Podcast
Talking Heads - a Gardening Podcast
Hosted by Lucy Chamberlain and Saul Walker · EN
Follow professional gardeners Saul Walker and Lucy Chamberlain as they reveal exactly what it’s like to be horticulturists in the diverse and exciting world of gardening . Lucy and Saul have 40 years of gardening experience between them and it soon became clear to them both that this fulfilling vocation can be incredibly diverse, occasionally challenging and hugely rewarding. On the podcast they regularly discuss horticultural topics close to their hearts and give you an insight into their lives as gardeners. If you wish to support the podcast you can via our BuyMeACoffee page - just click the link at the end of the podcast description or the donate button found at the bottom of this page.
30episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ep. 309 - It's the hortiwaffle episode! With Saul still embracing Chelsea, Lucy takes you on a stroll through her home garden, where she tells tales of perfect peonies, rambunctious rocket and gruesome goings on in the foxglove bed...
4d ago00:37:57Tap to summarizeSpring is well and truly here - as clocks change, sunny days lengthen, and the occasional chilly night catches us unaware. But the main thing is plants are really starting to wake up and give us something to cheer about after a very wet and gloomy winter! Saul and Lucy look forward to really getting to grips with there gardens both at home and work - and Plant collections up and down the breathe of the UK start showing themselves at their best for all to behold. Finally the 2026 gardening year begins!Whilst the Chelsea Flower Show is keeping Mr Walker incredibly busy, Lucy has been kicking her literal heels whilst she waits for her body to heal. Luckily, there's plenty going on in the garden to keep her entertained, so join her in a 30-minute tour of Chateau Chamberlain to hear about teucriums, irises, aphids and tetrapanax. It's a horticultural smorgasbord of delights!Instagram links:Lucy lucychamberlaingardensSaul plantsmansaulIntro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Support the show
Transcribe →Ep. 308 - It's the Gardeners' World Spring Fair at Beaulieu! With Saul on holiday, Lucy gives you her first-hand experience of beautiful borders, stages, tours and more - it's been a busy few days...
3w ago00:34:55Tap to summarizeSpring is well and truly here - as clocks change, sunny days lengthen, and the occasional chilly night catches us unaware. But the main thing is plants are really starting to wake up and give us something to cheer about after a very wet and gloomy winter! Saul and Lucy look forward to really getting to grips with there gardens both at home and work - and Plant collections up and down the breathe of the UK start showing themselves at their best for all to behold. Finally the 2026 gardening year begins!With Saul having a well deserved rest up in the Shetland Islands, Lucy focuses her attention on the BBC Gardeners' World Spring Fair in Beaulieu, where she's putting together a Beautiful Border along with De-Graft Mensah to promote the Gardeners' World Make a Metre Matter campaign. This, along with her usual kitchen garden tours with the Beaulieu garden team, plus some appearances on the Gardeners' World magazine main stage, has kept her quite busy.... If you want to see her experience, watch her latest reels on her Instagram profile (link below) but if you fancy a half-hour episode describing this process, download away! Instagram links:Lucy lucychamberlaingardensSaul plantsmansaulIntro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Support the show
Transcribe →Ep. 307 - It's not all gardening in our world - but still plenty of horticulture - including Gardeners World Spring Fair, Chelsea Physic garden, White House Farm and Garden and The Plant Heritage BigGive Campaign
Apr 2500:33:10Tap to summarizeSpring is well and truly here - as clocks change, sunny days lengthen, and the occasional chilly night catches us unaware. But the main thing is plants are really starting to wake up and give us something to cheer about after a very wet and gloomy winter! Saul and Lucy look forward to really getting to grips with there gardens both at home and work - and Plant collections up and down the breathe of the UK start showing themselves at their best for all to behold. Finally the 2026 gardening year begins!Though much of what we do is gardening - the world of horticulture is full of other distractions - that's what makes it such a beautiful world to live in. And Lucy and Saul have certainly been getting distracted now Spring is well and truly shining upon us. Lucy has big ambitions in the form of a Beautiful Border that she is building at Gardeners World Spring Fair in Beaulieu and Saul has been travelling the country meeting some of the amazing and knowledgeable people and their gardens that make our world tick including the Chelsea Physic garden, White House Farm and Garden, and many National Collection Holders as Plant Heritage kick-off their BigGive #EarthRaise fundraising campaign...Instagram links:Lucy lucychamberlaingardensSaul plantsmansaulIntro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Support the show
Transcribe →Ep. 306 - This week, Saul and Lucy wander (verbally) through Chelsea Physic Garden and Chelsea Press Day, discussing bird feeding, houseplant repotting, mulching and spring temperatures. All in all, it's a busy episode!
