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Fall is officially in the air, and the Garden Gab girls are gathering all sorts of good things! 🍂 This week, we're continuing our Harvest season with a conversation about gathering from the garden—and we're taking that idea well beyond the flower basket. First up, we've got BIG news! Our very first Garden Gab trip to England is officially open for booking, and we're giving you a little taste of two extraordinary gardens on the itinerary: Gravetye Manor and Knepp Estate. From William Robinson's Wild Garden to the modern rewilding movement, we're dreaming of all the things we can learn across the pond. Then we're heading Down Home to Birmingham, where Tessa came to celebrate her birthday at Antiques at the Gardens. There were fabulous lectures, plenty of creative inspiration, and one rather unfortunate near-miss involving Molly's car and design royalty Bunny Williams. (Everyone survived. Praise be.) For Motions from the Floor, we're asking: What can we gather from our gardens, and what can we gather from one another? We're talking cut flowers, foraged foliage, pass-along plants, and the art of planning ahead for the things we want to enjoy in seasons to come. But we're also talking about gathering ideas, cultivating creativity, learning from other gardeners, and the beauty of starting small. Because you don't need Martha Stewart's bulb budget to be a real gardener! Plus, we're tackling a listener's Garden Dilemma about those awkward holes in a young garden, sharing a gorgeous new book that has us both swooning, and reminding you that a little patience (and perhaps a little resourcefulness) goes a long way. So pour yourself something cozy, grab your garden notebook, and come gab with us. There's always something worth gathering. 🌿 P.S. Don't forget to leave us a comment on Substack to enter our fall giveaway, and send us your Garden Dilemmas. We love hearing from our fellow garden club members!   Show Notes: COME TO THE MOTHERLAND WITH US! Garden Gab's 2027 England Garden Tour is filling and we want Garden Gabbers there! Visit our show Substack to download the trip PDF with all the deets! Past Forward by Barbara Adkins – both Tessa and Molly had this bought for them from someone else and we are in love with this book! Garden Gab's Substack — leave us a comment to enter yourself in the giveaway! And be sure to send us your gardener dilemma!! Books we can’t stop talking about this episode! The Wild Garden by William Robinson Wilding by Isabella Tree — Written by the owners of Knepp Castle, another stop on our Garden Gab Tour! Decoration by Bunny Williams and Elizabeth Lawrence Life in the Garden by Bunny Williams

Well hello there Garden Gabbers! Welcome to the very first episode of Garden Gab’s fall season, where we’re spending six episodes digging into one big theme: HARVEST. But before we get philosophical, Molly is fresh off the plane from Bergamo, Italy, with plenty to report which included but was not limited to canoes, a very moving tribute to Nigel Dunnett, an appropriate amount of tiramisu, and a newfound obsession with… gravel. Yes, gravel. Stay with us. Then we’re asking: what does it actually mean to harvest a garden? Because here in the South, harvest isn’t necessarily one grand, pumpkin-filled finale. It’s more of a loop. The zucchini comes, the peonies bloom, the tomatoes ripen, the asters finally save the crispy September meadow… and all the while, we’re observing, experimenting, editing, failing, trying again, and already plotting what we’ll do differently next year. We’re talking about designing for those little moments of payoff throughout the year, learning to notice the gaps in our gardens, and becoming more confident creative decision-makers instead of waiting for someone to hand us the perfect gardening formula. Plus: Tessa is sowing seeds (perhaps recklessly), Molly’s meadow is a little crispy (but we press on!). They've both bought themselves new gardening books, a listener introduces them to the concept of cozy botany, and they tackle their first Garden Dilemma: What if your entire garden feels like a dilemma and you have absolutely no idea where to start? Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and come gab with us. The Harvest season has officially begun. 🌾 If you are loving Garden Gab we would love for you to leave us a review and share the pod with another green loving friend! And be sure to subscribe to the show Substack to stay in the know on all things Garden Gab (like our first club field trip to ENGLAND!!!)   Show Notes: We kicked off the show with Molly recapping her third year in Bergamo at the International Garden Festival! If you would like to hear about Molly’s time last year at the conference, check out her interview on the Plantastic Podcast with Jared Barnes HERE! In Bergamo Molly  learned lots about gravel and you can buy the Gravel Garden book she bought herself HERE. If you are intrigued by the work of James Hitchmough and Nigel Dunnett as much as the girls are, might we recommend their new edition of The Dynamic Landscape! Tessa bought herself a book as well… and Molly has now followed her lead and ordered so we thought you might like to as well! Check out The Creative Gardener by Stephanie Mahon HERE! While we are on a book kick, one of our listeners (THANKS ANNA!!) recommended A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari. Can we make cozy botany a thing?! Tessa will have it cued to listen on her drive to Bham to see Molly and shall report back! Thanks for joining the Gab!

