Chris Day and Peter Brown from Buckingham Garden Centre talk about their gardening experiences, what to do in the garden, seasonal gardening advice and interviews with horticultural experts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In this edition of DIG IT Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Chris Baines who is recognised as one of the UK's leading independent environmentalists and greatest pioneers in wildlife gardening. His best-selling book, How To Make A Wildlife Garden was published back in 1985 and has been in print continually ever since. Chris's ethos is simply to encourage us all to think more about wildlife and give it a helping hand in our gardens!People and places: Key Inspiration from Christopher Lloyd (Great Dixter Garden) and Dame Miriam Rothschild (passionate about getting wildflowers on motorway verges and attracting butterflies). War hero General Oliver Leese (a bonsai and cacti grower, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 1984, Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Kent apple Orchards, Wind in the Willows Books (Mr Toad reference). Wye College Agricultural and Horticulture Facility, Garden Organic, Sheffield Parks Department. Wildlife and Wetlands Trust created London Wetlands Centre, one of the most successful stories in Europe. English Nature, The Wildlife Trust and Wild Ken Hill, Norfolk featured on BBC SpringwatchPlant mentions: Cowslip, Crocus, Bolted Kale with flower buds, Daisies, Foxgloves, Grape hyacinths, Horse chestnut, Ivy, Michaelmas daisies, Runner beans, Silver Birch, and Saxifraga.Animal mentions: Blue Tits, Skylarks, Lapwings, Curlews, Robins, Swallows, Starlings, Swifts, Slugs, Caterpillars, Bats, Sparrow Hawks, Red Kites, Peregrine Falcons, Magpies, Foxes, Toads, Hedgehogs, Moths, Butterflies, Cabbage White Butterflies, Newts, Damsel flies, Wasps, Leatherjackets, and Woodcock.Product mentions: Bee hotels, Clay pots, Compost bins, Flexible Pond liners, and Nest boxes.Chris's garden with a large pond: Leyland Cypress, Holly, Yew, Crab Apple, Native Honeysuckle, Bird Cherry (Prunus padus), Rosa banksia, Pink Campion, Lily of the Valley, Meadow Cranesbill / non-native Geraniums, Pulmonaria (lungwort) and Wayfaring tree.Desert island must-haves: Hand lens / Macro lens binoculars and Secateurs.Media highlights: Pebble Mill at One (1989 - 92), Rich Habitat Garden created for Gardeners' World with Peter Seabrook. Blue Tits and Bumblebees (1985) one 40-minute programme, The Wildside of Town, and Countryfile one of the original presenters from 1989 - 92.The Thames Estuary Partnership: The Living Thames film won the 2019 UK Charity Film Award and has won prizes and awards on four continents. It has an introduction by Sir David Attenborough and is available worldwide through Amazon. Chris is currently working on the sequel, The Historic Thames, which is scheduled for autumn release.Chris's books: The Wild Side of Town, The RHS Companion to Wildlife Gardening (originally titled How to Make a Wildlife Garden), and A Guide to Habitat Creation.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After the driest spring in over 60 years, our gardens have been amazing these past months. In this edition of DIG IT, Peter Brown and Chris Day guide us through the month of June looking at the events, topical gardening news and tasks to keep our gardens colourful and productive.What's onSaturday 7th June Royal Windsor Flower Show, Windsor Great Park, Windsor. 7th - 8th June London Open Gardens, Multiple locations, London.12 - 15th June BBC Gardeners' World Live, NEC, Birmingham.20 - 22nd June Blenheim Palace Flower Show, Blenheim, Oxfordshire.NewsThe two men who felled a tree at Sycamore Gap convicted of criminal damage.Eden Project Morecambe set to open in 2028.Good news for UK horticulture as most routine border checks on plant shipments to and from the EU will be dropped in new trade deal.Alan Titchmarsh becomes President of the National Garden Scheme as Dame Mary Berry steps down after 10 years in the role.National Garden Scheme charity funds over 100 gardens.Anne-Marie Powell's 2025 award-winning Octavia Hill Chelsea Garden finds a permanent home at Bridgemere Show Gardens in Nantwich, Cheshire.CHELSEA NEWS HEADLINESMonty Don's RHS / BBC RADIO 2 Dog Garden got tails wagging at show.Taylors Bulbs make it 32 Gold medals at Chelsea.Cosmos King and friend of the podcast Jonathan Sheppard collects Gold for his National Collection of Cosmos display.Frank P Matthews awarded Silver Guilt for Malus and trained fruit display.Cha No Niwa, Japanese Tea Garden collects top awards including the People's Award for best show garden.In the Malvern Houseplant Studio category, a gold was awarded to Babylon Beats by James Whiting of Plants by There and The Little Botanical reimagines the Hanging Gardens of Babylon through a 1980s lens.Winner of the RHS Plant of the Year 2025 goes to Philadelphus Petit Perfume Pink.The King's Rose is officially unveiled with proceeds going to The King's Foundation.The National Trust creates its first ornamental forest garden at the Shugborough Estate in Staffordshire.Communities to gather in the Great Big Green Week to help beat climate change.Tribute garden to late Queen Elizabeth II takes shape at London's Regent's Park.Can you help passionate Cornish Peony gardener – Caroline Stone - and her quest to find rare types of Paeonia lactifolora, bred since the 1800s by Kelway's Nursery in Langport, Somerset? If you think you can help Caroline, contact her at www.glebegarden.co.uk DIG IT Top 5 Summer bedders in pots: 5th Dahlietta, 4th Osteospermums, 3rd Ivy Leaf Pelargoniums, 2nd Regal Pelargoniums and at the No1 spot Zonal Pelargoniums.Plants mentioned: Runner beans, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Lettuce. Forsythia, Philadelphus, Weigela, Deciduous Viburnum, Delphiniums, Lupins, Monstera, Roses, Tulips, Seasonal bedding plants, Paeonies, Petunias, and Speedplanters. Sow now Foxgloves, Poppies, Wallflowers, Sweet William, and Forget Me Nots. Encourage pollinators into the garden by planting Lavender, Aster, Coneflowers Cosmos, and Sunflowers.Products mentioned: Dutch hoe, Westland All Purpose Boost Plant Feed, Tomorite, Evergreen 4-in-1 Complete Lawn Feed, Greenhouse shading, Poppyforge plant supports, garden canes, Hozelock multi-gun, Hydrangea Colourant, houseplant compost, and pots for houseplant re-potting.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Lee Connelly, the Skinny Jean Gardener, wants to get kids out in the garden and shares his passion for growing plants and engaging with nature. In this edition of DIG IT Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Lee on his mission to get children gardening as part of National Children's Gardening Week this month!Plants mentioned: Cress, Chilli peppers, Daffodils, Jasmine, Onions, Potatoes, Radish Strawberries, Tomatoes and Wildflowers.People and products mentioned: Dale Connelly, Jimmy Doherty (Jimmy's Farm), Jamie Oliver, Micheal Perry (aka Mr Plant Geek), Matthew Biggs, Jim Buttress, Chris Collins, BBC and CBBC Blue Peter. Garden Clogs, and Crocs - but they let in too much water! Wildlife gardening projects to engage children including a bug hotel.Lee's desert Island plant and tool: Chilli peppers and a Hammer (perfect for planting, according to Lee).To discover more about Lee, his podcast and his gardening activities do visit his website.Lee's book, How To Get Kids Gardening is available through bookshops and Lee's website. Lee's latest book, Children's Gardening Coach, will be available in September.Click on this link to find out about HTA's National Children's Gardening Week.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May in the Garden 2025 short notes v2It's May and as the saying goes, “N'er cast a clout till May is out”. A proverb which reminds us about the fickle British weather and its ability to bathe us in warmth one day and bring chilly winds the next! Peter Brown and Chris Day discuss what gardening tasks need to be done in one of the busiest months in the gardening calendar, plus a round-up of events and topical news stories.What's on2 - 4th May: BBC Gardeners' World Spring Fair, Beaulieu, New Forest, Hampshire. 2 May - 10th August: Unearthed: The Power of Gardening, British Library, London.8 - 11th May: RHS Malvern Spring Festival, Three Counties Showground, Worcestershire. 20 – 24th May: RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London.24 May - 1st June National Children's Gardening Week.30 – 31st May: Scone Palace Garden Fair, Perthshire, Scotland.NewsChelsea 2025 gardens showcasing climate resilience.Monty Don's dog, Ned assists in creating first dog friendly Chelsea Garden.Frank P Matthews to debut at Chesea Flower Show showcasing Malus.England's non-woodland trees freely mapped for first time.Ancient oak tree cut down by Toby Carvery.National Trust steps in to save rare Black Poplar trees.Mixed fortunes of UK gardens visitor numbers in 2024 revealed.Biddulph Grange Stumpery renovation completed.A call for action over declining hoverfly numbers from The Wildlife Trust and RHS.Horticultural Trade Association supports Urban Green Spaces Bill.2025 Ballot open for 10 Downing Street Garden which will be open to the public for one day.Rising costs lead to Shrewsbury Flower Show cancellation.Westland Horticulture acquires Bulldog Products.Huw Richards and Gardena search for Britain's best plot in new competition.Survey conducted by Stihl highlights common garden mistakes Peter A. Cox of Glendoick, a pioneering figure in the world of horticulture and rhododendron cultivation, has died.Lawns overlooked in new builds.Wildlife gardens see a ‘change for the better' say Wildflower Gardening Forum.DIG IT Top 5 Top Fragrant Plants5th spot Lonicera Gold Flame, 4th Lavandula Hidcote, 3rd Rose Lilac Bouquet, 2nd Trachelospermum jasminoides and Lavandula stoechas at the number 1 spot.Plants mentioned: Polyanthus and Primulas – perfect for division, Swede, Beetroot, Carrots, Autumn Cabbage, autumn / winter Cauliflowers, Broccoli, Peas, Potatoes, Radish, Lettuce and Spring Onions. French and Runner beans, Sweetcorn, Courgettes, and Pumpkins. Blueberries, Cranberries and Strawberries. Sweet Peppers, Chillies, Aubergines, Melons, and Cucumbers. Summer bedding and Seasonal plants. Aquatic oxygenators, marginals, and waterlilies. Pop-in / Drop-In Speedplanters.Products mentioned: Bug Hotel, Horticultural fleece, Dutch Hoe, Ericaceous fertilisers, Garden Netting, Evergreen 4-in 1 Lawn Food, Lawn seed, Hanging baskets, and Melcourt Peat-Free Tub and Basket Compost.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this edition of DIG IT Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Stuart Lowen, the Marketing Manager at Ball Colegrave, a leader in all areas of floriculture excellence. Stuart gives us the latest news from the seasonal plant industry, hanging basket advice, plus new bedding plants to look out for this summer.The Blue Flag winner in 2024 was Lantana Passion Fruit, a trailing spreading variety with a long flowering season of fruity, coloured flowers.The Tree of Life display at Ball featured Petunia Bee's Knees.Mad About Mangave ® Praying Hands, a unique foliage plant, similar to an artichoke that grows up like a teardrop.Plants mentioned and to look out for this summer include; Antirrhinum Snap in Black Pink. Begonia Hula, Begonia Megawatt, Begonia Angel Wings, Trumpet Flower, Bidens Bee Happy, Coleus King Jr Rose, Coleus canina (Scaredy cat), Cosmos Cherry Chocolate (bright cherry pink flowers with the chocolate fragrance, Calibrachoas, Dahlia Gardenetta range of varieties, Geranium Moonflair (ivy leaf), Impatien Beacon ® Raspberry Sundae Mixed (highly resistant to downy mildew), Impatien Glimmer ® Pink, Mandevilla Tropica Jade Red, Osteospermum Akila Hawaii Sunset Mixed, Pansy Cool Wave (trailing pansy), Petunia Fanfare Heartbreaker, Petunia Surfinia and Sunflower PetiSol.Kitchen Buddies, a range of compact growing vegetable plants including Cucumber Quick Snack, Pepper Hot Banana, Sweet Corn Pot of Gold and Tomato Tumbling Tom Yellow.Product mentions: Control-release fertiliser, Miracle-Gro and a high potash fertiliser such as Tomato Food. Water-retaining granules such as Swell-Gel. Popular Speedplanters, Pop-In/ Drop-Ins, popular for instant colourful results.The late Peter Seabrook created an amazing garden at RHS Hyde Hall in Essex called Floral Fantasia, the garden is designed to showcase and celebrate the spectacular potential of seasonal plants. The garden acts as a bridge between the growing industry and the general public. Peter's legacy lives on in this garden which you can visit to see the latest innovations, including this summer, Begonia Trials. 2025 is the Year of the Begonia.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After one of the driest March's in years, our gardens are certainly providing some amazing tree blossom, shrub and bulb colour. DIG IT's Peter Brown and Chris Day delve into the latest news, events and gardening advice for the month ahead.5th April: The Forde Abbey Spring Plant and Gardening Fair at Forde Abbey and Gardens in Somerset.5th - 6th April: Cornwall Garden Society Spring Flower Show at Royal Cornwall Show Ground near Wadebridge.5th - 6th April: Great Dixter Annual Plant Fair at Great Dixter Garden, Rye in East Sussex. Until 6th April: Sounds of Blossom at Kew Gardens in collaboration with the Royal College of Music.13th April: Plant Fair and Talks at the Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, London.24 - 27th April: Harrogate Spring Flower Show at the Great Yorkshire Showground.27th April: Ramster Garden Spring Plant Fair, Chiddingfold in Surrey.NewsNew National Forest to see 20m trees planted in England by 2050.Kew gets new and revamped features this year, plus the Waterlily House reopens.European Tree of the Year 2024: Beech tree in Poland wins.Alan Titchmarsh launches YouTube channel.Weed like to be better gardeners says OnePoll Research.Dog Trust warning to dog owners as several spring flowers can be toxic.RHS community garden survey launched.The hunt is on for rare and disappearing daffodils.2024: The worst year for bumblebees recorded.Blenheim celebrates with oak saplings.Exbury Gardens celebrates 70th anniversary of public opening.Bowood House and Garden opens for the first time.Lee Connelly named Ambassador for National Children's Gardening Week 2025.Historic uniforms worn by Chelsea Pensioners repurposed and included in a new Garden at Chelsea Flower Show next month.Hillier Nurseries is now 100% peat-free.Fewer slugs expected this spring, says RHS.New groundcover Hydrangea Blush ® launched.DIG IT Top 5 Miracle Gro Lawn Care Products:1st Complete 4 in 1, 14kg A lawn treatment product that kills weeds and moss, creating a thicker, greener and healthier lawn.2nd Patch Magic Bag contains a special binder which helps keep seed from washing away. It grows 2x thicker than ordinary grass, 1.5kg3rd Complete 4 in 1, 80 sqm.4th Miracle Gro Evergreen, 360 sqm.5th Miracle Gro Evergreen, 80 sqm.Plants mentioned: Calibrachoa in the Kinder range, Sedum, Rudbeckia, root-wrapped Roses, Sweet peas, Primroses, Polyanthus, Ranunculus, Brussel sprouts, Runner and Climbing Beans, Dahlia, Gladioli, Lilies, including the variety Stargazer, wildflower seeds, Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Rosemary, Snake Plant and Money Plant (Crassula).Products: Slug Gone, Composted Bark Chippings, Root-trainers, Horticultural Fleece, Terrocotta pot, and create your own Easter Hunt in the garden!Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this edition of DIG IT, Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Jonathon Jones OBE on all aspects of trees from the famous Tregothnan Estate in Cornwall. Jonathon discusses how a revolutionary new app – Tremap is changing the way we can record, map and share details of trees worldwide using GPS on our smart phones.Plants mentioned: Araucaria Araucana (monkey puzzle tree), Camellia sinensis (tea), Casuarina equisetifolia (She-oak or whistling tree), Grevillea robusta, Griselinia littoralis, Honeyberry (Lonicera caerulea), Magnolia campbelli (the flamingo of the flower world), Montrey Cupressus, Olea (Olive tree), Lagerstroemia indica (myrtle tree), Podocarpus, Poplars, Plymouth Pears, Salix (Willow), Sycamore gap tree, Tilia (lime), and Wollemi nobilis (Dinosaur tree).Products: RootGrow, mycorrhizal fungi.Places mentioned: Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, Exeter University, Cornwall Space Cluster, Heathrow Airport (mapping Black Poplar), The Nare Hotel, Strybing Arboretum and San Francisco Botanical Garden.People: David Noble (discovered the Wollemi in 1994 along with Michael Casteleyn and Tony Zimmerman), Richard Maxwell (Business development at Tremap), Humprey Repton (garden designer) and Robert Fortune (plant explorer).Desert Island tree: Custard fruit tree (Annona squamosa).The tallest Rhododendron in the UK is at Tregothnan, closely followed by a specimen at South Lodge in Horsham, Surrey – 2m difference in height.To find out more about the Tregothnan estate, the April charity weekend and Tea.You can download the Tremap app for Free on the two main app stores Android and Apple Store or go to www.tremap.com for more details. Some 16 million trees have already been mapped on the App.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
