episode 161 | show notes & advice
episode description
The spring and summer ahead of us is a glorious opportunity to let our gardens sing with colours anew, and in this week’s podcast, Sarah & Arthur share how to select the very best for your space.
The Spring & Summer Catalogue takes centre stage on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, as we hear about the best brand new collections, some of Arthur’s stalwart favourites, and which of this year’s floral highlights have brought Sarah the most joy.
In this episode, discover
- Standout flowers that Sarah’s loved last year, like the uniquely textured Dahlia Night Silence
- A number of gorgeous collections perfect for combining colour palettes in pots and borders
- The brand new Teucrium variety that’s earned attention for its stunning looks and drought-tolerance
- A tip that Sarah learned from Sissinghurst which brings the best out of the Everlasting Lilies Collection as cut flowers
links and references
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Pots
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Veg
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Episode 161 advice sheet
Last year’s standout Dahlia (1:35)
At the top of the show, Sarah highlights a flower that possesses a dusky matt finish akin to a real life watercolour painting, the Dahlia ‘Night Silence’.
In similar style, the striking Marrakesh Dahlia Collection ties in the bold colour one expects from a great dahlia with an uplifting dash of white.
Luscious Evenings and Summer Pudding (6:25)
Among the other standouts from the catalogue, Malope trifida 'Vulcan' and Scabiosa atropurpurea 'Black Cat' make up a pairing which is rather hard to beat for its party dress style - they’re a bold duo as part of the Luscious Evenings Collection.
From Sarah’s 20x20 cutting patch comes one of Arthur’s top performers, the Summer Pudding Collection, with its armfuls of Antirrhinums packing irresistible colour.
Everlasting Lilies and their prowess as a cut flower (14:00)
The silhouettes of the Everlasting Lilies Collection have been a mainstay in Sarah’s garden for well over a decade, and with one piece of advice taken from Sissinghurst, they’re perfect as cut flowers too.
Lilies need leaf left on the stem if they’re to keep providing you with cuttings, so be sure to leave a third on when you cut and they’ll keep going on and on.
A newfound source of delicate beauty (18:15)
Teucrium is a great evergreen drought-tolerant Mediterranean plant, and this latest variety to grace our catalogue is a stunner through and through. Teucrium fruticans 'Indyho' is wonderful in the border or in pots, easy to grow, and so striking.
