Gardening with the RHS

This week, we’re shining a light on some of the plants and creatures that play a vital role at this time of year: the ones that truly make spring what it is… starting with an often overlooked but invaluable contributor to the spring display - comfrey. Olivia Drake will be telling us more about this powerhouse for pollinators that deserves a place in any garden. Next, we turn to the veg patch and one of the most satisfying crops you can start sowing right now. RHS Wisley’s Liz Mooney joins us to share some practical tips on growing carrots successfully. And finally, we’ll be taking a closer look at one of the UK’s most beloved native mammals, now beginning to emerge from winter hibernation: the hedgehog. Hedgehog officer Grace Johnson from the Hedgehog Street campaign talks us through the challenges these charming creatures face, and how our gardens (however big or small) could hold the key to helping reverse their decline. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Olivia Drake, Liz Mooney, Grace Johnson Links: Comfrey BIG Hedgehog map

This week we head to RHS Wisley's Hilltop where the science and advisory teams are working tirelessly to come up with solutions to some of the biggest pressures facing horticulture and gardeners today, and few are bigger or more pressing than climate change. RHS advisor Jenny Bowden talks us through an experiment she's working on to find out which plants are best suited to the extremes in summer drought and winter flooding UK gardens are increasingly experiencing. Horticulturist Liz Mooney runs us through the Lettuce extravaganza she is sowing at Wisley's world food garden. And bulb expert Muhammad Hafiz Ullah, gives us a masterclass in growing gladioli Host: Nick Turrell  Contributors: Jenny Bowden, Liz Mooney, Muhammad Hafiz Ullah Links: Choosing plants for seasonally wet and dry soils How to grow lettuces Gladioli Gladiolus trial

This week we’re embracing the arrival of spring in the garden. RHS horticultural advisor Jenny Bowden applies a right plant, right place approach in her sandy, drought-prone garden in southeast England. Embracing experimentation, she’s creating a resilient, low-maintenance space that shows even challenging conditions can thrive. We’ll also be celebrating the breathtaking displays of blossom unfolding across the UK right now, as RHS expert Jonathan Newell joins us to explore the rich variety of flowering trees and shrubs in bloom, and what makes this time of year so special for gardeners and nature lovers alike.And to round things off, our resident veg growing affionado Liz Mooney returns with another allotment favourite: this time turning her attention to cucumbers.  Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Jenny Bowden, Jonathan Newell, Liz Mooney Links: Drought-resistant plants Drought-resistant gardening Guide to growing cucumbers  Liz Mooney’s top tomato cultivars Liz Mooney’s guide to aubergines, sweet peppers, and chillis Liz Mooney’s guide to peas Liz Mooney’s guide to potatoes

This week, we’re focusing on the edible garden, and the simple yet radical act of growing your own food in an age of convenience. Food writer Nancy Matsumoto explores how our globalised food system is impacting both people and planet, and why women-led initiatives could help shape a more sustainable future. RHS Garden Wisley’s Liz Mooney joins us from the World Food Garden to answer everything you ever wanted to know about growing potatoes. And finally, Nick Turrell and Jenny Laville sit down to look at how you can get started growing your own – without ending up with a mountain of plastic along the way. Host: Nick Turrell Contributors: Nancy Matsumoto, Liz Mooney, Jenny Laville Links: Reaping What She Sows book Nancy Matsumoto’s substack ‘Reaping’ Liz Mooney’s top tomato cultivars Liz Mooney’s guide to aubergines, sweet peppers, and chillis Liz Mooney’s guide to peas How to go plastic-free in your garden

With the first glimmers of spring starting to show through, this week we’re diving into the theme of wellbeing – both for us and our garden wildlife. RHS Science & Horticulture Editor Olivia Drake joins us to explain why the common primrose is an essential early source of nectar for pollinators.  We’ll also be exploring the powerful role gardens can play in our own health and wellbeing. The RHS has just launched a new science-backed Wellbeing Blueprint, designed to help anyone create a garden that actively supports wellbeing. Ashby Sachs and Vicky Shearing, who worked on the project, join us to talk about what the research reveals, and how we can all put those insights into practice. And finally we’ll also be dropping by the World Food Garden at RHS Garden Wisley, where edibles expert Liz Mooney will be showing us how, where and when to sow peas for a great harvest later in the year. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Olivia Drake, Liz Mooney, Ross Cameron, Ashby Sachs, Victoria Links: RHS Daffodil Diaries Primroses RHS Wellbeing Garden Blueprint What to plant in a wellbeing garden The science behind the RHS Wellbeing Garden Blueprint How to grow peas

This week, we’re leafing through the pages of The Plant Review to explore a simple question: what can we learn from the wild? American plantsman Daniel J. Hinkley reflects on a lifetime of exploration that has taken him to some of the wildest places on Earth in search of plants. Yet in his article he turns his attention to a small, unassuming genus growing close to home in Washington State: Coptis. Next, David Pearce, curator of Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, transports us to the cloud-shrouded mountains of Madeira to meet a striking architectural plant found nowhere else in the wild, and one that he’s been successfully cultivating on the Dorset coast. And finally, Sacchi Parasrampuria and James Miller take us to Poon Hill in Nepal, reflecting on a recent plant observation trip and the lessons they brought back from the Himalayas. Hosts: James Armitage and Gareth Richards Contributors: Daniel J Hinkley, David Pearce, Saachi Parasrampuria, James Miller Links: The Plant Review Heronswood Gardens Abbotsbury subtropical gardens Musschia wollastonii

