The Garden Podcast

In the final edition of The Garden Podcast, Chris is joined by garden writer and podcast regular Melissa Mabbitt for a look back at the highlights of the programme in 2020, an extraordinary year in gardening. Including an interview with a new RHS President with perhaps the best name ever; a discussion on garden-making with Rachel de Thame and a celebration of an unsung veg garden hero with food writer Mark Diacono. Plus we talk to a Wisley-based horticulturist who's also called Chris Young about the delights of growing indoor ferns as houseplants. This is the final programme of the series. Thank you so much for listening, and we hope you'll join us on our main podcast feed – Gardening with the RHS – where we'll continue to feature content from our award-winning magazine for RHS members, The Garden. Please see links in the show notes.

Renowned florist Simon Lycett offers tips on what you can pick from your garden to make homegrown floral displays this Christmas. Designer Adolfo Harrison reveals the thought processes behind a joyful and striking small urban garden featured in the magazine this month. Plus columnist Lia Leendertz shares her thoughts on the value of gardens for health and wellbeing.

This month, Chris speaks to one of Britain’s foremost ornamental grass experts, Neil Lucas – proprietor of Knoll Gardens. From tiny seslerias to towering miscanthus, Neil shares tips on choosing and using grasses in a variety of situations. Historian Ambra Edwards discusses the legacy of legendary 17th-century plantsman and polymath John Evelyn. And finally, broadcaster Michael Perry talks about an unusual new plant on the block that’s as good outdoors as it is as a houseplant – the exotic-looking and drought-tolerant mangave*. *Please note, the naming of these plants is a controversial topic; botanically they are listed variously as Agave, × Mangave and Mangave.

How do you pick the perfect pear? Food writer and grower Mark Diacono shares tips on growing, storing and eating this most delicious of autumn fruits. Dr Andrew Ward of Norwell Nurseries gives tips on growing asters and Peter Jones of RHS Garden Wisley takes an expert look at tulip trees (Liriodendron).

Chris talks to incoming RHS President Keith Weed about what he hopes to achieve in his new role. Writer and Wisley graduate Holly Farrell extols the virtues of learning your trade with an RHS Diploma in Practical Horticulture, highlighting some of the incredible opportunities that this iconic course can open up. Plus Alan Street of Avon Bulbs shares his love of an unusual late summer flower: Eucomis or pineapple lily.

Life-long vegetable grower and cucumber connoisseur Sue Stickland shares her secrets of success for growing cucumbers outdoors. Garden designer Paul Spracklin encourages us to brave the prickly pleasures of outdoor cacti. His Essex garden (in the driest part of the country) contains dozens of species normally seen only under glass. Plus RHS Entomologist Andy Salisbury encourages us to take a closer look at some of summer's finest songsters; crickets and grasshoppers.

What do salsas, sauces for sea bass and knickerbocker glories all have in common? They're all good uses for the humble redcurrant of course! Food writer Mark Diacono shares his love of redcurrants, along with their white and pink cousins; plus interviews on famous authors' gardens with Daisy Johnson and urban garden design with Bradley Viljoen.

Jersey tiger, vapourer, Mother Shipton... this month we flutter into the weird and wonderful world of day-flying moths with RHS scientist Dr Stephanie Bird. Back on the ground, multiple award-winning herb grower Jekka McVicar shares wisdom gained from a lifetime of working with, growing, cooking and preserving aromatic plants. Plus legendary plantsman Roy Lancaster takes us on a voyage to far-off lands through the exotic plants growing in his garden.

This month, Chris talks to broadcaster, industry insider and lover of all things brazen, Mr Plant Geek (aka Michael Perry) about an undeservedly neglected but hardworking plant, the nasturtium. Michael shares growing tips and outlines some of its many different and wonderful varieties. David Ware of pioneering eco-friendly nursery Edibleculture describes how the company has managed to not only go peat free but is now attempting to eliminate plastic waste too, as part of an ongoing quest to 'green' its entire business. Plus a behind-the-scenes look at how The Garden magazine team are coping with lockdown.

Did you know that growing plants can boost your mental health and wellbeing - and even help boost your immunity? Chris talks to Alistair Griffiths, RHS Director of Science, about his new book 'Your Wellbeing Garden', co-authored with award-winning garden designer Matt Keightley. Also this month, garden writer Naomi Slade explores the sparklingly fragrant world of home-grown gin botanicals, offering lots of suggestions of how to take your G&T to the next level, with everything from zingy lemon balm to floral cornflowers and many more. Plus an editors' tête à tête with James Armitage who shares a peek inside this month's The Plant Review with delicious yellow snowdrops, tales of garden-making Princesses and plant hunting in far-off lands.

