Gardeners' Question Time

BBC Radio 4
  • 4.8 (246)
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

A panel of horticultural experts answer gardening questions from a live audience. Recorded in a different location each week

  1. 2D AGO

    St Mary's Walthamstow

    Kathy Clugston and an esteemed panel of gardening experts are in St Mary's Church in Walthamstow to answer the questions of a green fingered audience. Joining Kathy on the panel are garden designers, botanists and alotmenteers James Wong, Matthew Biggs and Frances Tophill. Later, Matthew Pottage provides a list of thriving trees that are sweeping the streets of London. Producer: Matthew Smith Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

    42 min

  2. NOV 7

    Postbag Edition: Bicton Park Botanical Gardens

    What’s the optimal size for a new greenhouse? How do I get cedar of Lebanon seeds to germinate? How do I revive a dried out compost heap? Kathy Clugston and a panel of passionate horticulturalists are outside Exeter to soak up the sights, scents and history of Bicton Park Botanical Gardens while digging into the GQT postbag, to solve your trickiest gardening conundrums. Joining Kathy under the big top are houseplant specialist Anne Swithinbank, award-winning garden designer Chris Beardshaw, and horticulturalist Frances Tophill - ready with expert advice, clever solutions, and a few laughs along the way. They're also joined by head manager of Bicton House, Edward Lister, to tour the 60 acres of land. Senior Producer: Dominic Tyerman Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

    42 min

  3. OCT 31

    Phyllis Court: White Fly, River Thames and Favourite Gardens

    Might our otherwise polluted River Thames have a positive impact on my garden? Why has there been so much whitefly this year? Do the panel have a favourite garden they’ve visited? Peter Gibbs and a panel of green-fingered gurus head to the Phyllis Court Club in Henley-on-Thames, where a lively audience of passionate gardeners awaits answers to their most pressing plant problems. Joining Peter are pest and disease specialist Pippa Greenwood, head gardener Matthew Pottage, and the ever-enthusiastic plantswoman Christine Walkden. Later, Johnny ‘Hot Stuff’ Mayard discusses how he grows chillies in his polytunnel that are used for his hot sauce. Senior Producer: Dan Cocker Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod Assistant Producer: William Norton Assistant Producer: Suki Glockling A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

    42 min

  4. OCT 24

    Two Dales

    Which seeds would you take to a desert island? How can I improve my success planting bulbs? Which easy-to-grow plants have you managed to kill? Peter Gibbs and a panel of gardening experts are in Two Dales to share their top horticultural advice. Joining Peter are garden designer Bunny Guinness, RHS curator Marcus Chilton-Jones, and alpine specialist Bethan Collerton. Later in the programme, Marcus stops to chat to Steve Porter, Head of Gardens and Landscape at Chatsworth House about the history of camellias and how best to grow them. Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod Producer: Matt Smith A Somethin' Else Production for BBC Radio 4 Plant List: Q — 2 minutes, 45 seconds Which easy-to-grow plant have you managed to kill? Marcus Chilton-Jones Swiss cheese plant Mother in law’s tongue Bethan Collerton— Gorse Bunny Guinness— Bacchia Pelagonium Q — 4 minutes, 41 seconds  I've got a prickly pear cactus and  the outer surface layer appears to be getting eaten in patches. Why? QM I want to re-plant a board backed by a 6ft wooden fence. What would the panel recommend? Bethan Collerton— Evergreen ferns Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ Brunnera macrophylla ’Silver heart’ Bunny Guinness— Lavender Yew Allium ‘Globe master’ Hydrangea seemannii Marcus Chilton-Jones — Physocarpus Camellia Lobelia cotinus Hydrangea seemannii Q 15 minutes, 30 seconds Cornus kousa ‘green sleeves’ Cornus kousa ‘milky way’ Bunny Guinness — Cornus mas ‘Cornelian cherry’ Q -- 25 minutes, 37 seconds  Could the team advise how to improve my  success rate of my bull planting? Q -- 30 minutes, 30 seconds How should I prune a Victoria plum tree? QF 37 mins 25 Which two packets of seeds would you take to a desert island? Bethan Collerton— Courgette Rice Bunny Guinness— Edamame Fig Marcus Chilton-Jones — Tomatoes Sunflower

    42 min

  5. OCT 17

    Postbag Edition: RHS Wisley Greening Skills Garden

    Peter Gibbs and the Gardeners Question Time panel visit the RHS Wisley Greening Skills Garden in Woking, an exciting new project designed to inspire and equip the next generation of horticulturists. No postbag edition is complete without your questions, so the panel dip into the GQT inbox to answer your gardening conundrums. Joining Peter are head gardeners and garden designers Pippa Greenwood, Matthew Pottage and Matthew Biggs. Senior Producer: Dan Cocker Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

    43 min

  6. OCT 10

    From the Archives: Woodland

    Is it possible to grow mushrooms on a living log? How do we control the spread of alder beetles in our garden? How can I remove wild garlic from a woodland garden? Kathy Clugston delves into the rich Gardeners’ Question Time archives to unearth timeless wisdom on gardening in woodland conditions. Drawing on decades of expertise, GQT panellists and chairs - past and present - offer trusted advice for every green-fingered challenge. From ethical ways to tackle moss and effective methods to control alder beetles, to planting schemes that gently deter unwanted wildlife, the team’s knowledge is as deep-rooted as the trees themselves. Later, grow-your-own guru Bob Flowerdew rounds off our autumn feature series with a comprehensive guide to allotment tasks that will help ensure a plentiful harvest. Producer: Rahnee Prescod A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

    43 min

  7. OCT 3

    Darley Dale: Flood Proof Plants, Hangry Heathers and Fast Climbers

    What trees are flood and arid proof that will still be here in a hundred years? How can I rejuvenate my gappy Heathers? What fast growing plants could we plant to hide a wall? Peter Gibbs and a proud panel of gardening experts venture to the Whitworth Institute in Darley Dale where they field questions from an eager live audience of gardeners. Tackling everything from hangry heathers to planting dilemmas, the panel includes head gardeners’ Bethan Collerton and Marcus Chilton Jones, and garden designer Bunny Guinness Later in the programme, James Wong provides  some practical advice on how to keep your plants happy indoors this season. Senior producer: Matthew Smith
 Junior producer: Rahnee Prescod A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

    42 min

  8. SEP 26

    St Austell: Kiwis, Proud Plants and Frozen Seeds

    When do kiwis produce fruit in the UK? What plant cuttings are the panel most proud of propagating? Should we freeze our seeds in water before planting them in the ground? Kathy Clugston and a powerhouse panel of gardening experts return to the iconic Eden Project outside St Austell in Cornwall where they field questions from a green fingered live audience. Tackling everything from persistent pests to planting dilemmas, the panel includes houseplant specialist Anne Swithinbank, award-winning garden designer Chris Beardshaw, and horticulturalist Frances Tophill. Later in the programme, continuing our autumn feature series, Matthew Wilson provides an extensive guide to dividing your perennial plants. Senior producer: Dominic Tyerman Junior producer: Rahnee Prescod A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

    42 min
See All (53)

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4.8
out of 5
246 Ratings

About

A panel of horticultural experts answer gardening questions from a live audience. Recorded in a different location each week

Information

  • Creator
    BBC Radio 4
  • Years Active
    2009 - 2025
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2025
  • Show Website
    Gardeners' Question Time

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