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From butternuts to tromboncinos – on this week's show, Wisley's Liz Mooney tells us about some of her favourite squashes with top tips on how to grow them. Roz Marshall talks us through the results of the RHS Hebe trial at Wisley and Harlow Carr, and Director General Clare Matterson reflects on the announcement of King Charles III as the new patron of the RHS. Presenter: Guy Barter Contributors: Liz Mooney, Roz Marshall, Clare Matterson Contact: podcasts@rhs.org.uk Links: Shrubby Veronica (Hebe) trial results How to grow squashes - RHS RHS patron announcement
Martin chats to RHS curator Paul Cook about developing the RHS's most northerly garden. Jill and Sean chat lawn edging and killing plants!Some of the videos mentioned in this episode:Harlow Carr on P&T Playlist of videos and podcast episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAP6F3_x3pSanz-SarwwkrWucL9hPNKSa Skern Alpines: https://youtu.be/TXfPhQ10P8I Herbaceous Border pruning video: https://youtu.be/eT7PMRqyGEs Visit potsandtrowels.com for links to all the videos & podcast episodesEmail Questions to info@potsandtrowels.com Our weekly YouTube videos are here: Pots & Trowels YouTubeThe Pots & Trowels team:Martin FishJill FishSean RileyFind out more about Martin & Jill at martinfish.com Find out more about Sean at boardie.comPodcast produced by the team, edited by Sean, hosted by buzzsprout.com
How do I safely dispose of bamboo leaves? How can I stop the roots of my mulberry tree from invading my vegetable patch? If the panel were gifted a £50 garden centre voucher, what would they buy and why? Kathy Clugston and her arsenal of horticultural experts dig through the GQT inbox to answer your gardening queries. On the panel this week are garden designer Matthew Wilson and houseplant expert Anne Swithinbank.They visit Harlow Carr in Harrogate where head gardener Paul Cook gives a tour of their tranquil treasure trove and offers his own gardening tips and tricks. Woodlice - friends or foe? Kathy and panel set the record straight and debunk common misconceptions around these misunderstood animals.Senior Producer: Dan Cocker Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod Executive Producer: Carly MaileA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
We're braving the sub-zero temperatures this week as Martin meets Russ Watkins who is the Floral Team leader in charge of the Winter Walk!The pair discuss plants that bring something to the garden whatever the season.Martin has some tips for your garden plus the P&T team stick to the warmth of indoors to chat about the plants that are worth having in your border at this time of year, dogwood, winter box, birch and daphnes.Visit potsandtrowels.com for links to all the videos & podcast episodesEmail Questions to info@potsandtrowels.com Our weekly YouTube videos are here: Pots & Trowels YouTubeThe Pots & Trowels team:Martin FishJill FishSean RileyFind out more about Martin & Jill at martinfish.com Find out more about Sean at boardie.comPodcast produced by the team, edited by Sean, hosted by buzzsprout.com
RHS Harlow Carr is the northernmost of the Royal Horticultural Society's five gardens.Martin is one of the gardening advisors to this North Yorkshire gem and he's been to chat with some of the gardeners about the food they're growing. Jill has tasty recipe ideas for you plus, the team discuss chicory, kalettes and rhubarb!RHS Garden Harlow Carr | Events & attractions in Harrogate, Yorkshire / RHS Gardening Visit potsandtrowels.com for links to all the videos & podcast episodesEmail Questions to info@potsandtrowels.com Our weekly YouTube videos are here: Pots & Trowels YouTubeThe Pots & Trowels team:Martin FishJill FishSean RileyFind out more about Martin & Jill at martinfish.com Find out more about Sean at boardie.comPodcast produced by the team, edited by Sean, hosted by buzzsprout.com
Meet Cal Stewart - gardener, educator, mixologist and dandelion fan! Cal has recently moved from being a full-time gardener to a full-time garden educator to better share a passion for all things plant and garden related, as well as taking on the role of Northern Regional Organiser for the YHOY competition.
Nick Hancock is chatting to local artist Anita Bowerman at the Dove Tree Art Gallery and Studio in Harrogate! Anita offers a fascinating insight into the life of an artist and how she produces such beautiful pieces from this very studio. We also talk local inspiration including Harlow Carr, the Yorkshire Shepherdess, Fountains Abbey and Castle Howard among other beautiful hotspots across the district.
