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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

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

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

For many, the garden should be a peaceful place where its colours invite you in and envelop you in their earthy tones, and that’s the role of Sarah Raven’s velvet palette.

In this episode of the Colour Guide Mini Series, Sarah moves us to her next, and perhaps favourite palette of the four. She talks through their calming colours, and the flower families that help keep that tranquility in your garden through a reliable planting succession.

In this episode, discover:

 • How to create a velvet colour palette in your garden using deep crimsons, golds, bronzes and inky purples that feel cosy and enveloping
 • Which reliable plant families and standout varieties deliver these rich, velvety tones
 • How to plan succession planting so the velvet palette runs from late winter and early spring right through to autumn
 • Practical ideas from Sarah’s own garden on combining colour and texture to create a sense of haven, enclosure and warmth outdoors

Products mentioned:

Tulip ‘Palmyra’: 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-palmyra

Tulip ‘Ridgedale’: 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-ridgedale

Tulip ‘Hermitage’: 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-hermitage

Tulip ‘Cairo’ (Copex Cairo): 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-copex-cairo

Tulip ‘Belleville’ (Bellville): 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-bellville

Tulip ‘Dom Pedro’: 

sarahraven.com/products/tulip-dom-pedro

Amaranthus ‘Coral Fountain’: sarahraven.com/products/amaranthus-caudatus-coral-fountain

Dahlia ‘Verrone's Obsidian’ (Veronese Obsidian): sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-verrones-obsidian

Dahlia ‘Rip City’: 

sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-rip-city

Dahlia ‘Sarah Raven’: 

sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-sarah-raven

Dahlia ‘Molly Raven’: 

sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-molly-raven

Dahlia ‘Schipper's Bronze’: 

sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-schippers-bronze

Antirrhinum ‘Liberty Classic Crimson’: sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-f1-liberty-classic-crimson

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 #5: The velvet palette - Episode 267

Seeds sown in March are the great givers of colour and fragrance in a cutting garden or container, from spring right through to autumn.

This week, Sarah is joined by Josie Lewis to walk through 12 of the most trusted plants to sow now, how to fill your beds, pots and vases, and feed the birds from a single month’s sowing.

In this episode, discover:

 • Practical techniques for handling both big and dust-fine seeds, including when to sow in trays and when to direct sow
 • Specific tips for making the most of tricky or easily-flopped favourites like cerinthe, amaranth and poppies, so they thrive both in the garden and in the vase
 • How to get more from each plant – from cut-and-come-again grasses to edible flowers and home-made calendula remedies
 • How to plan your March sowing so it supports wildlife, with seed heads that feed birds well into winter

Products mentioned:

Cerinthe major 'Kiwi Blue' https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cerinthe-major-kiwi-blue

Amaranthus ‘Hot Biscuits’ https://www.sarahraven.com/products/amaranthus-hot-biscuits

Amaranthus ‘Coral Fountain’ https://www.sarahraven.com/products/amaranthus-caudatus-coral-fountain

Moluccella / Bells of Ireland https://www.sarahraven.com/products/moluccella-laevis

Antirrhinum ‘Giant White’ https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-giant-white

Antirrhinum ‘Liberty Crimson’ (Liberty Classic Crimson F1) https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-f1-liberty-classic-crimson

Antirrhinum ‘Apple Blossom’ https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-majus-appleblossom

Antirrhinum majus 'Sonnet Burgundy' F1

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-sonnet-burgundy

Antirrhinum majus 'Sonnet Orange Scarlet' F1

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-sonnet-orange-scarlet

Antirrhinum majus 'Sonnet Carmine' F1

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-sonnet-carmine

Cobaea (Cup-and-saucer vine) https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cobaea-scandens-purple

Poppy ‘Amazing Grey’ https://www.sarahraven.com/products/papaver-rhoeas-amazing-grey

Poppy ‘Mother of Pearl’ https://

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: 12 outstanding seeds to sow in March for containers and cutting gardens - Episode 266

The garden is a welcoming place for all, particularly for newcomers when guided by the gentle eye of Milli Proust, and under the instruction of her calming new book.

Milli joins us once again, this time to share the inspiring journey that’s led up to her most approachable book to date, and some of the easy-to-understand frameworks to create an effortlessly beautiful garden.

