My guest today is Ngoc Minh Ngo, a photographer and author based in New York City.  Her work is an immersive exploration of the beauty of plants and nature, enveloping and other worldly.  I always feel I am being drawn into a more three-dimensional space. It is an almost tactile experience as the garden wraps around you and where you can disappear into the page.  No matter what she captures, it often seems as though I am looking at my own memory of a space or plant, whether or not I have seen it before.  Her creative expression stretches not only through different gardens and subjects – this year alone she photographed gorgeous books by Gabriela Salazar and Umberto Pasti, and authored one on the green spaces of New York to be released next month – she also experiments with other media.  I can see how these practices, along with her own garden, give her a deeper understanding of her subjects and allow her to reveal their beauty and essential nature.  I am so grateful to have her work to transport and inspire me, and to share this conversation with you. Thank you for listening! Garden People Podcast from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S Ngoc’s IG Ngoc’s website Ngoc’s books: New York Green - coming May 23, 2023 Eden Revisited In Bloom Bringing Nature Home Artistry of Flowers: Floral Design by La Musa de Las Flores by Gabriela Salazar The House of a Lifetime: A Collector’s Journey in Tangier by Umberto Pasti Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan Naval Cemetery Landscape Nature Sacred

Can you name a garden dweller who is ecologically obsessed, a little punk rock, and creates spaces for plants, pollinators and people in equal measure? Why that would be the next guest on the Garden People podcast, Rebecca McMackin! Link to listen in the bio or find us wherever you catch your podcasts. Rebecca @oroeoboeococoao is an ecological gardener, a Loeb Fellow with the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and former Director of Horticulture for Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) in New York. She writes, lectures, and teaches on ecological landscape management and pollination ecology. In these spheres, she brings an infectious enthusiasm alongside an abiding commitment to ecological vitality and urban biodiversity. As part of NYC Parks Rebecca was the head gardener at historic Washington Square Park, where she deftly maintained displays and occasionally was called on to coax a reveler down from an English Elm. At BBP, Rebecca managed 85 acres of diverse parkland organically, creating a habitat that was welcoming to New Yorkers, birds, butterflies, and soil microorganisms. She migrated to Cambridge after being awarded the Loeb Fellowship, where she currently studies ecological design and science communication. Rebecca understands plants and their pollinators, but she also understands people and how we can best invite them into the garden. This is helped by her exceptional ability to synthesis and share important information about our world. Her newsletter is an indispensable part of my learning, a go-to for a roundup of important articles and ideas, all framed by her optimism, humor, and seriousness of purpose. This interview was recorded in the last weeks of her Directorship at BBP, and it was a pleasure to speak with her at this time of transition. Thank you for listening! S H O W N O T E S Rebecca’s IG @oroeoboeococoao Rebecca’s website Rebecca’s newsletter Douglas Tallamy Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc Margaret Roach lawn article National Audubon Society Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center - Wildflower.org US EPA Ecoregions Robin Wall Kimmerer Brooklyn Bridge Park Horticulture database

My guest is Lucy Hunter, a multi-hyphenate if there ever was one: creative director, garden designer, floral artist, stylist, photographer, teacher, author, botanical dyer…the list goes on. Based in North Wales in the UK, Lucy is, at root, a restless creative who is always adding to her list of projects and modes of expression.  She shows us how useless labels can be in a creative life, and how generous our output becomes when we do away with them.  Her book, The Flower Hunter: Seasonal Flowers Inspired by Nature and Gathered from the Garden, was published in November of 2021.    I was fortunate enough to attend a workshop with Lucy, Gabriela Salazar, and Max Gill this past March, and saw first-hand her creative force at play. From design notes to photography demonstrations, her energy and engagement with attendees and their work was simply amazing. I’m so happy to welcome her here today. Lucy will have another whirlwind tour of workshops in the coming months, including one in October with TJ McGrath in New Jersey. Next year, she will return to New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and New Orleans in March, and Provence in April. You can receive up-to-date information on dates and registration on her website and IG. Links in the show notes, below. Garden People Podcast from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S Lucy Hunter Lucy’s website Lucy’s book: The Flower Hunter: Seasonal flowers inspired by nature and gathered from the garden Carol’s Garden (Featured in Lucy’s book) Great Dixter Sissinghurst Castle Gardens Kiftsgate Court Gardens Jackdaws eating buxus caterpillars Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Interiors: My Rooms, Treasures, and Trinkets Gabriela Salazar La MUSA de las FLORES Max Gill Max Gill Design Wilding: Returning nature to our farm by Isabella Tree