Matt Biggs Part 2. Matthew Biggs is a well-known gardening expert, regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time, author of several books including RHS Lessons from the Great Gardeners and RHS Great British Village Show and a former guest of The Sodshow. A Nation in Bloom is his latest book and on this weeks episode of The Sodshow Garden Podcast he chats with Peter Donegan. This is Part 1 of 2. The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, sotify and all good podcast stores. The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow From its small beginnings in the 19th century to the global success of the Chelsea Flower Show today, the Royal Horticultural Society is truly part of the fabric of Britain. In A NATION IN BLOOM, we discover the new direction of the Royal Horticultural Society, how it aims to inspire us all through plants and gardens, to improve our lives, and to encourage gardeners for generations to come. Illustrated with beautiful photography throughout, this book is the rich, varied and compelling story of how plants and gardens can transform people’s lives and help to define the culture of an entire nation, both now and for the future. Matthew Biggs is a well-known gardening expert and regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time and author of several books including RHS Lessons from the Great Gardeners and RHS Great British Village Show. From hugely popular flower shows to the inspirational Britain in Bloom campaign, today’s RHS is flourishing as never before. In this beautiful new book, Matthew Biggs uncovers the beating heart of the nation’s largest gardening charity as it leads a renaissance of interest and enthusiasm for all things horticultural. We may think we know the RHS through its gardens at Wisley, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor and Harlow Carr, its flower shows, including the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, its prestigious medals, awards and prizes, and its libraries, laboratories, books and magazines. But the society is in a process of subtle, sometimes radical evolution to become more open, more friendly, more helpful, and more relevant to its members (now more than half a million) and to the wider benefit of all gardeners today. Campaigns like It’s Your Neighbourhood and community-generated work under the Greening Grey Britain banner sit alongside the Campaign for School Gardening – with schools around the country encouraging the next generation to learn and grow with plants. Author Matthew Biggs also draws attention to the campaigns which emphasise the important contribution gardeners make to improving our environment, and, at a time of increasing mental health problems, stress the vast range of proven benefits of gardening on our health and sense of wellbeing. He also looks at the work the RHS does to promote horticulture as a career to be proud of. The RHS promotes best practice through its plant science and plant trials; it recognises plants with the Award of Garden Merit; and helps give all gardeners – beginners or experienced – confidence that they can grow plants wherever they are in their gardening journey. Across the vast website, through myriad publications or engaging with it on its many social media platforms, there is a part of the RHS for everyone. Looking forward, some of the society’s work comes out from behind the scenes for the first time at Wisley’s forthcoming National Centre for Horticultural Science and Learning. Likewise, the exceptional collections at the RHS Lindley Library are in the process of being opened up through digitisation and a new exhibition space now shows some of its rare and beautiful items.
Matthew Biggs is a well-known gardening expert, regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time, author of several books including RHS Lessons from the Great Gardeners and RHS Great British Village Show and a former guest of The Sodshow. A Nation in Bloom is his latest book and on this weeks episode of The Sodshow Garden Podcast he chats with Peter Donegan. This is Part 1 of 2. The Sodshow is available every week in iTunes, sotify and all good podcast stores. The Sodshow: Twitter: @sodshow facebook: The Sodshow instagram: sodshow From its small beginnings in the 19th century to the global success of the Chelsea Flower Show today, the Royal Horticultural Society is truly part of the fabric of Britain. In A NATION IN BLOOM, we discover the new direction of the Royal Horticultural Society, how it aims to inspire us all through plants and gardens, to improve our lives, and to encourage gardeners for generations to come. Illustrated with beautiful photography throughout, this book is the rich, varied and compelling story of how plants and gardens can transform people’s lives and help to define the culture of an entire nation, both now and for the future. Matthew Biggs is a well-known gardening expert and regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time and author of several books including RHS Lessons from the Great Gardeners and RHS Great British Village Show. From hugely popular flower shows to the inspirational Britain in Bloom campaign, today’s RHS is flourishing as never before. In this beautiful new book, Matthew Biggs uncovers the beating heart of the nation’s largest gardening charity as it leads a renaissance of interest and enthusiasm for all things horticultural. We may think we know the RHS through its gardens at Wisley, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor and Harlow Carr, its flower shows, including the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, its prestigious medals, awards and prizes, and its libraries, laboratories, books and magazines. But the society is in a process of subtle, sometimes radical evolution to become more open, more friendly, more helpful, and more relevant to its members (now more than half a million) and to the wider benefit of all gardeners today. Campaigns like It’s Your Neighbourhood and community-generated work under the Greening Grey Britain banner sit alongside the Campaign for School Gardening – with schools around the country encouraging the next generation to learn and grow with plants. Author Matthew Biggs also draws attention to the campaigns which emphasise the important contribution gardeners make to improving our environment, and, at a time of increasing mental health problems, stress the vast range of proven benefits of gardening on our health and sense of wellbeing. He also looks at the work the RHS does to promote horticulture as a career to be proud of. The RHS promotes best practice through its plant science and plant trials; it recognises plants with the Award of Garden Merit; and helps give all gardeners – beginners or experienced – confidence that they can grow plants wherever they are in their gardening journey. Across the vast website, through myriad publications or engaging with it on its many social media platforms, there is a part of the RHS for everyone. Looking forward, some of the society’s work comes out from behind the scenes for the first time at Wisley’s forthcoming National Centre for Horticultural Science and Learning. Likewise, the exceptional collections at the RHS Lindley Library are in the process of being opened up through digitisation and a new exhibition space now shows some of its rare and beautiful items.
