Gardening with the RHS
'Gardening with the RHS' offers seasonal advice, inspiration and practical solutions to gardening problems. Trusted gardening professionals give you the latest horticultural advice, scientific research and tried and tested techniques to bring out the best in your garden.Topics covered include: growing your own vegetables, flowers, garden design, lawn care and gardening with children. Plus expert masterclasses in topics ranging from cottage garden plants, growing orchids, to pest control and eco-friendly gardening.Plus we’ll have behind the scenes reports from the country’s most prestigious flower shows. There’s something in these podcasts to interest every gardener, whatever your level...
Thu, April 24, 2025
Spring in Full Swing
Spring is stretching its limbs, and the garden is stirring to life. As the days grow longer and begin to warm, there’s a tangible energy in the air – a heady mix of birdsong, budding leaves, and the unmistakable scent of fresh soil and blossoms. This week horticulturist Liz Mooney will be sharing her expert tips on getting the best from beetroot, turnips and parsnips – perfect for anyone looking to grow a productive plot from the ground up. The RHS Gardening Advice Team will also be joining us to answer your most frequently asked questions this month, and Elizabeth Medal of Honour winner Clare Hermans will be sharing her enduring fascination with Madagascan orchids and the stories behind these rare and remarkable plants. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Liz Mooney, James Lawrence, Chris Taylor, Nick Turrell, Clare Hermans Links: Previous episode on growing potatoes with Liz Mooney Previous episode on growing tomatoes with Liz Mooney RHS Gardening Advice
Thu, April 17, 2025
Earth Day Special
As gardeners, we understand the deep connection between people and the planet. The choices we make in our own green spaces – no matter how small – can ripple outward, creating real impact. This Earth Day, ecological home grower Poppy Okotcha invites us into her world of regenerative gardening. Dr. Hayley Jones explores how welcoming all creatures – even the less popular ones – can nurture a thriving, balanced ecosystem. And campaigner Russell Ball shows us simple, powerful ways to give our urban trees the care and attention they deserve. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Poppy Okotcha , Dr Hayley Jones, Russell Ball Links: A Wilder Way: How Gardens Grow Us Poppy Okotcha RHS Slugs: Friend or Foe?: Know Your Slugs and Learn to Live With Them How to stop slugs and snails: what works? Slugs and Snails advice Strangling Tree Ties #FreeTheTree Fund4Trees
Thu, April 10, 2025
Dark Corners, Bright Ideas
We start this week with a journey back in time, exploring some of the oldest and most resilient plants on the planet: ferns. Gardener, botanist and author Ben Dark has been uncovering some surprising stories about these living fossils as part of his sweeping journey – 2.5 billion years deep – into the fascinating history of plants. Ferns thrive in damp, shady garden corners — but they’re not the only ones. Horticulturist Alessandra Sana faced this exact challenge when she took on the north-facing wall of RHS Wisley’s walled garden. She shares her go-to plants and creative inspiration for transforming those tricky, low-light spots into lush, green sanctuaries. And finally, we cross the Atlantic to hear from John Sonnier, Head Gardener at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. His pioneering sustainable gardening practices have just earned him the prestigious Elizabeth Medal of Honour from the RHS. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Ben Dark , Alessandra Sana, John Sonnier Links: The Grove: A Nature Odyssey in 19 ½ Front Gardens Shade planting: annuals, bulbs and perennials What can I grow in a dry shady spot? Sustainable planting combinations: shade collection RHS People Awards
Thu, April 03, 2025
The Gardener’s April Checklist: Spuds and Summer Bulbs
April is in full bloom, and with it comes a gardener’s to-do list bursting with promise! This week, Liz Mooney from RHS Garden Wisley shares expert tips on growing a bumper potato crop, while Guy Barter reveals how to plant summer bulbs for a dazzling display. Plus, we celebrate horticultural excellence with Victoria Medal of Honour recipient Martyn Rix, reflecting on a lifetime dedicated to plants. Links: How to grow potatoes RHS People Awards RHS Grow Your Own
Thu, March 27, 2025
How to be a Hoverfly Hero
This week we’re finding out how to be a hoverfly hero. These masters of mimicry are vitally important pollinators, decomposers, and aphid predators, but their populations are in steep decline in the UK. RHS entomologist Josie Stuart will be telling us more about these garden friends, and how we as gardeners can help. Keeping our gardens blooming for as long as possible is a great help for all our pollinators and Cosmos shows off its delicate flowers all the way from late summer through to the first frosts of autumn. We’ll speak to National Collection holder Jonathon Sheppard for his recommendations of the best cultivars to try this year. And from one remarkable collection to another – Sarah Cook has dedicated years to researching and reviving the lost irises of Cedric Morris. These striking blooms, once thought to survive only in his famous paintings, have been brought back to life thanks to her tireless work in the RHS archives and in Cedric’s garden at Benton End. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Josie Stuart , Jonathan Sheppard , Sarah Cook Links: Be a hoverfly hero Help hoverflies: 5 top plants and 5 fun facts What are hoverflies? Read Jonathan’s cosmos and hollyhock blog British cosmos (seed sales) Plant Heritage, home of the National Plant Collections Benton End The Nurture Landscapes Garden at Chelsea Flower Show RHS People Awards
Thu, March 20, 2025
Tasty Toms, Hydrangeas & Bokashi
Spring is in the air, and it’s time to get your hands dirty! This week, we’re diving into the juicy world of tomatoes with Liz Mooney from the RHS Garden Wisley edibles team. She shares some of her best tried and tested cultivars and expert advice on how to grow a bumper crop. Plus, if hydrangeas are on your planting list, renowned woody plant collector and hybridizer Maurice Foster will be picking out some of his favourites. And finally, we’re tackling food waste head-on – Jenny Laville and composting guru Heather Gorringe break down worm farms, compost heaps, and bokashi bins to help you turn scraps into garden gold! Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Liz Mooney, Maurice Foster, Jenny Laville, Heather Gorringe Links: How to Grow Tomatoes Wiggly Wigglers How to stop throwing away food waste – with or without a garden Bokashi composting The Hydrangea - A Reappraisal White House Farm Garden and Arboretum White House Farm Hydrangea open days: June 28th and August 23rd
Thu, March 13, 2025
Early Spring in the Garden: Edibles, Nettles, and Petals!
Spring is starting to unfold, and with that in mind, we’re heading back to the vegetable patch with kitchen gardener Lucy Chamberlain for the final instalment of her "Grow Food Anywhere" mini-series. This time, Lucy guides us through which crops thrive in those tricky, shady spots that can often be a challenge in the garden. Nick Turrell from the RHS Advisory Team gives us the lowdown on why Leylandii – once a garden favourite – has since earned a notorious reputation, and says what you can do about it! And finally Jamie Walton, the familiar face behind the Nettles & Petals social media account, shares some of the benefits and ecological gardening mindset can bring to your plot. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Lucy Chamberlain , Nick Turrell, Jamie Walton ( Nettles&Petals ) Links: Grow Food Anywhere Pruning Leylandii Grow Food. Eat Weeds. Save Seeds. pre-order
Thu, March 06, 2025
The Magic of Magnolias + Growing in Tough Spots
This week we’re returning to the vegetable garden with author and kitchen gardener Lucy Chamberlain to find out what delicious goodies will thrive in some of the least loved corners of your garden. We’ll also be discovering more about the rich history of the magnolia genus, and the stunning range of varieties available today with horticulturalist Seamus O’Brien. Rosemoor’s Alex Paines will be sharing how you can employ the chop and drop mulching technique in your own garden without it looking messy. And Alan Tichmarsh CBE launches an appeal to save some of the important work being done at RHS Garden Wisley. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Lucy Chamberlain , Seamus O’Brien, Alex Paines, Alan Titchmarsh Links: Grow Food Anywhere National Botanic Gardens Ireland Magnolias Chop and Drop RHS Garden Wisley petition
Thu, February 27, 2025
Bountiful Gardens: Edibles, Floral Bouquets & Homegrown Tea
With the right approach, your garden can give back just as much – sometimes even more – than you put in. This week, we’re finding out how to get the most out of our edibles plots with kitchen gardener and writer Lucy Chamberlain who will be proving you really can grow food anywhere. We’re also heading back to Roz Chandler’s Field Gate Flowers to discover the perfect mix of annuals, perennials, biennials and foliage plants for stunning arrangements year-round. And finally, how about a cup of tea? Jonathan Jones – head gardener of one of Europe’s largest and most diverse tea gardens – shares how to cultivate tea at home and take your plants from bush to brew. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Lucy Chamberlain , Roz Chandler , Jonathan Jones, Jenny Laville Links: Grow Food Anywhere book How to plan a cut flower garden episode 1 Field Gate Flowers Tregothnan
Thu, February 20, 2025
Under The Radar
This week we’re exploring some of the plants which may have flown under your radar. Plantsman Chris Sanders will take us on a journey that began with a casual flick through a rare horticultural book and spiralled into a decades-long obsession with rare Japanese cherry cultivars, never seen before in the UK. Horticulturist Scott Galloway makes a compelling case why the resilient favourite of Gertrude Jekyll – the much overlooked bergenia – could be a game-changer in an era of shifting climates. And Abbotsbury Subtropical Garden curator David Pearce proposes why African boxwood makes the ideal box alternative. Hosts: Gareth Richards and James Armitage Contributors: Scott Galloway, David Pearce, Chris Sanders Links: Subscribe to the Plant Review Grow bergenias Scott Galloway’s website with more info on bergenia Find Matsumae cherries Plant Heritage
Thu, February 13, 2025
Love in Bloom
Valentine’s Day and flowers go hand in hand, so what better way to celebrate than by dedicating this week’s programme to the stunning blooms you can grow right in your own garden? Over the past four years, the RHS has been on a mission to find the best red roses for home gardens. We’ll be revealing the top contenders with Wisley’s Roz Marshall. If roses aren’t your thing, Roz Chandler from Field Gate Flowers will be guiding us through the process of starting your own cut flower garden from bare earth to vase. And finally, nothing signals the arrival of spring quite like the golden explosion of daffodils! This year, the RHS is launching a nationwide appeal to track their varieties, flowering times, and distribution across the UK. RHS Principal Scientist and daffodil enthusiast Dr. Kálmán Könyves will share their fascinating history and his hunt for rare—and possibly lost—cultivars. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Roz Marshall, Roz Chandler, Kálmán Könyves Links: Red Roses Trial results Field Gate Flowers Seed To Vase Course Daffodil Diaries
Thu, February 06, 2025
The Dark Art of Rhubarb
This week, Guy Barter takes us through some essential gardening tasks for the season ahead and we explore a hardy favourite: as Caroline Williamson from RHS Garden Bridgewater reveals the fascinating (and surprisingly dark) art of forcing rhubarb. And finally, mother-daughter duo Ellie and Claudia of Elka Textiles will show us how to turn garden plants into beautiful, sustainable dyes—perfect for a creative winter project! Host - Jenny Laville Contributors - Guy Barter, Caroline Williamson, and Ellie Fisher & Claudia Gosse from Elka Sustainable Textiles Other links How to grow rhubarb How to force rhubarb More jobs to be getting on with in February Green Futures Gardening Club PDF tutorial ’Natural Dyeing with Brown Onion Skins’
Thu, January 30, 2025
Sowing Success: Garden Planning & Front Garden Inspiration
This week, Jenny Laville explores the incredible world of seeds with RHS botanist James Armitage, uncovering their diverse shapes and dispersal methods. We’ll also be embracing this time to start planning our gardens for the growing season ahead, RHS Senior Wildlife Specialist Helen Bostock will be describing all the key things to consider when it comes to creating wildlife friendly spaces bursting with key habitats. Plus, in the final part of our front garden mini-series, RHS Gardening Advisor Nick Turrell offers practical advice on designing a space that’s both beautiful and functional. Host Guy Barter Contributors Jenny Laville, James Armitage, Nick Turrell, Helen Bostock Links The Great Seed Swap at RHS Garden Wisley Wildlife Gardening
Thu, January 23, 2025
From beak to branch - how gardeners can help our feathered friends
Join us as we celebrate garden birdlife ahead of the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch! The RSPB’s Adrian Thomas gives us a crash course in birdwatching from the comfort of your own kitchen window, while scientist Arran Folly discusses the threats facing our feathered friends and what we as gardeners can do to help. Plus Nick Turrell from the RHS advisory team shares how front gardens can play a vital role in reducing flood risks in our communities. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Dr Arran Folly, Adrian Thomas, Nick Turrell Links: The Big Garden Bird Watch RHS guide to identifying garden birds The Vector-Borne RADAR project
Thu, January 16, 2025
Unlocking the potential of your garden in midwinter
There’s plenty to do at this time of year to get your garden prepped for the growing season ahead. This week we’ll be finding out how hellebores can bring some winter joy to your garden with passionate plantsman John Grimshaw. It’s also time to start planning your veg patch and Liz Mooney from RHS Garden Wisley’s edibles team will be explaining the principles of crop rotations and why they are great for some growers (but not all). Finally Nick Turrell, one of the encyclopedic minds on the RHS Gardening Advice team, is on a mission to help us unlock the potential of one of the most overlooked parts of our outdoor spaces… Host : Jenny Laville Contributors : John Grimshaw , Liz Mooney, Nick Turrell Links : RHS guide to Hellebores RHS guide to crop rotations
Thu, January 09, 2025
Winter pruning, alpine plants, and the beauty of hedgerows
It may be bitterly cold outside but there's still plenty to get excited about in the garden. This week we’re joining Fruit Specialist Jim Arbury in the Orchard at RHS Garden Wisley to find out how to prune your apples and pears at this time of year. Horticulturist Alex Hankey shows us around the diversity and delicate beauty on display at Wisley’s alpine glasshouse, and RHS Garden Rosemoor’s Alex Paines shares his passion for the ancient hedgerows which lace the D evonshire landscape. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Jim Arbury, Alex Hankey, Alex Paines Links: Apples and pears: winter pruning Devon Hedges Group RHS advice on hedges
Thu, January 02, 2025
Grow Your Own in 2025
Let’s make 2025 the year we all embrace growing our own fruit and vegetables—whether you’ve got a sprawling garden, a small balcony, or just a windowsill! No matter how much space or time you have, we’ve got plenty of inspiration to get you started and keep you going all year round. First, we’ll hear from Shelia Das and Liz Mooney from RHS Wisley’s talented edibles team, who will share their expert advice on growing delicious produce across every season. Then, we’ll check in with Lucy Chamberlain, author of Grow Food Anywhere , as she reveals how to make the most of your space—whatever its size, shape, or location. And what about all that fantastic homegrown produce? Don’t worry! We’ll revisit our fascinating chat with Canadian chef and photographer David Zilber, a fermentation expert who’s worked in some of the world’s top kitchens, including the renowned Fermentation Lab at Restaurant Noma. He’ll inspire you with creative ways to preserve and enjoy your harvest. Host : Gareth Richards Contributors : Shelia Das, Liz Mooney, Lucy Chamberlain, David Zilber Links: RHS Grow Your Own Veg Through the Year: 365 Days of Homegrown Vegetables & Herbs Grow Food Anywhere
Thu, December 26, 2024
Gardening highlights from 2024
Today Guy, Gareth, and Jenny reflect on the past twelve months of beautiful blooms and bountiful harvests, but also wet weather and guzzling gastropods! Join us as we revisit some of our favourite stories from 2024, and share what garden tips and seasonal advice we’re taking with us into the new year. Hosts: Gareth Richards, Guy Barter, Jenny Laville Episodes mentioned: Dr Hayley Jones discussing slugs from episode ‘Critter camaraderie: Slugs, Snails, and Guerilla Gardening Tales’ Gareth Richards and James Armitage take a walk through Chelsea from episode ‘Notes on hardiness’ James Lawrence and the sustainable planting combinations from episode ‘Sustainable plant combos, GYO tips (for tomatoes, beetroot, squash), flowering shrubs ’ Jassy Drakulic on encouraging mycorrhizal relationships in your soil, from episode ‘Compost, fungi, and giant vegetables’ Anya Lautenbach’s money saving advice from episode ‘Growing on a budget’ Additional Links: Become an RHS member
Thu, December 19, 2024
Welcoming wreaths and mistletoe tales
This week we’re bringing the garden indoors and welcoming in the Christmas cheer. RHS Horticultural Advisor Jenny Bowden will be sharing her love letter to the tradition of the Christmas wreath, and Freddie Garland – founder of Freddie’s Flowers – will be sharing his tips on how to make your own (among many other seasonal crafts to get stuck into). And finally, we’ll be learning all about our favourite festive parasite, mistletoe, with Oxford PhD student and mistletoe expert Oliver Spacey. Host : Guy Barter Contributors : Jenny Bowden, Freddie Garland, Oliver Spacey Links: Christmas with the RHS Freddie ’ s Flowers MistleGo! RHS plant profile: mistletoe Hippeastrum Amaryllis belladonna
Thu, December 12, 2024
Festive foliage and natural decorations
This week we’re decking the halls with seasonal foliage, as RHS Garden Hyde Hall’s Sarah Wilson-Frost shares her ideas for natural decorations foraged from your own garden. Gareth Richards is here to inspire you to try a different type of Christmas tree this year and consider bringing a potted plant indoors for the festive season. And we’ve got the perfect gift idea to brighten up a dreary January day, as Chris Lane of Witch Hazel Nursery explains why he fell in love with these winter gems. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Sarah Wilson-Frost, Gareth Richards, Chris Lane Links: Grow your own Christmas Witch hazels Chris Lane - Witch Hazel Nursery Become a member of the RHS
Thu, December 05, 2024
Great garden reads and botanical books
With the festive gift giving season just around the corner, this week we’ve turned our attention to the botanical wonders awaiting us on the bookshelf. We’ve invited journalist, author, and gardening enthusiast Ann Treneman and horticultural hero and authority on all things plants, Guy Barter to join our host - head of Libraries and Exhibitions at the RHS, Fiona Davison, to chat about some of their favourite garden reads from the past 12 months. Host: Fiona Davison Contributors: Ann Treneman , Guy Barter Visit the RHS Bookshelf Books mentioned: Horti Curious: A Gardener's Miscellany of Fascinating Facts & Remarkable Plants by Ann Treneman RHS Garden Almanac 2025 by Guy Barter and Zia Allaway The Accidental Garden: Gardens, Wilderness and the Space In Between by Richard Mabey Good Nature: The New Science of How Nature Improves Our Health by Kathy Willis Brutalist Plants by Olivia Broome Small Space Revolution by Tayshan Hayden Smith A Year Full of Pots by Sarah Raven A Garden A Day by Ruth Chivers How Plants Can Save Your Life: 50 Inspirational Ideas for Planting and Growing by Ross Cameron 100 Herbs to Grow by Jekka McVicar The Crevice Garden: How to Make the Perfect Home for Plants from Rocky Places by Kenton Seth and Paul Spriggs
Thu, November 28, 2024
Indoor passionflowers, Begonias, and miniature Christmas cactus
This week, we're teaming up with The Plant Review magazine for a houseplant special. Jenny Laville talks to Rebecca Hilgenhof of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to learn about the exciting prospect of growing passionflowers on the windowsill. James Armitage is in conversation with former RHS Director of Horticulture Jim Gardiner to chat all about his favourite houseplant, Begonia masoniana, and the famous plantsman who it is named for. Plus, Kevin Mann shares his love of the miniature Christmas cactus. Passionflowers mentioned: Passiflora citrina, Passiflora murucuja and Passiflora boenderi. Host: Gareth Richards and James Armitage Contributors: Rebecca Hilgenhof, Jim Gardiner, Kevin Mann, Jenny Laville Other Links: The Plant Review The Orchid Review RHS Plant Finder 2025 Passion Flower Cultivation Become a member of the RHS
Thu, November 21, 2024
National Tree Week
We’re marking National Tree Week, an annual celebration at the start of the tree planting season, and an opportunity for us to wax lyrical about the wonderful world of trees. We’ll be hearing some fascinating stories about the art of tree collecting and the human connection to our woodlands from author and artist Amy Stewart. We’ll be catching up on the latest news from RHS Garden Rosemoor as they set out on a conservation project to protect one of our most rare but little known native trees. And if you’re feeling inspired to get outside and start digging, Bob Askew will be bringing us his thoughts on the best trees for small spaces. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Bob Askew, Amy Stewart, Jonathan Webster Other Links: National Tree Week How to plant a tree Trees for small gardens Amy Stewart - The Tree Collectors Devon Whitebeam RHS Garden Rosemoor
Thu, November 14, 2024
Medlars, Ornamental Grasses, and Elizabeth Blackwell
This week we explore the fascinating stories and brilliant work of three exceptional plantswomen. Only recently has pioneering 18th-century herbalist Elizabeth Blackwell received proper recognition for her work A Curious Herbal – a beautifully illustrated botanical text that was, for centuries, mistakenly attributed to her scandal-prone husband! Fiona Davison, Head of RHS Libraries & Exhibitions, shares insights into Blackwell’s life and her groundbreaking work, which was created at a time of rapid botanical discovery in Europe as exotic plants flooded into the Western world. We also hear from passionate plantswoman Jane Steward, a dedicated advocate for the medlar, a rare fruit that was once beloved across the UK – even by King Henry VIII. And finally horticulturist Sarah Wilson-Frost from RHS Garden Hyde Hall will be sharing some excellent advice on growing ornamental grasses to add year-round interest to your garden. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Jane Steward , Fiona Davison, Sarah Wilson-Frost, Jenny Laville Other Links: A Curious Herbal RHS Hyde Hall How to grow medlars RHS advice on growing ornamental grasses When is a grass not a grass?
Thu, November 07, 2024
Hedgehogs, Houseplants and Homegrown veg
This week we find out how to help our beloved prickly friends, as RHS Senior Wildlife Specialist Helen Bostock explains the threats to hedgehogs, and what we can do as gardeners to support them. Next we head indoors to find out how tailoring your potting mix can give your houseplants a new lease of life, with the lovely folks at Soil Ninja. Finally, if you’re looking for an autumn project, why not build some raised beds? We glean some expert advice on how to go about this, with RHS horticulturist Peter Adams. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Helen Bostock, Amy Loosley, Levent Latif-Maeer, Peter Adams Other Links: National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy Hedgehog-friendly gardening Hedgehog street Wild about gardens - Get creative for hedgehogs Wild about gardens - Make friends with molluscs Soil Ninja Grow Your Own Veg Through The Year Become a member of the RHS
Thu, October 31, 2024
Edible forests, honey fungus, and black aeoniums
This All Hallow's Eve, we’re venturing into the woods to see what treasures we can find… First up, one of the gardeners' most feared garden inhabitants is stirring. We’ll be chatting with RHS Senior Plant Pathologist Jassy Drakulic to find out about the notorious honey fungus, and how you can protect your beloved plants against infection. Next we’re stopping off at RHS Garden Rosemoor’s edible forest garden, which is based on one of the oldest forms of land use in the world. We’ll be catching up with horticulturist Peter Adams to hear more about this ancient method of permaculture. Finally, if you’re looking for a new addition to your spooky plant collection, look no further than the Aeonium 'Zwartkop.' With its dramatic magenta-black foliage, this striking rosette-shaped succulent is just one example of the remarkable diversity in colour and form within the aeonium genus. We’ll be finding out more, with the help of National Plant Collection holder Mellie Lewis. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Jassy Drakulic, Mellie Lewis , Peter Adams Other Links: More information on honey fungus RHS Garden Rosemoor Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’
Thu, October 24, 2024
A Celebration of Autumn Colour
This week, Gareth Richards and Guy Barter discuss the science behind autumn colour, why some years are more dazzling than others, and what we can expect to see across the UK this year. RHS Horticultural Advisor Jenny Bowden will share a Love Letter to her favourite tree that promises to shine bright at this time of year and has a distinctive smell that would tempt anyone. We head to northeast Scotland, to explore an RHS Partner Garden - Gordon Castle Walled Garden - to find out what visitors can expect to see at this time of year, and to find out more about the history of one of the UK’s largest kitchen gardens. And we hear from the RHS Garden Wisley trials team about the results of this year's lily-flowered and fringed tulip trial and ask what we should be planting this autumn for a great display next spring. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Guy Barter, Jenny Bowden, Zara Gordon Lennox, and Roz Marshall. Other Links: Cercidiphyllum japonicum (katsura tree) Gordon Castle Walled Garden Sheffield Park and Garden Bluebell Arboretum and Nursery RHS Partner Gardens RHS Lily and Fringed Tulip Trial Results Become a member of the RHS
Thu, October 17, 2024
Chrysanthemums, storing produce, and dividing perennials
This week, Gareth Richards talks to writer and designer Naomi Slade about the allure of chrysanthemums and their long history of symbolism. We head to RHS Garden Rosemoor for the second part of our series on storing produce over winter, focusing on onions, potatoes and root vegetables. And RHS Garden Wisley’s Ian Trought brings us a masterclass on dividing perennials to create more plants for our gardens next year. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Gareth Richards, Naomi Slade, Catherine Mawdsley, Ian Trought Other Links: How to grow chrysanthemums Naomi Slade Dividing perennials Become a member of the RHS
Fri, October 11, 2024
Compost, fungi, and giant vegetables
This week, RHS Garden Wisley’s Sheila Das talks to ‘no dig’ champion Charles Dowding all about his new book on composting, and how you can go about starting the perfect sized heap to suit your own garden. We explore the wonders of m ycorrhizae and learn about the beneficial relationship between fungi and the roots in our soil. And we take a trip to the Malvern Autumn Show to marvel at the display of record-breaking giant vegetables and to talk to some of the hardworking growers. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Charles Dowding, Sheila Das, Jassy Drakulic, Jenny Laville, Sebastian Suski, Peter Glazebrook, Graham Barrett Other Links: RHS Grow Your Own Veg Throughout the Year RHS Horti Curious Charles Dowding Results from Malvern Autumn Show Become a member of the RHS
Thu, October 03, 2024
Gardening for a greener future
This week Gareth Richards and James Armitage journey to RHS Garden Wisley’s Hilltop Science Centre to hear how cutting edge research on the changing climate is shaping the way we think about our gardens. From coping with drought conditions and mitigating the flooding potential of our front gardens to helping pollinators in our urban environments, this week we hear from the world's leading thinkers, and unpack what it means for gardeners. Links : Sustainable planting combinations Hear more about Leon Davis’ UnPave the Way garden at Tatton RHS climate change survey
Thu, September 26, 2024
Muscari, storing produce, and fungi
As the cooler weather of autumn settles in, there's still plenty to do when it comes to keeping your garden in top shape. We’ll be hearing from RHS Garden Rosemoor’s Catherine Mawdsley about how to store your homegrown apples, pears, squashes, and pumpkins through the winter months. We’ll also be finding out the results of the recent Muscari (grape hyacinth) trial with horticulturist Roz Marshall, who shares some of the standout varieties ready to get in the ground now. And finally RHS senior plant pathologist Dr. Jassy Drakulic shares her love of fungi with us, ahead of National Fungus Day. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Roz Marshall, Catherine Mawdsley, Jassy Drakulic Other Links: Bumbles on Blooms (a citizen science project) Finding Fungi at the RHS Muscari trial results
Thu, September 19, 2024
Holehird Gardens, Echeverias, and dividing perennials
On this week's show we take a trip to Holehird Gardens nestled in the beautiful Cumbrian landscape, with chair of the Lakeland Horticultural Society, Maggie Mees. Next, host Jenny plunges into the mysterious world of plant biosecurity with the RHS’s self-proclaimed plant policeman Dario Spagnoli, to find out why plants need passports, and what to do if you suspect an invasive pest has hijacked your new shrub. Finally, we cast our eyes to houseplants, specifically the rosette-shaped succulents, the echeverias, with passionate plantswoman Tracey Coogan. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Maggie Mees, Tracey Coogan, Dario Spagnoli Other Links: National Plant collections episode of Gardening with the RHS Holehird Gardens RHS Plant Finder
Thu, September 12, 2024
Balcony gardens, peat-free, and gardening for bats
As September rolls in, there's a crispness in the air and the first signs of autumn are upon us. In this episode we demystify the peat-free with Jenny Laville and the RHS’s Peat-Free Transition Coordinator, Nikki Barker – including what the definition means for exhibitors at RHS Flower Shows who will be affected by changes to the rules. Author and vertical veg grower Mark Ridsdill-Smith reveals his top tips for turning even the tiniest balcony into a thriving, productive garden. Plus, he shares which winter greens you can start sowing now for a delicious cold-weather harvest. And as the nights draw in, it’s also mating season for bats! We chat with Jo Fergusson from the Bat Conservation Trust about how you can make your garden a haven for these fascinating nocturnal creatures. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Jenny Laville, Nikki Barker, Mark Ridsdill-Smith, Jo Fergusson Other Links: RHS Peat-Free Gardening hub The RHS Transition to Peat-Free Fellowship Research areas at RHS Science Vertical Veg Bats in your garden Bat Conservation Trust - Sunset Survey
Thu, September 05, 2024
Bearded irises, asters, and bitterns
This week, renowned nurserywoman Claire Austin shares her top picks of stunning bearded irises – the perfect blooms to plant now for a burst of beauty next spring. Plus, join us as we explore the vibrant world of asters with Helen Picton, discovering how these late-flowering gems can add a splash of colour to your garden just when it needs it most. And finally, we'll take a look at the remarkable conservation success story of the bittern, a bird that owes its booming comeback to the vital wetland habitats many of us can help protect. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Claire Austin , Helen Picton , Jarrod Sneyd, Kate Bradbury , Helen Bostock Other Links: How to grow irises Claire Austin Plants Old Court Nurseries Malvern Autumn Show Leighton Moss Nature Reserve
Thu, August 29, 2024
Unexpected Opportunities in a Changing Landscape
This week, we're teaming up with The Plant Review magazine to explore how to future-proof your garden in the face of our changing climate. We discover resilient plants that thrive in both flood and drought conditions, and take a fascinating trip to a nursery that’s successfully cultivating greenery in pure sand. Plus, we find out why the unusually named Ungnadia could soon become a common sight in urban landscapes. Host: Gareth Richards and James Armitage Contributors: Jenny Bowden, Elisabeth Karlstad Larsen, Thomas Freeth, Philip Clayton Other Links: The Plant Review How to choose plants for seasonally wet and dry soils Planting for the Future report RHS Feedback email address: podcast@rhs.org.uk Become a member of the RHS
Thu, August 22, 2024
Denmans Garden, blueberry harvest, and National Plant Collections
This week we head to the Sussex South Downs to explore RHS Partner Garden, Denmans – and hear about its unique history intertwined with the lives of two unsung garden pioneers, Joyce Robinson and John Brookes. We also bring you top tips for the perfect blueberry harvest and we talk to Plant Heritage about the gaps in their collections and what they’re on the lookout for. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Gwendolyn van Paasschen, Pavlina Kapsalis, Gwen Hines Other Links: Denmans Gardens - RHS Partner Garden RHS Partner Gardens RHS Blueberries Plant Heritage - Missing Collections Become a member of the RHS
Thu, August 15, 2024
Flower anatomy, August allotmenting, apples and pears.
Do you get confused between your “sepals” and “stigmas”? This week Jenny Laville will be studying the anatomy of flowers, with the help of RHS botanist James Armitage. Guy Barter shares top tips for August allotmenting as we celebrate biodiversity in National Allotment Week. And RHS fruit specialist Jim Arbury talks apples and pears, with a guide on harvesting and pruning. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Jenny Laville, James Armitage, Guy Barter, Jim Arbury Other Links: How Plants Reproduce RHS The Plant Review The National Allotment Society Apples and pears: summer pruning Allotments – all you need to know Fruit identification
Thu, August 08, 2024
Lavender love, a dahlia extravaganza, and a wisteria masterclass.
This week we talk about all things lavender, exploring the array of varieties and sharing top tips for growing. We hear from a group of gardeners with a passion for growing and showing dahlias. Plus, we bring you a wisteria masterclass and put your mind at ease when it comes to questions about pruning. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Tim Upson, Alessandra Sana, Vanessa Penn Other Links: RHS Wisley Garden Flower Show National Dahlia Society National Dahlia Society Facebook Page RHS-Affiliated Societies Become a member of the RHS How to grow lavender How to grow dahlias How to grow wisteria
Thu, August 01, 2024
A wild gardener, celebrating craftsmanship, and explosive seed pods
This week we explore the life and work of William Robinson and look at his enduring legacy. We take a tour of an Arts and Crafts inspired show garden at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. Plus, we have the ultimate guide to collecting and storing seed from your own garden. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Emma Raymond, Heather Cooke , Callum Bain MacKay Other Links: RHS Members’ Seed Scheme William Robinson Exhibition
Thu, July 25, 2024
From towering blooms to tiny microbes
This week we explore the history of Kiftsgate Court Gardens and catch a glimpse of their famous, gigantic, eponymous rose. We chat to self-confessed fern fanatic Julian Reed about what makes this group of plants so fascinating. Plus, we hear why thinking more about the soil microorganisms in our garden could benefit our blooms and crops. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Anne Chambers, Julian Reed, Eddie Bailey Other Links: Kiftsgate Court Gardens British Pteridological Society Rhizophyllia Become a member of the RHS
Fri, July 19, 2024
Take-home ideas from RHS Flower Show Tatton Park
Welcome to the largest flower show in the North of England; RHS Flower Show Tatton Park! This show is all about exploring the infinite possibilities of your back garden – whether you have an acre of land, or simply a patio or windowsill – Tatton really celebrates spaces of all shapes and sizes. We visit Leon Davis’ UnPave the Way garden to find out how to transform dull paved driveways into inviting spaces which are full of clever take-home ideas designed to ‘slow the flow’ of rainwater. We also hear from some of the exceptional growers who have filled the floral marquee to the rafters with botanical wonders, and finally Tom Saunders – designer of the Orchid terrace garden – highlights some of the threats facing one of the most diverse and widespread flowering plants on earth. Presenters: Jenny Laville , Gareth Richards Contributors: Leon Davis Colin Hickman (Hoyland Plant Centre) John Amand (Jacques Amand Limited ) Luke Whiting (D’Arcy & Everest) Tom Saunders Other links: RHS Flower Show Tatton Park Tickets Ferns & Carnivorous Plants Show Unpave the way garden North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee: Unpave the Way project Orchid terrace garden <a href="htt
Thu, July 11, 2024
Creating healthy gardens for people and planet
In this episode we delve into the profound connection between nature and well-being. Landscape Architect Adam White discusses creating dementia-friendly sensory gardens, designed to evoke early memories and nostalgia. Mandy Barber from Incredible Vegetables shares the benefits of growing perennial edibles. Plus, we visit RHS Garden Wisley to get expert answers to your pressing gardening questions. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Mandy Barber , Adam White , James Lawrence, Amy Ashman, Nick Turrell Other Links: Advice on creating a dementia friendly garden Supporting people with dementia - a guide for community gardens Incredible Vegetables RHS Sustainable Planting Combinations ISHS Symposium on Greener Cities: Improving Ecosystem Services in a Climate-Changing World
Wed, July 03, 2024
Money saving tips, moss magic, and awesome Asteraceae at Hampton 2024!