March in the Garden 2025 SHORT NOTESSpring is in the air! DIG IT's Peter Brown and Chris Day guide us through the month of March looking at events far and wide to visit, including the US and Australia, the latest news stories and the jobs to be getting on with in the garden.What's on1st March: The Alpine Society's Early Spring Show at Chelmsford City Racecourse, Chelmsford, Essex. 1 - 9th March: Philadelphia Flower Show, Pennsylvania Convention Centre, US. 15th March: Orchid and Terrarium Workshop Day at Buckingham Garden Centre with Manos Kanellos. 16th March: Rare Plants Fair at The Bishop's Palace, Wells, Somerset.17 - 23rd March: Hever Castle's Dazzling Daffodils, Hever, Edenbridge, Kent. 21st March Garden Re-Leaf Day 2025 The annual Greenfingers Charity flagship fundraising event. 26 - 30th March: Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens, Australia. 29th March: Rare Plants Fair at Evenley Wood Gardens, Brackley, Northants. NewsBritain's bestselling non-fiction writer Dr David Hessayon has died aged 96 - after selling 67 million gardening guidebooks worldwide. RHS reports a 21% surge in applications across its School of Horticulture programmePeat-free education collaboration launches a new concise peat-free guide.TV personality Fiona Bruce will be joining the National Garden Scheme (NGS) as an ambassador.Storm Eowyn topples more than 10,000 National Trust trees.Petition for a total ban on neonicotinoid puts pressure on government.National Trust announce 10-year green plan.Beloved Barnsdale Gardens established 40 years ago by horticulturist and star broadcaster Geoff Hamilton, faces closure if 67-acre solar farm is built.Hillier's woodland themed garden to be created at BBC Gardeners' World Spring Fair.Jekka McVicar launches her 10th thyme variety, Thymus Jekka's Bee Happy.Johnsons new Cutting Flower seed range now in Garden Centres.2025 Sweet Pea season at Eaton Walled Gardens.Best houseplants for productivity.Coffee and cocoa prices doubled due to extreme weather.New heritage pear Cornishgold ™ launched.Alan Titchmarsh gets nod in latest BAFTA winning Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl film.DIG IT Top 5 Our top selling Dahlia varieties from last year were No 5 Thomas Edison, No 4 Topmix Yellow, No 3 Anne Joy, No 2 joint Collerette Kelsey, Lady Liberty, Red Hot Chilli, Vera Frost and Xanthe and No 1 White Perfection.People mentioned: Jekka McVicar, Jessica Naish, and Nick Hamilton.Products mentioned: Premier Christmas decorations, Rotavator, Cloche, Potato growing bags, Peat free composts, Root Trainers and Bird nesting boxes.Plant mentions: Apricot, Peas, Beans, Artichoke, Asparagus, Tomatoes, Courgettes, Pumpkins, Squash, Seed Potatoes, Carrots, Fennel (Bronze), Maidenhair fern (Adiantum), Quickthorn, Blackthorn, Rhubarb varieties - Champagne, Timperley Early and Stockbridge Arrow, plastic dustbins as Rhubarb forcers, Hazel and Birch for pea sticks, Sweet Peas, Strawberries, Raspberries, Chinese money plant (Crassula), Monstera, Sansevieria, Boston fern, Prayer plants, Spathiphyllum, Lilies, Dahlias, Freesia and GladioliOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After a chilly January in the UK, the days are starting to lengthen and there's signs of life as bulbs are pushing through the soil. DIG IT's Peter Brown and Chris Day discuss news, events and gardening tasks for the gardening month ahead.What's onSaturday 1st February Buckingham Garden Centre's Grow & Grow Day, 10am-4pm. Saturday 1st February to Sunday 2nd March: Peruvian Orchid Spectacular at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London. The Plant Fair Roadshows are back in full swing with the first event of the year on Sunday 2nd February at Hole Park, Rolvenden, Kent, on Sunday 2nd February.Running until 13th April: Soil - The World at Our Feet Exhibition at the Embankment Galleries, South Wing, Somerset House in London.Saturday 15th February – Sunday 23rd February: Exhibited during Eco-Week at Hever Castle & Gardens, Earth Photo will be featuring work by some of the best photographers from around the world.Thursday 20th February: Monty Don in conversation with Sophie Raworth online or in person at the Royal Geographical Society in Kensington, London, SW7 2AR. 7pm. 20th - 22nd February: Shepton Snowdrop Festival, Somerset. Free event.Discover snowdrops across the UK. NewsBritain's oldest RHS Garden is calling for compensation from the Government as it faces a ‘catastrophic' £11m loss - thanks to roadworks.Home to 100-year-old specimens, the 60-acre Coton Orchard, the largest traditional orchard in Cambridgeshire and 8th largest in the country is at risk of becoming a new bus lane. Two plant collections - Amelanchier and Witch hazel National collections have been accredited at National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.Monty Don's new British Gardens series airs on the BBC.Sarah Dyke MP's Horticultural Peat (Prohibition of Sale) Bill has been pushed back to a later date. Kew Gardens and partner scientists have identified more than 170 new species in 2024New Year's Honours for garden industry figures including Gill Hodgson founder of Flowers From the Farm and Alan Titchmarsh, CBEScotland consults on its peat-free future.Latest Thompson & Morgan survey suggests garden expenditure is set to increase in 2025.More crystal ball gazing from the RHS with its gardening predictions.Eden Project appoints 'horticultural showman' Peter Jones.Kew build two advanced glasshouses to help in major restoration projects.David Domoney becomes new brand ambassador for Keder Greenhouses.Guiness World Records searches for world's oldest glasshouse.Forest England biodiversity study reveals DNA secrets.Butterflies heading north says NatureScot.RSPB suspends sale of flat bird feeders.Suttons given the Royal Warrant of Approval.Plants mentioned: Broad bean The Sutton, New Fothergill's Oh Sow Simple range, Seed Potatoes, Pea Meteor, Sweet Peas, Carnivorous plants (Venus flytraps), Carrot Amsterdam Forcing, Asparagus crowns, root-wrapped roses, celebration roses, strawberry runners and raspberry canes can be established now, Lilies, Dahlias, Begonia corms and Hosta. Hardwood cuttings Buddleja, Dogwoods, Forsythia, Philadelphus (Mock Orange), Roses and Salix (Willows).Products mentioned: Westland New Horizon Compost, Melcourt SylvaGrow Composts, horticultural fleece, Haxnicks jackets, raised beds and water butts. Dig It Top 5: Our Top selling Fothergills flower seeds of last year. No5 ‘RHS Flowers for Insects Mix', No4 Sunflower ‘Giant Single', No3 Sweet Pea ‘Old Spice Mixed', 2nd place Poppy ‘Victoria Cross' and at No1 ‘RHS Flowers for Wildlife Bright Mix'.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supply the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this edition of DIG IT, Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with seedsman and passionate foodie Paolo Arrigo about Seeds of Italy, an importer for the prestigious seed producer Franchi Seeds. Paolo discusses the importance of regionality in food growing, how heritage seeds are now more important than ever and how the bureaucracy of the EU has caused issues for the vegetable seed market.Plants mentioned Aubergine, Kale Cavolo Nero, Basil, Spinach, Baby Leaf Spinach, Swiss Chard, Tomato, Broad beans, Garlic, Lambs Lettuce (Corn Salad), Peas, Sweet Peas, Brussel sprouts, Parsnips, Swedes, Peppers, Holy trinity of veggies – carrots, onions and celery, English Cucumbers, Spinach Monstreux de Virflay, good beefsteak tomato varieties – Marmande and Coeur Di Bue (Ox Heart), The Eternal Tomato – Principe Borghese da Appendere, Spaghetti tree, 100% Wildflowers with no fillers, Courgette for flowers Da Fiore Toscana and Papaver (Poppy)People and companies mentioned: Thomas Cook, Mozart, Montpellier Brothers, Kings Seeds, Thompson & Morgan, Real Seeds, Delia Smith, Dolmio sauces, Haxnicks cloches, Royal Horticultural Society, Eden Project, Charles Darwin, Hairy Bikers, Gallo wine, Jamie Oliver and U3A.The film, A Room with a View featured the grand tour in Victorian times and Stanley Tucci's BBC series Searching for Italy, highlighting regionality of food.Places mentioned: Apennines, Dolomites, Turin, Tuscany, Borough Market in London, RHS Harlow Carr, Kew Gardens, Lee Valley for Tomato growing and Welsh Tourist Board.Food mentioned: Meatballs, Panettone, Mushrooms, Cornish pasties (listed under Protected Food Names legislation), Buckinghamshire or Bedfordshire Clanger (savoury/sweet pasty), Devon/Cornish Scones, Pizza is a Neapolitan dish, Vesta Curries, Chick Pea Pasta, Ricotta, Dal, Parma Ham, Lime Oil, Peter's homemade Pesto, Spaghetti, Zucchini flowers and Omelettes.Ark of Taste is an international catalogue of endangered heritage foods maintained by the Slow Food movement.Seeds of Italy websiteSocials: X: @FranchiSeedsUKInstagram: @franchiseedsofitalyFacebook @SeedsOfItaly Book: From Seed to Plate by Paolo ArrigoOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Peter and Chris celebrate the start of the New Year in the garden with events, latest news stories and a look at those topical gardening tasks to get you out and about in the garden this January.What's OnSaturday 18th January: National Tulip Day, Meseumplein, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 1-5pm. Free entry.Sunday 19th January: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 2 – 3:30pm Discover the Botanic Gardens in British Sign Language (BSL) Tours are led by John Hope Gaterway. Ticket only. Wednesday 22nd January: 11am - 12:30pm: Talk on RHS Hyde Hall through the Years with Garden Manager, Ian Bull - who has been involved in Hyde Hall's development across the last 20 years!Thursday 23rd January: Winter Lecture Professor Simon Hiscock and The Oxford Ragwort Story. Oxford Ragwort is unique among Britian's flora.24-26th January: Time to take part in this year's RSPB Big Garden BirdwatchNewsDetection dogs sniff out the deadly tree pathogen, Phytophthora ramorum.Buckingham Garden Centre's charity of the year 2025 is Buckinghamshire Mind.The National Centre for Music in Edinburgh is to get a major garden makeover by the nationally recognised garden designer Tom Stuart-Smith.Scientists at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh aim to sequence the genomes of all 72,000 plants, animals, fungi across the UK and Ireland.Applications for the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation Scholarships for budding horticulturists closes at the end of January.New UK RHS Partner Gardens are announced for 2025 allowing RHS members to access 230 across the UK and further afield.The National Trust announce the 49 recipients of Tree of Hope, aka Sycamore Gap Tree, including one of the saplings to be planted in Milton Keynes.A £5 million national project – Nextdoor Nature and The Wildlife Trust – delivers a raft of results supporting wildlife on 1,600 community-inspired projects.2024 proved to be another landmark year for the National Garden Scheme with the charity donating a record £3,501,227 to nursing and health beneficiaries from last year's garden opening season.George Plumptre, after 15 years at the helm, is set to retire as Chief Executive of the National Garden Scheme later this summer.Top horticultural supplier Mr Fothergill's have rebranded to reflect their growth, values and customer commitment.The Sun's gardening editor, Veronica Lorraine, found herself falling foul of LinkedIn's rules when she tried to promote Perennials latest naked gardeners' calendar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this edition of DIG IT Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with horticultural journalist, garden designer and broadcaster Naomi Slade. Naomi's latest book, Chrysanthemum: Beautiful Varieties from Home and Garden, is a celebration of the ever so versatile Chrysanthemum. On the podcast we discover more about Naomi's garden design journey, plus great advice on planting and her love of plants, including some recommendations for winter interest.Plants mentioned: Apples, Cyclamen Florist types, Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, Daffodils, Elodea (Canadian Pondweed – now banned from sale), Herbs, Helleborus, Hardy Cyclamen Coum and C Hederifolium, Snowdrops (including Galanthus reginae-olgae 'Naomi Slade' (Monksilver Nursery), Rhubarb, Roses, Paeonies, Plums, Prunus subhirtella autumnalis (winter flowering cherry), Wild Strawberries, Tulips, consider more vigorous rootstocks in difficult soils when growing fruit trees. The aptly named Cottage Chrysanthemums range are reliable and hardy as are the varieties ‘Ruby Mound' and ‘Dulwich Pink' (RHS AGM).Scented winter plants: Sarcococca, Viburnum bodnantense, Snowdrops, Lonicera fragrantissima, Mahonia and Hamamelis (Witch Hazel). People, products mentioned: Sir David Attenborough, Gerald Durrell, photographer Georgianna Lane, Piet Oudolf, Sarah Raven and Halls of Heddon. Which Gardening, Garden News, Water Butts, Old bread knife for dividing perennial clumps in the spring.National Collection of Chrysanthemums: Norwell Nurseries and Gardens, Nottinghamshire.Show gardens mentioned: 'Never Mind The Hollyhocks' Award Winning punk-themed conceptual garden by Naomi Slade at RHS Hampton Court 2012 and The Flood Resilient Garden in conjunction with Dr Ed Barsley. Silver Medal Winner at RHS Chelsea 2024.Desert Island luxuries: Naomi's tool would be her trusted bread knife and an apple tree, maybe a ‘Bramley', would be her island tree of choice.To find out more about Naomi and her books visit her websiteOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this month's DIG IT Peter Brown discusses the latest news in the world of gardening, what's on's and as the winter kicks in, Chris and Peter look at those gardening tasks to keep your garden looking its best this month and beyond.Places to visit:Winter Flowers Week at the Garden Museum, LondonNational Memorial Arboretum mile long light trailAlnwick Castle lights showCambridge University Botanic Garden Light showKew Gardens Lights ShowPlants Mentioned:The Welsh Bramley - Gabalfa Apple, RosePerfumy Silueta Rose bred by Kordes Rosen wins several categories in Rochfords International Rose TrialsThe Woodland Trust Highlights the plight of our Native trees and encourages planting more.Collections of Hamamelis, Amelanchier and Eucalyptus held at the National Memorial Arboretum and Ventnor Botanic Gardens gain National Plant Collection status.Skippinish Oak wins the Woodland Trusts tree of the year competitionLace Bug pest spotted in LondonGarden Organic searches for comfreyA new Palm Tahina Spectablis arrives at the Eden project60 000 snowdrops planted at the National Trust property Montacute House in SomersetJane Steward champions the medlar and tries to raise its profile In the news:Cruser SB Neonicotinoid Thiamethoxam has been licensed for use on Sugar Beet in the UK despite being banned in the EU.British Horticulture will have to bear increased costs on imports due to the Common User ChargeInverary Castle wins Prestigious Gardens AwardHaig Hall in Wigan undergoes restorationBath wins prestigious RHS Britian in Bloom award for the second time, Wrexham won a Gold award for the City and Forres in Scotland also won the town award.Defra's latest Data indicates a fall in Bird speciesGreen Allotments offer a chance to win an Allotment site to try and help increase the number of allotments in the UKThe National Gardens Scheme announce gardens to visit in the New YearGreenfingers charity has a new president who takes over from Sue AllenAllett mowers announce the 2024 winner for the Creative Stripes competition We announce our support of Ripple Africa again this festive period. Our special thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this edition of DIG IT we are delighted to welcome back Jekka McVicar, top organic herb grower, consultant, and Royal Horticultural Society Judge. Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Jekka on issues affecting herbs, best growing practices, composts, tea infusions, plus we delve into Jekka's latest fabulous book, 100 Herbs To Grow.Plant mentions: Coriander, Basil, Bulbine frutescens (burn jelly plant), Lemon Verbena, Mints including Peppermint and Mentha spicata (Spearmint), Murraya koenigii (Curry tree), Nasturtium, Oregano, Rosemary, Horse Radish, Silybum marianum, Szechuan (Sichuan) Pepper, Rosemary, Thymes, Wild Rocket, Nasturtiums, Wild Strawberries and Winter Savory.People and product mentions: Jamie Oliver, Delia Smith, Borage (the gnome), Charles Dowding, Marcus Waring and garden designer Sarah Eberle. Radio 4's Just a Minute. Horticultural grit, RocketGro Peat-Free Herbs and Alpine Compost, horse manure, Jekka's own peat-free compost mix contains bark, loam, peat-free compost, plus mycorrhizal fungi. Working in some loam can help the composts porosity. Use grit rather than bark for herb mulching. Seaweed feeds are generally best for herbs. Westland Epsom salts will help keep the foliage green and healthy. Growth Technology SG Invigorator. Black plastic for horsetail and general weed suppression.Problem pests: Leaf-hoppers, rosemary beetle and thrips.Tea Infusions: Lemon verbena or lemon grass (with a gin and tonic works a treat). Citrus trilogy, a perfect mood lifter orange blossom, lime leaves and lemongrass and rosemary. Garlic leaf tea for keeping slugs away on your seedlings.Sore throat - sage tea (gargle) for coughs and cold, sprig of hyssop and thyme in hot water with some honey. For Indigestion, try fennel leaf tea which also helps reduce cholesterol.Jekka McVicar and Charles Dowding in conversation on YouTubeJekka's castaway luxury: A propagating kit with a snip, sharpened chop stick, a pair of long tweezers and a wet stone.To find out more about Jekka's story, the specialist herb farm containing over 400 culinary and medicinal herbs from all around the world and online shop. Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This month on DIG IT Peter Brown and Chris Day discuss the latest news in the world of gardening, what's on's and as the winter kicks in, a look at those gardening tasks to keep your garden looking its best this month and beyond.Friday 8th November Final Gardeners' World programme of the season.15th November RHS Glow 2024 Rosemoor. 20th November RHS Glow 2024 Harlow Carr Garden22nd November RHS Glow at RHS Wisley and at RHS Hyde Hall26th November NGS Annual Lecture ‘Gardening for the future with Fergus Garret, Garden Museum, London. Fergus reveals how vital biodiversity can thrive in anybody's cultivated garden patch, using evidence gathered from the world-famous garden he looks after. Go in person or available live streamed.Plant mentions: Lotus (water lily), Sea buckthorn, Magnolia, Dianthus, Violas, Wisteria, Picea, Pinus, dog friendly plants, sunflowers including the variety ‘Teddy Bear', Tulips, Narcissus, Crocus, Alliums, Snowdrops, planting of bare-root hedging, shrubs and trees, Philadelphus, Dogwood, Hazel, Raspberry canes, Strawberry runners, garlic, Padron peppers, Wild service tree (sweets and beer tree), Microgreens, Cress and Amaryllis.Product mentions: Sainsbury's peat-free mushrooms, electric heron fence for ponds, Woughton Orchard in Milton Keynes, lawn blower, secateurs, loppers, composted bark, autumn lawn food, grease bands for fruit trees, cloches, horticultural fleece and clay pebbles in saucer, NewsRBG Kew scientists crack down on illegal sale of ornamental plants.Edimentals see rise in popularity.Sainsbury's becomes first UK supermarket to introduce peat-free mushroomsNick Hamilton's new book, The Right Jeans is published.The new Government's All-Party Parliamentary Gardening and Horticulture GroupLibDem MP Sarah Dyke seeks to speed up ban on peat farming with 10-minute billRoger Ward from Golden Grove Nurseries champions the use of slow growing and compact forms of conifers in new build gardensMonty Don to design a dog-friendly garden at Chelsea 2025 in conjunction with the RHS and BBC Radio 2.National Trust appoints Sheila Das as Head of Gardens and Parks.Will Armitage appointed as the new HTA President.Beechgrove Garden presenter Jim McColl dies aged 89.Capability Brown's Berrington Hall gets a floral makeover including a wisteria walk.Climate revamp for Great Fountain Garden at Hampton Court Palace.RHS issues call for urban planners to take garden provision more seriously.Otters raiding garden ponds becomes a problem in Cumbria.The Orchard Project celebrates 15 years restoring 700 public orchards.Sunflower trials at RHS Hyde Hall's Floral Fantasia.North Wales bid to bring back rare ‘sweets and beer' tree.DIG IT Top 5: Top selling Herbs of the yearNo5 Coriander, No4 Curly Parsley, No3 Chives, No2 Common Rosemary and at the top spot Garden Mint (spear mint).Our special thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of DIG IT Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Jonathon Jones, OBE and managing director of Tregothnan Estate in Cornwall, home of the amazing Garden, Camellias, magnificent trees and a Tea plantation stretching 29 miles long!People mentioned: Tea expert Chris Bond, authors Peter Blake and John Shepherd. The Ken Thomas Charitable Trust, a bursary opportunity set up for agriculturists to help fund their trips. Lord and Lady Falmouth, Plant hunter William Lobb, Dr. Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward (Wardian Case inventor), Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, Tremap Partners, Conifer Conservation, Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton, Country Life magazine tea column. London Tea Auction and Sarah Raven.Plants mentioned: Camellia sinensis (tea), Camellia japonica, early flowering Camellia sasanqua, Growing salads out of seasons under home-made cloches, Japanese Musa (Banana), Magnolias, Eucryphia is a genus of evergreen shrubs and trees with several species native to Chile. Giant Redwoods (Sequoiadendron giganteum), Rhododendrons, Black Poplars (Populus nigra) and the recording breaking tallest Rhododendron.Places mentioned: Edinburgh Botanic Gardens, Darjeeling, North India, Cornwall Garden Society (they also have a bursary scheme), Eden Project, Jonathon's scholarship to travel to Japan and it's great gardens, Falmouth University Japanese Gardens, Myerscough College and the Smithsonian Institution.Tremap® is an easy-to-use free app on your phone which allows people to map and locate trees and shrubs anywhere in the world. It also means that Botanic gardens, parks, large and small private gardens don't necessarily need to label their rare plants as this can be done virtually. Search ‘Tremap' on your favourite APP store.Jonathon's castaway essential: A tried and trusted garden spade!Tregothnan Estate, including Tea, Experiences, Holiday Cottages and Discover.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October is a wonderful month in the garden - crisp blue skies and fantastic autumn colour to enjoy. DIG IT's Peter Brown and Chris Day look at the month as far as places to visit, what's in the world of gardening news and timely tasks to be getting on with - so not quite the month to take your foot off the pedal!What's on5th & 6th October, 10am-4pm: Buckingham Garden Centre's Apple Weekend. Apple identifying with Gerry Edwards, apple pressing and juicing with the Mid Shires Orchard group, a Heritage Apple Display featuring over 100 varieties, Jessica Naish from the Buckingham Cut Flower Farm, a fantastic Tombola, plus The Woodland Trust and BBOWT.Saturday 5th October: Autumn Plant Fair at RHS Garden Bridgewater, Manchester.Saturday 12th October, 11am-4pm: National Alpine Garden Show at RHS Harlow Carr Gardens.26th October - 3rd November: Scarecrow Hunt at Painswick Rococo Garden Trust in Stroud.News Giant mosaic made from apples at National Trust Cotehele in Cornwall last month.Weather concerns could see tulip bulb prices rise by as much as 20% in 2025, Dutch growers warn.Britain's rarest orchid discovered after one man's 15-year hunt.New rare and endangered plant exhibition opens at Kew Gardens.Plea to use less herbicides and pesticides in our towns voiced by The Pesticide Collaboration.Tulip trees as well as storing more carbon are no longer hardwood they are now Midwood! It's all about the cells, says new study.Vegetable and flower seed merchant Dobies celebrates 130th anniversary.‘Delphinium Dad' efforts rewarded with National Plant Collection status.Artists set to champion ancient plane tree.A new garden commemorating the life of Queen Elizabeth II is to be constructed in London's Regent's Park.Upcycling facemasks left over from the pandemic to cradle developing melons by the team at Bluebird Care in Stroud and Cirencester.Butterfly numbers drop disastrously reports Butterfly Conservation.Blenheim Palace introduces bee swarms to its nine new woodlands.Huge restoration for parklands at Crystal Palace.New report sheds light on why many plants have prickles.Dame Mary Berry joins 40th anniversary celebrations of the Macmillan & National Garden Scheme partnership. During the last 40 years the NGS has raised more than £19 million for Macmillan through private garden openings.David Austin launches Bring Me Sunshine ® as Climbing English Rose.DIG IT Top 5: Climbing roses As we approach the root wrap and bare-root season learn about our bestselling roses.Product mentions: Long handled bulb planters, greenhouse disinfectant, bubble insulation, hedgehog houses, lawn rake and leaf grabbers, bird feeders ready and primed with wild bird mix, sunflowers, peanuts, and fat balls. Evergreen Autumn Fertiliser, and lawn seed for overseeding and patch repair.Plant mentions: Allium ‘Rosy Dream,' Taylors Bulb of the Year and Daffodil ‘June Allyson,' Daffodil of the Year, Dogwoods, Hostas, Salix (Willows), planning for hedges, Garlic, Onions, and Shallots to plant now, pumpkins to harvest and rhubarb propagation - remove healthier outer sections to create new crowns.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this edition of DIG IT, Peter Brown turns the microphone around and chats with Chris Day about his life and times working with plants, garden centres, radio, people in horticulture, and even a few greenhouses! From a humble apprentice at Rochfords to plant publicity manager at Buckingham Garden Centre, Chris spills the beans on some of his gardening wisdom along the way. Plant mentions: Aloe Vera, Aspidistra, Basil, Beloperone guttata (shrimp or prawn plant!), Cymbidiums, Sweet peas, lawn turf, Kentia palms, Melon, Pineapple, Tomato, Cucumber, Snake plant, Mother-in-Laws (Sansevieria), African Violets (Saintpaulia), Poinsettias, Phalaenopsis (Moth Orchid), Universal Winter Pansies from Colegraves, Cacti, Money plants (Crassula), Chloropytum, Venus Fly Traps and Yuccas. Floral Flame for the Manchester Olympic bid at Manchester Airport created with Begonias, Lobelia, Marigold, Parsley, Perilla, and Impatien). Product mentions: Greenhouse: Corrugated plastic, aluminium (glass to ground), Wooden greenhouse, staging, Victorian style. Paraffin heaters, thermostatically electric fan heater, Garland propagating products, LED grow lights, roller benches, red spider mite pests, pH soil tests and soil science. Wool pots and Mycorrhizal products (RootGrow). People and Place mentions: Amateur Gardening magazine, Alan Beswick, BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Three Counties Radio, Blue Peter Garden, Alan Down, Bridgemere Garden World, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Dutch Flower Auctions at Aalsmeer, Graham Clarke, Fred Downham, Rochford Houseplants (commercial growers), Garden Centre Association, Guernsey Flower Show, Horticulture Week, Peter Seabrook, Louise Lear, Peat Free UK houseplant growers, Val Bourne, Myerscough College and Writtle College. Hotbeds, created with strawy manure, and John Innes Compost No3. Chris's Desert Island luxuries: Felco secateurs and Potato ‘Home Guard' Chris's book co-authored with Rob Keenan Amateur Gardening Complete Gardening Answers (published by Robinsons). Catch Chris's online Garden Centre postings on Facebook and Instagram Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As autumn approaches DIG IT's Peter Brown and Chris Day provide a monthly round-up to the latest horticultural events, the gardening stories making the headlines and a look at those garden tasks requiring our attention.What's on3 - 8th September RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show, Wisley, Woking, Surrey.13 - 15th September The Harrogate Autumn Flower Show, Newby Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire27 - 29th September Malvern Autumn Show. One of the UK's biggest annual harvest season celebrations, held at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern Hills, Herefordshire.5 - 6th October Buckingham Garden Centre's Apple Weekend, 10am - 4pm each day.NewsJekka McVicar appeals to gardeners to participate in the RHS climate change survey in BBC Breakfast news.Most influential in horticulture by decade survey results: Titchmarsh beats Thrower, Hamilton, Don in vote from Horticulture Week magazine.Broad beans could improve our mental health new study finds.The search is on for the Tree of the Year and voting is open until 21 October.Plant breeder Ball Colegrave announced the winners of this summers showcase.World's largest Titan Arum bloom in Meise Botanic Garden in Belgium.A new jade vine – Strongylodon juangonzalezii - is donated to Kew Gardens.Kew trees at risk from climate change.Historic allotments in Nottingham handed back to council due to rising costs.Almost 455,000 trees felled by UK councils in past 10 years. World-first project launched to track hedgehogs and reverse decline.Gardening aids better sleep new report uncovers.Knoll Gardens launch new Pennisetum Black Arrow.Dog backpacks used to help seed nature reserve.Sheffield's love of figs helps create fig tree forests.Dutch campaign encourages reducing paving for greener gardens.Couple transform their garden into £27,000 Jurassic Park - complete with 10ft T-Rex.Our DIG IT Top Tulips 5th ‘Chocolate Orange' 4th ‘Red Riding Hood' 3rd ‘Peach Blossom', 2nd ‘Queen of the Night' and at number 1 ‘Purple Rain Fusion' (a combination of different varieties from Taylors Bulbs).Plants mentioned: Acer drummondii, Crocosmia, Dahlias, Hosta, Penstemons and Roses. Apples, Apricots, Blackberries, Peaches and Strawberries. Veggies: Peas, beans, Carrots, Spring Onions, Winter and Spring Cabbage plug plants.Products mentioned: Compost bin, Wolf Fruit Picker, Rose and Autumn Lawn Fertilisers, Lawn seeds and lawn patch products. Control Vine Weevil and lawn chafers or leatherjackets with a biological control (nematodes).Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Spreading the gardening word with Dave The PlantmanDIG IT hosts Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with top all-round horticulturalist and internet sensation Dave The Plantman. Dave has been creating daily 90 second videos since April 2023 and has a huge 360k following, including a younger gardening audience on TikTok hungry for advice. Dave shares his knowledge in a unique style with his signature thumbs up and ‘interesting fact' tagline. A lively chat filled with fun anecdotes and plenty of common-sense gardening is guaranteed! Plant mentions: Agapanthus, Astilbe, Buddleja (butterfly bush), Carnivorous plants, Coffee plant, Cordyline, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Dieffenbachia (dumb cane plant), Himalayan Balsam (Impatien), Potatoes, Dandelion, Skimmia, wildflowers, brambles (blackberries), Rose ‘Sheila's Perfume', Phalaenopsis orchids, Taxus baccata 'Standishii' (RHS AGM), Good scented rose ‘Chandos Beauty' and Rose ‘The Chelsea Pensioner', a charity rose launched at this year's Chelsea Flower Show. Willow (Salix) weaving. Alpines for gravel drive. People, Places and Products: Phillip Harkness, Harkness Roses. Myerscough College of Horticulture, Preston, Canal and River Trust, Barton Grange Nursery, RHS flower shows. Sulphur (coal smoke), Garlic infusion for controlling aphids – they don't like the smell, good for roses and hostas. Tomato food is excellent for roses as is chicken manure and well-rotted manure. Uncle Tom's Rose Food (Potassium phosphite).Desert island luxuries: Tomatoes (seeds could be saved for future crops). Tool: “A pair of secateurs in my holster.”Memorable quote: “My mum could put a root on a chair leg!”Dave's socials: YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Dave The Plantman's Chatterbox on Facebook and Instagram.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Summer gardening reaches it's peak this month as Peter Brown and Chris Day discuss the latest stories in the world of horticulture, must-visit events and a run-down of those essential tasks to keep your garden productive and colourful in the weeks to come. What's on 31st July - 4th August: RHS Garden Hyde Hall Flower Show, Essex. 2 - 3rd August: Taunton Flower Show, Somerset.Until 4th August: 2024 Big Butterfly Count – have you got involved yet? There's still time!3 - 11th August: Singapore Garden Festival at Suntec, Singapore. 9 - 10th August: Shrewsbury Flower Show, Shropshire. 15 - 18th August: Southport Flower Show at Victoria Park, Southport. 16 - 18th August: RHS Garden Rosemoor Flower Show, Devon. 30th August - 1st September: BBC Gardeners' World Autumn Fair at Audley End House & Gardens, Essex. NewsNew YouTube short film filmed at the RHS Urban Show in May featuring Cloudscape and creating 7 amazing gardens. Trees for bees at Wakehurst Wakehurst is using citizen science to help discover the trees most favoured by pollinators. A unique flower shaped Cyclamen Illusia picks up top New Houseplant Award. RHS Tatton Park Show celebrates its 25th anniversary by actively promoting awards for new designers, plants people and contractors aged 31 or over. Scottish topiary artist wins major award for their Moby Dick inspired design. Gardeners urged not to plant or purchase Rhodendron ponticum as The Woodland Trust says its invasive nature is creating problems. Native vegetation does no impact insect biodiversity in small urban gardens. Rare ‘Puya sapphire tower' blooms outdoors in Scotland for the first time. Dianthus breeding specialist Whetman Pink changes hands. War against poaching succulent plants in South Africa. Manchester's Castlefield aerial garden Viaduct gets green light to develop from National Trust. OBE awarded to Horatio's Garden founder Dr Olivia Chapple. Rittershausen family orchid nursery celebrate 75 years. Dr John Grimshaw appointed Editor-in-Chief of Curtis's Botanic magazine. Head of horticulture at Garden Organics and former Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins has been named a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture. Natural History Gardens are now open and free to visit. Olympic Dahlias shine at Paris 2024 games. The 2025 rose of the year is announced. Plants, and product mentions: Hardy geraniums, Chrysanthemum, Lavender, Lupins, Delphiniums, Blueberries, Strawberry, Wisteria Amethyst Falls, Leeks, Potato/Tomato blight proection, Taylors Seed Potatoes for growing for Christmas, Sow the seeds of Basil, Borage, Dill and Fennel, Mint. Summer pruning top fruit trees, dahlias, Lilies and Gladioli staking and feeding. Children seed sowing projects for the school holidays. Cut flowers from the garden. Continue with slug, snails and earwig control. Miracle-Gro, Tomato fertiliser, garden twine and canes. Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this edition of DIG IT Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with special guest Andrew Mikolajski. Andrew, a well-known horticulturalist, and prolific author of over 40 gardening books, including his latest, ‘Who Ate My Plants'. Andrew discusses the ongoing battle gardeners have with garden pests and diseases.Plant mentions: Grow as many varieties and species – native and non-native from the Northern Hemisphere as you can to increase insect biodiversity of wildlife to help attract predators. Marigolds as a companion planting with Tomatoes and the pairing of alliums with roses. Check vegetable seed packets for disease resilience. Lavender, Penstemon, Fuchsias and Hebes would benefit from a dose of a high potash fertiliser to help toughen them up. Use vine weevil nematode control for Heuchera, Heucherella, alpines and Fuchsias.Product mentions: Slug pellets (use the jam jar method mentioned). Sand, Garlic wash, Box Tree Caterpillar Biological Control, Provanto Fungus Fighter (for Box Blight), Pheromone Traps (codling moth and plum moth), Organic pesticides, fleece over cabbage, good drainage essentials, include sand, potting grit, or Perlite to avoid overwet compost, Potassium (K) High potash fertilisers such as Sulphate of Potash, Tomorite, to help harden growth for the winter. Nematodes for slugs and vine weevil. Ladybird larvae and adults can be introduced.Pest / Disease mentions: Aphids, Slugs, Snails, Muntjak, Deer, Rabbits, Oak Processionary Moth - a notifiable pest, Xylella fasidiosa, Box Blight, Box Tree Caterpillar, Rose Black Spot and Rose Mildew.No Mow May, or maybe simply mow less often to encourage more flowers and diversity.Look for the RHS Plants for Pollinators logo.Make friends with your fellow allotment holders, or join a gardening club / society to learn about local growing conditions if you move into a new area.Judging at RHS show.Andrew's desert island essentials: A ball of garden twine and a pair of scissors and the Rose ‘Nostalgia.' Find out more about Andrew on his websiteAndrew's book, Who Ate My Plants? is published by Michael O'Mara Books Limited.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This month on DIG IT Peter Brown and Chris Day discuss the latest gardening news, what's on's and as the peak gardening season is well underway, a look at those tasks to keep your garden looking its best this month and beyond.What's on2 – 7th July: RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival is held in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace, Richmond.12th July and 4th August: The Big Butterfly Count 2024.17 – 21st July: RHS Flower Show Tatton Park in Cheshire.20th July: Great Dixter Summer Plant Fair at Great Dixter Gardens, Rye, East Sussex.NewsPlant Heritage will showcase a range of its National Plant Collections, including Kniphofia, Rubus and Hosta (miniature and small) at Hampton Court. New 4-year project by the University of London is evaluating prescribing social pursuits like gardening to children. New garden around the Natural History Museum opens this month.The BBC Gardeners' World presenter Monty Don will be out on tour to share tales from his garden at Longmeadow and gardens he has visited around the world.Belinda Howell has been appointed chair of the Peat-free Partnership to establish peat-free legislation across the UK and NI.Susan Raikes is appointed the new Director of Wakehurst at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.Nick Bailey, Gardener's World presenter is appointed director of the University Leicester's botanic garden.Percy Thrower's greenhouse, which once featured Shrewsbury's main park, The Quarry, is to be restored by Shrewsbury Men's Shed.Bumper year for Box Tree Caterpillar reveals RHS.Be alert for toxic oak processionary moth caterpillars.How to take part in the Great Stag Hunt to help record the UK's largest, and endangered beetle.Asian Hornets: help needed to irradicate imported bee-killers.The winning plants at last month's BBC Gardeners World Live Show, include Hydrangea Eclipse and Apple Peter's Gold. New plant awards annouced at the HTA Show including Digitalis Apple Blossom and Prunus Crystal Falls.This month's DIG IT top 5: Strawberry varieties. 1st Strawberry ‘Symphony' 2nd ‘Cambridge Favourite' 3rd ‘Hapil' 4th ‘Honeoye' and in 5th ‘Elsanta'.Plant mentions: Apples (variety Scrumptious), Cherries, Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, Delphiniums, Euonymus Jean Hugues, Euonymus Green Spire, Pears, Plum, Sweet corn, Yew, Lonicera nitida, fuchsias, Dianthus, Carnations, Purple loosestrife, and Salvia Hot Lips. Sow Foxgloves, Sweet Williams, Wallflowers and Forget-me-nots and veggies including Round Carrots, Beetroot, Radish, Lettuce, and Spring Onions. Continue to plant Tomatoes and Peppers.Product mentions: Bug Clear Ultra 2, Box Tree Caterpillar Killer Nematodes, Poppyforge plant supports, bird food, straw and terracotta pots for earwig control.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Flowers are big business in Britain over 50% of British households bought cut flowers in 2022. However, according to Defra, only 14% of cut flowers sold in the UK are grown in Britain. In this edition of Dig it Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Jessica Naish who runs a successful local flower farm in Buckingham. In the podcast we discover how Jess has developed her flower farm, plus the practicalities of growing a wide range of cut flowers from the field to the vase.Flowers mentioned: Amaranthus caudatus (Love Lies Bleeding), Centaurea cyanus (Cornflowers), Cosmos, Dahlias, Godetia, Larkspur, Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-mist), Perennial and annual Phlox, Strawflowers (Xerochrysum bracteatum), Roses (including the Timeless range of roses), Sweet peas, Sunflowers, Ten Week Stocks and Wallflowers.Fragrant foliage: Apple mint, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, and scented Pelargoniums to add fragrance to bouquets.Bulbs mentioned: Alliums, Gladioli, Lillies, Narcissi and Tulips.Buckingham brew: Nettles and Comfrey tea combo to feed plants organically.Jessica's major influence is Gill Hodgson, who set up Flowers From The Farm back in 2011. From humble beginnings, its membership is now more than 1,000 independent British growers, of which Jess is a member. The website allows you to search for your nearest local flower farmer.Peach Fuzz, Pantone Colour of the year 2024.Jess's desert island essentials: Tool - the versatile Hori Hori Knife, plus a couple of plants one of the velvety purple mophead hydrangeas and Geranium ‘Attar of Roses' famed for its amazing rose scented fragrance.Find out more about Jessica's flower farm, workshops and pick-your-own hereYou can also follow Jessica on Facebook and InstagramOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June is here and with it brings the sun and fun in the garden! In this month's Dig It, Peter Brown and Chris Day discuss the latest gardening news stories, events, and those all-important gardening tasks, plus celebrating DIG IT's inclusion into the Rephonic top 15 gardening podcasts!What's On3 - 9th June British Flowers Week celebrating the variety and skills of the nation's flower growers.8th June: Royal Windsor Flower Show in Windsor Great Park, Windsor.8 - 9th June: London Open Gardens event.13 - 16th June: BBC Gardeners' World Live at the NEC in Birmingham.21st - 23rd June; Blenheim Palace Flower Show, Oxfordshire.People, gardens, products and plants mentioned. Tom Stuart Smith, Val Bourne, Jonathan Sheppard - Cosmos National Collection and Dame Judi Dench plants the Sycamore gap seedling. Water Aid Garden, Octavia Hill Community Garden with the National Trust. The RHS No Adults Allowed Garden, Malvern Garden Houseplant Studios, Hanley Open Side Building from Malvern, and Taylors Bulbs win their 31st Gold medal.Miracle Gro, Tomorite Tomato Feed, Enviromesh or garlic spray to deter carrot fly. Slug copper tape, Slug Gone, beer traps and coffee grounds.Euonymus Green Spire and Euonymus Jean Hugues (good box alternative). Rose ‘Emma Bridgewater' from David Austin and the ‘With Courage' from Peter Beales.Make direct sowings of Peas, Beans, Courgettes, Sweetcorn, Lettuce, Carrot, Spring Onions, Radish and flowers Nasturtiums, cornflowers, and calendulas.NewsWinner of the RHS Plant of the Year Prunus ‘Starlight'. Runner up: Cosmos ‘Cherry Chocolate'.Bromeliads cultivated at Walton Hall in Cheshire.Growing plants should be on the curriculum.Kew ‘Carbon' Garden created.Scientists eavesdrop the sounds from the soil.Long grass is benefiting butterflies says charity.RHS Garden Wisley opens Oakwood Summerhouse to pay homage to Ellen Willmott.National Trust revamps some gardens by future proofing with more resilient planting.Aviva issues flood risk warning as residents turn to artificial lawns.Jekka McVicar recipient of the Prince Edward Award.Oudolf landscape opens at Wisley.Lack of collective of nouns of trees.Auckland gardens regeneration in County Durham.Roses at risk from lack of genetic diversity.A UK first Tulbaghia National Collection at Eastwood Park Prison.25 years of research creates UK first for oak seeds.King Charles III to continue as Patron of the National Garden Scheme, and is the new patron of the RHS.Top 5 bedding plants 1 Geranium Zonal Mixed 9-pack, 2 Geranium Zonal, 13cm, 3 Hedera (ivy) Mixed, 9cm, 4 Geranium Ivy Leaf Mixed and at 5 Petunia Mixed carry pack.In our next podcast we chat with Jessica Naish from Buckingham Flower Farm about the growing cut flowers.