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Postbag Edition: Finsbury Circus Gardens
Are there any indoor plants that give out more moisture than others? How long does an average “short-lived” perennial live? What plants are resistant to shot hole disease? This week, Peter Gibbs and a panel of gardening experts visit the beautifully restored Finsbury Circus Gardens – a green oasis in the heart of London, with roots stretching back to Roman times and now reopened to the public.Joining Peter are garden designer Bunny Guinness, botanist Dr Chris Thorogood, and grow-your-own guru Bob Flowerdew. They're also joined by members of the City Gardens Management Team – Jake Tibbetts, Jessica Beatty, and Ed Freeman – to explore the newly renovated grounds and celebrate the space’s rich horticultural history.The panel tackles a thorny crop of questions from the GQT postbag, offering expert tips on topics including how to prevent shot hole disease, successful techniques for growing Pak Choi, and the fascinating science behind a fern’s life cycle.Senior Producer: Matthew Smith Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod Executive Producer: Carly MaileA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4Plant List Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided. Q – What plants are resistant to shot hole disease? (04’09”) Jake Tibbetts – Pinus parviflora 'Zelkova' Zelkova serrata, japanese zelkova Toona sinensis, chinese cedarChris Thorogood – Styphnolobium Aesculus parviflora, bottlebrush buckeye StewartiaQ – Can you recommend plants to go under and around the tree which has very dry soil? (07’25”) Ed Freeman – Pachysandra Polystichum, shield fern Polypodium, polypody Asperula, woodruff Brunnera macrophylla, Siberian bugloss Asplenium scolopendrium, hart’s tongue fern Bunny Guinness – Daphne laureola, spurge laurel Crinum × powellii, swamp lilyQ – Could the panel recommend fruit trees that are resilient and adaptable to the changing climate? (12’54”) Bob Flowerdew – Prunus armeniaca, apricotBunny Guinness – Amelanchier alnifolia, alder-leaved serviceberry ApplesJake Tibbetts – Mulberries Pears Pyrus communis (F), common pearQ – How do you encourage ferns to germinate? (17’55”) Q – How long does an average “short-lived” perennial live? (20’52”) Dr Chris Thorogood – Arum italicum marmoratum, Italian arum 'Marmoratum'Bunny Guinness – Matthiola incana, brompton stockQ – Could you advise on how to fill a big dip in our lawn and some ideas on something more interesting? (23’13”)Q – Why have the 50 bulbs I’ve planted failed to sprout any buds? (27’53”) Dr Chris Thorogood – Angelica gigas, purple angelicaJessica Beatty – Hyacinthoides non-scripta, bluebell Narcissus, daffodils Galanthus nivalis, snowdrops CrocusBunny Guiness – Allium 'Globemaster', allium 'Globemaster'Q – How do I stop Pak Choi going to seed before they have hearted up? (33’06”)Q – Are there any indoor plants that give out more moisture than others? (34’58”)Bunny Guinness – Ficus pumila, creeping fig Rosa Basanti ('Ruicl0062a'PBR)Bob Flowerdew – Plumbago, leadwortDr Chris Thorogood – Bromeliads Q – Why haven’t my healthy 4-year-old bird of paradise hasn't flowered yet? (37’49”)
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42:25
Bracknell Forest: Garden Gnomes, Carrots and Tools
If you could have a garden gnome what would it be doing? What tools should I have on my first allotment? Any tips on growing carrots on a sandy soil? Peter Gibbs and a panel of green-fingered gurus head to the lush landscapes of Bracknell Forest, where a lively audience of passionate gardeners awaits answers to their most pressing plant problems. Joining Peter are pest and disease specialist Pippa Greenwood, head gardener Matthew Pottage, and the ever-enthusiastic plantswoman Christine Walkden.Later in the show, Pippa Greenwood takes us behind the scenes at Heathrow Airport, where she meets Kelvin Hughes from the Animal and Plant Health Agency. Together, they uncover the fascinating work being done to safeguard the UK’s biodiversity from invasive pests and diseases hidden in overseas plants and produce.Senior Producer: Daniel Cocker Junior Producer: Rahnee PrescodA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4Plant List Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided. Q – If you were forced to have one garden gnome, what would that garden gnome be doing? (01’38”) Q – Do the panel have any advice on growing carrots in sandy soil? (05’47”) Q – Are the panel opposed to the use of decorative wood chips in borders? (07’56”) Q – Can they explain how buddleia can grow in church roofs and railway sidings and not come to much in my garden? (11’36”) Matthew Pottage – Buddleja davidii 'Black Knight', butterfly bush 'Black Knight'Feature – Pippa Greenwood meets with Kelvin Hughes with the Animal and Plant Health Agency to discover how Heathrow Airport protect the UK's biodiversity from overseas produce and plants. (18’31”)Q – What could we grow in our south-west facing garden that will provide vibrant colours during the summer? (24’06”) Matthew Pottage – Aesculus Aesculus parviflora, bottlebrush buckeye Eucryphia Eucryphia lucida, leatherwood Eucryphia lucida 'Pink Cloud', leatherwood ‘Pink Cloud’ Hydrangea quercifolia, oak-leaved hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia Snowflake ('Brido') (d), oak-leaved hydrangea [Snowflake] Hydrangea quercifolia Ice Crystal ('Hqopr010'PBR), oak-leaved hydrangea [Ice Crystal] Hydrangea quercifolia 'Harmony', oak-leaved hydrangea 'Harmony'Christine Walkden – Desfontainia OsmanthusQ – I’ve just taken on an allotment in the last year, and I'd like to know what are the top five low-cost items you'd recommend? (28’20”) Q – Is there an aesthetically please alternative to steaks and pea netting that I could use whilst my plants establish? (31’14”)Q – What plant would you like to be remembered by? (36’03”) Christine Walkden – Soldanella hungaricaMatthew Pottage – Araucaria Araucana, monkey puzzle treePippa Greenwood – Magnolia stellata, star magnolia
