler roses in the UK. In a beautiful garden overlooked by his early 19c home Henry presides over 150 varieties of rambling roses. We explore the gardens looking at individual rose varieties while discussing pruning, care, and maintenance regimes. Henry opens the garden every year usually in the last month of June. Visit www.moorwoodroses.co.uk  

In this episode sponsored by MYWINDOWBOX Joff travels to London to visit the old Horticultural Halls in Islington where the annual Garden Press Event is held for all members of the Horticultural Press to come along and look at products old and new.  Joff talks to Johanna of Stone Globe Lights, a beautifully made range that are designed to blend in whatever your local stone and whatever the time of day or night.  Simon from Willow Wand has an interesting product comprising woven willow wands that can be planted in pots or open ground to make an attractive quick growing topiary feature Hugh Frost showed me the product range from Grazers. This liquid formulae is applied to plants to prevent pest damage and has no effect on the the food chain or the garden ecosystem. Neil Urry from Vegepod has travelled 12,000 miles to bring us his raised vegetable growing platform. With its hinged hood and integrated irrigation system it's popular throughout the world. The final product I look at is the Hotbin composting system.

In this episode sponsored by mywindowbox Joff Elphick talks to poet, songwriter, author, and nature lover Pam Ayres.  We talk about her 2018 bestseller 'The Last Hedgehog' and discuss the plight of our most loved and only spikey garden mammal. Pam kindly recites the book as well as part of another poem that she wrote way back in 1972. Ways of encouraging hedgehogs are discussed as well as how to plant up your garden to create a wildlife haven.  Sarah Wilson from the Roots and All podcast tells us about her show and I catch up with my old gardening chum Geoff Carr to talk about a new piece of equipment that I find invaluable in the garden.    

In this episode sponsored by MY WINDOW BOX (www.mywindowbox.com) Joff Elphick talks to scientist, gardener, cook, and former Tomorrows World presenter (1974-1994) Judith Hann. Judith released a book 'Herbs-delicious recipes and growing tips to transform your food' in 2017 and it was promptly recognised by Gardens Illustrated as one of the top 14 gardening books of the year. Topics mentioned include The Herb Society, David Bellamy, fresh herbs in the 60's, Delia, Madhur Jaffrey, Ken Hom, and Franco Taruschio. We are treated to a guided tour of Judith's herb garden where we look at her collection of herbs and discuss herb teas, herb sugars, pruning, cup cakes, and seed collecting. Joff reminisces about nearly setting the kitchen on fire during a 'coffee' making experiment, while Judith reminisces about the headline-making story of Rick Stein, Chalky, and the murdered pet rabbit; Judith gives her side of the story!! Judith has a herb school Hanns Herbs and you can find venue details and dates at www.hannsherbs.c

In this episode (part 2) sponsored by mywindowbox.com Joff Elphick talks to John Sales about his early days at The National Trust (1972-1998) We find out how The Trust has changed, choosing trees with GST, policy making, or not, and The garden History Society and Westbury Court. Also, visiting Vita, Pam, and Sybil.'Nookiness'. Should the Trust be more selective? Easter egg hunts at Hidcote. WHY? Grahams humble hatchback, and THE best place for a top class valet. Plus more inside information. You heard it here first!    

In this episode (Part one of two) sponsored by mywindowbox.com Joff Elphick talks to Johns Sales. John has just brought out a book; Shades of Green-My Life as The National Trust Head of Gardens (Unicorn). John talks of his early memories as a wartime child and of catching the gardening bug. We go on to discuss his first job in a nursery growing Cape Heaths, begonias, and cyclamen for the christmas market. Of particular interest is his account of working with Graham Stuart Thomas, and of Graham's legendary work ethic. He meets 'sloans' for the first time, and has a cleverly orchestrated 'interview' at 'The Trust' where he 'bumps into' Lord Antrim on the stairs."Afternoon tea anyone?" I produce a photo of holders of The Victoria Medal of Honour, of which John is one, and we reel off the names that shared the medal with him on it's centenary celebration; Christo Lloyd, Adrain Bloom, Valerie Finnis, Roy Lancaster, Graham Stuart Thomas, Penny Hobhouse and more. It's a real who's who of horticulture! In part two of

Barnsley House, Richard Gatenby, Miserden Nursery, Julie Dolphin, Geoff Carr, Product Review.  In this episode I talk to Richard Gatenby, Head Gardener at Barnsley House Gloucestershire former home and garden of Rosemary Verey. We talk about Rosemary, and about iconic features in the garden including the Temple Garden, The Lime Walk, The Laburnham Tunnel, The Frog Fountain, The Gothic Summer House, The Knot Garden, and The Potager.  I also talk to Julie Dolphin, a former BBC Gardeners World Researcher who now runs a beautiful nursery, The Nursery at Miserden, with her husband in the winding back lanes of The Cotswolds. We talk glasshouses and vineries, Pelargoniums, Salvias, and perennials. Julie tells me a secret!-How Gold medal winning designer and TV presenter Chris Beardshaw used her nursery to bring on his plants for Chelsea 2017. It's out now Julie!! Finally, my long time gardening pal Geoff Carr demonstrates a favourite item in our regular feature 'Product Review'.

Joff Elphick speaks to The Times garden writer Stephen Anderton about his book 'Lives of the Great Gardeners'. They talk about Charles Jencks and The Garden of Cosmic Speculation, Alexander Reford from Les Jardins de Metis (Reford Gardens), Lawrence Johnston,Hidcote, and Vita Sackville-West and Sissinghurst. They talk too about Stephen's own garden in Wales. Geoff Carr joins Joff in 'The Long Border' and P.R. team discuss a favourite item in a Product Review. It's all a secret until the recording starts. Joff decides he must have this item. But what's it called and where can you get it? Help? Joff finishes by going 'off piste' after an enquiry about his Wildlife Sound Recording. A Nightingale signs off the show.

Joff Elphick speaks to authors, head-gardeners, writer, growers, and nursery owners and gets them to talk about their lives, books, businesses, and passions. There's a regular Product Review section where gardening gadgets and gizmo's are tested and opinions given. Host Joff Elphick is a gardener in The Cotswolds, England and has worked in several large gardens including Le Manoir aux quat'saisons, Barnsley House, as head-gardener on a private estate, and also in the gardens of a cookery school. He had an office job in the gardens department of The National Trust and now looks after several gardens in Gloucestershire. Don't forget to subscribe to the show. It costs nothing to listen.