This time, I'm the one in the hot seat.

In this reflective end-of-year episode, Kelly Baldry takes over as host to ask searching questions about the podcast, changing minds, climate contradictions, and the limits of horticulture as a mental-health cure, alongside a deeper look at my work with Veterans' Growth and what it really means to create safe, supportive spaces in and beyond the garden.

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Sandra Schwarz talks about her new book Restore, and shares how her research led her to identify six universal qualities that make landscapes restorative. We talk about the complexities of "owning" nature, who restorative gardens are really for, and how designers can create spaces that meet people where they are. It's a thoughtful, hopeful conversation about greening with intention.

Links

Restore: How Green Spaces Support Human Restoration

Official Restore Book Page (Humanaturescapes)

Please support the podcast on Patreon

And follow Roots and All:

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If you liked this week's episode with Sandra Schwarz you might also enjoy these ones from the archives:

Episode 348: A Forest Fix
Sarah speaks with Olga Evans, co‑founder of the Forest Bathing Institute, about what forest bathing really means, the science behind nature's healing effects, and practical ways to bring its benefits into everyday life, even if you don't have a forest nearby.

Episode 314: Nurturing Growth, Inside and Out
Sarah talks to Pete Welsh, an RAF Warrant Officer whose journey from military life through mental health challenges highlights the therapeutic power of gardening and community connection, and the parallels between cultivating plants and healing ourselves.

Linden Groves of the Gardens Trust talks about the vital—and surprisingly vulnerable—protections for our historic parks and gardens, and the government's proposal to remove the Trust's statutory consultee role. We unpack what this would mean for our green spaces, why it matters to all of us, and how people can help.

Links

The Gardens Trust

Support the campaign

Please support the podcast on Patreon

And follow Roots and All:

On Instagram @rootsandallpod

On Facebook @rootsandalluk

On LinkedIn @rootsandall

If you liked this week's episode with Linden Groves you might also enjoy this one from the archives:

Episode 336: Creating an Ark
Sarah speaks with landscape designer and rewilding advocate Mary Reynolds about turning gardens and public green spaces into biodiversity-supporting "Arks," exploring how design choices can protect nature in everyday landscapes.

Episode 351: Wild Campuses, Wild Futures
Sarah talks to Liz Morley about rewilding public and institutional landscapes, discussing how sensitive, ecologically informed design can support nature while still serving community needs.