Kate Henshaw-Hughes on creativity, seasonality and finding beauty in the everyday

Standing beside her little shepherd's hut (Bracken & Bloom) in the Kent countryside, surrounded by wildflower meadows, birdsong and rolling fields, independent florist Kate Henshaw-Hughes shares how flowers became far more than a creative outlet; they became a way of seeing the world.

Together, we explore seasonality, sustainability, the beauty of fleeting moments and why slowing down might help us notice what's already blooming around us.

In this episode:

• Why Kate was always drawn back to the landscape she calls home

• How a lockdown floristry course unexpectedly changed the direction of her life

• What working with seasonal British flowers has taught her about patience, creativity and letting go of control

• Why flowers are at their most beautiful when we allow them to belong to the season they're meant for

• The surprising connection between floristry, community and bringing people together

• Why taking off our shoes and reconnecting with the natural world can instantly ground us (you can even join us barefoot walking!)

• What flowers might be trying to teach us that we're not fully listening to yet

If you've ever found yourself longing to slow down, notice more and reconnect with the rhythms of the natural world, this conversation is for you.

Enjoyed this episode?

Explore the rest of the Where We Come Alive series, where I spend time outdoors with inspiring women in the places that mean the most to them—from canals and coastlines to flower farms and wild landscapes—discovering how nature shapes the way we live, create and feel most alive. 🌿🌸🎙️

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Guest: Kate Henshaw-Hughes

Instagram: @⁠⁠bracken_and_bloom

Facebook: ⁠⁠Bracken & Bloom

Produced and presented by:

Louisa Peacock, fine art photographer from Whitstable, Kent.

Instagram: ⁠⁠@louisapeacockphoto⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠https://www.louisapeacock.com⁠⁠

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Royalty-free music by ⁠⁠Andrii G⁠⁠

Some royalty-free sound effects taken from ⁠⁠Epidemic Sound⁠⁠

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Abstract and environmental painter Kim O'Neil on creativity, texture and listening to the landscape

What happens when we stop trying to control the landscape and start listening to it instead?

In this episode of Where We Come Alive, I join environmental artist Kim O'Neil on the shoreline at Seasalter, Kent. Together we wade through shallow water, get stuck in the mud, watch crabs scurry across the sand and discover how the sea has become both inspiration and collaborator in Kim's creative practice.

As we walk, Kim shares why touching a surface can be more powerful than simply looking at it, how motherhood transformed the way she experiences the natural world, and why she trusts the landscape more than her own plans.

This is a conversation about texture, creativity, imperfection and what happens when we allow nature to guide us rather than trying to shape everything ourselves.

A walk through the sea that becomes a reflection on how to live.

This is a conversation about texture, creativity, trust and the beauty of becoming part of the landscape rather than standing apart from it.

In this episode:

• Why the sea became the catalyst for a profound shift in Kim's artistic practice

• How texture, touch and immersion shape the way she creates

• Why she trusts the landscape more than her own plans

• What nature can teach us about imperfection, uncertainty and change

• How motherhood transformed the way she sees both art and the natural world

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Guest: Kim O'Neil, artist mother, art tutor, curator and paint technologist.

Instagram: ⁠@kimoneilstudio

Website: ⁠https://kimoneil.com/

Produced and presented by:

Louisa Peacock, fine art photographer from Whitstable, Kent.

Instagram: ⁠@louisapeacockphoto⁠

Website: ⁠https://www.louisapeacock.com⁠

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Royalty-free music by ⁠Andrii G⁠

Some royalty-free sound effects taken from ⁠Epidemic Sound⁠

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nature podcast, sea podcast, mindful living, creativity and nature, wellbeing, slow living, outdoor podcast, nature connection, creativity, birdsong, seasalter, sea, landscape, Kent, living seasonally, mindfulness, painting outdoors, painting in sea, textures

Finding stillness, perspective and presence with Chelvi beside the Canterbury canal.

