Gardening with the RHS

Latest Episodes:

A Celebration of Autumn Colour Oct 24, 2024

Show notes

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

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Chrysanthemums, storing produce, and dividing perennials Oct 17, 2024

Show notes

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

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Compost, fungi, and giant vegetables Oct 11, 2024

Show notes

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

Gardening for a greener future Oct 03, 2024

Show notes

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

Muscari, storing produce, and fungi Sep 26, 2024

Show notes

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

Holehird Gardens, Echeverias, and dividing perennials Sep 19, 2024

Show notes

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

Balcony gardens, peat-free, and gardening for bats Sep 12, 2024

Show notes

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

Bearded irises, asters, and bitterns Sep 05, 2024

Show notes

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:

Leighton Moss Nature Reserve

Unexpected Opportunities in a Changing Landscape Aug 29, 2024

Show notes

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: podcast@rhs.org.uk

Become a member of the RHS

Denmans Garden, blueberry harvest, and National Plant Collections Aug 22, 2024

Show notes

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