Listen to our garden podcast series

Podcast host Alan Power interviewing the gardening team at Stowe

Our National Trust garden podcast is back for a second series. This time we'll be taking you behind the scenes at three of our great historic gardens. Join our presenters as they delve into the stories and characters that make each place so special, and meet the teams and volunteers who look after our places for everyone to enjoy.

Download or stream episodes from the series

Each episode is available from a variety of platforms including iTunes, SoundCloud and Acast.

Parterre Cliveden Summer 2016 — Overlooking the Parterre at Cliveden in the summer

Episode 1, available 10 August - Beauty and scandal at Cliveden

We're starting out at Cliveden, Buckinghamshire. Set high above the Thames, Cliveden is home to a world famous parterre, Japanese Garden and topiary-lined long walk. Around every corner you’ll find stories of mystery, decadence and the fame and misfortune of Britain’s political elite. We’ll take you behind the scenes of the Trust and shed light on how our staff and volunteers keep the gardens at Cliveden looking spectacular all year round.

Download on iTunes

In addition to our main episode, two mini episodes will bring you extra content from Cliveden. These will be available to stream or download on the 17 and 24 August.

Geese on water with the Palladian Bridge in the background at Stowe — The Palladian Bridge at Stowe

Episode 2, available 31 August - Breaking new ground at Stowe

Come and explore the immersive landscape, ornate monuments and tranquil lakes at Stowe, Buckinghamshire. It's a garden shaped by the ground-breaking landscape architect Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Learn about the beginnings of the British landscape garden movement and the hidden meaning behind many of Stowe’s monuments and sculptures.

Download on iTunes

In addition to our main episode, two mini episodes will bring you extra content from Stowe. These will be available to stream or download on the 7 and 14 September.

Garden at Mount Stewart — Mount Stewart, County Down

Episodes 3, available 21 September - Sub-tropical Mount Stewart

Our third garden is in Northern Ireland at one of the Trust's most unique gardens. Full of exotic plants more usually found in the jungles of Burma or the Australian outback, the garden of Mount Stewart, County Down is designed by 'Society Queen' Edith, Lady Londonderry and needs to be seen to be believed. Discover how her sense of adventure and quirky sense of humour shaped the gardens we see today.

Download on iTunes

In addition to our main episode, two mini episodes will bring you extra content from Mount Stewart. These will be available to stream or download on the 28 September and 5 October.

Download the podcast from iTunes

Download or subscribe to enjoy our new podcasts on iTunes

Download from iTunes

Stream the podcast on SoundCloud

Stream the episodes of the podcast

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Download the podcast from Acast

Listen to or download the podcast

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Explore episodes from our 2016 gardens podcast series

A view across the lake at Stourhead in autumn — In autumn Stourhead garden is truly spectacular

Episode one: Stourhead

Presented by Head Gardener Alan Power, this three-part series began in autumn 2016. In the first episode Alan goes behind the scenes at Stourhead to reveal the planting, wildlife and autumn colour.

Download on iTunes

Episode two: Croome, Worcestershire

In the second episode Alan visits Croome in Worcestershire. Croome was garden designer Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown’s first large-scale commission which he described as his 'first and most favourite child'.

Download on iTunes

The White Garden in summer at Sissinghurst Castle — The White Garden at Sissinghurst Castle

Episode three: Sissinghurst, Kent

The 2016 gardens podcast series concludes at Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent, once home to Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson, where the colour schemes, garden rooms and rich herbaceous borders are the epitome of an English garden.

Download on iTunes

Garden cuttings – short features

Along with the 20-minute episodes there will be a further six 5-minute 'garden cuttings' recorded at each location.

What is a podcast?

A podcast is an audio show, usually spread across a series of episodes, which can be downloaded from the Internet and listened to either on a computer or an MP3 player. New instalments of each series can be received by subscribers automatically.

Why are we doing it?

Podcasts are a great way to find out more about a subject while simply listening – you can listen on your daily commute, at the gym, while you're in the car, or relaxing at home. As a medium, audio is evocative and immersive – an ideal way to go behind the scenes at our places to discover more about the history, and how the Trust looks after these places for ever, for everyone.

" The podcasts are a great way to experience our places, whether you love Trust places, gardens or history. We delve into the rich history of our gardens, speaking to the people who now look after these landscapes day-in day-out and know them most intimately"