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Join host Cass Dowding and Jay from Flinders Farm Gate in this bonus subscriber episode where they get into the nitty gritty of what it takes to turn growing flowers from a hubby into a sustainable business. Jay generously shares lessons learnt along the way, the best support group she's ever had and what she'd do differently if she was starting out again as a new flower farmer. Follow Jay on Instagram @flindersfarmgate or head to the website flindersfarmgate.com Follow Cass on Instagram @the_sentimental_gardener

In this episode of The Sentimental Gardener, Cass chats with Jay Young, co-founder of Flinders Farmgate, a small-scale regenerative farm on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. Alongside her husband Nick, Jay grows garlic, sunflowers, dahlias and seasonal flowers, while finding ways to share their special patch of land with the local community. We talk about how a friend's suggestion to grow garlic set their farming journey in motion, how losing an entire garlic crop led them to diversify into flowers, and how a sunflower picking event grew into something much bigger than they expected. Jay also shares what she's learnt about regenerative farming, building healthy soil, working with nature rather than constantly intervening, and the realities of balancing a growing farm business with family life. And, of course, we talk about her sentimental plants: the climbing beans that take Jay back to her grandparent's garden, the winter-scented flowers that remind her of an early job at a flower shop, and the sunflowers that continue to bring her joy. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction: Meet Jay Young of Flinders Farmgate 01:56 Childhood memories of a farm in South Africa 07:25 From city life to a life in Flinders 15:51 How growing garlic started it all 19:03 Losing a crop and finding a new direction 21:16 Sunflowers, dahlias and the farm shop 28:43 Farming, family and finding balance 33:03 What regenerative farming looks like in practice 42:08 Three sentimental plants: beans, winter flowers and sunflowers 51:06 Quick-fire questions from the farm 58:11 Cass's reflection: Listening to what draws us in Want to hear more? Jay and I also recorded a bonus conversation for The Sentimental Gardener Substack paid subscribers, where we spend another 20 minutes talking about the business side of running a flower and garlic farm. Find the bonus episode and subscribe via The Sentimental Gardener on Substack or Apple Podcasts Follow Flinders Farmgate at their website, Instagram or Facebook Follow Cass at The Sentimental Gardener Instagram or add your name to the list at Substack to get my emails in your inbox.  CREDITS: Music written and played by Hayden Schuler of Vereya Gardening Produced, edited and mixed by Cass Dowding

Deb Collett was a previous guest way back in Season One, and since then we've become great friends. So it was particularly lovely to sit down and catch up with her on this episode of Sentimental Friends - the subscriber only series where we cover news, updates and more from people in gardening world.  This episode is available for FREE FOR EVERYONE as a thank you for your patience while I paused releasing episodes for a few months! Earlier this year, Deb was involved in Australia Post's dahlia cultivar collection, released back in May 2026 — a particularly perfect partnership given that, alongside collecting dahlias, Deb is also a passionate philatelist (stamp collector). We chat about: 🌸 Which dahlias made their stamp debut 🌸 The story behind the breeders of the three different varieties 🌸 The dahlia trails at Cruden Farm 🌸 The National Dahlia Conference 🌸 What's been happening in Deb's own garden 🌸 And, importantly, I ask Deb how on earth I'm supposed to manage the old and new growth on my tree dahlia! You can also catch Deb's original Sentimental Gardener episode here. Follow Deb on Instagram @debsdahlias Follow The Sentimental Gardener on Instagram @the_sentimental_gardener Subscribe to the mailing list here: https://thesentimentalgardener.substack.com/subscribe

