Scotland Grows Show

"It’s like magic. I just don’t understand how anybody can’t just love gardening because honestly, it’s like magic." In this episode of the Scotland Grows Show, Lewis Swales, head gardener of not one but two stunning National Trust gardens in Aberdeenshire, welcomes us behind the scenes to discover the secrets of Pitmedden Garden and Haddo House. From the intricate parterres and miles of hedging to trim, Lewis shares what makes these historic gardens so special, and the challenges of keeping them thriving in the face of changing climates and box blight. Join M.T. O'Donnell as she explores with Lewis Swales how modern gardening practices are reshaping beloved Scottish gardens. You’ll learn how Lewis and his team are creating resilient, beautiful spaces by experimenting with plant choices, trialling new hedging techniques, and sometimes letting nature lead the way. Whether you garden on a grand estate or a city balcony, Lewis’s candid tips and lessons from success, and failure, are sure to inspire. Tune in for a conversation filled with practical advice, fascinating history, and pure gardening passion. You’ll come away with fresh ideas for your own garden, and a new appreciation for the dedication and creativity that Scotland’s finest gardeners bring to their living masterpieces. -------------------------------------------- The Scotland Grows Show is the podcast which celebrates everything that is good in Scottish gardening, as we join gardeners around the country to find out what grows well where they are, and pick up tips and stories along the way. Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published. Scotland Grows Magazine celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK. You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there! And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com. -------------------------------------------- This series of the Scotland Grows Show is sponsored by Dedicate a Tree, a special opportunity from the National Trust for Scotland to help breathe new life into Scotland’s woodlands. You can dedicate a tree from £7.50 and choose from three planting projects happening across places in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. They’ll send you a certificate and information leaflet, as well as regular updates about the progress of your chosen woodland project, and your tree dedication can be shared on their virtual woodland.   Whether you dedicate a tree for yourself or for a loved one, in celebration or in memory, you’ll help nurture and protect Scotland’s wonderful woodlands for generations to come.  Dedicate a tree today at nts.org.uk/trees

“It’s quite humbling actually... the realisation when I made my first hybrid, then it bloomed for the first time... it was the culmination of decades of effort and knowledge.”   In this fascinating episode of the Scotland Grows Show, M.T. O'Donnell welcomes Luke Callaghan, expert orchid grower and passionate plant enthusiast, for a conversation that travels from a childhood sparked by the breathtaking World Orchid Conference in Glasgow to the unique drama of nurturing rare Odontoglossum orchids in Scotland’s cool climate.   Luke shares his remarkable journey, revealing how scientific curiosity and sheer perseverance led him to become one of Scotland’s foremost orchid hybridisers. From laboratory-style experiments in glove boxes to swapping pollen with fellow enthusiasts across the UK, he uncovers the secrets to keeping delicate orchids thriving, and offers top tips for beginners to succeed with the the more common Phalaenopsis orchids.   You'll also get bonus insider tips for cultivating exotic edibles like melons, watermelons, and citrus fruits on Scottish soil.   Whether you’re an orchid enthusiast, a fruit grower, or just interested in what we grow well here, listen in for hands-on advice, stories of orchid growing, and strong encouragement to “kill a few plants”… because every top grower has! -------------------------------------------- The Scotland Grows Show is the podcast which celebrates everything that is good in Scottish gardening, as we join gardeners around the country to find out what grows well where they are, and pick up tips and stories along the way. Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published. Scotland Grows Magazine celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK. You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there! And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com. -------------------------------------------- This series of the Scotland Grows Show is sponsored by Dedicate a Tree, a special opportunity from the National Trust for Scotland to help breathe new life into Scotland’s woodlands. You can dedicate a tree from £7.50 and choose from three planting projects happening across places in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. They’ll send you a certificate and information leaflet, as well as regular updates about the progress of your chosen woodland project, and your tree dedication can be shared on their virtual woodland.   Whether you dedicate a tree for yourself or for a loved one, in celebration or in memory, you’ll help nurture and protect Scotland’s wonderful woodlands for generations to come.  Dedicate a tree today at nts.org.uk/trees  

