The Great British Sewing Bee brings so much delight to those who watch it, and instrumental to its charm is Co-Host Patrick Grant, this week’s fabulous podcast guest. This week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ dives into the magic behind the show, what makes it so enjoyable for everyone on and off-screen, Patrick’s marvellous mission with Community Clothing, and the ambitious plans for an inspiring garden transformation at his Yorkshire home. In this episode, discover: Behind the magic of The Great ...
Jul 03, 2025•39 min•Ep. 231
At this time of year sweet peas are one of the season’s greatest joys, whether through the earlier flowering varieties or the incredibly fragrant flowers. In this solo episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ Sarah dives into the best growing systems for stunning sweet peas, a new method for picking & deadheading, and the specific sweet peas that will make your garden sing through spring. In this episode, discover: How best to condition sweet peas for the most prolific growth and huge stems A n...
Jun 26, 2025•19 min•Ep. 230
There’s nothing quite like cooking outside, and summer provides the perfect opportunity to light a fire and cook up a feast, all inspired by expert tips and recipes courtesy of chef and author, Gill Meller. Highlighting delicious recipes from his book ‘ Outside ’, Gill joins Sarah on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ to share stories of his early forays cooking outdoors, the recipes he couldn’t live without, and some common pitfalls to avoid when you’re inevitably inspired to cook on the fire. In this ...
Jun 19, 2025•31 min•Ep. 229
Between starting out at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall, a spot on Alan Titchmarsh’s new TV show, and raising two young daughters, organic grower Anna Greenland is a modern horticultural heroine. Returning to ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ this month, Anna joins Sarah to share how she inspires her children to grow with her, tips for encouraging younger family members to embrace gardening, and what to sow or harvest now to enjoy the kitchen garden’s greatest gifts. In this episode, discover: How Anna...
Jun 12, 2025•26 min•Ep. 228
As May turns to June the weather can often be blustery at Perch Hill, so it’s the perfect moment to get supports and stakes in place to avoid plants being damaged in high winds. Inspired by the sustainable materials that grow plentifully in this particular part of East Sussex, this week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ is a masterclass on sustainable staking as Sarah unpacks the most suitable materials, where to source them, and most importantly, the best methods to ensure they won’t budge in a stor...
Jun 05, 2025•27 min•Ep. 227
This year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show was yet another terrific exhibition of horticultural beauty, to which Arthur Parkinson had a fabulous front-row seat. Arthur takes the mic on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ this week, once again bringing you the best in show, from the headlines of royal roses to the lesser-known stories from incredible stands and gardens at the show. In this episode, discover: A rose fit for a King, with David Austin’s announcement of a new variety The Great Pavillion’s most grand...
May 29, 2025•22 min•Ep. 226
While we all love a trip to the garden centre for short-term inspiration, a more measured approach to buying the right kind of plants for your plot can help you achieve a beautiful and sustainable garden, with year-round interest and resilience. This week on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ Sarah is joined by Gary Newell, Senior Horticultural Buyer, who advises us to ditch the impulse plant purchases and instead, follow his simple rules for matrix planting – a method he’s used to great effect in his o...
May 22, 2025•27 min•Ep. 225
Biennials – plants which flower in their second year – may often be overlooked by us gardeners, but between their value for money, wonderful scent, and versatility they’re among the best plants to sow and grow in any garden. Sarah makes the case for brilliant biennials in this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, exploring how she came to appreciate their beauty, and which varieties are best for all aspects of your space. In this episode, discover: How the right mix of biennials can fill the a...
May 15, 2025•13 min•Ep. 224
Tom Stimpson’s pint-sized garden is an inspiration for anyone with a small urban plot, and it’s packed with showstopping varieties that will flower for months on end providing colour, scent, and food for pollinators in a compact space. In this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Tom, our Head of Horticulture, tells Sarah how he’s brought his small town garden to life, including the irresistible combinations of dahlias and salvias that he’s planting in his whopper pots for the season to come. ...
May 08, 2025•23 min•Ep. 223
Gardens are a multisensory experience, and while we primarily think of aesthetics, it’s the scent of spring plants which is absolutely second to none. Sarah’s flying solo this week on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ to share her pick of favourite scented spring bulbs and other perfumed plants to envelop your senses and uplift your spirits. In this episode, discover: Spring's most wonderfully scented bulbs, from delicate narcissus to room-filling tulips Which bulbs are Sarah’s longest-flowering, most ...
