Small spaces, big wildlife. Writer James Canton joins me to discuss his book Renaturing and his two-acre North Essex project, showing how subtle, thoughtful interventions can revive biodiversity — a great companion episode to Randal Plunkett's conversation about large-scale "V-wilding."

Benny's Insect of the Week: European Orchard Bee

Links

www.essex.ac.uk

Renaturing: Small Ways to Wild the World by James Canton

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If you liked this week's episode with James, you might also enjoy this episode from the archives:

Episode 373: V‑Wilding with Randal Plunkett
Randal Plunkett joins Sarah to explore his large‑scale "V‑wilding" project at Dunsany Nature Reserve, where a hands‑off approach lets ecosystems recover and challenges mainstream ideas about restoration — a great complement to today's discussion on working with nature at different scales.

Episode 322: Garden Wildlife Ponds with Pete Case
Freshwater Habitats Trust expert Pete Case dives into the world of garden ponds — why they matter for wildlife, how to create and maintain them, and how even modest water features can support biodiversity, making this a practical and inspiring complement to today's episode about working with the land you have.

https://rootsandall.co.uk/podcast/episode‑193‑growing‑under‑protection/In this episode, I'm joined by Beth Gregg, founder of Claverton Cloches, who's on a mission to revive the beauty and practicality of Victorian cloche gardening. We talk about cloches of all shapes, sizes, and materials, how they can extend the growing season and protect crops, and explore the history, design, and sustainability behind them — and why sometimes the smallest structures can make the biggest difference in the garden.

Benny's Insect of the Week: Daffodil Dung Fly

About

Beth Gregg is a passionate advocate of cloche gardening and the founder of Claverton Cloches. Her love affair with the romance of the English garden, particularly the ingenuity of historic kitchen gardens, led her to explore the power of the humble cloche as both a practical and beautiful growing tool.

In her own garden, Beth uses cloches extensively to extend the seasons and create microclimates. She ripens chillies and tender crops outdoors in lieu of a greenhouse, overwinters flowers for early cutting in late spring, and protects delicate young plants from frost, wind and hungry garden visitors. For her, cloches are not ornamental extras, but transformative tools - simple structures that can dramatically improve yield, resilience and timing in the garden.

Inspired by antique Victorian designs, she went on to found Claverton Cloches in 2020, reviving traditional cast-iron and glass forms for modern gardeners who value both beauty and productivity. Her work celebrates the quiet practicality of historic garden craft, and the idea that functional objects in the garden can, and should, be deeply beautiful.

You can explore Claverton Cloches at www.clavertoncloches.com

Please support the podcast on Patreon

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

Episode 142: Growing Under Cover with Niki Jabbour
Canadian gardener and author Niki Jabbour joins Sarah to share her deep‑dive wisdom on using crop covers, season‑extending techniques and protected structures to grow productive, weather‑resilient vegetable gardens — even in challenging climates. From practical crop‑cover strategies to prolonging your growing year, this episode is full of hands‑on insight for gardeners looking to get more from their space.

Episode 193: Growing Under Protection
Horticultural expert Guy Deakins joins Sarah to explore what "protected growing" really means — how to create successful micro‑climates in the garden, the benefits and pitfalls of sheltered environments, and how protection can boost plant health and productivity. It's a thoughtful complement to our discussion about cloches and ways of supporting plants through design and environment.

Tomatoes might be the gateway drug to vegetable gardening — but are we making life harder than it needs to be?

In this episode of Roots and All, I'm joined by Frank Hyman to talk about the origins of the tomato, why it struggles in our wet climates, and how small shifts in the way we grow can make a huge difference. From myth-busting pruning advice to clever ways of keeping plants dry and productive, this is a practical, good-humoured deep dive into growing better tomatoes.

Benny's Insect of the Week: Hairy-footed Flower Bee

Links

Ripe Tomato Revolution: Planting and Growing Every Type of Tomato - Beefsteaks, Cherries, Plums, Dwarfs, and Heirlooms by Frank Hyman

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 Frank you might also enjoy this episode from the archives:

Episode 142: Growing Under Cover with Niki Jabbour
Canadian gardener and author Niki Jabbour joins Sarah to share her deep‑dive wisdom on using crop covers, season‑extending techniques and protected structures to grow productive, weather‑resilient vegetable gardens — even in challenging climates. From practical crop‑cover strategies to prolonging your growing year, this episode is full of hands‑on insight for gardeners looking to get more from their space.

Episode 324: Kitchen Garden Living with Bailey Van Tassel
Bailey Van Tassel joins Sarah to discuss cultivating a thriving kitchen garden, exploring seasonal growing practices, companion planting and strategies for turning a small space into a productive, food-focused garden. This conversation complements Frank's tomato insights, offering practical tips and inspiration for anyone looking to grow vegetables beautifully and successfully.