Podcaster Jane Perrone: ‘Don’t Be Put Off If You Have Killed The Odd Houseplant’

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Jane Perrone is a Journalist and Houseplant Expert who has written for a range of publications including The Guardian (where she worked as their Gardening Editor) and RHS ‘The Garden’ Magazine.

In 2017, Jane started the first-ever podcast on houseplants, On The Ledge – which now has almost 270 episodes – and she has also published her own houseplant book: Legend Of The Leaf.

I spoke with Jane to discover where her love of houseplants started and how this passion has shaped her life and career.

Where Did Your Love For Houseplants And Indoor Growing Begin?

“A lot of people will talk about the pandemic as their first encounter with houseplants, but for me, it was when I was a small child,” says Jane.

“I just had an inbuilt fascination for plants and was constantly asking from a young age to sow seeds and to have plants of my own.

“My parents had some houseplants and we also had a garden of our own. My dad was a self-taught gardener and had an allotment, so it was in my system.

“Simply, it was something I did from a young age and it grew from there.”

What Led You To A Career In Horticulture?

“I always wanted to be a journalist,” she explains. “I didn’t really think of horticulture as a career, probably because it didn’t occur to me that that was something that I could do.

“I went into news journalism and got a job working at The Guardian doing the breaking news reports. After I had my first child, I was quite burnt out from this.

“The job of Gardening Editor came up which seemed like a really nice change of pace. I was obviously a really enthusiastic gardener and had just also written a book about allotments for The Guardian. I got it and spent 8-9 years doing that job.

“It was wonderful because I was able to combine a personal passion for plants with my career in journalism. It wasn’t an intentional move, but it worked out really well.”

How Did Your Podcast ‘On The Ledge’ Begin?

“The podcast has been going for over 6 years now. I’d previously done a podcast for The Guardian on gardening, so when that came to an end I was really sad because I loved doing it.

“That’s when I first thought to myself that I should make my own podcast with a focus on houseplants. At that time in 2017, houseplants were rising in popularity. I wanted to be the first houseplant podcast and indeed I was.

“I think I also just wanted someone to talk to about plants and my family wasn’t interested! It gave me an excuse to talk to really interesting people.

“It just kind of went from there and now here we are, 268 episodes later.”

Do You Have A Favourite Episode?

“It was quite early on, but the episodes where I visited James Wong’s flat were really amazing and I still think about them a lot,” shares Jane. “However, there have been so many amazing episodes that were so powerful.

“Episode 164 with Travis Cooper was really fun too. We ended up doing a kind of group therapy session! It was an interesting chat that extended way beyond plants which is what I love about the podcast. I learnt so much from that episode.

“In fact, every episode brings something new. When I look back now, I can’t quite believe that I’ve done so many. Some of them are done remotely, but the ones that are done in person where I actually go and visit the guests are really special because you get to see someone’s collection.”

Has Gardening Shaped Your Outlook On Life In Any Way?

“I think it teaches you resilience because even the most experienced gardener will have things go wrong for them. You come to realise that you can’t control everything.

“There will be all sorts of things that happen that are outside of your control, so you learn to take a step back and focus on the successes.

It gives you an appreciation for plants that some people just don’t have.

“It’s a cliché, but we are so reliant on plants for so many things and growing them really opens your eyes to this fact.”

Can You Tell Us A Little About Your Book That Was Released Earlier This Year – ‘Legends Of The Leaf’?

“I take a look at each houseplant featured holistically, looking at where it grows in the wild, how it has been used in history and its portrayal in art and culture,” says Jane.

“At the end of each chapter, there is a care guide that takes what has been taught throughout and applies it to the houseplant setting.

“It is quite a geeky book, but there’s a really good story about each of the plants in there, as well as a good care guide.”

Do You Have Any Exciting Upcoming Projects Coming Up?

“I have created a box of houseplant care cards that are coming out in October called ‘Houseplant Gardener In A Box’, which is a set of 60 cards and a booklet.

“Each card has one plant on it and a profile which you can flick through and get ideas for plants for your home. They also feature beautiful illustrations that you can have on display.

“Other than that, I’m continuing the make my podcast and send out my weekly newsletter, The Plant Ledger, which goes out every week. I try to cover stuff going on in the houseplant world in that, which makes a fun change.”

What Would You Say To Those Who Are Thinking About Buying Their First Houseplant?

“Don’t be put off if you have killed the odd houseplant in the past,” says Jane. “We’ve all done that – I still lose plants over the winter!

“If you get a new plant, put it somewhere you’re going to look at all the time so you can see if there are any issues or if it starts to change. This way, you can do something about it straight away.

“Observe them closely and find out a bit about how they like to grow in the wild, as that will help you to find the right spot for them in your home and take care of them correctly.”