the happy garden podcast

It's beginning to feel like Christmas! Mollie chats to loveachristmastree.co.uk about the ins and outs of hiring a tree for the festive season and Andy Lound brings you the fascinating history of the Christmas tree. Darren has a shed load of gift ideas for Christmas, from experiences and memberships to subscriptions and allotment rental. We also hear from listener Karen who puts up a memory tree at the bottom of her drive so the community can claim a bauble to remember someone who will be missing this Christmas, both human and animal x Loads of your gardening questions answered too. Pour yourself a hot toddy, settle in and press play... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We meet a family who manufacture candles that smell of local landmarks - Cannock Chase being one example, along with local apples and bluebells. Andy Lound brings us the history of Cannock Chase too. Lots of gardening, laughing and singing. An hour of smiles with Mollie and Darren.. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get cosy with us for an autumnal show. Mollie chats to Jim from the National Vegetable society and we hear how newby Dan is getting on having had his new allotment for a month now. Andy Lound has the history of the potato and Darren has lots of gardening advice as the cold weather sets in. All that mixed with poetry from listener Paul, Mollie's singing attempt and a huge amount of laughter. It's gardening, but not as you know it... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The nicest guy in showbiz joins Mollie for a chat. The one and only Chesney Hawkes. Hear about how his Dad and Grandad inspired his love of horticulture and the beautiful reason for his favourite flower. Darren has his foraging slot for the month of November. Horticultural histories with Andy Lound and a few of your gardening questions answered to boot. Settle in and press play... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My goodness we cover a lot in this episode! Mollie has a fascinating conversation with Joe from the Bat Conservation Trust, finding out why it is so important to help and protect these beautiful creatures. Pumpkins are still on the agenda this week and feature in Darren's money saving tips and we go down the larder to get a recipe for pumpkin dog biscuits. Andy Lound brings us the history of All Hallows day, and we hear from a lady who has married a ghost. Oh, and almost forgot to mention that we get a few of your gardening questions answered too! Defiantly something for everyone on this episode... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the run up to Halloween there's a slightly spooky feel to this week's episode! Andy Lound has a fascinating history of the pumpkin, we talk alternative uses for a pumpkin and Darren has even penned an original poem about the humble fruit. Yes, it's a fruit! Mollie brings us the latest news on the cheating saga in the world conker championships. Was King Conker cleared of cheating having been found with a steel conker in his trousers? Also news this week that some pick your own pumpkin patches actually buy in their pumpkins! Lots of your gardening questions answered and a giggle or two along the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An episode full of spikes and scandal! Mollie finds out about a new national strategy to save our beautiful hedgehog and the fabulous Andy Lound brings us the history of the hedgehog, did you know they originated from shrews? Darren brings you a guide to taking semi hardwood cutting this time of year and would you believe there has been an enormous scandal that has rocked the world of conkers? One of the winners of the world championships has been accused of harbouring a steel conker in his kegs...we speak to a man who took part to see how he is feeling amid all this scandal... An awful lot of laughter too :-) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A celebration of conkers! Mollie finds out all about the World Conker Championships. Do you know they have a section for the blind? We find out if it's been a good year for conkers too and share some of your memories of playing as a youngster - before health and safety! Andy Lound has a fascinating history of conker playing, did you know the Spanish used to play with snail shells?Darren also brings us a wholly inadequate solitary conker joke, for which we must apologise...but redeems himself by bringing us "10 things to do with a conker"Listen in for a cosy autumn hour. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet 2 amazing giant vegetable growers at the Malvern Autumn Show! Dave had the 2nd biggest cucumber and he was very proud of it. Is there a knack to growing huge veg? Find out. Darren answers a great question on when and how to plant bare root roses and why they might be a better purchase than buying a rose in a pot. He also brings you his October foraging slot. Mollie talks to Buglife to find out which insects you might find in the garden this month. Gather round... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another bumper episode this week. From making chilli jam to finding out about this year's Malvern Autumn Show, there's lots to discuss! Darren profiles how to make pots and baskets full of Autumn colour and we have our first chat with Dan who has just taken on an allotment for the first time and needs to know where to start. Loads of your questions answered too. Get the kettle on and join us... