Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

In this episode of Roots and All, I chat with designer, researcher, and filmmaker Eliza about the intersection of design, ecology, and the fast-paced realities of plant evolution. Coming straight from her extensive research fields—including tracking wildflowers in the Rocky Mountains with Dr. Diane Campbell and exploring alpine meadow systems in Italy—Eliza shares how climate change is reshaping landscapes, why plants are shifting behaviours, and how gardeners can embrace a more observational, resilient approach.
Benny's Insect of the Week: The European Firebug
What You'll Learn:
How extreme weather, drought, and low snowpacks are accelerating plant evolution and altering seasonal lifecycles in the Rocky Mountains.
What assisted migration, natural hybridisation, and resilient "Hybridising Scentscapes" mean for future planting schemes and garden biodiversity.
How traditional practices, like alpine cattle transhumance festivals, can inspire creative seed dispersal solutions.
Practical takeaways for gardeners and designers looking to relinquish rigid control and embrace natural resilience.
Understanding the Future Through Design and Research
Eliza explains her unique multidisciplinary practice, which blends design research, ecology, and filmmaking to simulate and speculate on future environments. Moving beyond traditional interior or product design, her work explores how humans can collaborate with scientists and natural ecosystems to address climate pressures.
Climate Realities in the Rocky Mountains and the Alps
Reflecting on her recent field observations in Colorado—where she spends every summer at a field station working alongside scientists—Eliza highlights how extreme drought, a lack of reliable afternoon rain showers, low snowpacks, and early melting have severe domino effects on plant health, pollinator survival, and local marmot populations. She also dives into her work in the Italian Alps, examining ancient meadow systems and how nomadic animal migration (transhumance) plays a crucial role in species distribution.
Resilient Gardens and Hybridising Scentscapes
Eliza discusses her ongoing collaboration with artist/farmers Atteraterra (ATT) on Hybridising Scentscapes—gardens designed specifically for resilience and evolution. Featuring installations such as the one at the Design Museum, this long-term research explores how planting varieties in close proximity allows nature and pollinators to drive evolutionary adaptations against higher temperatures and water scarcity.
Practical Principles for Gardeners and Designers
When translating high-level scientific research into everyday horticulture, Eliza suggests stepping back from rigid maintenance practices. Gardeners and designers can benefit greatly from:
Embracing natural surprises: Allowing unexpected plant hybrids or "weeds" to persist rather than immediately pulling them out, as they may hold vital climate resilience traits.
Loosening control: Moving away from overly sterile aesthetic expectations toward a more dynamic, biodiverse, and observational approach to garden maintenance.
Links & Resources
TUFF Group: Eliza's new group focusing on the aftermath of historical weather events and major disturbances, featuring a monthly book club exploring historical events from each month and their lasting impacts.
Design Museum & Future Observatory: Eliza has an upcoming show opening at the Design Museum with Future Observatory in November, displaying new work on how migratory species can assist struggling plants facing extreme weather. You can read more via the Future Observatory website.
Featured Book: On the Necessity of Gardening: An ABC of Art, Botany and Cultivation
Please support the podcast on Patreon
And follow Roots and All:
On Instagram @rootsandallpod
On Facebook @rootsandalluk
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If you enjoyed this week's episode with Eliza, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:
Episode 181: Gardening in a Changing World
This episode explores the overarching perspective of the climate crisis, looking at how ecological shifts and evolution will change the way we manage our green spaces. It serves as a great companion piece to Eliza's insights on climate adaptation.
Episode 137: Water-wise Gardening with Janet Manning
Janet Manning looks deep into drought-tolerant plants and practical water management strategies for gardens facing increasing temperature and weather pressures.

In this episode, gardening expert and The English Garden editor Clare Foggett joins us to explore what truly defines a cottage garden. We discuss why these spaces are defined by generous planting rather than rigid design, the magic of self-seeding plants, and how this traditional style fits into modern, sustainable, and biodiverse gardening.
Includes:
Planted, Not Designed: Discover how cottage gardens evolve naturally through a passion for plants rather than a master plan.

The Power of Self-Seeders: Learn why plants like foxgloves and valerian are essential for a relaxed, charming aesthetic.

Modern Sustainability: Find out why this high-flower, low-lawn approach is the ultimate eco-friendly choice for contemporary gardeners.

Benny's Insect of the Week: Ivy Bee
Links
Beauty & Abundance: British Cottage Gardens by Clare Foggett
Nestboxes Talk - with Ian Rumley-Dawson
Please support the podcast on Patreon
And follow Roots and All:
On Instagram @rootsandallpod
On Facebook @rootsandalluk
On LinkedIn @rootsandall
If you enjoyed this week's episode with Clare, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:
Episode 168: Cottage Gardens with Andrew Sankey
Andrew Sankey has spent decades researching English cottage gardens, and this episode explores what defines the style, both historically and today, including the plants, planting techniques, edibles and wildlife-friendly qualities that make cottage gardens so distinctive. It's a particularly useful companion to Claire's exploration of how the cottage garden has evolved and why it remains so relevant to the way we garden today.
Episode 244: The Biodiversity Gardener with Paul Sterry
Paul Sterry explores how gardens can contribute to biodiversity, from the plants we grow and the way we manage them to the habitats we create for insects and other wildlife. Like Claire's conversation, it considers how a more relaxed, abundant approach to gardening can benefit nature as well as creating a beautiful garden.

