The Nature Garden: gardening, wildlife and nature notes

Send us Fan Mail In this episode… What’s in a name? Tom Cadwallender’s delving into the wonderful world of local bird names, throssels, howlets and all. Steve Lowe brings us news of exciting Anglo-Saxon discoveries at an archaeology dig. And, we’re out and about with Tom Pattinson in the summertime garden. Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and featured flowers, birds and projec...

Send us Fan Mail Shakespearian inspiration, cuddy ducks and saints, and the beautiful sound of sedge warblers. Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and featured flowers, birds and projects on X via: @gardenersradio @TheNatureGarden and on Facebook: The Nature Garden. And you can also tune in to our monthly live radio show on Saturdays at 11am on www.lionheartradio.com Or email us: ga...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, sunshine and frost, and Herbidacious highlights in the garden beds and pots. Tom Pattinson’s spending time in the herb garden in search of parley, sage, rosemary and thyme. We’re off to the sunshine with Tom Cadwallander who’s looking at Corsican finches and nuthatches. Steve Lowe’s chatting to an awesome organisation that’s bringing the wonders of wildlife to us all… And some gardening Jobs for the Week with Tom P. Support the show You can foll...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, spring colours and sounds galore... Tom Pattinson’s revelling in the spring bulbs and shrubs, and the exciting signs of new shoots in the flower borders and veg beds. Tom Cadwallander’s taking a look at auks and the early return of puffins and he’s celebrating the chirpy, chiff-chaff. Steve Lowe is at one of our finest museums in search of an answer to the question ‘Who is Eric?’ Plus gardening Jobs for the Week with Tom P. Support the show...

Send us Fan Mail A homespun guide to some of the gifts our contributors are thinking about to make things merry and brighter. The ‘Two Toms’ and Steve Lowe with some wonderful ideas, that don’t have to cost a fortune, but may help to save the planet and ourselves. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and featured flowers, birds and projects on X via: @gardenersradio @TheNatureGarden and on Facebook: The Nature Garden. ...

Send us Fan Mail It's that time of the year known as ‘Nature’s planting time’ and Tom Pattinson’s here with lots of exciting options for reinvigorating your garden… Tom Cadwallender’s been observing the changes in his crab apple tree and its attractiveness to birds, and he’s been along the Aln estuary enjoying the sound of golden plovers. And, we’ve got some top tips for the garden from Tom Pattinson. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and ou...

Send us Fan Mail It's mid-autumn and Tom Pattinson’s making the most of the seasonal changes and preparing for Nature’s planting time. Tom Cadwallender’s spotted a fabulous kingfisher and he's enjoying the incoming Vs of honking geese Big Butterfly Conservation are here with an update on one of our most important nature counts… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderfu...

Send us Fan Mail It's peak summer and still wonderfully warm in Northumberland and Tom P’s ripening crops and harvesting potatoes and onions… Tom Cadwallender’s turning the calendar page to a new season of birds and checking the Aln estuary for avian ins and outs… Steve Lowe’s reflecting on the life of someone who inspired him to dive deep into conservation... we celebrate the work of Doctor Angus Lunn, a Northumberland Wildlife Trust stalwart and map maker extraordinaire. Plus so...

Send us Fan Mail It's mid-summer and the temperature’s rising and so is Tom P’s excitement… we join him on a tour of his raised beds, and flowers and veg… Tom Cadwallender’s watching the summer skies for swifts and more….and listening to the classic sounds of summer… We’re at the ‘Love Northumberland’ awards at Alnwick Castle with Steve Lowe… The big butterfly count is underway and Dr Jamie Wildman is here to help us join in… it’s a wonderful way to help butterflies! Plus some top tips ...

Send us Fan Mail It’s time for some self-care and safety and we should all take our time to listen to Tom P... Tom Cadwallender’s out and about in the uplands of Northumberland and enjoying the collective nouns of bird, and the amazing ‘drumming’ of snipe. And we’re going medieval with Steve Lowe for a colourful re-enactment Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and featured ...

