Kew's Joe Richomme on popularising botanical words, career changing, how to get into the industry, what peonies and alternative grasses to plant,
Richomme is a botanical horticulturist based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Working primarily with temperate plants, he is responsible for Kew’s living collections of grasses and peonies.
With Emma Townshend, he has written Kew - Plant Words: A book of 250 curious words for plant lovers "exploring everything from arboreta to the wood-wide web...delving into the roots, meaning and compelling stories of 250 botanical words".
He explains what the wood wide web is and why basic botany is important.
Navigating the challenges of job changing from working for the London Symphony Orchestra to horticulture have included volunteering at Chelsea Physic Garden and other London gardens, which have helped him develop his career.
Richomme talks about his Kew Specialist Certificate in Kitchen Garden Production and how well (or badly) plant proteins grow in the UK, and 2019 study tour to New York.
He discusses adding tropical grasses to turf mixes to create a more drought-resistant lawn and his favourite peonies and plans for the collection.
Presenter: HortWeek editor Matthew Appleby
Producer: HortWeek digital content manager Christina Taylor
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