Dede Sophie

Famous for his contribution to evolutionary biology, Charles Darwin brought many of his theory’s to life through experiments held at his family homes private garden. Though not truly a secret, the important, groundbreaking work carried out here in the grounds and the glasshouse is little known. After a number of years as all-girls’ boarding school it is now open to the public so anyone can walk in the steps of this scientific giant for the price of a ticket! So join us as we walk around the walled orchard and kitchen garden as well as visiting the ‘laboratory’ with is Darwin’s potting shed and lean-to green house. If you would like to see more content like this then check out our YouTube channel ‘Walking talking Gardeners’. It is absolutely free to subscribe to and you can unsubscribe immediately at any time. If you would like to ne notified whenever we publish new videos then click onto the notification ‘bell’ icon

Growing cucumbers by sowing seeds would appear straightforward at face value but this tropical food crop from India requires minimum temperatures for it to both germinate and then grow. Keep the seeds to cold and they won’t germinate, keep the young plants too cold and they will go into shock and refuse to grow! So in this video English Horticulturists Simon and Lorna explain in detail the timings and techniques required to grow cucumbers from seed successfully as well as avoiding the pitfalls of sowing too early or planting out when it is till too cold. If you would like to see more content like this then check out our other videos on our YouTube channel ‘Waling Talking Gardeners’. It is absolutely free to subscribe to ad you can unsubscribe instantly at any time. If you would like to be notified when we publish a new video then click onto the notification bell icon.

Tropical effect gardens live on the edge of what can survive a typical British winter, so whenever an unseasonably cold winter arrives plant death and destruction will surely follow – something we witnessed this year at RHS Wisley Exotic garden!  Exotic plants that can be quite happy with English winters unfortunately struggle to survive in these exceptional 1 in 10 years where temperatures drop to below -6 degrees Celsius! So plants which have established to become handsome specimens can be completely destroyed, ruining the effect of many exotic gardens. So in this video we visit RHS Wisleys Exotic garden to see how they coped with the coldest and longest winter seen in at least 12 years. If you would like to see more content like this then check out YouTube channel ‘Walking Talking Gardeners’. It is absolutely free to subscribe to and you can unsubscribe instantly at any time. Don’t forget to click onto the notification bell icon to be notified of all our future videos.

A holiday to Madhya Pradesh traditionally meant visiting one of its famous national parks and watching its tigers up close in the wild. After all, it is where ‘The Jungle Book’, Mowgli, Bhalu, Bagheera and Sher Khan were born. But, there is so much more to Madhya Pradesh than just its tigers and national parks. Owing to its unique location in the heart of the Indian subcontinent, it is home to a variety of cultural and heritage sites that can be considered as the pride of India. This central location has been allowing civilizations, kingdoms, dynasties, rulers, warriors, traders, armies and many more people to overlap for thousands of years and it is due to this exchange that you see some legendary heritage sites here. Some of them have been recognized by UNESCO as world heritage sites, while the others are sites of national importance. Here are 8 such heritage destinations that you must visit on your next trip to Madhya Pradesh. Each of these heritage destinations have had a rich past

He was the last of the strong Mughal Emperors who ruled over almost the entire Indian subcontinent for a period of 49 years. He was an accomplished military leader who has also been described as the most controversial ruler in Indian history. He was given the title of Alamgir or conqueror of the world. And the world knows him by his popular name ‘Aurangzeb’, which translates to ‘Ornament of the Throne’ in Persian. But, in spite of his titles, regal status and rich legacy, his final resting place is a simple and unmarked one. Why is Aurangzeb’s tomb a simple one when his predecessors had grand mausoleums built; some of which are large monuments of Mughal architecture? Be it Babur’s tomb in Babur garden, Afghanistan,  Humayun’s tomb in Delhi, Akbar’s tomb at Sikandra, Jehangir’s tomb at Shahdara Bagh, Pakistan or Shah Jahan’s tomb at Taj Mahal in Agra along with his wife Mumtaz Mahal, all of them symbolize the magnificence and architecture of Mughal architecture. While all of Aurangzeb’

I don’t know why the Kailasa temple at Ellora is not one of the seven wonders of the world. It’s excavation, carving and stature is unparalleled in the whole world. After all, it is the largest single monolithic rock excavation in the world. Ellora caves is one of the largest rock-cut monastery-temple cave complexes in the world. Dating from the 6th century CE, this UNESCO World Heritage site houses monuments and artwork is dedicated to Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Like I mentioned in my earlier photo essay article on Ajanta Caves, the 2200 year old rock cave wonder , photographs don’t allow you to experience the magnitude of its magnificence and size, but it still gives you a good idea about one of India’s best heritage sites. The idea is to give you a sneak peek into the rich architecture, stunning sculptures, gorgeous carvings and inhuman excavation capabilities of Ellora caves through this photo essay. I hope it takes you on a virtual tour through one of Incredible India’s rich

Domestic and international travelers to India usually know the popular tourist destinations that our beautiful country has to offer. But, there are so many hidden gems out there that are as beautiful and offer a rich experience to its visitor. Shouldn’t we visit such lesser known places? Let’s take the state of Madhya Pradesh as a case in point. It’s popular tourist destinations are its tiger reserves of Bandhavgarh, Kanha and Pench, Khajuraho and Sanchi Stupa. While these destinations are fabulous, there is more to the state of Madhya Pradesh. And not only are they as special, they span the full spectrum of diversity ranging from culture, heritage, nature, adventure and more rich wildlife avenues. Below are four such lesser known destinations that need to be a part of every Madhya Pradesh holiday itinerary. 1. Bhimbetka – is an archaeological treasure and these rock shelters encompass over 500 caves. They exhibit the earliest traces of human life and gives us a sneak peek into the ev