Scotland Grows Show

"Manufacturers and the government have a duty to us as the amateur gardener, to really try and help us with this transition to peat-free." 
 
Horticulturist Scott Smith returns to the Scotland Grows Show to share the results of his hands-on trial comparing three peat-free composts with a traditional peat-based mix.
 
Conducted in real-world home conditions in the northeast of Scotland, Scott’s project demystifies the challenges and surprises of switching to peat-free growing media, revealing what works, and what doesn’t, for everyday gardeners.
 
Whether you're struggling to get your tomatoes thriving, confused by the ever-changing labels in the garden centre, or keen to help protect Scotland's precious peatlands, Scott offers practical advice and data-backed recommendations you won’t want to miss.
 
Tune in for honest insights on watering and feeding plants growing in peat-free compost, which composts delivered the best yields, and why clearer packaging and guidance matter more than ever for home gardeners. Plus, learn about Scott's new book (OUT NOW)!
 
If you’re ready to get reliable results from peat-free gardening, this episode is packed with tips, discoveries, and stories that will make your next growing season your greenest yet!
--------------------------------------------
The Scotland Grows Show is the podcast which celebrates everything that is good in Scottish gardening, as we join gardeners around the country to find out what grows well where they are, and pick up tips and stories along the way.
Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published.
Scotland Grows Magazine celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK.
You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there!
And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com.
--------------------------------------------
This series of the Scotland Grows Show is sponsored by Dedicate a Tree, a special opportunity from the National Trust for Scotland to help breathe new life into Scotland’s woodlands.
You can dedicate a tree from £7.50 and choose from three planting projects happening across places in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. They’ll send you a certificate and information leaflet, as well as regular updates about the progress of your chosen woodland project, and your tree dedication can be shared on their virtual woodland.  
Whether you dedicate a tree for yourself or for a loved one, in celebration or in memory, you’ll help nurture and protect Scotland’s wonderful woodlands for generations to come. 
Dedicate a tree today at nts.org.uk/trees

In this episode of the Scotland Grows Show, host M.T. O'Donnell welcomes Dr. Anna Florence from the National Trust for Scotland to unravel the massive PLANTS Project, a three-year botanical deep dive that’s reshaping how Scotland’s most treasured gardens are protected, understood, and shared.
 
Discover how an ambitious team travelled Scotland’s length and breadth to record 86,000 living plants, revealing treasures hiding in plain sight, from critically endangered rhododendron species to a unique apple tree with an unmatched genetic fingerprint.
 
This episode shines a light on the exciting challenges of plant heritage conservation for the National Trust for Scotland, and why keeping accurate, living records matters for generations to come. 
--------------------------------------------
The Scotland Grows Show is the podcast which celebrates everything that is good in Scottish gardening, as we join gardeners around the country to find out what grows well where they are, and pick up tips and stories along the way.
Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published.
Scotland Grows Magazine celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK.
You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there!
And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com.
--------------------------------------------
This series of the Scotland Grows Show is sponsored by Dedicate a Tree, a special opportunity from the National Trust for Scotland to help breathe new life into Scotland’s woodlands.
You can dedicate a tree from £7.50 and choose from three planting projects happening across places in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. They’ll send you a certificate and information leaflet, as well as regular updates about the progress of your chosen woodland project, and your tree dedication can be shared on their virtual woodland.  
Whether you dedicate a tree for yourself or for a loved one, in celebration or in memory, you’ll help nurture and protect Scotland’s wonderful woodlands for generations to come. 
Dedicate a tree today at nts.org.uk/trees
 

“Getting your hands dirty in a compost heap - there’s not a lot that’s better than that in my mind.”
 
Head Gardener Callum Halstead shares the secrets from Cambo Gardens’ Festival of Compost, practical advice for composting at home, and lessons learned from a challenging Scottish summer to inspire resilient, beautiful gardens all year round.
 
Callum’s expert advice will make you to look at soil, mulch, and biodiversity in new ways. Plus, find out what makes Cambo’s season-long plantings and National Snowdrop Collection a must-see, even in the heart of winter.
 
