Podcast Episodes

Dangerous Plants - The Dangers that Lurk in our Flowerbeds

Season 17 Episode 11

Psychoactive plants have hallucinogenic properties. They have been used by mankind for thousands of years and still play important roles in culture and religion today. In this episode of Dangerous Pl…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Travel Tales - Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Season 17 Episode 10

Gardens by the Bay is more than just a garden. It's a futuristic, innovative space where technology and nature seamlessly blend together, creating an awe inspiring experience for visitors. One of the…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Dangerous Plants - Agatha Christie's Poisonous Plants

Season 17 Episode 9

Deadly potions, poison, murder and intrigue – dangerous plants were used in many of Agatha Christie’s novels. In this episode of Dangerous Plants, Frances Tophill discusses the plants that Christie e…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Dangerous Plants - How to Forage and not Die

Season 17 Episode 8

Toxic plants, deadly fungi and mistaken identity in the hedgerows can all lead to unpleasant consequences. In this episode of Dangerous Plants, horticulturist Frances Tophill talks to UK forager Jame…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Travel Tales - Gordon Castle Walled Garden, Scotland

Season 17 Episode 7

Tucked away in the heart of the Scottish Highlands is a gardening masterpiece: the Gordon Castle Walled Garden. This eight-acre walled garden is one of the largest in Britain and a stunning example o…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Dangerous Plants - The Cost of Cotton: Slavery’s Legacy and its Environmental Fallout

Season 17 Episode 6

How has cotton, a soft staple fibre, been dangerous for centuries - and continues to be so? Threatening human life, natural resources and biodiversity, the cotton plant has wreaked havoc over the yea…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Dangerous Plants - The Dark Side of Plant Hunting

Season 17 Episode 5

Are there plants still to discover and what are the dangers that lurk alongside being a plant hunter? Frances Tophill talks to horticulturalist and author Tom Hart Dyke about what it means to be a mo…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Travel Tales - Alhambra Palace and Garden, Spain

Season 17 Episode 4

The Alhambra is a magnificent fortress-palace complex perched on a hilltop, celebrated for its

awe-inspiring architecture and exquisite gardens. If you’re a garden enthusiast or someone who appreciate…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Dangerous Plants - Plants that Kill and Cure

Season 17 Episode 3

The healing power of plants has been used by humans for thousands of years, and many dangerous plants can also help us. In this episode of Dangerous Plants, Frances Tophill is joined by Dr Sarah Edwa…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Dangerous Plants - Plants that Solve Crimes

Season 17 Episode 2

How can plants be used to identify and interpret evidence to help solve crimes and what techniques can be used to do so? Discover how important forensic botany is in criminal cases and if there are p…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago