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RHS Chelsea Bandstand Show
How do I take care of a kokedama? How do you take care of a sedum living roof? Why won't my trollius flower? For the first time ever, GQT sets up shop at the heart of the iconic RHS Chelsea Flower Show, broadcasting from the charming bandstand. Kathy Clugston is joined by a panel of horticultural heavyweights, including Bunny Guinness, Matthew Wilson, and James Wong.Keep your ears pricked up for some familiar voices - among the questioners are none other than Scott Mills, David Tennant and Zoe Ball, each bringing their own garden problems to the table.Later, Peter Gibbs takes a tranquil detour to the stunning Songbird Survival Garden on Main Avenue. There, he chats with designer Nicola Oakey and dedicated volunteer Bee about how we can turn our outdoor spaces into welcoming sanctuaries for Britain’s beleaguered songbirds.Producer: Daniel Cocker Producer: Dominic Tyerman Producer: Matthew Smith Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod Assistant Producer: Suhaar Ali Executive Producer: Carly MaileA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4Plant List Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided. Q – I’ve got a floppy snake plant – is this because I’ve overwatered it? (01'17")Q - Why do the flower buds fall off my chameleon each year? (02'38") Q - Hello, it's David Tennant here. I've been gifted a beautiful kokedama. How do I water this? How do I not kill it? (05'26")Q – Could you recommend some pretty and low maintenance for flowers for window boxes? (07'34")Bunny Guinness – Verbena officinalis 'Bampton', vervain ‘Bampton’ Polystichum setiferum, soft shield fern Salvia rosmarinus (Ro), rosemaryMatthew Wilson – Thymus vulgaris, common thyme Thymus praecoxJames Wong – Portulaca, porcelain Mesembryanthemum Delosperma. Q- My trollius hasn’t flowered this year. What am I doing wrong? (12’58")Feature – Peter Gibbs visits the ‘Songbird Survival Garden” on main avenue, where he meets with designer Nicola Oakey and volunteer Bee (17’22”)Q - We've got a garden room with a sedum living roof – how do we look after it? (22'20")Q – Hello! Zoe Ball here! How do I stop squirrels from eating all my plants? (32'06")Q - My trachycarpus and dicksonia antarctica. They're getting thinner and thinner each year – how do I appropriately thin them out? (28'54")Q – Hi GQT, it’s Scott Mills. How do I stop my dog’s pee from ruining my lawn? (28'54")Q – I’d like you to recommend plants for a red hot, south facing gravel garden? (36'25")James Wong – Hardy aloes Aloe polyphylla Eschscholzia californica, california poppy Bunny Guinness – Salvia confertiflora, sabra spike sageMatthew Wilson – Rosa 'Sally Holmes' (S), rose 'Sally Holmes' Dasylirion wheeleri, spoon flower Aloiampelos striatula, striped-stemmed aloe Beschorneria yuccoides, yucca-leaved beschorneria
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42:55
Postbag Edition: RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Kathy Clugston and a panel of green-fingered gurus, Kirsty Wilson, Pippa Greenwood, and Dr Chris Thorogood, explore the spectacular Chelsea Flower Show!Meanwhile on the vibrant main avenue, roving reporter Peter Gibbs explores gardens shaped by climate challenges. He steps into the thought-provoking Save for a Rainy Day Garden to chat with designer Baz Granger about clever water-saving ideas. Then, he ventures into the lush creativity of the Hospitalfield Arts Garden, where he meets celebrated garden designer Nigel Dunnett for a conversation on art, ecology, and sustainable planting.Producer: Dom Tyerman Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod and Suhaar AliA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
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42:26
From the Archives: Foliage Frenzy
Kathy Clugston prunes through the extensive GQT archive, which includes some much needed advice on all things Foliage.With 77 years of experience in providing ample advice, our various GQT panellists are more than equipped to solve your gardening conundrums. They provide tips on the best plants for a foliage border, banana plants that can withstand the winter, and plants for a bed that never sees any sunshine. Away from the questions, Matthew Wilson heads over to Sienna Hosta nursery to speak with Chris Potts, who explains how they keep their hostas slug and snail free.Producer: Daniel Cocker Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod Executive Producer: Carly MaileA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4Plant List Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided. Q - What would be the best plants for a foliage border? (01'07")Matthew Biggs – Euonymus fortunei f. radicans 'Silver Queen', spindle ‘Silver Queen’ Euonymus fortunei var. radicans, wintercreeperAnne Swithinbank – Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'PBR , Siberia bugloss ‘Jack Frost’ Cornus canadensis, dwarf cornelMatthew Wilson – Hosta, plantain lily Hosta sieboldiana, siebold’s plantain lily Hosta 'Big Daddy' (_sieboldiana_ hybrid) (v), plantain lily ‘Big Daddy’Q- Why isn't my Christmas berry 'Red Robin' in here a lovely bright colour, like others? (04'22")Q- Can banana plants stay outside during the winter? (08'10")Matthew Pottage – Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish', banana 'Dwarf Cavendish'Q – Why has my 12-year-old smoke bush has turned brown overnight? (11'19")Feature – Matthew Pottage speaks with Managing Director of Sienna Hosta Nursery Chris Potts about how they nurture their Hosta’s to be pest free (17'07")Q- What type of ferns should I use in my fernery? (22'40")Matthew Wilson – Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance', copper shield fern 'Brilliance' Polystichum setiferum (Divisilobum Group) 'Herrenhausen', soft shield fern 'Herrenhausen' Matteuccia struthiopteris, shuttlecock fern Pippa Greenwood – Primula vulgaris (Pr/Prim), primrose Wild violetsQ - What could I plant in a bed that never sees any sunshine? (27'51")Matthew Wilson – Pulmonaria 'Blue Ensign', lungwort 'Blue Ensign' Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance', copper shield fern 'Brilliance' Matteuccia struthiopteris, shuttlecock fern Deschampsia cespitosa, tufted hair grassChristine – Rheum palmatum, Chinese rhubarb Heuchera, cora bells Ligularia Q- How do I properly mow my lawn without ruining the foliage surrounding it? (32'33")Q - What can I do to take care of my 3ft Poinsettias? (37'35")