We tend to think of plants as static things: rooted to the spot, quietly getting on with being plants. But what if, beneath our feet, there's a much more dynamic world of movement, adaptation and decision-making going on? In this episode I'm talking to plant ecologist and artist Curtis Lubbe about roots, bulbs and rhizomes, plant 'animacy' and why changing the way we think and talk about plants might change the way we treat them too.
Benny's Insect of the Week: Fig-Leaf Skeltoniser
Links
Curtis Lubbe Blog
Journal of Ecology profile: Curtis Lubbe 
Please support the podcast on Patreon
And follow Roots and All:
On Instagram @rootsandallpod
On Facebook @rootsandalluk
On LinkedIn @rootsandall
If you enjoyed this week's episode with Curtis, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:
Episode 109: The Botanical Mind with Gina Buenfeld
This episode explores the relationship between art and the natural world, including ideas around plant intelligence, symbolism and the ways plants have been understood across different cultures. It's a particularly good companion to Curtis's thoughts on plant perception and the role of art in helping us see plants differently.
Episode 245: The Language of Trees
Artist and activist Katie Holten explores our relationship with trees through art, language, literature and ecology. Like Curtis's work, it asks us to rethink how we perceive plants and to find new ways of communicating their importance and complexity.

What if your garden could double as a living pharmacy? In this episode, I'm talking to gardener, chef and herbalism practitioner Vanessa Minton about growing medicinal herbs, using them in everyday life, and understanding both the benefits and limitations of herbal remedies.
Benny's Insect of the Week: Toadflax Brocade Moth
Links
From The Garden – Linktree 
How to Grow Medicinal Herbs: An Illustrated Beginner's Guide to Growing, Harvesting, and Making Herbal Remedies at Home - Vanessa Minton
Please support the podcast on Patreon
As featured in the Feedspot Top 100 Horticulture Podcasts
And follow Roots and All:
On Instagram @rootsandallpod
On Facebook @rootsandalluk
On LinkedIn @rootsandall
If you enjoyed this week's episode with Vanessa, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:
Episode 270: Herbology
This episode explores the long history of using plants to make remedies and therapeutic preparations, and the growing interest in reconnecting with traditional herbal knowledge. It's a natural companion to Vanessa's discussion of medicinal herbs and the garden as a source of plant medicine.
Episode 96: Sensory Herbalism with Karen Lawton
Karen Lawton talks about developing a deeper connection with medicinal plants through observation, sensory awareness and herbal practice. It's a lovely companion to Vanessa's discussion of bringing herbs into everyday life and getting to know the plants we grow.

Can we save nature by putting a quantifiable value on it? Tim Christophersen is a forester, former UN environmentalist and a leading voice in the global ecosystem restoration movement, championing regenerative agriculture and nature-based solutions. With the UK sweltering through multiple heatwaves, we discuss whether investment can really deliver the restoration we need — and what happens when living ecosystems become part of the financial system.
Benny's Insect of the Week: Toadflax Brocade Moth
About Tim Christopherson
Tim Christophersen joined Salesforce as VP, Climate Action in May 2022. Within the global Impact Team, he leads the work on climate and nature action and investments. Tim is based in Denmark. He is the author of 'Generation Restoration', a book about restoring nature at planetary scale. Before joining Salesforce, Tim was Head of the 'Nature for Climate' Branch at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and led a growing global movement backed by all UN Member States and over 300 partner organizations to 'prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide': the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030.
He holds a degree in Forestry and Forest Conservation Engineering from Dresden University of Technology. He previously worked for the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), where he led the portfolio on the conservation and sustainable use of forest biodiversity. From 2017-2019, he was elected Chair of the Global Partnership on Forest and Landscape Restoration. From 2002-2007 he was Regional Programme Coordinator for Europe, the Caucasus and the Commonwealth of Independent States at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). He also worked for the Danish Ministry of the Environment, and for the European Commission.
Links
Generation Restoration: How to Fix Our Relationship Crisis with Mother Nature by Tim Christopherson 
Tim Christophersen on how to rebuild humanity's ties to nature
Other restoration projects of interest: Restor.eco  decadeonrestoration.org 
Tim's LinkedIn profile
Please support the podcast on Patreon
As featured in the Feedspot Top 100 Horticulture Podcasts
And follow Roots and All:
On Instagram @rootsandallpod
On Facebook @rootsandalluk
On LinkedIn @rootsandall
If you enjoyed this week's episode with Tim, you might also enjoy these episodes from the archives:
Episode 318: Care Not Capital
John Little challenges the idea that investing in green spaces is primarily about capital, arguing instead for investment in the people who care for them. It makes an interesting companion to Tim's discussion of the role money and investment can play in restoring nature.
Episode 58: A New Garden Ethic with Benjamin Vogt
Benjamin Vogt argues for a different relationship with nature, one in which we see ourselves as part of the wider ecological community rather than separate from it. It's a useful counterpoint to Tim's much bigger-picture discussion about how we value and restore the natural world.