Welcome to the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2024! We’re exploring the site and transporting you right to the heart of this buzzing showground. Anya Lautenbach – best known as ‘ Anya the Garden Fairy ’ on Instagram, and RHS Ambassador and passionate plantsman Jamie Butterworth share some top tips on how to create a showstopping garden on a budget. Groundbreaking young garden designer Bea Tann illuminates the magic of moss and makes the case for what new build homes could benefit from embracing these prehistoric plants. Finally graduates of the London College of Garden Design show us just how versatile the Asteraceae (daisy) family can be in your garden. All this and more coming up on this special Hampton edition of Gardening with the RHS. Presenters: Jenny Laville , Gareth Richards & Guy Barter Contributors: Anya Lautenbach , Jamie Butterworth , Bea Tann , Brian Youngblut , Garden Girls Collective (Melissa Wilkinson, Rachel Barnard, Annie Shephard and Bev Small), Kate Campbell , Sally-Anne Rees and William Murray Other links: RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival tickets 10 thrifty tips from The Money-Saving Gardener <a href="https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-inspiration/plants-we-love/the-magic-o
Thu, June 27, 2024
From Botanic Gardens to Insect Studies; the Secrets to Thriving Ecosystems
Chris Kidd, Curator of Ventnor Botanic Gardens, discusses his pioneering low-intervention approach to horticulture with a two decade long experiment which has yielded some surprising results on the Isle of Wight. New research from Butterfly Conservation reveals letting parts of your garden grow wild can increase butterfly numbers by up to 93%, we meet entomologist Dr Richard Fox to find out why moths and butterflies are such important members of the garden community. And finally, we catch up with Gemma Burr at RHS Garden Wisley to learn what you can sow right now to ensure your garden stays insect friendly throughout the season. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Chris Kidd, Dr Richard Fox, Gemma Burr Other links: Ventnor Botanic Gardens website Butterfly Conservation wild garden study Wild Spaces website The Big Butterfly Count Sustainable Planting Combinations Become a RHS member
Thu, June 20, 2024
Critter camaraderie: Slugs, Snails, and Guerilla Gardening Tales
After a deluge of questions relating to garden critters, RHS Principal Entomologist Hayley Jones makes the case for why you shouldn’t be too quick to eradicate slugs and snails from your garden. Artist and ‘accidental activist’ Paul Harfleet shares how he has been transforming sites of hate crime through guerilla gardening. Finally, Rosemoor's Peter Adams talks about the benefits of potager gardening, a style of ornamental kitchen gardens with roots in the formal gardens of the French Renaissance. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Hayley Jones , Paul Harfleet , Peter Adams Other Links: The Pansy Project More Information on Slugs and Snails The Potager and Cottage Garden
Thu, June 13, 2024
Early Summer at Wisley
This week we’ll be dropping in with the advisory team at RHS Garden Wisley to answer some of your most asked questions this season. Plantsman Ed Cooper will be shining some light on the enigmatic delphiniums he’s been growing down at the trials field, and horticulturist Verity Battyll shares some top tips on how to keep your rose garden looking stunning all year round. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Ed Cooper, James Lawrence, Amy Ashman, Nick Turrell, Verity Batyll Other Links: Bowes-lyon rose garden Delphiniums Become a RHS member
Thu, June 06, 2024
The Enchanting World of Herbs
This week we’re diving into the enchanting world of herbs. Join us as author and horticulturist Connor Smith uncovers the rich history of these remarkable plants, celebrated in food, medicine, and mythology for millennia. The Queen of Herbs, Jekka McVicar, shares her expert advice on cultivating your own herb garden. From RHS Garden Wisley, Liz Mooney delivers a heartfelt love letter to her favourite herb. Plus, we’ll hear reflections from Wisley curator Matt Pottage as he bids a fond farewell after 20 dedicated years with the RHS. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Connor Smith , Jekka McVicar , Liz Mooney, Matt Pottage Other Links: How Herbs Healed the World by Connor Smith 100 Herbs to Grow by Jekka McVicar Jekka’s farm website
Thu, May 30, 2024
Squashes, Hebes, and the new RHS patron is announced!
From butternuts to tromboncinos – on this week's show, Wisley’s Liz Mooney tells us about some of her favourite squashes with top tips on how to grow them. Roz Marshall talks us through the results of the RHS Hebe trial at Wisley and Harlow Carr, and Director General Clare Matterson reflects on the announcement of King Charles III as the new patron of the RHS. Presente r: Guy Barter Contributors : Liz Mooney , Roz Marshall, Clare Matterson Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links : Shrubby Veronica (Hebe) trial results How to grow squashes - RHS RHS patron announcement
Thu, May 23, 2024
It's RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024!
Welcome to RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024! We’re diving headfirst into all of the trends and highlights this hotly anticipated show has to offer; from the growers filling the Great Pavilion with their dazzling botanical displays, to the striking RHS Plant of the Year Prunus ‘Starlight’, and of course the legendary garden designers lining main avenue with some truly spectacular show gardens. This year is all about celebrating the young gardeners of tomorrow, so join us for a peak inside The RHS No Adults Allowed Garden designed by Harry Holding in collaboration with local schoolchildren, as well as Ula Maria’s Best Show Garden-winning Muscular Dystropy UK - Forest Bathing Garden showstopper, Tom Massey and Je Ahn’s Gold medal-winning WaterAid Garden , Tom Stuart-Smith’s luscious Gold-winning The National Garden Scheme Garden , Ann-Marie Powell’s RHS Children Choice Award-winning garden , and much, much more… Presenters: Jenny Laville , Gareth Richards , Guy Barter Contributors: Tom Massey , Je Ahn , Ula Maria , James Armitage, Ann-Marie Powell Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Other links: RHS Chelsea Flower Show Website SheGrowsVeg Urban Organic Pure Grenada
Thu, May 16, 2024
The Season of Colour
This week we’re celebrating the abundance of colour on offer at this time of year. RHS trials project manager Roz Marshall shares the results of the Grandiflora sweet pea trial; highlighting some beautifully scented selections to try at home. Plantsman Andrew Large chats about the astonishing range of form and colour offered by the often overlooked Buddleja . And plant hunter Kevin Hobbs describes the discovery of a species new to science; the striking black Carex nodosa ‘Kurofune’ , and the fascinating story behind its name… All these stories and more can be found in the June edition of The Plant Review ‘Summer: The Season of Colour.’ You can find out more information on how to subscribe here Presenters: Gareth Richards, and James Armitage Contributors: Roz Marshall, Andrew Large, and Kevin Hobbs Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: Sweet Pea show at RHS Garden Wisley The Buddleja Garden Pinnacle Plants International
Thu, May 09, 2024
Topiary, lilacs and Chelsea judging
In the week leading to World Topiary Day, RHS Horticultural Advisor Jenny Bowden gives us an update on growing alternatives to box ( Buxus sempervirens), with insights into the ongoing threat of box blight and box tree moth from Dr Stephanie Bird. Nurseryman Ed Canon from Langthorns Plantery shares his love for lilacs, flowering plants that haven’t always been considered fashionable, but are experiencing new interest due to exciting cultivar development and increased availability through micropropagation. Plus, Jenny Laville asks “what makes an award-winning garden?” as she meets Eleanor Hollingworth from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show judging team, two weeks ahead of the world’s most prestigious garden event. Presenter: Gareth Richards Contributors: Dr. Stephanie Bird , Jenny Bowden, Jenny Laville , Eleanor Hollingworth, Ed Cannon Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: Box alternatives trial at RHS Garden Wisley Langthorns Plantery Chelsea Flower Show Tickets
Thu, May 02, 2024
Cucumbers, peonies and houseplant propagation
Peter Adams from RHS Garden Rosemoor gives a masterclass in growing indoor and outdoor cucumbers with suggested varieties for growing in different situations. Esteemed plantswoman Claire Austin shares her expertise in selecting and caring for peonies – covering herbaceous, tree and intersectional types. And American plant stylist and author Hilton Carter spreads joy through the gift of houseplants – with tips for multiplying your collection through techniques including leaf and stem cuttings. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Peter Adams, Claire Austin , Hilton Carter Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: RHS Garden Rosemoor: Fruit and Vegetable Gardens How to grow cucumbers Claire Austin: Celebration of Flowers How to grow herbaceous and intersectional peonies Hilton Carter: The Propagation Handbook RHS plant propagation guides
Thu, April 25, 2024
Highlights from the RHS Urban Show 2024
Gareth Richards, Jenny Laville and Guy Barter bring a jam packed show of highlights from the inaugural RHS Urban Show in Manchester - a festival of ideas focussed on greening up small spaces, looking after houseplants, and opening discussion about better urban planning. Amanda Grimes talks us through her easy-to-replicate designs for small (often concrete) spaces, including a Punk Rockery! Jason Williams aka The Cloud Gardener showcases seven innovative gardens designed with local communities that take on the challenges of urban gardening and development. Jacob James from Grow Tropicals talks us through his amazing display of rare and intriguing houseplants, with tips for different growing environments. And award-winning young designer Nathan Webster gives us a tour of his Urban Forest design, created to provoke conversation around the importance of woodland management in built up areas. Presenter: Gareth Richards , Jenny Laville , Guy Barter Contributors: Amanda Grimes , Tom Massey , Tinie , Jason Williams , Nathan Webster, Jacob James Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: The RHS Urban Show 2024 Pop Culture Planting: Punk Rockery RHS City Spaces: Cloudspaces Happy Houseplants with Grow Tropicals RHS Urban Forest Chase presents: Inspired by the wild with Tom Massey and Tinie
Thu, April 18, 2024
Single-colour planting, GYO tips (for radishes, peas, cardoons), and a floating greenhouse
In the stunning Colour Gardens at The Newt In Somerset, Joe Dransfield explains how a monochrome approach to flowers can deliver dazzling impact. Liz Mooney shares grow your own tips from the World Food Garden at RHS Garden Wisley, including peas, radishes and cardoons. And we hear the inspirational and unconventional story of Roka Brings Flowers – a grower and florist who started a wonderful cut flower business from a narrowboat with a floating greenhouse in tow. Presenter: Gareth Richards Contributors: Liz Mooney , Joe Dransfield, Roka Brings Flowers Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: How to grow peas How to grow radishes Cynara cardunculus Cardoon The Newt in Somerset – an RHS Partner Garden Roka Brings Flowers RHS Urban Show
Thu, April 11, 2024
GYO tips from Rosemoor, plant hybrids, and shrubscapes
Desert roadcuts, abandoned pasture, heathland and marshy thickets inspire naturalistic planting ideas from Kevin Philip Williams and Michel Guidi, whose new book Shrouded in Light draws from wild shrubscapes. We also visit RHS Garden Rosemoor in North Devon, where Peter Adams gives us a tour of the extensive fruit and vegetable gardens with top tips for growing parsnips, shallots, cloching potatoes and protecting peas. Jenny Laville and James Armitage return to the podcast to debunk more plant terminology – this time talking about “hybrids” – what they are, how they occur and how they can be used to your advantage. Presenter: Gareth Richards Contributors: Peter Adams, Jenny Laville , James Armitage, Michael Guidi and Kevin Philip Williams Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: RHS Garden Rosemoor How to grow parsnips How to grow shallots How to grow potatoes F1 Hybrids Shrouded in Light
Thu, April 04, 2024
Sustainable plant combos, GYO tips (for tomatoes, beetroot, squash), flowering shrubs
Do you ever fall in love with a plant, buy it, but then not know what to pair it with? Principal Horticultural Advisor James Lawrence introduces his guide to creating planting combinations that don’t just look good, but have a sustainability impact too. Guy Barter shares seasonal tips for establishing tomatoes, beetroot, and winter pumpkins and squash – helping you to set up for the Grow Your Own season. And Jack Aldridge, a horticulturist who looks after Oakwood at RHS Garden Wisley, will be singing an ode to his favourite flowering shrub, the Stachyurus. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: James Lawrence , Jack Aldridge Links: Oakwood at RHS Garden Wisley How to grow tomatoes How to grow beetroot How to grow pumpkins Stachyurus praecox Stachyurus chinensis RHS Gardening advice / ChatBotanist
Thu, March 28, 2024
The Piet Oudolf Landscape, Bumbles on Blooms, Plant Propagation
Often referred to as “the greatest living landscape designer” and a leading figure of the New Perennial movement – Piet Oudolf joins curator Matthew Pottage to talk about his new landscape at RHS Garden Wisley. Helen Bostock also introduces the new Bumbles on Blooms project, and the plants you should choose to help support over 250 species of bees in the UK - some with rather particular tastes. Plus, Sam Gallivan, Leader of the Nursery and Propagation team at Wisley talks about propagating plants at scale. Presenter: Gareth Richards Contributors: Matthew Pottage , Piet Oudolf , Helen Bostock , Sam Gallivan Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: Bumbles on Blooms iNaturalist Oudolf Landscape Dividing perennials
Thu, March 21, 2024
Greener Containers, Plant Name Changes, and Chaenomeles
Garden designer and writer Ann Treneman shares ideas from her new book RHS Greener Gardening: Containers, explaining how you can create sustainable ecosystems whatever size your space. Jenny Laville speaks with RHS botanist James Armitage to untangle taxonomy, and discuss why plant names keep changing. And Gareth Richards meets David Ford, the holder of the National Plant Collection of Chaenomeles in Surrey, to talk about his love affair with the plant and why they’re due a mainstream revival. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Ann Treneman , Jenny Laville , James Armitage, Gareth Richards , David Ford Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: Greener Gardening Containers RHS Plant Finder Plant Heritage: National Plant Collections
Thu, March 14, 2024
Garden Carbon Footprints, Wasps in Springtime, and Pruning Shrubby Hydrangeas
This week Guy Barter and RHS Sustainability Fellow Chloe Sutcliffe react to a recent study published in the journal Nature Cities that claims that urban agriculture has a carbon footprint up to 6 times bigger than conventional agriculture – discussing what this means for allotmenteers and community gardeners, and how we should be thinking about our environmental impact. Entomologist and wasp defender Serian Sumner explains why spring is the perfect time to make peace with yellowjackets, as the queens emerge from hibernation. And the RHS’s Adrian Thorne gives us a practical guide to pruning shrubby hydrangeas. Presenter: Gareth Richards Contributors: Guy Barter , Chloe Sutcliffe, Serian Sumner , Adrian Thorne Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: Nature Cities: Comparing the carbon footprints of urban and conventional agriculture Endless Forms by Serian Sumner Shrubby Hydrangeas The Garden Magazine
Thu, March 07, 2024
Blight-Resistant Tomatoes, Harmonious Borders, and the Women Who Shaped the RHS
This week, we’re trying to honour March in all its glory. We’re delving into tasty and blight-resistant tomato varieties. We’re exploring how to build and renovate harmonious and colourful borders. And finally, to celebrate International Women’s Day and the 220th anniversary of the RHS, we’re turning back the clock to honour a few of the women who’ve shaped the organisation. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Simon Crawford, Susie Pasley-Tyler, Fiona Davison Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: How to grow tomatoes Tomato blight Gardening with Colour at Coton Manor An Almost Impossible Thing
Thu, February 29, 2024
Apple Pruning, Allotment Preparation, and the Thinking Behind Plant Names
This week we’re exploring small but useful nuggets of information that have the potential to change the way we interact with our surroundings this growing season. We’re getting seasonal tips on GYO – things like training and pruning apple trees and preparing allotments for the busiest time of year. And, we’re delving into plant names – and the system behind our classifications. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Andy Lewis, Jenny Laville , James Armitage Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: Apples and pears: winter gardening The Newt in Somerset – an RHS Partner Garden Allotments: getting started RHS Practical Latin for Gardeners Untangling Latin Names
Thu, February 22, 2024
Notes on Hardiness
This week, we’re investigating what exactly makes a plant hardy, how tropical plants survive British winters, and the ways in which what thrives here may be changing – especially in urban environments like London. Presenter Gareth Richards and RHS botanist James Armitage take a tour of weird and wacky tender trees that have survived here against all odds. And, Hillary Collins of Grafton Nursery gives us a behind the scenes look at what you can do to help your eucalyptus withstand British winters. Presenter: Gareth Richards Contributors: James Armitage and Hilary Collins Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: Mediterranean garden plants RHS hardiness ratings Hardy Eucalyptus (Grafton Nursery)
Thu, February 15, 2024
Something New!
This week’s show is all about growing something new. We’re spreading the word about exciting plant species, cultivars, and hybrids from those that love them most. Legendary plantsman Roy Lancaster chats about shrubby honeysuckles, Canadian horticulturist Grahame Ware makes the case for a curious genus called Syneilesis , and Wisley horticulturist Jack Aldridge shares the stories behind flowering dogwood hybrids. All the stories in this show are based on articles from the March issue of The Plant Review. You can find information on how to subscribe here . Presenters: Gareth Richards & James Armitage Contributors: Roy Lancaster, Grahame Ware , and Jack Aldridge Links: Shrubby honeysuckle Flowering dogwood
Thu, February 08, 2024
Alpine Delights, Wisteria Pruning, and the Great RHS Award Snub
For this week’s show, we take a behind the scenes look at the ways spring is fighting its way into the picture at RHS Garden Wisley. We go behind the scenes at the Alpine Display House, we get a masterclass on pruning wisteria, and we dive into the life and work of the eccentric and influential horticulturist Ellen Willmott – and explore a theory for why she may have missed her Victoria Medal of Honour ceremony. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Alex Hankey, Matthew Pottage , Suzanne Moss Links: Visiting Wisley Narcissus bulbocodium How to get wonderful Wisteria: Buying, planting, pruning and care tips “Gardens have provided solace, opportunity and inspiration for LGBTQ+ people” Miss Willmott’s Ghosts: the extraordinary life and gardens of a forgotten genius
Thu, February 01, 2024
Growing on a Budget
In this week’s show, we’re zeroing in on how to stretch the money we spend on our gardens as far as possible. We hear from gardening influencer Anya Lautenbach - aka Anya the Garden Fairy – on her money-saving tips. We explore the science behind cuttings with botanist and editor James Armitage. And we take an inside look at the RHS apprenticeship programme. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Anya Lautenbach , James Armitage, Sheila Das , Rory Doyle Links: The Money-Saving Gardener Propagation techniques New Shoots RHS Apprenticeships
Thu, January 25, 2024
Guerrilla Gardening, Seasonal Advice, and Maintaining a World-Famous Laburnum Arch
This week’s show is all about cultivating change – whether in your own garden, in your local neighbourhood, or in a magical National Trust property. We’re chatting guerrilla gardening with Ellen Miles, getting top tips from Wisley advisors, and taking a look at all the work that goes into maintaining the laburnum arch at Bodnant Garden (one of our most beloved partner gardens!) Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Ellen Miles , James Lawrence, Becky Mealey , Michaela Freed, and Lucy Bidgood Links: Guerrilla gardening and reclaiming urban spaces Get Guerrilla Gardening Nature is a Human Right The Laburnum Arch at Bodnant Garden Horticulture Careers Discovery Week Diploma in Horticulture Practice
Thu, January 18, 2024
Second Chances
As gardeners, we all have plants we love to hate – think aucubas or heathers. And in winter, especially, it seems that these common but unpopular plants play a really important role in our gardens, adding structure, berries, or cheery variegated leaves when we need it most. So today, we’re addressing the overlooked. We’re giving mahonias a well-deserved second chance. We’re revisiting houseplants, which may or may be looking worse for wear after the chaotic holiday season. And finally, we’re taking a look at the work The Glasshouse, a nursery in Kent, does to give women in prison a fresh start. Presenter: Gareth Richards Contributors: Jack Aldridge , Tony Le-Britton , The Glasshouse Team Contact us at podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: Mahonia Not Another Jungle: Comprehensive Care for Extraordinary Houseplants Growing hope and houseplants in prison The Glasshouse
Thu, January 11, 2024
Winter-Flowering Camellias, Cold Weather Inspiration, and Gardening Questions Answered
We’re past the solstice, so it’s time to both revel in the present and prepare for what's to come as the days get longer and warmer. So, in this week’s show, we’re doing exactly that, taking note of winter wins – like winter-flowering camellias and snowdrops– and addressing RHS members’ questions as we look ahead to the growing season to come. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Jack Aldridge, Naomi Slade, James Lawrence, Becky Mealey, Michaela Freed Links: Autumn and winter-flowering camellias RHS The Winter Garden Wisteria: pruning Snowdrops
Thu, January 04, 2024
A Sustainability Health Check for the Garden
To start off the new year right, we decided to begin with a practical and sustainable guide on what you can get up to outdoors this year – it’s what we’re calling a sustainability health check for the garden. We’ll be chatting about the state of play on peat-free growing, hearing from a range of RHS experts for some top garden sustainability tips, and exploring the future of grow-your-own in our ever-changing climate. Links: Peat-free gardening Peat- free nurseries 10 ways to be more sustainable in your garden Edible: 70 Sustainable Plants That Are Changing How We Eat
Thu, December 28, 2023
2023 Highlights and Trends
For our final episode of 2023, we’re taking a look back at some of our favourite moments on the podcast and across the RHS from the year, exploring emerging trends, new beginnings, and time-honoured advice. Stay tuned for highlights from Director General Clare Matterson, Head of Editorial Tom Howard, Head of Libraries and Exhibitions Fiona Davison, and more. Presenters: Gareth Richards & Guy Barter Contributors: Clare Matterson, Tom Howard, Fiona Davison, Jenny Laville, and Jenny Bowden Links: Rewilding Small Spaces The Winter Garden Maximising Minimal Space
Thu, December 21, 2023
A Gardener’s Recipe for Christmas
As we approach the most festive time of year, we’ve decided to share a recipe for a plant-filled Christmas. In this episode, we’ll be returning to Bristol with Naomi Slade to hear how she decks her halls with things from the garden. We’ll then be making our way to the Frenchay Christmas Tree Farm to get a feel for life at the busiest point in their calendar. And finally, we’re exploring the curious world of parasitic plants, including a festive favourite: mistletoe. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Naomi Slade, Simon Maughan, Alex Summers Links: RHS The Winter Garden Frenchay Christmas Tree Farm How to grow your own mistletoe Christmas with the RHS
Thu, December 14, 2023
For the Love of Birds
This week, we’re wrapping up warm and heading out into our gardens to take a moment to really appreciate our garden birds. Wildlife sound recordist Gary Moore gives us a masterclass on recognising the calls of common birds at this time of year. Writer and wildlife gardening guru Kate Bradbury shares her top tips for making a bird-friendly garden. And finally, we delve into the story behind the remarkable number of American songbirds that made it across the Atlantic this autumn. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Gary Moore, Kate Bradbury, and Rob Jaques Links: Birds in your garden Plants for birds RHS Wildlife Gardening for everyone and everything , RHS How to Create a Wildlife Pond Garden BirdWatch BTO’s BirdTrack Migration Blog
Thu, December 07, 2023
What's That Weed?
Weeds have many faces. They feed birds, butterflies, bees, and the like. They spread like wildfire, but are resilient. They compete with crops, yet can add colour and beauty at times when our gardens feel lacklustre. They’re complicated – and the way we regard them, even more so. So, in today's show, we’re taking a holistic look at the weeds in our gardens – discussing what constitutes a weed, how to deal with them safely, and how we can see them as more than the enemy. Chief horticulturist Guy Barter chats about this upcoming book What’s That Weed?, the students who brought together Wisley’s ‘What is a Weed?’ exhibition share their perspectives on these rapid spreaders, and finally, author Ann Treneman gives her advice on creating weed containers. Presenter: Gareth Richards Contributors: Guy Barter, Ann Treneman, Students from St John the Baptist School Links: RHS Weeds: The beauty and uses of 50 vagabond plants Identify common weeds Controlling Weeds Exhibition: What is a weed?
Thu, November 30, 2023
The Winter Garden
With the first cold snap hitting the UK this past week, it’s really starting to feel like winter. It’s a time of structural beauty, of evergreen supremacy, of frosty seedheads, and of low but magical light. So this week, we’re focusing in on all the mystery and enchantment of a winter garden. We’re chatting with author Naomi Slade about designing and revamping gardens in the colder months, leaning into year-round grow-your-own with garden manager Sheila Das, and exploring how to bring a bit of the winter charm inside with what’s available now to pick. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Naomi Slade, Sheila Das, Gareth Richards, Hazel Gardiner, and Shane Connolly Links: RHS The Winter Garden Vegetables: growing for winter Winter Flowers Week
Thu, November 23, 2023
The Best Gardening Books of 2023!
It’s that time of year again… Our annual book special is here! Today, Helen Griffin, RHS Book Publishing Manager, chats with Fiona Davidson, Guy Barter, and Arthur Parkinson about their top gardening book picks of 2023. Tune in for a discussion on the future of GYO and resilient planting, the relevance of gardening history, and wildcard topics like cut flowers, winter gardening, and yes, even murder. Presenter: Helen Griffin Contributors: Fiona Davidson, Guy Barter, Arthur Parkinson, and Matt Pottage Books Discussed: Botany of the Kitchen Garden by Helena Dove Rekha’s Kitchen Garden: Seasonal Produce and Home-Grown Wisdom from One Gardener’s Allotment Year by Rekha Mistry RHS The Winter Garden by Naomi Slade England’s Gardens: A Modern History by Stephen Parker Gardening can be Murder: How Poisonous Poppies, Sinister Shovels, and Grim gardens Have Inspired Mystery Writers by Marta McDowell Not Another Jungle: Comprehensive Care for Extraordinary Houseplants by Tony Le Britton Chatsworth: The gardens and the people who made them by Alan Titchmarsh A Year Full of Veg: A Harvest for All Seasons by Sarah Raven The Cut Flower Sourcebook by Rachel Siegfried
Thu, November 16, 2023
Crazy About Houseplants: Top picks & tips and the stories behind our obsession
As the surrounding world starts looking a little bleaker, we’ve decided to explore how to best turn our homes into verdant oases. RHS Digital Editor Jenny Laville chats with Gareth Richards about the best low-maintenance houseplants, fun climbers for indoors, and underrated care tips and tricks. Social historian Catherine Horwood regales us with the history of ever-changing houseplant trends. And finally, author and podcaster Alice Vincent reveals the role houseplants played in her own gardening journey. Presenters : Gareth Richards and Jenny Laville Contributors : Catherine Horwood and Alice Vincent Links: Picking the right houseplant Houseplants for different locations Houseplants for students Potted History: How Houseplants Took Over Our Homes Why Women Grow: Stories of Soil, Sisterhood and Survival Rootbound: Rewilding a Life
Thu, November 09, 2023
Travelling Back in Time
This week, we’re journeying back through time, taking stock of a few significant moments in botanical history. We’re unravelling their mysteries, considering their reverberations, and imagining what this all might mean for the future. We're starting with a tale on the first flowering of the giant waterlily in cultivation, then discovering how ‘Midwinter Fire’ gave Cornus sanguinea a whole new reputation, and finally, we're taking a look at the life and legacy of Arthur Bulley, founder of Ness Botanic Gardens. Each of these stories draws inspiration from articles in the December issue of The Plant Review. The Plant Review RHS A Plant for Every Day of the Year Foggy Bottom: A Garden to Share Ness Botanic Gardens
Thu, November 02, 2023
Winter Preparation & The Case for No-Dig
This week, we journey through RHS Garden Wisley, capturing some of its autumnal beauty while also looking ahead as winter edges ever closer. Garden Manager Sheila Das chats with us about her no-dig journey, entomologist Dr. Seirian Sumner fills us in on wasps’ winter preparation, and finally, Wisley advisors provide a seasonal Q&A. Links: How to grow a No-Dig Garden How to improve your soil with the ‘No Dig’ technique Endless Forms: Why We Should Love Wasps Leafmould Mulches and mulching Preventing winter damage Autumn-interest shrubs
Thu, October 26, 2023
Hidden Roots: Extraordinary Tales from Black Women Gardeners
This month – October – is UK Black History Month – and the theme for 2023 is “Saluting our Sisters,” highlighting the influence Black women have had in shaping history and inspiring change. So for today’s show, we’re exploring a few of the extraordinary stories of Black women gardeners who’ve made and continue to make a difference in the world of horticulture — all while looking ahead to what we can do to create a more equitable future. Award-winning garden designer Juliet Sargeant is sharing the stories behind her designs. We’re getting a look at the life and work of Mrs Annie Vann Reid – an American nurserywoman who built a plant empire almost 100 years ago. And, finally, we’re chatting with floral artist Hazel Gardiner about making an impact through plants. Links: The history of Black British gardeners is one of resistance The Garden History Podcast A Short History of Flowers Juliet Sargeant: Gardens & Landscapes Hazel Gardiner Design
Thu, October 19, 2023
Entangled Wonder: An Autumnal Survey on Trees
This week, with all the glorious leaf colour on display, we’re exploring the entangled wonder of the arboreal world, getting a behind the scenes look at what trees are up to now and chatting about how best to incorporate them within our gardens. Renowned nurseryman Nick Dunn is back on the podcast to talk crab apples. Silvologist and author Dr Gabriel Hemery is lifting the veil on what exactly is happening with trees at this time of year. And finally, garden designer Arit Anderson and scientist Dr Henrik Sjoman discuss what to keep in mind when choosing what to plant. Links: RHS guide to trees RHS The Garden Magazine The Tree Almanac 2024 The Essential Tree Selection Guide
Thu, October 12, 2023
Maximising Minimal Space
It’s no secret our living spaces are getting smaller. As more and more of us move to urban areas, we’re often having to put up with tight quarters – living in tiny flats with limited outdoor space. So in this episode, we want to explore how to maximise the space you do have – getting the best out of whatever garden, patio, porch, or windowbox you can access. Award-winning garden designer Tony Woods gives us a front garden masterclass. We’re then chatting with journalist and gardener Ann Treneman about creating fetching winter containers. And finally, Fiona Davison, our head of Libraries and Exhibitions, is back to tell the story of an early city gardener – and what we can learn from his 18th century ideas. Links: RHS Big Ideas, Small Spaces Garden Club London RHS Urban Show Growing plants in containers Thomas Fairchild: The first city gardener?
Thu, October 05, 2023
A Fun Guide to Fungi
This Saturday – 7 October – is UK Fungus Day. And so for this week’s show, we’re exploring the fascinating faces of fungi. We’re taking a tour of the Fungus Garden at RHS Wisley, journeying back in time with biologist Merlin Sheldrake to investigate our historical uses of these organisms, chatting about 3 easy ways you can grow your own edible mushrooms, and finally, we’re returning to Wisley to get an update on the science team’s honey fungus research. The music you hear at the very beginning of the show was created by Cosmo Sheldrake. The sounds you hear -- apart from the accompanying piano -- are from recordings of oyster mushrooms devouring a copy of Merlin Sheldrake's Entangled Life. You can listen to the entire song here . Links: Saprotrophic fungi Mycorrhizal fungi Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds and Shape Our Futures Rebel Gardening: A Beginner’s Handbook to Creating an Organic Urban Garden Honey Fungus: identifying mushrooms 10 fun facts about fungi
Thu, September 28, 2023
Harvest Reflections and The Future of Grow-Your-Own
We’ve passed the autumn equinox and officially entered harvest season. It’s time to pick apples, pears, and autumn-fruiting raspberries, harvest squashes, beetroot, aubergines, leeks, and much, much more. And, of course, what we can grow and how crops perform is changing. As our climate becomes more unpredictable and more extreme, some of our go-to classics are no longer shoe-in wins. So, this week, we want to honour the harvest season, while also exploring what it means to grow food resiliently – and in a way that benefits both our gardens and our stomachs. We’re stopping by RHS Garden Wisley’s impressive pumpkin patch, discussing the connection between our soil and gut microbiome with Garden Manager Sheila Das, and exploring unusual but sustainable crops that could be staples in the years to come*. Links: Pumpkins and winter squashes: storing Festival of Flavours Vegetables: growing for winter Edible: 70 Sustainable Plants That Are Changing How We Eat *Please note, when foraging, never eat a plant if you aren’t 100% certain of its identification, and check before harvesting that doing so is legal where you are. Follow the Countryside Code and only pick as much as you will use.
Thu, September 21, 2023
Boosting Your Soil Health
Soil is the backbone of our gardens. A healthy soil means happier plants, higher crop yields, and greater biodiversity. So, this week, as we begin laying out our deliciously rich compost with fervour, we’ve decided to dive deep into what makes for top-notch, productive soil. We’re starting with a masterclass on composting in colder months. Then, we’re turning to the science of eco-acoustics – and how the sounds worms and other invertebrates make can give us insight into the state of our soil health. And finally, we’re myth-busting! Electroculture gardening is everywhere on social media these days, but is it actually worth your while? Links: How to care for your soil Composting through the winter Earthworms Soil types
Thu, September 14, 2023
The Radical Lives of Britain's Women Gardeners
With the release of Fiona Davison’s new book – An Almost Impossible Thing: The Radical Lives of Britain’s Pioneering Women Gardeners – we decided to dedicate this week’s show week’s show to women in the garden. And in that vein, we’re exploring the potential for gardens to be empowering, educational, equalising, and radical spaces. Fiona shares a story from her book about two women from over 100 years ago who show that the roots of ecological gardening run further back then we may realise. Psychotherapist, writer, and gardener Marchelle Farrell reveals how her English country garden helped her get to the core of a question that had troubled her throughout her life: What is home? And finally, garden historian Twigs Way joins us again to give the inside scoop on an early and influential gardening school for women. But, If you’re looking for more advice-oriented content – fear not! Throughout the programme, we’re giving story-specific gardening tips. An Almost Impossible Thing: The Radical Lives of Britain’s Pioneering Women Gardeners Uprooting: From the Caribbean to the Countryside – Finding Home in an English Country Garden Vine Weevils Autumn-interest shrubs Study & Learn at the RHS
Thu, September 07, 2023
A Host of Golden Daffodils (And Other Bulbs!)
