Talking Heads - a Gardening Podcast - Listen or read transcript on Metacast

Ep. 271 - Humidity has been rocketing this week, so the gardening duo have been finding ways to keep cool (handily for Saul, Stonelands has a river). But even in the heat, hedges have been cut and grass - what there is of it - has been mown.

Summer in 2025 is here - and after one of the sunniest and driest Springs on record, we enter the long days and sultry nights with the garden looking glorious but always looking to the horizon for a little bit of rain to keep things looking green and lush. Herbaceous borders are set to maximum colour, vegetable beds seem to multiply in growth weekly and the gardeners tan is ever present. So enjoy the long summer days, take some time to appreciate time in your garden and join the Talking Heads pa...

Jul 05, 2025•34 min•Ep. 271

Ep. 270 - It's hot, hot, HOT! SO, how do two professional gardeners manage when daytime temperatures soar? And what key jobs are there to complete when everything in the garden is at summer's peak? Listen to Saul and Lucy as they explain all

Summer in 2025 is here - and after one of the sunniest and driest Springs on record, we enter the long days and sultry nights with the garden looking glorious but always looking to the horizon for a little bit of rain to keep things looking green and lush. Herbaceous borders are set to maximum colour, vegetable beds seem to multiply in growth weekly and the gardeners tan is ever present. So enjoy the long summer days, take some time to appreciate time in your garden and join the Talking Heads pa...

Jun 28, 2025•35 min•Ep. 270

Ep. 269 - Well haven't the Talking Heads pair been in the health wars recently, it goes to show that not everything goes smoothly - but they are back and have a long chat about BBC Gardeners World Live and some of the garden questions Saul was posed.

Summer in 2025 is here - and after one of the sunniest and driest Springs on record, we enter the long days and sultry nights with the garden looking glorious but always looking to the horizon for a little bit of rain to keep things looking green and lush. Herbaceous borders are set to maximum colour, vegetable beds seem to multiply in growth weekly and the gardeners tan is ever present. So enjoy the long summer days, take some time to appreciate time in your garden and join the Talking Heads pa...

Jun 22, 2025•35 min•Ep. 269

Ep. 268 - Saul takes you along on a 'Weekend in the Life' of a gardener - where it's a double header of Garden Society meet-ups - nattering, drinking tea and buying plants are what it's all about.

Summer in 2025 is here - and after one of the sunniest and driest Springs on record, we enter the long days and sultry nights with the garden looking glorious but always looking to the horizon for a little bit of rain to keep things looking green and lush. Herbaceous borders are set to maximum colour, vegetable beds seem to multiply in growth weekly and the gardeners tan is ever present. So enjoy the long summer days, take some time to appreciate time in your garden and join the Talking Heads pa...

Jun 08, 2025•28 min•Ep. 268

Ep. 267 - It's finally here! The latest episode of the Talking Heads podcast is, at last LIVE. We talk about our successes and fails in the garden - and beyond (for Saul, it was leaving his beloved Devon for a few days...)

Spring is the season when gardeners throw off the hibernation and slumber of months of wet feet, many layers and waterproofs and are reborn anew! The stirring of life in the garden is one of the years great experiences, and makes a gardening life such a worthwhile pursuit, not only is it good for the planet to see the earth greening up, it is also good for the gardeners soul. But there is still lots of hard work to get on with - seeds have to be sown, mulch laid, supports erected and lawns mown....

Jun 01, 2025•36 min•Ep. 267

Ep. 266 - It's the time in the middle of May where everyone talks about one thing in horticulture - The RHS Chelsea Flower Show - and so Lucy and Saul give you the highlights of their visit to this gardening extravaganza.

Spring is the season when gardeners throw off the hibernation and slumber of months of wet feet, many layers and waterproofs and are reborn anew! The stirring of life in the garden is one of the years great experiences, and makes a gardening life such a worthwhile pursuit, not only is it good for the planet to see the earth greening up, it is also good for the gardeners soul. But there is still lots of hard work to get on with - seeds have to be sown, mulch laid, supports erected and lawns mown....

