episode 201| show notes & advice
episode description
Christmas is only a few short weeks away, and while the garden may be winding down into winter mode, it’s the perfect time to spread joy to green-fingered friends with some well-considered gifts and elegant decorations.
With Arthur joining Sarah this week for an exciting journey through the pages of our latest Christmas catalogue, Sarah explains why she’s more excited by this year’s festive range than ever before.
In this episode, discover
- Irresistible decorations for the tree, with a few specific nature-themed baubles catching Arthur’s eye
- Tried and tested favourites that deliver year upon year, like the ever-reliable Solar Allium Stake Lights
- An increased focus on sustainability in the range, as well as living gifts like our Thyme & Rosemary in Terracotta Pots and Sarah’s favourite Double Paperwhites in a Leaf Trough
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
Britain’s Biggest Living Garden: https://www.britainsbiggestlivinggarden.org/
Wildlife Gardening Forum: https://www.wlgf.org/
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Episode 201 advice sheet
How Sarah brings the range together (1:00)
Naming this her favourite Christmas range to date, Sarah talks us through the process of selecting the most charming and eye-catching products to bring into the range.
Among the first must-have decorations for Sarah and Arthur, the ornamental Ceramic Pomegranate Candle Holder appeals to Arthur’s love of all things deep red at Christmas.
Lightstrings and stalwart Solar Allium Stake Lights (7:00)
With daylight hours still decreasing, lighting is everything, and as Sarah can attest you cannot go wrong with the Solar Allium Stake Lights, which have been a staple in the range for years.
Arthur’s also drawn to a ‘Jade Gemstone Light String’ which pairs beautifully with foliage, making it perfect for dancing through branches, or even threaded through a wreath.
Brilliant baubles and table decorations (15:30)
Arthur adores baubles, and regardless of the space and tree that you’re working with, there’s always a bauble set to bring a lounge to life.
Among the favourites this year from our range, Arthur’s particularly fond of the ‘Bumblebee Glass Baubles’, classy and sparkly in equal measure, while the emerald of the ‘As-if-from-Venice Bauble’ begs to be centre stage in your festive scheme.
Real potted plants, and the value of having our own nursery (20:00)
This year in particular, Sarah has concentrated on bringing more living plants into the Christmas Range, to bring a sense of nature indoors when the garden is dwindling outside. This is the beauty of having our own nursery in Lincolnshire, instead of relying on external suppliers as we had to in the past.
Cut flowers are another gorgeous way to accent the home with colour and scent this Christmas, and Sarah has tried and tested them all for longevity and vase life. Hyacinths like ‘Miss Saigon’ and our new Amaryllis Cut Stems excel in this department, and Sarah shares how you can best condition them so they’ll last throughout the festive season.