Take two gardeners. They grow up learning to garden from the same person. They read the same books on gardening. They go to the same gardening workshops. They tour the same public gardens. Yet, their gardens will look different from each other. Unique. Gardens are art. They are personal. Remember that the next time you are trying to copy the look of another garden. The difference isn't just topographical... When it comes to your garden: yes, consider microclimates, plant varieties, soil, sun, and so forth. But also, make sure to add yourself to the list of variables. Brevities #OTD Today is the birthday of botanist Count Alexandre Henri Gabriel de Cassini born on this day in 1781. His second great grandfather was the famous Italian astronomer, Giovanni Domenico Cassini; he discovered Jupiter's Great Red Spot and the Cassini division in Saturn's rings. By the time Alexander was born, his family had married into French nobility (that's why he was born in Paris). Unfortunately, it was a bad time to go to France. Their Italian heritage and scientific work would not insulate the Cassini's from public resentment as the stage was set for the French Revolution. Cassini took a decidedly different path than his ancestors. He was the fifth generation in a family of star scholars, so Alexandre is often distinguished from the rest of his family as Cassini V. Cassini pursued the bar instead of the stars; as in the legal profession. As a lawyer, Cassini worked his way to the highest legal position in France in his time; "President of the Chamber." Like many folks, botany was his hobby; not his day job. It is quite notable that Cassini's botanical accomplishments took place in his off time. Cassini's heart belonged to the sunflower family (Asteraceae) and he focused pretty much exclusively on the Compositae. It was fitting then, that the genus Cassinia(the sunflower genus) was named in his honor by the botanist Robert Brown. Over two hundred years later, many of Cassini’s detailed descriptions are still valid. Cassini married his cousin. At the age of fifty, Cassini died of cholera. His father outlived him by thirteen years. Alexandre Cassini was the last of his name; a punctuation mark on the wonderful Cassini legacy. #OTD On this day in 1807, Lewis and Clark returned a book that they had borrowed from Benjamin Smith and Barton to help them on their expedition. Before they had started their track, Meriwether Lewishad visited Bartonat his home. Upon leaving, he left with a copy of The History of Louisianaby Antoine le Page. Lewis memorialized the gesture in the flyleaf of the book. Here's what he wrote: "Dr. Benjamin Smith Barton was so obliging as to lend me this copy of Mons. le Page's History of Louisiana in June 1803. It has been since conveyed by me to the Pacific ocean through the interior of North America on my late tour thither and is now returned to its proprietor by his friends and obedient servant, Meriwether Lewis. Philadelphia, May 9, 1807." #OTD On this day in 1888 in Delaware, the Peach Blossom was voted in as the State Flower. Peach blossoms are a beautiful, deep pink color. The blooms appear very early in the year. Frost is always a concern. The fruit is botanically known as a drupe; It has a fleshy outer layer that covers a hard shell which contains a single seed. The decision to go with the peach blossom, was prompted by Delaware's reputation as the peach state. At the time, Delaware was known as the peach state and she boasted orchards containing more than 800,000 peach trees (Prunus persico, a native of China). Delaware's peach trees were introduced by the Spanish. By the 1600s, peaches were so plentiful, it was said that Delaware farmers fed them to their pigs. By 1875, Delaware was the country's top peach producer... until the yellows. The yellows was a blight that destroyed Delaware's orchards. In the late 1800s, Delaware was knocked from the top spot as a peach producer. Today, Delaware produces roughly 2,000,000 pounds of peaches every year. America's leading peach grower is the state of California, producing 950,000 tons annually. Unearthed Words #OTD It's the birthday of botanist Hewett Cottrell Watson, the father of British plant geography born today in 1804. Watson investigated the variability of British plant species across their ranges & compared the flora of Britain to the Azores. In recognition of his great contributions, the botanical society of the British Isles named their journal Watsonia. Beginning in 1834, Watson was one of the first