Rootbound
with Alice Vincent
This post contains affiliate links
Plants and humans – both benefit from a little guidance, some setting of boundaries, but neither really flourish under duress. I spend a little time this episode mulling over what exactly being ‘rootbound’ means to a plant (including for a couple of contrary characters that seem to relish the experience), before talking to Alice about her second book, Rootbound. Rewilding a Life (which I reviewed for the blog here), the process of writing a nature memoir, and what everyone’s favourite balcony gardener is up to next.
There’s a micro review of a favourite book on my shelves, Roger Deakin’s Notes from Walnut Tree Farm. It’s actually a posthumous collection of musings and observations from the notebooks he kept daily over the last six years of his life, and while it might not quite fit into the category of nature memoir, it does include some of his initial thoughts on his book Wildwood, which most certainly does belong to that genre. For what all of that’s worth – they’re just stonkingly good books, by a stonkingly good writer. Extracts beautifully read for us, as ever, by Rose White.
Please do continue to share the podcast on social media, and if you’d really like to brighten my day, leave a review on iTunes or your podcast app of choice. Or drop me a note in the comments section below, having listened on the embedded player on this page.
Gardens, weeds and words podcast, S02E06 show notes
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.
These notes may contain affiliate links.
Garden soundtrack
More winter behind than before us
The cold and damp – joys of a good fire at the end of the day.
Micro book review 02:02
Roger Deakin’s Notes from Walnut Tree Farm https://amzn.to/2uRIWVU
Published by Hamish Hamilton, 2008
Extracts read by Rose White
Winter - a challenge for the indoor gardener
Being rootbound – a problem for houseplants…
…and also for plants in nurseries
…though a very few plants respond well to having their roots restricted. At least in terms of flowering.
A rootbound person? Some restrictions might be beneficial, but no-one likes to feel bound...
Interview with Alice Vincent 09:26
10:40 Alice describes her new book
11:47 Three ways in which gardening gets us
17:25 Writing a nature memoir
24:14 The experiences of women as represented in the book
26:35 Gendered questions that keeps coming up around nature
30:33 What’s the draw of Japan?
36:53 Gardening now on the Treehouse Balcony
42:25 What’s next for Alice
***
Thank you to Alice for joining me on this episode. Alice’s first book is How to Grow Stuff https://amzn.to/2PM28OP. You can read my review of Rootbound. Rewilding a Life on the blog here https://gardensweedsandwords.com/gwwblog/rootbound-alice-vincent
The Noughticulture talks at the Garden Museum https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/event_location/the-garden-museum/
Alice Vincent in the Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/alice-vincent/
Alice on Instagram instagram.com/noughticulture
Thanks too to Rose White for reading for us once again, this time from Roger Deakin’s Notes from Walnut Tree Farm. You can find Rose here instagram.com/liveawelllife
With thanks to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.
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