Gardeners' Question Time

Epizódy

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  Postbag: The Hidden Gardens, Glasgow 07.08.2026 42min

  Kathy Clugston hosts another Gardeners’ Question Time Postbag episode from The Hidden Gardens in Glasgow, a remarkable community green space created on a former industrial site in the heart of the city.Joining Kathy to delve into your questions are Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ head gardener Bethan Collerton, Balmoral’s head of gardens Kirsty Wilson, and botanist James Wong.As they explore this aptly named urban oasis, the panel considers how gardeners can make the most of even the most challenging spaces, from creating green roofs to choosing the right trees for compact gardens. They also weigh up the balance between encouraging wildlife and protecting prized plants, in a lively discussion sparked by a rose-munching garden visitor.Along the way, head gardener Paula Murdoch reveals how The Hidden Gardens has evolved from a former tramworks site into a haven for people, plants and wildlife, with wildflower meadows, sensory planting and inventive habitat features woven through the garden.Also, there's advice on designing a sensory school garden, creating a wildlife-friendly pond in the smallest of spaces, and why some plants refuse to behave as the gardening books suggest.Producer: Alison Vernon-Smith Assistant producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.Tickets are available for the BBC Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time Summer Party 2026 held at RHS Garden Wisley on Saturday 5th September. Information and ticket details can be accessed via: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/whats-on/gardeners-question-time-summer-garden-party
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  Pinchbeck: Awkward Astrantias, Watering Wisdom and Courgette Chaos 31.07.2026 42min

  Peter Gibbs and the Gardeners’ Question Time panel visit the Lincolnshire village of Pinchbeck, a fenland landscape shaped by waterways and a long history of horticulture.On the panel are plantswoman Christine Walkden and garden designers Matthew Wilson and Bunny Guinness.The team tackles questions on choosing pond plants to support dragonflies, finding colourful plants for exposed, windy gardens, and why some gardeners struggle to grow much-loved astrantias. They also offer practical advice on improving courgette crops, planting around hydrangeas, and dealing with troublesome vine weevil.Water is a recurring theme throughout the programme. Bethan Collerton visits Winterbourne House and Garden to meet plant scientist Professor Jeremy Pritchard and uncover the remarkable ways plants depend on water, from photosynthesis and cooling to the internal hydraulic systems that keep them upright and growing.Back in Pinchbeck, the panel turns to a question many gardeners face during a heatwave - how often should we water our gardens? Christine shares her advice on watering deeply and effectively to help plants withstand dry conditions.Producer: Rahnee Prescod Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.Tickets are available for the BBC Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time Summer Party 2026 held at RHS Garden Wisley on Saturday 5th September. Information and ticket details can be accessed via: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/whats-on/gardeners-question-time-summer-garden-party
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  East Renfrewshire: Balcony Brilliance, Reluctant Camellias and Making The Most Of Moss 24.07.2026 42min

  Kathy Clugston chairs this week’s Gardeners’ Question Time from Clarkston Halls in East Renfrewshire, home to one of Scotland’s oldest horticultural societies.Joining Kathy are Balmoral’s Head of Gardens Kirsty Wilson, ethnobotanist James Wong, and Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Head Gardener Bethan Collerton.The panel tackles questions on reluctant camellias, fragrant planting for a windswept balcony, and how to transform a shady, moss-filled shared garden.Along the way, Bethan visits Glasgow Botanic Gardens’ magnificent Kibble Palace, where she joins Robert Jamieson to explore botanical links across the Commonwealth, from the Australian tea tree and towering tree ferns to remarkable araucarias from the South Pacific.Back in Clarkston, the team shares advice on improving the quality of greenhouse-grown grapes, caring for carnivorous pitcher plants, and choosing easy, quick-growing seeds for young gardeners.Producer: Alison Vernon-Smith Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.
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  Birmingham: Bonsai, Black Elder, Blueberry and Bees 17.07.2026 42min

  Recorded at the University of Birmingham’s magnificent Elgar Concert Hall, Kathy Clugston is joined by Bethan Collerton of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Marcus Chilton-Jones of RHS Garden Bridgewater, and Dr Chris Thorogood from Oxford Botanic Garden.The panel tackles a wide range of audience gardening dilemmas, from reluctant peonies and coppiced hazel, to a struggling juniper bonsai and an overgrown black elder. They also discuss how to rescue a drought-stressed blueberry, and keep colour flowing through the garden into late summer.Later in the show, Bethan visits Winterbourne House and Garden to meet local beekeeper Jane Nimmo to discover more about the remarkable lives of honeybees, the challenges facing wild bee populations, and the simple things gardeners can do to help pollinators thrive.Producer: Alison Vernon-Smith Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.
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  Spalding: Ant Infestation, Pot-Bound Olive Tree and Watering Seedlings 10.07.2026 42min