My guest today is Jennifer Jewell, gardener, author, and the host of Cultivating Place, a co-production & podcast of North State Public Radio, which is syndicated across the United States and available as a podcast worldwide.  For listeners of a garden podcast in North America, much less one produced in Northern California on indigenous land, Jennifer probably needs no introduction.  In many ways she has shaped a corner of garden culture and literacy, introducing listeners to gardeners across the globe and the remarkable beings in their own backyard.  Her interviews and writing are focused on the importance of the person and place in the garden -- considering the land, its history, and culture, and always moving toward a more sustainable, inclusive whole. I am always inspired by her unwavering faith in gardeners, and the belief that we can meet the incredible challenges of our current time with community, care, and an embrace of the interconnectedness of our natural world.    Garden People Podcast from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S Seed Savers Exchange Heronswood John Whittlesey Earth in Her Hands Under Western Skies Caitlin Atkinson Arrabella Lennox Boyd (and her wonderful new book) Anna Pavord, The Tulip (and her most recent: The Seasonal Gardener: Creative Planting Combinations) Rowan White, Sierra Seeds Vandana Shiva (two favorites: Who Really Feeds the World? and Stolen Harvest) Leah Penniman,...

Today I welcome Amanda Luu and Mia Westphal of Studio Mondine, a floral design studio based in San Francisco, California, to the Garden People podcast.  Mondine’s work is multifaceted and always a reflection of the group’s deep appreciation of the natural world.  Whether it’s finding inspiration for a bridal bouquet in the weeds growing around the wedding venue or puzzling through ways to make travel to that venue the most environmentally sustainable, the team works with admirable care and infectious joy.  They lead by example and educate through beauty, and they might just invite you to eat the centerpiece. Listen in to hear them discuss sustainable floristry and seeking inspiration from nature. Garden People Podcast from @violetear_studio S H O W N O T E S @studiomondine Studio Mondine Ikebana Ikebana Unbound (by Amanda and co-founder Ivanka Matsuba) if i made course Garden People episode with Hanna Brannan of Gather Flora Azuma Makoto Lauri Kranz, her book A Garden Can Be Anywhere: A Guide to Growing Bountiful, Beautiful, Edible Gardens P L A N T L I S T Jasmine Tulips Peonies Mushrooms

Today I welcome floral artist and flower friend and mentor, Sarah Statham of Simply by Arrangement. Whether writing from her corner of Yorkshire, England, or gardens farther afield, she is forever seeking light and the perfect pebble, and always celebrating color, form, and seasonality. Her role as an educator extends beyond the vase, providing invaluable business advice through one to one conversations with numerous flower fettlers, both seasoned and new. As much as I rely on her rock steady advice, it is her humor, love of learning, and keen sense of observation that I admire most. Perhaps it is due to the many roles she has held in her own life, but her ability to see and share stories is one of her greatest gifts. And since most of you will know her way with a bowl and a tulip or two, you’ll agree there are few in the same league. Garden People Podcast from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S Sarah Statham Simply by Arrangement Rachel, Yorkshire Flower Patch Jill Shaddock Miss Pickering, Stamford Flowers from the Farm Dove Cottage Nursery Max Gill Constance Spry Beth Chatto Christopher Lloyd Sue Stuart Smith, The Well Gardened Mind: Restorative Power of Nature Anna Pavord, The Tulip Ian McEwan The Business of Selling Flowers (Claire Brown, Paula Baxter, Carol Siddorn) -