If you want fresh ideas for your garden, this episode is a treasure trove you won’t want to miss!
--------------------------------------------
The Scotland Grows Show is the podcast which celebrates everything that is good in Scottish gardening, as we join gardeners around the country to find out what grows well where they are, and pick up tips and stories along the way.
Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published.
Scotland Grows Magazine celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK.
You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there!
And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com.
--------------------------------------------
This series of the Scotland Grows Show is sponsored by Dedicate a Tree, a special opportunity from the National Trust for Scotland to help breathe new life into Scotland’s woodlands.
You can dedicate a tree from £7.50 and choose from three planting projects happening across places in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. They’ll send you a certificate and information leaflet, as well as regular updates about the progress of your chosen woodland project, and your tree dedication can be shared on their virtual woodland.  
Whether you dedicate a tree for yourself or for a loved one, in celebration or in memory, you’ll help nurture and protect Scotland’s wonderful woodlands for generations to come. 
Dedicate a tree today at nts.org.uk/trees

It is high time we spoke more on the Scotland Grows Show about the legacy the great Scottish plant hunters left on our shores, through the most intrepid and life-threatening plant-hunting expeditions.
 
Acclaimed writer Ann Lindsay has uncovered the stories of the Scottish plant hunters who shaped the nation's gardens and in this episode, we’ll look at the legacies of famous explorers like David Douglas, Francis Masson, and Robert Fortune, and the remarkable plants from Douglas firs, lupins, pelargoniums, Californian poppies, camassia, and phlox - and so many more - that transformed our landscape and filled our gardens with beauty. 
 
Whether you're a garden enthusiast or just love a great story, Ann shares captivating tales of exploration, peril, resilience, and the courage of those who brought them across continents, giving us a deeper appreciation for the blooms we enjoy today, in a tribute to the plant hunters whose spirit still grows in Scotland's soil.
 
Find out more about Ann's work HERE.
--------------------------------------------
The Scotland Grows Show is the podcast which celebrates everything that is good in Scottish gardening, as we join gardeners around the country to find out what grows well where they are, and pick up tips and stories along the way.
Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published.
Scotland Grows Magazine celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK.
You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there!
And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com.
--------------------------------------------
This series of the Scotland Grows Show is sponsored by Dedicate a Tree, a special opportunity from the National Trust for Scotland to help breathe new life into Scotland’s woodlands.
You can dedicate a tree from £7.50 and choose from three planting projects happening across places in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. They’ll send you a certificate and information leaflet, as well as regular updates about the progress of your chosen woodland project, and your tree dedication can be shared on their virtual woodland.  
Whether you dedicate a tree for yourself or for a loved one, in celebration or in memory, you’ll help nurture and protect Scotland’s wonderful woodlands for generations to come. 
Dedicate a tree today at nts.org.uk/trees

“Crathes is a garden of real change. It’s got everything from early hedges from 1702 right up to contemporary new gardens. It’s a real kaleidoscope of colours.”
 
Step behind the historic garden walls of Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire in this episode with head gardener James Hannaford, as he reveals what it’s really like to care for a living tapestry that stretches back to 1609.
 
From resilient plant choices for Scotland’s wild winds to the emotional challenges of losing centuries-old trees in storms, James shares expert insights, inspiring stories, and practical advice that every gardener will want to hear as well as a shopping list of plants suited to our climate.
 
Whether you’re a horticulture enthusiast or just love a good garden stroll, discover the passion and responsibility behind one of Scotland’s great gardens with James Hannaford, and what it means to be part of Scotland’s gardening heritage.
--------------------------------------------
The Scotland Grows Show is the podcast which celebrates everything that is good in Scottish gardening, as we join gardeners around the country to find out what grows well where they are, and pick up tips and stories along the way.
Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published.
Scotland Grows Magazine celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK.
You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there!
And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com.
--------------------------------------------
This series of the Scotland Grows Show is sponsored by Dedicate a Tree, a special opportunity from the National Trust for Scotland to help breathe new life into Scotland’s woodlands.
You can dedicate a tree from £7.50 and choose from three planting projects happening across places in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. They’ll send you a certificate and information leaflet, as well as regular updates about the progress of your chosen woodland project, and your tree dedication can be shared on their virtual woodland.  
Whether you dedicate a tree for yourself or for a loved one, in celebration or in memory, you’ll help nurture and protect Scotland’s wonderful woodlands for generations to come. 
Dedicate a tree today at nts.org.uk/trees

“There’s nothing beats actually being outside and seeing how plants grow.”
 
 
Get ready in this episode to be inspired by one of Scotland’s most influential gardening voices!
 
 
RHS Judge, former garden centre owner at New Hopetoun Gardens, and Beechgrove Garden legend, Lesley Watson joins us for a personal deep-dive.
 