Send us Fan Mail Frost and drought in the garden and Tom's buzzing after a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show… Tom Cadwallender’s taking a 'tern' at volunteering and listening songbirds… And sustainability is one of Steve Lowe’s missions: composting, wormeries and hot bins at the Cresswell Pele Tower… Plus we’ve got some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and featured flowers, birds...

Send us Fan Mail Hello spring! Tom Pattinson’s getting the pruning gear out but please do consider carefully before you chop… Tom’s here to give us a steer. Tom Cadwallender’s muckle glad to be back and he’s enjoying woodpeckers and fieldfares at dawn… And we have an exciting update from the latest dig at Lindisfarne and some amazing new finds… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and...

Send us Fan Mail We’re catching up with Tom Pattinson in the bleak mid-winter and he’s full of busy in and out of the garden… Tom Cadwallender’s reflecting on the good and the bad as we move into a New Year of birding. And we’ll be looking into the magical mystical world of moths, Dr Zoe Randall is here from Butterly Conservation to tell us how we can help them. And there’s a chance to hear another sinister ‘Tale from the Hovel’ from the Alnwick Poison Garden… Plus some top tips f...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Pattinson’s delving into late season colour and singing the praises of indoor plants, and it’s national tree planting week And, Tom Cadwallender’s in search of a small Arctic seabird that’s as tough as they come, and he’s looking at the curlew and the pressures they’re facing... Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and featured flowers, birds and projects on ...

Send us Fan Mail As October passes its magical baton on to November… Tom Pattinson’s taking a trip into the kaleidoscope of colours and toffee apple smells in the garden… and he’s also joining forces with Naturalist, David Mizejewski from the National Wildlife Federation, USA on why it’s so important to ‘Leave the leaves’. And Tom Cadwallender’s looking at one of the wonders of the natural world… the staggering journeys of birds… and the importance of our urban gardens and green spaces ...

Send us Fan Mail As we say farewell to September… Tom Pattinson’s reflecting on a patchy but canny spring summer of flowers and crops… and the joys of soft and top fruits… and growing tetties for Christmas! Tom Cadwallender’s full of good news about the breeding season… and he’s following migrations and keeping tabs on crossbills… And we’ll be looking at the results of this year’s Big Butterfly Count, Dr Zoe Randle from Butterfly Conservation is here to tell us more… And we’ve got some ...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Pattinson’s checking some of the more common specimens in our gardens and asking: how well do you know them? Tom Cadwallender is out with the waders and rising tides… and he’s looking back on the early years of his birding on the Northumberland coast… And we’ve got some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and featured flowers, birds and projects on X via: @gardenersr...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Pattinson’s getting creative and investing time to propagate plants, Tom Cadwallender’s up with the larks for the dawn chorus… and he’s super excited on Coquet Island… home of the roseate tern... Steve Lowe’s trying his hand at beekeeping at the Creswell Pele Tower garden… And… Dr Zoe Randall from Butterfly Conservation is here to inspire us all to take part in the Big Butterfly Count Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the sh...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Pattinson is fresh back from the Chelsea Flower Show and full of inspired ideas for small garden spaces and containers… Tom Cadwallender’s reflecting on a very moist May and in awe at some amazing ‘first ever’ bird observations in the county Steve Lowe’s looking forward to a proper celebration for the opening of the Creswell Pele Tower garden… And… we hear from pupils from the Lowick and Holy Island First School who are taking part in an exciting national gard...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Pattinson is looking at shrubs and options for gardens of all styles and sizes… Tom Cadwallender’s along the leafy lanes of Lesbury observing the comeback of a beautiful finch… And Steve Lowe’s out and about on the beach at Seaton Sluice… he’s got a canny life, that chep! Plus… Tulip bulbs and turmoil, and how silver plates could foil plotters… we welcome back, Tales from the Hovel, with John and Dean, Alnwick Poison Garden.…. And we’ve got some ...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Pattinson… is up and at ‘em in the garden and taking care as he brings us a very important ‘gan canny’ message. There’s great excitement on the Aln estuary and coast where Tom Cadwallender is watching the spring gatherings of birds… And we’ll be hearing from Butterfly Conservation and their findings on how well or not so well different types of butterflies are doing across the UK… and they’ve got some great advice on how to help butterflies. &nbs...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode… A little bit of wintertime reflection and a chance to look ahead as January begins… bringing time, hopefully, after the festive celebrations to think about adventures, plans and dreams…. We bring you some thoughts on the year ahead and the one gone from the two Toms: Tom Cadwallender and Tom Pattinson… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guest...