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42:48
South Staffordshire
Why have my magnolia leaves turned brown? How do I care for a tamarisk? Why is growing poppies so difficult? Kathy Clugston and the panel are in South Staffordshire offering their top gardening tips. Joining Kathy to share their best horticultural advice is plantswoman Christine Walkden, RHS Bridgewater curator, Marcus Chilton-Jones and gardener Matthew Biggs. Meanwhile James Wong visits the Carbon Garden at Kew Gardens to learn about the importance of carbon in our ecosystem, low emission gardening and carbon-resilient trees.A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
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42:37
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42:37
Crossed Wires Podcast Festival: Back to Basics
How important is health and safety in the garden? What disease has been growing on my tomatoes? What would the panel say was their most overrated plant?Kathy Clugston hosts Gardeners' Question Time, recorded live at the Crossed Wires Podcast Festival.Joining her on the expert panel are botanist and broadcaster James Wong, award-winning garden designer Matthew Wilson, and alpine plant specialist Bethan Collerton. Together, they tackle a lively array of gardening questions from an enthusiastic audience.Later in the programme, James Wong takes a trip to Sheffield’s Winter Garden, where he shares his top picks for easy-to-grow plants - perfect for beginners looking to cultivate greenery both indoors and out.Producer: Dom Tyerman Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod Executive Producer: Carly MailePlant List Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided. Q – How important is health and safety in the garden? (01’27”) Q – What are the ideal conditions for growing wildflowers from seeds? (04’10”) Q – What’s the best method for watering a very parched, dried out cacti? (07’57”) Q – Why have my wisteria stopped flowering? (11’31”) Feature – James Wong provides an essential list of plants you can grow indoors and outdoors. He’s visiting the Sheffield Winter Gardens (16’11”)James Wong – Dichondra Strelitzia nicolai, white bird of paradiseQ – How do I stop slugs from eating my hostas? (24’05”) Q – What would be your recommendations for plants that can survive harsh weather in coastal regions? (24’44”)Bethan Collerton – Armeria maritima, thriftMatthew Wilson – Griselinia littoralis, new zealand broadleaf Hippophae rhamnoides, sea buckthorneJames Wong Griselinia littoralis, new zealand broadleaf Quercus ilex, holm oak Tamarisk Trachycarpus fortune, chusan palmQ – What disease has been growing on my tomatoes? (29’17”) Q – I’d like to grow my Jasmine against a fence, do I hack it right back, start again or plant is as is? (32’44”) Q – What would the panel say was their most overrated plant? (36’37”) James Wong – Geranium Rozanne ('Gerwat'PBR), cranesbill [Rozanne]Matthew Wilson – Heucheras
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42:44
East Horsley: Potato Beetle, Indoor edibles and Fallow Year
Can I grow fruits or vegetables in a flat with no balcony? Could garlic help stop slugs from eating my Hostas? Why did you become gardeners?Kathy Clugston is joined by a panel of much-loved gardening experts in the picturesque village of East Horsley, Surrey, to answer listeners’ horticultural dilemmas and offer practical, down-to-earth advice. On the panel this week are botanist and broadcaster James Wong, plant health specialist Pippa Greenwood, and award-winning garden designer Juliet Sargeant.Later in the programme, Pippa Greenwood explores the growing threat of Colorado beetles to UK biosecurity in conversation with Tracy Wilson, Import Specialist at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).Producer: Matthew Smith Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod Executive Producer: Carly MaileA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4Plant List Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided. Q – Can you suggest a suitable hedge that can be kept slim but tall to go between a six-foot fence and a path? (01’31”) James Wong – Trachelospermum jasminoides, star jasmineJuliet Sargeant – Muehlenbeckia complexa, necklace vine Osmanthus delavayi, delavay osmanthus Osmanthus heterophyllus, holly olive Elaeagnus × ebbingei Q – How do I encourage my 100-year-old rhododendrons to flower? (05’35”) Q – Is there a way for me to grow fruits or vegetables in a flat with no balcony? And if yes, what would you recommend with limited space? (08’54”) Juliet Sargeant – HydroponicsJames Wong – Tomato Chilli Basil Thai Basil Ocimum kilimandscharicum, camphor basil Ocimum basilicum 'Christmas', basil ‘Christmas’ Curry Leaves Mint LeavesPippa Greenwood – ChilliFeature – Pippa Greenwood discusses the threat Colorado Beetles have on our crops with Tracy Wilson (15’02”)Q – We have raised vegetable beds. I put a layer of mulch on them every autumn. Would it be a good idea to let a bed lie fallow occasionally? (19’49”) Q – What’s causing my Hydrangea petiolaris to die off? (24’05”) Q – What could I grow in a large rockery in our garden, that’s also difficult to kill? (28’31”)Q – Would wild garlic help stop slugs from eating my Hostas? (31’31”) Q – What possessed you to become the garden experts you are? And as a result. What advice would you give to up-and-coming young gardeners to continue? (36’00”)
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42:16
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42:16