Plants and wellbeing

Listeners from the LGBTQ+ community talk about ‘what houseplants mean to me’, plus I answer a question about Streptocarpus.

Raffaella Warren-Barbieri joins me to talk about indoor bonsai, and what it’s like being a Gen Z plant aficionado. Plus I answer a question about giving new life to a couple of rescue bromeliads.

I find out more about a scheme helping women in prison to get growing houseplants, and I discuss the delights of lucky bamboo, aka Dracaena sanderiana. Plus I answer a question about cork for supporting aroids.

Plants can boost your mental health - but it’s easy to let you leafy obsession tip over into a damaging habit that impacts your wellbeing. I chat to Mental health nurse Amy March about how to deal with houseplant overwhelm, whether plant bans are a good thing, and how to develop healthy houseplant buying habits.

I talk to Travis Cooper aka @plantsdecoop about plant purges, the power of creativity and the joy of a chunky aroid potting mix. I also answer a question about choosing a new home with your plants in mind.

Warning, this episode is seriously relaxing! I read from a Victorian book on indoor gardening that should provide the perfect aural backdrop to a chill-out session, some plant care or even an afternoon nap.

I chat to Ijor Josifovic and Judith de Graaff, founders of Urban Jungle Bloggers, about their new book Plant Tribe, plus I answer a question about how to avoid overwatering your plants during a pandemic lockdown, and we meet listener Maria.

I've been thinking about how On The Ledge can respond to the current crisis we are all facing. In this bonus midweek episode, I bring you my thoughts so far. Plus we meet listener Jenn.

Biophilic designer Oliver Heath joins me to explain how being surrounded by nature can have palpable benefits for us all. And I answer a question about watering cacti in winter. 

I visit two seasoned plant swappers in Sheffield to find out how it’s done - and I answer a question about a mystery Peperomia.

Judy Feldstein of Houseplant411.com joins me to share her ten commandments for houseplant care and I answer question about fungus gnats.

I chat to Baylor Chapman, author of new book Decorating With Plants and founder of California plant design studio Lila B Design, about plants for the bedroom. We finally smash the myth that houseplants shouldn’t be placed in bedrooms, discuss the challenges of finding plants to suit bedrooms, and put forward some clever ideas to green up your sleeping area without taking up too much room.

I talk conservatories with Ruth Kassinger, author of Paradise Under Glass, introduce part one of the On The Ledge sowalong, and answer a question about mould.

Do houseplants really clean the air in your house? I talk to PhD researcher Curtis Gubb about his project to discover whether houseplants really do have a positive effect on air quality. And I answer a question on small ferns for terrariums.

Professional aquascaper George Farmer turned his hobby into a successful career. I get some tips on how to get started with your first underwater landscape, and find out how aquascaping helped George deal with PTSD. And I answer a question about a Peperomia with bumpy leaves.