This week we join gardener and biologist Benny Hawksbee in his rose beds to find out how one small adjustment to the traditional rose pruning method can create vital habitat for a key aphid predator. RHS Garden Wisley’s Liz Mooney tells us about her journey to self-sufficiency, and horticulturist Rose Holman guides us through how to cut back your ornamental grasses before the new growth comes through. Host: Josie Harris Contributors: Benny Hawksbee, Liz Mooney, Rose Holman Links: Benny’s video on pruning roses RHS guidance on pruning roses Become a member of the RHS  Ornamental grasses

This week, we’re heading to RHS Garden Wisley to discover how its horticulturists are turning one of the wettest starts to the year on record into a garden that’s primed for spring. Team leader Helen Bensted-Smith shares some top tips for gardening in persistently soggy conditions, and explains why increasingly wet winters and dry summers are challenges we need to adapt to rather than battle against. Guy Barter takes us on a seasonal stroll through Oakwood, which is coming into its own at this time of year, and has plenty of take-home ideas for gardening in damp shade. And finally, we popped in to see Liam Anderson, who’s hard at work pruning the 75m Wisteria Walk. In just a few months, it will be transformed into a spectacular tunnel of cascading purple and white blooms. Host: Nick Turrell Contributors: Helen Bensted-Smith, Guy Barter, Liam Anderson Links: How to choose plants for seasonally wet and dry soils RHS daffodil diaries Sarcococca Wisteria pruning video Wisteria at Wisley

This week, as its delicate catkins unfurl on bare branches, Digital Science Editor Olivia Drake introduces this month’s RHS Wildlife Wonder plant — the hazel – which not only supplies queen bumblebees with much needed early pollen, but also provides tasty nuts and abundant leaves to support a huge range of wildlife throughout the year. And while it may still be a little early to sow most crops directly outdoors, if you’ve got a greenhouse or warm windowsill you can get a head start on the growing season. Down at RHS Garden Wisley, Liz Mooney is busy sowing aubergines, sweet peppers and chillies, and she’ll be sharing her top tips for getting the best from these heat-loving crops. Finally, Professor Ross Cameron from the University of Sheffield – author of Plants Can Save Your Life – joins us to explore the science of plants and wellbeing, and how indoor gardening can play a powerful role in boosting our health. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Olivia Drake, Liz Mooney, Ross Cameron, Gareth Richards Links: RHS Plants Can Save Your Life: How to live healthier and happier with plants Wildlife wonder - hazel RHS Grow Your Own

Now is a great time to start planning what to grow, and this week, we’re diving headfirst into the seed catalogues for inspiration! We’re exploring some of the tastiest, and most eye catching, additions to the veg patch: heirlooms! We also take a deep dive into tomato cultivars, as Liz Mooney shares her top picks from last years 'tomato extravaganza’ which saw her grow more than 50 varieties at RHS Wisley's world food garden. And finally, let's get back to basics with the foundation of any abundant veg plot: the soil! Nick Turrell and Jenny Laville dig into the ins and outs of how to care for earth beneath your feet. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Lucy Hutchings and Kate Cotterill from She Grows Veg, Liz Mooney, Jenny Laville and Nick Turrell Links: Mangelwurzel Tomato Black Beauty 1,500 Year Old Cave Bean Chicory Rose of Venice Beetroot Red Toad How to grow tomatoes

This week we’re telling the story of peat: from the value of this amazing otherworldly habitat, to the threats facing these rare landscapes and work being done to protect them, and how growers and horticulturists are adapting to a peat-free future. We’ll be speaking to Beth Thomas from the Yorkshire Wildlife Trusts, RHS Peat-Free Research Technician Scott Spriggs, and plantsperson Mairi Longdon from Tissington Nursery. HOST:  Jenny Laville CONTRIBUTORS: Beth Thomas, Scott Spriggs, Mairi Longdon LINKS: Yorkshire Peat Partnership RHS Soil analysis service RHS Gardening Advice service RHS peat hub RHS peat petition Tissington nursery

This week we’re rolling up our sleeves to look at how we can support our garden visitors, while also preparing for the burst of life that spring will bring. The RSPB’s Emma Marsh is back to share how monitoring projects like the Big Garden Bird Watch can make a real difference when it comes to helping our declining species. Gareth Richards pops in with his top tips for growing one of his allotment favourites (and a firm favourite with bumblebees too) the humble raspberry. And Olivia Drake shines a spotlight on the RHS Wildlife Wonders plant for January: the shrubby honeysuckle. Host: Nick Turrell Contributors: Emma Marsh, Gareth Richards, Olivia Drake Links: Sign up to the Big Garden Bird Watch RSPB free guide and ID chart How to grow raspberries Why you need a shrubby honeysuckle in your garden

Today, we’re joined by the RSPB’s Emma Marsh, who shares how she has made her garden into a haven for birds. We’ll also conclude Nick Turrell’s countdown of the most influential plants that have shaped human culture, and history around the globe. Plus, now is the best time to get outside and prune your freestanding apples and pears. The RHS’s Jim Arbury gives us a masterclass on exactly what you need to do to keep your trees productive and in shape for the year ahead. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Emma Marsh, Nick Turrell, Jim Arbury Links: Plants for birds Apples and pears: winter pruning