Apr 1800:36:29Tap to summarizeSpring is well and truly here - as clocks change, sunny days lengthen, and the occasional chilly night catches us unaware. But the main thing is plants are really starting to wake up and give us something to cheer about after a very wet and gloomy winter! Saul and Lucy look forward to really getting to grips with there gardens both at home and work - and Plant collections up and down the breathe of the UK start showing themselves at their best for all to behold. Finally the 2026 gardening year begins!After their traditional weather waffle and (jingle pending) a new regular shed slot, Lucy and Saul ramble verbally through their respective weeks. While Saul has been repotting houseplants and prepping himself for Expert Group and Plant Heritage commitments, Lucy has been redressing her flagging energy levels after shining up Kingsland Gardens like a brand new penny for a family birthday event. There's also timely chat about the recent news on feeding our garden birds, as the duo reflect on how some task adjustments are easier to embrace than others. Instagram links:Lucy lucychamberlaingardensSaul plantsmansaulIntro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Support the show
Transcribe →Ep. 305 - Easter has come and gone - and both of the #TalkingHeads had wonderful times visiting gardens in the sunshine, as well as Lucy revelling in her and her clients gardens and Saul seeing signs of his exotic garden beginning to stir...
Apr 1100:37:14Tap to summarizeSpring is well and truly here - as clocks change, sunny days lengthen, and the occasional chilly night catches us unaware. But the main thing is plants are really starting to wake up and give us something to cheer about after a very wet and gloomy winter! Saul and Lucy look forward to really getting to grips with there gardens both at home and work - and Plant collections up and down the breathe of the UK start showing themselves at their best for all to behold. Finally the 2026 gardening year begins!Easter and gardens are a synonymous mix - who didn't visit a garden over last week to see all the spring flowers and enjoy a does of Vitamin D. Well Lucy and Saul definitely took advantage of the sunshine to see other peoples gardens waking up to the 2026 garden season. They've also been hard at work (well at least one of the m has) looking after their clients gardens, and seeing all that hard work come to fruition. Instagram links:Saul plantsmansaulLucy lucychamberlaingardensIntro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Support the show
Transcribe →EP. 304 - It's the symposium episode! Lucy & Saul visited London to attend the inaugural RHS symposium, where expert group members discussed gardening challenges - and opportunities - in a changing climate. It certainly got the podcast duo thinking...
Apr 400:32:44Tap to summarizeSpring is well and truly here - as clocks change, sunny days lengthen, and the occasional chilly night catches us unaware. But the main thing is plants are really starting to wake up and give us something to cheer about after a very wet and gloomy winter! Saul and Lucy look forward to really getting to grips with there gardens both at home and work - and Plant collections up and down the breathe of the UK start showing themselves at their best for all to behold. Finally the 2026 gardening year begins!Get your thinking caps on - it's symposium time! Leaving their dibbers and desks behind for a day, Saul and Lucy trot off to London to attend the RHS symposium. Here, under one roof, many horticultural specialist's minds come together to ponder how the shift in climate is affecting our gardening mindset. Of course, there are concerns - but there are also opportunities - and both podcasters are pleasantly surprised by the new attitude towards biodiversity.Instagram links:Saul plantsmansaulLucy lucychamberlaingardensIntro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Support the show
Transcribe →Ep. 303 - Hear that! Well its the gentle hum of the garden world waking up to Spring! Pressure Washers and Seed Trays at the ready, the countdown to full gardening mode is on.....
