In the last episode of this series, your hosts, Dan Cooper and Julia Parker, talk to Guy Watts and Jason Gilford of Architectural Plants about what makes the perfect sculptural specimen, the challenges of running a nursery during a heatwave, and how much risk to take when choosing borderline hardy plants. Julia shares her favourite architectural edibles, and Dan recommends mini shears for creating prize-winning Niwaki - all will be revealed when you listen! Two Good Gardeners will return in Autu...
Jul 11, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 5Ep. 8
In this episode, Dan & Julia take a trip to Bolney in West Sussex, where small-scale flower growers and plant nurseries gather once a month to present their produce to florists and the general public. Julia talks to Laura Fisher at Wild Willow Flowers about the idea behind the Homegrown Market and chats with some of the visitors. Later in the episode, Dan reveals his favourite deadheading tools and Julia explains how to take cuttings from your favourite hydrangeas. Your hosts conclude with a...
Jun 27, 2025•59 min•Season 5Ep. 7
In this episode, Dan & Julia chat to Lorraine Caley of Caley Brothers, gold medal-winning mushroom growers. Lorraine and her sister, Jodie, have built a thriving business by running mushroom-growing workshops and selling mushroom kits, gaining fame with their eye-catching, intriguing displays of edible fungi at the Chelsea Flower Show. If you don't know a lot about fungi, listening to this interview is a must! Later in the episode, Julia shares her experience of growing oyster mushrooms usin...
Jun 13, 2025•54 min•Season 5Ep. 6
After a busy visit to the Chelsea Flower Show, Dan and Julia reflect on how the UK's premier horticultural showcase is evolving. They compare what caught their eye, from bonsai potentillas to pelargonium-scented candles. As always, you can expect a candid assessment of the show through your hosts' eyes, accompanied by laughter and amusing anecdotes. Website links: Dan Cooper Garden Dan's Chelsea Survival Guide Dan's article on the Chelsea Chop Parker's Patch Kent Wildflower Seeds Website Expertl...
May 23, 2025•53 min•Season 5Ep. 5
In this episode, Dan and Julia talk to Charlotte Denne of Kent Wildflower Seeds about her family business, growing native wildflowers in your garden, and the groundbreaking exhibit she's taking to the Chelsea Flower Show. We learn how wildflower seeds are produced for sale and which are best suited to beds, containers and meadow areas. Julia highlights the many wildflowers you can eat and throws in some cultivated ones for good measure, while Dan suggests two products to help create the perfect ...
May 09, 2025•54 min•Season 5Ep. 4
In this episode, Dan & Julia talk to Thomas Pearson, a young entrepreneur who takes an old-fashioned approach to selling terracotta pots from his yard in rural Herefordshire. Julia extols the virtues of growing salad leaves in containers and ponders on how long to protect her precious lemons, while Dan suggests three products to take the strain out of filling and watering pots. Your hosts conclude with a list of jobs to do in your garden and share what they're getting up to over the next for...
Apr 25, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 5Ep. 3
In this episode, Dan & Julia talk to Katie Derham, BBC Radio 3 broadcaster, Queen of the Proms, and Strictly Come Dancing finalist, about how she combines her love of gardening and music. Julia grows tomatoes from shop-bought fruit, and Dan shares alternative Easter gift ideas. Your hosts round off with a list of jobs to do in your garden over the Easter holidays. Katie's Instagram account - https://www.instagram.com/thekatiederham Music in Bloom on BBC Radio 3 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/progra...
Apr 11, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 5Ep. 2
In the first episode of their new series, Dan and Julia chat with Paolo Arrigo of Seeds of Italy, discovering why it's important to preserve old vegetable varieties and exploring their importance to Italian cuisine. Julia enlightens Dan about cultivating garlic greens, and Dan prepares to tiptoe through the tulips in his new Italian gardening clogs. Paolo's 'eternal' tomatoes: https://seedsofitaly.com/tomato-principe-borghese-da-appendere-or-eternal-tomatoes/ Spinach 'Monstreux de Viroflay': htt...
Mar 28, 2025•53 min•Season 5Ep. 1
In this bonus episode, Dan and Julia set the scene for Series 5 of Two Good Gardeners. They share what caught their eye at the Garden Press Event in February and what hot topics are coming up later in the spring. Listen to find out whether Dan can speak Cornish and how Julia managed to break her nose. Episode 1 will be released on Friday, March 28th 2025 Dan's article: Heritage vegetables - what they are and why you should grow them Website links: Dan Cooper Garden Parker's Patch Produced by Sco...
Mar 14, 2025•26 min
To round off Series 4 of Two Good Gardeners, Dan & Julia test each other's memory with a New Year quiz. The scores may not be high, but there are laughs aplenty! Join in and see if you can guess Dan's Desert Island flower and the length of Julia's prize-winning parsnip! The Two Good Gardeners will return in spring 2025 with a brand new series. Jobs to do in the garden this fortnight: Dan - Sow chilli seeds under cover - a warm environment is essential! Clean, sharpen and oil tools. Sort out ...