Now that it’s September, we’ve officially entered bulb-planting season. It’s time to get things like daffodils, alliums, crocuses and hyacinths into the ground. So, with that in mind, we’ve put together a bulb deep dive – with a strong emphasis on those golden classics, narcissi. In the episode, we travel to Lindley Library to get the backstory of daffodils’ long history of cultivation, chat with TV horticulturist and daff-lover Camilla Bassett-Smith about her favourite varieties, catch a tutorial on naturalising narcissi in the landscape, and then finally, check in with Michael Perry (aka Mr Plant Geek) on all that’s trending with bulbs this year. Links: Visit the RHS Lindley Library A Host of Golden Daffodils: The story of a springtime favourite How to grow daffodils Bulbs: naturalising
Thu, August 31, 2023
In Life and Death
Perhaps nowhere do we face the realities of life and death more frequently and intimately than we do within the garden. We witness a cycle of growth, dieback, and rebirth on a seasonal, weekly, and even daily basis. And so, as we once again inch closer to a new season – to autumn, a time of abundance, growth, but also, let’s face it, decay – we’ve decided to take a deeper look at what gardens and our beloved flora can reveal about both life and death. We’ll hear from Dr. Ross Cameron about his 2023 release How Plants Can Save Your Life, get a behind-the-scenes peek at the field of forensic botany, travel to The Poison Garden in Alnwick to learn about their pernicious new addition, and finally, take a second look at the life cycle of wasps. Warning: This episode contains a story about police investigations into death, murder and suicide. Listener discretion is advised. Links: Gardening for Health and Wellbeing How Plants Can Save Your Life Murder Most Florid: Inside the Mind of a Forensic Botanist Mark Spencer's Lindley Late Lecture The Alnwick Garden Endless Forms: Why We Should Love Wasps
Thu, August 24, 2023
Late Summer Gardening
With autumn drawing closer and closer, we’re exploring late summer gardens – with all their lushness, colour, and vibrancy — and considering what we can get up to in the garden now to set us up well for the next year. We visit RHS Garden Wisley to take a look at their seed collection process – and get their tips for how to replicate this all at home. We chat with kitchen gardener and food writer Kathy Slack about how we can get the best out of the fruit and veg we’ve grown this summer. And finally, garden historian Twigs Way joins us again to share the second part of her allotment series all about their history from the early 1900s until today. Links: RHS Members’ Seed Scheme RHS Grow Your Own From the Veg Patch Tales from the Veg Patch Newsletter Festival of Flavours Allotments
Thu, August 17, 2023
Rewilding Small Spaces
Today’s show focuses on specific ways we can rewild gardens. We’re exploring how we can intervene in space spaces to create dynamic habitats – without using herds of free-roaming animals. Isabella Tree, co-author of The Book of Wilding and one of the foremost rewilding experts in the UK , chats about her own experiences rewilding her estate and her top tips for getting into a wilder mindset. We’re then shifting gears a bit – turning away from specific practices, to look at some of the fauna pivotal to our natural ecosystems. We visit RHS Garden Wisley to hear the curious case of the roman snail colony there. And finally, we catch up with Lloyd of the Flies Creator Matt Walker and RHS Entomologist Andy Salisbury to learn about the new family-friendly insect trails across all of our gardens. Links: The Book of Wilding Roman Snails at Wisley Summer holiday fun at RHS Gardens
Thu, August 10, 2023
Back on the Allotment
It’s National Allotment Week – a time to celebrate our country’s vast network of allotment plots and re-invest in our own dedication to growing fruit and veg. So for this week’s show, we’re taking a wander through a variety of allotments, getting a behind-the-scenes look at the techniques growers use to get the best out of their crops and examining the ways allotments help us better connect to the food we eat. We return to RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter’s allotment in Surrey, where he shares this season’s successes and failures. We stop by RHS Garden Wisley’s Student and Community allotments to have a look at the different approaches taken there. And finally, we get the history of how allotments became commonplace here in the UK from garden historian and writer Twigs Way. Links: Allotment: getting started Grow Your Own Advice Tomato blight Allotments by Twigs Way
Thu, August 03, 2023
Orchid Special
With the grand opening of Wisley’s Orchid House this past month and the publication of The Orchid Review – our annual orchid yearbook – within reach, we thought it the perfect time for another Orchid Special. In this week’s show, we chat with Julian Shaw, who heads the International Orchid Register, Reshma Lobo, a London-based jewel orchid grower, Art Chadwick who breeds the cattleyas named for American First Ladies, and Kevin Wigley, who’s transformed a room in his house into an orchid sanctuary. Links: The Orchid Review The International Orchid Register Ugly Plantling Chadwick & Sons The Orchid Committee
Thu, July 27, 2023
Growing Up in the Garden
Now that it’s late July and the whole family’s around, we thought it the perfect time to explore gardening with kids and to reflect on our own memories of growing up in gardens, allotments, and parks. We visit the Hitchin Youth Allotment – Paul Dee, the founder, will share the story of the project as well as his top tips for growing fruit and veg with kids. Afterwards Fiona Davison, RHS Head of Libraries and Exhibitions, recounts the constantly evolving history of the role that children have played in our gardens – and how this relates to societal and cultural shifts. And finally Roy Lancaster, renowned plantsman and broadcaster, divulges the tale of the epic plant discovery he made as a young boy in Lancashire. A discovery that propelled him into the world of horticulture. Links: RHS Campaign for School Gardening The Garden Magazine Hitchin Youth Allotment Growing Up in the Garden Exhibition
Fri, July 21, 2023
Trending at Tatton
RHS Flower Show Tatton Park is finally here! And we’re taking you on a tour of some of the highlights. We’re speaking with young designers like Camellia Hayes and Nathan Webster, exploring the new Sensory Long Border displays, and taking in the extraordinary RHS Nocturnal Pollinator Experience. But that’s not all! Because it’s the final flower show we’re covering on the podcast this summer, we’re putting all the emerging trends we’ve noticed at Tatton in context with themes from the other shows we’ve covered this year. Links: Discover RHS Flower Show Tatton Park Seeking Resilience Garden Sensory Long Borders RHS Nocturnal Pollinator Experience Off the Grid Garden
Thu, July 13, 2023
Refashioning the Unfashionable
This week, we’ll be exploring a few of our cultivated genera and species that, for a variety of reasons, have gone out of style. We’ll hear about Plant Heritage’s Threatened Plant of the Year competition, take you to the beautiful garden of horticultural legend Roy Lancaster to get a tour of his most-cherished aucubas, chat with Wisley curator Matthew Pottage on why we should give Parthenocissus a chance, and finally, take a trip down memory lane with author Naomi Slade. Naomi will be telling us all about the history of the lilac’s bumpy ride in the popularity stakes. Links: The Plant Review Plant Heritage RHS’s National Plant Collections Lilacs: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden
Thu, July 06, 2023
RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2023
It’s the 30th anniversary of the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival and it’s looking better than ever. There’s a magnificent Floral Marquee filled with displays from over 80 nurseries, a Festival of Roses boasting several exciting new cultivars, models of allotment growing, creative show gardens, and star-studded talks all week long – to name but a few of the features that make this festival an annual favourite among gardeners. For this week’s episode, we’re bringing you the highlights. We’re chatting with imaginative designers like Zoe Claymore and Jo Thompson, and we’re taking you inside the Floral Marquee and Festival of Roses to get advice from the UK’s best nurseries. Links: RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival RHS Wildlife Garden The Wildlife Trusts: Renters’ Retreat David Austin Roses The Harkness Rose Company
Thu, June 29, 2023
Fabulous Florals: Lilies, Verbena bonariensis, and Flowering Dogwoods
It’s peak summer – a time when many of our flowers are flourishing, adorning our gardens with bright colours and sweet, rich fragrances. We’ve gone from nurturing our gardens to flipping the switch – sitting back and letting them fill us with joy. So, this week we’ve decided to celebrate that with an episode dedicated to flowers. Author and gardener Ben Dark will be explaining why Verbena bonariensis is our horticultural salt, writer and lily-lover Naomi Slade will be sharing her favourite Lilium varieties, and finally, botanist Barry Clarke will make the case for including flowering dogwoods in our gardens. Links: The Grove: A Nature Odyssey in 19 ½ Front Gardens Lilies: beautiful varieties for home and garden The Garden magazine Sir Harold Hillier Gardens
Thu, June 22, 2023
Ungardening
Ungardening isn’t the antithesis of gardening – instead, it’s about taking a new perspective on what tending to the earth can look like. And that’s a fitting theme for today’s show, as it’s chock full of stories that force us to look at things with fresh eyes. We’re getting handy and slightly unusual tips from RHS advisors on June grow-your-own problems. Then, we’re heading to RHS Garden Wisley’s orchard to hear the latest on their brand new fast-growing habitats. And finally, we’re chatting with Garden Museum curator Emma House about how artist Jean Cooke explored the concept of “ungardening” through her paintings. Links: Jobs to do in June Trees! What are they good for? Jean Cooke: Ungardening
Thu, June 15, 2023
Summer Scents
As we get closer and closer to the official start of summer, the fragrances of our favourite flora are reaching a fever pitch. So for today’s show, we decided to focus on the many smells of our June gardens. In this aromatic deep dive, we’ll chat with renowned garden designer Isabel Bannerman on crafting a balanced but sweet-smelling summer plot, we’ll hear about the favourite Lathyrus cultivars of sweet pea supremo Roger Parsons, and finally, we’ll end with a mystery. Urban naturalist and author Bob Gilbert is back on the show to discuss the curious story of how a favourite scented flower of the Victorians lost its hallmark smell. Links: Scent Magic Lathyrus: The Complete Guide The Missing Musk: A Casebook of Mysteries from the Natural World
Thu, June 08, 2023
June Garden Reset: GYO Chillies, Protect Your Soil, and Wonderful Wasps
It’s June and our gardens are now in full swing. It’s a wonderful time of year – that perfect sweet spot where we can start to take in the fruits of our spring labour, while still looking ahead to the wonders yet to come. And so this week, we’ll be focusing on what you can keep on doing to ensure your garden flourishes all summer long. We’ll be chatting with Alessandro Vitale about the plant that inspired him to grow – chillies, hearing from entomologist Seirian Sumner on the surprising benefits of wasps in June, and checking in with Caroline Williamson at RHS Garden Bridgewater on how we can keep our soil happy and healthy this summer. Links: Rebel Gardening: A Beginner’s Handbook to Organic Gardening Endless Forms: The Secret World of Wasps How to care for your soil
Thu, June 01, 2023
The Art of Our Gardens
In this special episode, we’re branching off from the regular content of the show to zero in on what we can make when using flora as both our inspiration and our medium. It’s about art – where the greenery of our landscape is the lens through which we create. We’ll be travelling to RHS Lindley Library to get some expert insights into the secrets of the world’s finest botanical art, getting the inside scoop on what to grow to produce natural dyes ahead of the WOVEN festival in Kirklees, and finally, chatting with academic and author Elizabeth-Jane Burnett about writing poetry about moss. Plus, you’ll get a rundown from RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter on what you can do in your garden this week. Links: RHS Botanical Art and Photography Show WOVEN 2023 Twelve Words for Moss
Wed, May 24, 2023
It's Chelsea, Baby!
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 is finally upon us! And this week, we’ve brought you an episode recorded amongst the hustle and bustle of designer gardens, best in class floral displays, traders, talks and exhibitions, and more. We’ll catch up with a few of the big designers – including Tom Massey, Cleve West, Charlotte Harris & Hugo Bugg – explore the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year Competition, and get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on at the show. Links: The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 The Royal Entomological Society Garden The Centrepoint Garden Horatio’s Garden Project Giving Back
Thu, May 18, 2023
Greening the Grey: Wisteria, Vertical Gardening, and the Sounds of London’s Trees
For this week’s show, we’re delving into the natural world of cities – looking at how best to grow our favourite plants with limited space and to treasure the diverse flora and fauna of our cityscapes. Author Ben Dark shares his love for the wisteria embellishing urban front gardens. Urban farmer Alessandro Vitale – you might know him as Spicy Moustache — takes us through all his tips and tricks for growing vertically in whatever space you’ve got. And, author and amateur urban naturalist, Bob Gilbert, gives his thoughts on the sounds of London’s trees. But that’s not all – we’re ending the show with a touching tribute from Daisy Payne on what she’s doing in honour of Celebration Day on 28 May. Links: Rebel Gardening: A Beginner’s Handbook To Organic Urban Gardening The Grove: A Nature Odyssey in 19 ½ Front Gardens Ghost Trees: Nature and People in a London Parish “The Susurration of Trees” BBC Radio 4 programme Make the most of your urban garden
Thu, May 11, 2023
Grown Here From Elsewhere
As the UK becomes more and more diverse, the flora we grow is changing – and we want to honour that. So, this week, we’re spotlighting the plants grown here from elsewhere. First up, we’ll take a trip to an allotment site in Southall. Here, award-winning garden designer Manoj Malde will chat with us about the fruit and veg from around the world that he’s including in his garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. We’re then delving into the history of plant collectors. Fiona Davison, Head of Libraries and Exhibitions at the RHS, will take us through the often overlooked legacy of how some of our garden favourites made it to Britain from far-off lands. Finally, we’ll head to RHS Bridgewater’s Chinese Streamside Garden – and explore how international horticultural partnerships have changed over the years. The RHS and Eastern Eye Garden of Unity The Chinese Streamside Garden Rare and Familiar Friends: The story of Chinese plants in our gardens
Thu, May 04, 2023
Gardens Fit for a King
The coronation of His Majesty King Charles III is just two days away. As a royal society, we thought it was only fitting to celebrate our new monarch with a royal-themed episode. First, we’ll check in with three of the Prince’s Foundation estates – Highgrove, The Castle of Mey, and Dumfries House – to get the inside scoop on how they manage their vast gardens while still considering the environment. Then we’ll visit Arundel Castle for their Tulip Festival, leading you on a tour of their over 130,000 tulip blooms, before giving you a tutorial on how to build a coronation container in time for National Gardening Week. Links: The Prince’s Foundation Dumfries House Highgrove House and Gardens The Castle of Mey Arundel Castle National Gardening Week 2023
Thu, April 27, 2023
Dig for Dopamine
It’s almost May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. So for this week’s show, we’re getting into growing for wellbeing, and the many ways you can enjoy the sounds, sights, smells and experiences of gardening this spring. RHS Advisors discuss their go-to wellness tips in the thick of the growing season, artist MoYah reveals the unexpected links between gardening and hip hop, and RHS Advisor Becky Mealey takes us back to the mediaeval times, explaining how monks created productive but calming gardens of their own. Links: Gardening for health and wellbeing May Project Gardens A Gentle of Plea for Chaos
Thu, April 20, 2023
Earth Day 2023: A Flora & Fauna Love Affair
At the RHS, we try to think critically about the ways we cultivate the earth and interact with the wildlife that inhabit our green spaces everyday. But this week, in honour of Earth Day, we wanted to take extra time to really celebrate our gardens – and to share our love for the many plants and animals that bring them to life. Gardener and writer Ben Dark shares a history of the tulip that stretches back 1,000 years, RHS Senior Ecologist Gemma Golding chats with us about her exciting wildlife research, and artist and author James Bridle takes us through his exploration of the intelligence of plants. Plus, throughout the show we’ve sprinkled in plant love letters from Alice Vincent, Victoria Bennett, and Sue Mabberley. Links: The Grove: A Nature Odyssey in 19 ½ Front Gardens iNaturalist Ways of Being: Animals, Plants, Machines: The Search for a Planetary Intelligence RHS Sustainability Strategy
Thu, April 13, 2023
Healthy Garden, Healthy Gardener
This week, we’ll be checking in on the health of our gardens, taking a look at the various diseases on the rise here in the UK and what we can do to stave off their encroachment. But that’s not all! With the return of allergy season, we’re also going to explore the many ways we can garden with not just the health of our plants in mind, but with that of our own bodies, as well. Plant Pathologist Dr. Liz Beal chats with us about the RHS annual disease rankings, Dr. Shubha Allard and Dr. Patrick Yong take us through the allergies to watch out for this spring, and finally virologist Dr. Tim Wreghitt shares his advice on building a low-allergy garden. Links: RHS Disease Ranking Hilltop Live: “Plants and Allergy” on 21 April Low Allergy Gardening: The Why and Where of Plant Allergies and Plants to Choose for Your Low Allergy Garden Pollen forecast
Thu, April 06, 2023
Designing a Resilient Garden
Today, we’re looking to the future – exploring how we can create resilient gardens that can flourish in the changing climate while also serving their local ecosystems. Renowned Garden Designer Tom Massey shares his blueprint for designing sustainable gardens that persevere, Peter Jones, the Garden Manager of Hardy Ornamental at Wisley, gives us a tour of the plants that survived through this past winter, and finally, RHS Advisor Esther Wolff chats with us about her tips on what you can do now to build up your garden’s resilience. Links: RHS Resilient Garden: Sustainable Gardening for a Change Climate Plants for wet and dry soils What can I do about climate change in my garden?
Thu, March 30, 2023
Spring To Do's
April is just around the corner, and you know what that means: The hectic growing season is finally upon us. So, with that in mind, today’s episode will be exploring some of the big spring to-do’s. RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter takes us to his allotment in Surrey, giving us a tour of his current grow-your-own projects, Flower Farmer and Author Rachel Siegfried chats with us about creating the perfect spring bouquet, and finally, Fiona Davison, Head of Libraries and Exhibitions, walks us through the influence certain royals have had on gardening trends throughout history. Links: Allotments Allotment: getting started The Cut Flower Sourcebook The Old Laboratory at Wisley
Thu, March 23, 2023
Reimagining Our Lawns
In today’s episode, we’re exploring the many, many ways we can all get wilder with our lawns. It’s part of a larger RHS campaign with The Wildlife Trusts to celebrate how we can Bring Our Lawns To Life by gardening with nature, rather than against it. Mark Schofield from conservation charity Plantlife takes us through the whys and hows of creating wildlife-friendly lawns, Sue Mabberley from Nant y Bedd garden in Wales chats with us about her grassland and meadow care, and Janet Crouch from Maryland, USA tells us the story of her legal battle to keep her biodiverse front yard. Links: Plantlife Nant y Bedd Garden Workshops Wild About Gardens Campaign Lawn and mini-meadow habitats
Thu, March 16, 2023
Blossoms Special
With spring just around the corner, we thought we’d devote an entire episode to blossoming trees. We’ll get into selection and planting advice, and journey across time and space to discover their history and current status. Tree Nurseryman Nick Dunn walks us through how to select the perfect cherry tree for an English garden, Journalist Naoko Abe takes us back in time to explore the work and legacy of cherry-tree fanatic Collingwood Ingram, and Richard Baines, Curator at Logan Botanic Garden in Scotland, gives us an inside look at his efforts to conserve endangered evergreen magnolias. Plus, RHS Advisor Lenka Cooke shares a dynamic tutorial on planting flowering apple trees this March. Links: Flowering cherry trees for small gardens ‘Cherry’ Ingram: The Englishman Who Saved Japan’s Blossoms Plant Explorer: A Plantsman’s travels in Northern Vietnam How to grow apples: RHS advice
Thu, March 09, 2023
A Root of One's Own
This week, in honour of International Women’s Day, we’re giving space to a few of the women who’ve found meaning and fulfilment in the gardens they’ve created. We’re exploring the power that exists in our own connection with the rich environments we inhabit, and the myriad of ways we can care for and cultivate it. Writer and gardener Alice Vincent opens up about her quest to find out why exactly women grow, RHS edible grower Suzie Kelly shares her top tips for growing her favourite vegetable (tomatoes!), and author Victoria Bennett gives us an honest look at the apothecary garden she built in the midst of deep grief. Links: Why Women Grow Why Women Grow Podcast All My Wild Mothers Tomatoes – growing your own Fast tomatoes – the quickest way to grow your own
Thu, March 02, 2023
The Afterlife of Plants
This week, we’re exploring the afterlife of plants. We’re looking at what happens when we remove different plant material from our gardens – either parts of flora still growing or others long dead – and preserve or display them as they were then, frozen at a particular stage of their life cycle. Flower farmer and author Rachel Siegfried shares her secrets on growing perennials and woody plants for cut flowers, Tivvy Harvey and Lydia Walles take us into the inner sanctum of Wisley’s herbarium, and then horticulturist Mark Tuson shows us the ornamental structures he’s made from pine cones and dried flowers. Finally, Fiona Davison, Head of Libraries and Exhibitions at the RHS, takes us away from dead plants and into the world of dead insects. She’ll help uncover a piece of the RHS’s rich history, giving us an inside look at the life and legacy of entomologist George Fox Wilson. Links: The Cut Flower Sourcebook RHS Herbarium How to dry flowers and foliage The Old Laboratory
Thu, February 23, 2023
Sustainable Alternatives
Our gardens don’t exist in a vacuum, just for us. They are part of a much larger ecosystem. They provide habitats that are crucial for supporting biodiversity and can offer scores of additional environmental benefits. So today, we’ll be looking at straightforward and eco-friendly alternatives we can take up to transform our gardens into the sustainable havens our world deserves. Chris Baines, a leading environmentalist, will delve into how wildlife gardening has changed over the past 50 years, RHS Advisor Nikki Barker will share her top tips for growing seeds and cuttings in peat-free compost, and finally, Jenny Bowden, another advisor and long-time friend of the show, will give us an inside look at her research into box alternatives. Links: RHS Companion for Wildlife Gardening How to use peat-free compost: for seeds and cuttings Box Alternatives Survey
Thu, February 16, 2023
Gardening on a Small Scale
In this week’s show, we’re zooming in on how to garden in small spaces. Whether you’ve got a neglected corner of your garden that you need to fill – or you’ve no garden at all – we’ve got you covered. We’ll be exploring a host of techniques for turning odd nooks and crannies into little green oases. John Dower, a long-time member of the Alpine Garden Society, will start us off with a master-class on constructing mesmerising gardens in miniature. Connor Smith, head of the Rock Garden at Utrecht Botanic Gardens, will share his tried and tested advice for using recycled materials to make compact crevice gardens. And finally, Alpine Horticulturists Amy Smethurst & Bertie Swainston will share their love for dainty dionysias. Links: Alpine Garden Society Harlow Carr Alpine House Rock gardening
Thu, February 09, 2023
Let's Eat!
While it’s not quite planting season, fear not – there are still creative ways you can grow and harvest food today, and, of course, it’s never too early to start planning ahead for spring. So this week, in our food special, we explore the many ways you can enjoy the different tastes and flavours of a winter garden. Woodland Ecologist and author Artur Cisar-Erlach delves into the many unusual and delicious ways of using trees in the kitchen, RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter takes us to a supermarket to share all the cheap and easy ways we can grow fruit and veg from food scraps, and Paul Oswick closes out the show with a tour of the nearly 100 seed potato varieties sold at Clockhouse Nursery in North London. Links: The Flavor of Wood: In Search of the Wild Taste of Trees From Smoke and Sap to Root and Bark Grow your own fruit, vegetables, and herbs Clockhouse Nursery
Thu, February 02, 2023
Our Plants' Roots
This week, we’re journeying back in time to explore plants of yore. Otherlands author Thomas Halliday tells us the story of the United Kingdom’s ecological origins, Kew Botanist Rafael Govaerts describes how garden plants can go extinct, and Karen Clarke gives us the scoop on the RHS’s Digital Dig project – an effort to digitise the many, many thousands of old plant nursery catalogues in our collections. But that’s not all, Mr. Plant Geek , aka Michael Perry, will close out the show by bringing us into the present with a love letter to an exciting hyacinth he helped roll out. It’s an episode chock-full of deep-rooted flora stories! Links: Otherlands: A World in the Making The Plant Review Digital Dig Volunteer with the RHS
Thu, January 26, 2023
Deep Winter Gardening
This week, we explore some of the most eye-catching parts of deep winter gardening, all while providing advice on what you can do in your garden as January draws to a close. Dawn Smith from Walberton Nursery shares her love of hellebores, RHS Team Leader Mark Tuson teaches us how to build ornamental habitat structures to attract wildlife, and RHS Advisors respond to pressing winter questions and concerns. Links: How to grow hellebores Plan your visit to Wisley Dead wood and compost heap habitats Advice
Thu, January 19, 2023
Make a splash with aquatics!
This week we’re diving into the world of aquatic and semi aquatic plants. Sarah Gerrard-Jones, also known as The Plant Rescuer , gives a dynamic tutorial on making mini water features for the home, Dr. John David, Head of Horticultural Taxonomy, describes the invasive nature of many aquatic plant varieties, and then, Dr. Elisabeth Larsen, RHS Ecosystems Services Fellow, takes us away from ponds and waterways, giving us an exclusive tour of her research on how trees capture water. Links: The Plant Rescuer: The book your house plants want you to read How to grow aquatic and bog plants Aquatic Weeds Climate Change & Trees
Thu, January 12, 2023
An Ode to the Hedge
Get ready – today’s episode is all about hedges. RHS scientist Tijana Blanusa delves into the environmental benefits different hedges provide, grower and self-proclaimed “plant nerd” Kevin Hobbs fills us in on unconventional plants that end up making great garden barriers, and RHS advisor and longtime friend of the show Leigh Hunt teaches us how to plant deciduous hedges in January. Plus, several RHS experts share hedge “love letters,” letting us in on their favourite variety. Links: Hedges: choices with environmental benefits Hedges: planting The Story of Trees: And How They Changed the Way We Live
Thu, January 05, 2023
A Toolbox for a Sustainable 2023
We thought there was no better way to start off the new year than with an episode entirely focused on sustainable gardening. In this week’s show, RHS Sustainability Fellow Chloe Sutcliffe gives you an inside look at her research measuring the environmental footprint of our horticultural practices, a handful of RHS experts share their go-to tips for cultivating a greener garden, and finally, we delve into our podcast archives to revisit two of our favourite permaculture stories. Links: Gardening for the Environment Planet-friendly gardening tips 3 ways to connect to nature RHS Sustainability Strategy 10 ways to be more sustainable in your garden
Thu, December 29, 2022
Reflections on the Year
This week, we’re looking back on our garden highlights (and lows) of 2022 while also taking stock of the current state of our winter green patches. We’ll hear from Wisley horticulturalists on their reflections of the year, learn all about colonised fungi log piles from plant pathologist Jassy Drakulic, and get the inside scoop on why Wisley doesn’t cut back their herbaceous perennials until early spring. Useful links: Dead wood and compost heap habitats The Glasshouse at Wisley Visiting Wisley RHS Allotment Handbook
Thu, December 22, 2022
A Christmas Wonderland
Tis the season of fruiting hollies, mysterious mistletoe, and of course, the ubiquitous Christmas tree. In this episode, we’re bringing you stories on how to make our gardens and homes as festive as the season demands. We’ll hear from RHS advisor Rob Stirling on how to keep your finicky poinsettias alive, get a hands-on tutorial from wildlife expert Helen Bostock on cut-stem crafts, and discover the final tasks you can do in your garden before the start of 2023. Useful links: Poinsettia Care Garden Craft Instructions RHS Garden Wisley
Thu, December 15, 2022
Weird Winter Plants
Trying to impress your neighbours with a rich, diverse, and perhaps even wacky winter garden? Well, look no further. On this week’s episode, we’ll hear about author Phil Clayton’s favourite winter plants, get an inside look at the weird and wonderful seed varieties sold at the RHS, and dive into the world of bird-friendly wreaths with our Senior Wildlife Specialist Helen Bostock. Useful links: A Plant for Every Day of the Year by Phil Clayton RHS Members Seed Scheme Information DIY Christmas Wreaths
Thu, December 08, 2022
Our best gardening books of 2022
The handy guide you’ll want for your Christmas shopping! Join Guy Barter, Fiona Davison and Tom Howard as they discuss their favourite horticultural reads of 2022. Books mentioned: Old Herbaceous by Reginald Arkell The Grove : A Nature Odyssey in 19 and a half front gardens by Ben Dark The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins RHS Encyclopedia of Gardening New Edition by Guy Barter and Christopher Brickell Grow 5 by Lucy Bellamy Your Garden Week by Week by Arthur Hellyer The Science of Compost: Life Death and Decay by Dr. Julian Doberski Useful links: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00xp2cs
Thu, December 01, 2022
How can I keep my garden green over winter?
Putting the garden to bed over winter is a thing of the past. Today we’ll be speaking to an expert horticulturist on how he created a 400m walk of winter interest planting and we’ll be chatting with Big Plant Nursery about spicing up your evergreen reserves with lush exotics. Plus we catch up with our RHS experts to learn the essential gardening jobs you ought to be doing now. Useful links https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/garden-highlights/seven-acres/winter-walk https://www.bigplantnursery.co.uk/ https://www.rhs.org.uk/pruning
Thu, November 24, 2022
Trees! What are they good for?
Absolutely everything. Today’s episode is in honour of National Tree Week, the largest annual tree celebration in the UK. We’re chatting with a whole host of experts including wildlife gardening presenter and author Kate Bradbury, science educator Jonathan Newell, and RHS Edibles team leader Paul Kettell. From managing apple orchards to the science and history of trees, you won't want to miss this special! Useful links: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/articles/glow-illuminations https://www.waterstones.com/book/rhs-the-tree-in-my-garden/kate-bradbury/lucille-clerc/9780241459751 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXykC-7kmZkydawYL7yVJoA https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-inspiration/grow-your-own/choosing-apple-trees-and-planting
Thu, November 17, 2022
How to cure the winter blues
It’s time to stock up on some Vitamin G to get through these colder, darker days. Join us as we chat with RHS Wellbeing Fellow, Dr Lauriane Chalmin-Pui about how scent impacts our emotions, completely subconsciously! Plus we head to RHS Wisley’s Wellbeing Garden to learn how to design with wellness in mind, and visit a community gardening project in London’s Gladstone Park to hear what keeps the volunteers going in even the wettest winters. Useful links: https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/articles/scent-and-emotion https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/garden-highlights/the-wellbeing-garden http://gladstoneparkfriends.org/ https://gladstonepark.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=245e1c80cc92a26222a012488&id=7136bd8bcc https://www.rhs.org.uk/get-involved/community-gardening
Thu, November 10, 2022
Forest gardening
Today we’re plunging into the depths of the woods! We’re chatting with permaculturist and garden designer Pippa Chapman on how to make your own backyard forest garden. And wildlife expert James Lowen transports us to some stunning British woodlands to learn about the rare creatures lurking within. Plus we meet the RHS gardening advisors to get some crucial tree-related FAQs answered. Useful links: https://www.permanentpublications.co.uk/pippa-chapman/ https://www.waterstones.com/book/much-ado-about-mothing/james-lowen/9781472966971 https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/trees https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/cotoneaster
Thu, November 03, 2022
Treat your garden like a heritage estate
From medieval ruins to country estates, the UK is filled with old and significant spaces that continue to inspire. So today we’re talking to the head gardener at Arundel Castle about how to plant 80,000 tulip bulbs. Plus we hear the epic historic tale of the Bicycle Boys who toured the length of the country visiting all manner of estates and gardens. Finally, we get expert advice from organic gardener Ellie Mitchell on how to plant wildflowers right now, to please the bees and get a touch of that traditional cottage whimsy. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/tulip https://www.arundelcastle.org/ https://www.rhs.org.uk/digital-collections/the-bicycle-boys https://ellieswellies.com/podcast/
Thu, November 03, 2022
Treat your garden like a heritage estate
From mediaeval ruins to country estates, the UK is filled with old and significant spaces that continue to inspire! So today we’re talking to the head gardener at Arundel Castle about how to plant 80,000 tulip bulbs. Plus we hear the epic and historic tale of the Bicycle Boys who toured the length of the country visiting all manner of estates and country gardens. With some expert advice from the Wildlife Garden Podcast thrown in too! On how to plant wildflowers right now, to get a touch of that traditional cottage whimsy. Useful links: https://www.arundelcastle.org/ https://www.rhs.org.uk/digital-collections/the-bicycle-boys https://ellieswellies.com/podcast/
Wed, October 26, 2022
Winter is coming
It’s the last week of October and though the deciduous leaves have yet to all fall, we need to start preparing for the upcoming season. So today we’re talking you through the essential jobs to do in your green space with RHS horticultural advisor Jenny Bowden. We’ll also be hearing from wildlife author James Lowen on the humble moth and how to encourage its numbers in your garden. Plus we visit Gladstone Park in North London, to celebrate Black History Month as we explore a gardening initiative which encourages new ways of looking at British history. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/NOVEMBER https://www.rhs.org.uk/wildlife/moths-in-your-garden https://www.waterstones.com/book/much-ado-about-mothing/james-lowen/9781472966971 http://harunmorrison.net/
Wed, October 19, 2022
Turf Wars
A new frontier of debate has arrived in the garden… artificial grass. Does this plastic green sward have any place in our homes? That’s the question we’ll be answering today. Featuring interviews with Dr Mark Gush, Head of Environmental Horticulture at the RHS, Organic Gardener, Ellie Mitchell and the owner of Dunsborough Park, Caroline Sweerts. Autumn care for lawns: https://www.rhs.org.uk/lawns/autumn-care Wildflower meadow establishment: https://www.rhs.org.uk/lawns/wildflower-meadow-establishment Bulbs: https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/bulbs Ellie’s Wellies Organic Gardening: https://ellieswellies.com/ The Wildlife Garden Podcast: https://thewildlifegardenpodcast.podbean.com/ Dunsborough Park: https://dunsboroughpark.com/
Wed, October 12, 2022
What is soil? (and how to improve it)
It’s time for a love-in and a few lessons about the stuff we shove our precious plants into… soil! This episode we’re speaking to not one, but two expert scientists on what’s going on in the ground. Dr Magdalena Boshoff clues us into the world of nematodes and Dr Jassy Drakulic fills us in on fungi. Plus we chat with horticulturist Joe Lofthouse about how to choose the best compost bin to improve the soil in your garden. Send soil samples to the RHS: https://www.rhs.org.uk/membership/rhs-gardening-advice/sending-in-samples Honey fungus: https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/honey-fungus Stem and bulb nematode: https://www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/stem-and-bulb-nematode
Wed, October 05, 2022
Growing sky high
Dust off your gardening gloves and don your sunglasses, as we look to the skies on today’s show. We’ll be exploring the dizzying heights of a famously tall plant, the gunnera, with expert botanist James Armitage. We’ll also be taking on a high flying adventure with garden author Ben Dark into the world of trees. Plus, if you need a reminder on what to do in your garden or allotment this week, fan favourite Matthew Oliver is here to jog your memory.
Thu, September 29, 2022
How to grow (and eat) your own through the colder months
If you're curious about extending the growing season and continuing to enjoy home-grown food through the colder months, this episode is for you. Matthew Oliver joins us with tips from RHS Hyde Hall's famous glasshouse – with a focus on overwintering chillies for an abundance of spice next year. Emmy nominated TV chef, Ching He Huang, shares the flavours she’s been playing with at Wisley’s World Food Garden – ahead of her involvement in the RHS’s Festival Of Flavours. And The Garden magazine's Gareth Richards helps us get to grips with winter salads. Presented by Guy Barter. Useful links: Global Growth Vegetable Garden at RHS Garden Hyde Hall RHS Festival of Flavours Ching He Huang The Garden magazine
Thu, September 22, 2022
Diving into ponds! And why you should get one
Let’s take a break from soil and jump into the world of water. With expert advice from award winning garden designer Nicola Oakey on how to introduce a pond to your space and top tips from author Martyn Cox on managing the practicalities of pond life. Plus we get the lowdown on water butts with RHS Chief Horticultural Advisor Guy Barter. RHS advice on ponds https://www.rhs.org.uk/ponds RHS advice on managing water in your garden https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardening-for-the-environment/water The Gardener's Yearbook by Martyn Cox https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/martyn-cox/the-gardeners-yearbook/9781784728151/ Nicola Oakey Design https://nicolaoakey.com/
Thu, September 15, 2022
How to make your front garden stand out this winter
In this week's episode we'll be hearing from a panel of experts across the country regarding the humble and often overlooked front garden. Frances Tophill will explain how to keep your small space green during even the darkest winter months. Matthew Oliver from RHS Hyde Hall, shares how to add seasonal variety with a lasagna planter of bulbs. Plus, Ben Dark will inspire us with the history and whimsy of the front garden, along with a few tips on making yours stand out. It is also with deep sadness and respect that we mark the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Patron of the Royal Horticultural Society. Director General of the RHS, Clare Matterson CBE, shares a few words on the Queen's incredible impact on the RHS and the wider horticultural community. To read more from Frances Tophill: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-modern-gardener/frances-tophill/9780857839435 To read more from Ben Dark: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/ben-dark/the-grove/9781784727420/ For more info see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, September 08, 2022
Legless lizards, lemon verbena and hugelkultur
Resident gardening guru Guy Barter gives the lowdown on slow worms, a fascinating and under-appreciated part of our garden wildlife. Organic gardener Anna Greenland sings the praises of lemon verbena, sharing some delicious and unusual recipes. Urban food grower Alessandro Vitale (' Spicy Moustache ' of Instagram fame) explains hügelkultur - a low-cost and eco-friendly way to boost soil health.
