Episodes

  • Ep. 222 - It's been a whole year, but Talking Heads is back at Beaulieu for their annual outing at BBC Gardeners World Spring Fair - leading tours and running workshops - its one of the most enjoyable parts of the year!
    May 6 2024

    Spring is the time of the gardening year where all gardeners sigh with relief, it's really time to get out and about and enjoy the wonderful world of horticulture. A garden waking up and showing its early colour and form is a wonderful space to live and work in, an it's no exception that Lucy and Saul revel in this time of year, as their gardening lives start to get busier with sowing, planting, propagation, mowing, mulching and all other gardening tasks. Sprinkle in some early flower shows and the odd plant fair and our gardening life is complete, so thank god for Spring!

    A favourite annual fixture in their diaries, Lucy and Saul report back from the recent BBC Gardeners' World Spring Fair, held at the beautiful gardens of Beaulieu in the New Forest. This year the Talking Heads duo have had the pleasure of giving their usual Plant Expert tours with Head Gardener, Kelvin Yapp, and former gardener, Dan Blaney - but also giving workshops on Seed Sowing, Houseplants and Grow our Own! As ever the Beaulieu garden gang have been consummate hosts - and for the first time this year we've even had the back-up and incredible plant knowledge of Tamsin Westhorpe - the newest member of the plant expert cadre!

    Instagram Links:
    Lucy headgardenerlc
    Tamsin tamsinwesthrope

    Twitter links:
    Saul @GardeningSaul
    Tamsin @TamsinWesthrope

    Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
    "Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
    License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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    32 mins
  • Ep. 221 - Blossom season is upon us, and what a season we're having. Orchards are heaving with flower, so Lucy and Saul discuss the impacts of having an Orchard and visiting the National Fruit collection at Brogdale.
    Apr 27 2024

    Spring is the time of the gardening year where all gardeners sigh with relief, it's really time to get out and about and enjoy the wonderful world of horticulture. A garden waking up and showing its early colour and form is a wonderful space to live and work in, an it's no exception that Lucy and Saul revel in this time of year, as their gardening lives start to get busier with sowing, planting, propagation, mowing, mulching and all other gardening tasks. Sprinkle in some early flower shows and the odd plant fair and our gardening life is complete, so thank god for Spring!

    Blossom is everywhere at the moment and especially on our fruit trees signalling the start of Orchard season. And what a start - there seems to be an overwhelming amount of it which potentially heralds for lots of fruit come late summer. It's also National Blossom Week so Lucy and Saul have a chat about Orchards and how to fit one into your life - whether small and bijou, or full on Cider Orchard. Lucy also visits Brogdale in Kent, where the National Fruit Collection is housed, a place for those passionate about Apples, Pears, Cherries, the list goes on. So next time your thinking of planting a tree - maybe a fruit tree might fit the bill.

    Instagram Links:
    Lucy headgardenerlc

    Twitter links:
    Saul @GardeningSaul

    Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
    "Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
    License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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    33 mins
  • Ep. 220 - It's the greenhouse special! Lucy gives you a guided tour of her beloved greenhouse, explaining how she manages light, temperature, location, space and cropping cycles to gain optimum performance from this precious under cover area
    Apr 17 2024

    Spring is the time of the gardening year where all gardeners sigh with relief, it's really time to get out and about and enjoy the wonderful world of horticulture. A garden waking up and showing its early colour and form is a wonderful space to live and work in, an it's no exception that Lucy and Saul revel in this time of year, as their gardening lives start to get busier with sowing, planting, propagation, mowing, mulching and all other gardening tasks. Sprinkle in some early flower shows and the odd plant fair and our gardening life is complete, so thank god for Spring!

    Owning a greenhouse is an utter treat, and Lucy certainly adores hers (HUGE thanks, Aunty Gwen). Getting the most out of this precious under cover space is her goal, so this week, while Saul takes a well earned rest, she explains how she looks after her building to best effect. Expect discussions on essentials such as temperature and light management, and also listen out for her tips for installing services and juggling space when seedlings and maturing plants compete on the staging. Oh, and installing a light so that you can garden at night is a win, win!

    Instagram Links:
    Lucy headgardenerlc

    Twitter links:
    Saul @GardeningSaul

    Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
    "Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
    License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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    31 mins
  • Ep. 219 - This week, we discuss the 3 Ps: Precipitation, Propagation and Pests - all three of them are in full swing in Devon and Essex! Pls accept our apologies for expletives...
    Apr 13 2024

    Spring is the time of the gardening year where all gardeners sigh with relief, it's really time to get out and about and enjoy the wonderful world of horticulture. A garden waking up and showing its early colour and form is a wonderful space to live and work in, an it's no exception that Lucy and Saul revel in this time of year, as their gardening lives start to get busier with sowing, planting, propagation, mowing, mulching and all other gardening tasks. Sprinkle in some early flower shows and the odd plant fair and our gardening life is complete, so thank god for Spring!

    With rain falling relentlessly from the skies, snails invading within the greenhouse, and seedlings bursting forth on our propagation benches, the gardening duo are made fully aware that spring is definitely here! Devon is being characteristically wet, with a month's rainfall in just over one week. Will it ever stop? (Hopefully by the time you read this Stonelands will be bathed in blue skies). Seed sowing is in full swing for both Lucy and Saul, and Lucy gives a few tips on how to bulk up plants quickly. And finally, the pair chew over the word 'pests' - how can we apply it in the garden these days, or should we at all?

