Listen to episode six of Talking Gardens, the new Gardens Illustrated podcast, featuring renowned nurserywoman and herb queen Jekka McVicar, who talks about her dream garden, pioneering in environmental methods and growing plants for the Chelsea Flower Show.
Talking Gardens podcast: Episode 6 with Jekka McVicar
In this episode, renowned nurserywoman and herb grower Jekka McVicar describes her fantasy garden. She talks about bucking the trend by adopting organic and peat-free growing methods in her nursery back in the 1980s, and the challenges of growing plants for the Chelsea Flower Show. Jekka explains her love of Chinese garden design features such as moon gates and discusses the influence of the cookbooks her grandmother wrote. Unsurprisingly, Jekka’s imaginary Eden would be filled to the brim with herbs, and inspired by natural landscapes in South Africa and Malaysia, and she would share it with Beth Chatto and Penelope Hobhouse, and her dog – but she would never have a leylandii hedge.
Talking Gardens – Season One release dates
- Episode One: Fergus Garrett 21/03/2023
- Episode Two: Alice Vincent 28/03/2023
- Episode Three: Tom Stuart-Smith 04/04/2023
- Episode Four: James Wong 11/04/2023
- Episode Five: Troy Scott Smith 18/04/2023
- Episode Six: Jekka McVicar 25/04/2023
- Episode Seven: Charlie Harpur 02/05/2023
- Episode Eight: Sarah Price 09/05/2023
New episodes will be released every Tuesday, subscribe so you never miss one! Season 1 of the Talking Gardens podcast is sponsored by J Parker’s Bulbs