May 24, 2025•37 min•Ep. 266

Ep. 265 - Whilst Lucy (and the rest of the UK) performs a rain dance, Saul is experiencing his usual Devon weather - blow some our way, Saul! But his mind is rightly so on his 10-year anniversary as Stonelands Head Gardener - congratulations, Mr W!

Spring is the season when gardeners throw off the hibernation and slumber of months of wet feet, many layers and waterproofs and are reborn anew! The stirring of life in the garden is one of the years great experiences, and makes a gardening life such a worthwhile pursuit, not only is it good for the planet to see the earth greening up, it is also good for the gardeners soul. But there is still lots of hard work to get on with - seeds have to be sown, mulch laid, supports erected and lawns mown....

May 17, 2025•37 min•Ep. 265

Ep. 264 - Post Gardener's World Spring Fair, the Talking Heads pair are in recovery mode, so gardening-lite is in order - but seed sowing, potting on exotic plants and working on the herbaceous borders are all in a weeks work.

Spring is the season when gardeners throw off the hibernation and slumber of months of wet feet, many layers and waterproofs and are reborn anew! The stirring of life in the garden is one of the years great experiences, and makes a gardening life such a worthwhile pursuit, not only is it good for the planet to see the earth greening up, it is also good for the gardeners soul. But there is still lots of hard work to get on with - seeds have to be sown, mulch laid, supports erected and lawns mown....

May 11, 2025•32 min•Ep. 264

Ep. 263 - For the fifth year running Lucy and Saul are at BBC Gardeners World Spring Fair at the beautiful Beulieu in the New Forest - the pair are giving their usual Plant Expert Tours, selling books and catching up with all things Alice in Wonderland!

Spring is the season when gardeners throw off the hibernation and slumber of months of wet feet, many layers and waterproofs and are reborn anew! The stirring of life in the garden is one of the years great experiences, and makes a gardening life such a worthwhile pursuit, not only is it good for the planet to see the earth greening up, it is also good for the gardeners soul. But there is still lots of hard work to get on with - seeds have to be sown, mulch laid, supports erected and lawns mown....

May 06, 2025•32 min•Ep. 263

Ep. 262 - Anyone for tennis? Saul has finally resolved his conundrum of how to clean up Stoneland's tennis court, while Lucy has been taking in the sights and sounds of a glorious Essex spring

Spring is the season when gardeners throw off the hibernation and slumber of months of wet feet, many layers and waterproofs and are reborn anew! The stirring of life in the garden is one of the years great experiences, and makes a gardening life such a worthwhile pursuit, not only is it good for the planet to see the earth greening up, it is also good for the gardeners soul. But there is still lots of hard work to get on with - seeds have to be sown, mulch laid, supports erected and lawns mown....

Apr 26, 2025•38 min•Ep. 262

Ep. 261 - Saul is joined on this episode by Head of Horticultural Relations at the RHS, Emma Allen, to talk about her teams role in the horticultural charity, funding through bursaries and the new role of the Expert Groups.

Spring is the season when gardeners throw off the hibernation and slumber of months of wet feet, many layers and waterproofs and are reborn anew! The stirring of life in the garden is one of the years great experiences, and makes a gardening life such a worthwhile pursuit, not only is it good for the planet to see the earth greening up, it is also good for the gardeners soul. But there is still lots of hard work to get on with - seeds have to be sown, mulch laid, supports erected and lawns mown....

Apr 13, 2025•38 min•Ep. 261

Ep. 260 - Magnolias are 'Go' in Essex! Of course, they've been Go in Devon for weeks, but Lucy's East Anglian location isn't as mild as Saul's in the South West. The duo also talk about peat policies, filming highlights and upcoming speaker bookings

Spring is the season when gardeners throw off the hibernation and slumber of months of wet feet, many layers and waterproofs and are reborn anew! The stirring of life in the garden is one of the years great experiences, and makes a gardening life such a worthwhile pursuit, not only is it good for the planet to see the earth greening up, it is also good for the gardeners soul. But there is still lots of hard work to get on with - seeds have to be sown, mulch laid, supports erected and lawns mown....

