grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

Sarah Raven
  • 4.9 (180)
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to grow, cook, eat, arrange, the weekly podcast from gardener, writer, teacher,and cook, Sarah Raven. Over the last two decades, Sarah has led the way by introducing a new kind of productive gardening which places emphasis on intense colour, sophistication, and achievability. Recorded at the beautiful Perch Hill Farm in Sussex, Sarah talks with special guests from across garden design, floristry, food, ecology, conservation, and more. Brimming with top tips and helpful hints, listen and learn how to create your most productive garden ever. You can find out more about the products discussed in each episode or get in touch by visiting the website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

  1. Arit Anderson: An RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden for every Parkinson’s journey - Episode 275

    6D AGO

    Arit Anderson: An RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden for every Parkinson’s journey - Episode 275

    Chelsea is upon us, and among the beauty of all the show gardens lies a very special offering from Arit Anderson and Parkinson’s UK. She’s planting with purpose in a garden which promises to reflect every Parkinson’s journey in a beautifully poignant way, and on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, she walks us through the planting ethos and careful design behind one of Main Avenue’s great sights for 2026. In this episode, discover: How Arit is reflecting her sister Julie’s Parkinson’s journey in a meaningful Chelsea Flower Show garden for Parkinson’s UKWhat Parkinson’s really is beyond the stereotypes, and why it’s so often misunderstoodHow thoughtful garden design can respond to real medical challengesPractical ideas for making any garden more accessible, sensory and restorative, whether or not you’re living with Parkinson’sThe garden’s relocation to the John Radcliffe Hospital, and how it will serve the Parkinson’s community long after ChelseaProducts mentioned: Digitalis purpurea ‘Alba’ (White Foxglove): sarahraven.com/products/digitalis-purpurea-alba See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/ Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/ Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

    27 min
  2. Tom Stuart-Smith: The blueprint of a Chelsea Flower Show garden - Episode 274

    MAY 14

    Tom Stuart-Smith: The blueprint of a Chelsea Flower Show garden - Episode 274

    In this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Sarah Raven welcomes renowned garden designer Tom Stuart-Smith to uncover his visionary new garden for Tate Britain and how he’s reimagining it for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.  They explore his bold, foliage-rich planting, ingenious water features, and a remarkable new memorial garden at Badminton that promises to be one of the RHS’s most ambitious show gardens yet. In this episode, discover: How Tom Stuart-Smith is transforming a neglected, concrete-dominated acre at Tate Britain into a biodiverse, exotic gardenThe creative and practical challenge of turning that large-scale design into a Chelsea Flower Show garden where every element is destined to be reused at TateThe bold, foliage-led planting palette Tom has chosen – from cycads and Persian lilac to euphorbias, aspidistras and shade-loving exoticsHow water, sculpture and planting come together, including a finely engineered water feature and a Barbara Hepworth sculpture from a national collectionEpisode Cover Photo Credit: Eva Nemeth. See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/ Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/ Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

    21 min
  3. Dame Mary Berry: The charm and inspiration behind ‘My Gardening Life’ - Episode 273

    MAY 7

    Dame Mary Berry: The charm and inspiration behind ‘My Gardening Life’ - Episode 273

    Watch the full video episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/_T97COq6blM Throughout Mary Berry's life, the garden has played a charming role, from her wartime childhood plot to a brand-new garden started in her 80s - it’s an essential ingredient in her life. This week on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ Mary kindly joins us to explore a lifetime of gardening, how it’s inspired her new book, and how gardening can bring joy, structure and wellbeing at every stage of life. In this episode, discover: How Mary’s lifelong love of gardening began in her childhood and continues to shape her daily lifePractical, gentle tips for spring gardening and successional plantingHow Mary approaches designing and maintaining a garden later in life, using evergreens, hedges and topiary for structureEveryday good habits in the garden, such as watering, deadheading, and keeping lawns neatOrder Mary’s Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Gardening-Life-Mary-Berry/dp/0241726654 Products mentioned:  Narcissus ‘Rijnveld’s Early Sensation’: sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-rijnvelds-early-sensation Narcissus ‘Silver Chimes’: sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-silver-chimes Narcissus ‘February Gold’: sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-february-gold Phlox drummondii ‘Blushing Bride’: sarahraven.com/products/phlox-drummondii-blushing-bride See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/ Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/ Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

