Biennials – plants which flower in their second year – may often be overlooked by us gardeners, but between their value for money, wonderful scent, and versatility they’re among the best plants to sow and grow in any garden.

Sarah makes the case for brilliant biennials in this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, exploring how she came to appreciate their beauty, and which varieties are best for all aspects of your space.

In this episode, discover:

• How the right mix of biennials can fill the awkward May gap with prolific blooms, all for the price of a seed packet
• The best early-flowering biennials, from fragrant wallflowers to the scented sweet rocket, Hesperis matronalis
• Moth-pollinated varieties with rich fragrance and velvety textures to create a pollinator paradise

Products mentioned:

Rosa x odorata 'Mutabilis' (China)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/rosa-x-oderata-mutabilis

Rosa × odorata 'Bengal Crimson' (China)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/rosa-x-odorata-bengal-crimson

Digitalis purpurea 'Sutton's Apricot'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/digitalis-purpurea-suttons-apricot

Digitalis purpurea f. albiflora

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/digitalis-purpurea-alba

Wild Sweet William (Saponaria officinalis)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/wild-sweet-william

Matthiola incana 'Vintage Antique Mix'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/matthiola-incana-vintage-antique-mix

Malope trifida 'Vulcan'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/malope-trifida-vulcan

Lunaria annua

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lunaria-annua

Iceland poppy (Papaver nudicaule)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/papaver-nudicaule-champagne-bubbles-mix-f1

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Tom Stimpson’s pint-sized garden is an inspiration for anyone with a small urban plot, and it’s packed with showstopping varieties that will flower for months on end providing colour, scent, and food for pollinators in a compact space.

In this episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Tom, our Head of Horticulture, tells Sarah how he’s brought his small town garden to life, including the irresistible combinations of dahlias and salvias that he’s planting in his whopper pots for the season to come.

In this episode, discover:

• Tom's ingenious approach to small-space gardening
• New plant varieties to transform pots, with an eye on an upcoming dahlia called 'Tom's Choice'
• The art of colour-layering in garden design, choosing from palettes to co-ordinate your borders

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest

Gardens are a multisensory experience, and while we primarily think of aesthetics, it’s the scent of spring plants which is absolutely second to none.

Sarah’s flying solo this week on ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ to share her pick of favourite scented spring bulbs and other perfumed plants to envelop your senses and uplift your spirits.

In this episode, discover:

• Spring's most wonderfully scented bulbs, from delicate narcissus to room-filling tulips
• Which bulbs are Sarah’s longest-flowering, most resilient garden heroes
• How to create a sensory sensation with fragrant climbers that transform your outdoor space

Products mentioned:

Hyacinth 'Peter Stuyvesant' for Forcing

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hyacinth-peter-stuyvesant-for-forcing

Hyacinthus orientalis 'Woodstock' (Forcing)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hyacinth-woodstock-for-forcing

Narcissus 'Moonlight Sensation'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-moonlight-sensation

Narcissus 'Starlight Sensation'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-starlight-sensation

Narcissus 'Actaea'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-actaea

Narcissus 'Geranium'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-geranium

Narcissus 'Avalanche'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-avalanche

Narcissus 'Cragford' (Forcing)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-cragford-for-forcing

Narcissus cordubensis

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-cordubensis

Narcissus 'Pipit'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-pipit

Tulip 'Ballerina'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-ballerina

Geum 'Totally Tangerine'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/geum-totally-tangerine

Tulip sylvestris

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulipa-sylvestris

Tulip 'Request'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-request

Akebia quinata (Chocolate Vine)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/akebia-quinata

Tulip 'Sarah Raven'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/tulip-sarah-raven

Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/

Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: http://bit.ly/3jvbaeu
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest