The joys of growing and gardening with kids with Anna Greenland - Episode 228
2Digest
This podcast begins with an announcement about the opening of Perch Hill for garden visits and lunches. The main focus is an interview with Anna Greenland, who details her career shift from modelling to vegetable growing. Her experiences working at Jamie Oliver's restaurant and the Lost Gardens of Heligan are discussed, highlighting the challenges of supplying fresh produce to demanding chefs. Anna also shares her involvement with Alan Titchmarsh's Gardening Club and the Scribble & Hand gardening writing collective. The conversation covers her summer and autumn harvests (tomatoes, salads, chicories, endives, winter salads, carrots), and her approach to gardening with her children, emphasizing a fun, sensory-rich experience. The podcast concludes with practical advice for parents wanting to garden with their children.
Outlines
Perch Hill & Anna Greenland's Journey
The podcast introduces Perch Hill's opening for visits and lunches, followed by an interview with Anna Greenland, detailing her career change from modelling to vegetable growing, including her experiences at Jamie Oliver's restaurant and the Lost Gardens of Heligan, and the challenges of working with chefs.
Alan Titchmarsh, Scribble & Hand, and Growing Techniques
Anna discusses her work on Alan Titchmarsh's Gardening Club and contributions to Scribble & Hand, alongside her summer and autumn harvests (tomatoes, salads, chicories, endives, winter salads, carrots) and succession planting techniques.
Sensory Gardening with Children
The podcast concludes with Anna's approach to gardening with children, focusing on creating a fun, engaging, and sensory-rich experience, offering advice for parents.
Keywords
Heritage Tomatoes
Heirloom or heritage tomatoes are open-pollinated varieties, often with unique flavours and appearances, passed down through generations. They offer diverse tastes compared to hybrid varieties.
Market Gardening
A small-scale farming method focusing on direct sales to consumers, often at farmers' markets. It prioritizes high-value, fresh produce and sustainable practices.
Sensory Gardening
A gardening approach that engages multiple senses—sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound—creating a richer and more immersive experience, especially beneficial for children.
Succession Planting
A gardening technique involving planting crops in stages to ensure a continuous harvest throughout the growing season. This extends the harvest period and maximizes yield.
Polytunnel
A type of greenhouse, often made of plastic, used to extend the growing season and protect plants from harsh weather conditions. Provides a controlled environment for optimal plant growth.
Alan Titchmarsh's Gardening Club
Popular gardening television show featuring expert advice and practical tips.
Scribble & Hand
A gardening writing collective producing accessible gardening content.
Anna Greenland
Vegetable grower and contributor to various gardening media.
Q&A
What inspired Anna's transition from modelling to vegetable growing?
A combination of her rural upbringing, exposure to local growers at Jamie Oliver's restaurant, and a desire for a more nature-connected life.
What are the key challenges of supplying fresh produce to restaurant kitchens?
Mismatched expectations between chefs' needs (specific sizes, quantities) and gardeners' practices (succession planting, natural variations). Communication and flexibility are crucial.
How does Anna involve her children in gardening?
By creating a fun and engaging environment, providing them with their own space to grow, and focusing on sensory experiences like flower picking and making potions.
What are some of Anna's favourite vegetables to grow for both summer and autumn harvests?
Summer: Heritage tomatoes (Paul Robson), salads. Autumn/Winter: Chicories, endives, winter salads, carrots.
What advice does Anna offer for parents wanting to garden with their children?
Create a fun, child-friendly space; let children lead; focus on sensory experiences; don't micromanage; and prioritize enjoyment over perfection.
Show Notes
Between starting out at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall, a spot on Alan Titchmarsh’s new TV show, and raising two young daughters, organic grower Anna Greenland is a modern horticultural heroine.
Returning to ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ this month, Anna joins Sarah to share how she inspires her children to grow with her, tips for encouraging younger family members to embrace gardening, and what to sow or harvest now to enjoy the kitchen garden’s greatest gifts.
In this episode, discover:
- How Anna became a passionate vegetable grower and her journey from front of house at Jamie Oliver's restaurant, to growing and supplying produce at the Lost Gardens of Heligan
- A glimpse into the life of gardening with children, and creative ways to engage kids in the garden
- Practical growing tips for July, with Anna’s pick of what to harvest now, and what to sow for autumn and winter crops
- Anna's endeavours as a gardening expert, working on Alan Titchmarsh's gardening show, and her involvement with the garden writing subscription Scribehound
Products mentioned:
Chicory 'Variegato di Castelfranco'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/chicory-variegato-di-castelfranco
Carrot 'Nantes 5'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/carrot-nantes-5
Salad Leaf Autumn & Winter Mix
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/autumn-and-winter-salad-leaf-mix
Winter purslane (Claytonia)
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/winter-purslane
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/
See our events: https://www.sarahraven.com/courses-events
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website: https://www.sarahraven.com/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravensgarden/
Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarahravenperchhill/
Order Sarah’s latest books: https://www.sarahraven.com/gifts/gardening-books?sort=newest
Table of contents
United States