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Released on the Autumn equinox! We meet Martin Fish, an RHS judge who will be judging at this year's Malvern Autumn show and also hosting the Potting Shed stage too. Darren answers lots of your autumn gardening questions including how to prepare your olive trees for winter and how to stop the squirrel nicking your plums! There's something a little different from Andy Lound this week too. Go on, press play... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another bumper episode. This week Mollie chats to BHWT. The British hen welfare Trust have just re-homed their one millionth hen! She's gone to live in one of the most famous gardens in the UK. Darren has a regal announcement his teabags, bras and tights talk and he also answers lots of your gardening questions. Horticultural histories focus on the wheelbarrow, courtesy of Andy Lound. We also meet Carolla Puddy-Henry who runs a sunflower farm, a very happy job indeed! So lots of smiles to be had, come and join us... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mollie here. I was going to put together some bits from our first year of podcasting but I only got as far as Christmas! So many giggles had. Thank you for all of your support over the last year, all of your encouragement and interaction. We do do lots of gardening, but we also have a laugh along the way, which we consider VERY important in life. Let's celebrate some silliness and look forward to another year of horticultural happiness x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where are the wasps? Mollie asks Seirian Sumner, (AKA The Wasp Woman) a British entomologist and behavioural ecologist. She is a professor at University College London and is an expert in social wasps, she’s also written a book on wasps, so she's quite the expert on the subject! Find out why there are so few to be seen and how that will impact future generations of wasps.As it is our first birthday next week, Andy Lound has the history of paper, a traditional first birthday gift. Darren answers another bumper crop of your gardening questions too. We find out what insects to look out for in September and Darren also has his September foraging slot. It's a busy one! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined in conversation by Professor Rob Mckenzie, director of the Birmingham institute of forest research at Birmingham University. Research has found that mature trees are able to increase their storage of greenhouse gases as levels rise, offering hope to the world. We get a fascinating insight in to the project. Historian Andy Lound also talks us through the history of ancient trees. It's a one week only return for Darren's joke slot, and a huge crop of your gardening questions get answered too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So much gardening in one podcast episode! We meet Lizzy from Gloucester Cathedral and she tells us about some of the amazing work the cathedral and community are doing to re-wild the city. Andy Lound has a brilliant horticultural history this week - he takes a look at the humble hoe. We profile free stuff to do with the children in the garden during the summer holidays, plus lots of NGS gardens you can visit. A bumper crop of your gardening questions answered too. Come and join us... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Load, the general manager of The National Trust joins us with great news. The felled Sycamore Gap tree has started to regrow! After a nail biting 10 months, it seems nature will out. Darren answers a bumper crop of your gardening questions. Find out the best position for a greenhouse, how best to grow potatoes and why you get different coloured heads on a hydrangea. Andy Lound brings you the history of the gardens of Pompeii too. Lots of laughs along the way, come and join us... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

August is one of the most beautiful times in the garden. So full of colour and produce. We take a look at some of the insects that you may see in your garden during August and Darren profiles what you can forage this month - food for free! Andy Lound brings us the history of the humble cherry and a few of your gardening questions answered too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A fascinating episode! We talk flying ants. How do they all know when to fly? Why do they mate on the wing? We find out the answers. Darren talks about his huge landscape project which is nearly at the end - three show gardens in one, amazing work. Mollie chats with Butterfly conservation about this year's Big Butterfly Count, why it is important and how to get involved. Andy Lound has his horticultural histories, this week he looks at the pear. Darren answers lots of your gardening questions. Oh, and there is an inordinate amount of laughing towards the end of the podcast... :-) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We chat to Matthew Ingram, a wonderful beekeeper who passion for bees has turned in to his business. Matthew started and runs Holt Hall Apiary in Staffordshire. We find out what beekeeping entails and ask if it is easy to start. We also talk to Plant Heritage who are seeking gardeners to become the custodians of national plant collections. You may be surprised that we are all eligible! Andy Lound has the history of the first ever TV gardener Cecil Henry Middleton. Also, a few gardening questions answered and a good catch up to boot, just press play! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.