Australian landscape architect and garden designer Timothy Mitchell joins Cass Dowding on The Sentimental Gardener podcast to talk about his early memories of plants, transforming tennis courts into a meadow of flowers and designing gardens en plein air.  They also dive into finding beauty in Australian native plants, building a dry climate garden that actually works, letting a garden evolve naturally over seasons, and why the most alive gardens are always being edited, observed and mulled over. They recorded this episode in Tim and his partner Lucy's backyard, surrounded by the antiquing of plants moving from summer to autumn and a view of Mt. William/ Wil-im-ee Moor-ring as the backdrop.  Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:35 Early memories of gardens and plants 05:00 Choosing a life in landscape design 09:00 Gardeners and landscape architects 13:45 Designing public places 16:00 Transforming a tennis court into a garden 18:30 Starting a garden from scratch 19:00 Finding beauty in Australian plants 22:40 Building a dry climate garden 27:45 Letting a garden grow naturally 32:00 Trees, time and looking after nature 38:30 What makes a garden feel alive 45:30 Learning by watching plants 49:45 Quick-fire garden questions 56:45 The gardens that stay with us 59:35 Final thoughts and outro Show notes: Follow Timothy Mitchell on Instagram or visit website Follow The Sentimental Gardener on Instagram and Facebook Visit The Sentimental Gardener website Get Sentimental Gardener emails in your inbox Get bonus content + episodes on Sentimental Friends Original music: Hayden Schueler of Vereya Gardening Audio mix: Tom Dowding Producer and editor: Cass Dowding

Are you an Australian native plant fanatic? Well you're going to love this episode! Cass Dowding chats with Ben Clark, co-owner of Kuranga Native Nursery, about growing up surrounded by the bush in Warrandyte, followed by an early obsession with plants, to building a family business around Australian native plants. Ben shares how he first came to Kuranga as an apprentice, what happens behind the scenes in the nursery he now owns, and why the nursery has become such a loved destination for native plant buffs. They also talk about Kuranga's expansion to a second site at Warrandyte, running the business with his wife Alexa, raising kids around the nursery, and the joy of dispersing native plants into gardens across the state, and maybe Australia! Show notes: Follow Kuranga Native Nursery on Instagram and Facebook Follow The Sentimental Gardener on Instagram and Facebook Get Sentimental Gardener emails Get bonus episodes on Sentimental Friends   Theme music: Hayden Schueler of Vereya Gardening Audio mix: Tom Dowding Producer and editor: Cass Dowding

Hannah Moloney was born for this! 'This' is creating what she calls "a good life for everybody": people, animals, ecosystems and communities alike. From climate-justice cabaret to gardening, activism, writing and community projects, Hannah's work is all about connection, resilience and finding better ways to live together. She's also a presenter on ABC TV's Gardening Australia and the bestselling author of the newly released Why We Garden — Even When We Don't Have To. In this episode, Cass and Hannah talk about early memories, sentimental plant stories, permaculture, activism and what Hannah discovered after interviewing thousands of gardeners about why we still feel drawn to plonk things in the ground and help them grow.  Host: Cass Dowding Guest: Hannah Moloney Episode show notes at The Sentimental Gardener Original Music: Hayden Schueler from Vereya Gardening Audio Mixing: Tom Dowding Editing and Producer: Cass Dowding

Subscriber question: does Hannah struggle with self-doubt and how does she manage social media being such a public person? The answer takes us down the road of mindsets, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) , getting support and how social media helps spread the word. Hannah Moloney is a host on ABC TV’s Gardening Australia and best-selling author. She's spent the past two decades getting her hands dirty in the garden, through activism, and in creative community projects that build connection and resilience. She is fully pumped to spend the rest of her life helping to grow a good life for all - including performing her climate-justice cabaret, gardening, and writing books that highlight connection, resilience and love. Do you have a question for a previous guest? Send them through the contact form at www.thesentimentalgardener.com Host: Cass Dowding Guest: Hannah Moloney Produced and edited: Cass Dowding Audio Mixing: Tom Dowding

Tim Pilgrim, garden designer and author of Wild by Design, joins Cass Dowding for a conversation about naturalistic gardening, learning through doing, and what it means to work with a place rather than trying to control it. Based in Central Victoria, Tim shares how his approach to garden design has evolved over time — shaped by observation, trial and error, and a deep connection to landscape. From early memories of planting and time spent in significant Australian gardens, to designing spaces that feel full, layered, and alive, this is a conversation about letting gardens find their own rhythm. Together, Cass and Tim explore how naturalistic gardens respond to climate, seasonality, and change — and how shifting away from control can open up something more meaningful, both in gardens and beyond. Tim also shares his three sentimental plants: osteospermum (daisy), paper daisy, and Nepeta 'Walker's Low'. Join other garden and plant lovers getting podcast updates in their inbox — join here Credits: Music: Hayden Schueler from Vereya Gardening Audio support: Tom Dowding Produced and edited by Cass Dowding See https://libsyn.com/tos-policies/privacy-policy/ for privacy information

I've heard how much you love the deep dives we do on the Sentimental Gardener, but you'd love more than monthly episodes! Well, I present to you a new show called 'Sentimental Friends' by The Sentimental Gardener. It's exclusive to subscribers only and drops monthly. Imagine you've been outside all day in your own garden, pondering about all things life and plants and then your friend drops by (who also loves gardens) and you grab a drink (hot or cold) and sit down together to debrief and catch up what each other is up to. That's the vibe for Sentimental Friends. More conversations, a little more casual. In our first episode of Sentimental Friends, I'm joined by previous SG guest Attila (Horgosi) The Horticulturist. We debrief our day together at The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show 2026, which leads to talking about our ideas for the show, which leads to The Landscape Conference which leads to Attila up a banksia tree which leads to how plants bring people together. So, take off your gloves (or put them on if you're heading out to garden) and enjoy Cass and Attila on Sentimental Friends. Things to listen to: Attila's episode on The Sentimental Gardener https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/attila-the-horticulturist-on-a-life-of/id1805506671?i=1000732695405 Things to look up: The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show https://melbflowershow.com.au/ The Landscape Conference https://www.outlandishventures.au/participate/alc2027/ See https://libsyn.com/tos-policies/privacy-policy/ for privacy information

Award-winning production designer Fiona Crombie joins Cass Dowding for a conversation about memory, storytelling and the gardens that stay with us. Best known for her work on films including The Favourite, The King, Cruella, Mickey 17 and Hamnet, Fiona reflects on the gardens of her childhood, from Sydney bushland to her grandmother's garden in Brisbane, and the plants that still carry a deep sense of home. Together, Cass and Fiona explore how gardens helped shape the emotional world of Hamnet — from wild, useful planting to hidden foraging spaces, orchards and one unforgettable tree. It's a gentle conversation about beauty, atmosphere, creativity and the way nature helps us tell stories. Fiona also shares her three sentimental plants: wattle, gardenia and pawpaw. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 01:55 Earliest Garden Memories 07:33 What a Production Designer Does 10:34 Discovering the Gardens of Hamnet 14:27 Designing Through Collaboration and Discovery 16:24 Finding the Tree 21:44 Creating the Gardens of Hamnet 28:51 Building the Henley Street Garden 30:57 The Knot Garden and the New House 35:03 The Hidden Foraging Garden 35:58 Designing the Globe to Feel Like the Inside of a Tree 40:10 What Stayed With Fiona After Hamnet 42:51 Three Sentimental Plants 45:52 Quick Fire Questions 49:39 Cass' Reflection 51:43 Credits and What's Next Join other garden and plant lovers getting podcast updates in their inbox and Substack writing in regular newsletters — join here To become a financial supporter of the show and help us spread more stories of the joy of a life in gardens — join here Credits: Music: Hayden Schueler from Vereya Gardening Audio support: Tom Dowding Produced and edited by Cass Dowding See https://libsyn.com/tos-policies/privacy-policy/ for privacy information

The story of The Sentimental Gardener. Cass Dowding swaps roles and takes the guest seat as is asked all the questions she asks her guests.  Guided by brilliant host Chloe Foster, author of The Rookie Gardener, host of 3CR Gardening Show and Horticulture educator, Cass opens up about starting a podcast, how gardens contained and plants helped her process her grief and what grew after.  From dreams of being a dancer, to finding a career in midwifery and nursing to how motherhood made her face what's really important, Cass' story is a winding journey of a life filled with finding the thing that brings life and joy ... which is now plants! And gardens. And people who garden!   00:00 Introduction 02:16 Childhood Garden Memories 08:29 Career Path: Ballet to Nursing 12:42 Covid, Motherhood and Change 18:44 Grief and Becoming a Sentimental Gardener 22:27 Cancer, Anxiety and the Garden 24:02 Writing and Discovering Garden Stories 27:39 How the Podcast Began 33:51 Finding Confidence and Voice 44:29 What Surprised Me About Gardeners 46:53 Three Sentimental Plants 55:37 What Gardens Teach Us About Life 1:00:29 Why Gardening Brings Belonging Other Sentimental Gardener podcat episodes mentioned in this episode: Fleur Flanery on what the landscape says about us, The Australian Landscape Conference and a million trees Sandra Schwartz on the study of greenspaces Hayden Schueler on being a closeted gardener, Japanese topiary and caring for other people's gardens Chloe Foster on her book The Rookie Gardener, prickly grevilleas and growing gardeners Join other garden and plants lovers getting podcast updates in their inbox and Substack writing in regular newsletters - join here To become a financial supporter of the show and help us spread more stories of the joy of a life in gardens - join here Credits: Music: Hayden Schueler from Vereya Gardening Audio support: Tom Dowding Produced and edited by Cass Dowding See https://libsyn.com/tos-policies/privacy-policy/ for privacy information