    32 min
  4. Adam Nicolson: The secret history of Sissinghurst - Episode 272

    APR 30

    Adam Nicolson: The secret history of Sissinghurst - Episode 272

    Sissinghurst is one of the country’s crowning gems of National Trust gardens, and a place in which Adam was brought up, around the beauty curated by his grandparents. This week on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, we’re delving into the centuries of legacy which led to a spot perfect for Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson to create the poetic space we know and adore today, and how their vision is being revived today for generations to come. In this episode, discover: The remarkable story of how Vita Sackville-West turned a ruined Elizabethan courtyard house into one of the world’s most celebrated gardensHow Sissinghurst evolved through centuries – from Renaissance palace to poetic family home and garden, and all in betweenThe creative partnership between Vita and Harold NicolsonWhat makes the white garden so magical, from its glowing night-time palette to its scented, moth-pollinated plantsHow the newly reimagined Delos garden brings a Greek hillside to Kent, blending historical inspiration with modern designProducts mentioned: Ammi majus:  sarahraven.com/products/ammi-majus Ammi visnaga:  sarahraven.com/products/ammi-visnaga Agrostemma githago 'Milas Snow Queen': sarahraven.com/products/agrostemma-githago-milas-snow-queen See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/ Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/ Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

    29 min
  5. Huw Richards: Smart veg growing tips for busy gardeners - Episode 271

    APR 23

    Huw Richards: Smart veg growing tips for busy gardeners - Episode 271

    The magic of growing your own food is hard to overstate, and while some lament the labour necessary, it takes far less time and space than many imagine. This week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ once again features the remarkable Huw Richards, fresh from the release of ‘How to Grow Food’ - his new book which dives into the detail of how anyone can grow a kitchen garden in real spaces, with a planting schedule that fits around busy lives. In this episode, discover: How Huw plans and plants to grow enough veg for a family of four on a half allotment in just a few hours a weekSimple permaculture-inspired tricks for better germinationWhat causes common problems like courgette fruits rotting and dropping off, and how you can fix themHow to choose between longer crops and cut-and-come-again with limited spaceHuw’s must-sow crops for April, including squash, runner beans, cucumbers, and courgettesEpisode Cover Photo Credit: Dorling Kindersley: Jason Ingram Products mentioned: Runner Bean 'Black Knight' https://www.sarahraven.com/products/runner-bean-black-knight Runner Bean 'White Lady' https://www.sarahraven.com/products/runner-bean-white-lady Nasturtium 'Tip Top Mix' (Tropaeolum majus) https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nasturtium-tip-top-mix Nasturtium 'Ladybird Rose' (Tropaeolum minus) https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nasturtium-ladybird-rose Borago officinalis (Borage) https://www.sarahraven.com/products/borago-officinalis See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/ Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/ Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

    25 min
  6. Josie Lewis: Planting tips for April seed sowing - Episode 270

    APR 16

    Josie Lewis: Planting tips for April seed sowing - Episode 270

    The sunnier months in April present a fresh opportunity for gardeners to sow some of the fastest-germinating seedlings, bringing a productive garden closer than you might think. We return to Josie Lewis this week for an episode all about what she’s sowing in mid-April, how to prick out and pot on seedlings, and the simple tricks they use to keep plants growing hard and healthy at this most promising time of year. In this episode, discover: How to prick out seedlings confidently, and when to do it for promoting strong growthPractical ways to get more from your dahlias, such as turning pinched tips into new plants with simple cuttingsWhy mid‑April is the ideal time to sow cosmos and zinnias, and how to avoid the common mistake of starting them too earlyStep‑by‑step tips for taking cuttings of pelargoniums, salvias and other favouritesTwo slightly different but complementary approaches to hardening off plants, and how to choose a method that works for your own gardenSee our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/ Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/ Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

