Two Good Gardeners

Perennials are probably the most popular type of plant in the UK, but that wasn’t always the case. In this episode, we talk with Rosy Hardy, the Chelsea Flower Show’s most decorated female exhibitor. She has won 24 gold medals and helped many garden designers and colleagues win awards with her plants. Rosy explains how she helped make perennials popular over the past forty years and shares advice on choosing varieties that can handle our unpredictable summer weather. Later, Dan introduces an innovative plastic-free insect net made from plant fibres, and Julia recommends an unusual fruit that grows well in hot, dry summers.

Website links:

Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants website offering over 1200 perennials grown peat-free.
A selection of Rosy's most resilient perennials
Rosy Hardy Gardening on YouTube
Dan Cooper Garden
Insectonet Plastic-Free Net
Parker's Patch

Expertly produced by Scott Kennett at Red Lighthouse Local.

This episode was sponsored by the Plant Fairs Roadshow, which brings beautiful British-grown plants to stunning venues across the South East of England.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tucked away on the embankment, the Inner Temple Garden has a long and impressive history, including a time when it hosted what is now called the Chelsea Flower Show. In this episode, Dan and Julia chat with Sean Harkin, the Head Gardener, about how he and his team have made the garden a wildlife-friendly, award-winning space while honouring its horticultural roots. In a full-circle moment, we hear that the Inner Temple will host a brand-new plant fair on Sunday, 31st May, 2026. Dan also introduces new plant-based gardening gloves for summer, and Julia shares tips on how to do the Chelsea Chop.

Website links:

The Inner Temple Garden website
Advance tickets for the Plant Fairs Roadshow at the Inner Temple on 31st May 2026
Dan Cooper Garden
Donkey Gloves Bamboo Gardening Gloves
Parker's Patch
How to do the Chelsea Chop

Expertly produced by Scott Kennett at Red Lighthouse Local.

This episode was sponsored by the Plant Fairs Roadshow, which brings beautiful British-grown plants to stunning venues across the South East of England.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain's country estates must honour their history while looking ahead. In this episode, we talk with Jay Goddard and Mark Bobin from Borde Hill in Sussex to learn how their historic garden became home to nearly 100 champion trees and a national collection of rhododendrons. We also hear about their exciting plans for a new 'garden to plate' restaurant, which will use produce from an edimental garden designed by Anne-Marie Powell. Plus, Dan explains why copper keeps slugs and snails away, and Julia gives an update on her efforts to grow a healthier lawn as she waits for a hollow-tine aerator to arrive.

Website links:

Dan Cooper Garden
Copper Slug Rings
Parker's Patch
Borde Hill's website
Restaurant Isca website
More Information about the Plant Fairs Roadshow at Borde Hill

Expertly produced by Scott Kennett at Red Lighthouse Local.

This episode was sponsored by the Plant Fairs Roadshow, which brings beautiful British-grown plants to stunning venues across the South East of England.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chillies are prized for the heat and flavour they bring to cuisines all over the world. In this episode, your hosts talk to Clare Kennett of Clare's Chillies about what makes them so addictive and how to grow them successfully at home. Clare shares her top tips for success and common pitfalls when growing these fiery fruits. Also in this episode, Dan recommends a wildflower seed mix that can help restore the natural health of your soil, and Julia describes how to grow one of the chilli family's milder members, the Padron. As always, there's a list of jobs to do in your garden over the next fortnight and news of what Dan and Julia will be getting up to over the coming fortnight.

Website links:

Dan Cooper Garden
Wildflower Seeds for Soil Health
Parker's Patch
Clare's Chillies on Facebook
Clare's Chillies on Instagram
Plant Fairs Roadshow at Ramster Hall Gardens

Expertly produced by Scott Kennett at Red Lighthouse Local.

This episode was sponsored by the Plant Fairs Roadshow, which brings beautiful British-grown plants to stunning venues across the South East of England.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it comes to creating gardens for the greater good, no landscape architect approaches the subject with more knowledge, passion and commitment than Marian Boswall. In this episode of Two Good Gardeners, your hosts catch up with Marian to discuss the philosophy underpinning her latest book, The Kindest Garden, and learn more about Chalk to Coast, a visionary landscape project working to create a nature recovery corridor across Kent. Also in this episode, Dan extols the virtues of bronze tools, and Julia encourages gardeners not to panic if they didn't sow seeds in March. As always, the episode concludes with a list of jobs you can be doing in your garden over the next fortnight.

Website links:

Dan Cooper Garden
PK Bronze Tools
Parker's Patch
Marian Boswall Landscape Architects
Chalk to Coast

Expertly produced by Scott Kennett at Red Lighthouse Local.

This episode was sponsored by the Plant Fairs Roadshow, which brings beautiful British-grown plants to stunning venues across the South East of England.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.