This week on Talking Dirty get ready for an awe-inspiring array of grasses. Tim Fuller - National Collection holder of Molinia and owner of Plantsman's Preference Nursery - shares some of his favourites varieties, not only of Molinia, but Pennisetum, Elymus and Panicum with Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis. And that's not all - from awesome Asters to zingy variegation and some of his signature choice plants, this is a riot of seasonal treasures for your garden. PLANT LIST Molinia...
Nov 10, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 66
This week Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis are catching up with one of their Talking Dirty favourites, Val Bourne. The award-winning garden writer and Organic Gardener shares favourite plants from her own garden this Autumn, plus the Sweet Peas she'll be sowing on November 5th and great seed-sowing advice for all kinds of plants. PLANT LIST Hepatica nobilis Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow' Euphorbia epithymoides/E. polychroma Euphorbia palustris Symphytum caucasicum Digitalis lute...
Nov 03, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 65
When it comes to #floralartistry, it doesn't get much more colorful and intoxicating than Johnny Crow's Garden. The creation of Devon-based grower-arranger Lucy Slater, this week she shares some of her seasonal favourites with Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis. From long-lasting #CutFlowers to punchy foliage, #Euphorbias and her passion for #Rewilding, it's a joyful plant-filled chat. PLANT LIST Echeveria 'Mauna Loa' Crambe cordifolia Rosa 'Honey Dijon' Rosa 'Belle Epoque' Rosa 'K...
Oct 27, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 64
On this week's Talking Dirty Podcast, Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis enjoy a long-overdue return from the fabulous Rosy and Rob Hardy of Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants. Always great at choosing plants which are perfect for a situation, they turn up some stunners for the Autumn garden - from Chrysanthemums to Strobilanthes. PLANT LIST Thalictrum 'Chantilly Lace' Glandularia 'Margaret's Memory' Zizia aurea Veronica gentianoides 'Tissington White' Cercis canadensis 'Eternal Flame' ...
Oct 20, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 63
The Talking Dirty Podcast is all about spreading the love of plants and some know-how for getting the best out of them. And what better way to supplement our weekly conversations with top gardeners, than by answering your horticultural conundrums! Don't forget if you have a question you can email it to hello@getgardeningnow.co.uk or message us on Instagram and Twitter - we'll endeavour to answer your question in a postbag edition.
Oct 14, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 62
This week on The Talking Dirty Podcast, Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis are diving into the world of #propagation with Young Propagators, Georgia and Soham. Alongside, explaining what the YPS is all about, the pair share the techniques they've used from softwood cuttings to #airlayering through an amazing array of Show and Tell. Just check out that plant list... PLANT LIST Geranium macrorrhizum 'Bevan's Variety' Ferocactus peninsula Meconopsis betonicifolia Bauhinia variegata Ba...
Oct 13, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 62
We are so excited to bring you our latest Talking Dirty podcast with none other than Claus Dalby. The Danish King of container planting and great plantsman has tranformed his plot in Risskov over the last twenty-seven years, into an inspiring planty paradise. And his exploits are followed by Instagram and YouTube viewers the world over. This week Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis chat to him about the origins of his horticultural passion, and enjoy some beautiful Show and Tell as ...
Oct 06, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 61
He's back! Grower of extraordinary plants and seller of rare seeds - Mike Clifford is a plantaholic through and through. In this return appearance to the Talking Dirty Podcast, he shows Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis his favourite fern, an amazing Sauromatum which has hybridised in his garden and some incredibly rare plants. Plus a few selections for anyone keen to introduce jungle plants to their own plot for the first time. PLANT LIST Echeveria 'Compton Carousel' Aeonium 'Mar...
Sep 22, 2021•50 min•Season 1Ep. 60
As we revel in what may be the only ever September RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Alan Gray of East Ruston Old Vicarage and Thordis share their highlights from the show. Having spent a glorious day perusing the Show Gardens and Floral Pavilion, they've gathered together their favourite plants from, Salvias to succulents, via a plant from Alan's childhood and something brand new this year. PLANT LIST Begonia 'Little Brother Montgomery' Begonia 'Joyful Blaze' Begonia 'Curly Fireflush' Begonia 'Rocheart'...
Sep 21, 2021•58 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Famed for many things from their Chillis to their Glasshouses and Arboretum, West Dean is an inspiring place. And this week Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis catch up with its inspiring Head Gardener Tom Brown. He talks us through how planting, compost and plastic use are all changing at West Dean, and brings along some of the plants they're using to be more drought tolerant. And if you're not left wanting to grow Dahlias from seed, you're stronger-willed than us! PLANT LIST Linar...
