There are few more therapeutic jobs in the potting shed or polytunnel than sowing seeds, and if you’re looking to fill your spring garden with colourful cut flowers, now is the time to start sowing your standout varieties.

In the first of two back-to-back episodes of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Sarah turns her attention to the cut flowers she’ll be sowing from early January onwards, working week by week to create an invaluable sowing calendar you can easily follow at home.

In this episode, discover:

• Sarah's love of seed sowing, and the meditative quality it brings
• Top performing seeds for the start of the year, from fragrant sweet peas to easy growers like cerinthe
• A unique tip to prevent mice from spoiling your sweet pea seeds

Products mentioned:

Sweet Pea 'Erewhon'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/sweet-pea-erewhon

Sweet Pea 'Matucana'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lathyrus-odoratus-matucana

Cobaea scandens
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cobaea-scandens-purple

Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cerinthe-major-purpurascens

Antirrhinum majus 'Liberty Classic Crimson' F1
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-f1-liberty-classic-crimson

Antirrhinum majus 'White Giant' F1
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/antirrhinum-giant-white

Linaria maroccana 'Sweeties'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/linaria-maroccana-sweeties

Ammi majus
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/ammi-majus

Salvia viridis 'Blue Monday'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-viridis-blue

Centaurea cyanus 'Polka Dot Mixed'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/centaurea-cyanus-polka-dot-mixed

Malope trifida 'Alba'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/malope-trifida-alba

Scabiosa atropurpurea 'Black Cat'
https://www.sarahraven.com/products/scabiosa-atropurpurea-black-cat

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

For those who garden, whether on a windowsill or on a grander scale, it soon becomes a source of inspiration, passion and peace. A way to ground and find solace and, increasingly, a test of resilience and adaptability too.

In a reversal of the usual ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ format, journalist and broadcaster Alex Clark turns guest question master to steer the conversation on Sarah’s journey into horticulture, what they both get from gardening, and the sensory delights that growing, plants and wildlife can bring into our lives.

In this episode, discover:

• How Alex came to gardening as a newfound passion
• Incredible tips for newcomers from Sarah’s 30+ years’ of growing experience at Perch Hill
• Sarah’s original career path, and how she found the love of flowers that she now shares with us all
• Why pot gardening is ‘the great equaliser’ and a fantastic way for everyone to garden wherever they are

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

Every Ottolenghi book is a gift, filled with a treasure trove of unique recipes and the latest, Comfort – perfectly timed for Christmas feasting – is no exception. In fact, by the end of this week’s episode you may well be rethinking your own festive menu…

A self-confessed Ottolenghi fan, Sarah is joined Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley – two of the co-authors of Comfort, the latest Ottolenghi cook book – to share some of their favourite comfort food recipes including a delicious chocolate mousse inspired by the nostalgia of Terry’s Chocolate Orange, and a curry leaf dukkah guaranteed to jazz up any vegetable side dish.

In this episode, discover:

• The diverse culinary backgrounds of the Ottolenghi team, and how they've brought together the best comfort food recipes from around the world
• How to transform traditional Christmas veg like Brussels sprouts into a slow-cooked flavour sensation
• Nostalgic and novel dessert recipes for puddings to top off a delightful Christmas or New Year’s feast

Ottolenghi Comfort:
https://ottolenghi.co.uk/blogs/stories/ottolenghi-comfort

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