Emily & Maddie are back with so much chat this week. We go a little off topic, but that's pretty standard...right?

We cover:

• Philodendron
• Shrub (not of the plant variety!)
• Spent flowers are self seeding
• Ferment for Good - Sharon Flynn
• Justin O'Brien's self-seeding success
• Compost bins
• Proteas not opening
• Olive grove maintenance
• Drowning in Plums
• Different types of clematis - who knew!
• Emily is on the hunt for the perfect garden basket from op shops near and far.

Next week we're so excited to be releasing our chat with the amazing Jac Semmler of Super Bloom!

Emily and Maddie were lucky enough to meet Steven in Victoria late last year, having followed his journey for a long time. Steven began his career as a nurse, before studying horticulture, with no intention of fusing the two. But he delved deeper into therapeutic gardens, gaining a Churchill Fellowship to help support research, and he started the Therapeutic Garden at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre nearly 20 years ago, providing immeasurable benefit to patients, their families, friends and staff.

Steven recently downsized from a much-celebrated garden in the Melbourne suburbs, Steven now has a lush veranda in the clouds, overlooking Melbourne's CBD. This downsizing has given him time and space to focus on other passions and projects in his life.

Steven lives, works and gardens in Naarm / Melbourne, on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation.

Before we get to Steven's chat, Maddie and Emily are dreaming of fields of sunflowers - Emily is reminiscing about her time in Europe with sunflowers and cosmos all around. Maddie is reminiscing of her time on a farm stay in Portugal while staying in a yurt.

We ask Steven for his favourite Evergreen plants, which are:

• Agave Attenuata / Foxtail Agave
• Variegated aspidistra
• Bromeliads

And his tips for Textural Plants in a Sensory garden include Lambs Ear or Kalanchoe 'Oak Leaf'.

It's a Maddie & Emily chat this week.

Maddie is loving (despite calling the colour urine-esque) the White Gate Co White Blend and if you're in Tassie go book and wine shopping at Five Leaves Left.

Emily was creating new neural pathways and happened upon a great side-street garden stall. Win!

We're lamenting the end of cherry season, but enjoying choc-covered cherries from a local stall.

We're rolling (metaphorically, not literally) in peastraw and alpaca poo.

Lettuce is ON!

Emily has has success with a poppy (yes, just the one), and it's reminding her of her grandfather. Maddie's hollyhocks have popped and it's reminding her of her grandmother.

Emily is recommending Death and the Gardener, and Maddie is recommending Recipe Tin Eats' scone recipe but a shout out to Lady Flo's Pumpkin Scones too.