The new year has arrived with an Arctic blast, and so it feels like the perfect moment to retreat indoors and let the garden live in our imaginations for a while. Nick Turrell joins us to continue his countdown of the most influential plants that have shaped human history. Guy Barter shares his practical ideas for making the most of your Christmas tree in the garden, and Pru Murray takes us through some of the new partner gardens RHS members can enjoy visiting in 2026. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Nick Turrell, Guy Barter, Pru Murray Links: Nick Turrell's most influential plants part 1, and part 2 Visit rhs.org.uk/partnergardens to search for Partner Gardens to visit local to you and find out their opening times for members.  If you want to suggest a garden to join the scheme or have any other feedback you can email the team on: [email protected]

As 2025 comes to a close, host Nick Turrell looks back on a year of discovery in this special end-of-year edition of Gardening with the RHS. From the quiet resilience of winter-flowering hellebores with plantsman John Grimshaw, to the gentle industry of hoverflies with RHS entomologist Josie Stuart, and a summer journey into Britain’s rare temperate rainforests with designer Zoe Claymore, this reflective episode revisits three listener favourites that reveal how even the smallest patches of nature can support a much wider living network.

Oh the weather outside is frightful but there’s still plenty of wonder to be found out there. James Armitage, editor of The Plant Review, joins Gareth Richards to reflect on the quiet beauty of the resilient plants that carry us through the winter months, and on the quiet beauty of seeing familiar plants anew.We begin with writer and plantsman Phil Clayton, who tells the extraordinary story of the Wollemi pine, tracing its journey from near-extinction to gardens around the world. James then sits down with Tom Christian to discuss the remarkable diversity of the ivy family, a group of plants rich in variety and resilience, whose beauty and horticultural value are often underestimated. Finally, we meet South Korean artist Seong Weon Ahn, whose delicate paintings capture plants not only with botanical precision, but with a deep sense of presence and mood. Contributors: Phil Clayton, Tom Christian, Seong Weon Ahn Links: Subscribe to The Plant Review Host: Gareth Richards and James Armitage

This week, we honour the stillness of winter and the returning promise of light as we mark the winter solstice. At this turning of the year, we reflect on the people, plants and initiatives that this new light brings into focus. We begin by stepping into the richly curious world of Christopher Lloyd, the influential gardener and visionary behind Great Dixter House and Gardens. His legacy is recalled by his former student and now Head Gardener at Great Dixter, Fergus Garrett. Nick Turrell then returns with his top 10 countdown of plants that changed human history. This time, Nick delves into one species that helped ignite a vast global industry, asking whether its influence has ultimately made our lives better or worse. Finally, a look to the future with Sara Redstone who shines a light on a pioneering initiative taken up by theRHS, focused on strengthening plant biosecurity, highlighting the vital work being done to protect our plants and ecosystems for generations to come. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Fergus Garrett, Nick Turrell, Sara Redstone Links:  Great Dixter  Protect your garden health  Biosecurity at the RHS  Defra list of authorised distance plant sellers 

This week, RHS Head of Libraries Fiona Davison, garden designer Zoe Claymore and RHS Gardening Advisor Nick Turrell gather to share their must-read gardening books of 2025. Along the way, they explore what really makes a garden waterwise, dive into the astonishing world of fungi, demystify regenerative gardening, and get to the root of soil science. They also journey through the makings of a temperate rainforest, spotlight remarkable horticultural heroes from history — and yes, they even tackle the topic every gardener loves to hate: slugs. Host: Fiona Davison with Nick Turrell and Zoe Claymore Books mentioned: Garden People: The Photographs of Valerie Finnis - Ursula Buchan  Botanical Illustration: The Gold Medal Winners - Charlotte Brooks RHS Waterwise Garden - Tom Massey RHS Fungi for Gardeners - Dr Jassy Drakulic RHS Slugs: Friend or Foe - Dr Hayley Jones The Kindest Garden: A Practical Guide to Regenerative Gardening - Marian Boswell  Illustrated History of Landscape Design - Elizabeth Boults  One Garden Against the World - Kate Bradbury  The Lost Rainforests of Great Britain - Guy Shrubsole

December is the perfect time to take stock of the garden and dream of the seasons ahead. With this in mind, this week we’re bringing you some extraordinary stories from horticulturists past and present. Fiona Davison kicks things off with the astonishing tale of Muriel Howarth, who passionately advocated for the potential of atomic energy in gardening. Nick Turrell then joins us to unveil the first two entries in his top ten most influential plants: species that have shaped history through their extraordinary abilities and dramatic backstories. And finally, Helen Bensted-Smith returns with the concluding chapter of the wildlife ponds mini-series, guiding you through how to keep your pond healthy and thriving for years to come. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Fiona Davison, Nick Turrell, and Helen Bensted-Smith Links: RHS How to Create a Wildlife Pond Pumpkins and Prizes exhibition Write in with your gardening questions to: [email protected]

It’s National Tree Week, and we’re heading into the woods to celebrate the trees that shape our landscapes, enrich our lives, and quietly support the world around us. We’re joined by Sally Bavin from the Woodland Trust, who explains why woodlands are so powerful for both our physical and mental wellbeing. She also shares her fascinating research into mapping the UK’s richest areas of “wellbeing woodland.” We’ll also dive into the RHS’s new Strong Roots report, which uncovers the challenges preventing Great Britain from growing the trees it needs for the future. Plant scientist Louise Jones takes us behind the scenes at the RHS to explore her investigation into a mysterious fungal pathogen that’s attacking lime trees. And finally, we continue our pond series with Helen Bensted-Smith, who reveals the wildlife you can spot around your pond this week. Host: Gareth Richards and Guy Barter Contributors: Sally Bavin, Lousie Jones, Helen Bensted-Smith Links: BIO-well research Ancient forgotten forests need our help Native trees to plant in small gardens State of the UK's Woods and Trees 2025 Submit to the natures calendar project Strong Roots report Lime Tilia Leaf Blotch Report Form Write in with your gardening questions to: [email protected]

