Urban gardener, TV producer and author Martha Swales shares how gardening soothes her busy ADHD mind. After producing MasterChef and Nigella Lawson’s Cook, Eat, Repeat, she found viral fame inspiring millions to embrace nature.
In this chat with Ben, Martha explores the contrast of her powerhouse producer persona who is always on time and in control VS her messy, sometimes late, fast-moving ADHD mind. She shares how gardening fosters mindfulness, soothes sensory overload, and why getting your hands dirty is the ultimate therapy. Martha also reveals her top beginners tips for budding urban gardeners!
00:00 Introduction
1:50 How Does Martha Describe Her ADHD brain?
2:17 Strengths VS Weaknesses of an ADHD Busy Mind
3:21 Tears of Tiny Pond Joy
4:12 ADHD: Excessive Quietness VS Uncontrollable Babble
4:37 The Beauty of The Tiny Details
5:43 ADHD VS Nature’s Natural Patience
7:00 Unlocking The Potential of Nature
10:22 Martha’s ADHD Diagnosis Journey: Mum Knows Best
12:00 The Voice of ADHD Truths From The Best Friend
13:23 Martha's Post-ADHD Diagnosis Distress
13:39 ADHD Acceptance
14:18 Being Kind to your ADHD Mind
15:40 Peeling Back The ADHD Onion Layers
16:45 ADHD VS Primary School
18:06 How a Neurodivergent Diagnosis Can Affect Our Loved Ones
19:02 The ADHD Girlfriend Laundry Agreement & Reciprocal Altruistic Bats
21:11 When Martha Is At Her ADHD Best
22:58 The Firecracker Senior TV Producer VS Being Late To Meet Friends & Getting Lost
27:37 I Need Gardening For My ADHD Brain
29:40 ADHD Sensory Soothing: Ben’s Moment with his Silver-birch & Martha’s Love of Whittling
32:09 Connecting To The Land
32:53 Martha’s Top Growing Tips For Beginners
35:59 Why Should ADHD’ers Get Gardening?
36:54 Cooking & Gardening for Busy ADHD Minds
38:18 The Perfect Storm: Cooking, Gardening & ADHD
41:16 The Graveyard of ADHD House Plants
41:41 What Martha Would Have Done Differently: The Garden VS The Allotment
43:43 What Is The Biggest Challenge For An ADHD Gardener?
45:28 Martha’s Book: Give It A Grow
47:12 The ADHD Cucumber Killer
48:37 Praise From The Greats
49:53 Martha’s Badge Of Honour & Gratitude
___________
On "The Hidden 20%," host Ben Branson chats with neurodivergent [ADHD, Autism, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette's etc.] creatives, entrepreneurs, and experts to see how great minds.. think differently.
Host: Ben Branson
Head of Production: Bella Neale
Assistant Producer: Phoebe De Leiburne
Video Editor: James Scriven
Social Media Manager: Charlie Young
Music: Jackson Greenberg
Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348
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Ben Branson @seedlip_ben
Martha Swales @marfskitchengarden
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