Jan 10, 2025•47 min•Season 4Ep. 8
We've had some rough weather to start the winter, which is miserable enough for us, but spare a thought for the wild creatures in our garden that might have been unable to forage and find food. In this episode, Dan & Julia talk to Clare Carhill, founder of A Little Bird Co ., about caring for birds during winter, with some surprising information about the threat caused by cats. Later in the show, they share tips about how you can take care of other animal visitors, too. Jobs to do in the gar...
Dec 13, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 7
To celebrate the season of plum puddings and cranberry sauce, Dan and Julia devote this episode to all things fruity. They reveal their favourite fruits and share tips on how to grow and use them. Dan describes one of his favourite tools for pruning fruit trees, and Julia delves deeper into the art of cultivating blueberries. Listen to the end to hear Dan & Julia's list of jobs to do in the garden over the next fortnight and to find out where they'll be popping up in the run-up to Christmas....
Nov 29, 2024•55 min•Season 4Ep. 6
In this episode, Dan & Julia change their usual format to focus on Christmas gifting. They chat to Lucy Hutchings, co-founder of She Grows Veg, about her take on the traditional advent calendar and ask what she'd like to find in her stocking on Christmas morning. Later in the show, your hosts receive festive voice memos from some of their horticultural friends and heroes, discovering what's on their wish lists. Our guests in this episode: Lucy Hutchings, Co-Founder She Grows Veg - https://sh...
Nov 15, 2024•59 min•Season 4Ep. 5
In this episode, Dan & Julia dispel the myth that winter gardens must be devoid of colour. Your hosts choose their favourite flowering and foliage plants to display in pots during the colder months, from shrubs to tiny bulbs. Dan reveals why the Japanese 'leisure knife' we call a Hori Hori has taken the gardening world by storm, and Julia explains how and when to plant onion sets - be quick, as time is running out! Your hosts round off with a list of jobs you can do in your garden over the n...
Nov 01, 2024•53 min•Season 4Ep. 4
In this episode, Dan and Julia talk to Charlotte Molesworth at Balmoral Cottage, the garden she and her husband, Donald, have been creating for 42 years. Charlotte describes the art of making a garden from scratch and on a shoestring, rarely buying plants. Most of the trees and shrubs she has trained into birds, crowns, pyramids, mounds and spirals have been grown from cuttings or seedlings grubbed up or given by friends. Charlotte also explains the legacy of 'Cherry' Ingram, the English country...
Oct 18, 2024•53 min•Season 4Ep. 3
In this episode, Dan & Julia consider the gardening chores we could do less to free up time for new projects or relaxation. Dan explains why anvil secateurs are better for some pruning jobs and Julia shares how to sustain your crop of annual herbs into the late autumn and early winter. Your hosts round off with a list of jobs to do in your garden this fortnight and reveal what will keep them out of mischief until the next episode. A few of Dan & Julia's time-saving measures: Not washing ...
Oct 04, 2024•56 min•Season 4Ep. 2
The Two Good Gardeners return for a new series with an episode devoted to autumn seed sowing. Dan and Julia reveal which varieties you can plant right now for fabulous flowers and delicious edibles next year before sharing a list of jobs you can do in your garden during the second half of September. Your hosts announce a new sponsor—Gold Leaf Gloves—and celebrate with a giveaway: visit their Instagram account @twogoodgardeners for details. Closing date: Friday, 27th September 2024. Julia's recom...
Sep 20, 2024•57 min•Season 4Ep. 1
In this episode, the last in series three, Dan & Julia explain how to transform your garden into a tropical paradise using bold foliage, bright flowers and exciting edibles. They share tips on creating the perfect environment for exotics and some of their favourite plants to grow. You'll discover that anything is possible! As always, your hosts round off with a list of jobs you can do in your garden over the next fortnight and share what they’re up to over the coming weeks. Two Good Gardener...
Aug 09, 2024•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 8
In this episode, Dan and Julia share tips for keeping your garden in top condition while you take a well-deserved summer break. Your hosts advise on preparing lawns, vegetable plots, containers, greenhouses, and houseplants before your holiday. Dan chooses his favourite tools for trimming hedges and cutting back early-flowering perennials, and, inspired by Wimbledon, Julia shares a money-saving trick for propagating new strawberry plants. Dan & Julia's Pre-Holiday Checklist: Check your home ...
Jul 19, 2024•58 min•Season 3Ep. 7
In this episode, Dan & Julia celebrate the rose, Britain's most popular flowering plant. With so many species and varieties available to buy, there's a rose for every garden, but the choice can be bewildering - your hosts share their favourites for containers, walls, banks, wild areas and coastal gardens. Dan highlights his favourite tools and gloves for maintaining roses, and Julia explains how and why you should condition cut roses and other flowers before displaying them indoors. As alway...