As frosts arrive across the UK – later than usual this year – we’re exploring how to give nature a helping hand when the seasons fall out of step. In this installment of our wildlife ponds mini-series, Helen Bensted-Smith walks us through her top planting recommendations for different aquatic habitats. Wisley Garden Manager Mark Tuson also reveals how his team turns fallen leaves, cuttings, and woody material into valuable resources that enrich the soil, strengthen plant health, and boost biodiversity. Finally, we head to East Sussex for a tour of the iconic Arts and Crafts gardens at Great Dixter – home of the late garden writer Christopher Lloyd – guided by Head Gardener Fergus Garrett. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Fergus Garrett, Helen Bensted-Smith, Mark Tuson Links: Choosing pond plants Invasive non-native plants Aquatic weeds Chop and drop Mullet gardening Write in with your gardening questions to: [email protected]

All life begins with water — and in gardens across the UK, ponds are becoming vital sanctuaries for wildlife. Now is an excellent time of year to create one, and RHS expert Helen Bensted-Smith walks us through everything you need to know: from position and depth, to lining material, structure, and how to fill it! It’s the first in our four-part mini-series on making your own wildlife haven this autumn — starting from the ground up with tips on planning, design, and making your pond truly work for nature. Plus, Emma McFarline returns to share the fascinating histories and healing traditions of two timeless plants — the apothecary rose and chamomile — and Duncan McLean offers expert advice on finding the perfect indoor plant to brighten up your home through the November chill. From ponds to petals and everything in between, it’s a celebration of how nature connects us — indoors and out. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Helen Bensted-Smith, Emma McFarline, Duncan McLean Links: How to build a wildlife pond RHS Rosemoor RHS plants

This week we’re taking a moment to look ahead. Carol Barrie from the RHS  Science and Collections Department joins us to talk about Plants for Purpose, an ambitious new project she’s leading in collaboration with the University of Nottingham. It’s using the power of AI, alongside the RHS’s vast Herbarium, to build a living knowledge bank of plants that benefit the environment. We’ll also turn our gaze to spring, as now’s the perfect time to get tulips in the ground before the ground gets too wet or freezes. We revisit Arundel Castle, where back in 2022, 80,000 tulip bulbs arrived for a spectacular spring display. And finally, we head to RHS Rosemoor to meet Emma McFarline, who’ll be exploring the practical, and sometimes surprising, uses of familiar garden plants, from their roles in history to their value today. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Carol Barrie, Martin Duncan, Emma McFarline Links: Plants for Purpose Project RHS Plants for Pollinators Planting tulips for seasonal colour Scientific overview of rosemary Biomedical research on rosemary as a therapeutic agent Therapeutic effects of rosemary on nervous system disorders Calendula in modern medicine Common mullein, pharmacological and chemical aspects

As the days grow shorter and Halloween marks the end of harvest and the beginning of winter, we explore the mysterious, the nocturnal, and the beautifully eerie corners of nature. Ecologist and bat expert Greg Slack joins us to uncover the secrets of these misunderstood night flyers — essential to our ecosystems but increasingly under threat. Then, houseplant expert and author Jane Perrone takes us on a chilling journey through the world’s most intoxicating and poisonous plants, revealing the strange allure of nature’s most dangerous creations. And finally, we turn toward the light again. RHS Garden Rosemoor’s Emma McFarline shares how she’s preparing her cottage garden for the seasons ahead, proving that even in the darkest months, there’s always something growing just beneath the surface. Host: Nick Turrell Contributors: Greg Slack, Jane Perrone, Emma McFarline Links: The Atlas of Deadly Plants RHS Garden Rosemoor RHS advice on gardening for bats

It’s time to look ahead to the future: From the coming season to the years beyond, the way we garden must evolve with a changing world. Award-winning garden designer Tom Massey joins us to share his tips on how to be more water-wise in the garden. We’ll also explore the growing importance of community gardens, as the RHS unveils its landmark Space to Grow report: the first comprehensive mapping of the scale, impact, and needs of community gardening across the UK. Sarah Galvin, Head of National Community Programs at the RHS, will join us to discuss some of the most inspiring findings. And finally, we’ll take a step into the wonderfully eccentric world of competitive fruit and vegetable growing with Pumpkins and Prizes, a new exhibition at RHS Garden Wisley. Curator Fiona Davison will be on hand to share the stories behind this vibrant tradition. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Sarah Galvin, Tom Massey, Fiona Davison Links: RHS Waterwise Garden by Tom Massey RHS Space to Grow Pumpkins and Prizes Exhibition

This week, Dr Jassy Drakulic returns to guide us through the hidden zones of your garden, uncovering the fascinating world of fungi and the mushroom magic that may be thriving right under your nose. RHS Principal Entomologist Dr Hayley Jones joins us to introduce the charming yet troublesome vine weevil — a notorious menace for potted plants — and reveals how we can give a helping hand to the beneficial insects that prey on them in our gardens as winter approaches. Finally, horticulturist Louisa Neale takes us on a tour of the breathtaking Oudolf Landscape at RHS Garden Wisley, sharing practical tips on how to bring a touch of Piet Oudolf’s iconic matrix-style planting to your own outdoor space. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Dr Jassy Drakulic, Dr Hayley Jones, Louisa Neale Links: RHS Fungi for Gardeners book Science & Collections at the RHS Info on vine weevils The Oudolf Landscape