Thu, September 01, 2022
Future crops and houseplants for wellbeing
Which fruit and veg thrive in heatwaves? RHS veg growing experts Guy Barter and Matthew Oliver discuss what our record-breaking summer has taught us about the fruit and veg we can grow in the UK climate. BBC Gardeners' World presenter Frances Tophill shares her advice on getting the best from your houseplants. Jenny Berger, a researcher at the University of Reading, offers insight into how houseplants can improve our wellbeing - busting a few myths along the way. Grow your own fruit and veg (RHS website) Houseplant hub (RHS website)
Thu, August 25, 2022
Money-saving gardening and seasonal veg tips
This week's programme is stuffed with barrowloads of seasonal kitchen gardening advice from organic grower for top chefs Anna Greenland . RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter offers a guide to harvesting sweetcorn and author Alys Fowler shares some hard-won thrifty gardening wisdom. Useful links Grow your own (RHS website) Grow Easy by Anna Greenland The Thrifty Gardener by Alys Fowler (eBook)
Thu, August 18, 2022
Going wild – inside and out!
Fermenting - enlisting the help of friendly microbes - is a brilliant way to preserve your homegrown harvests. Fermented foods can be great for our gut health and are easy to make, explains food writer and gourmet gardener Mark Diacono. Did you know that many herbs are great for bees too? Andrew Perry of Urban Herbs sings the praises of some of his favourites which are a real hit with pollinating insects and cooks alike. Plus Bella Lack, author of The Children of the Anthropocene offers her take on why rewilding offers hope for the future. Useful links RHS Grow Your Own Mark Diacono (Instagram) How to grow herbs (RHS website) Urban Herbs See the ' Rewilding Britain Landscape ' garden at Chelsea 2022 Bella Lack (Instagram)
Thu, August 11, 2022
A fruity feast
Food writer and gourmet gardener Mark Diacono sings the praises of home-grown apricots - a crop that's thriving in this warm, dry summer. Forager Alys Fowler braves the prickles of garden (and car-park) favourite mahonia*, harvesting its blue berries to make jams and jellies with stunning colour and unique flavour. And if you're not the only one enjoying your home-grown fruit, Guy Barter has advice on the spotted wing drosophila, a fruit fly that causes tiny white maggots in many kinds of fruit, especially cherries and raspberries. Useful links: How to grow apricots (RHS website) Mark Diacono (Instagram) Alys Fowler (Instagram) Buy mahonia plants (RHS website) Spotted wing drosophila (RHS website) *Note: the species name for Oregon grape is Mahonia aquifolium . This is the principal edible mahonia species, although the berries of some hybrid mahonias are also sometimes eaten. Never eat a wild food unless you're 100% sure of its edibility and identity. If you have underlying health conditions, are pregnant or nursing, consult a doctor before adding new foods to your diet.
Thu, August 04, 2022
Gardening for the senses
Now's the perfect time to pep up your summer cocktails and add perk to your pasta with an array of unusual plant-based ingredients. Andrew Perry of Urban Herbs is a man on a mission to spice up herb gardens across the country with unusual varieties that you may never have heard of – from lime mint to a smoky rosemary that's a sure-fire summer barbecue hit. Hear our resident gardening guru Guy Barter give seasonal tips on growing green manures and successionally sowing veg crops for bountiful harvests into the autumn months. Plus, author Kendra Wilson takes us on a journey into sound with her new book, Garden for the Senses. Useful links Urban Herbs website and Instagram Herb-growing advice from the RHS Successional sowing (RHS website) Green manures (RHS website) Kendra Wilson - Garden for the Senses
Thu, July 28, 2022
Totally Tatton
A retrospective look at last week's RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. Meet some of the Young Designer of the Year finalists, discover how science has informed a beautiful travelling garden dedicated to wellbeing, explore the new 'Greener Front Gardens' category and much more. Useful links RHS Young Designer of the Year See all gardens at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park Tatton show highlights 2022 Vitamin G garden
Thu, July 21, 2022
Become a Bee Walker, forest bathing and a native garden plant
To celebrate Bees Needs Week we're taking a walk with RHS wildlife experts Helen Bostock and Nick Tew, to help count Britain's bumblebees. The Bumblebee Conservation Trust are asking for volunteers to join Bee Walks across the country to help save these cute, furry and very important pollinators. Then we visit a forest bathing garden to discover how a trend that started in Japan in the 1980s is making waves here too. And finally, Ellie Mitchell from The Wildlife Garden Podcast shares her love of a rare native plant that's very much at home in gardens. Useful links: Bumblebee Conservation Trust BeeWalks Top tips to create a forest bathing garden Buy shrubby cinquefoil Visit RHS Flower Show Tatton Park
Thu, July 14, 2022
Expert guides to growing lavender, prizewinning veg and seasonal sowings
This week we meet renowned lavender expert Simon Charlesworth of Downderry Nurseries, who grows hundreds of varieties of this fragrant favourite. Discover which is the most scented type of all and hear his choice of the easiest ones to grow. Matthew Biggs, author of The Great British Village Show, offers tips on how to grow prizewinning veg; and Guy Barter prepares for a bean feast on his allotment as he shares a cunning tip for abundant autumn harvests. Useful links The Great British Village Show , by Thane Price & Matthew Biggs Grow Your Own - RHS veg growing advice Lavenders - RHS advice on choosing and cultivating
Thu, July 07, 2022
RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2022
A gardening wonderland returns to southwest London with the world's biggest annual flower show. Join us on a tour of the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival – bursting with glorious gardens, petite yet productive allotments, fragrant roses and thought-provoking design ideas. RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival Buy your tickets Discover the show gardens Fundraising appeal for rebuilding Ukraine's green spaces
Thu, June 30, 2022
What should I do about ants in my garden?
It's a creature that has been crawling around the earth's surface since the time of the dinosaurs. There are estimated to be more than a million of them for every human on earth. But what do they actually do? Dr Andy Salisbury, Principal RHS Entomologist delves into the fascinating world of ants and their effect on our gardens. Meanwhile in Hackney, Clair Battaglino welcomes us to Rainbow Grow, an LGBTQ+ community gardening project that brings multiple generations together. Plus professional wildlife gardener and fellow podcaster Ellie Mitchell from The Wildlife Garden Podcast offers tips on how to welcome invertebrates great and small to your plot. Useful links Hilltop Live - scroll to find wildlife talks at RHS Garden Wisley Rainbow Grow The Wildlife Garden Podcast RHS wildlife gardening hub
Thu, June 23, 2022
Meeting a wasp whisperer and growing your own spices
What have wasps ever done for us? The answer might surprise you, as we meet entomologist Dr Seirian Sumner, author of Endless Forms: The Secret World of Wasps . Food and garden writer Rekha Mistry offers advice on growing turmeric and ginger at home, while RHS Garden Hyde Hall's very own veg growing guru Matthew Oliver gives tips on growing chilli peppers. Useful links Endless Forms: The Secret World of Wasps by Seirian Sumner Rekha's Garden & Kitchen RHS Garden Hyde Hall Fruit and veg growing advice from the RHS
Thu, June 16, 2022
British summertime in the garden
As summer hits its stride we head into the orchards at RHS Garden Wisley to meet Sheila Das and Liz Mooney. They explain how the garden is greening up its act, bringing wildlife and wildflowers into the heart of the productive growing spaces. Then we head to Alresford in Hampshire, to meet watercress grower Tom Amery who shares the secrets of growing this uniquely healthy British favourite. Plus author Sandra Lawrence tells the tale of an unsung hero of horticulture, the mysterious Miss Willmott – a gun-carrying Edwardian plant collector with a complex personal life. Useful links Visit RHS Garden Wisley Grow your own fruit and veg The Watercress Company Miss Willmott's Ghosts: The extraordinary life and gardens of a forgotten genius by Sandra Lawrence
Thu, June 09, 2022
New ways of growing and a fond farewell
This week we visit the World Food Garden at RHS Wisley to see how new eco-friendly ways of growing are taking shape. Guy Barter gives his expert guide to brassica growing for bumper crops of Brussels sprouts, kale and kalettes next winter. Plus a fond farewell to Sue Biggs CBE, who's been Director General of the RHS for the last 12 years – hear her reminisce about some personal highlights and a close encounter of the royal kind... Useful links Discover the World Food Garden at RHS Garden Wisley See our RHS Grow Your Own for advice on growing all kinds of fruit and veg Join the RHS for fabulous days out, free gardening advice and more
Wed, June 01, 2022
Wicked plants
Are plants passive green things, just waiting for the next passing mouth to munch on them? Or do they sometimes fight back? This week's programme is devoted to the botanical poisoners, the tricksters and the carnivores that turn the tables and seek revenge on the animal kingdom. Featuring Amy Stewart, author of Wicked Plants – The A-Z of Plants That Kill, Maim, Intoxicate and Otherwise Offend; RHS Editor and flytrap fan Gareth Richards; and Dr Chris Thorogood, Deputy Director of Oxford Botanic Garden. Useful links: ► Wicked Plants [book] ► RHS advice on potentially harmful plants ► Learn more about carnivorous plants ► Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum
Thu, May 26, 2022
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is back!
The greatest flower show on earth is back in its traditional time and place at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, in spring. And what a show! Join us as we meet the designers of the Gold medal-winning 'A Rewilding Britain Landscape' garden to explore their portrayal of how the return of a long-lost species, the beaver, can transform landscapes and ecology. BBC Gardeners' World presenter Joe Swift gives a tour of his bee-friendly garden and we meet 'Cloud Gardener' Jason Williams and fellow balcony gardener Bea Tann. Useful links: RHS Chelsea Flower Show Meet the designers: A Rewilding Britain Landscape RHS Plant of the Year 2022 The Cloud Gardener , Jason Williams The Enchanted Rain Garden by Bea Tann
Thu, May 19, 2022
Planting for people and pollinators in any garden
Did you know that bumblebees have a 75% higher metabolic rate than hummingbirds? These furry insects need a lot of energy! And your neighbourhood could help fuel our native bumblebees to fly 1 million miles. The secret is plants. We speak to RHS wildlife expert Helen Bostock and the pollinator team at RHS Science who have designed three planters that will give bees, and people, a real boost. Podcast hosts Guy Barter and Gareth Richards discuss companion planting, and Lucy Bellamy shares some simple yet fabulous planting combinations from her latest book, Grow 5. Useful links Find out more about the RHS bumblebee planters RHS wildlife gardening hub Grow your own fruit and veg Grow 5 by Lucy Bellamy
Thu, May 12, 2022
In the night garden
This week we're heading out into the darkness to meet some surprising garden friends – bats. These furry night fliers are surprising garden helpers, hoovering up all kinds of mosquitos and midges that might otherwise be biting us instead. Shirley Thompson MBE has been at the forefront of UK bat conservation for almost 40 years and she offers advice to gardeners on how we can all play our part in helping keep bat numbers strong. Did you know that some cacti grow on trees and bloom at night? Meet the spectacular moonflower, Selenicereus wittii, an epiphytic cactus from the Amazonian rainforest. Sally Petitt of Cambridge University Botanic Garden tells the tale of how it bloomed in Britain last year, for the first time ever. Plus expert veg grower Matthew Oliver from RHS Garden Hyde Hall gives some brilliant tomato-growing tips, particularly for the tricky-but-tasty beefsteak varieties. Useful links RHS advice on bats in your garden Stars of the Night (Wild About Gardens pdf all about UK bats) Secrets of the Moonflower (Cambridge University Botanic Garden) RHS advice on how to grow tomatoes Visit RHS Garden Hyde Hall
Thu, May 05, 2022
Picking the perfect rose
This week we meet Michael Marriott, one of the UK’s foremost rosarians. Michael shares his expertise from a lifetime of rose growing, which is distilled into his new book, RHS Roses: An Inspirational Guide to Choosing and Growing the Best Roses . Plus troubleshooting tips on rose growing from the RHS Gardening Advice team. Matthew Oliver, horticulturist and veg grower extraordinaire continues our greenhouse growing mini-series with a piece from the beautiful glasshouse at the heart of RHS Garden Hyde Hall. Hear seasonal GYO advice and first-hand hints on how to grow melons with exceptional flavour. Useful links: ► RHS Roses: An Inspirational Guide to Choosing and Growing the Best Roses ► RHS advice on how to grow roses ► Global Growth Vegetable Garden ► How to grow melons
Thu, April 28, 2022
200 years of knowing your onions!
Join us as we celebrate 200 years of spreading gardening knowledge with RHS educational programmes. Whether you want to travel the world on botanical adventures for a Master of Horticulture qualification, or for your children to learn how to plant seeds, we are there for you. An RHS course can open the door to a fantastic career in gardening, and we hear from students past and present who share their stories. Study & learn with the RHS
Thu, April 21, 2022
A Cumbrian garden gem, seasonal Q&A
Out of more than 200 gardens nationwide, only one can take the coveted crown of RHS Partner Garden of the Year. The 2021 winner has just been announced as Larch Cottage Nurseries in Cumbria's Eden Valley – we meet owner Peter Stott to find out the story behind his piece of horticultural heaven. Back at RHS Garden Wisley, horticultural advisors James Lawrence, Nikki Barker and Julie Henderson get together to answer queries on compost-making, wildflower growing and how to get year-round fragrance in your garden. Plus we talk to Sui Searle, curator of the alternative gardening newsletter Radicle, to hear about her journey into gardening and the changes she hopes to inspire within the horticultural world. Useful links RHS Partner Garden of the Year Larch Cottage Nurseries How to make compost Radicle newsletter Join the RHS for free access to RHS Partner Gardens at selected times Scented shrubs mentioned Winter honeysuckles ( Lonicera fragrantissima and Lonicera x purpusii ) Osmanthus x burkwoodii and Osmanthus heterophyllus Elaeagnus x ebbingei Daphnes
Thu, April 14, 2022
Time-travelling plants
Today we're taking a trip back in time with Dr Chris Thorogood, Head of Science at Oxford Botanic Garden. Enter long-forgotten worlds of the weird and wonderful plants which flourished before, during and after the age of dinosaurs, and discover their descendants that still flourish today. Ferns are among these 'living fossils', and RHS Gardening Advisor James Lawrence shares some favourite varieties to grow in the garden* in discussion with colleagues Nikki Barker and Julie Henderson. Plus, an alternative look at ancient plants with Sarah Gerrard-Jones, aka The Plant Rescuer. She's built a huge online following charting her journey into rescuing abandoned plants and championing houseplant heirlooms passed down through generations. Useful links: ► RHS info on ferns ► RHS info on houseplants ► When Plants Took Over the Planet: The Amazing Story of Plant Evolution by Chris Thorogood ► The Plant Rescuer – The Book Your Houseplants Want You To Read by Sarah Gerrard-Jones Contributors: Chris Thorogood , Sarah Gerrard-Jones
Thu, April 07, 2022
A Chelsea garden with a difference
In the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower disaster Tayshan Hayden-Smith brought a traumatised community together through gardening. In almost exactly 5 years his gardening journey has taken him from neglected London street-side spaces to a garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It's a tale of resilience, resourcefulness and horticultural heroism – and homage to the bravery of 1970s activists whose legacy lives on today. There's bravery in admitting your mistakes too, as BBC Gardeners' World presenter Adam Frost shows as he shares one of his gardening fails. Plus, RHS advisors gather to answer queries on daffodils that won't flower, growing lawns in shady spots and veg growing in raised beds. Useful links: ► 'Hands Off Mangrove' garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show ► Grow2Know CIC ► Search RHS advice online ► Join the RHS for free, personalised gardening advice ► Houseplant care ► Lawns in shade ► Grow your own fruit and veg
Thu, March 31, 2022
Adam Frost's garden projects, bog gardens and seasonal veg growing advice
To celebrate the publication of his new book, The Creative Gardener , Adam Frost joins us this week to share some of his favourite creative outdoor projects. From simple yet stylish benches to a planted coffee table, there's a host of wonderful features you can make with very little cash. Meanwhile at RHS Garden Harlow Carr, horticulturist Aimee-Beth Browning explains how having wet or boggy ground can open up a whole world of planting possibilities. Plus a look at how to up your gardening game with a greenhouse and Guy Barter shares his timely tips for vegetable growing. Useful links: ► The Creative Gardener by Adam Frost ► Explore RHS gardening design inspiration ► Streamside, RHS Garden Harlow Carr ► Plants for bog gardens ► Further information about bog and aquatic plants ► Choosing a greenhouse ► RHS Grow Your Own Selected plants mentioned: ►Harlow Car primulas [note spelling] ► Rodgersia ►hostas ►astilbes ► Iris ensata ► RHS Find a plant
Thu, March 24, 2022
Orchid special
Welcome to the contrary and fascinating world of one of the biggest plant families on Earth. 'Orchids are plants of great contradiction but always astonishing beauty' - says James Armitage, botanist and Editor of The Orchid Review magazine, who shares insight into what draws people to these strange and wonderful plants. Historian Abra Lee tells the tale of a young enslaved man in Reunion who solved the riddle of how to pollinate vanilla - the only orchid out of 25,000-plus species that's commercially grown as a food crop. Did you know you can grow orchids as garden plants? Jeff Hutchings of Laneside Hardy Orchids gives tips on how to grow them outdoors - why not make an orchid meadow in your garden this year? Colin Newlands tells the tortuous tale of our rarest native orchid, the lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus). Thought extinct in the early 20th century: a chance encounter in the 1930s on an isolated hillside led to decades of botanical intrigue - and even personal protection for the plant. We discover how this exquisite wildflower is faring almost a century after its assumed disappearance. Useful links The Orchid Review Tips for growing orchids indoors RHS Orchids (book) Laneside Hardy Orchids Orchid Show at RHS Garden Wisley The Wildlife Trusts BSBI maps (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland) (for discovering your local native orchid species) Selected plants mentioned Hardy orchids: Bletilla, Calanthe, Dactylorhiza, Cypripedium, Pleione Indoor orchids: Phalaenopsis (moth orchids), Cattleya
Thu, March 17, 2022
The A-mazing guide to hedges
Our Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter wanders into Hampton Court Palace's historic yew maze to meet Gardens Manager Graham Dillamore. Once haunt of kings and queens, this 300 year old spread of tortuous topiary now welcomes thousands of visitors and contains valuable lessons for modern-day gardeners too. Guy offers hedge planting and maintenance advice before handing over to Dr Stephanie Bird who shares the latest thinking on box tree moth, a recent arrival to Britain that can devastate plantings of box ( Buxus sempervirens ). Did you know that hedges have some powerful environmental benefits? Recent RHS research shows they can reduce pollution levels, help prevent flooding and even provide habitat for wildlife and food for pollinators. RHS scientist Dr Mark Gush explains more, and shares details of the best plants to use. Useful links Hampton Court Palace maze Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival RHS advice on growing and maintaining hedges Box tree moth (includes info on planting alternatives to box) Hedges with environmental benefits Plants mentioned (to find suppliers please visit RHS Find a Plant or the RHS online plant shop ) Yew ( Taxus baccata ), western red cedar ( Thuja plicata ), hawthorn ( Crataegus ) and cotoneaster ( Cotoneaster franchetii and others), beech ( Fagus sylvatica ), pyracantha, Japanese barberry ( Berberis thunbergii ), cherry laurel ( Prunus laurocerasus ), holly ( Ilex aquifolium ), hornbeam ( Carpinus betulus )
Thu, March 10, 2022
Keep your garden buzzing
This week’s programme is all about being kinder to the earth and the creatures we share it with. Guy Barter meets the founder of Riverford Organic Farmers, Guy Singh-Watson, to discover how he turned a family dairy farm into a byword for sustainable food. Dave Goulson, author of Silent Earth – Averting the Insect Apocalypse shares his thoughts on how gardeners can be more active in the fight to save our bees, butterflies and all manner of threatened insects. Plus RHS Gardening Advisor Nikki Barker offers advice to gardeners who grow on sandy soil.
Thu, March 03, 2022
Untangling Latin plant names
Plant names and their pronunciation can be a vexed business. If you’re overwhelmed by long Latin plant names, take heart: botanist and author James Wong comes to the rescue and explains why the botanical names matter and how a little knowledge of them can give us clues as to how plants look and perform. He explains that since Latin is a dead language, there’s no-one around to correct your pronunciation – so just go ahead and have a go! When familiar plant names are changed, it can be a source of annoyance for us gardeners. But James Armitage, Editor of The Plant Review, explains there is method behind the apparent madness of this; plus, after the storms, what you need to check in your garden this weekend. Useful links The Plant Review Promoting garden plant diversity (RHS website) Meet the RHS horticultural taxonomy team
Thu, February 24, 2022
Saving swifts, pollinator news and gardening on clay
Swifts... their screaming calls are the sound of summer, yet these aerial acrobats are in trouble. Their UK population has declined by almost 60% over the last two decades. This week we meet John Stimpson, the man on a mission to reverse the decline of this much-loved bird. Does garden size matter when it comes to providing food for pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies? New research from the RHS along with the Universities of Bristol, Cardiff and Northumbria shows that even tiny gardens have a valuable role to play – but it all depends on the planting. The paper also produced interesting findings on how certain types of plants and flower shapes were particularly useful to pollinators, as scientist Nick Tew explains. Plus RHS gardening advisor Nikki Barker shares tips on how to garden successfully on clay soil. Useful links RHS wildlife gardening hub The man who built homes for 60,000 swifts (Guardian article) University of Bristol press release (pollinator research) RHS advice on gardening on clay soil
Thu, February 17, 2022
Veg plotting, gardening on chalky soil and growing blackcurrants
This week we visit Yorkshire to talk to allotmenteer and YouTuber Mothin Ali (MyFamilyGarden), to find out how he's preparing for the growing season ahead. Including tips on chillies, tomatoes and green manures (also known as cover crops). RHS Gardening Advisor Nikki Barker shares expert tips on how to garden on chalky soil. Gareth Richards has an ode to an 'allotment workhorse' – a fragrant shrub with abundant crops of healthy berries – the blackcurrant. Useful links RHS Grow Your Own pages Mothin Ali - My Family Garden (YouTube) Advice on green manures / cover crops How to grow chillies and tomatoes Gardening on chalk How to grow blackcurrants
Thu, February 10, 2022
Plant pioneers
Wild gardening might be all the rage right now but it's not as new as you might think. In this programme we examine the legacy of pioneering Irish gardener and writer William Robinson. He shook up the horticultural world in the late 1800s, bringing in new approaches to planting that still resonate today. Plus, Guy Barter has a 'love letter' to snowdrops and we speak to Peter Moore, the British plant breeder behind some of the most successful plant introductions of the past few decades. Useful links How to grow snowdrops William Robinson - The Wild Garden RHS Libraries Peter Moore How to grow buddleia How to grow choisyas
Thu, February 03, 2022
How to garden when you rent
The number of people renting houses has doubled in the past 10 years. But how do you make a garden when you're faced with blank concrete paving or the prospect of having to move home in just a few months? Luckily we have barrowloads of fantastic advice from Matthew Pottage, Curator of RHS Garden Wisley and long-term renter of a house in southwest London. His new book, 'How to Garden When You Rent' is published today. Hear him discuss some of the tips and tricks he's learned from a decade turning a grey concrete yard into a lush urban jungle, all without lifting a single slab. Including advice on design, planting ...and dealing with landlords. Plus we talk to garden designer Sara Edwards, who created an innovative container garden at last year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Using IBCs (intermediate bulk containers, widely used in industry and farming) she created miniature forests, ponds and naturalistic planting, to stunning effect. All without breaking into the ground below. Useful links RHS How to Garden When You Rent by Matthew Pottage See Sarah Edwards' 2021 Chelsea garden, The IBC Pocket Forest Get RHS advice and inspiration on container growing
Thu, January 27, 2022
Rewilding and the weed that ate the South
From Sussex to South Carolina, this week we're exploring what happens when plants take over. What do you get if you mix poor quality farmland, a passion for wildlife and a biodiversity crisis? The answer is a pioneering rewilding project that has stunned ecologists and revolutionised ideas about nature conservation in Britain. We head to Knepp Estate in Sussex to meet Isabella Tree and find out more. Bill Finch is a naturalist who grew up in the Deep South of the USA. Here he witnessed a very different form of rewilding from an invasive plant, kudzu ( Pueraria montana ). It became infamous during the 20th century for swamping roadsides and blanketing everything in its path - becoming known as a scourge and 'the vine that ate the South'. But is it as much of a problem as people think? And finally, podcast regulars Fiona Davison and Gareth Richards discuss the history of two very wild plants, ivy (Hedera helix) and Japanese knotweed ( Reynoutria or Fallopia japonica ). More information Knepp Wildland Rewild your garden with tips from Springwatch RHS wildlife gardening hub Learn more about ivy Ivy on houses RHS ivy monograph Japanese knotweed advice from the RHS
Thu, January 20, 2022
The Edible Edition Part 4
This week's programme is dedicated to vegetable growing. You can grow veg almost anywhere - as New Yorker Kofi Thomas proves with his inspirational story of how he created The Good Life Garden from a former dumping ground in the heart of Brooklyn. It's a project that has improved the lives of thousands of Long Island residents and has distributed literally tons of fresh homegrown fruit and veg to people in need. Regular presenters Guy Barter and Verity Battyll of RHS Garden Wisley offer seasonal veg growing tips and share their successes and failures growing unusual crops in the UK climate. Plus Kamal Bell, CEO of Sankofa Farms in North Carolina tells us all about a crop that's close to his heart - okra. For more info please see rhs.org.uk/podcast or check out our show notes.
Thu, January 13, 2022
Hoxton to hedgerows and hoodoo
This week we're working with plants through time and across the world. Author and previous guest on the show Jonathan Drori explores more incredible plants from across the globe, including Tillandsia (Spanish moss) from the American Deep South. It's a mysterious relative of the pineapple plant that has almost no roots yet is woven into the history and culture of the southern states. Historian Fiona Davison tells the story of Thomas Fairchild, a London man who made the first ever intentional plant hybrid. Plus Anna Greenland presents the last of our grow-your-own beverages series with a look at elderflower. Useful links: ► Find out more about tillandsias (also known as Spanish moss or airplant) ► Find suppliers of elder plants Contributors: ► Fiona Davison , Head of RHS Libraries and Exhibitions ► Jonathan Drori , author of Around the World in 80 Plants ► Anna Greenland , author of Grow Easy
Thu, January 06, 2022
A fresh start in the garden
Happy New Year from the RHS podcast team! This week's programme is all about looking forward to a green and pleasant 2022. Wisley’s Guy Barter and Verity Battyll discuss their 5 winter must-have plants, while gardening advisor James Lawrence shares his top 5 seasonal jobs. Plus RHS editor and allotmenteer Gareth Richards offers advice on how to grow fruit and veg in a sustainable way. For links to more information please see our show notes or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, December 30, 2021
Highlights of 2021
What a year 2021 has been for gardening! We've had weird weather, an autumn Chelsea Flower Show, a peat ban, RHS Bridgewater opening... the list goes on. This week we're looking back to some of our podcast highlights, including delving into the tiny but terrifying world of parasitic wasps with RHS Wisley scientist Magdalena Boshoff who explains how these insects do an amazing job destroying garden pests. Zehra Zaidi tells the story of how she helped name a rose after a trailblazing black gardener - the first rose to be named after an ethnic minority Briton. Allotmenteer and YouTuber Mothin Ali (@MyFamilyGarden) shares tips on growing the perfect potato and RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter gazes into his crystal ball and gives his predictions for gardening in 2022. Plus garden designers Ann-Marie Powell, Humaira Ikram and Lee Burkhill share their thoughts on what they'll be focusing on next year.
Thu, December 23, 2021
Grow your own kisses
This week's programme is bursting with seasonal greenery. Award-winning writer and RHS blogger Graham Rice explains how to grow a Yuletide favourite and one of our most mysterious native plants – mistletoe. Then we hop 'over the pond' for the latest in our Hidden Horticulturists series to explore the life of one of the 20th century's greatest botanists: holly expert Dr Shiu-Ying Hu. Meanwhile back at RHS Garden Wisley, Verity Batyll describes her favourite plants to brighten up winter gardens, and Devon-based food writer Mark Diacono shares his personal recipe for a delicious homegrown lemon verbena cocktail. For links to more info please see our show notes or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, December 16, 2021
Feel-good gardening
When a successful lawyer suffered a debilitating stroke, it turned her life upside down. Meet Bhupinder Sohanpal as she explains how she rebuilt herself through gardening with the help of the Wisley Community Allotments programme. The Horticultural Therapy Trust is a charity which uses gardening to help support people facing long-term mental health issues and brain injuries: its Project Manager Deb Hoskin tells the stories of some of the people who've benefitted. Plus, organic food grower Anna Greenland shares a recipe for a traditional homegrown, home-made winter pick me up – fire cider. For links to more info please check out our programme page or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, December 09, 2021
2021 Books special
Cold winter nights are the perfect time to get reading, so this week’s podcast is a celebration of gardening books and garden writing. Writer and BAFTA award-winning TV producer Jonathan Drori takes us around the world in 80 plants while RHS authors Fiona Davison and Gareth Richards discuss their favourite books of the year. Plus a look at how gardening newsletters are bringing fresh ideas to the horticultural world. Books mentioned in this programme: Around the World in 80 Plants – Jonathan Drori Flower-Name Fancies – Guy-Pierre Fauconnet RHS Weeds – Gareth Richards The Hidden Horticulturists – Fiona Davison Vegetables: The Definitive Guide for Gardeners – Roger Phillips and Martyn Rix How to Garden the Low-Carbon Way – Sally Nex Spirit of Place – Susan Owens Tropical Plants and How to Love Them – Marianne Willburn For links to more info please see our episode page or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, December 02, 2021
Unexpected garden heroes
Did you know that there are 30 different species of worm in the UK? Or that fungi can actually help create habitats for wildlife? This week we're exploring the roles played these crucial but often overlooked garden residents. Back indoors we meet a hidden hero of horticulture - ‘likely the most prolific botanical explorer of the early 20th century’. Staff from RHS Garden Wisley and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh join forces to tell his story. For links please visit our show notes or rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, November 25, 2021
Cracking good kale and sloes to savour
Learn how to grow winter veg staple (and superfood) kale with RHS expert Guy Barter, who recommends the best varieties and explains how to keep problems at bay. There's also great advice on when and how to protect tender plants from the winter cold, and chef Mark Diacono tells us how to make delicious and warming sloe gin from the fruit of the blackthorn bush.
Thu, November 18, 2021
Meet the Premier League gardener
Kuda Chimbudzi is a superstar gardener, growing healthy fruit and veg for the Premier League footballers at Tottenham Hotspur FC. Our resident gardening guru Guy Barter heads to north London to check out his award-winning kitchen garden at the club's grounds. Plus we meet Lucy Vincent of Food Behind Bars – a charity that's trying to improve the lives and diets of prisoners through growing food; and Greig Robertson from Edible Estates in Edinburgh, an organisation creating neighbourhood plots to bring fresh food to disadvantaged communities. **Useful links: ** - Read more about the kitchen garden at Tottenham Hotspur FC https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/health-and-wellbeing/real-life-stories/kuda-chimbudzi - The Garden magazine - https://www.rhs.org.uk/about-the-rhs/publications/the-garden - Food Behind Bars https://foodbehindbars.co.uk - Edible Estates http://www.edibleestates.co.uk - [RHS Flourish Fund](https://www.rhs.org.uk/education-learning/bursaries-grants/rhs-bursaries/flourish-fund)
Thu, November 11, 2021
Totally tulips
From smuggled wealth hidden in the pockets of 17th-century refugees to imperial beheadings and long treks up freezing, desolate mountainsides... there's more to the humble tulip than you might think. And as the nights draw in, now is the perfect time to get planting these spring favourites. Garden designer Humaira Ikram shares her favourite varieties and ways of using them, and we head to Cambridge University Botanic Garden to discover a unique collection of species tulips and talk about their origins. Plus historian Fiona Davison tells the tale of how tulip mania shaped the history of Europe and gripped the Ottoman Empire to deadly effect.
Thu, November 04, 2021
How green is your garden?
You might think of gardening as an intrinsically green activity, but our verdant hedges and lush lawns can cause some very dirty habits. In an eye-opening interview, low-carbon gardening expert Sally Nex gives the lowdown on how ditching petrol power tools is important for the health of both gardeners and our planet. Plus we head to COP26 host city Glasgow to discover a pioneering urban seed library that helps create resilience in local food systems. And in Cornwall we meet artist Dr Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg who's created an inter-species installation using an algorithm to create gardens designed from the perspective of pollinating insects, rather than humans. For links to more information on today's topics please check out our show notes or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, October 28, 2021
Peat-free houseplants and the secret lives of honey fungus
This week we meet Harriet Thompson, who's spearheading an eco-friendly revolution in houseplant growing. RHS scientist Jassy Drakulic explains the latest thinking on an extremely common garden problem, honey fungus. Plus Will Rogers of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia shares his unique approach to conserving the fabulous native flora of the Southeastern USA. For links to more information see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, October 21, 2021
The legacy of the rose
It's almost a year since Zehra Zaidi told us the remarkable story of John Ystumllyn, an 18th century African gardener in North Wales, as part of our Hidden Horticulturists series. This week she's back with the joyful news of a new rose that has just been launched to commemorate his life. It's believed to be the first rose named after an ethnic minority Briton. Author Simon Morley tells how a fusion of Chinese and European rose species created the repeat-flowering garden roses we know and love today, and Julia Bridger of Keyneston Mill in Dorset explains the history and selection of roses grown for fragrance. For links to more information please visit rhs.org.uk/podcast or check out our show notes.
Thu, October 14, 2021
Grow a taste sensation! Berries special
Discover the brilliant berries you can grow at home. RHS Editor Gareth Richards talks to Guy Barter about his experiences growing exciting novelties such as Chilean guavas and juneberries, while allotmenteer Kirsty Ward offers first-hand advice on growing blueberries. Anna Greenland is a cook and gardener to Michelin-starred chefs; she shares favourite berry-based recipes and her star varieties of strawberry. Plus RHS historian Fiona Davison explores the fascinating history of British gooseberry growing.