In this episode, discover:

 • How Milli Proust found floristry, and began creating a deeply loved, biodiverse garden in West Sussex
 • A gentle but practical way to think about why we garden focused around connection, memory, and belonging to nature
 • Milli’s “plant pyramid” and other simple frameworks for beginner gardeners planning borders 
 • Ideas for low-maintenance but beautiful gardens, including orchards underplanted with bulbs, and using local materials

Milli’s taster course at Perch Hill on Wednesday 6th May 2026:

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/milli-proust-taster-course-beginner-gardeners?srsltid=AfmBOopaQgpAKlaAx724RwtbLXGrmm_NkyOCTWu2N42YnAOUzRlu--wl

Order Milli’s Book, ‘How Does Your Garden Grow?’:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Does-Your-Garden-Grow/dp/1837832250

Products mentioned:

Aquilegia Vulgaris 'Hensol Harebell'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/aquilegia-hensol-harebell

Galanthus nivalis (Common Snowdrop)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/galanthus-nivalis

Wild Marjoram (Origanum vulgare)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/wild-marjoram

Syringa meyeri 'Flowerfesta Pink'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/syringa-meyeri-flowerfesta-pink

Viburnum tinus

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/viburnum-tinus

Daphne 'Perfume Princess'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/daphne-perfume-princess

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

Milli Proust: The family gardening charm that inspired ‘How Does Your Garden Grow’ - Episode 265

The luminous palette - a rich, stained glass collection of citrus, scarlet and pinky-purples - is the first of Sarah’s colour combinations that we’ll walk through in depth for this episode of the Colour Guide Mini Series.

Sarah explains the six key colours, which ones to use together throughout the year, and the flower families which she considers the most prominent and productive as they pass the colour baton through the year.

In this episode, discover:

 • How to use Sarah’s luminous palette without overwhelming your garden
 • The key plant families and varieties that reliably deliver bold, stained‑glass colour
 • Sarah’s favourite colour combinations and how to place ‘shouty’ colours so they look intentional
 • A simple season‑by‑season planning method using two‑month blocks and the ‘bride, bridesmaid, gatecrasher’ idea to keep colour going from March to October

Products mentioned:

Euphorbia ceratocarpa

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/euphorbia-ceratocarpa

Tulip 'Ballerina'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-ballerina

Tulip 'Black Parrot'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-black-parrot

Tulip 'Rococo'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-rococo

Tulip 'Go Go Red'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-go-go-red

Tulip 'Mariette'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-mariette

Tulip 'Purple Heart'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-purple-heart

Lunaria annua

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

Crocosmia 'Lucifer'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/crocosmia-lucifer

Phlox paniculata 'Blue Paradise'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/phlox-paniculata-blue-paradise

Dahlia 'Thomas A. Edison'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-thomas-a-edison

Sweet Pea 'Blue Velvet'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sweet-pea-blue-velvet

Sweet Pea 'King Edward VII'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lathyrus-odoratus-king-edward-vii

Sweet Pea 'Matucana'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lathyrus-odoratus-matucana

Salvia 'Jezebel'

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 #4: The luminous palette - Episode 264

Colour is best when it’s tangible, and if you’re planning a patch in your garden then this episode of the Mini Series is perfect to help you bring your plans to life.

In this episode of the Colour Guide Mini Series, Sarah dives into the practical side of using colour as the backbone of your garden design - from using candles to visualise colour combinations, to the ‘bride, bridesmaid, gate crasher’ structure that’ll help guide you towards an ensemble that works in harmony.

In this episode, discover:

 • How to choose a garden colour palette based on the feeling you want to create (washed, velvet, comforting or luminous)
 • A simple “bride, bridesmaid, gate crasher” recipe for combining plants in harmonious yet lively colour schemes
 • Practical ways to test and refine palettes using coloured candles, mood boards and real flowers in your hand or in a vase
 • How to plan colour in succession by breaking the year into seasonal chunks and identifying plants that “carry the baton” across months
 • Real planting examples and border ideas drawn from Sarah’s own garden, including her vase-to-border comforting palette scheme

Products mentioned:

Nepeta x faassenii 'Kit Kat'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nepeta-x-faassenii-kit-kat

Alchemilla mollis

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/alchemilla-mollis

Clematis viticella 'Etoile Violette'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/clematis-viticella-etoile-violette

