Gardening with the RHS

Latest Episodes:

Hidden Worlds: From Fungal Networks to Literary Landscapes Oct 09, 2025

Show notes

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

Living Libraries: Stories from The Plant Review Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

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

The Autumn Shift: Hibernaculums, Snowdrops, and Jane Austen Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

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

From Soil to Plate: Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Garden Sep 18, 2025

Show notes

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

Pioneering Women Gardeners, Daffodils and Climate Lessons Sep 11, 2025

Show notes

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 Abundance: How to Harvest All Year Round Sep 04, 2025

Show notes

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

Wading into wisteria, managing mildew and an existential conundrum Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

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

Gardening Through Extremes: Survival, Heatwaves & Budget Hacks Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

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: Spaces that Grow Us Aug 14, 2025

Show notes

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