Send us Fan Mail It’s time to deck the halls with boughs of holly, to dress the tree and to celebrate... And in this December edition, our correspondents are here to spread some cheer so stand by for the two Toms on Christmas trees and some alternative Christmas birds... Steve Lowe on the giving gifts that can really help people across the world… And John and Dean return with mistletoe and ivy… something a little different from the Alnwick Poison Garden! Plus som...

Send us Fan Mail Autumn’s well and truly arrived and Tom Pattinson’s enjoying the botanical fireworks and nature’s planting time… During these stormy times… Tom Cadwallender’s keeping track of the amazing arrivals of seasonal birds and there are some wonderful surprises to watch out for… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… All coming up… on the Nature Garden Podcast…. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests ...

Send us Fan Mail Autumn’s arrived and Tom Pattinson’s got heap lie on in the garden… and he’s enjoying the seasonal blooms and foliage. Leaves are falling and so are feathers… Tom Cadwallender’s here to tell us more about the great moult… and he’s keeping an eye on urban skies. And we’re going back in time on an archaeological dig with Steve Lowe and the Anglo-Saxons… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom C...

Send us Fan Mail The Lindisfarne Gospels were created on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne around 1300 years ago. Professor Michelle Brown takes us on an amazing journey to the place where Eadfrith, Bishop of Lindisfarne, designed and produced this incredible book. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and featured flowers, birds and projects on X via: @gardenersradio @TheNatureGarden and on Facebook: The Nature Garden. And you...

Send us Fan Mail Hurrah for the flower shows… Tom Pattinson’s prepping his clipboard and getting ready for the competitions… Tom Cadwallender’s here with good news about the bird that’s the RSPB’s emblem… and he’s enjoying the wonders and diversity of our seabirds... The laburnum’s a beautiful tree but why did it have to be removed from schoolgrounds? John and Dean from the Alnwick Poison Garden will tell us more… and some tips on how not to gas yourself with cherry laurel... Stev...

Send us Fan Mail Summer’s here and Tom Pattinson’s out smelling the roses and revelling in their colours, scents and fragrances… Tom Cadwallender’s off in search of the nocturnal Nightjar and migrating birds on the Aln Estuary… And Steve Lowe is out on in the hay fields around Allendale surrounded by the charismatic calls of curlews… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests ...

Send us Fan Mail Enjoying your gardening is the name of the game but Tom Pattinson’s got some wise advice that could really make a difference... Eiders are one of Northumberland’s joys and Tom Cawallender is down on the waterline checking out the ducks… We’re also joining a celebration of cherries with John and Dean from the Alnwick Garden. And we have an amazing story about a pied flycatcher. Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… All coming up… on the Nature Garden ...

Send us Fan Mail Everything’s looking peachy in the garden with the promise of fragrance to come… and Tom Pattinson’s on a tomato flavoured journey of discovery… Oh…Tiptoe from the garden, by the garden of the willow tree and tip toe through the tulips… with care… really you should tiptoe and take care… join John and Dean for more cautionary tales from the Alnwick Poison Garden. Tom Cadwallender’s ‘fettling up’ on Coquet Island in rather cold weather to help puffins and terns… and...