"Manufacturers and the government have a duty to us as the amateur gardener, to really try and help us with this transition to peat-free."    Horticulturist Scott Smith returns to the Scotland Grows Show to share the results of his hands-on trial comparing three peat-free composts with a traditional peat-based mix.   Conducted in real-world home conditions in the northeast of Scotland, Scott’s project demystifies the challenges and surprises of switching to peat-free growing media, revealing what works, and what doesn’t, for everyday gardeners.   Whether you're struggling to get your tomatoes thriving, confused by the ever-changing labels in the garden centre, or keen to help protect Scotland's precious peatlands, Scott offers practical advice and data-backed recommendations you won’t want to miss.   Tune in for honest insights on watering and feeding plants growing in peat-free compost, which composts delivered the best yields, and why clearer packaging and guidance matter more than ever for home gardeners. Plus, learn about Scott's new book (OUT NOW)!   If you’re ready to get reliable results from peat-free gardening, this episode is packed with tips, discoveries, and stories that will make your next growing season your greenest yet! -------------------------------------------- The Scotland Grows Show is the podcast which celebrates everything that is good in Scottish gardening, as we join gardeners around the country to find out what grows well where they are, and pick up tips and stories along the way. Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published. Scotland Grows Magazine celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK. You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there! And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com. -------------------------------------------- This series of the Scotland Grows Show is sponsored by Dedicate a Tree, a special opportunity from the National Trust for Scotland to help breathe new life into Scotland’s woodlands. You can dedicate a tree from £7.50 and choose from three planting projects happening across places in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. They’ll send you a certificate and information leaflet, as well as regular updates about the progress of your chosen woodland project, and your tree dedication can be shared on their virtual woodland.   Whether you dedicate a tree for yourself or for a loved one, in celebration or in memory, you’ll help nurture and protect Scotland’s wonderful woodlands for generations to come.  Dedicate a tree today at nts.org.uk/trees

In this episode of the Scotland Grows Show, host M.T. O'Donnell welcomes Dr. Anna Florence from the National Trust for Scotland to unravel the massive PLANTS Project, a three-year botanical deep dive that’s reshaping how Scotland’s most treasured gardens are protected, understood, and shared.   Discover how an ambitious team travelled Scotland’s length and breadth to record 86,000 living plants, revealing treasures hiding in plain sight, from critically endangered rhododendron species to a unique apple tree with an unmatched genetic fingerprint.   This episode shines a light on the exciting challenges of plant heritage conservation for the National Trust for Scotland, and why keeping accurate, living records matters for generations to come.  -------------------------------------------- The Scotland Grows Show is the podcast which celebrates everything that is good in Scottish gardening, as we join gardeners around the country to find out what grows well where they are, and pick up tips and stories along the way. Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published. Scotland Grows Magazine celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK. You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there! And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com. -------------------------------------------- This series of the Scotland Grows Show is sponsored by Dedicate a Tree, a special opportunity from the National Trust for Scotland to help breathe new life into Scotland’s woodlands. You can dedicate a tree from £7.50 and choose from three planting projects happening across places in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. They’ll send you a certificate and information leaflet, as well as regular updates about the progress of your chosen woodland project, and your tree dedication can be shared on their virtual woodland.   Whether you dedicate a tree for yourself or for a loved one, in celebration or in memory, you’ll help nurture and protect Scotland’s wonderful woodlands for generations to come.  Dedicate a tree today at nts.org.uk/trees  

“Getting your hands dirty in a compost heap - there’s not a lot that’s better than that in my mind.”   Head Gardener Callum Halstead shares the secrets from Cambo Gardens’ Festival of Compost, practical advice for composting at home, and lessons learned from a challenging Scottish summer to inspire resilient, beautiful gardens all year round.   Callum’s expert advice will make you to look at soil, mulch, and biodiversity in new ways. Plus, find out what makes Cambo’s season-long plantings and National Snowdrop Collection a must-see, even in the heart of winter.   If you want fresh ideas for your garden, this episode is a treasure trove you won’t want to miss! -------------------------------------------- The Scotland Grows Show is the podcast which celebrates everything that is good in Scottish gardening, as we join gardeners around the country to find out what grows well where they are, and pick up tips and stories along the way. Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published. Scotland Grows Magazine celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK. You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there! And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com. -------------------------------------------- This series of the Scotland Grows Show is sponsored by Dedicate a Tree, a special opportunity from the National Trust for Scotland to help breathe new life into Scotland’s woodlands. You can dedicate a tree from £7.50 and choose from three planting projects happening across places in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. They’ll send you a certificate and information leaflet, as well as regular updates about the progress of your chosen woodland project, and your tree dedication can be shared on their virtual woodland.   Whether you dedicate a tree for yourself or for a loved one, in celebration or in memory, you’ll help nurture and protect Scotland’s wonderful woodlands for generations to come.  Dedicate a tree today at nts.org.uk/trees