Thu, October 07, 2021
Daring to be different
Rakes and rhinestones, wigs and water butts... Daisy Desire the Drag Queen Gardener explains how she's bringing a touch of glamour to the potting shed and hopes to attract new audiences to gardening. Back at Wisley, RHS Gardening Advisors Chris Taylor and Michaela Freed give a seasonal update on how to get your garden looking great for the season ahead. Plus our resident history expert Fiona Davison tells the story of the mysterious Miss Harrisson, a horticultural high-achiever who, over a century ago, helped pave the way for women to break through into the world of professional gardening. For links to more information please see our show notes or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, September 30, 2021
The wonder of trees
Dr Amy Jane Beer explores the marvels of all things arboreal – from the world's loneliest tree that also helped define our current geological era to the 400 year-old apple tree that inspired Newton's theory of gravity. Plus she takes a look at trees' wellbeing benefits too. Curator Matt Pottage explores the concept of Champion Trees, highlighting some of the magnificent specimens to be found at RHS Garden Wisley. And did you know that some conifers are deciduous and offer fabulous autumn colour? Matt is a conifer fanatic and shares some suggestions to light up your autumn garden. And finally... there's a call for citizen scientists as we're on the hunt for a new tree pest with RHS scientist Jassy Draculik. Her 'Check a sweet chestnut' campaign seeks to track the spread of a recent arrival to Britain, the Oriental chestnut gall wasp. Tune in to find out how you can help protect our precious chestnut trees. For links to topics mentioned in the show, please see rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, September 23, 2021
Chelsea Flower Show special
Join us for an inspiring delve into this Chelsea one-off - the year the famous flower show took place in September. This year the show has some unique aspects to explore, including the gorgeous houseplant studios and the brand new balcony and container gardens. Find out how to create pure garden escapism in even the smallest of spaces with designer Martha Krempel and hear how landscape architect James Smith made his balcony into a green oasis of calm. Designer of the tiny Pocket Forest Container Garden, Sara Edwards, explains how to think big in a small space. Plus an in-depth interview with Arit Anderson on how her show garden will go on to have a special life after Chelsea, and a look into the RHS COP26 Garden that focuses on how gardeners can respond to climate change.
Thu, September 16, 2021
Bulb planting, Sarah Raven & Arthur Parkinson, solving an arty plant puzzle
It's time to get your flower bulbs in the ground, and RHS expert Nikki Barker shares her top tips on what to plant and how to plant it for beautiful and long-lasting spring displays. In an intimate conversation packed with gardening tips, author, broadcaster and kitchen garden guru Sarah Raven talks Arthur Parkinson, discussing everything from how their gardening friendship grew, to the edible and visual late-season glories of the ornamental kitchen garden. Plus Fiona Davison tells the tale of how a perplexing 19th-century botanical art mystery was solved. *To hear more from Sarah and Arthur, head over to the Grow, Cook, Eat, Arrange Podcast For links see the episode show notes or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, September 09, 2021
Biological control special
If you’re looking for a sustainable way to control garden pests, delve into this episode on the weird and wonderful world of biological controls. RHS expert entomologist Andy Salisbury explores the fascinating history of how certain bugs and beasties were introduced as pest controls (with many successes... and some disasters), and food and nature writer Eugenia Bone explains how fungi have a potentially vital role. Plus, RHS scientist Magdelena Boshoff explains how to successfully apply nematodes to control pests in your garden.
Thu, September 02, 2021
Autumn advice special
How do you get the best displays of autumn colour in your garden? Which flowers can you sow now for extra early displays next year? Are there any crops you can sow in September for late autumn harvests? Tune in for answers to these questions and many more in this a bumper edition of seasonal gardening advice from RHS experts. Plus Wisley horticulturist Alex Young shares tips on propagating houseplants. Useful links: ►Find out more about growing trees and shrubs ►Houseplants ►Sowing hardy annual flowers in autumn ►Grow your own fruit and veg Plants mentioned: Hydrangea quercifolia, Abelia grandiflora, Ceanothus 'Autumnal Blue', Gingko biloba, Sorbus 'Josph Rock', Parrotia persica 'Persian Spire', jewel orchids (Ludisia discolor and Macodes sanderianus), hardy annuals (Calendula officinalis, Nigella damascena, Cerinthe major), yellow rattle (Rhinanthus major/minor) - see RHS Find a plant for suppliers and more details Whitefly study details: please contact mia.graham@stir.ac.uk
Thu, August 26, 2021
Grasses special
This week we're going wild for some of the daintiest, most airy and graceful plants out there - ornamental grasses. Author and RHS Editor Gareth Richards shares his favourites and offers tips on how to use them in the garden. Eminent expert and nurseryman Neil Lucas takes us on a tour of one of the best grass gardens in the country, Knoll Gardens in Dorset. Plus growing tips from RHS Gardening Advisor Nicky Barker, and we delve into the undergrowth to meet some grass-loving creatures - conehead crickets - with Brian Eversham of The Wildlife Trusts. In our houseplant series, Wisley Horticulturist Alex Young tackles repotting. **Plants mentioned** Grasses: Deschampsia, Hakonechloa macra, Calamagrostis, Pennisetum, Arundo donax, Carex oshimensis Evercolor Series, Molinia, Stipa gigantea, Panicum, Miscanthus, Festuca glauca, Poa, Sporolobus, Miscanthus 'Cindy' & 'Starlight', Miscanthus giganteus; Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra', Milium effusum 'Aureaum', Festuca 'Elijah Blue' Perennials: Rudbeckia, Echinacea, Verbena bonariensis, Aconitum, Scabiosa, wild carrot (Daucus carota) Find plant suppliers: rhs.org.uk/findaplant Discover grasses: rhs.org.uk/plants/types/grasses knollgardens.co.uk
Thu, August 19, 2021
Growing escapades and more
We talk to Lucy Jones and Kenneth Greenway, authors of 'The Nature Seed – How to Raise Adventurous and Nurturing Kids' about ideas for how to engage your children in outdoor activities this summer. Author Abra Lee tells the story of Booker T. Washington, a leading African-American educator who brought horticultural learning opportunities to disenfranchised communities in the South in the late 19th century. Plus a look at picking the right houseplant with RHS Wisley's Alex Young and a guide on drying flowers at home with Raymond Gordon.
Thu, August 12, 2021
Climbers special
This week we’re clambering for climbing plants, wading through wisteria and going eye-to-eye with one of the most contentious wall-huggers of the lot: ivy. Featuring barrow-loads of expert RHS advice on how to keep your climbers happy and full of flowers, plus tips on how to use them in your garden. Featuring Matt Pottage (Curator of RHS Garden Wisley), garden designer Flo Headlam, RHS Gardening Advisor Becky Mealey and author Gareth Richards. **Plants mentioned** - Cobaea scandens - Ipomoea 'Heavenly Blue' - Lablab purpurea 'Ruby Moon'
Thu, August 05, 2021
Allotment extravaganza!
This week we're all about growing your own fruit and veg in a programme dedicated to allotments and the green-fingered people who tend them. We meet the 'Veg King', retired fisherman Gerald Stratford (@GeraldStrafor3) – who became an overnight internet sensation, bringing giant veg growing to the attention of a worldwide audience and even starring in a fashion campaign by Gucci. Allotmenteer and YouTuber Mothin Ali (My Family Garden) shares top tips on growing potatoes while Kirsty Ward (@my_litttle_allotment) gives advice on engaging children with gardening. Plus RHS Garden Wisley's resident fruit guru Jim Arbury offers expert advice on choosing an apple tree for your garden.
Thu, July 29, 2021
Roses and other thorny issues
Enjoy a tour around RHS Garden Wisley’s Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden with its 4,500 roses and find out how to keep yours blooming until autumn. We discover how this iconic plant became the favourite (and least loved) flower among the British with historian Simon Morley, then author Gareth Richards sings the praises of a rose relative, the bramble, ‘nature’s frontline defender against man’. Finally, find out about the pest-busting wasp you definitely need in your garden this summer.
Thu, July 22, 2021
RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2021
This week we're at the glorious Tatton Park in Cheshire, for a floral extravaganza like no other. From a rewilded garden taking inspiration from the wider Tatton Estate to beautifully designed small urban spaces full of clever ideas to save water, there's something for everyone. Plus top culinary tips from chef Sophie Gordon and food writer Mark Diacono who share ideas for homegrown feasts, full of unusual flavours.
Thu, July 15, 2021
Giant leaves and tiny trees
From lush and leafy banana plants to the delicate charms of the tiniest trees of all, this week's show is all about planting with a difference. We explore the weird, wild and wonderful Exotic Garden at Wisley, which is packed full of tropical-looking plants and ideas to steal for your own backyard paradise. Tayshan Hayden-Smith, footballer and founder of the non-profit Grow2Know tells the story of how he came to discover and love what's probably the most dramatic plant you can grow outdoors in Britain. And if you've ever wished you could grow a tree but don't have the space, think again, as we take a look at bonsai with RHS expert Peter Goodchild.
Thu, July 08, 2021
RHS Flower Shows are back!
The RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival returns for 2021. And what a return it is! From world-class garden design talent to new ways of growing cabbages, there's something for everyone. We explore the show's no-dig gardens, community allotments and experience some lively debates between horticultural experts in the talks theatre. Plus an interview with a cut-flower grower who overcame multiple tragedies in 2020 to bring a heartwarming and colourful garden to this year's show.
Thu, July 01, 2021
Art and the garden
This week we’re exploring the relationship between art and gardens. Including an interview with award-winning designer Sarah Price who shares her experience of using art to inspire her RHS Chelsea gold medal winning gardens, and we visit a new David Hockney exhibition celebrating the arrival of spring in his garden in France. Plus plant-loving Instagrammers discuss how social media affects the way we garden and Curator of RHS Garden Wisley, Matthew Pottage, shares tips how to use sculpture in your home plot.
Thu, June 24, 2021
A great leap for gardening science
In this week's programme we visit a brand new hotbed of horticultural research in the UK: RHS Hilltop – The home of gardening science. In the heart of RHS Garden Wisley, this state-of-the-art facility will house groundbreaking research into problems affecting real-life gardens, and offer visitors unique insights. We meet award-winning designer Ann-Marie Powell who talks us through the stunning spaces surrounding the building, featuring an array of edibles and wildlife-friendly planting. Plus our resident history maven Fiona Davison shares the story of how Wisley ended up at the forefront of gardening science over a century ago.
Thu, June 17, 2021
Summer advice special
This week we head to RHS Garden Wisley for a bumper edition of summer gardening advice. Our RHS experts guide you through everything you need to know to keep your blooms blooming and your crops cropping all summer long, and what you can do now to ensure good results next year too.
Thu, June 10, 2021
Welcome to RHS Garden Bridgewater!
Join us as we visit this incredible 154-acre garden in Salford, Greater Manchester. RHS Garden Bridgewater has been the biggest hands-on horticultural project undertaken in Europe since it got the go-ahead back in 2017. We go behind the scenes to meet the people who make it all happen, discovering horticultural gems galore as we go, including the unique Chinese Streamside garden.
Thu, June 03, 2021
Watering, sustainable edibles, community gardening
How do you grow fruit and veg that doesn't cost the earth? Edible gardening guru Mark Diacono shares tips from his decades of experience growing all kinds of palatable plants as sustainably as possible. RHS Gardening Advisor Leigh Hunt gives tips on how to use less water but still get brilliant results on your plot, and historian Fiona Davison shares her delight at putting together a new digital collection chronicling how gardeners come together to get through tough times. Plus researcher Advolly Richmond tells the forgotten story of 20th century gardening heroine, Norah Lindsay.
Thu, May 27, 2021
Pollinators and hidden heroes
"Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away..." This week we're gardening with winged visitors in mind as we talk all things pollinator. However, there's more to pollinating insects than just bees, as the Natural History Museum's Senior Curator, Erica McAlister explains. "Having a cuppa tea and a chocolate brownie? You wouldn't be having any of that in your beautiful garden if it wasn't for the flies," she says. Who knew such humble creatures could be so important? Garden designer Humaira Ikram shares tips on how to create a pollinator-friendly plot and in the latest part of our grow-your-own series, Sylvia Travers of RHS Garden Bridgewater offers tips on growing all kinds of beans. Plus, as part of our Hidden Horticulturists series, grower Abra Lee tells the inspirational story of Edmond Albius, a young slave boy who worked out one of the biggest botanical mysteries of his day – how to pollinate the vanilla orchid. As Abra says, "It's so empowering to hear these stories, and you're able to look at yourself and know you are capable of great things".
Thu, May 20, 2021
RHS Virtual Chelsea Flower Show
It's a bumper year for 'The greatest flower show on earth' as 2021 sees not one but two RHS Chelseas! Join Shows Manager Katherine Potsides as she lifts the lid on this bubbling cauldron of gardening goodness. Including interviews with multi award-winning garden designer Sarah Eberle and clematis connoisseur Raymond Evison, who share their thoughts on the opportunities and challenges presented by an autumn show. Plus our weekly GYO slot with expert advice on a technique to really make the most of every square inch of your vegetable plot.
Thu, May 13, 2021
Gardening with a conscience
This week we're talking about gardening as a force for good. We visit an inspiring hospital garden that has brought joy from tragedy, and meet Mothin Ali, founder of the Dig It Out campaign, which aims to tackle racism in the gardening world. Plus we learn how to encourage beneficial beetles in our plots and get GYO tips on growing kale and courgettes from Sylvia Travers of RHS Garden Bridgewater.
Thu, May 06, 2021
Plastic – not fantastic!
From plant pots to compost bags to watering cans and much more, it can be hard to avoid using plastic in the garden. In this week’s programme we examine how to go plastic-free on your plot. With contributions from RHS Editor Chris Young, industry insider Natalie Porter of Happy Plants nursery, RHS advisor Becky Mealey and eco-gardening expert Sally Nex.
Thu, April 29, 2021
Wildlife ponds, sweet peas, strawberries and going chemical-free
This week we’re discussing wildlife ponds with author Kate Bradbury and growing sweet peas with top breeder Roger Parsons. In our weekly GYO feature, Dr Sylvia Travers of RHS Garden Bridgewater shares tips on strawberry cultivation. Plus garden writer and wildlife expert Jean Vernon gives advice on controlling pests without chemicals.
Thu, April 22, 2021
Gardening with pets, our new Editor and crop rotation explained
This week we're discovering how to garden the pet-friendly way. Whether that's making a dog-proof garden, keeping cats at bay or growing food for small animals such as guinea pigs and rabbits – there's lots you can do to keep plants, people and pets all happy together. Author, dog lover and RHS Senior Horticultural Advisor Helen Bostock explains how. Author and organic veg grower Claire Ratinon shares her love of chicken keeping and offers tips on how to keep birds and plants in happy balance. We meet the new Editor of The Garden magazine, Tom Howard, who offers a sneak peek into the upcoming May edition. RHS gardening advisor Leigh Hunt gives advice on crop rotation in the vegetable plot and we hop along to Leonardslee Gardens in Sussex to meet some rather unusual residents...
Thu, April 15, 2021
Alpines, terrariums and the gardener who changed British art
This week we're zooming in on gardening to appreciate some miniature marvels. James Wong shares his experiences creating miniature tropical worlds at home using terrariums, and Peter Goodchild of RHS Garden Wisley explores the colourful diversity of alpines. Historian Wesley Kerr tells the story of a groundbreaking painting of a gardener that was a milestone in the representation of Black people in British art. Plus ideas of what to do with your children in the garden with RHS Advisor Becky Mealey.
Thu, April 08, 2021
Love your lawn and garden design greats
Perfect green sward or flowery meadow? Or maybe a bit of both? RHS gardening advisor Nikki Barker gives advice on how to grow a lawn that works for both people and wildlife. Editor-at-Large Chris Young talks to garden designer Arne Maynard about his design for a beautiful and unusual suburban garden, featured in this month's edition of The Garden magazine. And finally, historian Wesley Kerr sings the praises of another influential designer, 18th-century landscape architect William Kent, in the latest part of our 'Hidden Horticulturists' series.
Thu, April 01, 2021
Peat – the miracle beneath our feet
Did you know that you can help fight climate change and protect rare plants and animals simply by changing what type of compost you buy? Peat bogs hold more carbon than all the world’s forests combined, and incredibly, the UK is one of the world’s top 10 countries by peatland area. Discover the amazing world of peat, and the part that gardeners can play to keep it in bogs, not bags, this spring. Featuring Sarah Johnson from the Lancashire Peat Partnership, botanist Joshua Styles, and an interview with Rebecca Pow MP, Minister for the Environment. Plus expert tips on peat-free growing from Propagation Team Leader Sam Gallivan at RHS Garden Wisley.
Thu, March 25, 2021
Spring into action: seasonal advice special
This week's programme is jam-packed with great gardening advice from our RHS experts on a huge range of topics to get your garden off to a flying start, including how to smarten up your garden and plants for spring colour. It's dahlia planting time and top dahlia breeder Dr Keith Hammett offers insight into the wonderful world of this most variable of garden flowers ('I like to call them the dogs of the plant world'!). Did you know you can propagate some houseplants by literally pulling the roots apart? And others can be grown from sections of leaf? RHS gardening advisor James Lawrence explains. Plus Chris Young with a preview of the latest issue of The Garden magazine.
Thu, March 18, 2021
Low-carbon gardening
Did you know that running a petrol lawnmower for an hour can create the same carbon emissions as driving a car for 93 miles? Or that using peat-free compost in your garden is a great way to save wildlife and cut your carbon footprint? This week's show is all about the ways we can all make a difference on our doorstep. Featuring Catherine Cutler from The Eden Project, author Sally Nex and no-dig gardening guru Charles Dowding. Plus the latest in our series celebrating the unsung heroes of horticulture: the inspirational story of George Washington Carver; born a slave, he overcame overwhelming obstacles to become one of the most eminent and forward-thinking scientists of his day.
Thu, March 11, 2021
The Edible Edition: Spring
This week's programme is devoted to all things edible. Writer and podcaster Lucy Chamberlain shares expert tips on growing crops in small spaces and hot dry spots. Allotmenteer Ashley Nwokorie finds delight in growing a taste of her native Zimbabwe – covo or African kale. In the latest part of our Hidden Horticulturists series we highlight the story of Robert Thompson, a Victorian writer who help make gardening accessible to the masses. Host Guy Barter shares tips on hedges for allotments and shares some of his growing fails, proving that even the experts sometimes get it wrong. And finally, award-winning food writer Mark Diacono reveals the Far Eastern spice you can grow in your garden.
Thu, March 04, 2021
How to be water-smart in your garden
From winter floods to summer droughts, water is becoming ever-more of an issue for gardeners. This week, we talk to RHS Water Scientist Janet Manning, to discover clever ways we can all make the most of what we've got. The gardening advice team answers listeners' questions on plants that help prevent flooding, and those that tolerate both drought and waterlogging. Plus a look at the enduring legacy of pioneering plantswoman Beth Chatto's Dry Garden.
Thu, February 25, 2021
Daffodils – growing for gold
Discover a world of daffodils; from their amazing cultivars, the forgotten story of a man who saved them from a dreaded pest to their modern uses in treating Alzheimer’s disease. Plus, do you know the difference between a bulb, corm and a tuber? An RHS gardening advisor busts more botanical jargon.
Thu, February 18, 2021
Secrets of sowing seeds
Growing plants from seed has to be one of gardening’s most profound pleasures, and now is the ideal time to start thinking about what you’re going to grow this year. Today’s programme is jam-packed with great advice, including a surprising rule of thumb you may never have heard of from our resident allotment guru Guy Barter. Plus RHS Gardening Advisor James Lawrence gives tips on growing houseplants from seed and organic grower Claire Ratinon shares her love of tomatoes.
Thu, February 11, 2021
A love that grows
Love is in the airwaves this week. We’re bewitched by witch hazels, exploring the amorous history of the rose and the forgotten love language of flowers. Hear growing advice on roses and a Valentine’s bloom you can pick from the garden on the day itself, the violet. Plus expert flower arranging tips from florists Putnam & Putnam.
Thu, February 04, 2021
Wildlife in winter
Wildlife is a hugely important part of gardens, and one that we’ve come to appreciate all the more in the last year. This week we discover the secret winter lives of native butterflies, learn how to make a wildflower meadow, and unearth why moles can actually be good for gardens. Plus author and wildlife expert Kate Bradbury discusses wildlife in RHS Gardens with editor of The Garden magazine Chris Young, and reflects on how our animal neighbours are helping humans get through lockdown. For links and info please see the show notes or rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, January 28, 2021
Permaculture special
If you love nature and growing your own, but don't love digging, listen up! This week we're exploring permaculture, an environmentally-friendly way of growing that encompasses both edible, ornamental and wildlife-friendly plants in the same space. Including contributions from grower and forager Poppy Okotcha; Sylvia Travers, Team Leader in the Forest Garden at RHS Garden Bridgewater; and Vera Greutink, permaculturist and author of Edible Paradise.
Thu, January 21, 2021
Right plant, right place
It's an often-repeated phrase in gardening but putting the 'right plant in the right place' really is a shortcut to growing success. So this week we're exploring how to match plants with places – both indoors and out – to get the absolute best out of your garden and house plants. RHS gardening advisor James Lawrence gives tips on picking the right houseplant for different rooms and garden designer Lee Burkhill shares tips on getting to know your plot. Plus designer and nursery grower Gerry Price offers advice on growing plants in coastal gardens.
Thu, January 14, 2021
Snowdrop special
In this week’s episode we visit Cambo Gardens in Fife to meet snowdrop enthusiast Lady Catherine Erskine and her impressive collection of these iconic winter flowers. Plus contributions from nurserywoman Jane Rowlinson of Galanthus specialists Morlas Plants, and snowdrop growing tips from RHS gardening advisor Nikki Barker.
Thu, January 07, 2021
Looking forward to 2021
As the new year begins, our outdoor spaces seem more important than ever. This week we're looking at gardening can benefit the mind, body and soul. Grower and forager Poppy Okotcha shares the seasonal delights of winter purslane (Claytonia perfoliata) – a little-known salad plant that can provide fresh, healthy greens throughout the coldest months. Award-winning garden designer Juliet Sargeant gives her thoughts on how the way we garden will change in 2021, and what she's doing on her own plot to encourage wildlife. Plus the RHS's first 'Wellbeing Fellow', Dr Lauriane Suyin Chalmin-Pui details the results of a four-year scientific study onto how having a green front garden can reduce stress and improve your mental and physical health.
Wed, December 23, 2020
Christmas special
Do you know why we kiss under the mistletoe, or why holly and ivy are associated with Christmas? Head of RHS Libraries Fiona Davison explores the ancient myth and magic of Christmas plants. How green is your Christmas tree? Hear our guide to making sure your festive focal point doesn't cost the earth. Plus a look at an unusual cactus that grows on trees (and on your windowsill).
Thu, December 17, 2020
Gardening in a changing climate
From changing patterns of frost and rainfall to increasing risks of summer heatwaves, climate change presents a unique set of challenges – and some opportunities – for gardeners. This week’s show is all about our increasingly variable weather and what it means for gardens, gardeners and our wildlife. Featuring weatherman and BBC broadcaster Peter Gibbs, WWF Head of Climate Change Gareth Redmond-King and RHS Gardening Advisor Nikki Barker.
Thu, December 10, 2020
Books special 2020
This year our expert RHS panel comprises Fiona Davison (Head of Libraries and Exhibitions), Chris Young (Editor of The Garden magazine) and Guy Barter (Chief Horticulturist). They share their favourite gardening publications of 2020, and look forwards to some exciting new titles for 2021. We also speak to award-winning author Robert Macfarlane, who, like many people, was dismayed to discover that many nature-related words such as 'bluebell', 'acorn' and 'jay' were being lost from children's dictionaries. Unwilling to sit by and watch nature slip from the consciousness of our young people, he wrote a book – The Lost Words – which is now taught in schools across the country.
Thu, December 03, 2020
A blaze of colour in the dark
Snakebark maples, winter-flowering camellias and a sacred Central American shrub that makes itself at home on our windowsills... there are many amazing plants that give us colour and interest in even the darkest months. We visit the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens* to discover an incredible range of hardy plants that look great all winter. Garden designer Juliet Sargeant gives her seasonal tips for adding interest to your garden at home and we uncover the surprising story of a perennial Christmas favourite, the poinsettia. Plus plantsman and nursery owner Claire Austin's ode to an unusual evergreen iris that flowers from December to March. *Please note that this RHS Partner Garden is open free to RHS members in January and February. See link in the show notes for more detail.
Thu, November 26, 2020
Against the odds
Hear the incredible story of EK Janaki Ammal, a pioneering scientist who overcame race, class and gender discrimination to become the first female botanist at RHS Garden Wisley. Dr Chris Thorogood of Oxford Botanic Garden shares insight into the weird world of mutualism – plants and animals cooperating in unexpected ways to make the most of tough conditions. Plus the RHS gardening advisors gather to answer questions on roses (can you grow them in shade and can you move them?), a passionflower that refuses to bloom and growing herbs in planters.
Thu, November 19, 2020
Flying high
This week we meet Andrew Forsyth of Weasdale Nurseries in Cumbria who explains the challenges of gardening 850ft up in the hills of Cumbria, and shares tips on how to garden in cold and exposed situations. Kate Risely, head of pioneering research project Garden BirdWatch, explains what changes have been observed since the project launched in 1995. Plus RHS advisors share insight on epiphytic plants and how to encourage birds into your garden.
Thu, November 12, 2020
Gardening's best-kept secrets
This week we're unwrapping lots of gardening goodness, from expert seasonal advice and untold stories to wildlife tips. Nursery owner and plantswoman Claire Austin shares inside information on what the people who produce plants for our gardens are doing at this time of year (it's much more than you might think!); Zehra Zaidi tells the little-known story of John Ystumllyn, an 18th century African gardener in North Wales and Helen Bostock heads into the undergrowth to share tips on how to help hedgehogs in your garden.
Thu, November 05, 2020
Looking forwards: houseplants, designing for scent and winter interest
This week we're all about planning for the months ahead. RHS Gardening Advisor James Lawrence offers tips on how to keep your houseplants happy and healthy through the winter. We visit Holehird Gardens* in Cumbria for inspirational seasonal planting ideas. Plus garden designer Flo Headlam offers tips on how to really make the most of fragrant plants in your garden. *Holehird Gardens are looking forward to welcoming visitors after lockdown. The gardens are un-manned and visitors are encouraged to show their support via the donation boxes.
Thu, October 29, 2020
Halloween Special!
Join us on a Halloween spooktacular! Dr Chris Thorogood of Oxford Botanic Garden delves into the weird and wonderful world of parasitic 'vampire' plants including the rainforest giant Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world; to one you can grow at home. Plus RHS gardening advisors Leigh Hunt and Becky Mealey talk death in the garden, with a guide to telling if your plants are ill or just resting, and how to rescue them from a near-death experience. Sometimes Frankenstein-style surgery really is the way forward!
Thu, October 22, 2020
Tools and technology in the garden
From Japanese digging knives to LED growing lights, tools and technology are transforming the way we garden. In this episode RHS experts share some unusual favourite gardening implements. We discuss how technology – from 19th century lawnmowers to 21st century sensors and apps – has changed and continues to change the face of gardening. Chelsea designer Hay Joung Hwang describes how she incorporates technology into her gardens. Paul Myers of Farm Urban explains how a zero-waste underground farm is bringing fresh year-round local food to the heart of Liverpool.
Thu, October 15, 2020
Wild for weeds
In week's programme we’re going wild for weeds. Author and designer Jack Wallington sings the praises of these much maligned plants and offers ideas for using them in gardens. RHS gardening advisor Nikki Barker offers insight on dealing with Japanese knotweed. California-based educator Indy Srinath shares her love of dandelions and writer Gareth Richards offers insight into the secrets of weeds’ success.
Thu, October 08, 2020
The forgotten kingdom: Fascinating fungi
If you thought that fungi are just toadstools, think again. In this episode we discover how they make food, both help and hinder plants, and even inspire music. Featuring author and biologist Merlin Sheldrake, mushroom grower Ann Miller and RHS gardening experts.
Thu, October 01, 2020
Back to school special
This week we're turning young fingers green in a programme dedicated to the gardeners of tomorrow. Alana Cama and RHS Young Ambassador George Hassall hear heartwarming stories of people involved with the RHS Campaign For School Gardening; including last year's School Gardening Champion of the Year, Michelle Jones. Plus Lee Connelly, aka the Skinny Jean Gardener shares tips on how to engage children in gardening.
Thu, September 24, 2020
Growing bulbs and organic gardening
If you love spring bulbs but aren't sure where to start, we've got you covered. RHS Gardening Advisor Jenny Bowden gives her bulb planting 101 with lots of handy hints and tips; plus some lovely recommendations of which varieties to plant. Organic food grower and writer* Claire Ratinon tells the story of how she got into an ecologically-based way of gardening, and why it matters. Claire gives tips for organic growing in small spaces and containers. Plus garden designer Tom Massey's love letter to London's green lung, Richmond Park.
Thu, September 17, 2020
Thrifty gardening
This week's show is all about saving. Jack Wallington is saving veg for the winter – who doesn't love being able to reach into the freezer or pantry for a quick taste of summer on a cold November day? RHS Water Scientist Janet Manning shares some expert tips on how to make the very best use of water and mulches in your garden, revealing some surprising facts along the way. And as ever our resident gardening guru Guy Barter is full of useful info and gardening tips too.
Thu, September 10, 2020
Autumn gardening advice special
This week we've a bumper crop of help and advice to get your garden into shape for autumn. RHS experts give timely tips on everything from picking seasonal bedding plants, smartening up your plot, growing lemons and how to prune a purple-leaf elderberry. Horticulturist and TV presenter Flo Headlam gives a garden designer's take on how to get the best from your garden in autumn and shares her favourite plants for late-season impact.
Thu, September 03, 2020
Beautiful, useful, deadly...
This week we're exploring the weird, wild and wonderful world of foraging with activist Indy Srinath. Dr Chris Thorogood from Oxford Botanic Garden explains the deadly secrets of some of our most common plants and garden designer Juliet Sargeant shares her love of a particular hebe which has some really useful qualities in the garden.
Thu, August 27, 2020
Blooming brilliant bouquets
This week we’re exploring the colourful world of floral arrangements. We’re taking a journey from the field to the florist, starting with sustainable British grower Cel Robertson from Forever Green Flower Company. Then, we’re heading to one of the most famous floral centres in the world, New Covent Garden Market, to hear about its history. We’re meeting florist to the stars Simon Lycett in LA as he shares some of his career highlights: from arranging royal wedding flowers, to film set bouquets. Plus we finish with some top tips from our advisory team on how to grow spectacular cut flowers at home.
Thu, August 20, 2020
Growing together, a community gardening special
The transformative power of gardening has never been more evident – or more necessary – than it is now. This week guest presenters TV gardener Danny Clarke and Alana Cama from the RHS Campaign for School Gardening explore communal urban gardens tackling inequality and food poverty in Los Angeles with activist Indy Srinath. Closer to home we meet Tayshan Hayden-Smith. He's CEO of Grow2Know, a non-profit organisation born from the ashes of the Grenfell Tower disaster, that now empowers young people through horticulture. Tayshan talks about breaking through the barriers to make gardening and horticulture truly inclusive and sharing their amazing benefits for health and wellbeing with everyone. Plus a look at what the RHS is doing to promote community gardening across the country.
Thu, August 13, 2020
The Edible Edition part 2
From growing exotic veg and making Middle Eastern spice mixes to the fascinating world of fermentation, this week's show is dedicated to all things edible.
Thu, August 06, 2020
Summer gardening and the secrets of seeds
Seed saving can be a powerful and life-affirming act – permaculture designer Poppy Okotcha shares her thoughts on how and why we should all be saving our own seeds. Resident gardening guru Leigh Hunt dispenses timely gardening advice with his top 10 jobs for August, and RHS advisors discuss rain gardens. Plus: how long can seeds and plants last? Dr Chris Thorogood of Oxford Botanic Garden reveals some surprising facts.
Thu, July 30, 2020
Beyond the garden gate
Did you know that the lotus leaf inspired the creation of self-cleaning glass and paints? Or that some tropical carnivorous plants get so big they can eat shrews? Plant hunter and scientist Dr Chris Thorogood shares some of the incredible floral feats that made him fall in love with plants. Garden writer Pattie Barron recounts a meeting with plant that makes a fragrant waterfall of edible foliage with an unmistakeable Mediterranean ambience. Terry Richardson (aka 'The Black Thumb') is a plant paramedic who rescues orchids from bins; hear his tips on turning trash plants into prize specimens. Plus the RHS gardening advice team tackle questions on evergreen shrubs for pots, poorly-looking roses, growing indoor ferns, and how to make your pond water clear.
Wed, July 22, 2020
Tatton Park at Home
This week we join in with Tatton Park at Home, as our much-loved Cheshire flower show heads online. Meet designers whose careers have been kickstarted by the show's Young Designer of the Year competition. Last year young designer Charlie Hartigan's 1 in 10 garden won the People's Choice award; hear her story and tips for aspiring designers. We speak to Ruth Bolam from English Country Gardeners to get advice for anyone starting a career as a professional gardener, and hear heuchera tips from the show's Master Growers, Plantagogo.
Thu, July 16, 2020
Fern frenzy
This week's programme is dedicated to perhaps the quintessential foliage plant, the fern. Firstly, garden designer Danny Clarke shares his love of the majestic tree fern, Dicksonia antarctica. Then we head into the dark and mysterious Stumpery at RHS Garden Rosemoor to meet a magnificent cast of ferns luxuriating in the cool, moist conditions there. Author and journalist Richard Mabey explores a fern frenzy that swept Victorian Britain, the catchily-named Pteridomania. And finally, RHS horticultural advisor Jenny Bowden offers hints and tips on how to get the best out of ferns in your garden.
Thu, July 09, 2020
What have plants ever done for us?
Writer, broadcaster and houseplant obsessive James Wong encourages us to face our fear of killing plants and reap the incredible benefits of indoor gardening. There's never been a better time to think outside the (plant) pot, curating miniature worlds at home and getting creative with alternative planting spaces such as terrariums. Head of RHS Libraries Fiona Davison explores the history of plant medicine prior to next week's launch of the Healing Garden online exbitition. Erin Lovell Verinder, author of Plants for the People: A Modern Guide to Plant Medicine shares some of the herbal remedies that might just be lurking in our own garden weeds. Plus therapeutic gardener Ozichi Brewster outlines her pioneering social prescribing project at RHS Garden Bridgewater near Manchester.
Thu, July 02, 2020
Gardening in the urban jungle
This week we're gardening on barges, balconies and in bathrooms in a programme dedicated to urban gardening. Writer Alice Vincent dispenses tips on plants, pots and more from her London balcony garden 40ft above the ground. Freddie Blackett of Patch Plants talks about the changing ways we're buying and using houseplants, and permaculture designer Poppy Okotcha shares her experiences gardening on a houseboat in the heart of the city.
Thu, June 25, 2020
We're going on a plant holiday!
Join us on a globetrotting plant extravaganza! Sally Miller from the Barbados Horticultural Society takes us on a totally tropical tour of her paradise island garden. Danny Clarke – aka The Black Gardener – offers trolley-fuls of advice and design tips for making a garden so gorgeous you'll never want to leave it. Dr Chris Thorogood of Oxford Botanic Garden leads us into the steamy jungles of Borneo in search of the world's biggest flower, revealing some of its curious habits along the way. Plus author and columnist Pattie Barron shares her love of Mediterranean gardens and advice on how to give your garden a sun-drenched makeover in just a weekend.