Garden Gab is entering its seasonal era! 🍂 Just like the garden, we’re leaning into a new rhythm around here. Instead of popping in with whatever happens to be on our minds (don’t worry, there will still be plenty of that), Garden Gab is moving to six-episode seasons built around one big theme. And for our very first fall season, we’re talking HARVEST. But we’re not just talking tomatoes, pumpkins, and what’s coming out of the kitchen garden. This season, we’re asking what it really means to harvest from a garden—the flowers we cut, the seeds we save, the lessons we learn, the things that made it through a Southern summer, and all the little ways a garden gives something back. We’re also inviting YOU further into the Garden Gab Club. All season long, we want to know: What did your garden give you this year? Plus, send us your real-life garden and design dilemmas, and Molly and Tessa just might hash them out on the show. There will still be plenty of Down Home, Out & About, motions from the floor, garden brags and busts, things we bought ourselves, and whatever else gets us off track along the way. Same Garden Gab, just with a little more seasonal rhythm. So grab your tote, start manifesting fall (even if it is still 95 degrees), and meet us back here in two weeks for the first episode of Garden Gab: Harvest. 🍎🌾✂️   ** Final Call for those wanting to register interest for our June 2027 Tour of English Gardens!!! Our first Garden Gab field trip... if you will. We have a finalized itinerary, cost, and many more details ready to hit your inbox! Register your interest HERE, we would love to have your join the gab as we head over the pond!

Welcome back Garden Gabbers!! Today we are wrapping up our English Gardens Summer Series with a proper treat... and our very first Garden Gab guest! The one, the only… DEAN CHARLTON!🇬🇧🌿 Pull up a chair (preferably with a mug of Yorkshire Tea) as we catch up with our dear friend Dean—gardener, printmaker, plant propagator, and all-around delight. Molly and Tessa first met Dean while working with him at the legendary Great Dixter, where Dean was a gardener for 6 years. Dean was Molly’s housemate and Tessa’s garden “handler”... and alongside Dean the girls learned everything from dividing perennials... to the sheer panic of accidentally over-pruning one of the most famous hollies  in England. 😅✂️ Dean now runs Hooton’s Walled Nursery in his hometown of Rotherham, England in Yorkshire with his dad, Glenn. In this episode we're chatting about what it really takes to grow a nursery from the ground up, why some of the best plants come with the best stories, and why the world could use a few more mad keen gardeners. As the girls chat with Dean they wander through Great Dixter memories, British folklore, the yearly flow of nursery work, old-school growing techniques, the beauty of slowing down, and why gardening stubbornly demands time and attention in an instant gratification world. Whether you have an interest in growing some plants yourself, or just want to be transported over the pond for a bit… pop the kettle on. This one's for you. 💚 Thanks for joining the Gab! Be sure to stay in the know on all things Garden Gab by subscribing to our show Substack HERE!    SHOW NOTES Shout it from the rooftops… Tessa and Molly are planning their first Garden Gab field trip to MOTHER ENGLAND! If you are interested we would love for you to read through the FAQ and register your interest HERE! Check out more about the story of Hooton’s Walled Nursery and read all the press Dean has received for all the waves his nursery is making in the THE NORTH!! If all our chat about Dean’s art background perked up your ears, look no further than his lovely Etsy shop. You can join Molly and Tessa in collecting the complete Dean Charlton Garden collection!