Apr 05, 2025•33 min•Ep. 260

Ep. 259 - The signs of Spring are everywhere now - so Lucy and Saul indulge in a bit of Phenology - whether plants, insects, birds or piece of machinery appears - what's your herald that Spring has truly arrived?

Spring is the season when gardeners throw off the hibernation and slumber of months of wet feet, many layers and waterproofs and are reborn anew! The stirring of life in the garden is one of the years great experiences, and makes a gardening life such a worthwhile pursuit, not only is it good for the planet to see the earth greening up, it is also good for the gardeners soul. But there is still lots of hard work to get on with - seeds have to be sown, mulch laid, supports erected and lawns mown....

Mar 29, 2025•35 min•Ep. 259

Ep. 258 - Spring is still springing! With yet more signs of this exciting season coming to life, Saul and Lucy explain how this week, they've both been taming flower borders in their respective clients' gardens

Spring is the season when gardeners throw off the hibernation and slumber of months of wet feet, many layers and waterproofs and are reborn anew! The stirring of life in the garden is one of the years great experiences, and makes a gardening life such a worthwhile pursuit, not only is it good for the planet to see the earth greening up, it is also good for the gardeners soul. But there is still lots of hard work to get on with - seeds have to be sown, mulch laid, supports erected and lawns mown....

Mar 22, 2025•34 min•Ep. 258

Ep. 257 - The buoyant feeling of the garden continues on Talking Heads - Lucy and Saul are still drunk on the glory of Spring as this episode features nursery visits, planting new hedges and the debut of 'Horticultural News'!

Spring is the season when gardeners throw off the hibernation and slumber of months of wet feet, many layers and waterproofs and are reborn anew! The stirring of life in the garden is one of the years great experiences, and makes a gardening life such a worthwhile pursuit, not only is it good for the planet to see the earth greening up, it is also good for the gardeners soul. But there is still lots of hard work to get on with - seeds have to be sown, mulch laid, supports erected and lawns mown....

Mar 15, 2025•36 min•Ep. 257

Ep. 256 - Spring is well and truly in the air - and Lucy and Saul are utterly smitten. The horticultural juices are once again in full flow, as the lengthening sunny days brings more time outside and the start to another wonderful garden year!

Spring is the season when gardeners throw off the hibernation and slumber of months of wet feet, many layers and waterproofs and are reborn anew! The stirring of life in the garden is one of the years great experiences, and makes a gardening life such a worthwhile pursuit, not only is it good for the planet to see the earth greening up, it is also good for the gardeners soul. But there is still lots of hard work to get on with - seeds have to be sown, mulch laid, supports erected and lawns mown....

Mar 08, 2025•34 min•Ep. 256

Ep. 255 - It's more hortiwaffle! This week, Saul and Lucy discuss the first signs of spring - are they appearing, or are you a 'fool' to think so? We think a definite YES! With talk of crocus, iris and aconite our spring gardens are (gently) waking up

Well winter is on our doorsteps, and for the general population any thoughts of gardening stops, as the common thought is the 'garden has gone to sleep'...Well nothing could be farther from the truth, as the season of shorter days and chilly weather could be one of the most important and busy in the yearly life of your garden. Join Saul and Lucy every week as they show you exactly how busy they are, whether getting everything festive for Xmas, clearing up after the latest storm, enjoying the eme...

Mar 01, 2025•31 min•Ep. 255

Ep. 254 - The Talking Heads Duo are out and about, live at the Garden Press Event in London - to see new garden products, talk about new garden initiatives, but mostly to have a good chin-wag with a plethora of garden friends!

Well winter is on our doorsteps, and for the general population any thoughts of gardening stops, as the common thought is the 'garden has gone to sleep'...Well nothing could be farther from the truth, as the season of shorter days and chilly weather could be one of the most important and busy in the yearly life of your garden. Join Lucy and Saul every week as they show you exactly how busy they are, whether getting everything festive for Xmas, clearing up after the latest storm, enjoying the eme...

