For many around the world right now, the green spaces that hold so many memories are caught in conflict.

This is the case for the activist, writer and chef Olia Hercules, who has seen the garden her mother made occupied by Russian soldiers during the invasion of Ukraine.

Now based in East London, Olia has built a garden of her own that she feels has an ancestral connection to the one she knew as a child. Together we drink tea brewed from the plants that Olia has grown here and talk about how, after war has affected every generation in your family, the earth can point to a kind of future.

Olia's memoir Strong Roots is out in paperback now. Olia is also on Instagram @oliahercules.

This podcast is inspired by my book, ⁠Why Women Grow: Stories of Soil, Sisterhood and Survival⁠, which is available in all good bookshops. We’ve also been photographing our guests and their gardens and you can see the beautiful images captured by India Hobson ⁠on my website⁠ and instagram account @⁠⁠⁠alicevincentwrites⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to our friends at ⁠Niwaki⁠. You can get 10% off your order with the code WHYWOMENGROW.

We’ll be back later in the year with more episodes.

If you’re new to the Why Women Grow podcast, do check out our previous episodes, including guests such as Michelle Ogundehin and Daisy Johnson. And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, it would mean so much if you could rate and review the podcast on whichever platform you’re listening in on, or share it with someone you think may enjoy it.

This episode was produced by Holly Fisher. The theme music is by Maria Chiara Argiro.

With a clutch of medals from RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court flower shows, a bestselling garden design book and more than half a million social media followers, Pollyanna Wilkinson has gained a well-earned reputation for making elegant, contemporary and liveable gardens accessible to all. But while hundreds of thousands of people look to Polly’s approach for inspiration and guidance, her own garden is a retreat for a scant few: her family, her design team and herself.

We meet Polly on a clear, crisp morning in her studio garden in Surrey, to talk about how her life, career and motherhood have intertwined with her design practice in ways that might surprise her fans.

Pollyanna Wilkinson's book, How to Design a Garden, is one of my go-tos, so do check it out. Find out more about her design practice at Studio Pollyanna. She’s also on Instagram, @pollyanna_wilkinson, substack and TikTok. Next up, we speak to activist, author and chef, Olia Hercules.

This podcast is inspired by my book, ⁠Why Women Grow: Stories of Soil, Sisterhood and Survival⁠, which is available in all good bookshops. We’ve also been photographing our guests and their gardens and you can see the beautiful images captured by India Hobson ⁠on my website⁠ and instagram account @⁠⁠⁠alicevincentwrites⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to our friends at ⁠Niwaki⁠. You can get 10% off your order with the code WHYWOMENGROW.

If you’re new to the Why Women Grow podcast, do check out our previous episodes, including guests such as Claire Ratinon and Robin Wall Kimmerer. And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, it would mean so much if you could rate and review the podcast on whichever platform you’re listening in on, or share it with someone you think may enjoy it.

This episode was produced by Holly Fisher. The theme music is by Maria Chiara Argiro.

When you become known for your garden - and what you grow there - what does it mean to up peasticks and move? ⁠Milli Proust⁠ is a gardener, writer and floral designer based in a remote corner of West Sussex. She spent a decade transforming her garden, but when we visited her she was just about to leave it. We met Milli - and her gorgeous whippet Jimmy - under the shade of an enormous oak tree to reflect on what has been, and imagine what is still to come.

Milli’s latest book, ⁠How Does Your Garden Grow⁠, is available now and shares practical guidance and encouragement for anyone wanting to grow flowers. She can also be found posting wisdom and inspiration on Instagram: @⁠milliproust⁠.

This podcast is inspired by my book, ⁠Why Women Grow: Stories of Soil, Sisterhood and Survival⁠, which is available in all good bookshops. We’ve also been photographing our guests and their gardens and you can see the beautiful images captured by India Hobson ⁠on my website⁠ and instagram account @⁠⁠⁠alicevincentwrites⁠⁠⁠. Thank you to our friends at ⁠Niwaki⁠. You can get 10% off your order with the code WHYWOMENGROW.

Next up, we hear from author and columnist India Knight.

If you’re new to the Why Women Grow podcast, do check out our previous episodes, including guests such as Jamaica Kincaid and Sarah Raven. And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, it would mean so much if you could rate and review the podcast on whichever platform you’re listening in on, or share it with someone you think may enjoy it.

This episode was produced by Holly Fisher. The theme music is by Maria Chiara Argiro.