  Gardeners’ Question Time visits the stunning Springfields Festival Gardens in Spalding, 15 acres of beautifully designed and diverse planting, created for visitors of all ages to explore and enjoy.Peter Gibbs is joined by a panel of horticultural experts - Matthew Wilson, Christine Walkden and Bunny Guinness - to answer questions from an enthusiastic audience of local gardeners. Together, they tackle a wide range of gardening dilemmas, from reviving a pot-bound olive tree to dealing with ants that have taken up residence in an exotic potted palm.The panel also offers practical advice on watering seedlings effectively, encouraging a mature philadelphus to flower, and successfully overwintering hollyhocks.Also, Grow Your Own expert Julia Parker shares her top tips for successional planting, helping gardeners enjoy a continuous harvest throughout the growing season.Producer: Dominic Tyerman Producer: Matthew Smith Producer: Rahnee Prescod Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4.
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  Winterbourne House and Garden: Tomatoes, Topiary and Japanese Gardens 03.07.2026 41min

  Kathy Clugston and the panel are in Edgbaston at the University of Birmingham’s beautiful Winterbourne House and Garden, an Arts and Crafts era gem packed with horticultural interest.Joining Kathy to answer questions from a keen audience of local gardeners are Bethan Collerton, Marcus Chilton‑Jones and Dr Chris Thorogood. The team tackle everything from leggy tomatoes, to the challenge of designing a cohesive border that spans both sun and shade.There’s practical advice for dealing with the devastation caused by box tree moth, creative planting ideas for Japanese‑inspired gardens using unusual and architectural plants.Also, Bethan takes a walk around the Winterbourne grounds with head gardener Paul Cooke to discover how Gertrude Jekyll’s influence continues to shape the garden today.Producers: Alison Vernon-Smith Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.
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  From the Archives: A Tribute to Matthew Biggs 26.06.2026 41min

  In this special episode, Kathy Clugston and Peter Gibbs dip into the archives to celebrate the life and work of Matthew Biggs. Matt spent four decades doing what he loved most - sharing his extraordinary knowledge of the natural world with anyone who would listen. And through the power of radio, listen they did!In this episode you'll hear Matt in his own words - from his very first appearance on Gardeners' Question Time in 1994, to the remarkable final broadcast he made just weeks before his passing.Alongside clips of Matt's encyclopaedic and witty gardening advice, you'll hear from friends, colleagues and fellow horticulturalists who knew and loved him, as well as messages from listeners, whose lives he touched in ways that go far beyond gardening. Producers: Matthew Smith, Rahnee Prescod and Dan Cocker Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
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  Postbag Edition: Regents Park 19.06.2026 42min

  Peter Gibbs and the GQT panel visit the Queen Elizabeth II Garden in Regent’s Park, London, tackling gardening challenges in tough conditions.Pippa Greenwood, Matthew Pottage, Bunny Guinness and Head Gardener of Regents Park Fiona Packe answer questions on creating a sensory hedge in rubble, choosing resilient perennials, and finding long-flowering wildflowers for shade. They also offer advice on rescuing a struggling lavender hedge and planting to support bats.Plus, the panel discuss managing unseasonal growth in perennials and diagnose a problem with a young monstera sharing practical tips for gardeners indoors and out.Producer: Dan Cocker Alison Vernon-Smith and Matthew Smith Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4*If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002xpc6
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  Harmondsworth - Citrus, Geums and Patio Planting 12.06.2026 41min

  Peter Gibbs and the GQT panel visit the charming village of Harmondsworth, just moments from the bustle of Heathrow.Peter is joined by James Wong, Frances Tophill and Bunny Guinness as they tackle horticultural conundrums, submitted by an audience of local gardeners. From growing citrus trees from supermarket fruit pips to distinguishing wild geums from their cultivated cousins, the panel share practical advice and horticultural insight. There’s guidance on reusing compost, choosing hydrangeas for tricky shady spots and selecting the right planting choices to create year-round impact on a patio.Later in the show, Frances explores the benefits of horticultural therapy with a local practitioner, Hardip Singh Lawana MBE, uncovering how gardening can support wellbeing and bring people together.And to finish, the panel reveal which weeds they’d be, with answers ranging from charming to mischievous.Producer: Dan Cocker, Rahnee Prescod and Alison Vernon-Smith Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp2f/episodes/guide
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  Diss: Gravel Gardens, Camellia Care and Ways to Weather Drought 05.06.2026 42min

