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Sarah Raven


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/


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

Biennials – plants which flower in their second year – may often be overlooked by us gardeners, but between their value for money, wonderful scent, and versatility they’re among the best plants to sow and grow in any garden.

Sarah makes the case for brilliant biennials in this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, exploring how she came to appreciate their beauty, and which varieties are best for all aspects of your space.

In this episode, discover:

 • How the right mix of biennials can fill the awkward May gap with prolific blooms, all for the price of a seed packet
 • The best early-flowering biennials, from fragrant wallflowers to the scented sweet rocket, Hesperis matronalis
 • Moth-pollinated varieties with rich fragrance and velvety textures to create a pollinator paradise

Products mentioned:

Digitalis purpurea 'Sutton's Apricot'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/digitalis-purpurea-suttons-apricot

Digitalis purpurea f. albiflora

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/digitalis-purpurea-alba

Malope trifida 'Vulcan'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/malope-trifida-vulcan

Lunaria annua

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lunaria-annua

Iceland poppy (Papaver nudicaule)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/papaver-nudicaule-champagne-bubbles-mix-f1

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

The brilliant biennials perfect for scent and versatility - Episode 277

Every garden space deserves a chance to be transformed into a beautiful space which breathes, rather than constricts, and Pollyanna Wilkinson is a master of such designs.

Polly joins Sarah this week to share her no‑nonsense methods for transforming everything from boxy new‑build plots to tired, inherited gardens into layered, soulful spaces. 

In this episode, discover:

 • How to think like a garden designer, surveying, shaping and structuring spaces before you plant
 • Practical ways to transform new‑build and small gardens, or refresh an existing garden
 • Guidance on choosing materials and finishes that feel good underfoot, are easy to maintain, and will age beautifully over time.
 • How to use colour and planting layers to create a soulful, wildlife‑friendly garden with interest through the seasons

Products mentioned:

Amelanchier lamarckii:

sarahraven.com/products/amelanchier-lamarckii

Lavender ‘Munstead’: 

sarahraven.com/products/lavender-munstead

Nepeta x faassenii 'Kit Kat':

sarahraven.com/products/nepeta-x-faassenii-kit-kat

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

Pollyanna Wilkinson: Simple tips for a spectacularly designed garden - Episode 276

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 UK
 • What Parkinson’s really is beyond the stereotypes, and why it’s so often misunderstood
 • How thoughtful garden design can respond to real medical challenges
 • Practical ideas for making any garden more accessible, sensory and restorative, whether or not you’re living with Parkinson’s
 • The garden’s relocation to the John Radcliffe Hospital, and how it will serve the Parkinson’s community long after Chelsea

Products 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

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

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 garden
 • The 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 Tate
 • The bold, foliage-led planting palette Tom has chosen – from cycads and Persian lilac to euphorbias, aspidistras and shade-loving exotics
 • How water, sculpture and planting come together, including a finely engineered water feature and a Barbara Hepworth sculpture from a national collection

Episode 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

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

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 life
 • Practical, gentle tips for spring gardening and successional planting
 • How Mary approaches designing and maintaining a garden later in life, using evergreens, hedges and topiary for structure
 • Everyday good habits in the garden, such as watering, deadheading, and keeping lawns neat

Order 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

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

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 gardens
 • How Sissinghurst evolved through centuries – from Renaissance palace to poetic family home and garden, and all in between
 • The creative partnership between Vita and Harold Nicolson
 • What makes the white garden so magical, from its glowing night-time palette to its scented, moth-pollinated plants
 • How the newly reimagined Delos garden brings a Greek hillside to Kent, blending historical inspiration with modern design

Products 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

Adam Nicolson: The secret history of Sissinghurst - Episode 272

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 week
 • Simple permaculture-inspired tricks for better germination
 • What causes common problems like courgette fruits rotting and dropping off, and how you can fix them
 • How to choose between longer crops and cut-and-come-again with limited space
 • Huw’s must-sow crops for April, including squash, runner beans, cucumbers, and courgettes

Episode 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

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

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 growth
 • Practical ways to get more from your dahlias, such as turning pinched tips into new plants with simple cuttings
 • Why mid‑April is the ideal time to sow cosmos and zinnias, and how to avoid the common mistake of starting them too early
 • Step‑by‑step tips for taking cuttings of pelargoniums, salvias and other favourites
 • Two slightly different but complementary approaches to hardening off plants, and how to choose a method that works for your own garden

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

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

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 garden
 • Which plant families and specific varieties reliably deliver this palette from late winter to autumn
 • How to plan colour through the year in two‑month blocks, ensuring there’s always something in flower without breaking the palette
 • Simple design techniques to avoid jarring colour clashes
 • Why sticking to a coherent palette can make your garden feel both deeply restful and quietly bold

Products 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

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

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 ivory
 • Specific plant families and varieties that deliver these soothing tones
 • A clear, season-by-season planting framework so your comforting palette runs from early spring right through to late autumn

Products 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

Adam Nicolson: The secret history of Sissinghurst - Episode 272

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