Desert Island Discs Revisited

Original version

BBC Radio 4 Extra

Factual: Life Stories

Selected castaway gems from the BBC Desert Island Discs archive.

Desert Island Discs Revisited: Gardeners: Sue Biggs

07/07/2019

Sue Biggs

Gardeners

Desert Island Discs

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Desert Island Discs Revisited, Gardeners, Sue Biggs

Sue Biggs, DG of the Royal Horticultural Society is castaway by Lauren Laverne

4 Extra Debut. From John Barry to Robbie Williams. Sue Biggs, Director General of the RHS, shares her choices with Lauren Laverne. From 2019.

Sue Biggs, Director General of the Royal Horticultural Society is casttway by Lauren Laverne.  

She’s been at the helm of the RHS since 2010 and during that time, its membership has grown to more than half a million people.  The RHS is also renowned for its spectacular flower shows and garden festivals around the country, including Chelsea, Hampton Court, Chatsworth House and Tatton Park.  

Sue has had a lifelong love of gardening since her mum gave her a packet of seeds on her seventh birthday.  

Before the RHS, she worked in the travel industry for 25 years, identifying new destinations for holidaymakers. She was the first woman to be appointed to the board of Kuoni Travel.  

She strongly believes that horticultural work and expertise do not receive the wider respect they deserve. 

Sue was made a CBE in 2017 for her services to the environment and ornamental horticulture industries.

DISC ONE: Lisa Gerrard - Hans Zimmer's Now We Are Free 
DISC TWO: John Barry - Born Free 
DISC THREE: Nicola Benedetti and the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Litton - Ralph Vaughan Williams's The Lark Ascending  
DISC FOUR: John Martyn - Solid Air  
DISC FIVE: Maria Callas with the Orchestra of La Scala, Milan, conducted by Tullio Serafin - Umberto Giordano’s La Mamma Morta (from Andrea Chénier) 
DISC SIX: Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli with the London Symphony Orchestra - Lucio Quarantotto and Francesco Sartori’s Time to Say Goodbye   
DISC SEVEN: Robbie Williams - Love my Life  
DISC EIGHT: Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk  

BOOK CHOICE: The Book of Joy  
LUXURY CHOICE: A bed  
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Nicola Benedetti, LSO, Andrew Litton - Ralph Vaughan Williams's The Lark Ascending

Producer:  Sarah Taylor

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2019.

Desert Island Discs Revisited: Gardeners

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Gardening castaways share their desert island choices.

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