Send us Fan Mail Spring has sprung and we’re celebrating the change of seasons… New shoots and the colours and scents of bulbs in the garden…Tom Pattinson’s here to tell us more… Our resident adventurer… Tom Cadwallender’s watching the early spring birds coming in and we’re joining him on his travels in Costa Rica. And we welcome two new guests to the Nature Garden… John Knox and Dean Smith from the Alnwick Poison Garden in a series of botanical features you really won’t want to miss! P...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode… Colouring the winter months and creating shelter with hedging…Tom Pattinson’s here to tell us more… The rising of the sun and the running of the deer… and our Steve Lowe who’s saving trees from deer with lambswool… And Tom Cadwallender’s enjoying a performance of the seedcracker… a winter visitor to his garden with a mighty seed cracking beak, and did you know that the turkey isn’t from turkey? Tom’s tracking this festive superstar Plus some top tips fo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode… We’re enjoying Nature’s planting time and chi energy…with Tom Pattinson… Tall tales, gunge and fox poo remedies and history brought to life at the Cresswell Pele Tower… And Tom Cadwallender looks into the names of geese and their wonderful wanderlust… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… All coming up on Nature Garden Podcast…. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and featur...

Send us Fan Mail Hello and welcome to the Nature Garden Podcast, with me, Carl Stiansen, and the Weekending Show Team from Lionheart Radio. It’s a chance to take a wander down the garden path and country lane… with the birds and the bees and the flowers and trees… and an opportunity to hear stories from the past and present… In this episode… Autumn fruitfulness with Tom Pattinson… strawberry and raspberry stock taking and it’s jam time! We’re out and about with Steve Lowe wh...

Send us Fan Mail It’s the height of summer for some crops in the garden and Tom Pattinson is as busy as a bee… Steve Lowe is out and about looking for aliens as he goes in search of close encounters of the vegetative kind… We’re out and about with Tom Cadwallender’s who has another episode in his ‘great places to see birds’ series… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and featured flowe...

Send us Fan Mail Sunny sunshine vibes with Tom Pattinson who is exploring the summertime garden and our living history… We’re out and about with Tom Cadwallender’s who has a sad update on avian flu… and another exciting episode in his ‘great places to see birds’ series… Tom Heap from BBC Countryfile’s reflecting on ways to save the planet and why what we do really matters… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender a...

Send us Fan Mail Planetary awareness with Tom Pattinson who is focused on being kind to mother earth…. And ways in which we can all help to make this a wonderful world. We’re out and about with Tom Cadwallender’s who’s keeping a canny count of our winged wonders, dropping macaroni in nests (!)… and reveals another great place for watching birds… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and ...

Send us Fan Mail We’re filled with all the delights that May brings…plants and shrubs and trees are growing fast and late spring/summer birds are arriving... Tom Pattinson is looking at the darling buds of May… and being safe in the garden. Tom Cadwallender’s enjoying the wonderful space of Druridge Bay, Northumberland, and the amazing array of birds that flock there… And Steve Lowe’s taking out a subscription this week… to the green gym! Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P. Sup...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode… We’re full of positive vibes for the return of spring and the joy of being back in the garden… Tom Pattinson is contemplating the lawn, first cuts, salads and vegetables Tom Cadwallender’s welcoming back puffins and has news of how a blacksmith has helped kittiwakes to nest… And Steve Lowe’s venturing out on Long Nanny with some young adventurers… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve an...

Send us Fan Mail We’re reflecting on a year where so much has happened… Tom Pattinson is looking back through the seasons and successes in the garden… Tom Cadwallender’s looking back and forwards to some amazing birding highlights. And Steve Lowe’s thinking about gifts we can give at any time to help ourselves and the planet in 2022… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and featur...

Send us Fan Mail Festive delights from the Nature Garden: The holly and the ivy… and folklore and mistletoe with Tom Pattinson … Tom Cadwallender’s charting the rise in popularity at Christmas of robins and turkeys. And Steve Lowe’s on a nature stroll in North Northumberland Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and featured flowers, birds and projects on X v...