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42:56
Bangor: Second Chance, Shopping Lists and Hedgehog Gardens
How can you get a second season out of tulips grown in pots? What is the most natural and cost-effective way to add nutrients to my soil? How do you garden with hedgehogs in mind?Kathy Clugston and her team of gardening experts return to Bangor, Northern Ireland where they solve some gardening dilemmas. Joining her are ethnobotanist James Wong, garden designer Neil Porteous, and Head of Gardens at Balmoral Kirsty Wilson.Later in the programme, continuing our Edible Essential Series is Bob Flowerdew, who provides the top fruits and vegetable to add to your shopping list this season. Producer: Bethany Hocken Assistant Producer: Dulcie Whadcock Executive Producer: Carly MaileA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4Plant List Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided. Q- What should I do with my phalaenopsis orchid? (01'24")Q- How do I look after auriculas during the summer? (05'02")Q- How can you get a second season out of tulips grown in pots? (06’57")Q- I’ve killed four Japanese acers over the years – what am I doing wrong? (19'30")Feature – Bob Flowerdew’s edible shopping list. What fruit and veg you should grow this season (14'41")Bob Flowerdew – Asparagus officinalis, asparagus Ribes nigrum, blackcurrant Chillies Allium sativum, garlic Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus, globe artichokes Helianthus tuberosus, Jerusalem artichokes Allium cepa, onions Solanum tuberosum, potatoes Raphanus sativus, radish Rubus idaeus, raspberries Ribes rubrum, redcurrants Rheum rhabarbarum, rhubarb Allium cepa var. aggregatum, shallots Fragaria × ananassa, strawberries Zea mays var. saccharate, sweetcorn Q- My soil is very much depleted of nutrients. What is the most natural and cost-effective way to remedy this? (18'44")Q – What shrubs could I grow in containers that are exposed to extreme winds and sea salt? (23'36")Neil Porteous – Grevillea rosmarinifolia, rosemary grevillea Euphorbia stygiana subsp. Santamaria, Ozothamnus rosmarinifolius, sea rosemaryKirsty Wilson – Phormium tenax, New Zealand flax Hakonechloa macra, Japanese forest grassJames Wong – Pinus pinea, stone pineQ - How do you garden with hedgehogs in mind? (29'38")Q - I’m just about to dig out an area for a large pond. What plants do the panel recommend I use to get me started? (31’20")James Wong – Soleirolia soleirolii, mind-your-own-business Nymphaea, waterliliesKirsty Wilson – Iris pseudacorus, yellow iris Hosta, Plantain lily Astilbe, astilbe Meconopsis, Himalayan poppy Cyperus alternifolius L., umbrella plantNeil Porteous – Eryngium, sea holly Eryngium pandanifolium, pandan-like-leaved eryngoQ - Can you recommend some plants that are showstoppers and conversation starters? (37'21")Kirsty Wilson – Nepeta 'Blue Dragon', catmint 'Blue Dragon'Neil Porteous – Vitex lucens, puririJames Wong – Mahonia, oregon grape Daphne
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42:52
Wokingham Borough: Pet Friendly Gardens, Homemade Compost and Silly Advice
What's your recommended recipe for homemade seed compost? What makes a dog friendly garden? What is the most inappropriate piece of garden advice that you've received?Peter Gibbs and the panel offer advice to an audience of keen gardeners in the borough of Wokingham. Joining Peter are house plants expert Anne Swithinbank, garden designer Bunny Guinness, and proud plantsman Matthew Biggs.Later in the programme, for Plant Health Week, Kirsty Wilson visits the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to meet biosecurity officer Matt Elliot and discover how new pests and diseases are threatening our gardens — and what we can do to fight back.Producer: Matt Smith Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod Executive Producer: Carly MaileA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4Plant List Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided. Q - Do the panel have any favourite help or design features in their gardens made by their pets? (01'45")Q- Could you give me some top tips on growing Dahlias? (05'40")Q- How do you manage a wildflower area after the first year of flowering? (10’18")Feature – Kirsty Wilson and Biosecurity Officer of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh discuss how we can protect our plants from new pests and diseases (14'20")Q- My Fatsia Bush has flowered – do I prune it back or leave the fruits for the birds? (19'30")Q - Which exciting new plants should we be looking forward to growing in the south-east of England? (22'31")Bunny Guinness – Diospyros virginiana (F), common persimmon Diospyros 'Nikita's Gift' (F), Nikita’s Gift Persimmon. Salvia involucrata 'Hadspen', rosy-leaf sage ‘Hadspen’Matthew Biggs – Salvia officinalis 'Bicolor', sage 'Bicolor' Echium Echium wildpretii, tower of jewels Echium pininana giant viper's buglossAnne Swithinbank – Leonotis Leonurus, lion's tail Dictamnus albus, burning bush Eriobotrya, loquatQ - What is your recommended recipe for homemade seed compost? (28'00")Q - I have a small starter allotment; can the panel advise me on how to make the most of my small plot? (32'10")Bunny Guinness – Onion Garlic LettuceMatthew Biggs – Lettuce, fresh beetroot, fresh carrots, finger carrots Baby leaf Spinach radish courgettes French beans Runner beans Anne Swithinbank – Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum, florence fennelQ - What is the most inappropriate piece of garden advice that you've received, and did you follow it? (37'24")
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42:43