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of Dig It Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Huw Richards. Huw's mission is simple - to help as many people as possible to grow their own food. He documents his productive garden through his hugely popular YouTube Channel. He's just published a new book with Sam Cooper, The Self-Sufficiency Garden book, which focuses on the growing and cooking side of grow your own.Plants mentioned: Apples, Asparagus, Basil, Basil Mint, Beetroot, Beans, Blackcurrants, Carrots, Comfrey and Nettle Tea, Courgettes, Garlic, Gooseberries, Garden peas, Leeks, Nasturtiums, Onions, Pea shoots, Padron Peppers, Potatoes, Runner beans, Spring Cabbage, Sweetcorn, Squash, Tomatoes and Turnips.Products mentioned: BBQs, Chickens (for eggs and manure), Firepit, Raised beds, James Wong's Grow Your Own Drugs: Easy Recipes for Natural Remedies and Beauty Treats book and Water Butts. Making Jadam Liquid Fertiliser video.Desert Island essentials: A Swiss army pocket knife and maybe practise the new art of ‘sand gardening'!Horticultural heroes: Huw's Dad has been a major influence, who was in turn influenced by the hit BBC TV comedy The Good Life, No-Dig guru Charles Dowding, John Seymour, Percy Thrower, and James Wong.Follow Huw on Instagram @huwsgardenFollow Sam Cooper on Instagram @chef.sam.blackHuw Richards YouTube ChannelHuw has written four books with DK: Veg in One Bed (2019), Grow Food For Free (2020), The Vegetable Grower's Handbook (2022) and The Self-Sufficiency Garden, written with good friend and colleague Sam Copper (2024).Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May is the month our beds, allotments and containers explode with colour and energy.What's on3rd - 4th May Toby's Garden Festival at Powderham Castle, Kenton. 3rd - 5th May BBC Gardeners' World Spring Fair at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. 9 – 12th May RHS Malvern Spring Festival, Three Counties Showground, Malvern. 12th May Borde Hill Specialist Spring Plant Fair, Haywards Heath. 17th - 26th May Floralies Internationales, Vendee, France. 20th May World Bee Day 21st - 25th May RHS Chelsea Flower Show. 25th - 28th May Blenheim Palace Flower Show25th May - 2nd June National Children's Gardening Week will again be partnering with THE WORLD OF PETER RABBIT™ this May half term.30th May - 3rd June Bloom at the Visitors Centre, Phoenix Park, Dublin. Plants mentioned: Aquatics - water lilies, marginals and oxygenators can be established now. Camellias, Cauliflowers, Cherries, Cucumbers, Chili peppers, Courgette, Daffodils, Dahlias, ‘Enorma' Runner Beans, French bean ‘Cobra', Forsythia, Gooseberries, Helenium, Hosta, Iris, Kale, Malus (crab apples), ‘Padron' Pepper, Potatoes, Roses, Sedum, Sweet peas, Sunflowers, Sweet Corn and Tulips.Products mentioned: Fertilisers – Doff, Growmore and Tomorite, Tea for soaking bean seeds and Speedplanters.This month's Dig It Top 5: Most popular liquid feedsNewsClimate change and verticillium wilt puts brewers hops under threat.Kew scientists assess extinction risk of flowering species using computer modellingReaders to the trade magazine Horticulture Week voted for Alan Titchmarsh and bagged compost as the most influential person and product impacting the gardening world over the past 50 years.A major revamp of Torbay's 100-year-old Italian garden brings 1,600 new plants after 40 cabbage palms were felled.Yorkshire base, fourth generation rhubarb grower @ehubarbrobert is a social media hit.An OBE for garden designer and landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith. The RHS have awarded Neil Lucas of Knoll Gardens and Nurseryman Chris Young the prestigious Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH). The Elizabeth Medal of Honour was bestowed on non-dig guru Charles Dowding for his outstanding contribution to horticulture as a non-professional gardener.New initiative to revive railway hedges.Latest DNA fingerprinting could help identify lost apples that are resistant to climate change.International Women's Day: 100+ Leading Women in Horticulture 2024 announced.University of Sussex launches The Big Bee Hotel experiment to discover more about bees that nest in artificially created habitats.New Tulip variety named after King Charles III unveiled at Keukenhof.Garden Organics says the Government isn't moving fast enough on the peat ban.RHS Chelsea Flower Show gardens go through ‘green audit' for the first time.£12million Lottery Heritage Fund to restore Great Yarmouth's historic winter gardens, the last surviving Victorian ironwork glasshouse on a seaside promenade.London's Royal Parks have openings for ten apprentices.Weather causes concern with potato farmers. Discover how to take part in this year's Henchman Topiary awards.Gardens start to bounce back visitor numbers wise with Kew Garden and RHS Wisley and the Royal Botanic Garden at Edinburgh taking the top spots.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this edition of Dig It, Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Barry Smith, Head Gardener at the National Trust's Stowe Landscape Gardens, near Buckingham. Barry has been at Stowe for over 40 years and head gardener for over 25 so he knows this garden with immense passion and understanding. Stowe, a world-famous 18th century garden was created by such luminaries as Charles Bridgeman, William Kent and Lancelot ‘Capability' Brown. For over 300 years these spectacular gardens have been welcoming tourists far and wide.Plants mentioned: Roses, annuals (bedding), Ash (Fraxinus excelsior), Pinus (pine), Honeysuckle, wildflowers, Snake's head Fritillary (featured in Barry's funny story), Lime, Beech, English Elm and Dutch Elm resistant varieties and Snowdrops (Galanthus).The Gardens Trust, National Trust and the Buckinghamshire Gardens Trust (for networking, sharing knowledge and celebrating success stories locally and beyond).Barry's top two favourite gardens: Stourhead Gardens near Mere, Wiltshire and Stackpole, near Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales.Monuments, specific areas and statues mentioned at Stowe. Grecian Valley Ha-Ha, Oxford Water Lake, Lamport Garden (on-going project), Temple of Concord and Victory (Grecian Temple), Stowe School, The New Inn (old coaching house), Grand Avenue approach to the Corinthian Arch, Buckingham Parish Church, Marble Arch, and The Ice House.Stowe gardens and school have been used for many film locations including The Crown, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, Slaughterhouse Rulez, Stardust and in the James Bond film The World is Not Enough.Barry's Desert Island luxuries Felco secateurs and a Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera).To find out more about Stowe Landscape gardens click on this link and maybe become a volunteer.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Many of our gardens are enjoying much earlier blooms this spring due to the mild and damp weather conditions. Peter Brown and Chris Day bring us the latest gardening news, what's on's and topical gardening advice for the busy month of April.What's on6th -7th April: Cornwall Garden Society Spring Flower Show at Royal Cornwall Show Ground near Wadebridge, features a Grow Your Own space and Tipi Talks as well as dazzling displays and exquisite exhibits.Saturday 13th April: Hanami Blossom Day at Brogdale Farm, Faversham, Kent. Open 10am-3pm. Discover Japanese art and culture amidst the breathtaking blossoming orchards, plus so much more.15th – 28th April: A celebration of Spring: from blossom to bluebells at Hever Castle Gardens in Kent.18th - 21st April: RHS Urban Show set in the heart of Manchester (Depot Mayfield), celebrates your own oasis in this new immersive gardening experience.Sunday 21st April: Plant Fairs Roadshow at Arundel Castle in West Sussex. Open 10am-5pm. Expert nurseries will be displaying their plants in the grounds of Arundel Castle as part of the Plant Fairs Roadshow.Monday 29th April: Rachel de Thame: A Flower Garden for Pollinators talk at the Garden Museum in Lambeth, London, by Rachel de Thame and botanical artist Lauren Lusk yours about her new book.Plants mentioned: Comfrey (for tea), Hebe, Narcissi, Muscari (grape hyacinths), Tulips, Hydrangea ‘Cherry Explosion,' Rose ‘Munstead Wood', Magnolia ‘Stellata' (Star magnolia), Primulas and Polyanthus.Seeds to sow: Cosmos, Cowslips, Gazanias, Geraniums, Marigolds, Nasturtium, Sunflowers and wildflowers. Veggies: Parsnips, Carrots, and salad crops.Products mentioned: Lawn seed mixtures including Johnsons Any Time, Tuff Lawn, Shade and Meadow wildflower mixture, feed Vitax Q4, Empathy Afterplant, Sulphate of Potash, Fungus Fighter for preventative box treatment. Box alternatives - Euonymus ‘Jean Hugues' and E. ‘Green Spire', Evergreen honeysuckle hedging. Flowering hedges including Lavender and Hedge Germander. Garden hoe. Water retaining gel, Vitax Q4 and continuous (slow release) control fertiliser.Peter and Chris's bluebell wood recommendations: Hazelborough Woods (Silverstone, Northamptonshire) and The Woodland Trust's College Wood (Nash, Milton Keynes).News101 Charles Darwin lookalikes gather at threatened 550-year-old oak tree in record attempt protest.Global tree of the year winners announced.Sycamore gap tree updateCalifornian Redwoods make it big in the UKGovernment dashes hopes for horticulture with underwhelming reformsMore Scottish gardens open under the SGS to help the Perennial charity.Finalist of the RHS Britain in Bloom competition announced.International Orchid Show moves to Gardeners' World Live.Glow-in-the-dark Petunia ‘Firefly' launched in the United States.A new Rose ‘With Courage' in conjunction with RNLI from rose breeder Peter Beales.A change in shift of food production with wider diversification of crops.The NHS could save £6.7 billion a year if everyone ate plant based food.New Backyard Biodiversity Report from Garden Organics.Top RHS plant diseases ranked from results in 2023.Dig It Top 5: This month Grass seed best sellers.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The temperature rises in this edition of Dig It as Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with passionate chilli grower Jason Breed. Jason, a seed specialist from Moles Seeds, gives a full rundown of the growing of these popular fiery fruits, a look at what makes chillies so hot, plus some insightful advice on getting the best from your plants and using them in the kitchen. Chilli peppers are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. Chilli peppers are widely used in many cuisines as a spice to add ‘heat' to dishes. There are many health benefits associated with chillies too. The Scoville Scale is a measurement of pungency (spiciness or ‘heat'). Jason famously created a Chocolate Chip Chilli Cookie featuring Habanero chillies at the Garden Centre. Products mentioned: Products derived from chillies including sprays for bears, elephants (using barriers of chilli plants) and as an effective squirrel deterrent. Use Vermiculite at seed sowing time. Use a decent seed and cutting peat-free compost such as Levington's. LED plant lights to help growth. Hydroponic systems lend themselves to chilli production. Use Organic contact sprays for caterpillars, greenflies, flea beetles, sawflies and whitefly control. Fertilisers including Chilli Focus Premium Liquid Concentrated Fertiliser. Chilli varieties mentioned: ‘Apache', ‘Quick Fire' (30k on the Scoville scale), F1 hybrid, is the fastest maturing chilli available from seed with the prolific fiery red fruits produced in as little as 50 days from sowing. ‘Red Air' (Bird's eye type, Scoville Scale 70-80k), ‘Red Flame' (Cayenne type, 30-50k), ‘Rocky', a Jalapeno hybrid, 8k and ‘Santana' (hybrid Anaheim, 2.5-3.5k).Open pollinated types include Scotch Bonnet, Habanero and Tabasco, where seeds can be successfully saved from these plants. Guinness World Records declares Pepper X as world's new hottest chili pepper. A garden axe would be Jason's essential castaway item. The latest Guinness World Chilli eating record. Useful linksChillies available from the Garden Centre including Padron Chilli Pepper and De Cayenne, South Devon Chilli Farm and Chilli Ranch. Jason also mentioned a Bedfordshire commercial chilli grower. Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The traditional starting point for many gardeners - Easter - falls early this year, so there's much to be getting on with. Dig It's Peter Brown and Chris Day bring us the latest events, news and topical advice for the month.Plants mentioned: Forsythia, Snowdrops, Winter Aconites, Narcissi, Ulmus wredei, Buxus, Euonymus Jean Hugues and Green Spire, Daffodils, Dahlias, Gladioli, Freesia, Tuberous begonias, Sunflowers, Zinnia, and Cosmos. Veg plug plants, seeds of Cabbage, Tomatoes, Runner beans, Courgettes, Squashes, Rhubarb varieties Timperley Early, Glaskin's Perpetual and Victoria. Onion Stuttgarter Giant, Hercules F1 and Centurion F1.Products mentioned: Garden hoe, Compost mulch, Hotbin Composter and potato polybags.What's onTuesday 2nd March The Woodland Trust, our charity of the year will be joining us at the Garden Centre.Tuesday 2nd - 10th March: Philadelphia Flower Show at the Pennsylvania Convention Centre, Philadelphia, USSunday 17th March: Rare Plant Fair at The Bishop's Palace, Wells, Somerset, 10am - 4pm.20th -24th March: Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, Royal Exhibition Building & CarltonWednesday 20th March: Orchid Day at the Garden Centre with Manos Kanellos, 11am-3pm.Saturday 23rd March: Digby Hall Plant Fair, Sherborne, Dorset. 10am-2pm. Free admission.Saturday 23rd – Sunday 24th March: Falmouth Spring Flower Show. This historic show features 100 classes, expert talks and activities.Monty Don's Spanish Gardens on BBC iPlayerNewsTV Dr Amir Khan's thoughts on gardening and mental healthA new study by the University of Surrey's Global Centre for Clean Air Research highlighting useful evergreens which are best to clean the air.Plant Heritage are asking gardeners across the UK to search for any rare or unusual plants in their Threatened Plants of the Year 2024 Competition.New naturally resistant Elms are planted in Scotland.Help for hedgehogs as robotic lawn mowers create a new safety concern.Garden Centre highlights extent of current retail crime and violence.A garden planned for Queen Elizabeth.A call to arms from Monty Don encouraging shoppers to buy peat-free.Lichens on the International Space Station.Stink bug causes chaos Down Under.Name your plants from Westland research.Seiont Nurseries embrace peat-free production.A new magnolia discovered in northern Honduras.Garden resilience is set to change Sheffield Park and Gardens in major re-vamp.Floral clock to be restored at Weston-Super-Mare.Brogdale; One of the world's largest fruit tree collections sold.Blueberry blues as scientists reveal the secret of its colour.Welsh gardeners are offered £20 vouchers to remove Cotoneaster horizontalis.Time to get spotting with the RHS Bumblebee Trust survey.Celebrating 125 years of the HTA.Mr Plant Geek is the host for the new RHS Urban Show in Manchester. Dig It's top 5 top selling composts of last season. Top seller Jack's Magic All Purpose Improved, 2nd The Gardeners Multi-Purpose from Westland 3rd Levington Multi-Purpose plus John Innes, 4th Miracle-Gro Peat Free Compost and 5th Westland New Horizon All Plant CompostOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this edition of Dig It Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with orchid supremo Peter White. Peter began growing orchids in 1980 and he has received many awards including RHS Gold medals for his orchid displays at RHS shows and he is a qualified judge of the RHS Orchid Committee. He is currently involved in the breeding of miniature Cymbidium and miniature Phalaenopsis. Peter White is a popular speaker on orchid growing and has supported Buckingham Garden Centre over many years.Plants mentioned: Cymbidiums, Phalaenopsis ‘Sogo Yukidian', Kalanchoe, Echeveria, Streptocarpus, and Saintpaulia (African Violets).People, places, and products mentioned: Peter took us back to the large orchid collection at Aynho Park House, with his mentor gardener and orchid enthusiast Ted Humphris. Between 1938 and 1965 Ted showed plants he had grown to the Royal Horticultural Society's Shows at Westminster, and he won 25 awards. Ted's most famous plant was an orchid, Cattleya Portia which Peter discusses. Ted tended it for almost 50 years, and the second time he exhibited it at Westminster in November 1948 there were over 520 blooms, making it the biggest orchid in the world (at the time). Ted wrote two books: Garden Glory about his life as a gardener, and Apricot Village, a more general book giving snapshots of life in Aynho during Ted's lifetime.Solihull Orchid Society.Orchid Judging and The British Orchid Council.RHS Orchid Committee. The Dutch company Floricultura are the biggest propagator of orchids with the largest laboratories in the world. The 23rd World Orchid Conference and the 20th Taiwan International Orchid Show. Orchid Focus Repotting Compost and Orchid Focus Bloom and Orchid Focus Grow fertiliser. Make sure you use a fertiliser on your orchids which contains no urea (Uric nitrogen). Use clear pots for Phalaenopsis - so light gets to the roots and you can observe the roots easily.For cymbidiums use Chempak® High Nitrogen Feed - Formula 2. A soluble rapid growth feed which gets leaves and stems off to a strong start in summer and then follow with a Tomato Feed in autumn. Houseplant Compost, Vermiculite, potting grit. Opti flora – producers of extra-large and special Phalaenopsis. Dibleys Nursery – streptocarpus specialists. The Dutch Flower Auction in Aalsmeer, Netherlands.How dyed blue orchids are created on YouTube.Peter's Orchid accessories website.Desert Island mentions: Phalaenopsis and a decent Swiss army knife with plenty of gadgets!Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It's February and the garden is starting to awake. In this edition of Dig It Peter Brown and Chris Day bring us the latest events, plants and people making the headlines as well as some topical advice on getting the best from your garden this month.What's on1st - 29th February: Snowdrop season at Waterperry Gardens featuring over 60 different snowdrop varieties. Gardens open 10am - 5pm.3rd February: Graft and Grow Day at Buckingham Garden Centre and held in conjunction with The Mid-Shires Orchard Group, 10am - 4pm. Scion wood swap, fruit tree grafting demos, rootstocks, and fruit trees to buy and much more.3rd February - 10th March: Explore RHS Wisley's glasshouses for their annual Houseplant Takeover with the theme 'Plants Before Time'.8th February - 1 May: Danger and Desire: The Seductive Power of Orchids. Exhibition at RHS Wisley.Saturday 10th February: ‘Golden and Delicious - Edwardian Gardens' A lecture by Caroline Holmes. Writtle University College, Writtle. 11.30am - 13.30pm.Top selling potatoes in 2023 1st Charlotte (2nd early) 2nd Desire (main) 3rd Kestrel (2nd) 4th Cara (main) 5th Arran Piot (1st).Plant mentions: Arbutus unedo, Betula (Himalayan birch), Broad beans, Dogwoods including ‘Midwinter Fire' (Cornus) Hardy orchids, Fargesia (clump forming bamboo), Hedera (ivy), Mahonia, Mentha (mint), bedding Geraniums, Garlic, Sweet peas, Lettuce, Chinese money plant, Sansevieria Cylindrica Braided and Witch Hazel (Hamamelis).People, places and product mentions: Ashridge Forest, Gertrude Jekyll, Edwardian Garden style, Georgian Parks and Gardens Round-Up weedkiller, Kathy Brown's Garden featured on BBC Gardeners' World, Landscape weed-suppressing fabric, Melcourt peat-free composts, houseplants fill one of the Malvern Garden Buildings at the Garden Centre, Nest boxes, Tim Chafor, Composted Bark and Hot Bin Composting.NewsDormice under threat from wetter weather and climate change.Bamboo is the new Japanese knotweed.Kew experts predict horticultural trends Grapes in, apples out – RHS predicts garden trends as climate changesBumper year for British wine growers as output almost doubles.Dutch growers benefit from increased energy subsidies.The Dutch Flower Association acknowledges peat-free growing medium for the first time.First skatepark incorporated into a Chelsea Flower Show garden sparks debateA Tasmanian garden wins the world's ugliest lawn competition (video)DEFRA launches Forest of the National competition with the overall winner receiving £10m to fund their project.The RHS launches an AI chatbot called Chatbotanist to provide advice for members through their phone or PCOldest fungal plant named after children's book author and illustrator, Beatrix Potter.Biochar start-up Earthly Biochar has come up with a government-funded project that's setting out to help save Britain's ash trees.New Mr Fothergill's wildlife seed mix launched by BBC Children in Need.New findings suggest flowers are evolving to self-pollinate2023 was a record year for the National Garden SchemeOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of Dig It Chris Day and Peter Brown chat with Val Bourne - a lifelong gardener and award-winning garden writer whose name will be familiar to readers of The Telegraph, Country Life, Gardens Illustrated, Amateur Gardening and Saga magazine amongst others. As well as writing and lecturing, Val is an organic hands-on gardener and by her own admission a committed plantaholic.Plants mentioned: Agapanthus, Artemisia, Antirrhinums, Aquilegia, Aster, bee orchid, Daphne Bholua, Camassia, Cosmos, Foxgloves, flowering cherry trees, Dahlia, Dierama, Lonicera fragrantissima (winter honeysuckle), Hellebores, hardy ferns, Narcissi, Nasturtiums, Paeonia, Pears, Penstemons, Rose Champagne Moment, Rose Wildeve, Red trefoil, Yellow Rattle, Phlox, Snowdrops, Trilliums, Whitebeam, Winter sweet and Zinnia.People, places and products mentioned: Aphids, Buglife, Adam Henson, Ann-Marie Powell (garden designer), Long tailed bees, caterpillar control in salt water, earwigs, Blackspot, Hook Norton Brewery, Ground beetles, Thames Valley radio programme Dig It (no longer broadcast), ladybirds (two, seven spot, meadow species), Book English Pastoral by James Rebanks, Jennifer Owen (zoologist) and her book Jennifer Owen - Wildlife of a Garden: A Thirty-year Study (published by RHS). Andrew Halstead, retired RHS Principal Entomologist. Rothamsted Research Station, Cedric Morris garden at Chelsea, and No Mow May.Val's desert island tool - Cobra headed weeder tool. Castaway plant Amsonia, the eastern blue star plant.Val's book's The Living Jigsaw, (Kew Publishing), The Natural Gardener: The Way We All Want to Garden, (Francis Lincoln) plus Val's 10 Minute Gardener's range of books covering vegetable, fruit, Grow your own and flower growing.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The month of resolutions, new starts, and big dreams for the coming year. Peter Brown and Chris Day take time to delve into some of the talked about trends of 2024, plus the usual mix of gardening news, events, and gardening advice for the month ahead.What's onMonday 1st January Sir Harold Hillier Gardens Guided Tour. Romsey, Hampshire.Thursday 18th January: Rose Pruning Masterclass with Michael Marriott at Borde Hill, Haywards Heath in West Sussex. Saturday 20th January: National Tulip Day in the centre of Amsterdam, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm. Saturday 27th January: Talk ‘Puzzle Pictures', 2.30-5pm organised by the Buckinghamshire Gardens Trust and to be held at Aylesbury Methodist Church and Centre.26-28th January: RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.27-28th January: Houseplant Weekend at RHS Garden Bridgewater.Saturday 3rd February: Buckingham Garden Centre's Graft and Grow Day featuring fruit tree grafting in conjunction with The Mid-Shires Orchard Group. 10am - 4pm.Looking to get out and about? There's plenty of great winter gardens around the UK to visit on the Great British Gardens website.Dig It top 5 selling trees of 2023 Sharing the top slot Malus ‘Aros' and Cotoneaster ‘Cornubia', joint 2nd place with Malus ‘Red Obelisk' and Prunus ‘Amanogawa' and in the third place Acer ‘Brandywine'.As we start the year, here's our followers top most popular guest podcasts to date. Top slot is No Dig with Charles Dowding, in the second slot is Cottage Gardening with Rosy Hardy. In third position The Queen of the Herb's Jekka McVicar followed by Cherry growing with Vikki Grainge and at the 5th slot Composting with Rod Weston.NewsEnd of the line for peat composts at Evergreen after 22 years.Arit Anderson, in her new book, highlights a range of garden trees that can stand up for our changing climate.Scientist calls for new ways to understand plant durability in recent RHS talk.Low-level offenders will clean up graffiti and plant trees instead of being sent to prison as ministers try to solve major overcrowding crisis in UK.Global action to save Aussie ‘living dinosaur' tree. International conservation charity Plantlife secures £80,000 campaign target to increase lichen research.UK bans giant rhubarb after study finds popular garden plant is invasive species.Plant fossils are remains of ancient baby turtles.The Young People in Horticulture Association (YPHA) reach a membership milestone of over 700 members.Peach Fuzz is Pantone colour of the year. A velvety gentle peach whose all-embracing spirit enriches mind, body, and heart. Expect to see plenty of peach tones and hues this year! 2024 is the year for Edimentals. Garden ornament turns out to be live bomb.Plant mentions: Box, Cyclamen persicum (large florist cyclamen), Broccoli, Purple and white sprouting broccoli, Globe artichoke, Reindeer moss, Mixed Native Hedging, Gunnera maculata, Honeysuckle hedging, Pansies, Swiss Chard, Chinese lanterns, Lettuce ‘Lollo Rossa,' ornamental grasses, Pea ‘Feltham First' and ‘Meteor,' Geraniums (from seed), Liliums, autumn fruiting raspberries, strawberry runners, and seed potatoes.Product Mentions: Kelkay trends for 2024, terracotta pots, lawn aerator, mower service, Haxnicks Fleece jackets and organic winter wash.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this edition of Dig It we chat with multi-award-winning Garden Designer and Landscape Contractor Alan Sargent, a Fellow of The Institute of Horticulture and Founder of The Association of Professional Landscapers. Alan Sargent is a proper landscape gardener who over the past five decades has won countless awards, including over sixty Royal Horticultural Society Show Garden medals at Chelsea, Hampton Court, Tatton Park and Gardeners' World Live.Alan's latest book, Confessions of a Gardener, helps support the fantastic charity Perennial - the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Society. £4 will be donated to Perennial. You can order it here.Product mentions: Consider a Hydrological survey which documents the source (inflow), route, and flow (outflow) of springs, brooks, streams, rivers, and culverts. The report also notes water depths, seasonal flooding, and the significance of surface water runoffs on your land and beyond. Lasers for levels rather than water levels. Butyl pond liner, Bradstone paving and stone, Porcelain, Indian sandstone paving, importance of permeable materials for drainage.Plant mentions: Palm trees, wildflowers, and re-wilding to help attract birds, bee friendly plants for pollinators and Japanese maples.People mentions: Alan Titchmarsh - mentor to Alan, Peter Seabrook, Prince Phillip Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Alexandra, Patron of Action for Blind People as well as being President of Sightsavers. Garden designers Robin Williams, Mark Gregory, who has been involved with 99 gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show, with a total of 160 show gardens for the RHS, making him the most medalled garden builder within the RHS. Peter Rodgers, garden designer. TV presenter and botanist Dr David Bellamy. Peter Rodgers, garden designer.Desert island tool: A Swiss army knife.Alan Sargent's website Landscape Library (educational resource)The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL, Find a Landscaping Professional) The Professional Garden Consultants Association The Chartered Institute of HorticultureOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dig It hosts Peter Brown and Chris Day look at the latest news, views, and gardening tasks to keep you busy, plus the Dig it top 5, and some ideas for getting out and about this month.What's on7 – 11 December Winter Flower Week at the Garden Museum, London. Five floral designers transform the Garden Museum into an environmentally friendly floral winter wonderland.Friday 8th December, 12 noon – 4pm at the Garden Centre we have a wine tasting event with our good friend Tim Chafor from Chafor Vineyard Estate, Gawcott.The RHS are running Glow Events at their gardens at Wisley, 4pm - 9pm, Hyde Hall (5-9pm) in Essex and at RHS Rosemoor (4.40- 8.30pm). Visit the RHS website for details.Dig It top 5 - spring flowering bulbsNo 1 Narcissi 'Tête-à-tête, No 2 Amaryllis ‘Dancing Queen', No 3 Narcissi Mixed 1.5kg bag, No 4 Hyacinth ‘Early Forcing' and at No 5 Tulip ‘Purple Rain'.A ‘lunar halo' was spotted in the night skies in late November and Peter managed to capture the phenomenon which is caused by the refraction of moonlight from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. // LINK TO PETERS PHOTO //NewsAdam Frost will be at the Gardeners World Live Show in June 2024 with his Chef's Table Garden.Greenpeace freedom of information request highlights the huge waiting lists for allotments.Nearly half of species are threatened according to new Kew research findings.Peat not mentioned in the King's Speech.The RHS publish a list of peat-free nurseries.A new chilli Pepper X is now a new Guinness world record breaker.A new chapter at Hillier Nurseries.Treadstone wins the GIMA Award in the Category Sustainability Champion for their Treadstone Rope TrellisCandide, a dedicated social networking app for plant and garden-lovers, closes on the 7th December.A taster of the 2024 Chelsea Flower Show Gardens.The RHS open their first standalone shop, The Plant Space at Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent.Gardeners' World presenter Sue Kent highlights specific Garden Heritage Seed varieties from Garden Organic. Sue visited Garden Organics earlier this year.Horticulture sector needs urgent safeguards, reports House of Lords committeeSir David Attenborough donates Easter Island seeds to Kew‘Darwin's oak' to be felled to make way for Shrewsbury bypassEast Anglian Fens were covered in yew trees 4,000 years ago, study findsThe entire population of Kenya has been given the day off to plant trees Mentions: Sir Harold Hillier Garden, famed winter garden, in Romsey in Hampshire is well worth visiting. The Garden Centre will be donating 50p per Christmas tree sold this year to the charity Ripple Africa who actively promote sustainable tree planting in Malawi.Product mentions: Winter wash fruit trees and bushes with Growing Success Winter Wash, tree ties, tree shelters, check your stakes, insulate outdoor taps against frost, Secateurs Eversharp, Wolf Secateurs or Felco. WD40, Blade sharpening tool/stone. Christmas tree stand with a water reservoir.Plant mentions: Abies nordmanniana, English Oak, Bluebell, Dandelion, fruit trees and soft fruit.Our thanks for Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The trend for terrarium gardening grows each year, with more people than ever creating miniature enclosed indoor growing spaces to enjoy at home. Terrariums are simple to make, easy to care for and rewarding to have. In this episode Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Dr Manos Kanellos who takes us through the history, the selection of plants and planting to create your own display.Main pointers: Location, terrariums (open or closed), types of plants best suited to light levels and careful consideration to the way you place your plants. Plant in layers starting with height and then choose plants to bulk out the display as well as covering the soil. Try and theme your display – all green, variegated or add splashes of colour in the way of plants or props.Plant mentions: Open terrariums Cacti and slow growing succulents, where possible try and use the same group of plants, plus air and carnivorous plants. Flowering plants such as Saintpaulia and Kalanchoe are better in open terrariums.Closed terrariums: Adiantum, Pteris and Nephrolepsis ferns, Fittonia, Helxine soleirolii, Begonia rex and Peperomias. The only orchid Manos would suggest for growing in a terrarium is the Jewel orchid (Ludisia discolor).Product mentions Any glass containers are suitable as long as they are large, grit, gravel or clay granules provide the drainage, an escape for water, activated carbon charcoal helps with the filtration and absorption qualities of the compost, peat-free potting mix, BBQ tongs for handling cacti, special tools come into play if using the old fashioned thin necked carboys or green bottles, a small watering can with a rose or large spoonful of water to help settle in new plants. Houseplant Focus plant feed. Decorative stones, slate, or moss to provide a terrain to your plants. You can add characters likes decorative animals, Buddhas, fairies, dinosaurs or even LEGO characters to help create a story. Fungus gnats (sciarid flies) control - use small yellow sticky traps or carefully spray with SB Plant Invigorator and Bug Killer.Desert Island plant and tool: A palm maybe Beaucarnea recurvata, the elephant's foot or ponytail palm and a mobile phone!The book, Terrariums: A Beginners Guide is an authoritative and detailed guide to terraria by Manos Kanellos and is available from all good Garden Centres.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After an incredibly wet, windy and mild autumn in many parts of the UK, November beckons with a hope of more settled conditions. Dig It's Peter Brown and Chris Day bring us up to date with the latest gardening news, a couple of events celebrating apples, and the joy of garden visiting, as well as plenty of gardening tasks to be getting on with, plus the return of a very special guest to Dig It, houseplant aficionado Jane Perrone and her latest gardening project – Houseplant Gardener in a Box.Plants mentions: Apple Granny Smith, Comfrey, Sweet Chestnut, Sycamore, Loofah, Tulips, Winter pansies, Wallflower ‘Sugar Rush', Broad beans, Onions, Shallots and Garlic. Narcissus ‘Paper White' and bare-root raspberry canes.Product mentions: Empathy RootGrow, Melcourt SylvaGrow Multi-Purpose Compost, Levington Organic Blend Topsoil, wheatgerm fish food, greenhouse bubble insulation, horticultural fleece, garden furniture covers, grease bands for fruit trees, Gro-Sure Repair Kits, Autumn lawn food and pot feet.What's on27th October – 28th January 2024 The Museum of Cider in Hereford is hosting an exhibition called A Variety of Cultures. The event explores how cultures across the globe have taken the apple and made it their own. Thursday 23rd November, Annual Lecture – What Garden Visiting Does for Us with Robin Lane Fox. Venue the Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR, or watch it live-streamed online at 7pm.This month's Dig It top 5Soft fruits 1. Strawberry ‘Red Gauntlet' 2. Strawberry ‘Cambridge Favourite' 3. Blueberry ‘Sunshine Blue' 4. Strawberry ‘Hapil' 5. Blackcurrant ‘Big Ben.'NewsThe Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland felling incident. Wrexham's 484-year-old Sweet Chestnut Tree has been voted Tree of the Year 2023.The UK's largest collection of comfreys has been made a National Collection by the conservation charity Plant Heritage. Eight Guinness World Records achieved at Great Autumn Malvern Show.A 10,000 collection of pumpkins and squashes set a new Guiness World Record at Sunnyfields Farm in Southampton. Amateur Gardening magazine saved from cancellation.The results of this year's Big Butterfly Count are in, and more than 1.5 million butterflies and daytime months were recorded. Losses of specimen yew trees at King Charles's Sandringham residence as staff remove 14 dead trees in a new Topiary Garden.Gardeners' World has paid tribute to Monty Don's golden retriever, Nellie, following her sad passing. Therapy garden at King's Heath, Birmingham is awarded thousands of Lottery money for major revamp.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this month's Dig It, Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Adrian Bloom about his iconic Garden – Foggy Bottom in Diss, Norfolk. Adrian tells the story behind the garden and how he's captured it for his new book, Foggy Bottom - A Garden to Share. In the podcast we discover how the Bloom brand developed over the years and the influences of Adrian's father, plantsman Alan Bloom. Plant mentions: Heathers (Erica and Calluna), x Cupressocyparis leylandii, Cotinus coggygria (smoke bush), Stipa tenuissima, Miscanthus, Cornus, Viburnum, Sequoiadendron giganteum (Giant redwood), Hydrangea ‘Annabelle,' Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire', Pampas grass and Platycladus orientalis (Thuja). Desert island plant: Buddlejas and hybridising them. People, places, and product mentions: Alan Bloom and his helper Percy Piper were responsible for raising and introducing over 150 perennials, and the tradition has been continued by his son Adrian, son in law Jaime Blake, and grandson Jason. Percy Thrower, Richard Bloom (photographer). The 1960 Winter Olympics held in the Squaw Valley Resort in Squaw Valley, California. Pershore College, Bressingham Hall, Cambridge Fen Tongue End skating. Books: Perennials For Your Garden by Alan Bloom, A Year Round Garden by Adrian Bloom. Origins of the name Foggy Bottom, Washington DC. You can order a signed copy of Foggy Bottom - A Garden to Share book here To find out more about Adrian Bloom, the Gardens, Books, and Plants, visit the website. Blooms of Bressingham YouTube channel Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
There's plenty to be getting on with this month in the garden, despite the clocks going back in the UK. Dig It's Peter Brown and Chris Day help to put some of the garden to bed, plant spring bulbs and get border prepared. There's the usual round-up of topical news from the world of gardening as well as a few important diary dates if you're planning to get out and about this month.What's onSunday 1st October, 10am-4pm, The second day of our Apple Weekend event at the Garden Centre and we will be joined by top apple fruit identification expert Gerry Edwards, apple pressing featuring The Mid-Shire Orchard Group, Garden Organics with Chris Collins, and the local wildlife trust.Sunday 8th October Orchard Open Day at Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire, 10am - 4pm.Thursday, 12th October Ryton Demonstration Garden Tour 10:00am - 11.15am at Garden Organic, Ryton Gardens, Coventry. https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/events/ryton-garden-tour-12octTuesday 17 October Horatio's Garden Stoke Mandeville (National Spinal Injuries Centre), designed by Joe Swift. Private Tour in aide of the Horatio's Garden Charity, 10.00-11.30am. Booking is essential. All October Looking for local gardens to you for autumn colour then check out the Great British Gardens websiteDig it Top 5 Hedging Plants As next month we officially start the hedging season, here's a reminder of our top sellers last season Top seller at No 1. Quickthorn 2. Hornbeam 3. Green Beech 4. Photinia Red Robin 5. Green Privet.NewsThe world's oldest gardening magazine Amateur Gardening magazine closes after 139 years.Interflora and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust join forces to introduce a bee-friendly Beequet!Top chef Raymond Blanc continues his passion for growing and preserving many of the Heirloom veggies from Garden Organics at his Oxfordshire restaurant.The new RHS Urban Plant Show is set to open at the Depot Mayfield in Manchester on the 18th-21st April 2024.Reduced peat growing of UK houseplants.Nursery growing peat-free houseplants from seed.Be more sustainable by taking cuttings from your own plants says Tony Le Britton.Sculpture garden scoops top accolade.First sensory garden for pets opens in Devon.New study on growing homegrown food is looking for volunteers to help with research. To take part, contact urbanharvest@sheffield.ac.ukTeenager finds seed from world's largest bean pod on beach.Plants mentioned: Holly (Ilex), Potatoes, Tomato, Catnip, Plant garlic (available instore), Stocks, Winter hardy Pansies and Violas, 6-pack Wallflowers, Fuchsias, Pelargonium (geraniums), Alliums, Crocus, Daffodils, Tulips. Indoor Hyacinths and Amaryllis planting time. Nature Love' colour themed bulb packs. Primrose and mini cyclamen for centre bowl planting.Products mentioned: Compost bins, Vitax Greenhouse Fumigator (Insecticide smoke for greenhouses) and greenhouse disinfectant. Horticultural fleece for winter protection. Larger plant labels.Our special thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this edition of Dig It, Peter Brown, and Chris Day chat with winemaker / vintner Tim Chafor, who runs the 8-acre Chafor Wine Estate featuring over 10,000 grape vines, set in the heart of the Buckinghamshire countryside and just a stone's throw from the Garden Centre.Grapes grown at Chafor Wine Estate are Champagne varieties of ‘Chardonnay' (white), ‘Pinot Noir' (red) and ‘Pinot Meunier', (red) alongside ‘Bacchus' (white), a variety which is widely becoming recognised as England's signature grape. This variety is a true dual-purpose variety.Other grapes mentioned: ‘Merlot' (red), ‘Cabernet Sauvignon' (red) and ‘Sauvignon Blanc' (white).Grape rootstocks, including the stock Tim recommends SO4.Bernwood Forest and Buckinghamshire's County Council Coat of Arms inspired the stag logo used by Chafor Wine Estate.If you fancy grape stomping (feet pressing) then you might have to look further afield in the UK, as Tim said these would be experiences and we did spot one on Airbnb Tip: Google search ‘grape stomping'.Accolades Tim's wines have collected major awards from such esteemed bodies as the International Wine Challenge, Decanter, and the UK Wine awards. Tim's 2014 Chafor Wine Estate Vintage Rosé received 91 points from leading wine advocate Robert Parker.Desert island luxuries: A grape vine, either ‘Bacchus' or if that's unavailable the variety ‘Pinot Noir' and a wine press!Useful linksChafor Wine Estate websiteOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After a soggy July and mixed fortunes weather wise in August, Peter Brown and Chris Day look forward to the prospect of an Indian summer in this month's Dig It. A pick of the best events, news, and garden trade stories, plus those essential gardening tasks for the month ahead.What's on1st- 30th September Garden Organic are promoting 30 thrifty biodiversity projects, one for each day of the month through Organic September and across their social medial channels #ThriftyThirty1st - 3rd September BBC Gardeners' World Autumn Fair, Audley End House and Garden, Saffron Walden.5th - 10th September RHS Wisley Flower Show, Surrey.16th - 17th September Cactus at the Castle event at Lullingstone Castle & The World Garden in Kent. 17th September Rare Autumn Plant Fair at Borde Hill Garden, Haywards Heath.22 - 24th September Malvern Plant and Garden Fair, Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire.30th September / 1st October Apple Weekend at Buckingham Garden Centre, 10am-4pm.It's time to celebrate the Apple at Buckingham Garden Centre's popular Apple Weekend event featuring RHS apple expert Gerry Edwards, The Mid Shires Orchard group, plus Chris Collins, Garden Organic's Head of Organic Horticulture, and former BBC Blue Peter Gardener. Dig It Top Five Sellers - Perennials (in 1-litre pots) 1. Lavender ‘Hidcote,' 2. Lupinus ‘Gallery Mixed', 3. Delphinium ‘Black Knight', 4. Penstemon ‘Pensham Wedding Day' and 5. Leucanthemum ‘Snow Lady'.NewsSweetpea species offers future food potential.Blenheim Palace gardens to get major revamp.The National Garden Scheme launches five new community-based projects.Growers told to be vigilant as Colorado beetles are spotted in the south of England.Squire's Garden Centre electrifies its fleet.Blue Diamond buys four nursery sites.Pitcher plants can go peat-free says RHS.London's Garden Museum to expand gardens into public realm.Home and garden chain Wilko files for administration putting 12,000 jobs at risk.CEO Dave Carey leaves Mr Fothergill's.Calls to use native grasses rather than ryegrass in our lawns.Quarter of Brits think artificial grass should be banned. Plants and products mentioned Amaryllis, autumn flowering bulbs Colchicums, Crocus and Cyclamen hederifolium. Prepared hyacinths. Cerinthes, Ammi, Scabiosa and Cornflowers. Dahlias, Heuchera, ornamental grasses, hardy Pansies, and Violas. Propagate Fuchsia, Salvias, Rosemary Prune cropped Raspberry canes. Houseplant Tradescantia. Maxicrop Original Seaweed Extract, Aftercut Autumn Lawn Food, lawn seed, pea netting to cover ponds before leaf fall and garden vax for leaf shedding for composting.Our special thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Chris Collins is a gardening legend – winning a legion of fans from his early days working in amenity horticulture to his big break on Blue Peter, presenting on the QVC shopping channel and being the ambassador to the national charity Garden Organic. In this edition of Dig It Peter Brown and Chris Day chat to Chris - the globetrotting author; TV broadcaster; lecturer and horticultural consultant.Plants mentioned: Ulmus angustifolia (Cornish elm), David Austin Roses, Borage, Poppies, tomatoes, aubergines, spinach, bedding plants, chillis, peppers, micro-greens in a salad bar and bulbs - Alliums, Crocus, Snowdrops, and Tulips. Houseplants: Cycads, Crotons, Ficus benjamina, Pelargoniums, and terrarium gardening.Products and people: David Austin Roses, Whichford Pottery, Trowels, Honda Mower, Percy Thrower, hanging baskets, Obelisks, Maxi crop Seaweed Extract, Q4 pellets, spouts with water bottles. Lawrence Hills, founder of Garden Organics. Horticulture Week magazine, The Plantsman (BBC 2 programme), and QVC Shopping Channel.Places mentioned: Graduate of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Apprentice gardeners at Brighton Parks Department, Limbe Botanic Garden in Cameroon, South arboretum at the Royal Botanic gardens in Kew, Head gardener at Westminster Abbey Gardens, college garden / medicinal garden. BBC Media City, Salford, home of the Blue Peter Garden, and Balcony gardens at Chelsea Flower Show.Desert island luxuries: Felco 8 secateurs and Betula (birch tree), one of the most relaxed ‘unstressed' trees to grow.Chris's gardening book, Grow Your Own For KidsChris Collins's website Facebook and InstagramOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After a damp and cool July, we look forward to a productive, colourful yet relaxed August. Dig It's Peter Brown and Chris Day provide a round-up of the month's gardening what's on's, a look at the stories making the gardening headlines and a round-up of those essential gardening tasks.What's on2 - 6th August: RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show, Chelmsford, Essex.4 - 13th August: Shropshire Petal Fields, Newport, Shropshire.11 – 12th August: Shrewsbury Flower Show, The Quarry Shrewsbury.12 – 13th August: The Great Comp Summer Show, Platt near Sevenoaks, Kent.17 – 20th August: Southport Flower Show, Victoria Park, Southport.18 – 20th August: RHS Garden Rosemoor Flower Show, Great Torrington, Devon.Until 13 September: RHS Garden Wisley. A new exhibition Growing Up in the Garden, showcasing the way children use gardens as a place to connect with and explore the natural world.NEWS First King's birthday honours for landscaper and designer Tom Stuart-Smith (OBE) and Kew's Director of Gardens Richard Barley (MBE).Renowned rosarian Michael Marriott awarded the Dean Hole Medal by Colin Squire, chairman of The Rose Society UK.Top accolade the Brickell Award went to Adrian Young's National Collection of 900 Saxifraga as part of Plant Heritage's Hampton Court display.Carol Klein named the RHS's 'Iconic Horticultural Hero' for 2023 and Carol's comments about the lack of female representation on Gardeners' World.Hemlock warning: the deadly plant found in UK gardens.Rare pink grasshopper spotted in North Wales.Use of peat is falling according to latest HTA report.Scottish farmers lead research to revive lost linen industry.Salisbury City Council scraps hanging baskets and sparks division.Top plants named at HTA Plant Show - Curcuma ‘Skyline' overall winner. Other winners include Agapanthus Orientalis ‘Black Jack,' Ball Colegrave Ltd's Dahlia ‘Dalina® Maxi Starburst Pink' and Fatsia Japonica ‘Camouflage.'Dig It Top Five Roses: 1. ‘The Queen Elizabeth II', 2. ‘With Love', 3. ‘Cutie Pie', 4. ‘Precious Ruby' and 5. ‘Mary Berry'.Plant mentions: Plant seed potatoes for Christmas, Leeks, Brassicas and Spinach. Sow Basil, Marjoram, Borage, Chives, Coriander, and Dill. Propagate lavender and rosemary. Divide Chives. Propagate and plant new strawberry runners including ‘Cambridge Favourite,' ‘Elsanta,' and ‘Honeoye.' Continue sowing early-flowering biennials - like honesty and wallflowers. Sow Cress and compact sunflowers with the children.Product mentions: Bamboo canes, Garden twine (Jute). Plant feeds - Tomorite, Doff fertilisers. Miracle Gro, Phostrogen, Seaweed Extract, Westland Tomato Food and Comfrey tea.