Hello and welcome to Roots and All, where my guest this week is urban apiculturist Mark Patterson. Mark founded and runs Apicultural where he work with businesses and communities to invest in natural capital, improving the environment for pollinators and delivering pollinator monitoring surveys for clients. He provides honey bee hive management solutions, beekeeping training and education and also supplies quality urban honey to a select group of establishments. So you’d think Mark would be all for the idea of urban honeybees, right? Listen on… Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Ear Wigglers What We Talk About  How many hives are there in London, does anybody have an estimate? Is it a sustainable number? Where are they foraging for floral resources? Are there enough of these? Are urban conditions more taxing for bees? Do environmental stressors lead to higher incidences of disease, for example?  Do managed bees outcompete wild bees when it comes to consuming pollen and nectar?  Are managed bees necessary? Useful? Desirable? Filling a niche left by potentially dwindling numbers of wild bees? A useful pollination and food source for humans?  Why are commercial beekeeping companies trying to muscle in on the beekeeping tradition in London? Do honeybees count as an ‘environmental credit’ in terms of planning and building?  About Mark Patterson After completing a National Diploma in Agriculture, Land use and recreation which included a practical Horticultural course Mark went on to study for an Honours Degree in Countryside Management and Ornithology at Kingston Upon Hull University - an ecology based course of study. It was during this time at University that Mark was introduced to bee keeping by a fellow student.  As senior Consultant Mark has amassed over 26 years of experience in the fields of nature conservation and ecology. His past professional positions include marine biologist/ranger on the Farne islands national nature reserve, Countryside Ranger for a local Authority, Nature reserve manager for Durham Wildlife services, Worked on a bird of prey Reintroduction program with the RSPB , Freelance consultancy and 11 years as a project and program manager for a national Environmental regeneration Charity, Groundwork. Having assisted others with their beekeeping for several years Mark began bee keeping on his own in 2010 having attended an introduction course and a seasons mentoring. Since then he has volunteered extensively for Bee keeping associations, serving as elected committee official and Trustee to the LBKA, taught courses and organised forage planting activities for the bee keeping community he serves. Mark spent 3 years working for DEFRA as a seasonal Bee Inspector and currently cares for around 30 colonies of honey bees,10 of which are his own. Mark currently posses the BBKA Bee basic certificate, BBKA Honey bee management certificate, several of the BBKA modular exam certificates and the General Husbandry certificate. Mark has extensive training and experience in notifiable bee diseases diagnosis and management.  As well as Honey Bees Mark is also highly knowledgeable about Solitary bees and Bumblebees and teaches Bee identification courses for the Field Studies Council as part of the nationwide BioLinks program. Links www.apicultural.co.uk  Mark Patterson on LinkedIn  www.howgreennursery.co.uk Other episodes if you liked this one: The Garden Jungle with Professor Dave Goulson Pollinators with Professor Jeff Ollerton Patreon