Cosmos bipinnatus 'Sonata Carmine'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cosmos-bipinnatus-sonata-carmine

Salvia viridis 'Blue Monday'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-viridis-blue

Dahlia 'Peaches'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-peaches

Campsis x tagliabuana 'Indian Summer'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/campsis-x-tagliabuana-indian-summer

Phlox drummondii 'Blushing Bride'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/phlox-drummondii-blushing-bride

Abelia x grandiflora

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/abelia-x-grandiflora

Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' AGM

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hydrangea-paniculata-limelight

Stipa gigantea

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/stipa-gigantea

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 #3: Turning a palette into a planting plan - Episode 263

Each colour palette in the garden creates a unique atmosphere, and you don’t need intricate knowledge of the colour wheel to combine them cohesively in the garden.

In this episode of the Colour Guide Mini Series, Sarah talks us through why her colour palette system works to create stunning arrangements which work with each other, rather than against each other, and how to transition between palettes within neighbouring spaces.

In this episode, discover:

 • How Sarah’s four core colour palettes each create a distinct mood in the garden
 • Where each palette works best at Perch Hill, and where they might be most suited in your own space
 • How to avoid a cluttered, chaotic feeling by thinking of colour palettes in ‘visual fields’
 • How to use bridge plants and universal colours to link different palettes seamlessly
 • Ways to work with trickier colours so that they enhance your space, rather than overwhelm it

Products mentioned:

Dahlia 'Molly Raven': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-molly-raven

Tulip 'Slawa': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-slawa

Tulip 'Apricot Foxx': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-apricot-foxx

Phlox paniculata 'David': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/phlox-paniculata-david

Erysimum 'Winter Orchid': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/erysimum-winter-orchid

Phlox drummondii grandiflora 'Cherry Caramel': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/phlox-drummondii-cherry-caramel

Tulip 'Dom Pedro': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-dom-pedro

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 #2: Understanding colour theory - Episode 262

Welcome to the first in a brand new miniseries of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, as Sarah delves into the world of colour, and how to use each colour palette to its absolute maximum potential in the garden.

In this week’s first episode, Sarah shares how the colour system used at Perch Hill came to be, the theories behind mixing certain palettes, and the difference between calm and chaos when combining colours.

In this episode, discover:

 • How Sarah’s experiences as a florist, gardener and colour-obsessed child shaped her approach to garden colour
 • How the colour palettes underpin every border at Perch Hill
 • Why misuse of colour can make some gardens feel chaotic 
 • The six key colours within each palette, from citrus brights and Venetian velvets to café-au-lait pastels and cool silvers
 • Why no colour is truly “wrong” in a garden, and how the right combinations and contrasts can make even challenging shades sing

Products mentioned:

Tulip 'Mariette': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-mariette

Tulip 'Sarah Raven': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-sarah-raven

Tulip 'Slawa': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-slawa

Tulip 'Dom Pedro': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-dom-pedro

Tulip 'Copex Cairo': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-copex-cairo

Dahlia 'Waltzing Mathilda': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-waltzing-mathilda

Dahlia 'Schipper’s Bronze’: https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-schippers-bronze

Dahlia 'Tom's Choice': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-toms-choice

Dahlia 'Molly Raven': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-molly-raven

Dahlia 'Perch Hill': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-perch-hill

Dahlia 'Lou Farman': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/dahlia-lou-farman

Cosmos bipinnatus 'Rubenza': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cosmos-bipinnatus-rubenza

Cosmos bipinnatus 'Dazzler': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cosmos-bipinnatus-dazzler

Cosmos bipinnatus 'Xanthos': https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cosmos-bipinnatus-xanthos

Digitalis purpurea 'Sutton's Apricot': 

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 #1: My life in colour - Episode 261

Welcome to the Q&A episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ for June, where Sarah & Josie answer listeners’ burning questions.

In June’s episode, it’s the month of roses so we hear from our resident ‘Rose Queen’ how best to maintain them and whether or not they need deadheading. 

Sarah also shares the harvesting highlights of the edible garden, and we look at how best to maintain all your plants at their peak as we enter the scintillating start of the summer season.

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

Q&A: How should I best maintain roses through June? What are you harvesting to eat right now? How do you maintain plants at this time of year?

Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst

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