What happens when you spend a month gardening at one of the world's most celebrated gardens... and then come home to the heat, humidity, clay soil, and deer of the American South? In Part 2 of our Summer Series on English Gardens, Tessa takes us behind the scenes at Great Dixter, where every morning begins with a broom, every planting is a thoughtful experiment, and being called "a dinosaur in the beds" is about the worst thing that can happen to a gardener. But this episode isn't really about England. It's about what happens when those lessons come home. We unpack how working at Great Dixter changed the way we both garden in the South—not by copying English gardens plant-for-plant, but by embracing the posture behind them. We talk about creating gardens that are always evolving, learning to observe before acting, taking creative risks, developing your own style instead of chasing the safest landscape, and discovering that the real art of gardening doesn't end when the design is installed... it begins. Along the way we chat about succession planting, tea breaks, sweeping paths, why "low maintenance" might actually mean "low brain-tenance," and how curiosity and experimentation can transform even the most ordinary backyard into something deeply personal. We also squeeze in a classic Garden Gab round of Brag or Bust (RIP to one vintage terracotta pot), celebrate some long-awaited wins in the garden, compare Bobo and Little Lime hydrangeas, check in on Molly's bees, and admire a brand-new pair of glasses. Whether you're dreaming of visiting Great Dixter one day or simply wondering how to create a more joyful, creative garden right where you are, we hope this conversation inspires you to garden a little more courageously—and to remember that a beautiful garden isn't about recreating someone else's masterpiece. It's about cultivating one that's uniquely your own. In this episode, we chat about: What Great Dixter taught us that translates surprisingly well to Southern gardens Why gardening is an ongoing creative act and not just maintenance Observing before acting and learning to "read" a garden Finding your own gardening style instead of playing it safe Succession planting, experimentation, and thoughtful risk-taking Garden Brag or Bust Hydrangeas, honey, new glasses, and a tragic terracotta casualty Plus, we share more about our upcoming Garden Gab England Tour, where we'll be taking listeners behind the scenes of some of our favorite gardens—including Great Dixter itself. Register your interest HERE!! And be sure to subscribe to the show Substack HERE to stay in the know on all things Garden Gab!

Welcome to Part 1 of our three-part Summer Series on English Gardens! Cheers Garden Gabbers! What is it about English gardens that captivates gardeners around the world? Is it the romance, the history, the overflowing borders... or something deeper? In this first installment, Molly and Tessa explore why England has become one of the world's great gardening destinations and why its influence can still be found in gardens across America. Molly also shares the remarkable story of her ten-month Royal Horticultural Society Interchange Fellowship, where she trained at some of Britain's most iconic gardens—including RHS Wisley, Great Dixter, the Eden Project, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Kew Gardens, and more—and how that experience completely changed the course of her career. Along the way, we chat about the unique culture of gardening in England, what makes English gardens feel so magical, and why understanding their history can make us all better gardeners. This episode is the first stop on our summer journey across England. In the coming weeks, we'll head deeper into some of our favorite gardens, share stories from behind the scenes, and explore the people and ideas that continue to shape the way we garden today. Put the kettle on, settle into your favorite garden chair, and join us for the first chapter of our English garden adventure. 🇬🇧🌿 If you want to stay in the know with all things Garden Gab Club, be sure to subscribe to our Substack HERE! And if you feel so inclined, we would love for you to share Garden Gab with someone you think would like to be a part of the club!   CLUB NOTES: + Tessa and Molly are planning their first Garden Gab field trip to… you guessed it… MOTHER ENGLAND! If you are interested we would love for you to read through the FAQ and register your interest HERE! + If you are a garden history dork like Molly and Tessa, you might enjoy dipping into “Landscape Design : A Cultural and Architectural History." + Today’s final quote is from our boy Humphrey. Molly had the chance to see some of his infamous Red Books at the Garden Museum in London, who put together this amazing video of his process! + The lion’s share of this episode is Molly gabbing about her experience as the RHS Interchange Fellow where she had the opportunity to work in some dreamy British gardens. If Her gabbing wasn’t enough you can read her final report from the fellowship HERE