  Peter Gibbs and the Gardeners’ Question Time panel visit Diss, on the Norfolk–Suffolk border, where heavy clay soils meet some of the driest conditions in the country; a combination that keeps gardeners firmly on their toes.Peter is joined by Bob Flowerdew on his home turf, alongside Christine Walkden and Bunny Guinness as they answer questions from a live audience. They advise on improving your strike rate with cuttings, diagnosing sooty mould on camellias, and deciding whether a bay tree is best kept in a pot, or given room to roam.Along the way, the panel also explore how to turn a tired lawn into a stylish, drought‑resistant gravel garden, debate whether lavender really needs feeding, and suggest small spring‑flowering trees that can deliver a real seasonal show.Later in the show, Bob shares hard‑won lessons from gardening in East Anglia, offering practical tips on coping with drought and making the most of every drop of water.Producer: Matt Smith
 Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp2f/episodes/guide
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  RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 - At the Bandstand 29.05.2026 41min

  Gardeners’ Question Time returns to the iconic RHS Chelsea Flower Show Bandstand.Recorded in the dappled shade of plane trees and surrounded by colour and spectacle, Kathy Clugston is joined by Bunny Guinness, Matthew Pottage and Dr Chris Thorogood to tackle questions taken live from the audience, as well as a few familiar voices spotted among the Chelsea crowds.Topics include how to recreate the Chelsea Show Garden look on a modest budget, how to rescue a struggling acer and which plants will thrive on an exposed rooftop terrace.The panellists also offer practical advice on reviving an unhappy olive tree, planting for waterlogged ground and supporting pollinators with the best bee‑friendly plants.Along the way, there are design tips on balancing bold colour schemes and plenty of inspiration drawn straight from the show gardens themselves. Expect expert guidance, seasonal know‑how and lively horticultural debate — all set against one of gardening’s most celebrated backdrops.Producers: Matt Smith Dan Cocker Rahnee PrescodAssistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.
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  Chelsea Flower Show 2026 - Postbag 22.05.2026 42min

  Kathy Clugston and Peter Gibbs are at the Chelsea Flower Show for a special postbag episode of Gardeners' Question Time.From the showground of the world’s most celebrated horticultural event, they're joined by a stellar panel - former Chelsea exhibitor and medal-winning designer Matthew Wilson, one of the world's leading authorities on plant pests and diseases, Pippa Greenwood, and making her press-day debut at Chelsea with GQT, Head Gardener at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Bethan Collerton.As Kathy and the panel roam the show gardens answering questions submitted by listeners, they catch up with several garden designers behind this year’s show, including Frances Tophill (The RHS and The King’s Foundation Curious Garden), Sarah Fisher and Janice Molyneux (The Sightsavers Garden) and Patrick Clarke (The Children’s Society Garden). They explore the ideas, craftsmanship and planting inspiration behind their Chelsea creations, from sensory container gardens to spaces designed for well-being and connection.Meanwhile, Peter takes the roving reporter mic inside the Great Pavilion, discovering the science behind our gardens, speaking to exhibitors, and uncovering the latest innovations in horticulture and biodiversity research.The panel tackles everything from gardening in challenging coastal conditions, to choosing the right trees for privacy and produce, as well as tips on drying flowers for wedding confetti, and solving the mysteries of struggling container plants and stubborn succulents. Producers: Dan Cocker, Matt Smith and Rahnee Prescod Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.
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  Serge Hill Project 15.05.2026 42min

  In a special Gardeners’ Question Time episode to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, the programme is at the Serge Hill Project, an inspirational garden that promotes working with nature to radically transform people's health and well-being. Renowned landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith, and Tom’s partner, psychiatrist, and psychotherapist Sue Stuart-Smith, join regular panellists Pippa Greenwood, Christine Walkden, and Anne Swithinbank to answer listener questions. The programme also features a generous and brave final appearance from GQT panellist Matt Biggs. Matt has been a GQT panellist since 1994, and has been battling cancer for six years. Tragically, Matt’s cancer has now entered its end-stage. Matt wanted to record this programme, knowing it would be his last appearance on Gardeners’ Question Time, surrounded by his longtime friends and GQT colleagues. Listeners will hear questions answered by the GQT panel of gardening experts, but they will also hear about Matt’s journey from initial diagnosis to his current mental and physical condition. At times Matt’s words are upsetting, raw, and honest, however it is Matt’s wish that his story is told partly as advice for other sufferers and also to serve as inspiration to all listeners. Producers: Dan Cocker, Matt Smith and Rahnee Prescod Assistant Producer: William Norton A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4 * If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.
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  Pulham Market 08.05.2026 42min

  Peter Gibbs and Gardeners’ Question Time panel visit visit Pulham Market.Peter is joined by Bob Flowerdew, Christine Walkden and Bunny Guinness to answer questions on growing fruit in pots and choosing shrubs for deep shade, and discuss which farmyard manure is best to use on the allotment.Along the way, the panellists explore the challenges of quince blight, champion strawberries grown in buckets, and share suggestions for gardening activities that are accessible and engaging for people with limited mobility.Also, James Wong visits Kew Gardens to witness the spectacular (and pungent!) flowering of the Titan Arum, one of the rarest and most extraordinary plants in cultivation.There are also practical tips for sowing carrots successfully and advice on whether a well‑travelled oleander can finally be planted out.Producer: Matt Smith Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp2f/episodes/guide
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  From The Archives: Summer Colour 01.05.2026 42min