Leaves are green, right? Wrong! Curator Matt Pottage shares the reds, oranges, yellows and even shocking pinks to be found among the spring foliage at RHS Garden Wisley. Chris talks to writer and broadcaster Jane Perrone about a life-changing gardening project at Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre near Bedford. This month's plant rant is the often-maligned bergenia. Garden writer Melissa Mabbitt and Deputy Editor Phil Clayton share the good and the bad, and give suggestions of the best varieties and how to use them.

When was the last time you stepped back and took a long hard look at your garden? Television presenter and writer Rachel de Thame talks to Chris about her new column discussing how and why gardeners should tackle making changes to their plots. Former RHS Director General and confirmed galanthophile Gordon Rae shares his love of snowdrops and their surprising diversity. Plus Head of Plant Health, Gerard Clover, explores one of the biggest threats facing UK gardens and horticulture today: the bacterial plant disease xylella.

As increasing evidence links exposure to gardens and gardening to improved mental health and wellbeing, Chris talks to The Garden columnist Lia Leendertz about her own experiences in this field. Meanwhile in the Wisley Glasshouse, strange things are afoot as a green army prepares to invade an abandoned Victorian house. Callum Munro-Faure shares advice on some of the stars of the show, the weird and wonderful aroids or Araceae family. And finally, plant-hunter extraordinaire Roy Lancaster takes us on a tour of his Hampshire garden, chock-full of exotic plants from around the globe.

Have you ever fantasised about growing all the veg for Christmas dinner? This month Chris talks to expert grower Sue Stickland who's been doing just that for years. She shares her hard-won tips on which varieties to choose, how to harvest to beat the weather and more. Sally Nex shares the wisdom she's gained over a year spent reducing her use of plastic in the garden – a journey which has been charted in a 10-part column in The Garden. Plus Christmas tree grower Simon Maughan shares the secrets of selecting and growing the perfect festive foliage.

Gardeners have long known that being outdoors and surrounded by plants quite simply makes you feel better. Now scientific studies are starting to bear this out – and the NHS is taking notice. We talk to Professor Tim Kendall about how horticulture is making its way into the health service. Do you know your 'Swan's Egg' from your 'Autumn Nelis' or 'Bishop's Thumb'? Gerry Edwards, Chair of the RHS Fruit Group, shares his love of heritage pear varieties and offers tips on how to grow them. Plus: bamboo – graceful greenery or rampaging rogue? Garden writer Melissa Mabbitt and Deputy Editor Phil Clayton debate the merits of this divisive plant and give advice how to grow (and control) it.

Internationally renowned, award-winning garden designer Dan Pearson talks to Chris about his exciting project to breathe new life into the gardens of a ruined castle high in the Cumbrian hills. Garden writer Melissa Mabbitt shares the down-to-earth secrets of making great compost, following a recent visit to RHS Garden Harlow Carr to meet 'Queen of Compost', Alison Mundie. Finally, food writer Mark Diacono discusses the last in his 'Tastes to celebrate' series: cooking apples – sharing favourite varieties, great ways to use and store them and giving some cultivation advice too.

This month the podcast is taken over by The Garden's sister publication, The Plant Review (formerly The Plantsman). Hear renowned plant collector Roy Lancaster as he takes you on a tour of his Hampshire garden, while author and Director of the Yorkshire Arboretum John Grimshaw recounts expeditions in search of the weird, wonderful and utterly un-growable plants of the East African highlands. Back at sea level, magazine editors past and present discuss their 'desert island plants'.

Chris talks to John Foley of Holden Clough nursery – a man on a mission to show the world that crocosmias are so much more than the old-fashioned montbretia of yesteryear. Plus the magazine's Sub Editor Jeremy Kirk shares the quirks of his job, and and internationally-renowned garden photographer and RHS Photographic Competition judge Andrea Jones offers tips on getting the perfect garden photo.

Hypericums are popular plants in municipal plantings – but do they have a place in gardens too? This month garden writer Melissa Mabbitt and Deputy Editor Phil Clayton discuss the charms of this often-maligned genus which has recently been the subject of an RHS Plant Trial. Meanwhile wildlife expert Jean Vernon describes the diversity of native British bees and offers tips on how to encourage them in our gardens. And finally Digital Features Editor Gareth Richards shares his exotic edible discoveries from a recent trip to Hyde Hall's Global Growth Vegetable Garden.