Thu, June 18, 2020
The edible edition
This week we're talking all things edible with a programme entirely devoted to growing your own fruit and vegetables. Award-winning garden designer Juliet Sargeant shares veg garden wisdom in a piece that's a must-listen for anyone starting out on a homegrown journey. Allotment holder and Instagram gardener Kirsty Ward shares her life-long love of gooseberries, along with tips on how to grow them. Plus the RHS Gardening Advice Team answer listeners' questions on crop rotation, Florence fennel and growing veg in the shade.
Thu, June 11, 2020
All about oaks
This week we have an ode to oaks as we celebrate grandfather of British native trees. Wisley Curator Matthew Pottage shares his personal love for Quercus, and wisdom on how to garden with them. Professor Fiona Stafford from the University of Oxford, (author of 'The Long, Long Life of Trees') reveals their history and folklore. Plus Nikki Barker from the RHS Gardening Advice team offers extra advice on ways to use oaks in your garden.
Thu, June 04, 2020
Houseplants, green roofs, lily beetle
This week we're talking green roofs with designer Ula Maria (past winner of the RHS Young Designer of the Year competition). We have part two of our chat about houseplants with biophilic designers and Virtual Chelsea exhibitors Studio Roco; plus the Gardening Advice team answer members' queries on dealing with lily beetle, groundcover shade planting and growing olives.
Thu, May 28, 2020
The positive power of plants: gardening for wellbeing
Plants might not seem like front-line weapons in our fight to stay healthy, but as our contributors to this week's programme show, green is good for everything from coronavirus to PTSD. My Little Allotment Kirsty Ward tells the story of how she used an allotment to help her rebuild her mental health after being diagnosed with PTSD following a traumatic childbirth experience. Nurse Kate Tantam (who cared for the 84 year old explorer we featured in last week's show as he was recovering from Covid-19) explains how and why hospital gardens are so good for patients. Plus RHS Young Ambassador George Hassall shares his love of the Acer (Japanese maple).
Thu, May 21, 2020
Virtual Chelsea!
Show Manager Katherine Potsides takes us on a tour of this year's virtual version of the 'Greatest Flower Show on Earth'. Featuring biophilic design from Studio Roco, who give houseplant tips and talk us through their inspiration from artist, film-maker and activist Derek Jarman's renowned seaside garden in Kent. Meanwhile, Fiona Davison, RHS Head of Libraries, explores the show's history and origins, including a look at how the gardens have changed over time. Award-winning designer Tom Massey tells the tale of how unused Chelsea plants have brought joy from tragedy. After the show's cancellation was announced, they were planted in a hospital garden – with transformative results. One patient in particular felt the benefit: seeing this new garden literally gave Robin Hanbury-Tenison (an 84 year-old famous explorer) a new lease of life after his long battle with Covid-19.
Thu, May 14, 2020
Chelsea meets Zimbabwe; hawthorn, houseplants and cuttings
This week Chelsea designer Jilayne Rickards and agricultural entrepreneur Beauty Gombana share the stories behind Jilayne's Zimbabwean-themed garden 'Giving Girls a Space to Grow', created for female education charity CAMFED. The advice team answers listeners' questions on subjects including taking cuttings, growing rubber plants and how to improve soil without buying compost. Plus designer Sarah Eberle's ode to the hawthorn tree.
Thu, May 07, 2020
Getting arty with weird and wonderful plants, lockdown veg part two
Lots of us are drawing on creative pastimes as a way of getting through the current situation. This week we speak to artist, scientist, author and Deputy Director of the Oxford Botanic Garden, Dr Chris Thorogood. Chris shares his fascination with weird and wonderful plants and offers some expert tips on how to paint and draw them. Fiona Davison explores the history of botanical art at what is generally considered the world's biggest collection of plant paintings, the RHS Lindley Library. Young RHS Ambassador George Hassall is also a fan of plants that bite back, and he tells us about his passion for the gruesomely beautiful pitcher plants, Nepenthes. And finally... our resident allotment guru Guy Barter talks to gardening advisor Leigh Hunt about cunning ways to beat seed shortages and grow your own at home.
Thu, April 30, 2020
Birdsong special
As we approach International Dawn Chorus Day this Sunday (3rd May), we've decided to dedicate an entire episode of the podcast to our feathered friends. We meet the RSPB's Adrian Thomas, who orchestrated a top 40-charting single composed entirely of birdsong; RHS wildlife guru Helen Bostock offers advice on how to make your garden bird-friendly, and Dr John Grimshaw of The Yorkshire Arboretum shares his love of peafowl. Plus an unforgettable rook impression from RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter.
Thu, April 23, 2020
Michelin-star veg growing, monkey puzzles and gardening with children
Anna Greenland, former Head Vegetable Gardener at Raymond Blanc's renowned restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons shares experiences gained from years of growing veg and herbs for use in Michelin-star meals. Meanwhile Wisley Curator Matthew Pottage muses on monkey puzzles and RHS Gardening Advisor Rebekah Mealey heads into the garden with her daughter Faye to get growing too.
Thu, April 16, 2020
Lawns, wellbeing, multi-dimensional garden design
This week we've got seasonal lawncare tips galore, RHS entomologist Andy Salisbury shares his love of beetles, and award-winning designer Lee Burkhill explains how to use gardening to promote mental wellbeing. Plus design duo Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg discuss multi-dimensional design inspirations and storytelling in their creations both at RHS Garden Bridgewater and their garden that would have been at this year's Chelsea Flower Show.
Thu, April 09, 2020
Behind a Chelsea garden, lockdown veg and watering tips
Award-winning designer Sarah Eberle gives us a virtual tour of the garden she designed for this year's Chelsea Flower Show. Plus we're feeling the love for allotments and sharing advice on quick-growing vegetables to provide speedy harvests during lockdown. RHS water scientist Janet Manning explores the results of an experiment to find out how much water hanging baskets really need.
Thu, April 02, 2020
Lockdown gardening tips, houseplants and herbs
April is always a busy month in the plant world, and despite lockdown, this year is no exception. So this week's show is full of ideas of how to grow when you've nowhere to go. Lee Burkhill, winner of an RHS Feel Good Garden competition, shares his personal guide on how to keep on gardening during lockdown. Plus we're talking houseplants: Wisley Curator Matt Pottage shares one of his all-time favourite plants, and gardening advisor Jenny Bowden offers seasonal care tips. Nikki Barker has some expert help for a listener who wants to keep their herbs in shape, and offers some handy hints on growing herbs indoors.
Thu, March 26, 2020
Ode to the dahlia, growing peat free and front garden tips
Our human world might've changed completely in the past few weeks but the joyful beauty of plants and flowers shines brighter than ever. This week, Rob Evans of Pheasant Acre Plants shares his love for one of the brightest stars of flower gardens everywhere, the dahlia. RHS Gardening Advisor Becky Mealey brings us back to earth with some timely advice on how to get the best from peat-free compost, and Jenny Bowden encourages us all to make the most of our front gardens, sharing design tips and planting ideas to make them bloom.
Thu, March 12, 2020
Growing tomatoes and patio strawberries
This week's show is a bulging barrowful of edible gardening advice. RHS Horticulturists Guy Barter and Lenka Cooke discuss how to grow tomatoes, recommended tomato varieties and ways to beat blight. The Gardening Advice team gather to debate the best strawberries to grow on a patio and how to get rid of scale insects on a lemon tree. Plus seasonal gardening jobs to do in March.
Thu, February 27, 2020
Gardening for wildlife; top plants & top tips
How do you make your garden wildlife friendly? What are the star plants for helping out the birds and the bees? Horticultural Advisors Jenny Bowden and James Lawrence discuss top tips for bringing nature to your plot. Meanwhile Guy Barter and entomologist Andy Salisbury discuss the results of a pioneering RHS research project to discover whether native plants are better for bugs and Hayley Jones shares advice on what's hot and what's not when it comes to insect hotels. Plus an allotmenteer shares his love of bees.
Thu, February 13, 2020
Gardening Q & A, houseplant favourites
What flowers can you grow for a September wedding? How do you tame a wisteria that's got a bit too involved with an apple tree? What's the best way to propagate snowdrops? Can you save climbers when replacing a rotten fence? Our team of experts gathers together to solve your gardening questions. Plus, advice on xylella, a major new plant disease; and we continue our mini-series on houseplants as Jane Perrone, Matthew Pottage and Anne Swithinbank share their personal favourites and offer tips on how to care for them.
Thu, January 30, 2020
Houseplant takeover!
Wake up and smell the chlorophyll! In a special collaborative edition we're simulcasting with On The Ledge podcast, panelists Jane Perrone, Anne Swithinbank and Matthew Pottage discuss all things houseplant. From their first ever plants that sparked a love of greenery, to what they're growing now, to fantasy houseplants for a fantasy house. Weird, wild and wonderful – full of interesting plant suggestions and practical tips on how to grow them. See our programme page at rhs.org.uk/podcast for a plant list and useful links
Thu, January 16, 2020
Gardening trends for 2020, houseplant rampage and gardening with sight loss
This week our resident gardening guru Guy Barter gazes into his crystal ball to make some predictions for the year ahead in horticulture, before heading to the Glasshouse at RHS Garden Wisley to come face to face with some very naughty houseplants. So naughty in fact that they've taken over an entire Victorian house, elbowing the human occupants aside in a verdant invasion that's sure to delight visitors. Garden Manager Emma Allen braves the bristling bromeliads and chess-playing cacti to take Guy round this quirky new attraction. Plus part two of our visit to gardening charity Thrive, who help people with disabilities or ill health to keep on gardening. Training, Consultancy & Education Manager Damien Newman gives useful advice on ways to garden when sight loss becomes an issue.
Thu, January 02, 2020
Highlights of 2019
A look back over the past year to some of the best bits of our gardening podcasts. In March we met the staff and inmates at HMP Hull to find out how an award-winning prison garden has helped transform lives behind bars. Plus garden writer Sally Nex charts her quest for a plastic-free plot, and we discover what curators, editors and other RHS staff members are most looking forward to horticulturally in 2020.
Fri, December 20, 2019
Life-changing gardening, homegrown Christmas decorations, houseplants and more
This week we head to Reading to discover how gardening can bring positive life changes to people living with disabilities or ill health, thanks to the work of the charity Thrive. Plus RHS staff share their tips for homegrown Christmas decorations and Wisley's Curator Matthew Pottage shares some seasonal highlights to look out for and tips on houseplants.
Thu, December 05, 2019
RHS books podcast 2019
Free yourself from everyday mundanities and dive into other worlds from the comfort of your own home... yes it's our annual books special! This year our literary committee share a huge range of favourites, including unusual and delightful books for gifts this Christmas, books to excite children and stimulate the minds of adults too. This year's panel comprises Fiona Davison (Head of Libraries and Exhibitions), Chris Young (Head of RHS Editorial), James Armitage, (Editor of The Plant Review) and Guy Barter (Chief Horticulturist).
Thu, November 21, 2019
Growing trees for the future and pet-proof planting
With flooding, climate change and wellbeing becoming ever more important topics, planting trees has become a call to arms to anyone interested in making the future a brighter place. We talk to Carol Honeybun-Kelly from the Woodland Trust about a nationwide tree-planting campaign, The Big Climate Fightback. Dr Andrew Hirons, Senior Lecturer in Arboriculture at University Centre Myerscough offers advice on the best trees for challenging urban situations, making some personal selections that should prove resilient in the face of climate change and increasing pest and disease threats. Meanwhile, back at RHS Garden Wisley, our Gardening Advice teams offers tips on how to propagate bear's breeches (Acanthus) and shares advice on how to garden alongside cats and dogs.
Thu, November 07, 2019
Hedges, houseplants and houseleeks – and can you grow your own wasabi peas?
What type of hedge is best for trapping pollution? Which hedging plants help mitigate flooding risks? Can you grow roses and clematis together to make a flowering hedge? We went to a recent 'Hedging Your Bets' event at RHS Garden Wisley to find out more. Plus the Gardening Advice team gathers to answer queries on houseplants for a shady bathroom, growing houseleeks and aeoniums, the secrets of making great compost – and whether you can grow your own wasabi peas?!
Thu, October 24, 2019
Growing healthy in Gateshead, seasonal veg gardening advice and help with honey fungus
This week the Wisley teams share their wisdom on growing great veg and dealing with the sweet-sounding but deadly bane of many gardens: honey fungus. Pathologist Matthew Cromey shares the results of recent RHS research which shines new light on which plants are most resistant. Plus the heartwarming story of an unused church plot that was transformed with help from the RHS's Greening Grey Britain campaign into a garden to soothe and feed the mind, body and soul.
Thu, October 10, 2019
Growing apples & grapes, award-winning clematis, native trees from seed, hedgehog-friendly gardening
Horticulturists Joe Olds and Bernard Boardman are in the orchard at Wisley, discussing how to get the best from apples and grapevines. Alex Hankey talks plant trials and Sabatino Urzo shares the results of a recent People's Choice vote to discover the favourite clematis from a trial of 28 varieties at RHS Garden Harlow Carr. Meanwhile, our gardening advice team gather to answer questions on growing British native trees from seed, making gardens hedgehog-friendly and pruning lavender and rosemary.
Thu, September 26, 2019
Yellow vs green – battle of the cellar slugs, autumn star plants at Wisley and a taste of the unexpected at Hyde Hall
As autumn hits its stride we're at RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex to sample the exotic yet seasonal delights of the Global Growth Vegetable Garden with Matthew Oliver and Head Chef James Curtis. Meanwhile back at Wisley, Team Leader Verity Bradbury shares her favourite autumnal plants from the Equinox Borders and entomologist Imogen Cavadino has a call for gardeners to help research into a new(ish) slug on the block which seems to be elbowing out its relatives. (If a slug could elbow!)
Thu, September 12, 2019
Back to nature with the Duchess, seasonal gardening tips and dreamy daffodils
This week we return to Wisley for a very special event as HRH The Duchess of Cambridge opens the new Back to Nature Garden, which was inspired by show gardens co-designed by HRH alongside landscape architects Andrée Davies and Adam White at the Chelsea and Hampton Court Palace flower shows. It's a place for families and friends to have fun in nature, while hopefully igniting a love for gardening and growing plants. Plus seasonal gardening advice from entomologist Hayley Jones who offers timely tips on dealing with bugs, Mark Tuson who's busy planting bulbs at Wisley and we meet master daffodil grower Ron Scamp.
Thu, August 29, 2019
Top tips for beautiful chrysanthemums and luscious lawns, an RHS magazine re-launches, joyful gardening memories
As autumn approaches and a new generation of gardeners re-discovers the late-season charms of chrysanthemums, we get expert advice on how to grow them from RHS Master Grower Martyn Fish of Chrysanthemums Direct. We talk to James Armitage, editor of The Plantsman, who shares some exciting news about this magazine for plant lovers ahead of its September re-launch. Plus seasonal lawn-care advice from David Hedges-Gower and joyful garden memories from Chelsea gold medal-winning designers Jilayne Rickards and Miki Sato.
Thu, August 15, 2019
New RHS gardens in the making; gardening health and safety; joyful garden memories
This week we discover two fantastic new gardens - RHS Bridgewater near Manchester, which is gearing up to open its doors in 2020; and the Cool Garden which is already becoming a horticultural highlight at RHS Rosemoor in Devon. As peak hedge-cutting season approaches, hand surgeon Professor Grey Giddins gives some timely advice on gardening health and safety. Plus joyful garden memories from Chelsea designers Andy Sturgeon and Taina Suonio.
Thu, August 01, 2019
Summer gardening advice galore, seasonal stars at Wisley and joyful gardening memories
This week we're at RHS Wisley where we meet garden managers Peter Jones and Emma Allen who share seasonal horticultural highlights and tips on what to do now. The Gardening Advice team deal with a bulging post bag of queries on a range of topics including lining hanging baskets, feeding tomatoes, summer lawn care, growing plants in pots and more. Plus we have joyful garden memories from designers Sarah Eberle and Chris Beardshaw.
Thu, July 18, 2019
RHS Flower Show Tatton Park
At the last major RHS flower show of the year we're talking bugs, slugs and lawns and visiting the show's Bridgewater garden, which is inspired by the new RHS site that will open in Salford next year. Plus we meet the winner of the Young Designer competition, whose garden aims to raise awareness of some important plant health issues that gardeners need to be aware of this summer.
Thu, July 04, 2019
RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival
This week we're going back to nature at the world's biggest annual flower show. Designer Jo Thompson explains how she's gone wild with the BBC Springwatch Garden, Dave Green shares his meditative spaces in the Stop and Pause Garden and Matthew Childs contemplates new approaches to energy use in the Smart Meter Garden. Plus we visit the RHS Back to Nature Garden (co-designed by HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, Andrée Davies and Adam White), discover a drought-tolerant garden in memory of horticultural hero Beth Chatto, meet community allotmenteers and hear a surprising botanical cocktail recipe from food writer Mark Diacono.
Thu, June 20, 2019
Discovering hidden horticulturists, meeting the people in purple and fabulous floral art
This week we uncover untold histories of 19th-century gardeners with Fiona Davison, author and Head of Libraries and Collections at the RHS. Then we head out into the Chelsea crowds to meet Sue and Steve Hall who are part of our purple-clad cadre of volunteers; un-sung modern day gardening heroes who help run the RHS Flower Shows – they share what volunteering means to them. Plus a look at the incredible floral art from the National Association of Flower Arranging Societies (NAFAS) as the organisation celebrates its 70th year.
Thu, June 06, 2019
Live from RHS Chatsworth Flower Show 2019
In this edition we're at the newest RHS Flower Show on the block in the stunning estate of Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. We explore the power of trees, get dazzled by dahlias and inspired by the innovative gardens and plants galore. Plus a live recording of a question and answer session where an expert panel helps showgoers with their thorny gardening questions
Thu, May 23, 2019
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019
This week we're at the world's premier floral extravaganza in the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. We meet garden designers, celebrities and plantspeople to discover the stories behind the gardens and plants that make the show so special.
Thu, May 09, 2019
Secrets of houseplant success, acers, cauliflowers, going wild for ponds and A Nation in Bloom
Our gardening advisors gather to help RHS members with their horticultural queries, including propagating peperomias and repotting aloe veras, growing cauliflowers successfully and when to plant an acer. Plus Wisley horticulturist Bernard Boardman offers seasonal tips on garden ponds and broadcaster Matthew Biggs shares insights from his new book, A Nation in Bloom.
Thu, April 25, 2019
RHS Gardening Podcast on Tour: Cardiff flower show
This week we head across the Severn Bridge to the RHS Flower Show Cardiff. Guest presenter James Alexander-Sinclair chairs a panel of gardening experts – Rob Evans from Pheasant Acre Plants, Jane Linsday from Tynings Climbers and Chairman of RHS South West in Bloom Jon Wheatley – who answer a bumper crop of show-goers' queries. Topics covered include which plants to grow with children in a community garden, which plants give you most return for your effort, how to get a bougainvillea to flower, dealing with overgrown trees in pots, and more. We also hear from some of the plant exhibitors and garden designers. (Ep 153: 25 Apr 2019) Selected plants mentioned: Verbena bonariensis, bougainvillea, Edgeworthia chrysantha (paperbush), Trachelospermum (star jasmine)
Sat, April 13, 2019
Live from RHS Flower Show Cardiff 2019 (mini)
In this mini-edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, James Alexander-Sinclair chairs a panel of experts who answer show-goers' plant puzzles on the first day of the show. A full version of the Question and Answer session will be broadcast on 25 April.
Thu, April 04, 2019
Replacing a failing apple tree, blackspot-resistant roses and which plants are Bambi-proof? Plus: plant rant (Ep 152)
Our trusty advisors gather to help RHS members with their gardening problems including what to do about an apple tree that produces nasty apples, which are the most blackspot resistant roses and how to stop your peace lilies going brown. Garden writer Melissa Mabbitt and Deputy editor of The Garden magazine Phil Clayton debate this month's hot topic – whether forcing plants out of season is an acceptable sales tactic. And finally, Jenny Bowden reveals the results of a nationwide survey into which plants are most deer resistant. Selected blackspot-resistant roses: Rosa rugosa , 'Roseraie de l'Hay', 'Blanche Double de Coubert', 'Shepherdess'
Fri, March 22, 2019
Green power: how gardening changes lives behind bars, top 10 plant diseases and a new order at Wisley (Ep 151)
This week we meet the staff and inmates at HMP Hull and discover how a prison garden has helped transform lives behind bars. Last year the prison's horticultural achievements won them the coveted Windlesham Trophy, an RHS award for the best prison garden. Meanwhile back at RHS Garden Wisley we meet pathologist Matthew Cromey who shares advice on the top 10 plant diseases reported to our gardening advice service last year. And finally, entomologist Andy Salisbury introduces a new kind of insect that marks the first new 'order' to be found in the UK in over a century.
Fri, March 08, 2019
Top 10 pests revealed, life after slug pellets, children's gardening questions answered, dealing with box problems and more (Ep 150)
As the annual Hit Parade of garden nasties is revealed, Entomologist Andy Salisbury shares the results and offers advice on how to deal with them. Meanwhile the Gardening Advice team gathers to debate questions sent in from young gardeners at St Patrick's School in Stratford, including whether you can grow flowers from flowers and how to tell a good caterpillar from a bad one. And following the recent announcement of a forthcoming ban on metaldehyde-based slug pellets, our resident gastropod guru Dr Hayley Jones offers research-based advice on slug and snail control. Plus questions from members on box problems, growing your own dye plants and dealing with blackfly. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, February 21, 2019
Discovering Darwin's potato, pressing matters at the Herbarium, Cardiff flower show, beating blight (Ep 149)
This week we lift the lid on the RHS Herbarium, a unique collection of dried plant material from around the world that's used by scientists, researchers and artists. We learn how and why samples are prepared for inclusion – and share the recent discovery of a very special part of the collection: a potato that was brought back from the voyage of HMS Beagle by Charles Darwin. Plus, plant pathologist Matthew Cromey shares tips with Guy Barter on how gardeners can avoid potato blight and Chris Young gets an insider's view on what visitors can expect at this year's RHS Flower Show Cardiff. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, February 07, 2019
Growing new plants and new gardeners, gardens to visit for free, solving courgette queries and replacing overgrown shrubs (Ep 148)
We visit RHS Garden Wisley to discover the new plant propagation facilities and what they mean for the gardeners there. And it's not just plants that the RHS is cultivating: as we look to the next generation of horticulturists there's still time to enter the Young School Gardener of the Year competition. Plus an exploration of our Partner Gardens, more than 200 glorious gardens nationwide (and overseas) that open their gates for free to RHS members at selected times throughout the year; and our advice team troubleshoots a poor courgette harvest and offers suggestions on replacing an overgrown shrub border. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, January 24, 2019
Following royal gardening footsteps in Islington, discovering horticultural histories and the spawning glories of ponds in late winter (Ep 147)
This week we follow in the footsteps of the Duchess of Cambridge who recently visited King Henry’s Walk Garden in Islington, an RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood group, to meet the community gardeners. Meanwhile back at our horticultural HQ, we meet Fiona Davison, Head of Libraries and Collections, who shares details of an exciting programme of upcoming exhibitions on hidden horticulturists, digging for victory and more. Plus a look into the murky waters of garden ponds to discover the difference between frog, toad and newt spawn and get advice on how to protect these valuable garden amphibians. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, January 10, 2019
A bumper crop of gardening questions answered, how did the 2018 drought affect gardens and a sneak peek at upcoming flower shows (Ep 146)
What can you plant for winter colour - that's not a dogwood? Should you remove the yellow leaves on sprouts? Tune in and find out the answers to these and lots more seasonal gardening questions. We talk to pest and disease experts to find out how the wild weather of 2018 affected plants and gardens. Plus a look at what's coming up at RHS Flower Shows this year. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, December 27, 2018
Highlights of 2018 - a year in gardening
As 2018 draws to a close, here's a look back at some of our favourite moments of the year. From the energy and dynamism of the Chelsea Flower Show, interviews with luminaries of the gardening world such as Fergus Garrett and Beth Chatto, to an exploration of the tranquil streamside plantings at Harlow Carr, join us on a leisurely stroll through the audio annals of 2018 - a year in gardening. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, December 20, 2018
Seasonal gardening questions solved and Christmas presents for gardeners (Ep 145)
The Gardening Advice team gathers together for a bumper question-and-answer session, sorting out enquiries ranging from whether you can grow your own vine leaves, which figs grow best in the UK, using an old hot water tank as a pond, how to get rid of those pesky little compost flies in your houseplants, and more. Plus ideas for last-minute Christmas presents and a look at 2018's changes at RHS Garden Wisley. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, December 06, 2018
How to help winter wildlife, unusual street trees and are glittered plants a crime against nature? (Ep 144)
Wildlife expert and writer Kate Bradbury shares her top tips on what to do now to help garden wildlife through the winter. Paul Wood discusses the past, present and future of street trees, and shares some of his discoveries of the more unusual botanical residents of our towns and cities. Meanwhile back at RHS HQ, our magazine team debates the pros and cons of the 'novelty' plants - painted, bejewelled with glitter and more - that seem to pop up everywhere at this time of year. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, November 29, 2018
Books Special 2018: Experts pick their favourites old and new, and books for Christmas presents
In this special edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we're joined by experts and authors who discuss their favourite gardening books both classic and modern, and give recommendations of books for presents this Christmas. For more information, including a list of the titles mentioned, please see rhs.org.uk/bookspodcast
Thu, November 22, 2018
Go west! Rosemoor under the spotlight (Ep 143)
Nestled in a Devon valley, RHS Garden Rosemoor blends formal and informal plantings to magical effect. From delightful cottage gardens to orchards, vegetables and peaceful woodland plantings, there's something for everyone, at any time of year. Join us as we go behind the scenes, meeting the people who make it all happen and uncovering the garden's history along the way. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, November 08, 2018
Weird, wild and wonderful - urban gardens as you've never seen them (Ep 142)
A visit to the recent RHS Urban Garden show uncovers an ultraviolet garden, dancing plants, terrariums and much more. Plus a delve into dahlias, what to do with an abundant grape harvest and smaller, slug-resistant sunflowers. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, October 25, 2018
Uncovering the mysterious Miss Harrisson, plants on trial and hats off to begonias (Ep 141)
This week's podcast is all about gardening winners - from Edwardian trailblazer who ruffled feathers by daring to win a nationwide horticultural competition while being a woman - to brilliant begonias, which won the RHS People's Choice Award last year on the Wisley trials field. Plus a look at how RHS Plant Trials are conducted and what the Awards of Garden Merit they produce mean for gardeners. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, October 11, 2018
New shoots - growing the next generation of gardeners
The RHS Campaign for School Gardening touches the lives of hundreds of thousands of children throughout the UK, providing children with gardening opportunities to enhance their skills while boosting their development and wellbeing. We meet the people behind the campaign as well as the winners of its recent School Gardening Awards. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, October 11, 2018
It's harvest time! Celebrating homegrown produce and seasonal GYO advice (Ep 140)
This week's episode is jam-packed with helpful info on growing your own fruit and veg, including pumpkins and squashes, courgettes, garlic, pears, French and runner beans and more. Plus the Garden Advisors discuss banishing an over-enthusiastic Virginia creeper and growing cut flowers for a wedding. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, September 27, 2018
Gardening for good, repairing lawns, tips on growing dahlias, roses, damsons and more (Ep 139)
If you go down to the shops today, you're in for a big surprise. If you live in Sheerwater, Surrey, that is - where a new community garden is taking root as a result of an innovative new partnership between community groups, the RHS, local councils and the HLF*. Plus our Gardening Advice team gather to untangle a postbag bulging with horticultural heartaches including questions on dahlias, damsons, roses, hydrangeas, sweetcorn and more. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, September 13, 2018
Get RHS cash to fund your gardening adventure, a Wisley walkabout, helping hedgehogs and more (Ep 138)
Have you ever dreamed of travelling to distant lands to see and study plants in their native habitats? Or perhaps you'd like to grow your knowledge in other ways? An RHS bursary may be able to help. Past recipients share their stories of travels to Portugal and the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Closer to home, Matt Pottage gives an update on the latest in RHS Garden Wisley's multimillion-pound redevelopment, we head to Harlow Carr for tips on helping hedgehogs. Plus news on the Big Soup Share from the RHS Campaign for School Gardening. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, August 30, 2018
A plant-lover's paradise: exploring RHS Garden Harlow Carr (Ep 137)
From iconic blue Himalayan poppies and drifts of streamside primulas to subtropical borders and precious alpines, Harlow Carr is a paradise for plant lovers. In this episode we meet the gardeners who share their favourite plants and parts of the most northerly RHS Garden. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, August 16, 2018
Behind the scenes science, Wisley dahlia competition and what to do about wasps (Ep 136)
We head behind the scenes at Wisley to find out what RHS scientists are studying in their ongoing work to keep our beloved garden plants safe and healthy. And with just a few weeks to go until the ever-popular People's Dahlia Competition at the Wisley Flower Show, we get some top tips on how to get the best from these colourful flowers. Back in the science department, Dr Hayley Jones shares some wisdom on wasps and pathologist Matthew Cromey gives an update on ash dieback and what gardeners can do about it. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Wed, August 01, 2018
Hyde Hall re-born (Ep 135)
Join us on a journey through a Floral Fantasia and around the world in 80 veg... As our easternmost garden reaches the end of a multi-million pound investment programme, we visit a revitalised site that's bursting with colourful flowers and exotic edibles, discover what's new for visitors and find out how it has become more environmentally sustainable. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, July 19, 2018
Live from Tatton (Ep 134)
This week we're at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park in Cheshire, revelling in this floral extravaganza in the glorious Cheshire countryside. We explore some of the show highlights before heading into 'The Beehive' with author and broadcaster Matthew Biggs who chairs a live question and answer session with gardening experts Mark Diacono, Lia Leendertz and Tony Dickerson. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, July 05, 2018
Live from Hampton Court (Ep 133)
Join us at the largest annual flower show on earth! We meet horticultural hero Piet Oudolf, chef and home-grown veg champion Raymond Blanc, RHS Master Grower Matt Soper of Hampshire Carnivorous Plants, among others in this whistle-stop tour of just a few of the highlights of this incredible show. Plus garden designer and TV presenter Ann-Marie Powell gives a guided tour of Countryfile's 30th Anniversary Garden. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, June 28, 2018
Hampton Court Shorts (3/3) Celebrating 30 years of Countryfile
Designer Ann-Marie Powell explains the ideas behind her garden celebrating 30 years of BBC’s Countryfile, which aims to inspire and reconnect visitors with nature. The space explores a critically important world residing on our doorsteps as well as the wider countryside. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, June 28, 2018
Hampton Court Shorts (2/3) Growing communities
This year at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show there's a real feeling of coming together and growing communities alongside delicious, healthy food. We meet the people behind these transformational gardens that promise to be a treat for the mind, body and soul. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, June 28, 2018
Hampton Court Shorts (1/3) Lifestyle Gardens
To mark the centenary of the first female suffrage in the UK, the RHS asked four female designers, all aged under 30, to create gardens to resonate with different lifestyles and reflect the owner's personality and way of life. It's the ideal category for visitors wanting ideas to create a garden at home that they can fall in love with, as Show Manager Gemma Lake and designer Lilly Gomm explain. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, June 21, 2018
Summer gardens to visit, coping with carrot fly and learning to love wasps (Ep 132)
As new plantings emerge from the dust and hubbub of the redevelopments at Wisley, we explore the Wisteria Walk and Heather Landscape. Plus a round-up of RHS partner gardens to visit this summer, results of a two-year science research project into how gardeners can best deal with carrot fly and wildlife writer Kate Bradbury rallies gardeners in defence of some surprising allies - wasps! For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, June 07, 2018
Live from Chatsworth (Ep 131)
This week we're at the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show in Derbyshire, revelling in this floral extravaganza in the heart of the Peak District. Florist Jonathan Moseley reveals the UK's largest ever orchid display and James Alexander-Sinclair chairs a live question and answer session with leading gardening experts including Martin Fish, Leigh Hunt and Helen Bainbridge. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, May 31, 2018
Dear Mrs Chatto (May 2018)
One of the greatest gardeners of the 20th century, Beth Chatto, recently died at the age of 94. Beth was admired and loved by family, friends and gardeners around the world. One of those friends was another legendary plantsman, Roy Lancaster. He visited the garden in Essex she created with her late husband, Andrew, to discuss the development of what she described as a "horticultural and ecological experiment". Hear Beth and Roy in an interview which was to become an article, Dear Mrs Chatto, in the January 2010 issue of The Garden magazine.