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of Dig It Peter Brown and Chris Day talk national plant collections with Gill Groombridge, who is Plant Heritage's Business Manager. We find out some of the background history of Plant Heritage and the diverse ranges of National Plant Collections and why 2023 is a special year for this charity.We also chat with Jonathan Shepherd, who is a holder of not one but two plant collections – Hollyhocks (Alcea) and Cosmos bipinnatus - in his 2-acre Lincolnshire garden and polytunnels where he grows his plants in a very sustainable way. Jonathan describes his journey into growing and how he has become an advocate to these two important plant species. He also shares his growing tips on raising them for the garden and for staging at the prestigious Hampton Court Flower Festival held earlier this month.Plant Heritage is the world's leading garden plant conservation and research charity – celebrating 45 years. The charity's mission is the conservation of cultivated plants in the British Isles and a milestone of 700 national plant collections has been reached.Gill's favourite plants: Australasia beauties including Callistemon, Leptospermum and Eucalyptus (gum trees).Hollyhocks are short-lived non-native perennials. Varieties mentioned: ‘Charters,' ‘Purple Rain,' Blackcurrant World, ‘Creme de Cassis' and ‘Nigra.' ‘Halo' varieties bred by Thompson & Morgan include single colours - ‘Halo Apricot,' ‘Halo Blush' and ‘Halo Cream.'Cosmos are short day flowers and need to be kept hungry as too much feed often results in much taller plants. Jonathan sowed over 3000 seeds for the 17 planters of Cosmos he took to this year's RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. Varieties mentioned: ‘Cupcake Blush,' ‘Gloria,' ‘Dazzler' (Monty Don's favourite), ‘Apricotta,' ‘Pink Mosaic' and ‘Sonata.' Check out our seed range hereDesert Island item: Jonathan's grandad's galvanised watering can - he wouldn't be without it!Product and people mentions: Melcourt SylvaGrow Peat-Free Compost (for seed sowing), Westland New Horizon Peat-Free (for planters). TV gardener and designer Adam Frost. Sweet Peas: An Essential Guide by Roger Parsons. Rosa Persica staged by Daniel Myhill, Jonathan Hogarth for his educational display of small and miniature hosta.Jonathan's website, Twitter, and InstagramOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Our gardens are growing apace this month and there's plenty to be getting on with as Dig It's Peter Brown and Chris Day tackle those essential tasks, plus a round-up of July events and garden stories around the UK.What's on4th - 9th July: RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, Surrey. Shop for plants from specialist nurseries and be inspired by gardens.15th & 16th of July: Belvoir Castle Flower and garden Show, in Grantham, Lincolnshire.19th - 23rd July: RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire.NewsKing Charles and Queen Camilla open the Coronation Garden in Hazelbank Park, Newtownabbey, Ireland.The secret Italian Garden in Great Ambrook opens in Devon.Perennial's garden The Laskett opens to the public.Record stag beetles this summer.The Scottish government may not be following the same timeline for peat-free ban than England.Globetrotting rare Ghost orchid flowers at the Chelsea Flower Show.Peat free test trials featured in Amateur Gardening showing positive results on two major products.B&Q says don't dig your garden - it's bad for your soil and the environment. Listen back to Charles Dowding's Dig it podcast.Lincolnshire beans could provide British solution to imports.Dig It Top Five 6-pack bedding 1. Geranium White, 2. Geranium Deep Red, 3. Lobelia trailing – all colours, 4. Petunia Mixed, and 5. Antirrhinums.Plant mentions: Allium seed collection and drying the head for decoration, Borage, Eucalyptus, Rose 'Peter's Persica', butterfly attracting plants such as Buddleja, including the newer dwarf varieties, B ‘White Profusion', Foxgloves, Verbena, Marjoram, perennial wallflowers, Courgette ‘Eight Ball', Heirloom seed varieties from Garden Organics, Wisteria (summer pruning), Wisteria ‘Amethyst Falls', Spiraea, Philadelphus (mock orange), Marginal, Water Lilies and Oxygenating plants for ponds, Sweet Peas, Box Moth Caterpillar, Ermine moth webs affecting native hedging, Runner beans, Comfrey, Wallflowers. First early potatoes for Christmas.Product mentions: Dalefoot Peat-free Compost, SylvaGrow Multipurpose Compost, Baby Bio, Tomato fertiliser, barley straw (to help reduce blanketweed), dichlorination (water changes), Smart Garden solar water features and Root trainers.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this edition of Dig It, Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Nick Hamilton, son of Geoff Hamilton, who for 17 years presented the BBC gardening programme Gardeners' World. Nick continues the legacy at Barnsdale Garden, in Rutland, where back in the 1980s over 30 TV gardens were created. In this fascinating episode we discover how Barnsdale has developed over the past 40 years, chat peat-free and organic and how Barnsdale's 38 amazing TV gardens of average size have enticed visitors under Nick's careful and dedicated curation. Plant mentions: The houseplant, Ficus benjamina, weeping fig, plant perennials plants for less work. Box (Buxus sempervirens), Lavandula augustifolia ‘Arctic Snow' and Berberis darwinii ‘Nana', Euonymus ‘Jean Hugues' and E. ‘Green Spire', Apples, Pears, Cowslips (Primula veris), Bluebells and Snowdrops, Spirea and Rose ‘Geoff Hamilton'.Desert island luxuries: Penstemon – lots of varieties including ‘Geoff Hamilton', these plants are great for pollinators, plus garden knife, the gardeners' essential tool says Nick.Product mentions: Westland New Horizon peat-free compost, Melcourt SylvaGrow Multi-Purpose Compost and Melcourt Propagation Bark, artificial turf, slate aggregates, tap into the knowledge of like-minded gardeners, nurseryman and ask questions! Geoff Hamilton's Cottage Garden Book features the design of the beehive compost bin.People and places mentions: Barnsdale's head gardener Jon Brocklebank, Nick's brother photographer Steve Hamilton John Kenyon, Gardener's World Producer, Writtle University College, Essex and Hampton Court Palace.Barnsdale Gardens website, includes garden details, restaurant, events and gardening courses.Barnsdale Gardens will be celebrating 40 years at this month's Gardeners' World Live Garden ShowBooks: The Right Genes by Nick Hamilton, plus Nick's gardening books, Organic Gardening and Grow Organic Fruit and Vegetables are available hereOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the latest Dig It podcast, Peter Brown and Chris Day discuss the latest gardening news stories, events in the gardening calendar and take a look at some of the gardening tasks to be getting on with through the month of June.What's on27th May - 4th June National Children's Gardening Week featuring The World of Peter Rabbit.1st - 5th June: Bord Bia Bloom Ireland's largest gardening event.15 - 18th June: BBC Gardeners' World Live at the Birmingham NEC.23 - 25th June: Blenheim Palace Flower Show.30th June - 2nd July: Jekka's HerbFest at Jekka's Herb Farm, Alveston, Bristol.News of the show gardens and plants at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower ShowCatch up with the BBC RHS coverage (Please note BBC Iplayer is not available outside the UK and requires a TV license).Photo RHS Garden The Nurture Nature Garden designed by Sarah Price, Gold Medal winner.DIG IT Top 5 fertilisers Top slot at 1. Doff Seaweed Extract 2. Westland Fish, Blood, and Bone 3. Vitax Organic Potato Fertiliser 4 Miracle-Gro Chicken Manure 5. Levington's Tomorite.Product mentions: Levington Seed and Compost (Peat-free), Lawn Feed and Weed Fertilisers, Blood, Fish and Bone, Chicken manure and Vitax Q4. New sustainable one-use CasusGrill™ BBQ.Plant mentions: Propagate Carnations and Dahlias. Plant Courgettes, Fuchsias, Lobelia, Pelargoniums, Petunias, Sweet Corn, Runner bean ‘Enorma,' Tomatoes and Pumpkins. Sow seeds of Lettuce, Radish, and Spring Onions. Sow seeds of Canterbury Bells, Foxgloves, Polyanthus, Primroses, and Sweet William.NewsBlue Diamond has acquired Fosseway Garden Centre.Farmers asked to send in slugs for feeding analysis.Restoration of the Bridgemere show gardens with TV's David Domoney.How lining your pot with coffee filter paper may help save your houseplants.Time to vote for your favourite Historic Houses ‘Garden of the Year' at this linkNew chair Rupert Tyler for Garden Museum.The first collection of Royal Mail Special Stamps to feature the King's head will depict illustrations of gorgeous garden flowers to recognise his passion for gardening.Scientists urge tax breaks for sustainable gardeners.The famous East Ruston Old Vicarage Garden is bequeathed to the Perennial Charity so securing its future.Royal Horticultural Society criticised over products that kill bugs and wildflowers.Wildflower brand Seedball is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and is launching a range of bee tines to raise awareness of 3 British species that are in decline.Who will win the first Peter Seabrook Award at Gardeners World Live?Plant Heritage relocate to world-renowned RHS Garden Wisley.Mark's 700-mile journey to buy gas BBQ from Scots garden centre.Our next guest is Nick Hamilton from Barnsdale Gardens.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this edition of Dig It, Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with celebrity gardener, social media influencer and TV presenter Michael Perry. From the introduction of new plants with the famous Ipswich-based Thompson and Morgan seed company to writing, hosting podcasts, books and tv appearances including the QVC shopping channel, Michael enjoys nothing more than sharing his extensive knowledge. Michael loves searching out the new and unusual in the plant world and sharing them with his followers which he does with passion and unbounded enthusiasm.Plants mentioned: Eucalyptus, Runner beans, Mustard, Cress, Herbs, Pelargoniums (traditional Geranium), Hyacinth ‘Midnight Mystic' (Black), Lavender, Petunia, TomTato ® (Ketchup and Fries, US name), tomato and potato grafted onto one plant), Egg n' Chips Plant (aubergine and potato grafted onto one plant) , Rubus cockburnianus (white stemmed bramble) and tradescantia zebrina.Products / Places / People mentions: Jekka McVicar's Herb Books, Easton & Otley College, The Perennial Charity, Thompson & Morgan Seeds, greenhouses (link with Malvern), Seedball, Garden Tags, Gardeners' World, Urban Herbs, GLEE, Amigra grass nursery in the Netherlands and the IPM Trade Show. Geoff Hamilton, Anne Swithinbank and Pippa Greenwood.Michael's favourite plants; All members of the Iris family and Mints.To find out more about Michael Perry visit his website for all social links and more. The Plant Base PodcastOur thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Join Dig It's Peter Brown and Chris Day and catch up with the latest garden news, views, events and tasks as we enter one of the busiest gardening months of the year.What's On1st – 31st May No Mow May 2nd-8th May: RHS National Gardening Week.6th May: King's Coronation. Turn Your Garden Red, White and Blue – Patriotic Planting for The King's Coronation.Sunday 7th May: Specialist Spring Plant Fair at Borde Hill, Haywards Heath, West Sussex.11th - 14th May: RHS Malvern Spring Festival.14th May: World Topiary Day.23rd – 27th May: RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Royal Hospital Chelsea, London.30th May – 2nd July: Tree Listening. Visit Exbury Gardens in Hampshire to find out what happens beneath the bark of trees.Plants mentioned: Antirrhinums, Basil, Broad beans, Cosmos, Courgettes, Hyssop, Kinder Plant Drop-in / Pop-ins, Lobelia, Mints, Petunia, Photinia Red Robin, Potato ‘Swift', Runner beans, Rhubarb, Rosemary, Sweet Corn, Thyme, Tomatoes, Tulips,Products mentioned: Malvern Garden Buildings at the RHS Chelsea Flower show with their Houseplant Studios, Levington Seed and Cutting Peat-Free Compost, Agralan Plum Moth and Codling Moth pheromone traps, yellow sticky traps, Slug traps, Provanto Veg & Fruit spray, Poppy Forge plant supports, Perlite and Vermiculite.News Houseplant books: Legends of the Leaf by Jane Perrone and Not Another Jungle by Tony Le-Britton.NEWSLondon's Natural History Museum survey focusing noise pollution and insect life.Research by The New Scientist suggests Plant Ident Apps are not particularly accurate.A new crowdfunded sensory garden ties a strong bond with the Ukraine in Liverpool.A new 1.2-mile-long railway park to connect Camden Town and King's Cross gets a green light and it will be designed by Piet Oudolf.The Victorian Palm House at the Royal Botanic gardens in Edinburgh undergoes a major structural restoration.Newby Hall in Yorkshire celebrates its 75th anniversary with a special royal theme.Tesco have become the first UK retailer to go peat-free in its British-grown bedding plants.Government backtracks on commercial peat ban with professional growers to continue to use products until 2030.Melcourt SylvaGrow® Multi-Purpose 100% peat-free compost has been recognised as a top performer and a Which? Best Buy, earning it the right to use the prestigious endorsement. It is stocked at the Garden Centre.Orchid grower Marius Grzelik has taken on Geoff Hands' National Plant Collection® of Dendrobium after Geoff Hands passed away in November 2020. www.plantheritage.co.ukBoyd Douglas-Davies to leave British Garden Centres and will be setting up his own consultancy business.Blue Diamond acquires its 43rd Garden Centre - Beckworth Emporium.RSPB birdwatch 2022 results announced.Dig It Top 5 KINDER PLANTS 1st Nepeta hederacea. Joint 2nd Petunia ‘Tumbelina ‘Diana' and Bacopa ‘Megacopa White'. In 3rd place Petunia ‘Tumbelina Anna' and in 4th Fuchsia ‘Voodoo'.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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