Send us Fan Mail Hello and welcome to the Nature Garden Podcast, with me, Carl Stiansen, and the Weekending Show Team from Lionheart Radio. In this episode… There’s a touch of natural tinsel with Tom Pattinson’s guide to Christmas trees… Tom Cadwallender is following the highs and lows of the curlew… And have you ever wondered who keeps an eye on our coast and some two hundred miles of sea around us? …. Steve Lowe’s here to tell us more… And, some festive music... and ...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Pattinson is getting ready for National Tree Week and looking at the ecological wonder of trees… Can you imagine a hundred thousand birds flying together in amazing synchronous patterns? Tom Cadwallender reports from starling HQ at the Somerset Levels. And we’re going retro …. as Steve Lowe delves into the world of period fashion and flintlocks… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender an...

Send us Fan Mail An All Hallows’ Eve spectacular… Tom Pattinson reveals the science of autumn colours and how to grow your own pumpkins for next Halloween…. Tom Cadwallender is looking at the folklore of scary birds and the spooky superstitions inspired by owls and crows… And some ghostly goings on…. as Steve visits one of his favourite haunts… in search of the white lady of Cresswell… Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Pattinson is propagating… and his guide can help you to make plants for free… and ooph up your borders and veg beds… Steve Lowe from the Cresswell Pele Tower Project and Northumberland Rivers Trust… is catching up on the heritage side of conservation… Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is on a road trip to his Scottish birding roots and saving the osprey. Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P and music from Jason Vare/Shaggy: https:...

Send us Fan Mail Hello and welcome to the Nature Garden Podcast, with me, Carl Stiansen, and the Weekending Show Team from Lionheart Radio. It’s a chance to take a wander down the garden path and country lane… with the birds and the bees and the flowers and trees… and an opportunity to hear stories from the past and present… In this episode… Tom Pattinson is floating like a butterfly to see what kind of plants and shrubs attract them to the garden… Steve Lowe from the Northumberla...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Pattinson on the joys of greenhouse gardening… We’re down in the grounds of the restoration project at Cresswell Pele Tower with Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust… Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is excited about an albatross-related visitor from afar... And, we’ll be taking a musical interlude with Shipcote and Friends... Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom ...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Pattinson’s taking stock of the fruit and veg and flowers in the garden and the benefits of good garden design and crop rotation Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is celebrating the success of a project helping the beautiful Roseate Tern to live here in Northumberland on Coquet Island.. Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust is checking out the floral gems to be found on derelict land... Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… Al...

Send us Fan Mail On today's show: We’re joining an amazing project that has helped Ospreys return to Northumberland… Tom Pattinson’s here full of sunshine enjoying some warm gardening while keeping an eye on hazards… his advice could save your life… And... Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is listening to birds and asking why do they sing? Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom P… All coming up on Nature Garden Podcast…. All coming up on The Weekend...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Pattinson’s musing on the benefits of ’No Mow May’ and keeping your grass long... We’re down in the garden of Cresswell Pele Tower but not in the rockery… this week we’re checking out the rookery with Steve Lowe and why do we say a ‘murder of crows’…? And…. Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is looking AUK-ward this week… reporting on guillemots and all. And he has some fascinating facts about puffins. Plus some top tips for the garden from Tom...

Send us Fan Mail We’re getting herby and we’re off to the west side of Northumberland … Tom Pattinson’s here to tell us all about herbs and the famous herbalists of yore, including the great Morpethian and Northumbrian chap, William Turner. We’re down in the garden of the magical Cresswell Pele Tower restoration with Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust… And, Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is reflecting on bird surveys and the beautiful space that is...

Send us Fan Mail It’s time to tiptoe through the tulips and yes, we’re mad about them but not quite the way that people were in the seventeenth century… Tom’s looking back at ‘tulipmania' and has some tips on how to grow terrific tulips. We’re down by the river Coquet with Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust. And Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is looking into the professor of the river banks and seashore… the grey heron. Plus some top tips for the garden f...