This week, RHS Senior Plant Pathologist Dr Jassy Drakulic shares her passion for the mysterious world of fungi, revealing the hidden lives of their fruiting bodies and the ingenious ways they spread their spores. At RHS Garden Rosemoor, horticulturist Alex Paines takes us behind the scenes to explore the art of shaping formal hedges and offers expert tips for keeping them looking their best. And finally, Fiona Davison, RHS Head of Libraries and Exhibitions, delves into the gardens and landscapes that inspired the pages of Jane Austen’s beloved novels. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Dr Jassy Drakulic, Alex Paines, Fiona Davison Links: RHS Fungi For Gardeners book RHS Garden Rosemoor Chawton House

Gardens are more than places of beauty — they’re living archives, preserving stories of the past. In this episode, we leaf through the September issue of The Plant Review to uncover what history can teach us about the gardens of today. RHS horticulturist Jack Aldridge recalls the rare purple-leaved Stachyurus—first spotted in a Devon garden in the 1970s, lost for decades, then rediscovered at a Cornish plant fair. Judith Taylor, a 91-year-old retired neurologist and garden historian, explores the legacy of Roy Genders, one of the most prolific gardening voices of the 20th century. And plant taxonomist and collector Jamie Compton joins James to untangle the thorny mysteries of the Banksian roses. Host: James Armitage and Gareth Richards Contributors: Jack Aldridge, Judith Taylor, Jamie Compton Links: The Plant Review

As astronomical autumn settles in, the rhythm of our gardens begins to change — plants, fungi, and wildlife all adapting to cooler days and longer nights. This week, horticulturist Tim Smith shows us how to support our hibernating garden visitors by creating your very own hibernaculum at home. Camilla Bassett-Smith shares her expert tips on planting snowdrops now for a stunning early spring display. And Fiona Davison from the RHS takes us into the archives to uncover the surprising connections between Jane Austen and the Royal Horticultural Society. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Tim Smith, Camilla Bassett-Smith, Fiona Davison Links: RHS Garden Rosemoor How to grow snowdrops RHS Digital Collections

This week we’re heading down to the world famous, double Michelin star Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in deepest Oxfordshire, to speak to chef Raymond Blanc about his ethos towards growing delicious produce, appreciating the soil, and letting veg take centre stage on the plate. From tasty veg to truly enormous ones, Fiona Davison will be telling us about the quirky tradition of giant vegetable growing competitions. And Jenny Laville will be joining us to give us the scoop on what's new for RHS shows in 2026. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Raymond Blanc, Jenny Laville, Fiona Davison Links: Simply Raymond Kitchen Garden: Seasonal recipes from my place to yours Malvern Autumn Show RHS Shows and Events

This week we’re exploring the lives of the pioneering women gardeners of the 20th century who paved the way for women in horticulture today… through music. Composer Omri Kochavi will be sharing how he was inspired by the book ‘An Almost Impossible Thing’ by Fiona Davison to create what he calls a 'horti-musical'. Now's the perfect time to think ahead to spring, and daffodil devotee Camilla Bassett-Smith will be joining us to share some of her favourite cultivars, and top tips on getting the most out of your bulbs. And finally we’re taking stock after a hot, dry summer. We visit Alex Paines at RHS Garden Rosemoor in Devon to explore how the gardeners there are adapting what, where, and how they plant. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Omri Kochavi, Camilla Bassett-Smith, Alex Paines Links: An Almost Impossible Thing: The radical lives of Britain's pioneering women gardeners Omri Kochavi’s website Ladies in Bloomers RHS Daffodils Daffodil Diaries project RHS Garden Rosemoor

Autumn may be here, but your garden’s productivity doesn’t have to slow down! This week, join us as Liz Mooney from RHS Wisley’s World Food Garden reveals how she keeps her allotment bursting with fruit and veg all year round. We’ll also hear from entomologist Dr Hayley Jones, who’s back to shed new light on wasps — the much-maligned but fascinating insects who’ve had a buzzing bumper year in 2025. And for those thinking beyond the traditional lawn, RHS advisor Nick Turrell offers fresh ideas to transform your garden into something truly inspiring. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Liz Mooney, Dr Hayley Jones, Nick Turrell Links: Social Wasps RHS Plants For Pollinators Plants for Pollinators Special Podcast Episode

Many of us have experienced the surge in powdery mildew, ushered in by the hot, dry summer we’ve had. To find out more about this unwanted fungal force and how to manage it, we’re speaking to RHS Senior Plant Pathologist Dr Jassy Drakulic. Late summer is also the perfect time to prune your wisteria to ensure the best blooms next spring. We’re speaking to this custodian of Wisley’s Wisteria Walk, Liam Anderson to pick up his top tips for success at home. And Nick Turrell returns with a curious question. He’s shining a spotlight on one familiar feature found in almost every garden in the country, asking us to think about why it’s really there. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Jassy Drakulic, Liam Anderson, Nick Turrell Links: Powdery mildews Pruning Wisteria