  Kathy Clugston guides us through the GQT archives to hear how our panellists and experts, old and new, advise on delivering dazzling displays of summer colour.Along the way, the gardeners explore how thoughtful structural planting underpins great colour all season long, explain why deadheading matters, and reveal the origins of the Chelsea chop. They also advise on watering in hot weather, compost mixes for long-lasting displays, and the surprising relationships between insects and plants. So if you're anti-Ant, hear how Dr Chris Thorogood gives some positive PR to these charming creatures often mislabelled as 'pests'. Producer: Rahnee Prescod Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
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  The Great Barn: Chillies, Camellias and Consciousness 24.04.2026 42min

  Peter and Gardeners’ Question Time panel visit the historic Great Barn in Harmondsworth.Beneath the medieval beams, Peter is joined by Bunny Guinness, Francis Tophill and James Wong as they tackle a wonderfully wide‑ranging set of questions from the audience that are as thought‑provoking as they are informative.Are plants conscious? Why do camellia buds turn brown and drop? And which plants might humans take to grow on another planet?Along the way, there’s practical advice on organic ways to keep vine weevils at bay, how to dry lilac flowers, and what to grow in pots in a narrow alleyway with limited light. Later in the show Chris Beardshaw talks all things pruning - why, when and how.Producer: Dan Cocker Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp2f/episodes/guide
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  Bolton 17.04.2026 41min

  Kathy Clugston and the Gardeners' Question Time panel visit the outskirts of Bolton in Lancashire. Kathy is joined by RHS Bridgewater Curator Marcus Chilton-Jones, Garden Designer Matthew Wilson and Plantswoman Christine Walkden.The panellists tackle what to do about an overwhelming stash of black plastic pots, advise on why a listener's new compost bin is lacking in worms, and suggest plants for shady clay areas beneath mature beech trees. Other questions cover planting for waterlogged borders, homemade foliar feeds for seedlings, and opening a wildlife-focused garden for the National Garden Scheme.Later in the programme, Bunny Guinness shares spring propagation tips, including softwood and basal cuttings and using an aeroponic propagator.Producer: Rahnee Prescod Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp2f/episodes/guide
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  Edgworth & District 10.04.2026 43min

  Kathy Clugston and the Gardeners' Question Time panel visit the picturesque Lancashire village of Edgworth, nestled on the edge of the West Pennine Moors.This week, the team are being hosted by the Edgworth and District Horticultural Society. Kathy is joined by Matthew Wilson, Christine Walkden and Marcus Chilton‑Jones, answering questions from an enthusiastic local audience.The team shares practical advice on topics from choosing the best potatoes to grow for chips, to bee‑friendly planting in boggy conditions, and share reflections on the sentimental value of well‑loved gardening tools.Later in the programme, Matthew Pottage delivers a timely spring masterclass on dividing grasses and perennials.Producer: Rahnee Prescod Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp2f/episodes/guide
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  Postbag Edition: Mary Berry's House 03.04.2026 42min

  Peter Gibbs and the GQT panel have traded parks and community gardens for a visit to the Oxfordshire home of Dame Mary Berry. On this week's panel are Matthew Pottage, Christine Walkden and Bunny Guinness.Among today’s questions, the panellists troubleshoot evergreen roses plagued by black spot, unravel the mystery of why clematis keep failing on one side of a small London garden, and help a listener planning a late‑August wedding by suggesting plants that peak at the tail end of summer.Later in the programme, Mary shares her own gardening triumphs, from peaches ripened under winter covers, to treasured raised beds of herbs, strawberries and asparagus.Producer: Dan Cocker Assistant Producer: William Norton Producer: Matt SmithA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
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  Vale of Glamorgan 27.03.2026 42min

  Kathy Clugston is joined in the Vale of Glamorgan by Bethan Collerton, Anne Swithinbank and Chris Beardshaw, where they tackle horticultural conundrums from a live audience. inspired by the region’s famously fertile landscape - from the mysteries of the old‑fashioned mangelwurzel, to advice for struggling houseplants, and recommendations on how to manage a towering six‑foot cactus. The team also shares practical advice on reviving a neglected greenhouse, caring for a long‑loved pot‑bound rhododendron, and encouraging lemons and limes to ripen in coastal South Wales.Later in the show, Pippa Greenwood offers timely spring guidance on staying ahead of slugs and other emerging pests, helping gardeners protect tender new growth as the season gets underway.Producer: Rahnee Prescod Assistant Producer: William NortonA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp2f/episodes/guide