Sep 15, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Hold onto your hats - from big, scented blooms to unusual shade-lovers, Bleddyn and Sue are back to wow you with more of their treasures from Crug Farm Plants. We've got Cautleyas to covet, Roscoeas to revel in, Begonias, Buddleja and Bomarea...just check out that plant list! PLANT LIST Dahlia excelsa Dahlia imperialis Dahlia pteropoda Cautleya spicata 'Crûg Canary' Cautleya spicata 'Arun Flame' Cautleya spicata 'Bleddyn's Beacon' Hedychium tengchongense Roscoea purpurea 'Brown Peacock' Roscoea ...
Sep 08, 2021•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 58
We've got a real treat for you this week on The Talking Dirty podcast! Derry Watkins of Special Plants is back and she's taking us for a little look around her garden! From the so-called 'Carnival' bed to the plants that dwarf her, there is inspiration a-plenty - and that's before we move to the Show and Tell part of the podcast! PLANT LIST Zinnia tenuifolia 'Red Spider' Sedum Sunsparkler® 'Cherry Tart' Zinnia elegans 'Inca' Zinnia elegans 'Senorita' Cosmos sulphureus 'Cosmic Red' Ricinus commun...
Sep 01, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 57
If you thought you had enough Dahlias in your life, then think again. Dan Cooper is about to change your mind! His Dahlia-tastic show and tell wows Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis as he takes us from Cactus-types to Waterlilies via fibriated and single. Whatever colour and shape of Dahlia you want, he's got it! Plus some terrific Tropaeolums and heavenly Hedychiums squeezed in for good measure. It's no wonder this is our longest podcast yet! PLANT LIST Dahlia imperialis Dahlia '...
Aug 25, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 56
This week on Talking Dirty Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis delve back into the world of Exotic plants with Conrad McCormick AKA That Botanic Guy. But if you think big-leaved, tropical-looking plants are for big, expansive spaces then think again, because Conrad manages to fit all his large-leaved loves into his small garden in Northern Ireland. From fantastic foliage to love-at-first-sight Lilies, we've got an array of plants you're going to want to add to your garden! I mean, c...
Aug 18, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 55
If you think Floral Design is all about extravagance and cutting garden favourites, then allow Brigitte Girling - the genius behind Moss & Stone Floral Design - to show you her wilder way of arranging. Using the wildflowers from her garden and some she's grown from seed, she brings a celebration of nature to her designs which is in keeping with her love of the wildlife in her plot. As Brigitte, Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis explore her favourite plants of the moment to add...
Aug 11, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 54
Val Bourne returns to The Talking Dirty Podcast to share some of her top plants of the moment with Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis , plus bumper Butterfly chat and cracking Crocosmia care tips! PLANT LIST Origanum vulgare Clematis 'Elsa Späth' Buddleja x weyeriana 'Pink Pagoda' Bupleurum fruticosum Daucus carota 'Dara' Clematis tibetana subsp. vernayi 'Glasnevin Dusk' Clematis 'Little Bas' Crocosmia 'Hellfire' Crocosmia 'Paul's Best Yellow' Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Crocosmia 'Scorchi...
Aug 04, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 53
This week Joe Whitehead takes a break from Burghley's exciting walled garden project to join Alan Gray (East Ruston Old VIcarage) and Thordis Fridriksson on this week's Talking Dirty podcast. Their conversation weaves from planting up Summer containers, to why 'common' plants deserve a place in your garden, and how water conservation and planting for the future are at the heart of Joe's plans for Burghley's Walled Garden. PLANT LIST Nicotiana sylvestris Streptocarpus saxorum Oxalis spiralis subs...
Jul 28, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 52
He's back and he's brought ALL the plants to talk about! Ian Roofe - one of our original Get Gardening team - returns to regale us with his favourite plants of the moment, which leads into an exciting conversation about planting in the Exotic Garden at East Ruston Old Vicarage and some climber inspiration from Ian's own garden. With thanks, as ever, to the brilliant online plant community who've supplied copious pictures to help illustrate the plants. From the Frustrated Gardener to Cotswold Gar...
Jul 21, 2021•58 min•Season 1Ep. 51
What better way to celebrate both our first Birthday and our 50th episode than with a podcast devoted to a beloved plant, the Rose. Most of us have at least one in our garden, they feature in bouquets, in perfume...but how do you possibly choose which one to grow? And what are the tricks to getting the best out of them? This week Alan Gray and Thordis are joined by someone who knows his Roses inside out - Rosarian Michael Marriott. From his favourite varieties for fragrance, form and flower to t...
Jul 14, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 50
If you've got a small garden and worry that it can't have the same impact has a bigger plot, then listen up for some great planting ideas! In this edition of Talking Dirty, Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis catch up with fellow podcasters Michael Perry (Mr Plant Geek) and Ellen Mary of @ThePlantBasedPodcast and three of the four have small gardens at home. Alongside chatting about the trials, tribulations and triumphs of gardening in a small space, the quartet also cover allotment...