May 01, 2025•29 min•Ep. 222
Urban gardeners who rent will be familiar with the need to transport their portable gardens frequently, so which plants are ideal for pots and containers that are often on the move? Jemima Bowker is our beginner and balcony gardening expert with a relocation on the horizon. This week, she joins Sarah to chat about the ideal varieties for all sizes and types of container, and ways to protect and transport them during her upcoming move. In this episode, discover: The art of creating a portable gar...
Apr 24, 2025•30 min•Ep. 221
There's been some exciting breeding and hybridising using species tulips - those closely related to wild tulips - in recent years, which has made them perfect plants for withstanding tulip fire. Species tulips are a newfound favourite for Josie and Sarah at Perch Hill, and in this episode we’ll hear why they’re a must-have for pots in particular, and which incredible varieties have captured their attention. In this episode, discover: The remarkable resilience of species tulips to wetter springs ...
Apr 17, 2025•29 min•Ep. 220
Bees are an absolute passion for us at Perch Hill, not just for their pollination and presence in the garden, but for their delicious and nutritious produce too. The same can be said for award-winning author and fermentation expert, Rachel de Thample, who joins Sarah this week on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ to share delicious honey-inspired recipes from her new book, her pick of the best bee-friendly plants, and much more besides. In this episode, discover: Rachel’s journey to writing her latest ...
Apr 10, 2025•27 min•Ep. 219
There’s a rich, complex, and utterly rewarding natural world that co-exists alongside ours, and relies on our gardens for food and safety – the often surprising world of small garden birds. This week on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Adam Nicolson shares insights from his new book, Bird School , which explores the secret life of these tiny avian visitors, so often unfurling right under our noses in our gardens and green spaces. In this episode, discover: The true reasons behind the dawn chorus, its...
Apr 03, 2025•28 min•Ep. 218
Spring is here in all its glory, and with it comes the perfect moment to plant and sow. This week on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ we’ve compiled our top tips and growing inspiration from not one, but seven of Sarah’s all-time favourite guests. From Knepp’s Charlie Harpur on his favourite plants for pollinators, to the veg varieties Jess Gough is growing at home, revisit some of Sarah’s greatest guests and their timely recommendations for gardens large and small. Sarah also shares five fresh ideas ...
Mar 27, 2025•29 min•Ep. 217
Charles Dowding is world-renowned as a pioneer of no dig growing, and while it’s great for saving time and effort, it’s also proven to be more productive and better for the environment, and the soil, too. Who better to hear from on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ than the pioneer himself, as Charles joins Sarah and Josie to share his decades of experience with no dig, tips on creating your own fertile garden compost at home, and inspiring ideas for what to sow in late-March. In this episode, discover...
Mar 20, 2025•35 min•Ep. 216
Like many gardeners, Joe Clark was captivated by the magic of growing his own food at a young age, and now inspires millions more to be enthralled by the same fascinating process via his popular social media channels. Joe is an advocate for planting fruit, veg and flowers that you may not ordinarily encounter in the supermarket, and on this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ he shares his favourite varieties for every taste, space, and type of garden. In this episode, discover: Joe’s favourit...
Mar 13, 2025•31 min•Ep. 215
Lighter, longer days signal the start of a joyous season for gardeners, and March is the perfect month to plan for the highlights of your spring and summer garden. Arthur Parkinson returns to ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ this week to share the plants that brought him the most joy last year, the trials he’ll be undertaking in his own compact garden at home, and his personal pick of long-flowering varieties for successional colour and pollinator appeal, no matter the size of your plot. In this episo...
Mar 06, 2025•22 min•Ep. 214
Bees are one of the most essential species in our ecosystem, and all of our gardens play a vital role in providing food and shelter for them to thrive. Beekeeper, gardener and writer Richard Rickitt’s passion for these particular pollinators is utterly infectious. In this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Richard shares what inspired him to start keeping bees at an early age, his fascination with the many species of wild bees in the UK, and the small but important changes we as gardeners ca...
Feb 27, 2025•38 min•Ep. 213
Narcissi are such rewarding plants to grow, tolerant of almost any site and situation. At Perch Hill in particular, it’s shaping up to be a stellar spring for the humble daffodil and its more diminutive narcissus relatives. Whether it’s perenniality, perfume or punchy colours that you’re after in your own garden, in this week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ Sarah shares her personal edit of the longest-flowering and most fragrant narcissi varieties to grow. In this episode, discover: Why planting n...