Send us Fan Mail A bonny wee wander down the garden path and country lane with the birds and the bees and the flowers and trees… and an opportunity to hear stories from the past and present… In this episode… You say potato and I say tomato… and Tom Pattinson’s looking at both and at peppers sweet and hot… We’re down by the river Coquet with Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust… And Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology is tracking the amazing journeys ...

Send us Fan Mail Easter gardening without the full-on lockdown, oh yes… and it seems that many of us are up with the larks... Tom Pattinson is getting set to enjoy the garden and the bursting buds and blossom this bank holiday … We go Fulmar spotting and beach cleaning with Steve Lowe… Some are little, some are tawny, but whatever their size or colour, we adore and revere owls, the magical birds of the night… we’ll join Tom Cadwallender from the British Trust for Ornithology on a ...

Send us Fan Mail Happy spring! The times they are a-changing in a most glorious and beautiful way… and our correspondents are here to celebrate all the joys of spring… Tom’s giving ‘thanks for the plants’ and the colours, scents and joy that they have brought through winter and here now to the exciting eve of the new season… Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust has been busy here on an island that’s very close to my heart… Lindisfarne… and looking into septic tanks… hm...

Send us Fan Mail We look back at was has been a topsy-turvy 2020 and look ahead with positive thoughts about the New Year … Tom Pattinson reflects on a very unusual gardening year … and has some wonderful apple scented seasonal tips on yule logs Steve Lowe, Northumberland Rivers Trust, is out and about with nature on a wander along a hidden jewel of a river... Tom Cadwallender is celebrating festive birds, and looking at the Christmas robin and how 2020 brought us some amazing new...

Send us Fan Mail Tree planting and Christmas trees with Tom and how you can help save the planet with a tree or two no matter how small it is… Steve Lowe is out and about with nature on a classic countryside walk beside and across the River Aln - watch out Steve! Tom Cadwallander is celebrating the birds of Christmas and the ornithological story behind the popular song… The Twelve Days of Christmas And, we’ve got more great top tips and inspiration from Tom and some jobs for the w...

Send us Fan Mail Tom’s here with some colourful cures for seasonal blues… a planting antidote to disappearing flowers and foliage... Steve Lowe is out and about with the National Trust at the magnificent Wallington Estate in Northumberland… Tom Cadwallander is continuing his autumn diary and celebrating a champion of murmurations… the spectacular starling… Did you know… the world’s biggest ever spider web was found in England… stay tuned for more amazing tales from the spidery web of li...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Pattinson’s looking at gardening and how it can save the day again during lockdown 2 and he’s full of beans... growing great things in pots for the kitchen... Steve Lowe wants us all to do our bit to help save the hedgehog and he has some practical advice on how you can help... (there are lots of things you can do : ) ).... Tom Cadwallender is continuing his autumn diary and tracking pink footed geese... Plus some top tips from Tom P and some jobs for the week in the gard...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode… we’re looking at the beauty of ‘growing your own’ and the treats of October Tom Pattinson’s waxing lyrical about the benefits of growing a little bit of fruit and veg and how it helps to save the planet… Tom Cadwallender is continuing his autumn diary and tracking the amazing arrivals of birds from all over the world to our coast and fields... and we’ll take a trip to one of favourite bird hides… And we’ve got more great top tips from Tom and some jobs for th...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode… we’re looking at the wonders of October: Tom Pattinson’s here to explain the chemistry that creates the colours of autumn and the fall of leaves… Tom Cadwallander, British Trust for Ornithology, has been tracking the amazing arrivals of birds from all over the world to our coast and we take a countryside walk with him… And happy fish reports from the rivers of Northumberland, Steve Lowe has been catching up with the Northumberland Rivers Trust… And ...