Cass shares what's coming in Season 2 ... returning March 2026

Annie Winter, gardener, and Cass share laughs, tangents, and heartfelt reflections in this Christmas Special recorded in The Winter Garden. Can they cover everything they want to talk about? Most likely not! But along the way, you'll hear: How their friendship began (it started with a "no") Behind the scenes of starting a podcast and dealing with imposter syndrome Gardens where they felt the 'whoosh' this year Reflections on this season's incredible guest stories Listener stories that made them cry One lucky listener winning a $50 voucher from Kuranga Native Nursery Stay until the end for a hilarious outtake! About Annie's garden: Annie's garden opens in January 2026 for Global Gardens of Peace fundraising event. Read more in Garden's Illustrated, Galah magazine, The Design Files  and Studio Home Unearthed.  Follow The Sentimental Gardener on Instagram and Substack: @the_sentimental_gardener Follow Annie on Instagram: @annmaree.winter And go to the website www.thesentimentalgardener.com for show notes and other stories.  The Sentimental Gardener is a gardening podcast (that's not really a gardening podcast) hosted by Cass Dowding. Produced, recorded and edited by Cass Dowding. Mixed by Tom Dowding Theme music by Hayden Schueler from @vereyagardening Hosted on Libsyn Five. See https://libsyn.com/tos-policies/privacy-policy/ for more information.

Ralph Bristow, expressionist painter and garden designer, joins Cass for a gentle, searching conversation about what happens when we design not from certainty, but from listening. They explore Ralph's experience of synaesthesia — hearing gardens as music — how embracing entropy and creative dissonance shapes living landscapes, and why beginning without a finished picture can lead to the most alive work of all. From colour inversion to jazz-fusion rhythms in planting, Ralph shares how his gardens emerge through risk, instinct, and deep attention to the land. Along the way, they reflect on the emotional safety beautiful spaces create — how gardens can help us feel open without feeling overwhelmed — and how his mother's words, "Do it while you can," became quiet permission to keep creating even when outcomes remain unknown. This is an invitation into uncertainty as a creative companion — into tending not just gardens, but our capacity to begin, listen, and feel fully alive. SHOW NOTES See extensive show notes at The Sentimental Gardener — Ralph Bristow Buy tickets to visit The Barwitian Garden with Open Gardens Victoria — January 2026 Music: Hayden Schueler @vereyagardening Audio engineering: Tom Dowding Production & editing: Cass Dowding Privacy policy: libsyn.com/tos-policies/privacy-policy

Horticulturist, author, and advocate for Australian native plants, Roger Elliot AM joins Cass Dowding on The Sentimental Gardener to explore how a lifetime of noticing — from childhood bushland to decades of fieldwork — can shape the way we understand the natural world. From early days learning under mentors like Edna Walling, Jack McLeod, and Glen Wilson, to co-authoring alongside David Jones the landmark Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation, Roger has spent more than sixty years asking: How do plants, people, and place shape one another? And what grows when we care with curiosity? In this episode, they talk about: the "web of life" Roger saw long before ecology had a name the quiet, essential partnership of Roger and Gwen how nurseries, fieldwork, and mentoring shaped generations of plant lovers and why caring for plants is inseparable from caring for people A gentle, generous conversation about legacy, relationship, and the slow work of cultivating a life with meaning. — SHOW NOTES: See extensive show notes over at The Sentimental Gardner - Rodger Elliot Visit the Australian Garden at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Cranbourne to see one of the landscapes Roger helped shape. Music by Hayden Schueler @vereyagardening Audio Engineering: Tom Dowding Production and Editing: Cass Dowding Privacy: libsyn.com/tos-policies/privacy-policy