Thu, May 24, 2018
Live from Chelsea (Ep 130)
Garden designer, TV presenter and RHS flower show judge James Alexander-Sinclair takes us on a journey into the heart and soul of the Chelsea Flower Show, exploring top-end design, incredible plants and planting, and meeting the people who make it all happen and the celebrities who turn out in force to soak up the Chelsea buzz. Find out about feel-good gardens, exciting new plants and garden products, and get design tips for your garden. This year's show also shows the power of gardening as a force for good. We meet the creator of The Lemon Tree Trust Garden, inspired by the gardens of Domiz refugee camp in Iraq. It's a heartwarming tale of human spirit and triump over adversity, and the RHS is proud to have been able to support the Trust in its work. We also speak to Baroness Floella Benjamin and singer and actress Beverley Knight about Birmingham City Council's display celebrating 70 years since the Empire Windrush arrived in Britain, marking the beginning of a new chapter in our nation's history. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Fri, May 18, 2018
Chelsea Shorts - Growing happiness (3 of 3)
In the final part of our exclusive behind-the-scenes Chelsea preview podcasts, we meet designer Matt Keightley who's in the process of creating a trailblazing health and wellbeing garden - the RHS Feel Good Garden - which will live on after the show as a permanent garden at the Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Fri, May 18, 2018
Chelsea Shorts - Hero Plants of Chelsea (2 of 3)
Get an exclusive peek behind the scenes of the greatest flower show on earth. Today we celebrate the real stars of the show – the plants! Designers Chris Beardshaw, Bunny Guinness and Kate Gould share their insights into the planting in this year’s show gardens and Show Manager Katherine Potsides outlines some of the other plant highlights to look out for. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, May 17, 2018
Chelsea Shorts - Space to Grow (1 of 3)
Get an exclusive peek behind the scenes of the greatest flower show on earth! Join us as we discover what's in store in our new 'Space to Grow' garden category, meeting designer Kate Gould who shares the trials, triumphs and tribulations that are all part and parcel of the Chelsea experience, along with a healthy dose of tips and hints for making the most of small, urban gardens. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, May 17, 2018
Countdown to Chelsea, Great British Bee Count, seasonal vegetable growing advice and more (Ep 129)
Hear behind the scenes interviews with award-winning garden designer Jo Thompson and Show Manager Katherine Potsides, who give a tantalising preview of the show and explore the increasing presence of women at Chelsea from designers to engineers and planting teams. Wildlife gardening expert Kate Bradbury shares a call to arms for gardeners to get involved in the Great British Bee Count, and we get timely advice from RHS experts on growing your vegetables – including how to avoid blossom end rot on tomatoes and how to grow a giant beanstalk! For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, May 03, 2018
Reshaping the future of gardening; plastics part II; advice on cats, clay soil and lawns (Ep 128)
Garden designer and television presenter James Alexander-Sinclair meets Sue Biggs, RHS Director General to discuss the Society's plans to invest millions of pounds in the future of gardening - revolutionising our gardens and horticultural research. Plus advice on restoring damaged lawns, coping with cats in the garden and suggestions on shrubs for clay soil. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, April 19, 2018
How to grow beautiful orchids, Britain in Bloom on the BBC, and is honey fungus top of the rots? (Ep 127)
We speak to orchid experts at the recent RHS London Orchid Show and Plant Fair to get top tips on how to grow these most alluring of houseplants. Author and naturalist Jon Dunn shares his love of the native orchids that grow across the British Isles. Plus we talk to the people behind the incredible orchid displays planned for this year's RHS Chatsworth Flower Show. Chris Bavin, presenter of BBC's Britain in Bloom shares his experiences in filming the series, and we continue our countdown of the top garden problems from last year; this time it's over to diseases - will honey fungus stay top of the rots? For more info including plants mentioned and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Fri, April 06, 2018
Gardeners' hit list - top 10 pests revealed, plastic not fantastic and growing berries in pots (Ep 126)
The results are in! A gruesome lineup of slugs, bugs and other garden baddies has been compiled in our annual round-up of the most troublesome garden pests. We head to the Laboratory to find out who's on the list and how to deal with them, and then out into the garden to see what's going on in the beds and borders at Wisley. Plus we open the postbag to discuss RHS members' enquiries on growing fruit in pots, whether you can grow your own edamame beans and how to minimise plastic and peat use in the garden. For more info including plants mentioned and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Fri, March 23, 2018
Should gardeners worry about sepsis? Plus seasonal tips, how to get wildlife on your side and a new campaign for school gardening (Ep 125)
Hear timely tips on what to do now if you want to grow fruit this year, plus we meet Wisley's plant propagation team and scientist Hayley Jones shares hints on how to get wildlife on side to help against common garden pests. And should gardeners be worried about sepsis? We get expert advice on this and other gardening health and safety issues. Plus news on our I Can Grow campaign and botanist James Armitage unearths more horticultural histories in his latest Wisley Plant Encounter. For more info see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, March 08, 2018
Plants for pets, learning to love the Mother in law's tongue and Wisley gets a wisteria walk (Ep 124)
Can houseplants be dangerous for pets? And what is the new plant disease Xylella and how can gardeners avoid it? The Gardening Advice team discusses these and other enquiries, while Wisley Curator Matthew Pottage shares his love of houseplants, focusing on one old favourite in particular. Plus we hear about an exciting new garden feature planned for Wisley later this year. For links to more information on the topics discussed see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, February 22, 2018
Springing into shows season: Snowdrops, houseplants, cyclamen and Master Growers (Ep 123)
The RHS Shows season got off to a flying start with the Early Spring Plant Fair last week. We went along to marvel at the hanging snowdrop extravaganza and meet the growers and celebrity experts who make it all happen - including Alys Fowler who gives seasonal houseplant tips and the team from Birmingham Botanical Gardens who share insight into the wonderful world of cyclamen. Plus a look at the RHS Master Grower Scheme, which is now in its third season. For links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Fri, February 16, 2018
Step into the indoor jungle - Houseplants special (aka 'how not to kill a Venus flytrap')
Discover the benefits and pleasures of growing indoor plants, and get some expert tips on how to make yours flourish. Experts pick their favourite houseplants and share tips on common pitfalls to avoid. Plus we discuss the findings of ongoing RHS research into the health benefits of growing indoor greenery, and get an insider's guide on how to keep your flytraps happy. For links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, February 08, 2018
Banishing bunnies, sleuthing slugs, Valentines gifts for plant lovers, upcoming London Shows highlights and horticultural competitions (Ep 122)
As we begin the slow ascent to spring, the advice team shares wisdom on how to tackle rabbits eating bulbs, organic slug control, and whether you can grow the seaside plant samphire in Birmingham among other queries. Plus discover what's in store at our upcoming London Shows and how you can enter your favourite plants into one of the many RHS horticultural competitions. For links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Thu, January 25, 2018
Exclusive Chelsea preview, plant encounters and seasonal advice (Ep121: Jan 2018)
We visit the press launch for 2018's Chelsea Flower Show to discover the exciting gardens in store this year. Our trusty team of gardening experts answers questions on how to dig safely, keeping potted Christmas trees alive, whether you can grow houseplants in dark rooms, and what to do about a lawn that keeps dying. Plus botanist James Armitage unearths more horticultural histories in his latest Wisley Plant Encounter ( see www.rhs.org.uk/wisleyplantencounters ).
Thu, January 11, 2018
Plant fanatics club together, birds in your garden part two. (Ep 120: Jan 2018)
Are you dotty about dahlias, fanatical about ferns or ardent about alpines? Then why not join a plant society? In this episode we meet a band of enthusiasts who are keen to share a love of plants with others and help new gardeners grow their favourite plants. Plus part two of our mini-series on attracting birds to your garden.
Thu, December 28, 2017
Special episode: Highlights of 2017
We look back at the best bits of 2017 including 'feel good' gardens at Chelsea, a brand new flower show at Chatsworth and groundbreaking RHS research on gardening in a changing climate. Plus botanist James Armitage meets an incredibly ancient plant in his latest Wisley Plant Encounter. See www.rhs.org.uk/wisleyplantencounters
Thu, December 14, 2017
Episode 119: Seasonal help and advice, winter bird watching and Wisley's great Laboratory is reborn
The gardening advisors gather to solve queries on what you can prune now, whether you can plant trees in winter and how to protect bay trees from cold weather. Resident wildlife expert Helen Bostock meets Adrian Thomas from the RSPB to find out which birds come to Britain in winter and how gardeners can encourage our feathered friends. Plus a look at the incredible transformation happening to Wisley's iconic Laboratory building, and the science team discusses two emerging threats to a traditional Christmas favourite, the chestnut.
Thu, November 30, 2017
Episode 118: Episode 118 - Incredible Edible Dunstable and re-inventing the conifer
We visit a thriving community garden in an unlikely spot close to the M1 in Bedfordshire, and speak to local residents and volunteers who say it has changed their lives. Meanwhile, Wisley's curator Matt Pottage meets life-long conifer fan Adrian Bloom who encourages gardeners to take another look at these much-maligned plants.
Thu, November 16, 2017
Episode 117: Honey what's that fungus? Fruity dilemmas, gardens to visit and Plant Encounters
Our trusty team of gardening experts answers questions on growing rhubarb, pears and strawberries. Plus we hear about a new RHS study on honey fungus and botanist James Armitage unearths more horticultural histories in his latest Wisley Plant Encounter. Listen out too for some of the seasonal highlights from our hundreds of partner gardens, as selected by Garden Visits Editor Sian Thomas.
Thu, November 02, 2017
Episode 116: An indoor forest, all about avocados and Bill Oddie's wild gardening adventures
We visit the RHS London Autumn Garden Show to hear expert advice on growing an edible forest garden, growing avocado plants and some imaginative ideas on floristry from the RHS Floral Artist in Residence. We’re also joined by bird and wildlife enthusiast Bill Oddie who recalls memories of the gardens of his youth and how they inspired his love of birds.
Thu, October 19, 2017
Episode 115: Curator's tips, grow your own gourmet garlic and Wisley Plant Encounters
Wisley's Curator Matthew Pottage shares seasonal gardening tips and gives us an update on all the exciting new developments that are transforming RHS Garden Wisley. We visit the RHS London Harvest Festival Show to hear growing tips and fascinating ideas for uses of garlic. Plus, botanist James Armitage unearths an ancient larch tree with a mysterious past in his latest Wisley Plant Encounter.
Thu, October 05, 2017
Episode 114: Get the jungle look! Wisley's new Exotic Garden, going wild for wildlife in winter and incredible history of apples at the RHS
We visit Wisley's stunning new Exotic Garden to discover the plants that give it such a tropical ambience, and get tips of how to get the look at home. Wildlife expert Kate Bradbury makes the case for being relaxed about autumn tidy-ups to provide habitats for overwintering wildlife. Meanwhile at the Lindley Library, we discover an exhibition of the RHS's remarkable 200-year project to protect heritage apples.
Thu, September 21, 2017
Episode 113: Strawberry, apple and lilac problems solved, wonderful wildlife at Hyde Hall and plant encounters
Wisley’s fruit specialists join the advisory team to answer listeners' questions, including poorly strawberries, maggoty apples and rotten tomatoes. We also visit RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex to discover the amazing wildlife that now shares our easternmost garden, and botanist James Armitage concludes his ongoing series of Wisley plant encounters.
Thu, September 07, 2017
Episode 112: Exotic vegetables take root in Essex, seasonal gardening tasks, and are native plants better for wildlife?
Chickpeas, yard-long beans and shark's fin melons... all on a windy hilltop near Chelmsford... we visit RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex to hear some inspirational Grow Your Own ideas from their new Global Growth Vegetable Garden. We also hear about some of the latest research the RHS has conducted in the Plant For Bugs project and as usual we have all the latest on events across our RHS Gardens.
Thu, August 24, 2017
Episode 111: Hyde Hall's mega meadow; questions on fuchsias, roses, tulips and whitefly; Wisley plant encounters
We visit RHS Garden Hyde Hall to discover a garden undergoing an incredible transformation, with huge new meadows linking it to the surrounding countryside. The RHS advisory team is back to answer listeners' seasonal questions including distorted leaves on fuchsias, moving roses, which tulips will come back next year and how to deal with whitefly. Plus we hear the latest instalment in botanist James Armitage’s Wisley plant encounters.
Thu, August 10, 2017
Episode 110: What's occurring at Wisley, Wild About Gardening, orchid experts share their tips
Curator Matt Pottage shares his personal highlights from RHS Garden Wisley this summer, and reveals how the redevelopment of the garden is progressing. Wildlife expert Kate Bradbury visits Chapel End Early Years Centre in East London to discover low-cost ways of encouraging wild creatures, and owner of a pioneering French nursery shares his tips for getting the best out of your orchids.
Fri, July 28, 2017
Episode 109: Slugs - are they all bad? Holiday gardening with children and tips on courgettes and pruning wisteria
In this edition we have a focus on slugs - how to identify different species and how they can actually help your garden. We also have news on family events across all four RHS Gardens as well as the latest in our continuing series of Wisley Plant Encounters. The RHS advisory experts answer this month’s listeners' questions covering topics such as summer pruning of wisteria, growing courgettes and tips for making your soil more workable.
Thu, July 13, 2017
Episode 108: Hairy Bikers at Hampton, incredibly edible show gardens, going wild and going green
This week's edition comes from the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, where BBC's Hairy Bikers share their love of edible gardening in the RHS Kitchen Garden, created by award-winning designer Juliet Sargeant. Plus we discover cunning designs aimed at coping with climate change, and reconnecting children with nature through play.
Thu, June 29, 2017
Episode 107: Chatsworth Flower Show highlights, weird and wonderful plants at Wisley
We visit the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show in Derbyshire for some expert advice on gardening in a changing climate and moveable gardens. Botanist James Armitage reads the latest in his series of Wisley Plant Encounters, discovering some of the garden's more unusual residents.
Thu, June 15, 2017
Grow your knowledge: Adult education with the RHS
If you’re interested in gardening, why not grow your knowledge with the RHS? Anyone can learn with us; whether you’d like to take a day course to find out how to prune your apple tree or become a fully-qualified gardener, we can help. Hear stories from people whose lives have been transformed by getting into horticulture in this special edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast.
Thu, June 01, 2017
Episode 106: Chelsea's unsung heroes, a Show Garden goes to Wales and RHS Photographic Competition.
We go behind the scenes at the Chelsea Flower Show to speak to the unsung show garden heroes and find out what it really takes to make a medal-winning show garden. We also catch up on this year’s RHS Photographic Competition and meet the lucky winners of the Greening Grey Britain garden.
Thu, May 18, 2017
Episode 105: Jo Malone at Chelsea, misbehaving wisteria, tomato questions answered.
As this year’s gardens take shape, we visit the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to meet the designers. These include the brand-new, sensory Feel Good Gardens, created in conjunction with BBC Radio 2 DJs and celebrities including Jo Whiley and Jo Malone. Plus we have seasonal expert advice on questions including poorly-looking tomato plants and a wisteria whose flowers have changed colour.
Thu, May 04, 2017
Episode 104: A peony with a rocky past, disappearing plants and gardening in a changing climate
Botanist James Armitage continues his series of Wisley Plant Encounters with a look at a tree peony with a back-story that spans the globe. Team leader Sam Gallivan explains where the missing plants at Wisley have gone; and following a major new report, the horticultural advisors discuss what climate change means for gardeners. Useful links: Gardening in a Changing Climate report Wisley Plant Encounters
Thu, April 27, 2017
RHS Flower Shows Special 2017
Let your gardening imagination run riot at our world-famous flower shows this year. In this special edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we meet people behind the shows including designers, judges and show managers to find out what’s in store for 2017 and look back at the highlights of 2016.
Thu, April 20, 2017
Episode 103: Episode 103: BBC Radio 2 at Chelsea; seasonal advice, a celebration of the RHS Plant Finder and Plant Encounters part 2
Our gardening experts help listeners with queries including rabbit-proof plants, tulips with no flowers and dealing with a lopsided plum tree. We meet the manager of the Chelsea Flower Show to find out about BBC Radio 2's new Feel Good Gardens, and we celebrate 30 years of the RHS Plant Finder. Plus, botanist James Armitage continues his series of Wisley Plant Encounters (open full description for links). Useful links: Feel Good Gardens Wisley Plant Encounters
Thu, April 06, 2017
Episode 102: Easter treats, Angell Town revisited, Wisley under the (jack) hammer and win a Chelsea garden!
Hear the latest on the redevelopments at Wisley with Curator Matthew Pottage and find out about the huge range of events at RHS Gardens over the Easter holidays. We visit Angell Town to find out if the residents are still enjoying their relocated 'Greening Grey Britain' Chelsea Show Garden from last year, and discover how you can win plants from a garden at this year's Chelsea Flower Show.
Thu, March 23, 2017
Episode 101: What to do now in the veg garden, top 10 diseases, how to help British butterflies, and the strange case of the purple toothwort
We visit the fruit and vegetable gardens at Wisley to find out what seasonal jobs the gardeners are up to. Following on from episode 100, we discover which plant diseases plagued gardeners the most last year. Entomologist Anna Platoni shares tips on how to encourage native butterflies into the garden, while botanist James Armitage heads into the woods on the trail of beautiful vampire.
Thu, March 09, 2017
Episode 100: You are not alone... gardeners' top pests and how to deal with them
With the recent release of the RHS top 10 pests and diseases 2016 list, our horticultural advisors get together to help gardeners deal with these troubles. Topics covered include small trees that are resistant to honey fungus, slugs and snails, vine weevils and fuchsia gall mite. We also discuss raised beds and seasonal gardening jobs to help you get ahead this spring.
Thu, February 23, 2017
Question and answer special - Growing in pots and containers
Do you have problems with your pots or suffer complications with your containers? Luckily help is at hand as our RHS gardening advisors and scientists sit down to help listeners get the best from their potted plant treasures. Topics include which compost to use, how to deal with pests and diseases and to crock or not to crock!
Thu, February 09, 2017
Episode 99: Help for hedgehogs and hellebores; how to go pro with gardening
Our gardening experts help listeners with queries including how to use plants to tackle air pollution, dealing with an ugly concrete path, making gardens hedgehog-friendly and what to do if your hellebore won't flower. We also discover the wide range of educational opportunities on offer for adults looking to pursue a career in horticulture.
Thu, January 26, 2017
Episode 98: Joys of winter at Wisley, perfect ponds and beautiful butterflies
We’re at Wisley to see some of the highlights of the garden in winter including an update on the Winter Walk, butterflies in the Glasshouse and Bernard Boardman gives his expert guide to building the perfect pond.
Thu, January 12, 2017
Episode 97: Explaining the changes at Wisley; advice on composting, African violets and scale insects
As we welcome in 2017, we hear the latest news about redevelopments at RHS Garden Wisley from curator Matthew Pottage, plus the RHS Advisory Team are on hand to tackle some tricky new year gardening questions - including composting fallen fruit, caring for African violets and a sticky problem with a star jasmine. Plus all the latest on events across our four gardens.
Wed, December 21, 2016
Highlights of 2016
In our final 2016 edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, the team revisit some favourite interviews from a busy and productive year at the Royal Horticultural Society - from the winning designers at the Chelsea Flower Show, invaluable advice from our expert Horticultural Advisors, words of inspiration from RHS Ambassador for young people, Baroness Floella Benjamin and our community project at Angell Town. We also hear Wisley Curator Matthew Pottage’s plans for the garden in 2017.
Thu, December 15, 2016
Episode 96: Fruit and festivities
As we approach Christmas it's all about fruit and festivities as the Wisley gardening team discuss winter pruning of apple trees and our advice team scour the RHS shop for those all-important last minute Christmas gift ideas for garden lovers. We also have all the latest news on holiday events across our four RHS gardens.
Wed, November 30, 2016
Books Special: Experts pick their favourites old and new, the joy of books, and books for Christmas presents
In this special edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we're joined by experts and authors who discuss their favourite gardening books both classic and modern, and give recommendations of books for presents this Christmas. For a list of the books mentioned, please see rhs.org.uk/books-podcast
Thu, November 17, 2016
FREE ACCESS: Members' episode 38: RHS Ambassador Baroness Floella Benjamin shares her love of gardening; and listeners' questions
In a special edition of the RHS Members' Podcast, open to everyone, our Gardening Advice team tackles listeners' questions including what to do about a Bramley apple tree with tiny fruit, how to plant gooseberries and how to feed young trees. Plus, RHS Ambassador, Baroness Floella Benjamin, shares her love of gardening (the second part of an interview from episode 94 of the fortnightly RHS Gardening Podcast).
Thu, November 17, 2016
Episode 95: Columnar plants for vertical structure, seasonal advice on sprouts, lawn care and much much more
The RHS advisors are in session, helping gardeners pick the best plants for upright accents, sorting out sickly Brussels sprouts and rooting around the cause of a death in the shrubbery. Plus seasonal tips on lawncare, dealing with pesky garden flies and looking after your vegetable garden among other topics.
Thu, November 03, 2016
Episode 94: Expert picks for autumn colour, and RHS Ambassador Floella Benjamin shares her passion for gardening
At the recent RHS Shades of Autumn Show, Anne Swithinbank gives us her essential seasonal gardening tasks, and expert nursery growers reveal their choices for plants that can bring sensational autumn colour into your garden. Plus, RHS Ambassador Baroness Floella Benjamin shares her enthusiasm for gardening and inspiring the next generation of gardeners.
Thu, October 20, 2016
Episode 93: Badgers in the garden and Angell Town community gardeners visit Wisley.
We look at the benefits of leafmould and how we can create it, and general compost, for the garden. Plant suggestions for difficult situations and how to deal with usual and unusual autumn pests. We also catch up with gardeners from Angell Town on their visit to a master class at Wisley.
Thu, October 06, 2016
Episode 92: Glories of the Harvest Festival, giant pumpkins and get snapping!
The team visit the annual RHS London Harvest Show at the Lindley Hall to meet award-winning nursery growers and hear expert advice on fruit and vegetables as well as exploring the ever-popular Giant Pumpkin Competition. We also hear about some exciting changes to this year’s RHS Photographic Competition and as always, we have the latest news on events across our four gardens.
Thu, September 22, 2016
Episode 91: Lowdown on lily beetle, brightening up spring gardens with clever bulb combos and a visit to the Wisley Flower Show
The RHS Gardening Advice team tackle listeners' questions on dealing with lily beetles, which bulbs combine well for dazzling spring displays, and how to repair lawns after a summer of wear and tear. We also visit the Wisley Flower Show and meet visitors and growers including experts on ferns, dahlias and airplants. Useful links: Take part in our lily beetle survey RHS Advice: planting bulbs Autumn lawn care
Thu, September 01, 2016
Episode 90: A rose garden fit for a queen, coping with critters and knowing your onions
This week we're at RHS Garden Wisley getting tips from the professionals on the very best rose varieties and what to plant with them for a long-lasting and fragrant display. Entomologist Andy Salisbury gives seasonal advice on dealing with vine weevils and chafer grubs, and resident vegetable expert Mario Di Pace shares his tips on growing onions, garlic and shallots - finishing with some delicious recipe ideas.
Thu, August 18, 2016
Episode 89: How to grow camellias in pots, dealing with trees near to buildings, apples and taking cuttings
The RHS Advice team answer listeners' questions on camelias, acers and caring for trees that are close to buildings; plus we have seasonal advice on apples and an expert guide to propagating tender perennials. Plus an update on late summer events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, August 04, 2016
Episode 88: Tatton calling! Tips from specialist growers; young designers' inspirations and more
We’re in Cheshire for the 2016 RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. Listen to all the best bits from the show including expert advice from local nurseries, the winning gardens in the 2016 RHS Young Designer of the Year Competition and all of the Tatton favourites, including inspiring ideas for back-to-back gardens.
Thu, July 21, 2016
Episode 87: Gardening QandA including pond algae, growing potatoes for Christmas and box tree moth; Wisley's big plans for the future
THis week we answer a bumper crop of gardening questions, including: • How to get clear water in your pond • Which fruit and veg are wildlife-friendly • How to grow bottlebrush plants • Growing potatoes for Christmas • Spotting and controlling box tree moth Plus Wisley's youngest-ever curator, Matthew Pottage discusses the garden's big plans for the future, and RHS edibles guru Jim Arbury gives advice on seasonal tasks in the vegetable and fruit garden.
Thu, July 07, 2016
Episode 86: A day at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2016
Renowned for its rose displays, fantastic shopping opportunities and innovative garden displays, the show is a wonderful day out for garden lovers of all ages and runs until the 10th July. We hear from garden designers at the show, speak to the winners of this year’s RHS and BBC Garden Design Competition, ’A Feel Good Front Garden’, and have some expert advice on creating gardens with man’s best friend in mind.
Thu, June 23, 2016
Episode 85: Pipping pests at the post, the RHS on Tour, and looking forward to the Chatsworth Flower Show 2017
We’re at Columbia Road Flower Market in East London with RHS on Tour - a pop-up event showcasing some of the best that RHS shows have to offer in local communities. We also hear details of our exciting new RHS Show at Chatsworth in 2017 and there's seasonal advice for jobs to do in your own gardens right now, including tips on spotting rosemary beetles and collecting seed.
Thu, June 09, 2016
Episode 84: Seasonal fruit tips, coping with caterpillars, bamboo control and Chelsea designers' secrets of moving plants
Wisley’s Edibles team give seasonal advice on caring for fruit, award-winning designers at the 2016 RHS Chelsea Flower Show have tips on moving plants and the RHS Gardening Advice team answer listeners' gardening queries on everything from pests including pigeons, caterpillars and squirrels, to keeping bamboo within bounds.
Thu, May 26, 2016
Episode 83: It's showtime! Fresh from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show; design inspirations and women making their mark
We talk to leading designers, celebrities and nursery-people at the world's most famous flower show, including Cleve West, Jo Thompson, Richard E Grant and Diarmuid Gavin. Discover the inspirations behind award-winning gardens, and join us as we celebrate a surge in female designer talent at this year's show.
Thu, May 12, 2016
Episode 82: Expert tips on growing vegetables and climbers and a look at the RHS Community Allotment programme
Get your garden into gear with professional advice on what to do now. We visit the RHS Allotment project at Wisley, and as always we have the latest news on events across our four RHS Gardens. The RHS Gardening Advice team answer listeners' seasonal questions on a wide range of topics including: • growing rainbow chard • how to prune early-flowering clematis • choosing the right jasmine for you • what to do if your daffodils didn't flower
Thu, April 28, 2016
Episode 81: Know your N-P-K, 150 years of 'The Garden' magazine and seasonal tips for growing your own
Hear our expert guide to fertilisers, including all you need to know about those essential nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium combinations. We celebrate 150 years of the RHS magazine for members, 'The Garden’ and we have what to do now tips from Wisley’s Edible plants team. Plus all the latest spring events across our four RHS Gardens.
Thu, April 14, 2016
Episode 80: Springing into action; seasonal tasks and Jekka McVicar talks gardening for health and happiness
Expert advice from RHS Garden Wisley on what to do in your garden this week, including controlling bindweed and preparing your pots. Our Horticultural Advisors answer listeners' questions on fig trees, repairing lawns and watering succulents. Also, herb expert and RHS Ambassador Jekka McVicar explores how to improve health and wellbeing through plants.
Thu, March 24, 2016
SCIENCE SPECIAL: looking at the new RHS Science Strategy
It's an exciting time for horticultural science, and in response to new opportunities (and new challenges), the RHS has launched a five year plan: the 'RHS Science Strategy 2015–2019'. We go behind the scenes to find out what this will mean for gardens and gardeners up and down the country, as well as unearthing details of exciting plans for a new science centre at RHS Garden Wisley.
Thu, March 17, 2016
Episode 79: Growing healthily, National Gardening Week and all change at the Lindley Library
We venture into the fruit and vegetable gardens at Wisley to learn what to do in March to ensure the best performance from your fruit and vegetables in the year ahead. We also hear about plans to keep gardeners fit during this year’s National Gardening Week and we have the latest on new additions to the RHS Lindley Library - an Aladdin's cave of rare books and exquisite botanical art which is now more accessible than ever before. All of that plus the latest news on Easter events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, March 03, 2016
Episode 78: Expert hacks from the Horticultural Halls, gardening questions answered and a guide to composting
We visit the RHS Early Spring Plant Fair in London for seasonal hints and tips from leading nurseries. We also hear an expert guide to composting and the RHS Gardening Advice team are on hand to answer listeners' gardening questions.
Thu, February 18, 2016
Episode 77: Rose Special - growing beautiful blooms with spectacular scent
As well as outlining gardening tasks you can do now our expert horticulturists, from RHS Garden Wisley, explain how to choose, plant and care for your roses, whether they are bush, climbers or hybrid teas. Plus the RHS advisors answer some of the most common questions gardeners ask about roses, and we have details of the latest RHS events.
Fri, February 05, 2016
Episode 76: Dividing snowdrops, seasonal rose care, fruit and veg in small spaces and houseplant inspiration
As the days finally start to lengthen, there's plenty to be getting on with in the garden. Matt Pottage, Curator at RHS Garden Wisley, gives advice on dividing snowdrops and what to do in the rose garden this month. Meanwhile, the Gardening Advice team tackle a range of questions, including: • Which fruit and veg to grow in a small shady area • Using 'vintage' recycled materials in your garden • How to spot box blight and what to plant instead We also get inspiration for houseplants from the Glasshouse at Wisley, and give details of events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, January 21, 2016
Episode 75: Dealing with extreme weather, vibrant stems for winter colour and turning a Blue Monday green
The RHS Gardening team at Wisley share their seasonal suggestions of what you can be doing in your greenhouses and gardens to get ahead for spring. We also hear expert advice on dealing with extreme weather including waterlogging and cold temperatures. We have news on the latest research into how gardening can improve mental and physical health, plus Matthew Pottage, Curator at RHS Garden Wisley, gives his suggestions for plants with coloured stems that bring that a much-needed injection of colour at this time of year.
Thu, January 07, 2016
Episode 74: Advice for the new year, quick screening plants and RHS Holidays
The garden team at Wisley give expert tips on the first jobs you should be doing this year including both soil and greenhouse preparation. Our team of horticultural advisors answer listeners' questions on a wide range of topics including. • Quick-growing plants for screening • Growing monkey puzzle trees • Heritage apple recommendations We also explore Italy with a look at RHS Gardening Holidays as well as events closer to home, with the latest on activities across the four RHS Gardens
Thu, December 24, 2015
RHS advice special - review of 2015
We take a look back at the highlights of the gardening calendar from the past 12 months. Hear the best bits from our fortnightly podcasts from 2015 as we give seasonal advice, go behind the scenes at our RHS Flower shows and discover hidden gems of our four RHS Gardens. With advice on a wide range of topics from Grow Your Own, plants for shade, pests and diseases, garden design and much more, our 2015 review is an essential listen for gardeners of any level.
Thu, December 24, 2015
Episode 73: Feeling festive - walking in a Wisley wonderland, poinsettia tips and how to grow your own cranberries
The RHS Gardening Advice team answer seasonal questions on festive favourites including poinsettias, cranberries and scented wreaths. RHS Wisley’s new curator, Matthew Pottage talks us through the gardens' winter highlights and we have the latest news on Christmas and New Year events across our the RHS Gardens
Fri, December 11, 2015
Episode 72: Winter walks and seasonal advice
Many plants are winding down for winter, however December is still a busy time for gardeners. We speak to the team at RHS Garden Wisley to find out the seasonal jobs they are doing around the garden. Our RHS Advisors answer your questions on subjects including: starting in a new garden from scratch, planting apple trees and how to care for olive trees. We discover the berries, flowers, colourful stems and evergreen foliage on display in Wisley's Winter Walk. There is also an update of the latest events taking place at our four RHS Gardens.
Fri, November 27, 2015
Episode 71: Drought and flood advice and gardening icons
Droughts and floods cause problems for gardeners - but what if your garden suffers from both? Our expert RHS Advisors offer tips and discuss their latest research in this area. We speak to plantsman Matthew Biggs about his latest book, ‘RHS Lessons from Great Gardeners: Forty Gardening Icons and What They Teach Us’; and as the festive period fast approaches, we have details of events across our four RHS Gardens.
Thu, November 12, 2015
Episode 70: How to get your garden ready for winter, gardening Q and As and planting bare-root trees
Matt Pottage, Acting Curator at RHS Garden Wisley gives expert advice on seasonal tasks. The RHS Gardening Advice team answer listeners' questions on topics including: • Growing climbers in shade • Suggestions on how to get started in a new garden • Ideas for potted wedding presents Plus we have a comprehensive guide to planting bare-root trees as well as the latest news on events across our four RHS Gardens.
Thu, November 05, 2015
RHS Flower Shows special 2016
We take you behind the scenes of the world-famous RHS flower shows, with sneak previews of what’s in store at RHS shows for 2016, how to get discounted tickets, plus highlights of an outstanding 2015 season.
Fri, October 30, 2015
John MacLeod lecture - 'Gardening Planet Earth - Sustainable Horticulture'
Is 'wildness' an inviolable concept, or with 7 billion of us on planet earth, is the whole world in fact a garden? And can we as gardeners make a difference to the fate of the planet and its biodiversity? Hosted by the RHS at the Lindley Hall in London, the John MacLeod Annual Lecture has fast become a prestigious event, highlighting important and inspiring topics on horticultural science. This year, Professor Stephen Blackmore CBE, spoke on 'Gardening Planet Earth - Sustainable Horticulture'. Download this podcast to hear the lecture in full.
Thu, October 29, 2015
Episode 69: Autumn Harvests - expert talks on edibles to plant now, how to eat nettles and how to store your harvest
Further reporting from the RHS London Harvest Show - we hear a selection of talks from the show on everything from growing and harvesting to storing your crops without refridgeration right through to next spring. Wild food expert Claudio Bincoletto extols the virtues of nettles and other foraged greens. Plus seasonal advice on growing fruit and vegetables and information on events and workshops across the RHS Gardens.
Thu, October 15, 2015
Episode 68: The RHS London Harvest Show and hidden gems of RHS Wisley’s Glasshouse
We visit the recent RHS London Harvest Festival Show to hear expert advice from growers on how to get the best performance from your homegrown fruit and vegetables - including apples, garlic and broad beans. We also round up the productive year and hear which crops have performed well. In addition, we visit The Glasshouse at RHS Garden Wisley to discover some of its hidden gems; and as always, we have details of events across all four RHS Gardens.
Thu, October 01, 2015
Episode 67: Seasonal advice for growing fruit and vegetables, plus glasshouse essentials
The fruit team at RHS Garden Wisley have expert seasonal tips on growing the tastiest fruit and vegetables, and the advice team are on hand with expert advice to your gardening questions, including.. • How to ensure your pears perform • Caring for courgettes • Choosing the right pea We also continue our series of gardening essentials with a focus on Glasshouses, where we discuss the ‘must-have’ kit for every gardener. Plus we have the latest news on events across our four RHS Gardens.
Thu, September 17, 2015
Episode 66: Expert tips on dahlias, apples and more; plus a guide to garden ponds
Hear the pick of the crop of seasonal gardening advice from RHS experts, covering both edible and ornamental gardening. Topics covered include • Dahlias in the autumn garden • Cyclamen for difficult spots • Harvesting apples and pears • Fruit diseases and how to prevent them We also take a look at ponds - which type to choose and how best to populate them; plus, as always, the latest news on events across all four RHS Gardens
Thu, September 03, 2015
Episode 65: Good bugs, bad bugs; how to beat weeds and seasonal gardening questions answered
Senior RHS Entomologist Andrew Salisbury reveals the result of a four year scientific study into ‘Plants for Bugs’ which examined the effectiveness of different plants into attracting beneficial insects into our gardens. The Science team also discuss a brand new pest they have discovered affecting agapanthus flowers. We also have ideas for gardening jobs you could be doing in over the coming weeks, and the RHS Advisory team answer listeners’ seasonal gardening queries, including detailed advice on strategies to overcome weed problems.
Thu, August 20, 2015
Episode 64: Cold blooded killers under the microscope, foliage plants and fruit-growing essentials
We visit the Pathology team at RHS Garden Wisley to learn about the methods and techniques they use to help inform gardeners about common plant diseases. Deputy Curator at Wisley, Matthew Pottage, gives us his tips on using foliage plants to create borders with year-round interest; and we have another instalment of our ‘Gardening Essentials’ series where we are back in the fruit garden to learn about the tools and tricks that every gardener needs. Also hear ideas on seasonal gardening tasks, as well as the latest news on RHS events.
Thu, August 06, 2015
Episode 63: Masterclasses on fuchsias and more, plus in-depth advice on strawberries and tomatoes
Hear a series of masterclasses on caring for popular plants including fuschias, hostas and lilies. Also, the RHS Gardening Advice team at Wisley answer listeners’ seasonal questions, including: • Growing strawberries • Watering tomatoes • Creating green driveways And you can find out about the latest events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, July 23, 2015
Episode 62: Insider’s guide to RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2015 and tips on pruning tools
Tune in and plan your visit to the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park in Cheshire. Highlights include interviews with the RHS Young Designer of the Year competitors, as well as from a gold medal-winning garden designer. In this edition of Gardening Essentials there’s some really useful advice on pruning tools for the fruit garden, and we also have the latest on summer events for all the family across our four RHS gardens.
Thu, July 09, 2015
Episode 61: Highlights from the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and Greening Grey Britain
On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we visit the 2015 RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and hear highlights from the showground as we celebrate Hampton’s 25th Anniversary. We also have news on how you can get involved in a major new RHS campaign ‘Greening Grey Britain’ and our RHS Advisors are on hand to answer your seasonal gardening questions including: • Growing marrows • Advice on trees growing close to buildings • How to propagate clematis We also have the latest news on summer events across our four RHS Gardens.