Jun 30, 2021•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 49
Some places are synonymous with certain flowers, and at Easton Walled Gardens that flower is the Sweet Pea. For years they've tried different varieties and ways of growing them and shared their discoveries with their garden visitors. As this year's Sweet Pea Season begins, Lady Ursula Cholmeley joins Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis to talk through the history of both the gardens and their association with Sweet Peas. Plus plenty of tips and tricks and top varieties. And, as if a...
Jun 23, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Once you fall in love with plants, you generally find you want to make more from what you've got. Propagation is addictive and magical, but how do you master it? And exactly how far can you take a method when you figure one out? In this episode of The Talking Dirty Podcast, plantsman Joe Sharman shares some of the secrets he's learned from a lifetime loving plants. Plus he, Alan Gray (East Ruston Old VIcarage) and Thordis discuss how we trigger a horticultural spark in others and share some unus...
Jun 16, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 47
They say the best things come in small packages...well that couldn't be more true of Alpines. And this week - if you needed convincing - Luke Whiting of Alpine Specialists D'Arcy & Everest is along to prove how wonderful they are. From their hardiness, to the range of situations you can grow them in, and of course their stunning flowers and foliage, Luke shares just a smidgen of the treasures they grow and sell. Plus how a Spiderweb came to his rescue on a mission to get Habranthus seed and ...
Jun 09, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 46
Sometimes they're so perfect, it's hard to believe they're real - In this week's Talking Dirty podcast it's ALL about Auriculas as grower Jane-Ann Walton explains the different types and how to grow these Diva plants. From compost mixes, to dealing with pests like root aphid and red spider mite, the best pots to use, overwintering, where to start if you're a beginner and even helpful tools - Jane-Ann bring over thirty years experience to the podcast. Plus she wows Alan Gray and Thordis with some...
Jun 02, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 45
From bubblegum scent to the 'eleven-month-a-year' plant, this week's instalment of The Talking Dirty Podcast is full of surprises and must-haves for the garden. And it's no surprise as the ever-inspiring Ben Preston of #yorkgate is the guest this week. Despite his young years, he's already making a stir in the horticultural world with his vast plant knowledge and exciting gardening endeavours at York Gate, where he's Head Gardener. This week he's sharing some of their successes (and failures!) w...
May 26, 2021•54 min•Season 1Ep. 44
It's podcasters unite in the latest edition of Talking Dirty, as Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis catch up with Talking Heads podcasters, Lucy Chamberlain and Saul Walker. Both professional Head Gardeners, Lucy and Saul have built a loyal audience of fans, sharing their gardening adventures both at work and at home. Lucy is the #crazytomatolady and Saul is big into his Exotics - unsurprisingly they both live up to their reputations when it comes to Show and Tell! This week's podc...
May 19, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 43
This week Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis are treated to a chat with The Frustrated Gardener, who's blogging exploits and enthralling Instagram are such an inspiration. From the trials (and triumphs) of container gardening, to stinky Geraniums, sexy Tulips and rampant Impatiens, this is a joyful exploration of Dan's plants of the moment. PLANT LIST Streptocarpus saxorum Streptocarpus 'White Butterfly' Tulip 'Labrador' Geranium maderense Nicotiana sylvestris Tulipa 'Lasting Love'...
May 12, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Val Bourne will always be one of our absolute favourite guests on the podcast - never failing to deliver a real plantswoman's crop of treasures for us all to grow at home. This week she's sharing her love of bulb lawns with Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis, including some of the varieties she's naturalised in her own miniature meadows at home. Plus the monocarpic tendencies of some plants (don't worry - it's not catching!), the patience needed to grow Trilliums from seed, and Tho...
May 05, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 41
The Talking Dirty podcast heads on tour for the first time ever, visiting the garden of extraordinary plantsman and Botanist, Richard Hobbs. Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) and Thordis are wowed by his amazing Muscari (he holds the National Collection), plus Scillas, Anemones, Pulsatillas and so much more! PLANT LIST Muscari Maxibell Muscari azureum Muscari aucheri Pseudomuscari pallens 'Morganhimmel' Muscari macrocarpum Muscari armeniacum 'Venus' Muscari armeniacum 'Peppermint' Allium ursi...
Apr 28, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 40
With lots of questions to answer, Thordis and Alan Gray (East Ruston Old Vicarage) host a Postbag edition of the podcast, plus plenty of seed-sowing tips and Alpine trough advice with a focus on special plants that you could try. If you want to ask a question of the team you can email hello@getgardeningnow.co.uk, contact them on social media or comment on the Get Gardening YouTube channel. PLANT LIST Lunaria annua 'Chedglow' Eschscholzia californica Papaver dubium 'Albiflorum' Papaver commutatum...
Apr 21, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 39