This week we are diving into extremes. Tom Hart Dyke shares his amazing story of misadventure in the Panamanian jungle that led him to the brink of death… and to the founding of a ‘World Garden’ deep in Kent. Guy Barter shares some top tips on how to keep your garden looking luscious in the extreme heat and drought we’ve experienced across the UK this summer. And are you gardening on an extreme budget? Nick Turrell from the RHS advisory team has some top tips just for you! Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Tom Hart Dyke, Guy Barter, Nick Turrell Links: Lullingstone World Garden Managing water in your garden

Allotments are powerful spaces of regeneration, nourishment, and community, and this National Allotment Week we’re celebrating these impactful sanctuaries. Mike Farrell, Chair of the National Allotment Society talks us through how they have evolved and why in a fractured world, the diverse communities they serve are more vital than ever. Garden designer and allotmenteer Zoe Claymore explores the versatility of container gardening, and RHS Horticultural Advisor Lenka Cooke shares her hacks for dealing with any invading weeds AND how to feed your allotment at the same time. Host: Nick Turrell Contributors: Mike Farrell, Zoe Claymore, Lenka Cooke Links: National Allotment Society Zoe Claymore website More on homemade fertilisers 

School’s out and summer’s in full swing, which means it’s the perfect time for the next generation of green thumbs to dig in and discover the joys of gardening! The always-inventive Lee Connelly, better known as the Skinny Jean Gardener, joins us with some fantastic garden projects to keep little hands busy. We also hear from keen gardener and parenting podcast host Giovanna Fletcher, who shares how gardening brings her family closer and why her kids love it so much. And for those of you not entertaining children this week, don’t worry – we’ve got something for you too. We’re heading to RHS Rosemoor, where horticulturist Sam Southgate is challenging traditional ideas about formal gardening. He’s passionate about boosting biodiversity, and he’ll show us how to make room for wildlife in even the most polished garden spaces. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Giovanna Fletcher, Lee Connelly, Sam Southgate Links: Summer holiday fun at RHS Garden Hyde Hall Summer holidays at RHS Garden Wisley Summer holidays at RHS Garden Rosemoor Summer holidays at RHS Garden Bridgewater Summer holidays at RHS Garden Harlow Carr

A third of British pollinator species are now in decline — but there’s still hope, and gardeners can be part of the solution. This week, the RHS launched its updated Plants for Pollinators list: over 10,000 plants scientifically shown to support pollinating insects throughout the year. Dr Andy Salisbury, head of plant health at the RHS, will take us behind the science — revealing how smart planting choices can help reverse pollinator decline. Gill Perkins, CEO of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, will bring us into the world of the charismatic bumblebee, shedding light on the growing pressures they face, from shrinking habitats to shifting seasons. And finally, horticulturist Rosie Yeomans will spotlight a pollinator favourite: salvias. After leading a three-year hardy salvia trial at RHS Garden Wisley, she’s here to reveal which varieties truly stole the show. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Dr Andy Salisbury, Rosie Yeomans, Gill Perkins Links: Plants for Pollinators hub About Plants for Pollinators Plants for bees Bumblebee Conservation Trust Hardy Salvia Trial Results

This week Sam Southgate from RHS Garden Rosemoor is teaching us how to rethink garden waste by transforming it into amazing structures for both you and your garden wildlife to enjoy. Mary Coates who’s doing her summer studentship with the plant health team at the RHS tells us about her research into the dreaded honey fungus, and how you can help her out. And finally we share some love for the mint family, as we dive into this expansive genus with some of the designers of the lamiaceae borders at RHS Hampton Court this summer.    Host: Guy Barter   Contributors: Sam Southgate, Mary Coates, Gareth Richards, Tom Howard, Marlene Lento, Yvonne Price and Victoria Stanton   Links: Privet species and honey fungus Survey Help our research at the RHS More about Honey Fungus The Nest at Wisley Lamiaceae borders at RHS Hampton Court

This week, we’re coming to you live from the very first RHS Flower Show at the magnificent Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire. We’ll be chatting with the rising stars of garden design – young talents competing for the coveted RHS Young Designer of the Year award. We’re also shining a light on some of the North’s finest growers, showcasing their extraordinary plants inside the vibrant floral marquee. And of course, we’ll be exploring the fresh ideas and inspiring themes blooming across the show’s breathtaking gardens.   Hosts: Gareth Richards, Jenny Laville, Mallissa Mabbitt   Contributors: Paul Hervey-Brookes, Luke Coleman, Colin Hickman, Dean Charlton, Mairi Longdon   Links:  RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse

Nothing captures the spirit of a British summer quite like Wimbledon and the iconic pairing of strawberries and cream. This week we’re diving into the fascinating history of strawberry cultivation with the RHS Head of Libraries and Exhibitions Fiona Davison, who uncovered a hidden story of pioneering strawberry-focused citizen science. Wisley’s Liz Mooney returns to run us through exactly how to keep on top of the vegetable patch during one of the busiest times in the growing season. And finally, we journey to Somerset to meet Georgie Newbury of Common Farm Flowers. Her cut flower farm is a haven for bees, butterflies, and all things that flutter and buzz. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Fiona Davison, Liz Mooney, Georgie Newbury Links: How the RHS transformed British strawberry growing RHS Digital Collections RHS Plant Trials and Awards Common Farm Flowers