Grab your sparklers, pour yourself something fizzy, and report to the backyard—because this year's Fourth of July celebration comes with a guest list straight out of American history. While we go hard for America’s 250th birthday, make sure you stick around for an exciting chance to get more info on joining us for our first Garden Gab Club Field Trip, perhaps across the pond to the Motherland?! In this delightfully unhinged episode, we're hosting the ultimate patriotic garden party and inviting George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison, Ben Franklin (every party needs some fun uncle energy), and a few fabulous First Ladies to join us around the table. Naturally, the conversation quickly turns to the important questions: Which Founding Father is bringing heirloom tomatoes? Who shows up with hard cider? Which one quietly judges your vegetable garden? And who is absolutely giving the children ice cream before dinner despite Abigail Adams' best efforts? Along the way, we're dreaming up a red, white, and bloom tablescape using flowers fresh from the garden, sharing stories from Tessa's beautiful cottage garden workshop, surviving the Great Southern Heat Dome of 2026, swapping tomato triumphs and tragedies, and closing with a few gardening quotes from America's founding gardeners themselves. So raise a sparkling lavender lemonade (or perhaps something a little stronger…. Right Ben?!), ring the Liberty Bell, and join us for an episode that's equal parts history lesson, garden party, and backyard barbecue. Because nothing says "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"... quite like fresh tomatoes, flower arrangements, and Ben Franklin causing just a tiny bit of chaos. Happy (belated) Fourth from Tessa and Molly Garden Gabbers! 🇺🇸🌿 **and Happy ninth Birthday Lady *Liberty* Belle!!!   Show Notes: Do you want to register your interest in a Garden Gab England Garden Tour FIELD TRIIIIP for Summer 2027?? Great, we have an interest form!! Be sure to subscribe to our show Substack HERE to stay in the know on all things Garden Gab (including field trips to far flung places!)

Welcome back to the Garden Gab Club people! It's the lazy, hazy days of summer... and we are loving it. The garden has entered that glorious, slightly chaotic point in the season where the zucchini won’t stop coming, the weeds are winning (until they’re not), and every day seems to hold a small excuse to stay outside just a little longer. In this episode, we’re settling into the rhythms of midsummer—celebrating the summer solstice, sharing simple adventures close to home, and talking about the gardens that are teaching us patience, abundance, and joy. From Cahaba lilies blooming in Alabama rivers to neighborhood dinners, overflowing vegetable beds, and the plants quietly carrying our gardens through the hottest days of the year, we’re reflecting on why the simplest moments often become the ones we remember most. We also wander into a conversation about beauty (you’ll need to check out this wedding of the century!) that can’t be manufactured, why real experiences matter more than perfect pictures, and how gardens continue to offer hope—even in the hardest places. So grab something cold to drink, find a shady spot, and come spend an hour in the garden with us!   Links: Subscribe to the show Substack HERE to stay in the know on all things Garden Gab! This book might sounds like a downer, but wow… War Gardens is filled with such HOPE! Molly’s BF introduced her to the magic of… Mater Magic! And let’s just say… her raised beds be lovin’ it!

