Not Just a Garden

Sweetpea and Bear

A Companion podcast for Gardeners' World viewers, featuring weekly recaps and Chit-Chats with guests & presenters from the programme A name that came about after we laboriously tackled a weed-infested, overgrown, black-run-steep patch of field into something vaguely resembling a garden. Literal blood, sweat and tears were spent in the process but once the beds were built, the plants began to grow and the wildlife took over, we agreed it was not just a garden, but something so much more; a shared achievement, a bonding experience, an escape from screens, a hideaway for tranquil moments, a safe space to sit and put the mad and confusing world to rights. Our continued shared love of gardening has had us avidly watching Gardeners’ World each week, taking notes here, animatedly discussing there, which has in turn lead us to giving a Sweetpea & Bear style recap on our podcast! Just a mother and daughter chewing the fat over Nick, Frances and Adam’s big garden moves, enjoying Monty and Toby’s poetic presenting, learning intriguing garden history from Advolly and hanging off Carol’s every propagating word. The programme has also brought into our living rooms each week a novice, professional, serious, hilarious, quirky, eccentric, inspiring world of guests, all of whom we want to know so much more about. So our Good Ol' Chit-Chats series was born; each episode we chat with a previous guest on Gardeners’ World and find out more about what would make their dream garden. So grab a cup of tea and flask of coffee, a glass of wine, a whisky, a Pimms, an Apple and Pear juice or anything in between, and join us for a Good Ol’ Chit-Chat about Not Just a Garden! Sweetpea & Bear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 19h ago

    Gardeners' World 2026 Episode 24 Recap

    Post Drama Frenzy On Gardeners' World 2026 Episode 24 Recap, we learn the sad news that Monty Don is hanging up his Gardeners' World boots and blue shirts at the end of this series. We also find out about how vultures deal with parasites and bacteria on carcasses, the unsavoury way Xanthan gum is made, what it means if you have nightmares once a week, a final indefinite definitive answer to whether it's a mole or mould at Longmeadow, and we have a generous offer for our listeners and subscribers, from Harrogate Autumn Flower Show🕺 On Gardeners' World this week, we hop on another Zoom call with Carol Klein - this time she's chatting leaves with leaf physiologist Dr Lorna McAusland from the Hounsfield Facility at Nottingham University. Kyle and Filo Hamilton show us their houseplants in Edinburgh, and Rachel De Thame chats with Millie Souter, Head Gardener at The Serge Hill Project in Abbots Langley. Finally Garden Designer Paul Foster from Allium Gardeners shows us around his beautiful wildlife-friendly garden in Suffolk. 🌿Don't forget to subscribe to receive episode plant lists and early access on offers🌸 Relevant links can be found on our website: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/recaps/ More Not Just a Garden https://notjustagarden.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/ https://www.facebook.com/notjustagarden/ https://www.youtube.com/@NotJustaGarden A companion podcast for Gardeners’ World viewers, featuring weekly recaps and Chit-Chats with guests & presenters from the programme Join the community for episode plant lists, discounts, recommendations, blogs, links, photos, & more by subscribing at https://notjustagarden.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. 2d ago

    Ep81: A Good Ol' Chit-Chat With... Kevin Martin

    Kevin, Head of Tree Collections and Arboriculture at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, was on Gardeners' World 2026 episode 8 when he joined Eliot Barden at Majestic Trees to talk about native versus non-native trees in our changing climate. On this episode of Chit-Chats, we hear about Kevin's background as a commercial tree surgeon for 10 years before arriving at Kew and pursuing an HND, degree, a Masters, and now a PhD - phew! We find out about stomatal conductance, the impact of dry heat versus humid heat on trees, rethinking the Great British garden, what drinking water in 2050 is going to be like, and how it's not a one rule fits all. We also learn about the responsibility we have when it comes to managing our own gardens in terms of practical planting and how we irrigate, and the very important role garden designers play.   Gardens or nursery recommendations from our guest, links can be found here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/gardens/ Kew GardensHirkan National ParkHillier Tree NurseryMajestic TreesWakehurst Botanical Gardens More Not Just a Garden Website: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notjustagarden/ A companion podcast for Gardeners’ World viewers, featuring weekly recaps and Chit-Chats with guests & presenters from the programme Join the community for episode plant lists, discounts, recommendations, blogs, links, photos, & more by subscribing at https://notjustagarden.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Ep81: A Good Ol' Chit-Chat With... Kevin Martin
  3. Sep 2