My guest is Jane Scotter, a biodynamic farmer and author and the force behind Fern Verrow in Herefordshire in the West Midlands of England.  Jane has been a huge inspiration for me and countless growers and gardeners.  Her passion, drive, and love for her land are evident in each crate of castelfranco.  In addition to her cookbook, Jane’s relationship with Skye Gyngell and Spring restaurant shows the wonderful partnership between plot and plate, and the artistry involved in the growing and making of meals.  The gorgeous products of her work also make one of the most compelling arguments for how care for our earth and where our food comes from can be life affirming in addition to being life-saving.   From favorite tulips to the best days for cultivation, you'll hear about Jane's dynamic relationship with the growing season, which is always imbued with beauty and a celebration of taste.     Garden People Podcast from @violetear_studio S H O W N O T E S Jane Scotter Fern Verrow Fern Verrow cookbook Biodynamic gardening Neal’s Yard Dairy Skye Gyngell Spring Restaurant London Sarah Johnson Randolph Hodgson Maria Thun calendar / Thun app Heckfield Place Alan Chadwick Alice Waters Bob Cannard Chez Panisse P L A N T L I S T Tulip Bown sugar Tulip Red impression Castelfranco

My guest is Marryn Mathis, a flower farmer and educator running a small family flower farm in Stanwood Washington.  A few years ago Marryn left her corporate job for a life of flowers and has never looked back.  To hear Marryn’s approach, it seems like she can always do more, whether that’s planting 13,000 sweet peas to 10,000 sunflowers.  This past spring she also fielded 46,000 online visitors to her dahlia tuber sale.  It speaks to her boundless energy and enthusiasm for what she does, and the joy she takes in sharing flowers with her community.  What I am struck by, though, is how thoughtful she is about what she spends her time on – she is constantly reconsidering and reshaping her work, which then allows her to put her whole heart into the farm and its many wonderful projects.  Whether it’s a wall of sweet peas or a rainbow row of dahlias, you’re sure to be inspired.  Garden People Podcast from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S Marryn Mathis Farmhouse Flower Farm Floret P L A N T L I S T Chocolate lace flower Sunflowers Cress Sweet peas: Vicks Blue shift Emma Windsor Apricot queen Old Times Clementine kiss Susan Burgess Kings ransom Betty White Deborah Devonshire

My guest today is Bex Partridge, the floral artist and gardener Botanical Tales based in Devon, England. Bex creates sustainable designs, displays and installations using dried flowers, also known as everlastings.  Her work celebrates nature and the shifts of the seasons, drawing attention to flowers in each stage of their existence.  Her ethereal displays and designs create a sense of wonder in the observer, and bespeak certain magic.  Learning from her – whether through her workshops, books, or Patreon community – will change the way you see the garden.  Her most recent book, Flowers Forever, is available this month in the UK, and at the end of June in the USA. Please see the links below for order'/preorder information. Garden People Podcast from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S Bex Partridge Botanical Tales Bex’s most recent book “Flowers Forever: Sustainable dried flowers, the artists way,” available early June in the UK and June 28 in the USA. Also see: Everlastings: How to Grow, Harvest and Create with Dried Flowers Biodynamic growing UK and USA Biodynamic preparations Charles Dowding no dig, No till from Love ‘n Fresh Flowers Digging / double digging Wormery Egg shell fertilizer Oudolf Field - Hauser and Wirth P L A N T L I S T Tulipa ssp. Oxeye daisies Leucanthemum vulgare Ranunculus Meadow Buttercup Ranunculus acris