Thu, June 25, 2015
Episode 60: Summer watering, lawn care and the best plants for June
Our experts focus on watering, and there’s summer advice on hose attachments and how and when to water your lawns. We continue our regular feature on Gardening Essentials as the team discuss the tools and tricks that every gardener needs. We also have suggestions of Award of Garden Merit Plants for June, which include some fabulous roses, and the RHS’ science team tells us about their latest research projects on: • Greening • Climate • Ivy
Thu, June 11, 2015
Episode 59: Seasonal jobs, questions answered and an essential guide to weeding
Our expert teams at Wisley give seasonal advice on jobs to do in your kitchen gardens right now. In our regular guides to Gardening Essentials, we tackle weeding, including tips on selecting the right hoe. Our team of Horticultural Advisors at RHS Wisley answer listeners’ questions on a diverse range of topics including • Creating a blue border • Growing the perfect sunflower • Growing seeds in space! We also have the latest news on summer events across our four RHS Gardens including a focus on the 25th anniversary of the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.
Thu, May 28, 2015
Episode 58: A plants special – plant combinations from award-winning Chelsea gardens and the best garden performers
It’s all about the plants as we hear from award-winning designers Adam Frost, Matt Wilson and Chris Beardshaw, who discuss their choices of planting combinations for their gardens at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, as well as expert tips on agapanthus, perennials and more, plus: • Our selection of the best-performing plants, includingpoppies and peonies • A special report on a great alternative to the busy lizzie - the New Guinea impatiens • We also have advice on seasonal gardening jobs as well as details of the latest events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, May 14, 2015
Episode 57: The not-so-humble umbel, and listeners seasonal questions answered
In this episode, Phil Clayton, Assistant Editor of RHS Members’ magazine The Garden explores all the umbel has to offer, and gives us an insight into his favourites – there’s so much more to them than cow parsley… Plus our expert advisors answer visitors gardening queries at the recent RHS Great London Plant Fair, and the gardening team at RHS Garden Wisley give advice on what you can be doing in your own gardens right now. And, as always, details of wonderful events coming up at our four RHS Gardens.
Thu, April 30, 2015
Episode 56: We preview the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015
As the pinnacle of the gardening calendar rapidly approaches, and build-up to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is underway, we take a behind-the-scenes peek and speak to a range of new and award-winning designers about their plans for this year. Show Garden designer Jo Thompson tells all about her sponsor’s garden, The Retreat for M and G Investments, we talk to 2014 BBC and RHS Chelsea People’s Choice winner Matt Keightley, as well as the youngest ever Chelsea design duo, the Rich Brothers. We also have the latest news on other Chelsea highlights, as well as reminders about this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and other gardening events across our four RHS Gardens.
Thu, April 16, 2015
Episode 55: A comprehensive guide to orchids, plus gardening essentials
In this edition, we visit the recent European Orchid Show and Conference at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London for a foolproof guide to caring for Phalaenopsis (moth orchids). Plus, in the first instalment of our new garden essentials feature, our experts from RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey discuss the best gloves and pruning tools to have in your shed. There’s also seasonal advice on current jobs you can be doing in your garden, and the latest news on events across our four RHS Gardens.
Thu, April 02, 2015
Episode 54: Spring lawn care and expert seasonal advice
As we approach National Gardening Week, we have the latest news on special events across our four RHS gardens and a host of seasonal advice. As well as tips on pond maintenance we have a thorough guide to spring lawn care to help you get it in great condition. Also our the RHS advice team answer your gardening questions, including queries on: • helping olive trees to fruit • cutting back hydrangeas • choosing slug-resilient hostas
Thu, March 19, 2015
Episode 53: Top 10 pest enquiries and RHS Partner Gardens looking good in spring
In this edition, RHS Senior Entomologist Dr Andrew Salisbury counts down the annual top ten garden pests enquired about in the past 12 months. We also focus on RHS Partner Gardens looking good now across the UK and, as always, there’s seasonal advice on gardening jobs you can be doing, including… • Glasshouse maintenance • Pruning of fruit trees • Long term weed prevention Plus, the latest news and events at our 4 RHS Gardens at Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor and Wisley.
Thu, March 05, 2015
Episode 52: RHS Seed Scheme and Butterflies in the Glasshouse at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey
We visit RHS Garden Wisley’s fantastic Butterflies in the Glasshouse exhibition and our expert team of horticultural advisors answer listeners’ questions including: • Suggestions for planting in a north-facing garden • How to deal with Japanese knotweed • Selecting trees for planting in containers Plus we have seasonal advice on preparing seeds for propagation, and the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, February 19, 2015
Episode 51: Growing your own herbs and caring for snowdrops
We visit the RHS Garden Wisley fruit team for advice on what you should be doing in February with fruit trees such as apples and pears. We have expert advice on growing herbs from seed by bestselling author and RHS Council member, Jekka McVicar. We also talk to Garden Manager Markus Radscheit about his love for snowdrops and his advice to gardeners on creating great winter displays. Plus we have all the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, February 05, 2015
Episode 50: Celebratory clips from Alan Titchmarsh, Mary Berry and Colin Crosbie, plus pruning wisteria, winter tips and a chance to win show tickets
We celebrate the 50th episode of the RHS Gardening Podcasts with some of our favourite moments from the archives, including words of horticultural wisdom from the likes of gardening guru Alan Titchmarsh, baking queen and keen RHS Member Mary Berry and Curator of RHS Garden Wisley Colin Crosbie. We also have topical seasonal advice for what you should be doing in your garden right now including: • How to prune wisteria • Tips on dealing with winter winds and snow. • The RHS advice team answer your latest gardening questions PLUS: latest news on Winter events across our four RHS Gardens, and your chance to win a pair of tickets worth £70 to this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.
Thu, January 22, 2015
Episode 49: Tackling problem areas of dry shade and growing chillies successfully
We have expert seasonal advice on what you could be doing in your garden on a bright, crisp winter’s day including: • Caring for blackberries • Choosing the right size pot for re-potting plants We also have handy tips on growing chillies and sweet peppers, as well as tips for selecting plants to grow in problem areas of dry shade. Plus, we have the latest news on RHS events across the four RHS Gardens
Thu, January 08, 2015
Episode 48: Gardening bestsellers and expert advice to start the new year
On the first 2015 edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast RHS Head of Libraries, Fiona Davison completes her guide to the best-selling gardening books of all time. We ask staff at the RHS what they are looking forward to in the year ahead and we have the latest news on events at RHS Gardens and RHS Shows. Plus, our expert team of advisors are on hand to answer your seasonal gardening queries including: • Caring for camellias • Tips for dealing with bindweed • Getting the best from your coffee plants
Tue, December 23, 2014
Episode 47: Bestselling books, help our research and looking after birds this winter
In this Christmas edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, Head of Libraries and Exhibitions Fiona Davison talks us through the biggest bestsellers in gardening books. RHS Horticultural Advisor Jenny Bowden asks for your help in important RHS gardening research. Plus we have expert advice on caring for birds in your garden over the Christmas period.
Thu, December 11, 2014
Episode 46: Controlling pests in winter and looking at plants with a bad reputation in a new light
The advisory team at RHS Garden Wisley are on hand to answer your winter gardening questions on subjects including: • Tips for planting allium bulbs • Changing the colour of hydrangeas • First aid for damaged lawns Deputy Curator, Matthew Pottage makes the case for plants with a bad press such as pampas grass and heathers. Plus, we have the latest news on Christmas activities and events across the four RHS Gardens including the highly anticipated ‘Narnia’ trail at RHS Garden Wisley.
Thu, November 27, 2014
Episode 45: Seasonal advice, troubleshooting plant diseases and choosing gardening gifts for Christmas
We hear seasonal advice from the team at RHS Garden Wisley gardening team including: • Hedge trimming • Tree planting • Dealing with worm casts Geoff Denton from the RHS Plant Pathology team discusses diseases that may prevail this winter and Chief Horticultural Advisor Leigh Hunt selects his range of Christmas gift ideas from the Wisley Plant Centre. We also have all the latest news in up-coming events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, November 13, 2014
Episode 44: What to do now, plus tips on how to get better fruit and veg next year
The team at RHS Garden Wisley have advice on what you should be doing now in your garden as the festive season approaches, including: • Preparing the glasshouse for winter • Caring for climbing roses • Cultivating figs for a good harvest next year Our expert team review this year's crops and give tips for even better fruit and vegetables next year. Plus, we have the latest news on events coming up to Christmas across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, October 30, 2014
Episode 43: Container-growing for winter interest and crops for the kitchen table
We’re at RHS Garden Wisley with the Advisory Team who are on hand to answer your seasonal gardening queries including: • How to grow a wildflower meadow from seed • How to ‘puppy-proof’ your garden • What type of slug pellets to choose Garden Manager, Matthew Pottage talks us through the jobs his team is doing right now, including lawn maintenance and planting bulbs. We also hear inspiration from expert growers on ideas for growing fruit and vegetables in containers. Plus, we have the latest news on forthcoming events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, October 16, 2014
Episode 42: Harvest delights and great plants to attract pollinators
In this edition we suggest some plants for all-year-round interest that encourage beneficial insects into your garden. We have expert seasonal advice on: • Achieving the perfect pumpkin • Growing award-winning apple and pear trees in your garden • Delicious recipe suggestions to try for your autumn vegetables Plus we have a pick of the month’s best RHS Award of Garden Merit plants and, as always, the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, October 02, 2014
Episode 41: Managing microclimates - making the weather work for you in your garden
Get advice on how to tackle climatic conditions within your garden. Also, the RHS Garden Wisley team are on hand with their thoughts on jobs you should be doing in your gardens right now touching on autumn raspberries, caring for houseplants, and dividing herbaceous perennials to increase your stock on garden favourites. Also, the RHS Advice team lend their expert knowledge to your gardening queries including: - Choosing plants for shade - Identifying puzzling apple pests - How to ripen green tomatoes And as always we have the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, September 18, 2014
Episode 40: Expert plant advice from the RHS Plant Day, Cotswold Wildlife Park
We visit the recent RHS Plant Day at the Cotswold Wildlife Park and hear from members of two RHS plant committees who were on hand to speak to visitors about their gardening successes and problems. We learn how to care for a range of ornamental plants and as always we have expert advice on what you should be doing in your garden now. Plus, we have the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens in the coming weeks.
Thu, September 04, 2014
Episode 39: Mary Berry opens the Wisley Flower Show 2014 and your gardening questions answered
We’re at RHS Garden Wisley with RHS ambassador and celebrity chef, Mary Berry as she opens this year’s Wisley Flower Show. Mary discusses her love of gardening, being an RHS member and her favourite parts of RHS Garden Wisley. The RHS Gardening Advice team are on hand to answer your questions including: • Suggestions for plants to grow on windy balconies • How to source interesting varieties of fruit trees • How to make a trellis for climbers such as clematis We discuss seasonal tasks and have all the latest news on events in September across our four world-class RHS Gardens, including the spectacular Wisley Flower Show.
Thu, August 21, 2014
Episode 38: James Wong's guide to growing flavour-filled fruit and veg, plus a focus on carnivorous plants
We’re joined by botanist and horticulturalist James Wong, who reveals his unique advice on how to achieve maximum flavour for minimum expenditure when growing your own fruit and veg. Nigel Hewitt Cooper discusses the essentials for caring for carnivorous plants, and we have expert seasonal advice for what you should be doing in your garden right now from the gardening team at RHS Wisley, including… • Watering woody perennials • Cutting hedges • Caring for lavender We also have all the latest news on late summer events across our four world-class RHS Gardens, including the spectacular Wisley Flower Show in September.
Thu, August 07, 2014
Episode 37: Bonsai, dragon quests and your gardening questions answered
The RHS Gardening Advice team are on hand to answer your seasonal gardening questions including: • How do I deal with a problem honeysuckle? • Why isn’t my perennial poppy flowering? • How should I care for an apple tree grown from a pip? We also have a special feature on bonsai with expert growing tips from the Mendip Bonsai Studio in Wales and some key advice from Wisley Garden Manager Matthew Pottage on watering throughout the summer months. We have news of forthcoming RHS Garden events including The Great Garden Quest, sponsored by Witan Investment Trust - a summer-long family adventure featuring sword-fighting and dragons across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, July 24, 2014
Episode 36: Allotment advice and inspiration, and great high-summer flowering plants to try in your garden
Experts at RHS Flower Show Tatton share inspiring ideas and advice for managing and maintaining allotments, and we have expert advice on what you should be doing in your garden right now. Also hear a selection of Award of Garden Merit plants of the month suggested by The Garden magazine’s Phil Clayton. We speak to this year’s finalists in the RHS Young Designer of The Year competition as well as their mentor, designer Paul Hervey Brookes at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2014, on until 27 July, and show manager Kris Hulewicz gives us his guide to the show’s four zones - Escape, Grow, Inspire and Feast. In addition we have the latest events across all four RHS Gardens.
Thu, July 10, 2014
Episode 35: A focus on the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2014
This week we bring you all the highlights from this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 8-13 July, including features on: • Hand-On potting bench demonstrations • Ocean Spray’s eye-catching garden display • John Wheatley’s celebration of 50 years of Britain in Bloom • The RHS Entomology team’s ‘Invisible Garden' • Tony Smith’s imaginative turf competition Plus the RHS Advisory team answer your July gardening queries including solutions for sloping and wet lawns, caring for tomatoes and ideas for July vegetable planting. In addition, we have news on the latest summer events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, June 26, 2014
Episode 34 : Top performing plants, pond-care and tips from the kitchen garden
We have expert tips for what you should be doing in your gardens now, plus a special feature on container ponds for gardens of all sizes – all from top experts at the recent RHS Flower Show Birmingham at BBC Gardeners’ World Live. Also at RHS Garden Wisley we learn how to troubleshoot common problems in the kitchen garden including: • Helpful advice on growing sweetcorn • Spotting garlic rust • Harvesting fruit We catch up with RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show manager, Dave Green for a preview of the show and Feature Editor of The Garden magazine, Phil Clayton selects his top-performing plants for June. We have all of this, as well as the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, June 12, 2014
Episode 33 : Improving borders and your gardening questions answered
We visit the RHS Advisory Team at RHS Garden Wisley for expert answers to your seasonal gardening questions, including: • What plants will thrive on my windy balcony? • How can I grow a lawn without patches? • What can I grow in clay soil? RHS Wisley Garden Manager, Matthew Pottage has great suggestions for theming your borders and Alan Titchmarsh talks about RHS Gardens and picks a favourite. We also have the latest news on events across all four of our RHS Gardens.
Thu, May 29, 2014
Episode 32: Top performing seasonal plants and an expert guide to conifers
Garden Manager of RHS Garden Wisley, Matthew Pottage explains why every garden needs a conifer, plus we have a focus on and appreciation of crown imperial flowers. RHS experts pick top performing seasonal selections to brighten your patch and the RHS Wisley gardening team are on hand to give their advice on what you should be doing in your gardens right now including: • Considering sub-tropical borders • Looking out for pests and diseases • Sowing a range of herbs for the kitchen Plus, we have the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens at Wisley in Surrey, Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire, Hyde Hall in Essex and Rosemoor in Devon.
Thu, May 15, 2014
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2014 special
We take you behind the scenes during the exiting build-up to the world’s most famous flower show. We hear from garden designers including Cleve West, Adam Frost and Matt Keightley about the inspirations behind their RHS Chelsea Flower Show gardens. Alan Titchmarsh celebrates 50 years of the RHS Britain in Bloom campaign and we also hear from the RHS apprentices who have been given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work on some of Chelsea's high profile gardens.
Thu, May 01, 2014
Episode 31: Lots of seasonal advice and a focus on growing beans and peas
On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we make our monthly visit to the RHS Advisory Team at RHS Garden Wisley to hear expert answers to your gardening questions, including: • How can I deal with wild garlic that’s growing in my garden? • How do I keep cats off my beds and borders? • How do I prune a rampant fig tree? Plus, we’ve expert advice on selecting varieties of beautiful beans and perfect peas, and handy tips from the Wisley gardening team on what you should be doing in your garden right now. As always, we have the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, April 17, 2014
Episode 30: How to make your garden wildlife-friendly and the best performing seasonal plants
On this edition of The RHS Gardening Podcast, author of The Wildlife Gardener Kate Bradbury, shares her suggestions on how to make a garden more attractive to wildlife. Features Editor of the RHS members’ magazine The Garden Phil Clayton, selects his RHS Award Of Garden Merit plants of the month. There’s advice on what you should be doing in your own garden now from the RHS Wisley Garden team including: • Mulching flower beds • Sowing and harvesting vegetables • Pruning shrubs such as Forsythia and Camellia Plus, as always, we have the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, April 03, 2014
Episode 29: Seasonal and expert plant advice from the RHS Great London Plant Fair
In this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we celebrate spring at RHS Great London Plant Fair 2014 at The Royal Horticultural Halls in Vincent Square, London. Our team of horticultural advisors are live at The Lindley Hall answering your gardening questions such as • How do I protect lilies from slugs? • When is the best time to move a hellebore? • What climbers can I plant on my south-west facing balcony? We’ll also hear tips on what you should be doing in your own gardens now from nurseries exhibiting at the plant fair including taking cuttings from chrysanthemums, caring for Agapanthus and looking out for lily beetles. Plus, we have the latest news on RHS Shows throughout 2014 including RHS Secret Garden Sundays as well as upcoming events at the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, March 20, 2014
Episode 28: Perfect potatoes and pest prevention
In this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we visit the recent RHS Potato Day at the RHS London Plant and Design Show for a guide to cultivating the perfect potato. We’ll hear about • Choosing a variety • Looking out for pests and disease • The results of the RHS Potato trials Plus, RHS Senior Entomologist, Andrew Salisbury reveals the top ten most troublesome pests of 2013. As always, we have the latest news of events across the four RHS Gardens.
Thu, March 13, 2014
Britain in Bloom 50th anniversary special
In this special edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we celebrate the 50th anniversary of RHS Britain in Bloom. We look at how Britain in Bloom helps to create lasting improvements to local environments for people across the UK as we visit Bloom projects in both Bath and Manchester. We hear about what’s in store for our golden anniversary and how you and your community can get involved.
Thu, March 06, 2014
Episode 27: Garden design for small spaces and seasonal tips from the RHS London Plant and Design Show and The RHS Gardening Advice team
On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, garden designer and writer James Alexander Sinclair returns with his guide to designing for small spaces. We visit the RHS London Plant and Design Show for seasonal tips from some of the UK’s finest nurseries, and the RHS Gardening Advice team are on hand to answer your gardening questions, including: • How to treat a waterlogged lawn • How to make your own compost • How to care for tomato seedlings Plus as always, we have news on the latest events across all four of the RHS Gardens.
Fri, February 21, 2014
Episode 26: Preparing the vegetable garden, garden design and the RHS Seed Scheme
On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, sponsored by Visit Wales we visit RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey for seasonal tips on what you should be doing in your garden now, including: • Treating recent tree damage • Looking out for diseases occurring in spring • Preparing your vegetable garden Also, we’re joined by garden designer James Alexander Sinclair for his expert guide to garden design for gardens of every size and we hear about the RHS Seed Scheme which collects and distributes seeds from garden plants to RHS members. Plus, as always we have news on the latest events across all four of the RHS Gardens.
Thu, February 06, 2014
Episode 25: A winter walk at RHS Garden Wisley, pond care and your gardening questions answered
In this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we’re at RHS Garden Wisley where Garden Manager, Matthew Pottage takes us on a guided tour of the new winter walk project. Plus, we visit the advice team where expert RHS advisors answer your gardening questions including how to reinvigorate lavender, how to prune Wisteria and how to prepare potatoes before planting. Also, members of the RHS Garden Wisley team are on hand with advice on what you should be doing in your garden right now, including: • February pond care • Collecting birch and hazel cuttings for staking perennials • Preparing your vegetable garden And, as always we have the latest news on events and offers across all four of the RHS Gardens.
Thu, January 23, 2014
Episode 24: Seasonal jobs, shrub selection and gardening stories from the RHS Lindley Library
In this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we visit the Lindley Library at the RHS headquarters in Vincent Square, London to hear some fascinating tales from the gardening archives as Head of Libraries and Exhibitions, Fiona Davison picks out her highlights from the collection. Also, Principal Horticultural Advisor, Leigh Hunt is on hand to give his recommendations for shrubs for seasonal scent and the RHS Garden Wisley team outlines jobs you should be doing in your garden right now, including: • Weeding beds • Renovating old fruit trees • Re-potting larger houseplants Plus, as always, we have the latest news on events and offers across our four RHS Gardens.
Thu, January 09, 2014
Episode 23: Repairs caused by extreme weather, seasonal gardening questions and butterflies at Wisley
On the first edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast for 2014, our experts have suggestions for repairing damage caused by the recent wet and windy weather. We have butterflies in the Greenhouse at RHS Garden Wisley, and the RHS Advisory team are on hand to tackle your January questions. Plus expert information on; • Growing on Christmas plants such as hyacinths, poinsettias and Christmas trees • Sourcing and creating compost • The advantages of raised beds And as always there’s news of the latest events across our four RHS Gardens.
Mon, December 23, 2013
Episode 22: Seasonal advice, selecting seeds, and visiting winter gardens around the UK
On this final edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast for 2013, the Wisley Garden team give suggestions for those final jobs of the year including.. • Plants for free by making root cuttings • Preparing your soil • Searching through seed catalogues Plus, Phil Clayton, features editor on the RHS’ award-winning The Garden magazine, sifts through the best of the seed catalogues and recommends top seeds to try for 2014 and RHS Garden Visits Editor Sian Thomas introduces her guide to RHS partner gardens to visit throughout the winter. All of that, and the latest news on events across our four RHS Gardens.
Thu, December 12, 2013
Episode 21: Inspirational Books, expert seasonal advice and Christmas events at our four gardens
We visit the gardening team at Wisley for seasonal tips on what you should be doing in your garden right now, including… • Protecting your trees from winter pests • Winter pruning of acers • Preparing your hellebores Also we’re joined by editor Chris Young, from the RHS’ award-winning ‘The Garden’ magazine, for his pick of the best gardening books of 2013. And the RHS Advisory Team are on hand to answer your gardening questions including… • How to deal with frozen ponds in winter • Dealing with slugs and snails, outdoors and in. • How to spot and deal with Japanese Knotweed Plus, we have the latest news on Christmas events across all four RHS Gardens.
Thu, November 28, 2013
Episode 20: Christmas plants, presents and preparation
On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we get festive as Christmas fast approaches. Our horticultural experts give their suggestions on • Gifts for gardeners • How to choose and care for Christmas plants including Amaryllis, poinsettias. hyacinths and Christmas trees • How to create a stunning wreath from your own garden Plus as always, the Wisley gardening team are on hand to suggest jobs that you can be doing now in your own gardens now including • Bed renovation • Pond maintenance • Pest prevention And we have the latest news on events across our four RHS gardens.
Wed, November 13, 2013
Episode 19: Foraging, plus preparing for winter and other seasonal advice from the RHS
Our team of Horticultural Advisors are on hand to answer your seasonal gardening questions including… • How to recognise and treat honey fungus • How to protect tender plants from frost • Suggestions for colour-themed containers to plant for spring We also speak to forager Yun Hilder at the RHS London Autumn Harvest Show for an introduction to this increasingly popular phenomenon. Yun explains the do’s and don’ts of foraging in the wild and in your own garden. Plus members of the garden team at RHS Wisley give their advice on what you should be doing now in your own gardens including • Planting hedges • Winter rain protection • Preparing your greenhouse for winter And as always we have the latest news on events across all four RHS Gardens at Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor and Wisley.
Thu, October 31, 2013
Episode 18: Autumn colour and seasonal advice at the RHS London Shades of Autumn Show
Join our seasonal celebration as we visit the RHS Shades of Autumn Show at Vincent Square in London where we: • Talk to exhibiting nurseries about suggestions for autumn colour • Join the RHS advisory team as they tackle visitors’ gardening queries And at RHS Wisley we catch up with the team and hear their suggestions for what you should be doing in your own gardens right now, including: • Planting up containers with winter bedding • Taking hardwood cuttings • Collecting material for autumn floral decoration We have all the latest news on events across our four RHS gardens, plus your chance to WIN £50 worth of RHS books by entering our podcast survey.
Wed, October 16, 2013
Episode 17: Celebrate the autumn harvest
On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we're at the RHS London Harvest Festival Show with expert advice on: • Giant pumpkins, heritage tomatoes and the secrets to growing the perfect potato • How to choose the perfect apple for every garden, big or small We'll also be hearing winter tips from the team at RHS Garden Wisley including how to prune a climbing rose, how to wrap your bananas, and advice on dry seed heads for winter decoration. As always we'll have the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens. This is also your chance to win £50 of RHS Books by completing our Podcast survey (www.rhs.org.uk/podcastsurvey).
Thu, October 03, 2013
Episode 16: Preparing the vegetable plot for next year and gardening ideas for this autumn
The team at RHS Garden Wisley give their expert advice on protecting your plants from winter weather, including: • A guide to frost protection for dahlias and tree ferns • To dig or not to dig? How to prepare your soil to give next year's vegetables a head start • Autumn house plant care The RHS Advisory Service answers your latest gardening queries and we have the latest news on events in October across all four RHS Gardens at Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor and Wisley
Thu, September 19, 2013
Episode 15: Inspirational grasses, autumn lawn care, and more jobs to do right now
Timely tasks in the garden, focussing on ornamental grasses and lawn care. We have a step-by-step guide to autumn lawn care by RHS Wisley Garden Manager, Matthew Pottage, and we're also joined by Neil Lucas, nurseryman of Knoll Gardens, to hear his expert suggestions for ornamental grasses that you can use in your garden. Plus we have autumnal advice and ideas for what you should be doing in your garden now including: • Spotting red spider mite and harlequin ladybirds • Dividing herbaceous perennials • Planting spring cabbages And as always there's news of the latest events across our four RHS gardens.
Thu, September 05, 2013
Episode 14: September at RHS Wisley
On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we explore RHS Wisley in September with Garden Manager Matthew Pottage. Our team of Horticultural Advisors answer your latest gardening questions and the garden teams give their expert seasonal practical advice including tips on harvesting this year's bumper crops of apples and how to deal with vine weevil. Plus as always we have the latest news on events across all four RHS Gardens.
Thu, August 22, 2013
Episode 13: Summer highlights from stunning RHS Garden Rosemoor
On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we travel to Devon with plantsman Matthew Biggs for a guided tour of RHS Garden Rosemoor. We'll be focussing on Rosemoor through the seasons, featuring a peek behind-the-scenes of the rose garden, cottage garden and Mediterranean garden. Matthew is also joined by members of the Rosemoor team to hear their expert advice on - fruit and veg - lawn care - and hedge maintenance. And we have news on the latest events at all four of our RHS Gardens.
Thu, August 08, 2013
Episode 12: Advice on small trees for the garden, plus choosing and caring for houseplants
In this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we visit RHS Garden Wisley for advice from Garden Manager Matthew Pottage on selecting and caring for small trees suitable for gardens Members of the glasshouse team select their recommendations for houseplants for every home The RHS Advisory Service answer some of your timely gardening questions Plus, seasonal practical seasonal advice including - deadheading Pelargonium - treating potential flower problems - how to tell when your sweetcorn is ready to pick And as always we have news on the latest events at our four RHS Gardens.
Thu, July 25, 2013
Episode 11: Late summer colour at Tatton Park show, plus planting autumn bulbs, pest control and pruning wisteria
In this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we visit the 2013 RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. - Show manager Kris Hulewicz introduces Tatton's four new distinctive Zones, Grow, Feast, Inspire and Escape - Nurserymen give us their recommendations for plants to achieve late summer colour - Nurseryman Aldo Ciampittiello introduces us to airplants Plus, seasonal practical advice from our Wisley Garden team including - Planting autumn bulbs and summer pruning of wisteria - Combatting scale insects and red spider mite - Pruning bay trees and growing more lilies for free
Thu, July 11, 2013
Episode 10: 'Escape' to the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2013
We're at the 2013 RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show with a special focus on the brand new 'Escape' zone where we'll be - Exploring the Butterfly dome - Hearing about the launch of Rose of the Year 2014 in the 1950s-themed Rose Marquee - Discovering delicious Grow Your Own recipes from as far afield as Italy and Thailand in the Growing Tastes Marquee. We also have up-to-the-minute tips from Hampton Court Flower Show's nurserymen and experts on: - Pond maintenance - Sowing climbing beans - Caring for Irises Also, The RHS Advisory Team answer your latest gardening questions and, as always, we have news on all the latest events across our four RHS Gardens.
Thu, June 27, 2013
Episode 9: Gardening for all the family, summer flower arrangements, GYO tips, and seasonal advice from Wisley
Gardening for the whole family with activities and inspiration for gardeners of all ages. The Dorchester Hotel's Head florist, Philip Hammond, shares his tips for preserving cut flowers and putting together a winning combination for a mid-summer arrangement, plus: - Wisley Gardeners give expert tips on treating Aphids - Staking tall plants - All you need to know on pinching out side shoots on tomatoes
Thu, June 13, 2013
Episode 8: Summer at Wisley, caring for fruit and veg and the RHS Advisory Team
Our Wisley Gardeners give expert tips on growing corguettes, ensuring the best crop from apple trees and caring for houseplants, plus Garden Manager Matthew Pottage selects his summer highlights at RHS Garden Wisley. Also the RHS Advisory Team answer your gardening questions on: - Controlling bindweed - Growing sweet peas - Potatoes in bags
Tue, May 21, 2013
Chelsea Flower Show Centenary special, Part 2
We have exclusive interviews with a selection of the internationally-renowned designers who have created Chelsea gardens this year, as RHS Director General Sue Biggs introduces a programme that celebrates the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013. Our Centenary special features: • Inspirational insights, tips and techniques, and ideas for your garden at home • Award-medal winning designers Jinny Blom, Christopher Bradley-Hole, Adam Frost, Ulf Nordfjel and Roger Platts • We reveal surprising edible plants, like hostas and ferns! • Plants for night scent Also includes: • Sustainability and wildlife • Family gardens • Growing your own fruit and vegetables • Ideas for small spaces and containers Whether you have a country cottage, a suburban semi-detached or a few containers on a window ledge, there’s something in this Chelsea Flower show special to inspire everyone who loves their garden...
Wed, May 15, 2013
Episode 7: Plants for Scent, how plant displays win an RHS gold medal, and seasonal advice from RHS Garden Wisley
Award-winning writer Nigel Colborn joins RHS experts to discuss how to introduce year round scent in your garden, including unusual plants, trees, foliage and flowers. Also: - As the Centenary of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show fast approaches, Chair of Judges Jekka McVicar explains the secrets to winning a coveted gold medal for a plant display at the prestigious RHS flower shows. - Expert seasonal advice from the team at RHS Wisley, including how to tell when the risk of frost has passed.
Wed, May 08, 2013
Chelsea Flower Show Centenary special, Part 1
This special edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast celebrates 100 years of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. RHS Director General Sue Biggs introduces a programme that explores the history of The Chelsea Flower Show, including: - Memorable moments from Alan Titchmarsh, Jekka McVikka and more - Win tickets for Chelsea 2014 - What it takes to put on the greatest flower show in the world - What you can expect from this year's Centenary celebrations - Experts including designer James Alexander-Sinclair, RHS Historian Brent Elliot, and plantsman Matthew Biggs - RHS Council members and Chelsea Gold Medalists tell us why Chelsea is so important Look out for Part 2 of our RHS Chelsea Flower Show Centenary special on Tuesday May 21.
Thu, May 02, 2013
Episode 6: RHS Edible Britain campaign, Chef Raymond Blanc discusses GYO veg, plus climbers for scent, fighting Lily Beetle, and wildflowers for containers.
We celebrate Britain in Bloom and the RHS Edible Britain Campaign, which aims to help build more than 2,000 edible gardens in public spaces around the country. How can you get involved? We talk to Edible Britain’s ambassador, chef Raymond Blanc, and get growing advice for beginners. Seasonal advice by RHS experts includes: - garden pests - fighting Lily Beetle - wildflowers for containers - restricting rampaging bamboo - choosing climbers for scent
Thu, April 18, 2013
Episode 5: Spotlight on RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Grow Your Own tips, rose care and tackling weeds
Plantsman Matthew Biggs takes us on an exclusive tour of RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex with garden curator Ian Le Gros, and garden manager Ian Bull gives an insight into Hyde Hall's famous Dry Garden, plus: - Matthew Biggs' Grow Your Own tips for beginner gardeners - What to do in your garden now - Rose care - Controlling weeds - Latest events at all four RHS Gardens
Thu, April 04, 2013
Episode 4: Spring tasks, Grow Your Own and the RHS Advisory Team.
Plantsman and author Matthew Biggs gives expert tips on Growing Your Own fruit and vegetables including favourite varieties and foolproof techniques for achieving a great first crop. We'll also be hearing how you and your family can get involved in National Gardening Week, and the RHS Advisory Team answer your gardening questions at the recent RHS Great London Plant Fair in Westminster.
Thu, March 21, 2013
Episode 3: Orchids, spring plants and seasonal advice from the London Plant and Design Show
In this edition, we visit the London Plant and Design Show at the Royal Horticultural Halls in Vincent Square, Westminster, to discover how to get the best out of shows, and just why people love them so much. We also focus on the UK's most popular houseplant - Orchids - and discuss how to grow them successfully, plus: - advice and inspiration on spring plants from expert growers at the London Plant and Design Show - RHS experts tell you what you should be doing in your garden now, including caring for a spring lawn, what to look out for in your greenhouse, and the importance of keeping your tools sharp.
Thu, March 07, 2013
Episode 2: Slugs, Potatoes and Strawberries - behind the scenes at RHS Garden, Wisley.
The scientists and expert gardeners at Wisley discuss how to grow the perfect potatoes, delicious strawberries that will fruit in small gardens all summer long, and how slugs can actually be good for your garden! RHS Wisley’s curator reveals unmissable flowers to see on a visit to the garden this March. Plus, easy wildflowers to encourage more birds, bees and butterflies into your plot. Seasonal gardening questions are answered by RHS garden advisors Tony Dickerson, Leigh Hunt and Rebecca Meally with plant disease expert Geoffrey Denton.
Wed, February 20, 2013
Episode 1: Problem Solving from RHS Garden, Wisley in Surrey
Seasonal gardening questions are answered by RHS garden advisors Tony Dickerson, Leigh Hunt and Rebecca Mealey and plant disease expert Geoffrey Denton from the RHS pathology lab. Topics discussed include: clematis, climbing roses and vertical vegetables, honey fungus, how to stop trees 'bleeding' after pruning, choosing unusual tomato varieties, growing camellias, and solutions to common daffodil problems. Plus, the lead gardeners from RHS Wisley give advice on jobs to do in garden NOW: foolproof wisteria pruning, propagating summer bedding, sweet peas and meconopsis from seed, and choice and care of summer and autumn fruiting raspberries. Plus, offers for 'early bird' RHS show tickets
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