 
From her pivot as chemistry teaching to horticulture, from her behind-the-scenes stories at Beechgrove to wisdom and plant choices from decades spent running a garden centre and judging at RHS shows, Lesley’s practical tips and passion for inspiring others in the garden will leave you itching to get outside.
 
 
So pull up a seat - preferably in your own garden as Lesley recommends a seat as one of the important pieces of equipment in your garden - and enjoy this episode as we dig into gardening, designing, and inspiring advice with Lesley Watson.
 
--------------------------------------------
The Scotland Grows Show is the podcast which celebrates everything that is good in Scottish gardening, as we join gardeners around the country to find out what grows well where they are, and pick up tips and stories along the way.
Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published.
Scotland Grows Magazine celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK.
You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there!
And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com.
--------------------------------------------
This series of the Scotland Grows Show is sponsored by Dedicate a Tree, a special opportunity from the National Trust for Scotland to help breathe new life into Scotland’s woodlands.
You can dedicate a tree from £7.50 and choose from three planting projects happening across places in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. They’ll send you a certificate and information leaflet, as well as regular updates about the progress of your chosen woodland project, and your tree dedication can be shared on their virtual woodland.  
Whether you dedicate a tree for yourself or for a loved one, in celebration or in memory, you’ll help nurture and protect Scotland’s wonderful woodlands for generations to come. 
Dedicate a tree today at nts.org.uk/trees
 
 

M.T. O'Donnell is joined by gardener and Scotland Grows writer Andy Peasgood to discuss the journey of transforming a typical new-build garden into a thriving green space. Andy shares his experience of creating a garden from scratch, tackling compacted clay soil, drainage challenges, and maximising every inch of his 8x6 metre plot.
Key Topics Covered:
Starting from Scratch: Andy recalls the early days of moving into his new-build home and the realities of dealing with a barren, waterlogged plot.
Designing for Small Spaces: How thoughtful planning, curving paths, most of vertical space, and filling borders can make even the smallest garden feel spacious, dynamic, and inviting.
Low Maintenance, High Reward: Andy’s practical tips for keeping gardening manageable, to plant choices that don’t require constant attention.
Wildlife-Friendly Projects: Inspiring ideas for habitats in any garden, like bug hotels, wildlife walls, gabion benches, and wildlife ponds.
The Importance of Soil and Drainage: Why good soil and proper drainage are fundamental (and often overlooked) in new-build gardens.
Lobbying for Better Garden Standards: Andy’s thoughts on what should be standard for gardens in new home developments, and the potential for policy improvements.
Creativity in the Garden: How Andy’s background as a ballet dancer inspired his approach to garden design, using the garden as a stage for creativity.
And of course, Andy's top plant picks to make your own small space a flourishing haven!
Connect with Andy:
Follow Andy on Instagram
Read his articles on the Scotland Grows Magazine website
--------------------------------------------
Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published.
Scotland Grows Magazine is our digital title which celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK.
You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there!
And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com.
--------------------------------------------
This series is sponsored by ROOTS, a brilliant subscription from the National Trust for Scotland which helps both your garden and Trust gardens thrive.
For £7 a month you will be sent a ROOTS pack every six weeks, with gardening gifts, including Scottish seeds six times a year, stories about Scotland’s plant life, and tips from  expert Trust gardeners, as well as an invitation to two exclusive ROOTS events a year with the Trust gardens team.
Whether you buy ROOTS for yourself or as a gift for a loved one, your £7 a month will go towards supporting Trust gardens and designed landscapes in Scotland. Sign up today at nts.org.uk/roots and use the code Grows25 to receive an extra packet of seeds in your first pack.