My guest today is the incredible Melissa Goldstein, a ceramic artist based in Brooklyn, New York.  Her work – hand thrown and painted with a cobalt stain and the occasional metallic splatter – is inspired by 17th century German and Japanese botanical illustration, and draws on numerical calligraphy, botanical drawings, and ornithology.  Every piece is absolutely exquisite: from platter to vase, the flowers seem to grow, the birds careen midflight. The details speak to a life of close observation and deep immersion in art and the world as a garden. My guest today is Melissa Goldstein, a ceramic artist I have long admired. Melissa is based in Brooklyn, New York.  Her work – hand thrown and painted with a cobalt stain and the occasional metallic splatter – is inspired by 17th century German and Japanese botanical illustration, and draws on numerical calligraphy, botanical drawings, and ornithology.  Her pieces are absolutely exquisite: from platter to vase, the flowers seem to grow, the birds captured midflight. They speak to a life of close observation and deep immersion in art and the world as a garden. If you are in New York, please make your way to Fox Fodder Farm to see more of the vases we discuss. You can buy Melissa’s pieces in all their forms at the lovely E-E Home, or on her website, Mg by hand. Garden People Podcast from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S Melissa Goldstein Mg by hand John Cage E-E Home Fox Fodder Farm Ngoc Minh Ngo P L A N T L I S T Flowering quince - Chaenomeles speciosa Lady tulip - Tulipa clusiana Snake’s head fritillary, checkered fritillary - Fritillaria meleagris Persian lily - Fritillaria persica

My guest is Cel Robertson, author and owner of Forever Green Flower Co. an artisan flower farm in North Norfolk, England, growing garden gathered blooms for sale to florists and flower lovers.  Cel’s commitment to sustainability and her steadfast conviction in the power of collective actions to create necessary change make her a persuasive champion of locally grown flowers.  As an educator she manages to twine the beauty of the field to the necessity of spreadsheets, ensuring that growing ventures can become stable businesses.  Her new book with Bloom Magazine is out now, a wonderful guide to growing cut flowers that is packed with Cel’s grace and wisdom.  Garden People Podcast from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S Cel Robertson Forever Green Flower Company Cel’s book, Cut Flowers How to go peat free plus alternatives, UK resource list, US resource list No Dig (Charles Dowding) / No Till Flower Farming (Love n’ Fresh Flowers) Floret’s how-to on using horticultural fabric for weed suppression Soil testing: USA lab services, UK RHS services, at home tests P L A N T L I S T Astrantia ideas Fern ideas Birch tree ideas Helleborus ideas Japanese Maple Acer japonica ideas Rowan tree myth and lore,

It is a pleasure to welcome Lauren Elizabeth Palmer, Founder and Principal Designer at The Wild Mother Creative Studio.  Lauren, along with her sisters Leah and Callie, are based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where they offer incredible floral design as well as in-person and online education.  Their art is informed by their Afro-indigenous heritage, and reflects their reverence for the natural world, drawing together the threads of the past and present, beauty and activism, to tell the stories of today.  The care they take with their materials imbues their creations with passion and true joy.     2022 is the second year of the “Send Flowers To” campaign, through which the Wild Mother creates floral art installments to honor, draw attention to, and heal intergenerational community trauma.  This year, the campaign highlights Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, or MMIW, and involves an installation at the First American’s Museum in Oklahoma City from May 7th to May 9th.  Please follow the links in the show notes or at thewildmother.com to learn more and contribute to this important cause.         Garden People podcast, from @violetear_studio S H O W N O T E S Lauren and her sisters - The Wild Mother Creative Studio The Wild Mother #SendFlowersTo for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW) Tulsa Greenwood Massacre - the subject of #SendFlowersTo for 2021 The First Thanksgiving Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Story Pocahantas’ kidnapping Ride on King Jesus Edgar Degas Robin Wall Kimmerer bell hooks Yo-Yo Ma P L A N T L I S T California Lilac, Ceanothus ssp. - Ceanothus thyrsiflorus ‘Blueblossom’ Sweet grass, Hierochloe odorata, and some of its uses

My guest is Clare Foster, the Garden Editor at House & Garden magazine in the UK.  Clare is the author of numerous books, including the gorgeous Winter Gardens with photographer Andrew Montgomery.  Clare’s writing is such a pleasure to read and she has brought me closer to some of my favorite plants and gardens. Join us to hear about Clare’s career as a garden writer and her development as a gardener, as well as some of the principles at play in her own garden, which is an inspiring example of low(ish) input, high reward design from a gardener who has access to some of the most beautiful spaces and guides in the world. ** The first printing of Winter Gardens sold out quickly and a reprint has been ordered, which Clare and Andrew hope to make available by late summer.  You can find links in the show notes to follow them for ordering information.** Garden People podcast, from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S Thames & Hudson Gardens Illustrated Rosie Atkins, book edited by Rosie on gardener profiles House & Garden Winter Gardens published with photographer Andrew Montgomery Clare’s Compost book Beth Chatto Clare’s book The Flower Garden: How to Grow Flowers from Seed, in collaboration with photographer Sabina Rüber Helen Dillon Andrew Montgomery’s Petersham book Piet Ouldof  Ouldof’s Designing with Plants book Dan Pearson Ngoc Minh Ngo Arne Maynard P L A N T L I S T Tulips

My guest is Amanda Vidmar, floral artist of Amanda Vidmar Designs, and co-owner/designer at Francis & Frances in San Francisco, California. Amanda’s appreciation of place and the unique connection between a flower and its land are a through line in her arrangements, which draw from the stories of her clients and the surrounding environment. To hear her tell the story of her work, each step has, in retrospect, been the right one. As if the road has risen up to meet her, matching her own openness and generosity of spirit. Garden People podcast, from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S Amanda Frances Vidmar Amanda Vidmar Designs Frances & Francis (co-owned with Mikenzie Francis Salvucci) UC Santa Cruz Flowers Claire Marie Joanna Letz, Bluma Farm Hannah Brannan, Gather Flora Kathleen Deery William Eggleston – Flowers Bernal Heights neighborhood in San Francisco Mendocino County, CA P L A N T L I S T Clematis Clematis lanuginosa 'Candida' Lilac Syringa vulgaris Daphne Daphne Dahlias Heuchera Heuchera Pee Gee Hydrangea - Hydrangea paniculata 'Grandiflora' Rain Tree - Koelreuteria paniculata Paper whites - Narcissus papyraceus Koko Loco Rose - floribunda Queen Elizabeth Rose - floribunda

My guest is Alison Jenkins of Damson Farm in Somerset, England.  Alison trained as a garden designer before making her small holding of Damson Farm into a resource for learning about the interrelationship of gardens and the natural world. The workshops that she offers at the farm focus on observing and supporting natural ecosystems, creating gardens which function ecologically and look beautiful, too. The garden is often a place of solace in difficult times. I think Alison’s work shows us the comfort that can be found working with nature, as well as a way forward in our efforts to bring peace and healing to the earth. Garden People podcast, from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S Alison Jenkins, Damson Farm Royal Horticultural Society The English Gardening School at the Chelsea Physic Garden Gardens Illustrated profile of Damson Farm WWOOF International Fergus Garrett, Great Dixter House & Garden Robert McFarlane (some of my favorites are The Lost Words and Underland) Braiding Sweetgrass – Robin Wall Kimmerer Permaculture Oxford Real Farming Conference Amelanchier essay by Robin Wald Kimmerer: The Serviceberry, An Economy of Abundance Heritage Seed Library P L A N T L I S T Lemon cucumbers or cucumber melons? Amalanchier Damson Dog Rose, Rosa canina Wild Plum, Prunus Americana

My guest this week is Joanna Game, a grower and floral artist based in Devon, England. Joanna’s arrangements have a sort of cultivated wildness, reflecting both her garden and her forages from the surrounding countryside. She discusses her development as an artist, her next steps after pulling back from wedding design, and how she blurs the boundary between nature and maker. Garden People podcast, from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S ** Tips on responsible foraging** New Covent Garden Sarah Raven Black Shed Flower Farm Amelia’s Flower Farm Rakes Progress magazine Dan Pearson, Dan Pearson Studio Great Dixter House & Gardens Sissinghurst Castle Garden Nicolette Camille Sarah Ryhanen – Saipua, World’s End Farm Sarah Winward Fiona Pickles Brigitte Girling, Moss and Stone Bex Partridge, Botanical Tales  P L A N T L I S T Yellow rattle, Rhinanthus minor Meadow buttercup, Ranunculus acris

