with Kevin Frediani. Gorillas, vertical farming, and abandoned gardens.

First broadcast 25 March 2021

Kevin Frediani is the Curator of the University of Dundee Botanic Garden. Before that, he’s had a hugely varied career – to name just a couple of his roles, he’s managed the Amsterdam botanic garden and was the first curator or plants at London Zoo. The many rewards he’s received for his work include a Chelsea Flower Show gold medal.

We talk about the gorilla exhibit that he took to Chelsea, the innovations Kevin made in vertical farming, and how gardeners often work for the benefit of future generations rather than their own time.

Kevin is on Twitter here: ⁠https://twitter.com/KevinFrediani⁠ You can find out more about the botanic garden in Dundee here: ⁠https://www.dundee.ac.uk/botanic/⁠

Some special thanks are due for this episode. First, to listener Helen Barker for suggesting that I should speak to a gardener. Second, to Katy Merrington, the cultural gardener at the Hepworth Art Gallery, and to Rebecca Slack from the Plant Network for putting me in touch with Kevin.