episode 189 | show notes & advice
episode description
Arthur Parkinson may be a wonderful champion for the portable nature of the potted urban garden, but it’s an exciting prospect that he has the opportunity to grow on some new land in Gloucestershire.
Between the rare breeds of hen and the lovely collection of dahlias that he’s built up, this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ should inspire anyone looking to keep either some delightful poultry or radiant flowers alike.
In this episode, discover
- Arthur’s experience in Gloucester, and how he came to find the land he’s on
- The lovely, rare breeds of hen that he’s rearing to keep the poultry gene pool thriving
- How Arthur’s got some gorgeous dahlias blooming in spite of such wet ground, with inspiring ideas for standout varieties
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
Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook | Sarah Raven
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Episode 189 advice sheet
How Arthur came to the land in Gloucestershire and the hens he’s keeping there (1:50)
Given Arthur’s proclivity for keeping poultry, it’s such a joy that he now has a fantastic plot of land in Gloucestershire on which to keep a lovely, rare breed of hen described as the ‘golden retriever of chickens’.
This goes fantastically alongside the drawing that he’s been doing ready for his next book release - if all things are well, we’ll see The Hen Party released to the world in September next year.
Arthur’s dahlia patch thriving in spite of such wet ground (11:20)
As Sarah will tell you, Arthur couldn’t have land without growing some dahlias on it, so he talks us through how he managed to make such a productive space for dahlias on such wet ground.
It’s a marvellous story that evidences how well they can grow even when planted in a manner that Arthur describes as ‘slapdash’ before heading to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Favourite early-flowering varieties of dahlia (17:30)
In this inspiring section of the show, Arthur talks us through the earlier flowering dahlias that are bringing him vibrant colours of all shades.
‘Rip City’ is a rousing classic, while ‘Irish Pinwheel’ and ‘Tartan’ fly the flag for the lighter palettes, or for a more striking shape there’s no more unique dahlia than ‘Verrone’s Obsidian’.