This week I welcome Tiffany Jones of Blomma Flower Farm (@blommaflowerfarm) to the show. Tiffany is a grower in San Clemente, California and is building new farm in Nevada where she’ll be focusing on her passion, Zinnia breeding and seed development. We talk about her journey to flower farming, zinnia breeding, and her new book. A self-described plant nerd, Tiffany has poured her enviable energy and enthusiasm into researching and writing this publication, and I know you’ll join me in saying that I can’t wait for the finished product. Garden People podcast, from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S Tiffany Jones, Blomma Flower Farm Danielle, Rose Flower Farm Erin Benzakein, Floret Flower Farm Keyhole gardens Rogers Gardens Lasagna method Biochar amendments The problem with miracle grow USDA zones Garden.com P L A N T L I S T Gladiolus (Gladiolus hybridus) Martha Washington Geranium (scented geranium) (Pelargonium x domesticum) Ranunculus Butterfly ranunculus

We welcome Emily Avenson of Fleuropean to the show!  Originally from California, Emily grew into her role as a floral artist and instructor after her move to Belgium, where she lives and works today.  Her arrangements are always exciting, with movement and use of color.  She grows all the flowers used in her on-site classes and online workshop, and the delight she takes in the growing process is visible in each stem. Enjoy!  Garden People podcast, from @violetear_studio L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W  N O T E S Emily’s Flueropean insta Fleuropean Celebrating the Seasons Class Susanne Hatwood, The Blue Carrot Sarah Ryhanen, Saipua Studio Choo  (Garden People’s favorite books: The Flower Recipe Book and Branches and Blooms) Kings Mums Chrysanthemums Direct Dan Pearson: Studio, Create Academy Class (Garden People’s favorite books: Home Ground and Natural Selection) Madison Hartley, Hart Floral Design Kristen Albrecht,

This week we welcome Philippa Stewart, of Justdahlias, located in Cheshire, England.  Philippa’s passion for Dahlias is infectious.  She is an enthusiast first and foremost and turned her personal Dahlia obsession into a thriving business where she provides incredible blooms, both cut and dried, to florists and Dahlia lovers in the UK. Her commitment to supporting the natural ecosystems around her flowers is especially inspiring, producing gorgeous blooms in a way that is best for the bees and butterflies, too. Get ready for a dahlia masterclass. L I S T E N Garden People podcast, from @violetear_studio iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S @justdahlias Justdahlias Flowers from the Farm Strawberry Hill House Flower Festival Liquid seaweed (example here) Epsom salts (example here) Rosemary,

Today we welcome Hannah Brannan of Gather Flora in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Guided by the Slow Flower movement, Hannah created the Gather Flora web platform to connect local florists with regional growers. The site streamlines hundreds of orders between consumers and farmers, allowing for clear visibility into the seasonality, origins, and cultivations of each bloom. Her passion for flowers is the driving force behind the site, and her appreciation of the demands placed on farmers and florists is evident in everything Gather Flora does. Please contact them if you are interested in learning more about this kind of coordination in your region. I can’t wait to see how it grows! @violetear_studio @gatherflora @gardenpeoplepodcast L I S T E N iTunes Spotify Stitcher S H O W N O T E S @gatherflora Gatherflora.com The Flower & the B (now closed) (insta) Wildflower and Fern (insta) Sarah Reyes (owner, Wildflower and Fern and Unfurled) North Bay Flower Collective San Francisco Flower Mart, manager Jeanne Bose, (read about the SFFM’s relocation) Kelly Brown, Do Right Flower Farm (the Gather Flora Hub in Santa Cruz, CA) Susan Kegley, Bees N Blooms Susan Kegley (the Gather Flora Hub in Petaluma, CA) Seth Gowans, Side Kick Flowers Sharla Flock, Sharla Flock Designs Serenity Flower Farm Heidi Herrmann, Strong Arm...