    Gardeners' World 2026 Episode 23 Recap

    On Gardeners' World 2026 Episode 23 Recap, we look at returning to uni, mushroom-based coffins, droughty plans for the garden, and was it mould or moles?🤷🏼‍♀️ In our CCCUP, we hear about the wonderful Nigel Palfrey from ep15 of Chit-Chats. He was of course on Gardeners' World in 2024 showing viewers his incredible Crinkle Crankle Folly, and is currently working on a Crinkle Crankle Cabin for St Margaret's hospice in Somerset. And if you're lucky, you can help him with the build! We also remind our listeners of the fantastic offer from the RHS - 25 pairs of free tickets to the Gardeners' Question Time recording at 2pm on 5th September at RHS Wisley Flower Show. First come, first served, but if you're quick, you too can be added to the guest list to pose your questions to Matthew Pottage, Chris Beardshaw, Chris Thorogood, Matthew Wilson, Pippa Greenwood, Frances Tophill, James Wong, Marcus Chilton-Jones and Kathy Clugston. You may also find yourself sitting next to one or two of our awesome Chit-Chat guests👀 On Gardeners' World this week, abi and Tom Attwood from Abi and Tom's Garden Plants, show us around their beautiful nursery in Grange-Over-Sands, and Joe Swift is in Dorset with Alison and Alan Redman, and Maxine and Rob at their inspiring Glenholme Herbs nursery in Sherborne. Finally Rekha Mistry talks pots in the Peak District before Ian Scott shows us his impressive agave collection in Harold Wood. 🌿Don't forget to subscribe to receive episode plant lists and early access on offers🌸 Relevant links can be found on our website: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/recaps/ More Not Just a Garden https://notjustagarden.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/ https://www.facebook.com/notjustagarden/ https://www.youtube.com/@NotJustaGarden A companion podcast for Gardeners’ World viewers, featuring weekly recaps and Chit-Chats with guests & presenters from the programme Join the community for episode plant lists, discounts, recommendations, blogs, links, photos, & more by subscribing at https://notjustagarden.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. Aug 26

    Not Just a Garden Bonus ep12

    With no Gardeners' World this week, we have a bonus episode for a quick catch up on the garden, our guests, and some more No Way News. In this episode we learn about turning peanut butter into diamonds, how the Netherlands are leading the way in pulling up concrete paving and replacing with planting, the connection between helicopters and cherry farming, how we can all help our local donkeys from being bitten by flies, the best form of capital punishment, and if you use vintage crockery, we have a worrying public health announcement. In CCCUP, we hear about Ann-Marie & Andrew from Fifty Shades of Green's latest NGS garden opening, and Patrick Gale's delicious sounding tomato, chilli, ginger and elephant garlic jam😋 🌿We also have a fantastic listener offer!🌸 The RHS are very kindly giving 25 of our lucky listeners, a pair of tickets each to BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time! The event is taking place at 2pm on Saturday 5th September at this year's RHS Wisley Flower Show. To enter, simply send your full name to us via either our Contact Page, email, Instagram, or Facebook, and the FIRST 25 NAMES we receive will be added to the guest list for the recording. Each recipient can bring one guest. Relevant links can be found on our website here: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/bonus-episodes/ More Not Just a Garden https://notjustagarden.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/ https://www.facebook.com/notjustagarden/ https://www.youtube.com/@NotJustaGarden A companion podcast for Gardeners’ World viewers, featuring weekly recaps and Chit-Chats with guests & presenters from the programme Join the community for episode plant lists, discounts, recommendations, blogs, links, photos, & more by subscribing at https://notjustagarden.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  5. Aug 19

    Gardeners' World 2026 Episode 22 Recap

    On Gardeners' World 2026 Episode 22 Recap, we share news of an exciting new RHS show in the calendar for next year as well as the return of an old favourite, we congratulate our 3 lucky winners - Cynthia, Samantha and Claire who've each won a pair of tickets to the fantastic Southport Flower Show taking place this week🥂, and we learn another awesome tip from Top-Tip-Toby. On Gardeners' World this week, Adam Frost joins Head Gardener Chris Marchand for a meander around the walled garden at Holme Hale Hall in Swaffham, and Maurice Biggins shows us his beautiful Mediterranean style garden in Westley Waterless in East Cambridgeshire. Frances Tophill meets Head Gardener Neil Coldrick at Clovelly Walled Garden in Devon and has a cuppa with Clovelly resident Sharon King, before we head to the Isle of Wight to meet Head Gardener team Ellen and Ali Penstone-Smith who show us around the former home of Alfred Lord Tennyson at Farringford Gardens. Relevant links can be found on our website: https://notjustagarden.co.uk/recaps/ More Not Just a Garden https://notjustagarden.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/notjusta_garden/ https://www.facebook.com/notjustagarden/ https://www.youtube.com/@NotJustaGarden A companion podcast for Gardeners’ World viewers, featuring weekly recaps and Chit-Chats with guests & presenters from the programme Join the community for episode plant lists, discounts, recommendations, blogs, links, photos, & more by subscribing at https://notjustagarden.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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About

A Companion podcast for Gardeners' World viewers, featuring weekly recaps and Chit-Chats with guests & presenters from the programme A name that came about after we laboriously tackled a weed-infested, overgrown, black-run-steep patch of field into something vaguely resembling a garden. Literal blood, sweat and tears were spent in the process but once the beds were built, the plants began to grow and the wildlife took over, we agreed it was not just a garden, but something so much more; a shared achievement, a bonding experience, an escape from screens, a hideaway for tranquil moments, a safe space to sit and put the mad and confusing world to rights. Our continued shared love of gardening has had us avidly watching Gardeners’ World each week, taking notes here, animatedly discussing there, which has in turn lead us to giving a Sweetpea & Bear style recap on our podcast! Just a mother and daughter chewing the fat over Nick, Frances and Adam’s big garden moves, enjoying Monty and Toby’s poetic presenting, learning intriguing garden history from Advolly and hanging off Carol’s every propagating word. The programme has also brought into our living rooms each week a novice, professional, serious, hilarious, quirky, eccentric, inspiring world of guests, all of whom we want to know so much more about. So our Good Ol' Chit-Chats series was born; each episode we chat with a previous guest on Gardeners’ World and find out more about what would make their dream garden. So grab a cup of tea and flask of coffee, a glass of wine, a whisky, a Pimms, an Apple and Pear juice or anything in between, and join us for a Good Ol’ Chit-Chat about Not Just a Garden! Sweetpea & Bear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.