Jul 05, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Dan and Julia delve into the subtle, little-understood subject of companion planting, revealing which plants get along well and which really don’t! Dan describes three fantastic new tools that have just joined his Signature range, and Julia explains the Three Sisters method of growing beans, squash, and sweetcorn together. Dan & Julia's Favourite Plant Companions: Plant basil near or at the base of tomatoes to ward off white fly Grow nasturtiums as sacrificial plants to attract black fly Pos...
Jun 21, 2024•47 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In this episode, Dan & Julia reflect on this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, sharing features that impressed them and those that left them wanting more. Dan highlights two ways to keep bugs at bay, which are chemical and plastic-free, while Julia shares family-friendly tips for growing vegetables in recycled containers. As always, your hosts offer their suggestions of jobs to do in your garden over the next fortnight and reveal where they’re popping up next! Dan's products of the week: Bugnet - ...
May 31, 2024•58 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Occasionally, your hosts like to explore a garden in depth ..... and have a good old natter. In this episode, Dan and Julia revisit Sissinghurst Castle, starting in an area of the garden known as Delos. Recently resurrected after a long spell in the doldrums, they consider the challenges of recreating a slice of ancient Greece in Kent. Back in the studio, they each share five ways that Sissinghurst inspired them. Dan reveals his current 'must have' garden tool and shares exciting news about new ...
May 17, 2024•47 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In this episode, Dan and Julia discuss whether no-mow May is good for our gardens and discover the many magical properties of copper tools. Julia advises on how to look after tomato plants while waiting for the weather to warm up, and Dan highlights Calycanthus , aka Carolina allspice, an increasingly popular shrub that produces exotic-looking flowers and a culinary spice. The pros and cons of not mowing in May Pros: Reduces time spent mowing Requires no fertilisers, pesticides or watering Allow...
May 03, 2024•52 min•Season 3Ep. 2
In the first episode of the new series of Two Good Gardeners, Dan and Julia debate whether it's worth saving your own seeds and throw a spotlight on wool, the secret ingredient our gardens have been crying out for. Julia shares her top tips for growing lemongrass to fill your kitchen with oriental flavours, and Dan waxes lyrical about hostas, the foliage plant we'd all love to love if slugs and snails didn't love them more! As always, your hosts round off with a list of things to do in your gard...
Apr 19, 2024•55 min•Season 3Ep. 1
In the final episode of Series 2, Dan & Julia reflect on the many highlights of a busy and eventful year and share their New Year's resolutions. They'll return with Series 3 in spring 2024. If you've enjoyed Series 2, then click follow on your favourite podcast platform, so you're notified when new episodes are launched. Leaving a rating or writing a review will help us know what you like and how we can do better in future. The book 'The Secret Gardens of Cornwall', which Dan talks about, is...
Jan 05, 2024•35 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Christmas is a frenetic season when time and budgets are often overstretched. With less time to focus on living sustainably, how can we make the best environmental choices, especially when they're not always obvious? Talking as amateur gardeners, Dan & Julia discuss some of the options and reveal surprising facts - did you know, for example, that burning a real Christmas tree on a bonfire is far more sustainable than putting it out for collection and composting? Julia shares how much of her ...
Dec 14, 2023•41 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Owning a greenhouse is a luxury and privilege many gardeners dream of. In this special episode, recorded at Torberry Farm in Hampshire, Dan and Julia meet Nelly Hall, Brand Director at Alitex, to discover how to make the most of a greenhouse all year round. As the year draws to a close, Nelly explains how to use a greenhouse to prepare plants for Christmas and get an early start on spring, learning the importance of light and heat. Moving on to summer, we learn about ventilation, maintaining hum...
Dec 05, 2023•45 min•Season 2Ep. 6
As the days get shorter and the nights colder, it's time to bite the bullet and protect your tender plants from the cold, wet and wind. Dan explains how to tackle different groups of plants, from annuals to evergreens, and Julia shares advice on keeping herbs, citrus, ginger, chillies and pineapples happy until spring. Your hosts anticipate the outcome of the Garden Media Guild Awards, where Two Good Gardeners has been shortlisted (see below if you want to know the result) and look forward to vi...
Nov 21, 2023•42 min•Season 2Ep. 5
In episode 4, Dan and Julia offer advice on filling your home with plants and flowers this Christmas, including how to force bulbs and buy and care for seasonal plants such as poinsettia and cyclamen. Julia explains how to grow a crop of spuds for your Christmas dinner, and Dan shares his favourite garden-inspired Christmas decorations. Julia champions the humble beetroot (pickling recipe below), and Dan is elated that others are finally joining his crusade to revive the much-maligned chrysanthe...
Nov 03, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 4