Mar 2800:34:08Tap to summarizeSpring is well and truly here - as clocks change, sunny days lengthen, and the occasional chilly night catches us unaware. But the main thing is plants are really starting to wake up and give us something to cheer about after a very wet and gloomy winter! Saul and Lucy look forward to really getting to grips with there gardens both at home and work - and Plant collections up and down the breathe of the UK start showing themselves at their best for all to behold. Finally the 2026 gardening year begins!Brandish those pressure washers, Saul is back in the garden cleaning up after winter and preparing the way for his Exotics, while Lucy squeezing through Berberis bushes to reach nettles - nothing like some jeopardy to fulfil your gardening day. Also Flower shows are starting to gather pace - Daffodils and Orchids, Plant fairs and Village Spring shows fill our weekends as we marvel at the UK's appetite for excellent gardening. Instagram links:Lucy lucychamberlaingardensSaul plantsmansaulIntro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Support the show
Transcribe →Ep. 302 - Spring is springing, and Lucy is one tired gardener - so in this solo episode, hear her flop into a chair as she reaches the end(s) of her working day
Mar 2100:38:35Tap to summarizeWinter is here in the UK, so while Saul and Lucy hunker down, don layers and fire up the kettle more frequently than usual, what do their minds turn to in the garden? This is the perfect season for clearance of 2025 growth, for establishing new designs and for de-cluttering stores and greenhouses. Any hours that you can put into the garden now, will reward you hugely come spring and summer, when the jobs mount up. Quick - more tea and biscuits!With Saul being busy with his Plant Heritage work this week, Lucy takes up the reins by guiding us, day by day, through her working week. She visits Georgina on Monday, speaks to Jon on Tuesday, works with Mick on Wednesday, has a scone with Elizabeth on Thursday, and visits Len on Friday - all in the name of horticulture, of course. The Essex weather this week has been lovely - blue skies, buzzing bees - and even the odd Brimstone butterfly - so no wonder she ends her days by flopping into or onto the nearest soft furnishing she can find, with a satisfying sigh (and biscuit...).Instagram links:Lucy lucychamberlaingardensSaul plantsmansaulIntro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Support the show
Transcribe →Ep. 301 - Back to the Garden - Lucy returns and is all about the practical, as our gardens really start to shift with the transformation into Spring - also are the #TalkingHeads pair getting 'old'!
Mar 1400:36:55Tap to summarizeWinter is here in the UK, so while Saul and Lucy hunker down, don layers and fire up the kettle more frequently than usual, what do their minds turn to in the garden? This is the perfect season for clearance of 2025 growth, for establishing new designs and for de-cluttering stores and greenhouses. Any hours that you can put into the garden now, will reward you hugely come spring and summer, when the jobs mount up. Quick - more tea and biscuits!Well Winter is really starting to transform into Spring now, and so are our gardens. Lucy returns after her week away with tales of gardening shenanigans from pruning and training red currants, to clearing the final winter debris from emerging herbaceous borders, all while Saul does nothing, though it will soon be show season! The pair also start reflecting back on their life in horticulture, prompted by Frances' words last year, and realise a lot has changed in 25 years of being in the garden - what will the next 25 years hold, well one things for sure - more #HortiWaffle!Support the show
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Ep. 300 - A Milestone Episode! So how to celebrate, well replacing Lucy with a brand new presenter of course....and so we went with gardening super-sub Frances Tophill.....
Mar 700:40:15Tap to summarizeWinter is here in the UK, so while Saul and Lucy hunker down, don layers and fire up the kettle more frequently than usual, what do their minds turn to in the garden? This is the perfect season for clearance of 2025 growth, for establishing new designs and for de-cluttering stores and greenhouses. Any hours that you can put into the garden now, will reward you hugely come spring and summer, when the jobs mount up. Quick - more tea and biscuits!Well who would have thought that we'd reach episode 300 without Lucy and I killing each other (it's been close), but seriously what a journey over the last 6 years - and fear not we're only getting started. Having said that Lucy is obviously not too bothered as unfortunately she had to go off and talk about Vegetables (suprise, suprise) somewhere in Essex, so Saul picked up the phone and bought in the next best thing.. Frances Tophill...now a fellow Devonian and one of the most down to earth Gardeners World presenters your likely to meet!Instagram link:Saul plantsmansaulLucy lucychamberlaingardensFrances francestophillIntro and Outro music from https://filmmusic.io"Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Support the show
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