This week, we're coming to you from the stunning RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2025; the UK’s most spectacular summer celebration of all things green, growing, and gloriously garden-inspired! Join us as we dive into the cutting-edge sustainability solutions, and thought-provoking exhibits that reveal how gardening connects us to nature, to each other, and to ourselves. We explore the Healer’s Hollow, where ancient plant-based healing traditions are brought back to life, and visit Surrey County Council’s visionary garden, which imagines a greener, more sustainable urban future. Along the way, we hear from passionate exhibitors and garden designers about how we can support endangered garden wildlife—and they share their top tips for keeping your garden thriving, even in this summer’s scorching heat.   Hosts: Guy Barter, Mellissa Mabbitt, Tom Howard   Contributors: Jude Yeo, Emily Grayshaw, Lilly Gomm, Coralie Thomas, Adrian Thomas, Alan Partridge, Helen Currie, Tom Pilgrim, Laura Strand, Sam Stark-Kemp, Henry T Pope   Links: Visit RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival  RHS Healers Hollow Garden RSPB and RHS Swift Garden Surrey County Council: Reclaiming spaces, creating healthy streets garden Hot Pocket, City Pocket Planting Garden Teucer Wilson: Green the Gap Garden, City Pocket Planting Welcoming Wildlife, City Pocket Planting Garden

This week we’re diving head-first into the long grass, under the flowerpots, and behind the compost bin to celebrate National Insect Week! The Wildlife Trusts’ collaborator and garden designer Zoe Claymore shares her top tips on wildlife friendly gardening. RHS Principal Entomologist Dr Hayley Jones will be busting some myths around one critter which has been dominating our gardens this year – aphids! And another RHS entomologist – Josie Stuart – explains why earwigs are excellent insect predators to encourage into your plot.   Host: Gareth Richards   Contributors: Zoe Claymore, Dr Hayley Jones, Josie Stuart   Links: Buddleja aphids Buddleja aphid survey Aphids Earwigs 

As the UK bursts into bloom, we celebrate British Flowers Week with flower farmer Georgie Newbery, who shares how to create stunning, sustainable bouquets from your own garden. At RHS Garden Wisley, Liz Mooney guides us through successional sowing for a summer full of salad crops, and at RHS Bridgewater, Carolyne Jones reveals how to turn your garden into a haven for nesting birds. From vibrant wildflowers to fledgling robins, it’s a glorious season of growth – and there’s still time to get involved. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Georgie Newbery, Liz Mooney, Carolyne Jones Links: Common Farm Flowers The carbon footprint of flowers Say it with British flowers study

This week, we journey into one of Britain’s rarest and most magical landscapes — the temperate rainforest. Designer Zoe Claymore joins us to reveal how she captured the enchanted atmosphere of these ancient woodlands at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and how you can recreate that wild, mossy magic at home. Then, we turn our attention to a true British garden staple: the hedge. Photographer Gareth Gardner shares what he discovered after receiving over 500 submissions from around the world for his new exhibition On The Hedge, now opening at RHS Garden Wisley. Plus, Gareth Richards is here with practical advice on planning ahead with tips on sowing biennials, and Guy Barter shares what he’s been up to in his own garden. A lush, leafy episode not to be missed. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Zoe Claymore, Gareth Gardner, Gareth Richards Links: British Temperate Rainforest - British Wildlife Trusts British Rainforest - How to Guide Lindley Late - Urban Gardening Club: Balconies, Pots and Patios On The Hedge exhibition at RHS Wisley

This week, we’re stepping off the garden path and into the wild. James Armitage, editor of The Plant Review, joins Gareth Richards to reflect on how a little wilderness can bring balance, biodiversity, and unexpected beauty, to even the most cultivated spaces. We begin with a tribute to the intrepid botanist John Watson, whose plant-hunting adventures in South America unearthed a treasure trove of wild flora. Plantsman Robert Rolfe shares stories of Watson’s passion and the remarkable plants he helped bring into cultivation. Then, it’s over to the Garry oak meadows of Vancouver Island, where nurserywoman Amy Sanderson and writer Eric Hsu are rethinking everything we thought we knew about camassias – revealing their surprising resilience in dry climates. Finally, we ascend to the Himalayas with botanist Richard Moore to meet the hardy Roscoea – a plant both wild and wonderful, whose taxonomic tale is as twisty as its mountain roots. All this, plus a call to action: find out how you can help protect community growing spaces by supporting the RHS-backed Space to Grow amendment in Parliament. Hosts: Gareth Richards & James Armitage Contributors: Robert Rolfe, Amy Sanderson, Eric Hsu, Richard Moore Links: RHS Horticultural bursaries Subscribe to The Plant Review Space to Grow amendment for the government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill Use this template to send to your MP find your MP’s email address here Saving allotments and community gardens

Late May bursts with life – and this week’s episode celebrates the full force of the season. We revisit the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to explore the mystique of Meconopsis, the Himalayan “Big Blue Poppies” that have captivated British gardeners for over a century. Then, Horticultural Advisor Nick Turrell shares clever shortcuts for growing your own edibles – even if you’re short on time and space. And Edward Cooper from RHS Garden Wisley unpacks the Award of Garden Merit: what it takes to earn this mark of excellence, and how it can help you choose top-performing plants for your own patch. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Helen Knowles, Nick Turrell, Edward Cooper Links: The Meconopsis group How to grow Meconopsis  RHS Plant Trials and Awards