The girls popped a cold one today because the pod is officially 21 people! They are settling into summer with a proper catch-up episode, or should we say… just a good ole fashioned gab! This week, Tessa shares what she's learned from opening her own garden for workshops. They discuss why waiting for the "perfect" space might be keeping us from doing the things we dream of right now. What if people were invited into imperfect and personal gardens?? Down home is filled with the surprising questions visitors ask, meadow updates, goldfinches, and the simple joy of homemade cake shared under a garden pavilion. Then the girls head out and about as Tessa recounts a whirlwind trip to New York City, from wandering Central Park with a stroller to dining at the legendary Blue Hill at Stone Barns and exploring the ever-evolving plantings of the High Line. Along the way, they reflect on Frederick Law Olmsted's vision for public green spaces, the restorative power of landscapes, and why travel is almost always money well spent! Pour yourself something cold, pull up a chair on the porch, and join us for a midsummer Garden Gab!! Don't forget to subscribe to stay in the know on our show Substack, leave a review, and share the show with your favorite garden friend!   Show Notes: + Tessa might call this Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake a peasant cake after her illustrious career as a wedding cake designer, but you will feel rich the second it hits your tongue!! + Molly's life (and the lives of those who she has shared these with) has been deeply altered by this Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe! And they really are that easy. + If the girls were emphatic enough about watching Chef's Table on the episode, take this as another nudge to do yourself a favor and at least watch Dan Barber's episode! + Check out Experiencing Olmsted: The Enduring Legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted's North American Landscapes, the book that started Tessa's Central Park curiousity!

Welcome back, garden gabbers. This episode is a little more reflective as Molly and Tessa remember Nigel Dunnett who was a giant in ecological planting design and someone whose work deeply shaped both of their own work as designers. In the wake of his passing at the end of April, it only feels fitting to pay tribute to a man who deeply influenced so many.  Molly shares stories from her time working with Nigel in Sheffield, and together the girls unpack what made his work so powerful... planting that brings the feeling of wild, immersive, and living landscapes into urban spaces—for people! From Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to the Barbican in London to countless other project across the UK and the world, Nigel’s legacy is everywhere. In light of his passing, the conversation turns a bit deeper... why does this work matter? And can we do it here, where we are? It also only feels fitting to wrap the episode with a bit of Garden Busts, noting that sometimes we hold the weight of hope of where we want to go and what we are still learning with joy. Thanks for joining the gab! Don’t forget to subscribe to the show Substack HERE and share the show with a garden friend!   Show Notes: + Gardens Illustrated Talking Gardens interview with Nigel + To read more in depth about Nigels work, check out his books The Dynamic Landscape (written with James!) and Naturalistic Planting Design.  + Read more about the Heemparks in the Netherlands that Nigel discusses in the podcast linked above.

The time has finally come! Tessa and Molly discuss the final three Main Avenue show gardens for the 2026 Chelsea Flower Show… and let’s just say this last batch has some big expectations on their shoulders! Can Tom Stuart Smith raise Best in Show once again? Will Kazuyuki Ishihara defend his 2025 sweep of Best in Show AND People’s Choice Award? The girls also unpack what it takes to get a gold medal at Chelsea, and even more, what sets a Best in Show apart. But most importantly, Tessa and Molly make their picks for top honors as well as possible dark horses in other categories. What are you most excited to watch at this year’s Chelsea? We would love to hear! Thanks for joining us for this special Chelsea Flower Show hype!! Stay tuned for our follow up with Don and Janice (Molly’s parents) who will be at the show on opening day!! Thanks for joining the Gab!!

Garden Gabbers… did we forget to tell you that we are going to have on the ground correspondents at the 2026 Chelsea Flower Show?! It’s not Tessa…. and not Molly… IT’S DON AND JANICE, Molly’s beloved parents. Although it is rude they are not taking Molly with them, we can put that aside and live vicariously. So stay tuned for a post show recap with our boots on the ground. The girls review the next round of gardens which are all centered around worthy causes including raising awareness for preserving the countryside of England, giving children peaceful havens in nature, and advocating for teens to find careers in the green industry. There are Chelsea veterans alongside newer names, all coming to bat for a gold medal this year! Stay tuned for our third round of Chelsea Flower Show draft picks where we will also make our picks for Best in Show, People’s Choice Award, and our Dark Horse thoughts!

