The Gardener Ben Podcast

This week on the Gardener Ben Podcast, I’m joined by Andy and Richard, team members from Chestnut Nurseries, along with their sister site, Cherry Tree Nurseries, based in Bournemouth, and Paul. They are run and operated by the charity Plants and Minds.

Through horticulture, they offer meaningful occupation and employment to people who have suffered long-term mental health problems, using the therapeutic benefits of gardening in a safe and encouraging environment.

Set up years before its time, it’s a really interesting and inspiring story behind two nurseries in Dorset that both offer good-quality, value-for-money plants, pots, and even compost. I hope that you enjoy the conversation I had with Andy and Richard.

The Gardener Ben Podcast is proudly brought to you in association with Peter Beales Roses, winner of 30 Chelsea gold medals and creators of timeless roses since 1968. Go online and shop at www.atpeterbealsroses.com, and make sure that you’re following along on Instagram and TikTok.

Next week, I have the absolute pleasure of sharing with you a conversation with @neilduncan40roseking, a rose-growing and exhibiting champion, racking up dozens of medals and awards up and down the UK. So, if you’re interested in growing flowers to exhibit in your garden, make sure that you tune into our conversation next week. Until then, happy gardening.

The Gardener Ben Podcast is edited by @my_home_is_my_altar

#gardenerben #podcast #podcaster #gardeningpodcast #listennow

Welcome back to the @the_gardenerben_podcast. It only feels like about five minutes since we wrapped up season three, but welcome along to season four.

We are out the gate with a really interesting and wonderful conversation recorded with @thatglasgowwitch just a few weeks ago.

Geo started sharing her craft on TikTok and Instagram as a way of connecting with her daughter remotely, by creating a video library of mindful practices, grounding techniques, and rituals which could be referred back to and used at any time.

It’s evident that the world really needed a window into what Geo shared, as within just a small period of time, tens of thousands of people were watching along, me included.

I hope that you enjoy the conversation with Geo and head over to her accounts on either TikTok or Instagram to get involved by liking, following, and sharing.

Next week, I’m going to be sharing a horticultural story surrounding a local business in Dorset run by the charity Plants and Minds, who operate @cherrytreenurserybmth and @chestnut_nursery, providing therapeutic horticulture and meaningful occupation in a supportive environment, aiming to restore wellbeing to people experiencing life-impacting mental health conditions. So join me again next week, and until then, happy gardening.

The Gardener Ben Podcast is proudly brought to you in association with @peterbealesroses, winner of 30 Chelsea gold medals and creators of timeless roses since 1968. Go online and shop at www.peterbealesroses.com, and make sure that you’re following along on Instagram and TikTok.

The Ben Podcast is edited by @mark_hamilton_anderson.

#gardenerben #podcast #podcaster #gardeningpodcast #growwithme

And just like that, season three of The Gardener Ben Podcast is all wrapped up, concluding with what has now become a tradition: a conversation between myself and @mark_hamilton_anderson.

There are now 55 episodes for you to catch up on and listen to at any time. You can stream the podcast on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music.

The Gardener Ben Podcast is brought to you proudly in association with @peterbealesroses, winner of 30 Chelsea gold medals and creating timeless roses since 1968. Go online and shop at www.atpeterbealesroses.com, and make sure that you’re following along on Instagram and TikTok.

I want to thank all of my guests this season for making it such a wonderful, dynamic, inclusive, and interesting set of conversations, and each and every one of them for being so generous with their time.

@jen_flourishnutrition
@heirloomroses
@ann.russell.3958
@raybould_and_wild
@mat.nicholas.9
@ethan__mi
@goldcoastrosesociety
@childrensallergy
@peatfreepartnership
@sally.nex
@harknessroses1879
@david_long_garden_design
@thatbotanicguy
@buildingafoodforest_scotland
@soulfulwisdomacademy
@hilliergardencentres
@honestcomms
@seed_ball
@richardgrows
@national_chrysanthemum_society

The Gardener Ben Podcast will return to your ears on Monday, 27 April. Until then, happy gardening.

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S3E19 of The Gardner Ben Podcast sees me sharing with you not only a very personal and relatable conversation with Paige (not her real name), but also some incredibly personal and painful parts of my own journey.

Paige is a recovering alcoholic and, in the hope of reaching just one pair of ears that may need to hear her story, wanted to share her journey to recovery with you all.

Personally, I wanted to leave the episode completely unedited, intact, and exactly as it was recorded, so I confess it’s not my most tidy or polished episode, but its integrity was more important than its finish.

If you or anybody that you know is struggling with anything that we discuss in this episode, please do either seek, or help them seek, the help you may need.

I will make sure there are a few points of contact in the comment section below.

The Gardner Ben Podcast is brought to you in association with Peter Beales Roses, winner of 30 Chelsea gold medals and creating timeless roses since 1968. Go online and shop at www.atpeterbealesroses.com, and make sure that you’re following along on Instagram and TikTok.

Next week, to conclude this current season, I’ll be joined once again by my husband, Mark, for a completely unscripted and informal conversation, discussing the highlights and lowlights of season three.

Don’t worry, season four is already being recorded and is well underway. We also have some very exciting news to share with you next week, so keep your ears peeled for that.

The podcast is edited by

Home - Alcoholics Anonymous Great Britain
Use our tools and get help for your mental health | Mind
Overview – Eating disorders - NHS
GambleAware®️: Gambling Help & Gambling Addiction

S3E18 of The Gardener Ben Podcast features a conversation with Neil from @national_chrysanthemum_society.

Neil shares how his passion for chrysanthemums started at a very young age, how the gifting of just a few plants sparked a lifelong love of growing, and how it led to his involvement with the National Chrysanthemum Society.

This is a group of plants I have tried growing in the past with limited success. Still making up one of the largest cut flower crops grown worldwide, I’ve decided to give this lovely group of plants another go and was inspired by my conversation with Neil to order myself some rooted cuttings, which should arrive over the next couple of months.

They will add a nice late splash of colour to the garden and hopefully be ready to cut and bring into the house in October and November.

In my own garden, I’ve been processing that huge pile of weeping willow cuttings, creating dead hedges in organic spiral forms and cutting the excess up for firewood. The weather is still being incredibly unkind to us, so it’s hard to really get on with much in the garden. If you find yourself falling behind, please be kind to yourself — the task will still be there when the weather clears.

There are now just two episodes left in Season Three. Next week’s episode is very long indeed. I have taken the decision to leave the conversation entirely intact and put it through absolutely no editing or post-production whatsoever. The share from Paige (not her real name) is incredibly personal and will resonate on such a relatable level with so many of you. She is a recovering alcoholic and wanted to share her story in the hope of touching just one person who may be in need of a helping hand. Tune in next week to listen to the full conversation.

The Gardener Ben Podcast is brought to you in association with @peterbealesroses, winner of 30 Chelsea Gold Medals and creating timeless roses since 1968. Go online and shop at www.atpeterbealesroses.com, and make sure that you’re following along on Instagram and TikTok.

The Gardener Ben Podcast is edited by @mark_hamilton_anderson.

#gardenerben #podcaster #gardeningpodcast #listennow #podcast