My guest this week is David Hedges-Gower. David is a prominent figure in the UK's lawn care industry, known for his expertise and dedication to promoting sustainable lawn care practices. He wrote the book ‘Modern Lawn Care’, is the Chairman of The Lawn Association, founded the world’s first lawn care qualification and works tirelessly to promote responsible, sustainable lawn care practices that benefit the environment and homeowners. What David has to say on lawns certainly challenged my notions on what lawn care involves, whether they’re a sensible option to those concerned about wildlife and the environment and what they can and should be like from a horticultural perspective, so listen on with an open mind… Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Horse Chestnut Moth What We Talk About  Lawns and their uses Do lawns have to be high maintenance?  Ideal grass species for sustainable lawns Do you have to feed a lawn? Can lawns be of use to wildlife? Artificial lawns About David Hedges-Gower David Hedges-Gower is a prominent figure in the UK's lawn care industry, known for his expertise and dedication to promoting sustainable lawn care practices. His background in greenkeeping, including his role as Superintendent at the prestigious Oxfordshire Golf Club, provided him with a strong foundation in turf management. After recognizing the need for better information and knowledge in the lawn care field, David transitioned into lawn care and authored a book titled "Modern Lawn Care" in 2014. This publication served as a valuable resource for those seeking to improve their lawn maintenance practices. In addition to his book, David has been actively involved in educating people about proper lawn care through training days, seminars, and advisory services. He is a trusted source of information, having accumulated 43 years of experience in the field. He often serves as an expert for publications, radio channels, and other advisory bodies, helping to disseminate his knowledge to a wider audience. One of David's notable achievements is founding the world's first lawn care qualification, which caters to both homeowners and professionals. This qualification helps individuals gain a better understanding of modern and sustainable lawn care practices, contributing to the overall improvement of lawn maintenance. David Hedges-Gower is also the Chairman of The Lawn Association, an organization dedicated to promoting the value of living lawns and distinguishing between genuine sustainable lawn care and marketing tactics that claim sustainability without delivering on it. The association collaborates with significant horticultural bodies like English Heritage to educate staff, trainees, and apprentices on sustainable lawn care methods. Recently, David launched the True Garden Range, a groundbreaking product in the form of 2-in-1 fertilizers and soil conditioners made from composted recycled food waste. This product addresses the need for sustainable lawn care options in the retail market, providing a more environmentally friendly choice for gardeners. David's passion lies in making sustainable lawns a priority, countering the practice of franchises that prioritize profits over the health of lawns. He envisions sustainable lawns as not just a feature of our surroundings but a necessity, and he works tirelessly to promote responsible lawn care practices that benefit both the environment and homeowners. Links www.davidhedges-gower.com Modern Lawn Care by David Hedges-Gower www.lawnassociation.org Other episodes if you liked this one: Tapestry Lawns So & Mo Patreon

This week, my guest is Andrew Bullock, who runs The Lavender Garden Nursery. Andrew holds the National Collection of Buddlejas and grows a huge range of lavenders and buddlejas from his nursery in The Cotswolds. We talk about how to attract pollinators to your garden, when and how to prune your buddlejas and lavenders, whether buddlejas are invasive, why lavenders are sometimes short-lived and anything else you ever wanted to know about these two plants for pollinators. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Mosquitoes What We Talk About  Which is better for bees - buddleja or lavender? The best varieties for bees/butterflies/pollinators in general Night time pollinators How to grow lavender and buddleja When to prune and how much to take off Buddleja - invasive? Causes of short-lived lavender Links The Lavender Garden  Contact Andrew on the phone: 01453 860356 or 07837 582943 www.premierpolytunnels.co.uk  Other episodes if you liked this one: Pollinators & Pollination Bugs in Your Garden Patreon

Several years ago, Penn Allen inherited a collection of diaries that had been meticulously maintained by her great grandmother. Penn discovered the diaries documented the building of her great grandmother and grandfather’s Arts and Crafts house and the development of the garden that followed. She uncovered an untold story of her family, of plant hunting and of rock gardens - one that has significance to the wider world of horticultural history and in fact, goes some way to rewriting it.    Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Buddleias and Butterfly Tongues What We Talk About  What the book is about and why Penn felt it was important to write it How the garden helped heal; through providing a space to contemplate, a space to communicate, a distraction… Alpines and rock gardening Plant hunters Reginald Farrer Will Purdom What became of house and garden About Penn Allen Having spent most of my life in the UK, I moved permanently to the beautiful Lot region in SW France with my husband around fifteen years ago.  I have a passion for my garden and the outdoors and can generally be found either striding over a windswept hillside or upside down in my flower beds, always with a Labrador or two by my side.  The Lost Garden of Loughrigg is my first story, though hopefully not my last! Links The Lost Gardens of Loughrigg by Penn Allen  Tickets to see Penn Allen at the Kendal Mountain Book Festival Twitter @PennAllenwrites  Instagram penn.allen www.modicagardens.com

This episode, my guest is green roof guru, urban designer, photographer, birdwatcher, punk ideologist and all-round straight talker Dusty Gedge. We talk about green infrastructure, encouraging species back into landscapes, how to maintain landscapes for habitat value and what’s being and can be done to up the green value of public spaces. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Woodlice What We Talk About  Brownfield gardening Biodiversity in decline The problems faced by birds in urban environments  What initiatives Dusty is most excited by What happens if biodiversity starts causing a problem? Maintaining green roofs as habitats About Dusty Gedge Links www.dustygedge.co.uk Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Collecting the Love 1 Collecting the Love 2 Other episodes if you liked this one: The Botanical Mind Public Green Spaces Patreon