Step into the bloom of RHS Chelsea 2025! In this special episode, we delve into the standout themes, emerging trends, and — of course — the spectacular plants that define this year’s show. Journey with us from Scotland’s wild coastal landscapes to the dappled canopies of urban forests, as we meet the visionary designers behind 2025’s most breathtaking gardens. We’ll also shine a spotlight on the real stars of the show: the plants themselves — and the groundbreaking breeders competing for the prestigious RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year award.   Hosts: Jenny Laville, Gareth Richards, Tom Howard, James Armitage   Links: Chelsea Flower Show tickets Chelsea Flower Show gardens Chelsea Plant of the Year RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse

Biodiverse spaces are important not only for healthy ecosystems but they also bring tangible benefits for our mental wellness as well. Unfortunately new data shows that some of our most loved garden visitors – the Lepidoptera, or butterflies and moths – are in alarming decline. We’ll be finding out from Dr Richard Fox, Head of Science at Butterfly Conservation, how gardeners can give them the boost they need. Ed Cooper from the trials team down at RHS Garden Wisley shows us another way of welcoming in not only butterflies and moths, but a whole host of other wildlife as well, with advice on sowing annual and perennial wildflower meadows. And finally, we find out how to maximise our outdoor spaces for our four legged friends, with Lead Horticulturist Dawn Grehan, at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.   Host: Gareth Richards   Contributors: Dr Richard Fox, Ed Cooper, Dawn Grehan Links:  Butterfly Conservation Butterfly recording and monitoring RHS Plants for Pollinators RHS Chelsea Flower Show How to create a pet-friendly garden Potentially harmful garden plants

It’s Plant Health Week, and we’re celebrating with expert tips to keep your garden thriving. RHS Plant Health Advisor Helen Latham will be sharing practical advice to help your plants stay strong and resilient. Meanwhile, Nick Turrell returns to shine a light on the unsung heroes of the garden — weeds! Last week, he turned a common garden nuisance into a delicious, nutrient-rich summer salad. Today, he’s back with another surprising use for those persistent plants — and a fresh perspective on why they might deserve a second chance. Plus, as gardens burst into bloom, your questions have been flooding in. We’ve handed a few over to the RHS Garden Advisory Team to get the expert answers you’ve been looking for. Host: Jenny Laville Contributors: Helen Latham, Nick Turrell, James Lawrence, Chris Taylor Links: Plant health in gardens  Previous episode on plant health and passports with Dario Spagnoli

This May Day we’re embracing new growth in the garden — even from the unexpected plants that pop up on their own! Nick Turrell from the RHS Gardening Advice Team will be shining a spotlight on one so-called ‘weed’ that’s actually packed with nutrients — a perfect addition to your summer salads. Liz Mooney from the edibles team at RHS Garden Wisley is back to share her top tips for growing beans — whether broad, runner, or French. And horticulturist Alessandra Sana will be diving into the crowning jewel of any summer pond: the glorious, timeless waterlily.   Host: Guy Barter   Contributors: Nick Turrell, Liz Mooney, Alessandra Sana   Links: How to grow broad beans How to grow runner beans How to grow French beans How to grow waterlilies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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’

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

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

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

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 Devonshire landscape.   Host: Guy Barter   Contributors: Jim Arbury, Alex Hankey, Alex Paines   Links: Apples and pears: winter pruning Devon Hedges Group RHS advice on hedges

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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 

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’

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 

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 

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 mycorrhizae 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

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

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

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

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 

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

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: [email protected] Become a member of the RHS 

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

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

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

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

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 

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 Inside Tatton’s Floral Marquee Long Borders The Kaleidoscope Ginnel Garden The Woodland Trust: 49% Garden

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

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 The Magic of Moss All About Asteraceae   Contact: [email protected]

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

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

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

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

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. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Liz Mooney, Roz Marshall, Clare Matterson Contact: [email protected]  Links: Shrubby Veronica (Hebe) trial results How to grow squashes - RHS RHS patron announcement

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: [email protected]  Other links: RHS Chelsea Flower Show Website SheGrowsVeg Urban Organic Pure Grenada

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: [email protected]  Links: Sweet Pea show at RHS Garden Wisley The Buddleja Garden Pinnacle Plants International

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: [email protected]  Links:  Box alternatives trial at RHS Garden Wisley Langthorns Plantery Chelsea Flower Show Tickets

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: [email protected]  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

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: [email protected]  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 

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: [email protected]  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

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: [email protected]  Links:  RHS Garden Rosemoor How to grow parsnips How to grow shallots  How to grow potatoes F1 Hybrids Shrouded in Light

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

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: [email protected]  Links:  Bumbles on Blooms  iNaturalist Oudolf Landscape Dividing perennials 

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: [email protected]  Links: Greener Gardening Containers RHS Plant Finder Plant Heritage: National Plant Collections 

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: [email protected]  Links: Nature Cities: Comparing the carbon footprints of urban and conventional agriculture Endless Forms by Serian Sumner Shrubby Hydrangeas  The Garden Magazine

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: [email protected] Links: How to grow tomatoes Tomato blight Gardening with Colour at Coton Manor An Almost Impossible Thing

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: [email protected] 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

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: [email protected] Links: Mediterranean garden plants RHS hardiness ratings Hardy Eucalyptus (Grafton Nursery)

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

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

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

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

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 [email protected] Links: Mahonia Not Another Jungle: Comprehensive Care for Extraordinary Houseplants Growing hope and houseplants in prison The Glasshouse

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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  

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 

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

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

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

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

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/

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/

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/ 

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

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.

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

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/ 

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

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.

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)

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)

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)

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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