Gardening with the RHS

Desert roadcuts, abandoned pasture, heathland and marshy thickets inspire naturalistic planting ideas from Kevin Philip Williams and Michel Guidi, whose new book Shrouded in Light draws from wild shrubscapes. We also visit RHS Garden Rosemoor in North Devon, where Peter Adams gives us a tour of the extensive fruit and vegetable gardens with top tips for growing parsnips, shallots, cloching potatoes and protecting peas. Jenny Laville and James Armitage return to the podcast to debunk more plant terminology – this time talking about “hybrids” – what they are, how they occur and how they can be used to your advantage.  Presenter: Gareth Richards Contributors: Peter Adams, Jenny Laville, James Armitage, Michael Guidi and Kevin Philip Williams  Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk  Links:  RHS Garden Rosemoor How to grow parsnips How to grow shallots  How to grow potatoes F1 Hybrids Shrouded in Light

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: podcasts@rhs.org.uk  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: podcasts@rhs.org.uk  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: podcasts@rhs.org.uk  Links: Nature Cities: Comparing the carbon footprints of urban and conventional agriculture Endless Forms by Serian Sumner Shrubby Hydrangeas  The Garden Magazine

This week, we’re trying to honour March in all its glory. We’re delving into tasty and blight-resistant tomato varieties. We’re exploring how to build and renovate harmonious and colourful borders. And finally, to celebrate International Women’s Day and the 220th anniversary of the RHS, we’re turning back the clock to honour a few of the women who’ve shaped the organisation. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Simon Crawford, Susie Pasley-Tyler, Fiona Davison Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: How to grow tomatoes Tomato blight Gardening with Colour at Coton Manor An Almost Impossible Thing

This week we’re exploring small but useful nuggets of information that have the potential to change the way we interact with our surroundings this growing season. We’re getting seasonal tips on GYO – things like training and pruning apple trees and preparing allotments for the busiest time of year. And, we’re delving into plant names – and the system behind our classifications.    Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Andy Lewis, Jenny Laville, James Armitage Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links:   Apples and pears: winter gardening   The Newt in Somerset – an RHS Partner Garden   Allotments: getting started   RHS Practical Latin for Gardeners   Untangling Latin Names

This week, we’re investigating what exactly makes a plant hardy, how tropical plants survive British winters, and the ways in which what thrives here may be changing – especially in urban environments like London. Presenter Gareth Richards and RHS botanist James Armitage take a tour of weird and wacky tender trees that have survived here against all odds. And, Hillary Collins of Grafton Nursery gives us a behind the scenes look at what you can do to help your eucalyptus withstand British winters. Presenter: Gareth Richards Contributors: James Armitage and Hilary Collins Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: Mediterranean garden plants RHS hardiness ratings Hardy Eucalyptus (Grafton Nursery)

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 podcasts@rhs.org.uk 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

This week we visit the World Food Garden at RHS Wisley to see how new eco-friendly ways of growing are taking shape. Guy Barter gives his expert guide to brassica growing for bumper crops of Brussels sprouts, kale and kalettes next winter. Plus a fond farewell to Sue Biggs CBE, who's been Director General of the RHS for the last 12 years – hear her reminisce about some personal highlights and a close encounter of the royal kind... Useful links Discover the World Food Garden at RHS Garden Wisley See our RHS Grow Your Own for advice on growing all kinds of fruit and veg Join the RHS for fabulous days out, free gardening advice and more

Are plants passive green things, just waiting for the next passing mouth to munch on them? Or do they sometimes fight back? This week's programme is devoted to the botanical poisoners, the tricksters and the carnivores that turn the tables and seek revenge on the animal kingdom. Featuring Amy Stewart, author of Wicked Plants – The A-Z of Plants That Kill, Maim, Intoxicate and Otherwise Offend; RHS Editor and flytrap fan Gareth Richards; and Dr Chris Thorogood, Deputy Director of Oxford Botanic Garden. Useful links: ►Wicked Plants [book] ►RHS advice on potentially harmful plants ►Learn more about carnivorous plants ►Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum

The greatest flower show on earth is back in its traditional time and place at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, in spring. And what a show! Join us as we meet the designers of the Gold medal-winning 'A Rewilding Britain Landscape' garden to explore their portrayal of how the return of a long-lost species, the beaver, can transform landscapes and ecology. BBC Gardeners' World presenter Joe Swift gives a tour of his bee-friendly garden and we meet 'Cloud Gardener' Jason Williams and fellow balcony gardener Bea Tann. Useful links: RHS Chelsea Flower Show Meet the designers: A Rewilding Britain Landscape RHS Plant of the Year 2022 The Cloud Gardener, Jason Williams The Enchanted Rain Garden by Bea Tann