When you think about the place where you feel most grounded, you might imagine a quiet beach, an ancient woodland or a mountain view.

Chelvi Mailvaganan, a Buddhist meditation teacher, chose the heart of Canterbury.

In this episode of Where We Come Alive, I join Chelvi for a walk beside the city's bustling canal. Surrounded by tourists, flowing water and everyday life, we explore why peace isn't always found in silence and how learning to be fully present can transform the way we experience the world around us.

Along the way, Chelvi shares how meditation has helped her navigate life's challenges, why being amongst people makes her feel more connected rather than overwhelmed, and how perspective can soften even life's most difficult moments.

Part way through our walk, Chelvi also invites us to pause for a gentle 90 second, guided meditation, offering listeners the chance to experience the calm we've been talking about rather than simply hearing about it.

This is a conversation about presence, compassion, connection and discovering that perhaps the peace we're searching for has been within us all along.

In this episode:

• Why Chelvi feels most alive in the heart of Canterbury
• Finding stillness in the middle of a busy city
• How meditation helps us respond rather than react
• Why connection with other people can be deeply grounding
• A guided 90 second meditation to experience during the episode
• The surprising relationship between nature, mindfulness and everyday life

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Guest: Chelvi Mailvagan, Buddhist meditation practitioner

Instagram: ⁠@chelvi_mailvaganan

Website: ⁠https://full-life.co.uk/about

Produced and presented by:

Louisa Peacock, fine art photographer from Whitstable, Kent.

Instagram: ⁠@louisapeacockphoto⁠

Website: ⁠https://www.louisapeacock.com⁠

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Royalty-free music by ⁠Andrii G⁠

Some royalty-free sound effects taken from ⁠Epidemic Sound⁠

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nature podcastgardening podcastmindful livingcreativity and naturegarden designwellbeingslow livingoutdoor podcastnature connectioncreativitybirdsonglandscapeKent gardensliving seasonallymindfulness

What makes a place feel magical?

In the first episode of Where We Come Alive, I join gardener and garden designer Sarah from The Garden Creative for a walk through the beautiful gardens of Mount Ephraim in Kent.

Together we explore wild grasses, birdsong, scent, texture and atmosphere, and ask what it is about certain places that helps us slow down, reconnect and notice more deeply.

Along the way, Sarah shares how she creates gardens designed not just to look beautiful, but to make us feel something — and why nature may be one of our greatest teachers when it comes to living well.

In this episode:

• Why Sarah is drawn to wild, naturalistic landscapes
• How gardens can be designed around feeling, not just appearance
• The role of scent, texture and atmosphere in shaping our experience
• Why we may have forgotten how to notice the natural world
• What gardens can teach us about slowing down
• Creativity, intuition and designing from feeling rather than logic
• Birdsong, grasses, insects and the small moments we often miss

Recorded at Mount Ephraim Gardens, Kent.

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Guest:
Sarah Morgan, The Garden Creative

Instagram: @thegardencreative

Website: https://thegardencreative.com/

Produced and presented by:

Louisa Peacock, fine art photographer from Whitstable, Kent.

Instagram: @louisapeacockphoto

Website: https://www.louisapeacock.com

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Royalty-free music by Andrii G

Some royalty-free sound effects taken from Epidemic Sound

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nature podcastgardening podcastmindful livingcreativity and naturegarden designwellbeingslow livingoutdoor podcastnature connectioncreativitybirdsonglandscapeKent gardensliving seasonallymindfulness

Put on your headphones and come for a walk. Each episode immerses you in a place that matters, inviting you to slow down, notice more, and reconnect with what makes you feel most alive.

From coastlines and gardens to woodland paths and city canals, Where We Come Alive explores the places that matter to us the most.

Join fine art photographer and host Louisa Peacock as she spends time outdoors with women whose lives and creativity are undeniably shaped by nature. Together we explore stories of connection, wonder and belonging.

Come join us.

Produced and presented by Louisa Peacock

https://www.louisapeacock.com