Flower & story
with Milli Proust
This post contains affiliate links
Milli’s #WindowsillWednesday has become a milestone in the week – a point at which to press pause upon whatever’s going on around and escape into another world of dark interiors, oak beams and leaded windows, with the light dancing over the most wonderful arrangement of flowers freshly harvested from the garden. I managed to get through an entire podcast episode without a single mention of the word ‘magic’, but there’s some kind of alchemy that Milli Proust weaves from the land around her home in the countryside, and the benefits of its enchantment are available to all, regular as clockwork, through social media.
You can’t help feeling it the moment you open her book, From Seed to Bloom, which takes the reader on a seasonal journey throughout a whole year in the company of Milli as she sows and grows, harvests and arranges. The text sings, and the partnership with photographer Éva Németh seems inspired; the two women working hand in hand to produce a resource that’s as beautiful and evocative as it is informative and useful.
It’s such a pleasure to end the podcasting year (episode tally: TWO. Must Do Better) with such a joyful conversation about Milli’s enlighteningly strategic approach to her creative practice, the positive impact she’s discovering of creative partnerships with like-minded women, and the role which motherhood is beginning to play in her work. I do hope you enjoy listening.
Please do continue to share the podcast on social media, and if you’d really like to brighten my day, leave a review on iTunes or your podcast app of choice. Or drop me a note in the comments section below, having listened on the embedded player on this page.
Gardens, weeds and words podcast, S03E06 show notes
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.
These notes may contain affiliate links.
Garden soundtrack
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.
Winter bringing new and rare experiences – December snow in Kent, and recording the audio version of my new book.
Reading from To stand and stare 2:10
Read by Andrew Timothy O’Brien
To stand and stare: how to garden while doing next to nothing, by Andrew Timothy O’Brien. DK Life, 2023. https://geni.us/Qs2d
04:35 An introduction to From Seed to Bloom: a year of growing and designing with seasonal flowers, by Milli Proust. Quadrille, 2022
https://amzn.to/3hGlcNg
Reading from From Seed to Bloom 5:15
Read by Milli Proust
09:29 Interview with Milli Proust
10:55 The original plan
12:45 Working with intention – Milli loves a strategy
13:45 The other aspect of Milli’s professional life!
Molly Wansell, 42 Management & Production
https://www.42mp.com/
15:18 A sustainable business
Paris Alma Flowers
https://parisalmaflowers.com/
17:08 Working as part of a team
On the business with Paris, on the book with photographer Éva Németh
https://www.evanemeth.com/
18:54 The visual aspects of the book
Theatre, storytelling, atmosphere.
The human experience of connecting with nature.
23:03 Milli’s earliest plants and gardens memories
26:53 A gardening (self)education
29:00 Why grow your own floristry supplies?
30:43 Using foliage, and the stories of plants in weather
34:00 Design principles in floral arrangement
38:00 From Seed to Bloom
40:51 How becoming a mother might impact Milli’s creative practice – new perspectives and opportunites
45:45 A seasonal perspective
48:30 Grower, or gardener? What’s the difference?
***
Thank you to Milli Proust for giving up her time to talk to me about the beautiful work she brings into the world from her patch of land in West Sussex.
You can find Milli on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/milliproust/
Or on her website: https://www.milliproust.com/
My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, will be published by DK Life on Feb 2, 2023, and is available to preorder here https://geni.us/Qs2d
I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.
A year of garden coaching
If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up in spring 2023n, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book.
http://www.andrewtimothyobrien.com
website: gardensweedsandwords.com
email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com
Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB
Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB
My own book, To Stand and Stare; how to garden by doing next to nothing, will be published by DK Life on Feb 2, 2023, and is available to preorder here https://geni.us/Qs2d
I’m ever appreciative of all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.
website: gardensweedsandwords.com
email: gardensweedsandwords@gmail.com
Instagram: instagram.com/AndrewTimothyOB
Twitter: twitter.com/AndrewTimothyOB
You can hear find the podcast trailer and the first four episodes here, either on iTunes or on Switcher.
Click the button below to subscribe!
A year of garden coaching
If you'd like to find out more about my my 12 month online garden coaching programme, please visit the website, where you can read more details. There will be a few spaces opening up in Spring 2023, so do sign up to be the first to hear when you can book.
Sign up for my (mostly) monthly newsletter below
Hello! I’m Andrew, gardener, writer, photographer, and owner of a too-loud laugh, and I’m so pleased you’ve found your way to Gardens, weeds & words. You can read a more in-depth profile of me on the About page, or by clicking this image.
