Flowers & Folklore cover art

Flowers & Folklore

Flowers & Folklore

By: Sarah Rushbrooke & Keeley Rees
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About this listen

 Have you ever wondered why you shouldn't bring snowdrops into your home? Or what happens when you hear bluebells rings? This podcast is for you. Regular episodes from florists, Sarah Rushbrooke and Keeley Rees. Listen for floral lore and unusual flower facts.

flowersandfolklore.substack.comKeeley Rees Art
Episodes
  • Nasturtium

    Nasturtium
    Nov 9 2025
    In this episode of Flowers & Folklore, we dive into the surprising history and tales surrounding the humble “bit-like-a-granny’s-handbag’ nasturtium, from its gory Greek naming origins to its gentle flower fairy depictions.We discover why this bright orange bloom was once associated with warriors and triumph, how Beatrix Potter, Claude Monet, and Cicely Mary Barker each captured its charm, and why it was once thought to repel serpents and bring good fortune. Along the way, we chat about Tales of the Shire (and Tolkien’s opinionated spelling choices), there’s poetry by Anne Spencer of the Harlem Renaissance, plus we uncover the curious Elizabeth Linnaeus phenomenon, and disappear down a rabbit hole over our mutual obsession with miniatures.It’s a magical episode that’ll make you see nasturtiums in a whole new (flashing?) light.Books, Art & Poetry* The Language of Flowers by Odessa Begay* Unearthing The Secret Garden by Martha McDowell* The Flower Fairies Alphabet (1934) by Cicely Mary Barker — “Nasturtium the Jolly” poem & illustration* The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (Nasturtiums in Mr. McGregor’s garden)* Lines to a Nasturtium poem by Anne Bethel Spencer * The Witch’s Garden by Sandra Lawrence* Country Life article by Mark Diacono: “In praise of the humble nasturtium”* “How to do the flowers” by Constance SpryArtworks* Nasturtiums in a Blue Vase by Claude Monet* Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit nasturtium illustration* Cicely Mary Barker’s Nasturtium FairyGames & Fun Bits* Tales of the Shire game by Wētā Workshop* Snaps from Sarah’s Halloween dried floral headdress workshop * Dollhouse project & miniature-making course (affiliate link, also you can get 10% off your whole order with the code: KEELEY) Picture below of the beginning of Keeley’s Brambly Hedge treehouse.Bonus video of Sarah’s foster boy Bruno “helping” to clean up after the workshop:Have your own regional stories or nasturtium lore? We’d love to hear from you! We’re accepting reader submissions, so if you have a flower story, (about any flower) please share it with us! Comment below or email us at flowersandfolklorepodcast@gmail.comEnjoy the episode!Sarah & KeeleyFind Sarah online: Instagram | Substack | PinterestFind Keeley online: Instagram | SubstackMore info and transcript on Flowers & Folklore you must access this via your desktop and not your phone. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit flowersandfolklore.substack.com
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    41 mins
  • Meet your hosts

    Meet your hosts
    Oct 27 2025

    Hello! First episode back after an unexpected break!

    Two reasons why this is extra exciting:

    A) 1: because I’m now joined by Keeley Rees as a co-host! (Hooray!)

    And 2) because we’ll be bringing you new episode formats each month, as well as the much-loved Flowers & Folklore deep dive episode on one flower.

    Same podcast. Same feed. More floral nerddom.

    Also, new moody artwork:

    In this episode we chat about how we met and how we found flowers, or should it be how flowers found *us*? Plus we share our favourite and least favourite flowers. (They know what they did.)

    Plusss we’ve started a new Instagram account to share all of our findings and connect with you. Follow along here.

    We LOVE hearing from you and want to open up floor soon for reader submissions so if you have a flower story, please share it with us! Comment below or email us at flowersandfolklorepodcast@gmail.com

    Enjoy the episode!

    Sarah & Keeley

    Find Sarah online:

    Instagram

    Substack

    Pinterest

    Find Keeley online:

    Instagram

    Substack

    More info and transcript on Flowers & Folklore you must access this via your desktop and not your phone.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit flowersandfolklore.substack.com
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    44 mins
  • Tulip

    Tulip
    Mar 31 2025

    The sixth episode of Flowers & Folklore will be all about the tulip!

    Resources used for this episode:

    The Language of Flowers by Margaret Pickston

    The Language of Flowers by Odessa Begay

    The Complete Language of Flowers by S. Theresa Dietz

    Flower Fairies of the Spring by Cicely Mary Barker

    https://www.tulipmania.art/in-persian-mythology-the-tulip-is-considered-to-be-the-flower-of-love/

    https://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/learning/dartmoor-legends/the-legend-of-the-bed-of-tulips

    https://amsterdamtulipmuseum.com/pages/the-story-of-the-tulip

    Save Wild Tulips: https://www.fauna-flora.org/species/wild-tulips/

    Find Sarah online:

    Instagram

    Substack

    Pinterest

    Have you heard some interesting folklore about tulips? Please let me know! Leave a comment or email me on podcast@rookbotanics.com

    More info and transcript on Sarah’s Substack - you must access this via your desktop and not your phone.



    Get full access to The Foibles of a Florist at sarahrushbrooke.substack.com/subscribe
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    26 mins
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