This month Mark Diacono continues his series championing growing for taste with a look at our spiky friend, the gooseberry. Chris talks to him about how best to cook them, and why they've fallen out of fashion. Meanwhile, Emily Erlam, the designer of a London roof garden gives tips on how to create your own lofty paradise. Plus we talk to Catherine Dawson, the Technical Director at Melcourt Industries, about going peat free, and the innovations that promise to reduce the environmental cost of horticulture.

Keith Wiley's remarkable Devon garden, Wildside, makes a stunning feature in this month's magazine. Chris talks to Keith about his unique approach to planting and how his experience of wild plant communities translates into a garden setting. Matt Pottage, curator of RHS Garden Wisley, revels in the seasonal delights of wisteria – sharing tips on varieties and updates to received wisdom about pruning. Finally, Jenny Bowden explains the new online gardening advice service for RHS members.

Plant nurseries are the lifeblood of gardening and garden shows in the UK. In these challenging times, are they managing to survive and thrive? Chris talks to garden writer Melissa Mabbitt to find out. Are you confused when faced with a barrage of compost options at the garden centre? This month, the magazine features a handy guide to help you find the right compost for you, and Deputy Editor Phil Clayton gives advice on this topic and shares his personal experiences with peat-free compost. Finally, professional gardener and author Sally Nex charts her quest to rid her garden of plastic.

March is one of the biggest issues of The Garden magazine and in celebration we've got a podcast jam-packed with gardening goodness. Chris gets an insider's guide to this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show with News Editor Anisa Gress, who shares news on exciting designs and highlights to look out for. Then it's back down to earth as for a discussion on the delights of rhubarb with writer, grower and cook Mark Diacono; then Ursula Cholmeley of Easton Walled Gardens shares her favourite first-year-flowering perennials to grow from seed. *A note to readers of The Garden magazine: to hear Chris Young speaking to Anna Skibniewski-Ball about RHS Flower Show Cardiff, please listen out for episode 149 of the RHS Gardening Podcast, which will be broadcast on 21 February. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/thegardenpodcast

This month we dip into the murky waters of garden ponds to get a seasonal lowdown on frog spawn, before drying off to discuss what gardening lessons can be taken from last summer's extreme weather conditions. Plus an expert look at tomato blight and how gardeners can avoid it. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/thegardenpodcast

This month we unfurl the best wintergreen ferns with Wisley Curator Matt Pottage. From flamboyant and exotic woodwardias to the delightful, diminuitive native polypody, there's a fern to add greenery to any garden throughout the darkest months. Plus, Jon Webster shares the delights of the Foliage Garden at Rosemoor; and if you thought pathology was confined to glossy TV dramas, think again, as Plant Pathologist Jassy Drakulic shares insight into her role at the forefront of keeping our beloved specimens safe from all manner of garden baddies. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/thegardenpodcast

This month, The Garden throws off the shackles of horticultural haute couture and takes a look at some of the least fashionable plants out there. Are dyed, glitter-encrusted and spray-painted plants abominations or a good way to get seasonal colour and encourage new gardeners? Plus plant hunter and author Roy Lancaster VMH shares his life-long love of conifers and Karen Robbirt from the RHS Plant Trials team offers insight onto what it takes to get your Christmas amaryllis (properly known as Hippeastrum) to re-flower next year. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/thegardenpodcast

Dead men's fingers, beauty berry, Himalayan honeysuckle and peonies to name but a few... In this episode we meet the unusual suspects providing seasonal colour with a range of delightful fruits. Chris also talks to garden historian Ambra Edwards about the surprising legacy of the First World War on British gardens. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/thegardenpodcast

Chris talks to Fergus Garrett, head gardener at Great Dixter, about the incredible diversity of life that calls this world-famous garden home. The garden, created by the late plantsman and writer Christopher Lloyd (known affectionately as 'Christo') is well known as a treasure-trove of plants, but it has only recently become apparent that it's also fantastically rich in biodiversity. Meanwhile at Wisley, horticulturist and garden manager Emma Allen shares her favourite summer-flowering trees and offers advice on how to plant them now that the main tree planting season is fast approaching. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/thegardenpodcast