Feb 20, 2025•21 min•Ep. 212
Alfie Nickerson is a biodynamic flower farmer making his mark in British horticulture, and his 3,500-strong dahlia field, buzzing with wildlife, is testament to that. After working for 6 years as a jobbing gardener in London, and then volunteering at Fern Verrow – the biodynamic farm of previous guest Jane Scotter – Alfie describes his journey in creating the biodiverse haven that is Burnt Fen Flowers, as well as sharing his favourite annuals and dahlias, on this week’s episode of ‘grow, cook, e...
Feb 13, 2025•23 min•Ep. 211
Bea Andrews is no stranger to Perch Hill - she was head gardener for many years, and is now back in a new guise as our visiting florist, aka Botanika Flora. It's a joy to welcome Bea back for this nostalgic episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ with Sarah as she shares her fascinating background and route into horticulture in her native Hungary, the story of how she came to Perch Hill, and the inspiration she draws from the garden and the Sussex countryside in her stunning floral designs. In thi...
Feb 06, 2025•25 min•Ep. 210
The Eden Project and The Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall are two of the most important horticultural projects of recent times, both helmed by the brilliant mind of Sir Tim Smit – Sarah’s guest on the podcast this week. Tim’s work on pioneering projects like Eden is guided by three pillars that also resonate for Sarah – education, entrepreneurialism, and the environment. In this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, we gain a rare insight into how Tim brings these values to life in projects ...
Jan 30, 2025•26 min•Ep. 209
If you're looking to support wild birds in your garden, the RSPB’s upcoming Big Garden Birdwatch is an essential event for us all. Adam Nicolson and Emma Marsh, Executive Director of the RSPB, join Sarah in this week’s bird-focused episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ to discuss how to get involved in this weekend’s annual bird count, how it came to be, and the many ways that gardeners can actively support and encourage more wild birds in our gardens and green spaces. In this episode, discover:...
Jan 23, 2025•41 min•Ep. 208
Savannah Miller’s newfound passion for growing cut flowers, in particular dahlias, feeds fantastically into her contemporary bridal designs. In this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Sarah and Savannah discuss her successful career in fashion, an unexpected foray into bridal design, and her newfound joy in growing cut flowers and vegetables. Plus, discover Savannah’s top picks for the easiest and best performing flowers in her Gloucestershire garden. In this episode, discover: How Savannah ...
Jan 16, 2025•19 min•Ep. 207
Be it a fully fledged kitchen garden, or a few window boxes outside your back door, It’s never too early to start planning which edibles you want to grow for the season ahead. Following last week’s flower-focused episode, this week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ continues the sowing theme to highlight Sarah’s top pick of outstanding edibles to grow from seed from the beginning of the year, through to the end of March. In this episode, discover: How to embrace winter growing, sowing some of the har...
Jan 09, 2025•20 min•Ep. 206
There are few more therapeutic jobs in the potting shed or polytunnel than sowing seeds, and if you’re looking to fill your spring garden with colourful cut flowers, now is the time to start sowing your standout varieties. In the first of two back-to-back episodes of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Sarah turns her attention to the cut flowers she’ll be sowing from early January onwards, working week by week to create an invaluable sowing calendar you can easily follow at home. In this episode, disco...
Jan 02, 2025•17 min•Ep. 205
For those who garden, whether on a windowsill or on a grander scale, it soon becomes a source of inspiration, passion and peace. A way to ground and find solace and, increasingly, a test of resilience and adaptability too. In a reversal of the usual ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ format, journalist and broadcaster Alex Clark turns guest question master to steer the conversation on Sarah’s journey into horticulture, what they both get from gardening, and the sensory delights that growing, plants and ...
Dec 26, 2024•38 min•Ep. 204
Every Ottolenghi book is a gift, filled with a treasure trove of unique recipes and the latest, Comfort – perfectly timed for Christmas feasting – is no exception. In fact, by the end of this week’s episode you may well be rethinking your own festive menu… A self-confessed Ottolenghi fan, Sarah is joined Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley – two of the co-authors of Comfort , the latest Ottolenghi cook book – to share some of their favourite comfort food recipes including a delicious chocolate mou...
Dec 19, 2024•24 min•Ep. 203
Christmas is one of the most joyous times of the year, and sustainability need not detract from that joy. With a little bit of forethought, we can all enjoy a colourful and creative celebration that respects our planet too. Sarah is a passionate advocate for sustainability, so in this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ she shares some of the most exciting, naturally sourced and low impact ways to decorate your home, festive table and tree, as well as a fantastic guide to creating your own com...
Dec 12, 2024•33 min•Ep. 202