Feb 22, 2025•30 min•Ep. 254

Ep. 253 - Lucy and Saul get up extra early for this episode, to record a morning of car breakdowns, salty planting and whether it's a good idea to live in the garden you work at - and all without having a coffee!

Well winter is on our doorsteps, and for the general population any thoughts of gardening stops, as the common thought is the 'garden has gone to sleep'...Well nothing could be farther from the truth, as the season of shorter days and chilly weather could be one of the most important and busy in the yearly life of your garden. Join Lucy and Saul every week as they show you exactly how busy they are, whether getting everything festive for Xmas, clearing up after the latest storm, enjoying the eme...

Feb 15, 2025•34 min•Ep. 253

Ep. 252 - Cutting lawns, testing waterproofs, showcasing ladders, favourite gardening shows for 2025 - this week, Saul and Lucy are covering plenty of ground. Oh, and yoga whilst gardening - do you do it?

Well winter is on our doorsteps, and for the general population any thoughts of gardening stops, as the common thought is the 'garden has gone to sleep'...Well nothing could be farther from the truth, as the season of shorter days and chilly weather could be one of the most important and busy in the yearly life of your garden. Join Lucy and Saul every week as they show you exactly how busy they are, whether getting everything festive for Xmas, clearing up after the latest storm, enjoying the eme...

Feb 08, 2025•36 min•Ep. 252

Ep. 251 - Stormy winds, some Houseplants at RHS Rosemoor and Lucy moonlighting makes for this weeks Horti-waffle™ - as the Talking Heads pair continue to bring their gardening lives to your ears.

Well winter is on our doorsteps, and for the general population any thoughts of gardening stops, as the common thought is the 'garden has gone to sleep'...Well nothing could be farther from the truth, as the season of shorter days and chilly weather could be one of the most important and busy in the yearly life of your garden. Join Lucy and Saul every week as they show you exactly how busy they are, whether getting everything festive for Xmas, clearing up after the latest storm, enjoying the eme...

Feb 01, 2025•36 min•Ep. 251

Ep. 250 - It's another milestone for the Talking Heads Podcast! But rather than celebrate with a quiz, the duo mark the occasion with - you've guessed it - top notch horti-waffle :-)

Well winter is on our doorsteps, and for the general population any thoughts of gardening stops, as the common thought is the 'garden has gone to sleep'...Well nothing could be farther from the truth, as the season of shorter days and chilly weather could be one of the most important and busy in the yearly life of your garden. Join Lucy and Saul every week as they show you exactly how busy they are, whether getting everything festive for Xmas, clearing up after the latest storm, enjoying the eme...

Jan 25, 2025•39 min•Ep. 250

Ep. 249 - This week, Saul and Lucy have donned their RHS hats to participate in an information sharing session regarding plans for 2025. With water conservation, plants for a purpose and website developments on the agenda, we're in for an exciting year

Well winter is on our doorsteps, and for the general population any thoughts of gardening stops, as the common thought is the 'garden has gone to sleep'...Well nothing could be farther from the truth, as the season of shorter days and chilly weather could be one of the most important and busy in the yearly life of your garden. Join Lucy and Saul every week as they show you exactly how busy they are, whether getting everything festive for Xmas, clearing up after the latest storm, enjoying the eme...

Jan 18, 2025•37 min•Ep. 249

Ep. 248 - Happy New Year from the Talking Heads. 2025 is the 6th year of talking Horti-waffle™ on the podcast and we're both hoping for a successful and exciting gardening season ahead. So lets dive on in!

Well winter is on our doorsteps, and for the general population any thoughts of gardening stops, as the common thought is the 'garden has gone to sleep'...Well nothing could be farther from the truth, as the season of shorter days and chilly weather could be one of the most important and busy in the yearly life of your garden. Join Lucy and Saul every week as they show you exactly how busy they are, whether getting everything festive for Xmas, clearing up after the latest storm, enjoying the eme...