    23 min
  7. The Colour Guide Mini Series #7: The washed palette - Episode 269

    APR 9

    The Colour Guide Mini Series #7: The washed palette - Episode 269

    There’s something uniquely calming about a garden washed in cool pastels – soft tones that feel like frosty mornings and freshly laundered linen.  Moving us onto the 4th and final palette in Sarah’s colour system, we explore the washed palette in this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’. She takes you through the colour combinations, productive plant families, and tips for crafting a soothing, contemplative feeling in your garden. In this episode, discover: How to use Sarah’s washed colour palette of cool pastels to create a calm, clean and harmonious gardenWhich plant families and specific varieties reliably deliver this palette from late winter to autumnHow to plan colour through the year in two‑month blocks, ensuring there’s always something in flower without breaking the paletteSimple design techniques to avoid jarring colour clashesWhy sticking to a coherent palette can make your garden feel both deeply restful and quietly boldProducts mentioned: Narcissus ‘Polar Hunter’:  sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-polar-hunter Narcissus ‘Avalanche’:  sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-avalanche Narcissus ‘Thalia’:  sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-thalia Narcissus ‘Actaea’:  sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-actaea Tulip ‘White Triumphator’:  sarahraven.com/products/tulip-white-triumphator Tulip ‘Purissima’:  sarahraven.com/products/tulip-purissima Fritillaria acmopetala (likely "Green Eyes"):  sarahraven.com/products/fritillaria-acmopetala Sweet Pea ‘Nimbus’:  sarahraven.com/products/sweet-pea-nimbus Nicotiana sylvestris:  sarahraven.com/products/nicotiana-sylvestris Nicotiana alata ‘Grandiflora’:  sarahraven.com/products/nicotiana-alata-grandiflora See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/ Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/ Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

    15 min
  8. The Colour Guide Mini Series #6: The comforting palette - Episode 268

    APR 2

    The Colour Guide Mini Series #6: The comforting palette - Episode 268

    A comforting garden can feel as soft and familiar as your favourite cashmere jumper, and in this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Sarah shares a palette which achieves exactly this feeling. In the latest of the Colour Guide Mini Series episodes, Sarah shares how to create a mood using the comforting palette, the key plant families and varieties, plus how to sequence them through the seasons, so your borders feel gentle and soothing from early spring to late autumn. In this episode, discover: How to create a warm, comforting colour palette in your garden using soft pastels like café au lait, peach, putty pink and ivorySpecific plant families and varieties that deliver these soothing tonesA clear, season-by-season planting framework so your comforting palette runs from early spring right through to late autumnProducts mentioned: Narcissus ‘Precocious’: sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-precocious Antirrhinum ‘Appleblossom’: sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-majus-appleblossom Cosmos ‘Apricotta’: sarahraven.com/products/cosmos-bipinnatus-apricotta Calendula ‘Sunset Buff’: sarahraven.com/products/calendula-officinalis-sunset-buff Phlox drummondii ‘Cherry Caramel’: sarahraven.com/products/phlox-drummondii-cherry-caramel Zinnia ‘Queeny Lime Orange’: sarahraven.com/products/zinnia-elegans-queeny-lime-orange Dahlia ‘Break Out’: sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-break-out See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/ Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/ Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

    12 min
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4.9
out of 5
180 Ratings

About

Welcome to grow, cook, eat, arrange, the weekly podcast from gardener, writer, teacher,and cook, Sarah Raven. Over the last two decades, Sarah has led the way by introducing a new kind of productive gardening which places emphasis on intense colour, sophistication, and achievability. Recorded at the beautiful Perch Hill Farm in Sussex, Sarah talks with special guests from across garden design, floristry, food, ecology, conservation, and more. Brimming with top tips and helpful hints, listen and learn how to create your most productive garden ever. You can find out more about the products discussed in each episode or get in touch by visiting the website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

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