    Instagram Links:
    Lucy headgardenerlc

    Twitter links:
    Saul @GardeningSaul

    Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
    "Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
    License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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    35 mins
  • Ep. 218 - With more rain scheduled in Devon, most of Saul's gardening at the moment is under cover, and that's when his Houseplant collection keeps his plant addiction thriving, so join him for some Houseplant chat.
    Apr 7 2024

    Spring is the time of the gardening year where all gardeners sigh with relief, it's really time to get out and about and enjoy the wonderful world of horticulture. A garden waking up and showing its early colour and form is a wonderful space to live and work in, an it's no exception that Lucy and Saul revel in this time of year, as their gardening lives start to get busier with sowing, planting, propagation, mowing, mulching and all other gardening tasks. Sprinkle in some early flower shows and the odd plant fair and our gardening life is complete, so thank god for Spring!

    Rain strikes again! So far 80% of the days in the Westcountry this year have been washouts, and when drier, sunny days arrive the ground is so boggy gardening outside is proving tricky! But never fear because gardening indoors is still an option, whether in the greenhouse sowing seeds, potting plants on and gearing up for drier days ahead (hopefully) or in the house with your burgeoning houseplant collection. Houseplants are probably the biggest growth section of horticulture at the moment, with the fashion for a small (or large) collection fuelled by social media, new greenfingered gardeners and a lack of gardening space. Saul is no different having grown and collected many indoor plants since his youth - so join him as he talks everything houseplant from the comfort and 'dry' of his living room!

    Twitter links:
    Saul @GardeningSaul

    Instagram Links:
    Lucy headgardenerlc

    Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
    "Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
    License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

    Support the Show.

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    31 mins
  • Ep. 217 - When will the rain stop? Who knows, but until then the Talking Heads pair bring you more Horticultural waffle looking at grow lights, where to get a good Garden job and Alpine plants.
    Mar 30 2024

    Spring is the time of the gardening year where all gardeners sigh with relief, it's really time to get out and about and enjoy the wonderful world of horticulture. A garden waking up and showing its early colour and form is a wonderful space to live and work in, an it's no exception that Lucy and Saul revel in this time of year, as their gardening lives start to get busier with sowing, planting, propagation, mowing, mulching and all other gardening tasks. Sprinkle in some early flower shows and the odd plant fair and our gardening life is complete, so thank god for Spring!

    Most outdoor gardening is on hold until we finally dry out - especially in Devon where Saul has received roughly two and a half times the average rainfall over March! But that doesn't mean Lucy and him have to put the horticultural waffle on hold, as we answer listeners questions on Grow Lights and where the professional gardener can go to find advertised jobs. We also talk about Alpine plants with Saul's first flower show of the year - though the weather may not be playing ball, there's still plenty of gardening going on!

    Twitter links:
    Saul @GardeningSaul

    Instagram Links:
    Lucy headgardenerlc

    Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
    "Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
    License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

    Support the Show.

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    35 mins
  • Ep. 216 - Join Lucy and Saul in their Essex and Devon gardens as Spring unfolds, the gardening pair bring you along as they bask in the glory of the season's blossom and check their precious vegetable seedlings.
    Mar 23 2024

    Spring is the time of the gardening year where all gardeners sigh with relief, it's really time to get out and about and enjoy the wonderful world of horticulture. A garden waking up and showing its early colour and form is a wonderful space to live and work in, an it's no exception that Lucy and Saul revel in this time of year, as their gardening lives start to get busier with sowing, planting, propagation, mowing, mulching and all other gardening tasks. Sprinkle in some early flower shows and the odd plant fair and our gardening life is complete, so thank god for Spring!

    As the Talking Heads pair beaver away in their garden, meeting up to have a good waffle has been delayed - but never fear both have taken sometime out of their busy horticultural schedules to take you along into their personal slice of garden heaven and give a spring report on the blossom in Devon and the vigorous, vegetable seedlings of Essex. It truly is a wonderful time of year to be outside and the garden is living up to the hype, so wherever you are in the world, get out and enjoy your garden!

    Twitter links:
    Saul @GardeningSaul

    Instagram Links:
    Lucy headgardenerlc

    Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
    "Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
    License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

    Support the Show.

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    35 mins
  • Ep. 215 - Is it Spring, is it not spring - that's the question as Lucy and Saul continue to wrestle their wet gardens into fit shape, and one of the projects you can do is creating Raised Beds, the subject of this weeks guest David Hurrion's new book.
    Mar 16 2024

    Spring is the time of the gardening year where all gardeners sigh with relief, it's really time to get out and about and enjoy the wonderful world of horticulture. A garden waking up and showing its early colour and form is a wonderful space to live and work in, an it's no exception that Lucy and Saul revel in this time of year, as their gardening lives start to get busier with sowing, planting, propagation, mowing, mulching and all other gardening tasks. Sprinkle in some early flower shows and the odd plant fair and our gardening life is complete, so thank god for Spring!

    Saul and Lucy are wrestling their gardens into some kind of shape, as the Spring weather stops and starts. Blossom is beginning to show and many task seem to be building up, so the gardening pair are feeling the pressure. But maybe the answer comes in the form of Raised Beds - the subject of our guest on this episode, David Hurrion, who's new book is the comprehensive guide on a facet of our garden both practically and design-wise that we maybe overlooking a little too much!

    David's Book:
    The Raised Bed book

    Twitter links:
    Saul @GardeningSaul
    David @DavidHurrion

    Instagram Links:
    Lucy headgardenerlc
    David davidhurrion

    Intro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io
    "Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
    License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

    Support the Show.

    Show more Show less
    31 mins