Jan 11, 2025•36 min•Ep. 248

Ep. 247 - In the last Talking Heads episode of 2024, Saul and Lucy are in reflective moods as they look back on the past 12 months and decide how they want to take 2025 forward

Well winter is on our doorsteps, and for the general population any thoughts of gardening stops, as the common thought is the 'garden has gone to sleep'...Well nothing could be farther from the truth, as the season of shorter days and chilly weather could be one of the most important and busy in the yearly life of your garden. Join Lucy and Saul every week as they show you exactly how busy they are, whether getting everything festive for Xmas, clearing up after the latest storm, enjoying the eme...

Dec 21, 2024•38 min

Ep. 246 - In the wake of storm Darragh Saul and Lucy discuss tree loss, removal and renewal. A moment of sadness brings with it the silver lining of opportunity

Well winter is on our doorsteps, and for the general population any thoughts of gardening stops, as the common thought is the 'garden has gone to sleep'...Well nothing could be farther from the truth, as the season of shorter days and chilly weather could be one of the most important and busy in the yearly life of your garden. Join Lucy and Saul every week as they show you exactly how busy they are, whether getting everything festive for Xmas, clearing up after the latest storm, enjoying the eme...

Dec 14, 2024•33 min•Ep. 246

Ep. 245 - What does a gardener do when they are not gardening - and how do you fill half an hour of podcast when you haven't been outside doing any horticulture - well tune in and find out!

Well winter is on our doorsteps, and for the general population any thoughts of gardening stops, as the common thought is the 'garden has gone to sleep'...Well nothing could be farther from the truth, as the season of shorter days and chilly weather could be one of the most important and busy in the yearly life of your garden. Join Lucy and Saul every week as they show you exactly how busy they are, whether getting everything festive for Xmas, clearing up after the latest storm, enjoying the eme...

Dec 07, 2024•34 min•Ep. 245

Ep. 244 - Saul and Lucy have had busy weeks: sizing up storm Bert, analysing garden clothing, firing up flame guns and living it up at the Savoy. Just an ordinary week, then, for the modern professional gardener.

With winter on the horizon, it's time to say a fond farewell to the 2024 garden season. But that's not to say there is still a tremendous amount of gardening to be done. Lucy has been revelling in her Fruit and Veg with Autumn being the crescendo of harvest time, and Saul willed an Indian Summer so his last few exotics could flower before being tucked away for some well deserved winter rest. Otherwise there are still lawns to cut, leaves to be raked and a lot of planning for 2025! This week, the...

Nov 30, 2024•32 min•Ep. 244

Ep. 243 - This week conditions have gone chilly - as a distinct wintery change took place in our gardens - so Saul and Lucy put on an extra layer, grab some sharp tools and discuss what they do when the temperatures start with a minus!

With Autumn on the horizon, it's time to say a fond farewell to the 2024 garden season. But that's not to say there is still a tremendous amount of gardening to be done. Lucy has been revelling in her Fruit and Veg with Autumn being the crescendo of harvest time, and Saul willed an Indian Summer so his last few exotics could flower before being tucked away for some well deserved winter rest. Otherwise there are still lawns to cut, leaves to be raked and a lot of planning for 2025! BRRRRRR! This ...

Nov 23, 2024•40 min•Ep. 243

Ep. 242 - It's announcement time! Why has Lucy spent the past 20 months squirreled away at her computer, only breaking for photoshoots in her garden? (Drumroll....) - because she's written a brand new book! And of course, it's Grow Your Own related

With Autumn on the horizon, it's time to say a fond farewell to the 2024 garden season. But that's not to say there is still a tremendous amount of gardening to be done. Lucy has been revelling in her Fruit and Veg with Autumn being the crescendo of harvest time, and Saul willed an Indian Summer so his last few exotics could flower before being tucked away for some well deserved winter rest. Otherwise there are still lawns to cut, leaves to be raked and a lot of planning for 2025! Saul and Lucy ...

Nov 16, 2024•29 min•Ep. 242

Talking Heads - a Gardening Podcast

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