Podcast 1: James Alexander-Sinclair
"Plants can be absolute bastards sometimes"
James Alexander-Sinclair is a gardener, garden designer, writer, broadcaster and show garden judge at all the RHS flower shows. In this podcast he shares his wisdom, outlook and tips for success in his own joyful, hilarious style.
James’s twitter - website - instagram
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Podcast 1: James Alexander-Sinclair
Things we talk about in this episode:
Judging at Chelsea
Objectivity and how the judging system works
James’s gardening journey
Sex, death and deliciousness
The gardener as referee
The recipe for a good garden
Making sure that the practical essentials are in the right place
James’s own garden
The corner of shame
Calling in help when life gets in the way
James’s inspiration
Show gardens and unattainability
Gardening as larceny
Removing sentimentality (and diseased trees)
Watching and waiting
Dealing with the boring stuff first
Barefoot compost heaps
Gardens, garden designers, succulents, cacti, azaleas and rhododendrons
Roses and revolutionary verve
Stopping gardening when it becomes a chore
Designers and Chelsea show gardens
The cult of the designer
James’s 7 minute Chelsea garden
Evil wisteria
Stop worrying
Fortnum and Mason manure
Plants for dry shade
Right plant right place
Self control
Growing rhododendrons in the cotswolds
And watching them die
Seed sowing
Leggy chillies
Snow hating
Shed cleaning
Weeding with a hula hoop
Apres freeze watering
Dahlias
Slugs and how to deal with them
Slugs vs snails
Evil slugs
Evil drunken slugs
Savage slugs
Hedgehog homes
Podcasting as gardening
Links, plants, important stuff we mention
Persicaria amplexicaulis (looks like a dock leaf)
Rosa mutabilis
Rosa x odorata Bengal crimson
Hebe parviflora
chillies: Varieties: Basket of fire and Hungarian Hot Wax