Gardeners' Question Time podcast | Listen online for free

Available Episodes

5 of 42

Postbag Edition: Rutland Flower Show
Our pear tree, which was once thriving has died, what should I do with it? Are weeds plants with attitude or is it the other way round? What are your thoughts on using a wound sealer after pruning?Join Gardeners’ Question Time for a floral-filled adventure at the Rutland Flower Show. This week, Peter Gibbs and a panel of passionate horticulturalists soak up the sights, scents and seasonal inspiration while digging into the famous GQT postbag, to solve your trickiest gardening conundrums.Joining Peter under the big top are proud plantswoman Christine Walkden, and top garden designers Matthew Wilson and Adam Frost - ready with expert advice, clever solutions, and a few laughs along the way.Senior Producer: Dan Cocker Junior Producer: Rahnee PrescodA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
--------
42:32
--------
42:32
Hyde Hall: Latin Names, Water Butts and Plant Superpowers
What can gardening clubs do to entice new members? How do the panel handle their plant addiction? If you were to have a plant superpower, which would it be and why? It’s party time in the garden once again! Gardeners’ Question Time returns with the much-anticipated GQT Summer Garden Party, recorded at the breathtaking RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex.This week, Peter Gibbs leads the horticultural festivities as a vibrant panel of plant pros take on questions from a crowd of passionate and curious gardeners. On the panel - proud plantswoman Christine Walkden, pest and disease detective Pippa Greenwood, and botanical explorers James Wong and Dr Chris Thorogood.Expect expert insights, surprising solutions, and a whole lot of garden inspiration in this special summer celebration of all things green and growing.Producer: Matthew Smith Assistant Producer: Suhaar Ali Assistant Producer: Rocky Cocker Junior Producer: Rahnee PrescodA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4.
--------
42:32
--------
42:32
Summer Garden Party
Kathy Clugston and a crack team of top horticultural experts celebrate the return of the GQT Summer Garden Party in style — this year set against the stunning backdrop of RHS Garden Hyde Hall in the heart of Essex.Kathy is joined by an all-star panel, including visionary garden designers Matthew Wilson and Bunny Guinness, RHS head gardener Matthew Pottage, and the king of all things edible, Bob Flowerdew. Together, they tackle a lively mix of questions from an enthusiastic audience of budding green thumbs, sharing expert tips, clever tricks, and plenty of inspiration to get your garden growing.Senior Producer: Dan Cocker Assistant Producer: Rocky Cocker Assistant Producer: Suhaar Ali Junior Producer: Rahnee PrescodA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
--------
42:58
--------
42:58
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”)
--------
42:25
--------
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
--------
42:48
--------
42:48