Send us Fan Mail We’re marking the change of the season from summer into autumn and catching up on seasonal reports from our correspondents… Tom Pattinson is looking at the importance of short and long day flowering and how the light affects our plants… We’re catching up on many of the comings and goings of birds over the recent weeks with Tom Cadwallander, British Trust for Ornithology, who also has news of a rare visitor to our shores… Creepy crawly fans unite! Spider fan...

Send us Fan Mail Everything’s rosy in the magical gardens at Alnwick and Howick, and there is great news for fans of Earl Grey tea... The magnificent Union chain suspension bridge over the River Tweed between Scotland and England is 200 years old and we’re celebrating its beauty and wonderful engineering... Steve Lowe is walking the south Northumberland coast and looking out for dolphins, sea glass and watch towers… Tom Cadwallander tells us the heartwarming story of the rare Rose...

Send us Fan Mail The coronavirus has caused a lot of disruption to all of us but where have all the flower shows gone? Tom Pattinson is here with some good news… You may have noticed more butterflies than ever in your garden, yard or favourite park and you can help our understanding of butterflies by taking part in an exciting nationwide survey… And we’ll be hearing more from Zoe from the Big Butterfly Count later on in the show… Tom Cadwallander is here to tell us all about the b...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode… if you fancy taking up gardening or restarting a garden project, … from pots to plots and veg patches to allotments… Tom is here to inspire you It’s one of our most recognisable birds… whose image is found on seaside souvenirs and we just love them and their colours… Tom Cadwallander is joining the circus of puffins… And Ratty is back… Kelly Hollings from the Restoring Ratty Project and Northumberland Wildlife Trust reports on the return of the water vo...

Send us Fan Mail Foliar feeding and watering techniques to help you grow terrific tomatoes… Is it a cloud, is it a swarm… no, it’s a murmuration, Tom Cawallander’s a huge fan of the starling and will tell us more about ‘the little druid’ … and we’ll be down among the curlews on the beautiful Aln Estuary in Northumberland.. And we've got some top tips from Tom for growing the perfect potato crop and a few jobs for the week in the garden… All coming up on Nature Garden Podcast…. : )...

Send us Fan Mail We’re reflecting on the lockdown and celebrating the unlocking of gardens and nature with Tom Pattinson; Tom goes visiting a couple of gardens taking part in the National Garden Scheme. Tom Cadwallander is celebrating the curlew’s call and the maritime delights of the kittiwake... And more celebration as the Northumberland Wildlife Trust prepares to reopen a wildlife centre on the beautiful Northumberland coast. And some top gardening tips and 'jobs for the week' from ...

Send us Fan Mail What a joy the garden is at this time of the year, but please do ‘take care’… Tom’s got a timely reminder for us all… The Dipper is one of our cleverest birds and we’ll find out all about their magical eyelids… Ponds can make a huge difference to our garden spaces and to the environment… and Jack is back to tell us about his wildlife-friendly creation… Plus, the team behind a walled garden restoration at Cresswell can take a much deserved bow… Steve Lowe has the latest ...

Send us Fan Mail Gardening delights: You say potarto and I say potaytoe..well actually we say tettie around here… Tom Pattinson has been digging around to enlighten us about our spuds (potatoes!) and tomaytoes… I mean tomatoes!… Hydro heritage can help wildlife and tourism Steve Lowe from the Northumberland Rivers Trust has found a link between pioneering hydro-electric schemes in the USA and UK on the Watouga river in North Carolina and the Aln at Denwick, Northumberland… s...

Send us Fan Mail If you’re like me and get a bit confused about pruning… Tom Pattinson has a brief guide on why, how and when to trim your shrubs and bushes … Steve Lowe from the Rivers Trust is on ‘top of the world’ on a fifteenth century Pele Tower that’s being restored… And if you’d like the lowdown on eider ducks… Tom Cadwallender’s here to tell us all about one of our most distinctive sounding birds and the connection to Saint Cuthbert and the Farne Islands. Support the show You ca...

