In this episode, host Cass Dowding talks with landscape architect and author Sandra Schwarz about her journey from teaching teenagers to researching how green spaces heal us. Though Sandra grew up in German apartments with railway allotment gardens, her relationship with plants began quietly until a career-changing moment in her classroom. Watching her students' eyes light up when she suggested rooftop gardens, then hearing a designer talk about turning concrete channels back into rivers, Sandra knew she had to change careers. In this conversation, Cass and Sandra talk about: Growing up with German railway allotment gardens and moving to 1980s Australia where gardens were "part of the house" The pivotal moment hearing about river restoration that changed her career path Her study exchange in Sweden and discovering Alnarp's rehabilitation garden How sitting quietly stroking a lamb's ear leaf revealed her PhD focus The science behind gravel paths as acts of kindness in therapeutic garden design Her three sentimental green spaces: Alnarp (Sweden), Gartnaval Maggie's Centre (Scotland), and Royal Talbot (Melbourne) Volunteering as the "chief possum poo and bird bath cleaner" and watching magpies wait for their refresh The "exhale factor" - why certain spaces make our shoulders drop How we're losing green spaces to bigger houses just when we need them most for mental health Translating academic research into practical wisdom for creating healing spaces If you've ever felt that shoulder-dropping moment in a green space, wondered why gardens make you feel better, or believe we need more nature in our concrete world, this comprehensive conversation will fascinate you. You can find Sandra's book Restore at humanaturescapes.net and follow her on Instagram @human_nature_scapes. Follow Cass on Instagram, Facebook, or Threads — @the_sentimental_gardener. Links to social pages and more are available at bio.site/thesentimentalgardener. Read show notes about the guests and access the full transcript by clicking here or visiting thesentimentalgardener.com/podcasts Music written and performed by Hayden Schueler from @vereyagardening Podcast produced and edited by Cass and Tom Dowding See libsyn.com/tos-policies/privacy-policy for privacy information.
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1:28:38
Rhiannon Dowding
In this episode, host Cass Dowding talks with writer and artist Rhiannon Dowding (also her mother-in-law) about a lifetime of garden stories from Wales to Victoria. Though Rhiannon says she's "not much of a gardener," her life has been shaped by the plant lovers around her, from grandparents with berry patches to her chemistry professor father who filled their first Australian garden with native trees. In this conversation, Cass and Rhiannon talk about: Growing up in Wales surrounded by berry patches and her grandfather's famous "poo tea" experiments Her father's love of Australian native plants and making dyes from gum leaves Her move from Wales to Australia in 1966 and watching her father plant their first gum tree Living through the Ash Wednesday bushfires in Cockatoo and seeing how trees survived the flames How liquid amber trees in autumn remind her of her father The smells and sights taking her back to childhood - from pond smells to Welsh bluebells Why she likes "easy" gardening now with hedges, geraniums, and plants that grow on their own How gardens show up in her watercolor paintings, from gum leaves to mushrooms What it means to inherit garden stories instead of gardening skills If you've ever been influenced by someone else's love of plants, felt moved by a particular smell, or believe that the most important gardens live in our memories, you'll love this conversation. Follow Cass on Instagram, Facebook, or Threads — @the_sentimental_gardener. Links to social pages and more are available at bio.site/thesentimentalgardener. Read show notes about the guests and access the full transcript by clicking here or visiting thesentimentalgardener.com/podcasts Music written and performed by Hayden Schueler from @vereyagardening See libsyn.com/tos-policies/privacy-policy for privacy information.
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Hayden Schueler
_*]:min-w-0 !gap-3.5"> In this premiere episode, Cass Dowding speaks with Hayden Schueler, who went from studying music composition at the Victorian College of Arts to running Vereya Gardening in the Dandenong Ranges. His story comes full circle, now living just over the fence from his childhood home, on land where he once played as a boy collecting chestnuts and climbing trees. In this conversation, Cass and Hayden discuss: His journey from a "closeted gardener" while studying music to embracing gardening as a career The chestnut trees and camellias that connect him to childhood memories How following your passion sometimes means embracing an unexpected path His journey through Europe visiting centuries-old topiary gardens planted in the 1600s The fascinating differences between Japanese topiary and European formal shapes What it means to maintain gardens that hold decades of memories for their owners How specific plants trigger powerful childhood memories through both sight and scent Why gardens are never truly "finished" ... only constantly evolving If you've ever found meaning in a particular plant, felt connected to a childhood garden, or simply believe that gardens are more than just collections of plants, this conversation is a perfect place to start. Follow Hayden on Instagram @vereyagardening Read show notes about the guests and access the full transcript by clicking here or visiting thesentimentalgardener.com/podcasts Follow Cass on Instagram, Facebook, or Threads — @the_sentimental_gardener. Links to social pages and more are available at bio.site/thesentimentalgardener. _*]:min-w-0 !gap-3.5"> Music written and performed by Hayden Schueler from @vereyagardening See libsyn.com/tos-policies/privacy-policy for privacy information.
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The Sentimental Gardener (Trailer)
Join Cass Dowding, an enthusiastic everyday gardener, as she has conversations with fellow plant lovers about the gardens and plants that shape our stories and connect us to what matters most. The show launches end of April 2025. Click subscribe now so you never miss an episode! Theme music is by Hayden Schueler from @vereyagardening See https://libsyn.com/tos-policies/privacy-policy/ for privacy information.
Join Cass Dowding, an enthusiastic everyday gardener, as she has conversations with fellow plant lovers about the gardens and plants that shape our stories and connect us to what matters most.
Australia