What does it really mean to listen? For Andrew Skeoch, listening is far more than hearing sounds or identifying bird calls. It is the foundation of relationship—a practice that invites us to pay attention, to be influenced and ultimately to learn from the living world.

Drawing on more than three decades of recording wild soundscapes, Andrew reflects on what birds, ecosystems and the remarkable lives of other species can teach us. Together, we explore why nature is better understood as a web of relationships than a collection of separate parts, and ask what might become possible if we approached the world with greater curiosity, humility and attention.

Andrew Skeoch is a naturalist, environmental thinker, educator and one of Australia's best-known sound recordists. For more than three decades, he has recorded wild soundscapes across Australia and around the world through Listening Earth. He is the author of Deep Listening to Nature, which explores how listening can deepen our understanding of the natural world and our relationship with it.

You can find about more about Andrew, including where to hear his recordings and buy his book here

How well do we really know the trees around us? In this episode I sit down with multidisciplinary artist, ecologist and author Vicky Shukuroglou to talk about eucalypts — those familiar yet endlessly fascinating trees that shape much of the Australian landscape. Vicky shares the story behind her new field guide - Ace Guide to Eucalypts Melbourne - exploring what inspired the project and the immense effort involved in bringing it to life. What begins as a conversation about the guide soon becomes an exploration of observation itself: how we learn to recognise trees, what classification can and cannot tell us, and how deeper attention reveals an extraordinary world of variation, relationships and stories. Together we discuss Melbourne's diverse landscapes, from dry western plains and Ironbark forests to towering Mountain Ash country, exploring the ecology, evolution and cultural significance of these remarkable trees. Along the way we talk about conservation, habitat, climate change, the value of local knowledge and the importance of fostering a genuine relationship with the living world.

Through art, writing, community learning and ecological practice, Vicky encourages people to develop more attentive and meaningful relationships with place. Vicky is co-author and photographer of the book Loving Country and has spent many years exploring the connections between creativity, ecology, culture and care for Country.

Her latest book, Ace Guide to Eucalypts Melbourne, can be ordered online at: www.eucalyptsmelbourne.au. Visit the Facebook page – here.

Botanic gardens are sometimes viewed as rather static places — collections of plants, all neatly labelled. But as today's guest explains, they are so much more than that. In this episode I sit down with Professor Tim Entwistle, botanist, author and former director of three major botanic gardens including Melbourne, Sydney and Kew Gardens in London.

We explore the origins of botanic gardens, from the medicinal gardens of Renaissance Italy through to the great botanic gardens of today. Tim describes how modern gardens combine science, education, culture and recreation, becoming places where people can learn, celebrate and connect with the living world. We discuss some of Australia's most significant gardens, including Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens and the Australian Garden at Cranbourne, as well as the important role played by regional botanic gardens across Victoria and beyond.

Along the way we talk about plant collections, herbaria, seasonal calendars, First Nations knowledge, climate change adaptation and the future of urban green spaces. Tim also shares the story of a beloved 150-year-old oak tree in Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens and how its legacy inspired his latest book.

Tim Entwistle is a botanist, writer and public communicator who has spent decades helping people better understand plants and their place in our lives. His books include Evergreen, The Skeptical Botanist and the forthcoming Three Worlds Oak.

Find out more about Tim at his blog: https://talkingplants.blogspot.com/

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