Send us Fan Mail From scented wonders to hybrid teas, we adore roses and Tom Pattinson’s looking through rose-tinted spectacles… Steve Lowe from the Northumbria Rivers Trust is working on a ladder for fish…. Tom Cadwallender’s is here to tell us about one of our large and colourful residents, the shelduck… And, Beekeepers are bracing themselves for a new threat to colonies, the Asian hornet, we’ll have more on this destructive invader and how you can help our bees… Support the show You ...

Send us Fan Mail Herby tales and a potted history of herbalism with Tom Pattinson…from Morpeth naturalist, William Turner, to the Chelsea Flower Show and Jekka's herb farm, and this week's garden tips... Our 'How to identify birds' (part two) feature and a focus on sparrows with birder Tom Cadwallender (British Trust for Ornithology)... And Jack Hills from Holy Island talks to us about how to begin creating a nature pond. Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve an...

Send us Fan Mail From ‘Dig for Victory’ to 'Pick for Britain', Tom Pattinson takes us on a potted history of compost and how a special recipe (John Innes) helped win the day… Steve Lowe’s keeping an eye on river levels and the future is looking brighter in Northumberland for crayfish thanks to a project with Northumberland Zoo… Could Beavers be coming to Northumberland? Mike Pratt, CEO, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, explains more about the plan to bring back one of nature’s eager engin...

Send us Fan Mail The Nature Garden Podcast team take a wander down the garden path and country lane… with stories from the past and present… In this episode...Sweet scents and bright new stars in the garden with, writer and broadcaster, Tom Pattinson... Tom Cadwallender’s delighted that House Martins are nest building… and is looking out for the flashing white dive bombers… here come the terns… Anthony Johnston, from the Northumberland Wildlife Trust reports on how Druridge Bay is farin...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to a special episode of the Nature Garden podcast… it’s something a little different: a calming nature meditation to help you to relax and to be mindful. Meditation can help us at any time in life and, like any exercise, it isn’t always easy at first... but it can bring great rewards. Kris Kitchun (Kiczun), a specialist occupational therapist working for the NHS, is here to guide us. This gentle journey will take you into nature for just over 15 minutes.&n...

Send us Fan Mail A weekly wander along nature paths, river banks and beaches, through woods and wetlands, parks and gardens... and a chance to look at all things Northumbrian, gardening and nature. On today's show: Plants for free and surprises in the garden... the beautiful and amazing story of swifts... silty streams and willowy solutions... and the first cuckoo of spring. Join: gardening writer, Tom Pattinson; birder, Tom Cadwallender (British Trust for Ornithology); and Steve Lowe from N...

Send us Fan Mail Join the Nature Garden podcast team for more tales from Northumberland and a gentle wander down the garden path and country lane... Tom Pattinson is talking rhubarb and why he loves this wonderful plant so much, and he’ll clear up a little confusion about it… Steve Lowe brings us tales from a walled garden rescue, a strange burial ground and a Knights Templar medieval hospital… And, Tom Cadwallender explains how he got into bird watching and why it’s really good for yo...

Send us Fan Mail The Nature Garden team returns with a mix of garden and nature related stories, tips and reports: Tom Pattinson is creating 'green gold' from waste, Steve Lowe reveals a mysterious 'message in a bottle' and an exciting Capability Brown story. And Tom Cadwallender explores the beautiful nests of pied flycatchers and rather different abodes of tawny owls. Join the two Toms, Steve and your host, Carl Stiansen, for a wander down the garden paths and country lanes of Northu...

Send us Fan Mail Gardening writer and broadcaster, Tom Pattinson, has some top tips on transplanting seedlings, Steve Lowe tells us about his work as a 'crayfish wrangler' with the Rivers Trust and birder, Tom Cadwallander tells us about the very different nesting habits of wrens and puffins, Support the show You can follow Tom Pattinson, Steve and Tom Cadwallender and our wonderful guests and featured flowers, birds and projects on X via: @gardenersradio @TheNatureGarden and on Facebook: The...