Welcome back Garden Gabbers for Episode 19, our final episode in our teenage years! And let’s just say in the words of Tessa Pinner, mama’s hot! The girls jump straight into the woes of a hot and dry spring, which has Tessa pinning for… a plunge pool baby!  You know it's officially the kick off are gardening season with talk about drought, strawberry picking, and the ever-present feeling of being just a little behind in the garden. Speaking of plunging, the girls dive straight into what makes something art versus craft, and how that question shows up in both creative work and garden design. The two introduce a new concept—the “Shagginess Metric”—to explore where gardens fall on the spectrum between wild and perfectly buttoned-up, and how client preferences shape that balance. Are you more of the ballerina bun type, or do you let your hair down a bit?? Do let us know! Buckle up for some bonus stories this episode include a strawberry freezer disaster, a memorial Japanese maple, and why April might just be the best month in the garden. Thanks for Joining the Gab!   Show Notes: If you like Tessa are pinning after a cool down, may we direct you here to long after these beautiful Plunge Pools   We have mentioned the Pastoral Gardens book a few times because, I mean… can you even with these pictures... not to mention the beautiful words!    Out of an abundance of caution, we highly recommend Kindle readers (especially those who read at night while drifting into sweet slumber… like Molly) invest in a Kindle Case with a handle! Protect your face!

Hello Garden Gabbers!! Tessa and Molly are back with more plant talk and hope that you are joining with them by basking fully in the glory that is spring!! The girls dive straight into all things Down Home and Out-and-About including fairy garden parties, strawberry picking and a new way of spending park time. After a quick horticultural hormone check-in (let’s just say the girls are feeling botanically frisky), it is time for a surprise trip to a dream spring destination!!! But you will have to listen to see where… The show wraps with another Bloom Report (think viburnums and native azaleas…) and of course DOOR PRIZES!!! The travel talk has Tessa and Molly reflecting on their own hopes for taking both a domestic and international Garden Gab adventure, and they want to hear from you!! Be sure to subscribe to the show Substack HERE to stay in the know on all things Garden Gab, and email us thoughts, questions and ideas at [email protected]. Thanks for joining the gab! Show Notes: Are you in your 30’s and also realizing it is time to stop avoiding fate and just dive head first into birding now… first step is the Merlin app! This is our third time to link to this podcast interview of Milli Proust with Alice Vincent and WE STILL LOVE IT! As we say on the show WE ARE SAT for the first Great Garden Show at the Newt!

Hello there Garden Gabbers! On this episode of the pod, Tessa and Molly spare no speck of enthusiasm whilst introducing what some might declare as the Super Bowl of the gardening world... The Chelsea Flower Show! On the episodes leading up to the best week of the year, Tessa and Molly are discussing this year's main show gardens, what we are expecting, and (since Molly is involved...) there is chatter about a Chelsea Flower Show bracket contest?! Who doesn't love a game! And prizes!! Let us know your thoughts... While we have no idea what is happening with March Madness or, quite frankly, the Super Bowl... the girls are laser focused on this year's show! And they want to bring you to also delight in the theater of the whole production! Tessa and Molly also chat in the newly introduced committee, Curiosity Corner, about what they have been digging into in order to cultivate curiosity in their own lives. Tessa unpacks what she gleaned on a Create Academy course from the dynamic duo of Julian and Isabel Bannerman. Molly discusses Milli Proust's new best selling book, How Does Your Garden Grow! We also get a quick wildlife report featuring bees and a tiny tiny turtle, a bloom report featuring cherries and Lady Banks roses, and of course... Door Prizes!   Thanks for joining the Gab! Be sure to subscribe to the show Substack HERE and leave us a review!! So thankful for everyone who is joining the club!   Show Notes: + To learn more about the Chelsea Flower Show and Project Giving Back be sure to explore those thinks! + If you are interested in taking the Create Academy class for yourself, explore the Bannerman's Class... or see if there are other classes that might scratch your own curiosity itch!  + If you missed it in last weeks show notes, we cannot recommend Milli Proust's book, How Does Your Garden Grow, with any more unbridled enthusiasm than what we have expressed on the show!!!! + If you are as enamored with Milli as much as we are, be sure to check out her interview with Alice Vincent on building a garden. + If you, like Tessa and Molly, find seed packets tucked into random spots and think to yourself, I really need one place to keep those... look no further than this here tackle box.  + On a delightful yet non-garden related note... Molly has restocked her spring Pura scents and her life (and home) is better for it!