Episode 34 - Revealing Why Women Grow Gardens

Why do we grow in our gardens? Are we searching for closeness to the mystery and magic of the natural world, or perhaps working towards self-sufficiency by feeding ourselves? Do we grow to create habitat for pollinators or enrich precious soil? Do we grow to foster a knowledge of growing in our children, and to foster community? Do we grow to grasp control in a scary world? Do we grow because we love beauty?

Wise and curious guest Alice Vincent delves into her new book, Why Women Grow: Stories of Soil, Sisterhood and Survival. Alice is a writer, broadcaster, career-journalist, and multi-platform storyteller, and her book Rootbound: Rewilding a Life was longlisted for the Wainwright Prize. Now a columnist for Gardens Illustrated, Alice has written for The Telegraph, The New Statesman, Vogue, The Financial Times, The Sunday Times and The Observer. Beyond the page, Alice is the host of the Why Women Grow podcast, which unearths stories of the land with inspiring women. 

This beautiful and rich conversation roots into our relationships with nature and gardening in cities. We discuss perfectionism, being drawn to the soil, and motherhood. We refurl stories of women in their gardens, and pay homage to the gardens who raised us.