Grace Alexander, Seed Merchant and Clinical Psychologist

A fascinating, rich and reflective conversation with Grace Alexander, a seed merchant and Consultant Clinical Psychologist working in Child Protection who lives, and grows, in Somerset. Grace and I met through Instagram and its been a joy getting to know her a little through our conversations.

In this one we talk about effort-ing, perfectionism and high achievement (Grace wrote two psychology books during Lockdown 1) and about the difficulty of being consistently authentic on Instagram given the nature of her work and how she is finding her way to doing just that through Gather, her new Membership among other things.

I really hope you enjoyed what I experienced as a deep and nourishing conversation.

Sarah LaytonNovember 4, 2020GrowthfullyComment

Marchelle Farrell, Gardener, Psychotherapist & Psychiatrist

Marchelle, whose Instagram Bio reads 'Gardening as a Subversive Act. These are the things my garden told me' and I first connected over a post in which she said she was ‘her ancestor’s wildest dream’ . This resonated with me as I imagine I am too, as the descendent of 2 young Jewish men who made their way to England from Eastern Europe in the mid 19th Century to find safety and a better life..

Our thought provoking and moving conversation gently explores what it means to her as a black woman of mixed heritage to be gardening in Somerset in the UK, and how she comes to terms with her heritage - that she has both ancestors who were slaves and ancestors who were, mostly likely, slave owners. It flowed through her delightful sounding garden on a hill with a stream all the way to ancestry and slavery with many interesting stops along the way. I hope you enjoy!

Sarah LaytonOctober 21, 2020GrowthfullyComment

Sue Stuart-Smith, Author of The Well Gardened Mind

I so enjoyed reading Sue Stuart-Smith’s book, The Well Gardened Mind, and was delighted to chat with her about the relationship between gardening and mental health that I’m so passionate about.

Our conversation touches on the ways in which our gardens support us, the concept of Garden Time, the possibilities for rehabilitation as exemplified by the wonderful Arnap garden in Sweden and Microclial cells, which are known as the gardeners of the mind for their ability to prune away dead, un-needed matter.

Sarah LaytonOctober 7, 2020Comment

Bex Partridge, Author of Everlastings

A lovely conversation with Bex Partridge, author of Everlastings, a beautiful book all about sowing, growing, harvesting and using dried flowers.

Recorded in May, during Lockdown, our conversation journeyed through gardening, post-natal depression and mothering, the importance of creating structure in our gardens, and how to use pressed flowers in a way that your granny wouldn’t recognise. And more.

Sarah LaytonSeptember 23, 2020GrowthfullyComment

Alice Vincent, Author of 'Rootbound'

Rootbound is “about plants, and people, and the things that grow up in between the cracks - love, longing and life”.

Alice Vincent is an author, garden writer and journalist who, at the time of recording, gardened on her balcony in London. Her book, Rootbound, Rewilding a Life, describes her journey to becoming a gardener as an almost accidental way of supporting herself at a time of personal crisis, is a delightful read and gave us masses to discuss.

Sarah LaytonSeptember 9, 2020GrowthfullyComment

Annabelle Padwick, Life at no 27

Annabelle Padwick created LIfe at No 27 to support children and adults to improve their mental and physical health through gardening. We chat about her own garden - on the towpath next to her narrowboat near Oxford, regrowing vegetables after you’ve eaten them, about her work in school and on the allotment with vulnerable children and adults and more…

Sarah LaytonMay 6, 2020 Comments

Interesting chats about our gardens and lives…