As the Estate Factor at Teasses Estate, Craig Cameron is dedicated to cultivating beautiful, sustainable landscapes while celebrating the traditions and heritage of this stunning historic estate. 
The gardens at Teasses have been created and developed on the Estate since the present owners came to the Estate in the mid-1990s. 
The sixty-acre gardens comprise of formal gardens, decorative woodlands, and a very unique restored Victorian walled garden full of perennial colour, wall fruits and organically-grown produce.Throughout the year you can visit the gardens to see early snowdrops in the woodland by candlelight, a spectacular rhododendron collection in May, billowing herbaceous borders and the new lavender garden in full bloom in July, and a swathe of colour in late Summer and early Autumn. The Gardens are open from April to October on a Thursday and Friday.
Managing such a huge and diverse garden area is not overtaken by a large team, and Craig shares the secrets to cutting down the workload in the gardens and lots of other wonderful advice which you can apply in your own garden.
--------------------------------------------
Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published.
Scotland Grows magazine is our digital title which celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK.
You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there!
And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com.
--------------------------------------------
This series is sponsored by ROOTS, a brilliant subscription from the National Trust for Scotland which helps both your garden and Trust gardens thrive.
For £7 a month you will be sent a ROOTS pack every six weeks, with gardening gifts, including Scottish seeds six times a year, stories about Scotland’s plant life, and tips from  expert Trust gardeners, as well as an invitation to two exclusive ROOTS events a year with the Trust gardens team.
Whether you buy ROOTS for yourself or as a gift for a loved one, your £7 a month will go towards supporting Trust gardens and designed landscapes in Scotland. Sign up today at nts.org.uk/roots and use the code Grows25 to receive an extra packet of seeds in your first pack.
 

There is something special about Branklyn Garden - a 2-acre garden, set on the side of Kinnoull Hill, overlooking Perth, created from 1922 onwards by beginner gardeners John and Dorothy Renton, using amongst other things seeds and plants collected by plant hunters.
The garden was left to the National Trust for Scotland in the late 1960s by the couple, and today attracts 18,000 visitors a year to its enchanting space, and infamous tea room.
So what makes Branklyn Garden so special? 
Back in series 7 of the Scotland Grows Show, we chatted with Jim Jermyn, former head gardener at Branklyn, on his memories of the garden, and in this episode, M.T. O'Donnell catches up with Kate White, the current Head Gardener at Branklyn Garden for her inside take on the enduring popularity of this very special garden.
--------------------------------------------
Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published.
Scotland Grows magazine is our digital title which celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK.
You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there!
And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com.
--------------------------------------------
This series is sponsored by ROOTS, a brilliant subscription from the National Trust for Scotland which helps both your garden and Trust gardens thrive.
For £7 a month you will be sent a ROOTS pack every six weeks, with gardening gifts, including Scottish seeds six times a year, stories about Scotland’s plant life, and tips from  expert Trust gardeners, as well as an invitation to two exclusive ROOTS events a year with the Trust gardens team.
Whether you buy ROOTS for yourself or as a gift for a loved one, your £7 a month will go towards supporting Trust gardens and designed landscapes in Scotland. Sign up today at nts.org.uk/roots and use the code Grows25 to receive an extra packet of seeds in your first pack.

For the first time in the RHS Chelsea Flower Show’s history, seagrass the ocean’s only flowering plant, will take centre stage in a garden designed by Ryan McMahon of Falkirk based MUSA Landscape Architecture, for marine restoration charity Seawilding, supported by Project Giving Back.  
The Seawilding Garden’s design is inspired by the landscape found at Loch Craignish on the west coast of Scotland and home of Seawilding, a marine restoration charity active in restoring lost biodiversity to our marine environment. 
Seagrass meadows are a rich habitat for biodiversity, providing an important habitat for commercial fish species as well as many other marine animals, they protect our coasts from erosion, and they lock away carbon in the sediment preventing it from being released into the atmosphere, often referred to as ‘blue carbon’. Although covering just 1% of the sea bed, seagrass accounts for 15% of carbon storage in the ocean.
This is a fascinating episode exploring seagrass, and seawilding!
--------------------------------------------
Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so we can let you know when new episodes are published.
Scotland Grows magazine is our digital title which celebrates Scottish gardening, and drops into your inbox 6 times a year. If you would like to receive a copy, just follow this LINK.
You can follow Scotland Grows on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'd love to have your company there!
And of course, you can always find your share of gardening goodness on our website at scotlandgrowsmagazine.com.
--------------------------------------------
This series is sponsored by ROOTS, a brilliant subscription from the National Trust for Scotland which helps both your garden and Trust gardens thrive.
For £7 a month you will be sent a ROOTS pack every six weeks, with gardening gifts, including Scottish seeds six times a year, stories about Scotland’s plant life, and tips from  expert Trust gardeners, as well as an invitation to two exclusive ROOTS events a year with the Trust gardens team.
Whether you buy ROOTS for yourself or as a gift for a loved one, your £7 a month will go towards supporting Trust gardens and designed landscapes in Scotland. Sign up today at nts.org.uk/roots and use the code Grows25 to receive an extra packet of seeds in your first pack.