botanists to research plant evolution. Watsons work also paved the way for a new science now known as ecology. When Darwin created his theory of evolution, he was standing on the shoulders of curious early evolutionists like Watson. Darwin's popularity and success overshadowed the folks like Watson who came before him. Yet, it's obvious that when Watson read Darwin's Origin, his reaction was one of wonder... and also self reflection. He spent his adult life trying to reach Darwin's conclusion. Now as an old man, he could see the match he had lit being passed to a true torch-bringer. After reading origin, Watson wrote to Darwin. His letter is part proud dad, part awed fan, and yet, he still takes time to advise Darwin on areas to improve or take heed. In two different passages, Watson points out that Darwin had succeeded where he had stopped short; saying Darwin had figured out the quo modo or the method to knit the strings of the theory of evolution together. Watsons letter to Darwin is quite something to read – even after all this time: 21 Nov 1859 My dear Sir Once commenced to read the ‘Origin’I could not rest till I had galloped through the whole.I shall now begin to re-read it more deliberately. Meantime I am tempted to write you the first impressions, not doubting that they will in the main be the permanent impressions. 1st. Your leading idea will assuredly become recognized as an established truth in science, i.e. “natural selection”. (It has the characteristics of all great natural truths, clarifying what was obscure, simplifying what was intricate, adding greatly to previous knowledge). You arethe greatest Revolutionist in natural history of this century, if not of all centuries. 2d. You will perhaps need in some degree to limit or modify, ... the principle of ‘natural selection’. 3d. Now these novel views are brought fairly before the scientific public, it seems truly remarkable how so many of them could have failed to see their right road sooner... A quarter century ago, you & I must have been in something like the same state of mind,on the main question. But you were able to see & work out the quo modoof the succession, the all-important thing,while I failed to grasp it. ... How greatly this,with your chronology of animal life,will shock the ideas of many men! very sincerely | Hewett C. Watson C. Darwin | Esqe Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 2540,” accessed on 26 April 2019, http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/DCP-LETT-2540 Today's book recommendation: A Nation in Bloom: Celebrating the People, Plants & Places of the Royal Horticultural Society by Matthew Biggs The foreword is written by Alan Titchmarsh. This is a book about the RHS; the world's largest gardening charity but what it does and why is little understood and rarely celebrated. From defining new gardening trends at the Chelsea Flower Show, to ranking the best dahlias to grow at the Wisley trial grounds, to inspiring communities with Britain in Bloom, educating children to grow and eat their veg through the Campaign for School Gardening, the RHS works tirelessly to improve the gardener's lot. With the use of evocative archive images and contemporary photos by award-winning Jason Ingram, this beautiful book explores the past, present and future of this most influential organization by listening to the voices of those working today. From the thousands of volunteers in the society's five unique gardens (Wisley in Surrey, Rosemoor in Devon, Hyde Hall in Essex, Harlow Carr in Yorkshire and new addition Bridgewater in Salford), to the one million visitors to its inspirational flower shows (including Chelsea, Hampton Court, Tatton Park, Cardiff, Wisley and Chatsworth); the society gives meaning to more than 475,000 members, millions of television viewers and visitors from around the world. The RHS is the best of gardening, and this book presents the best of the RHS. Behind the scenes, access all areas, this book will give lasting pleasure to anyone who enjoys their garden. Today's Garden Chore Repeat after me: Prune time follows bloom time. Not sure when to prune spring-flowering shrubs like lilacs, and climbing roses? Prune time follows bloom time. Just after the blooms fade, it's time to prune. Spring flowering shrubs set their buds in the fall on last year's growth. If you prune them in fall or winter, you remove next spring's flower buds. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart While I was researching the adoption of the Peach Blossom as the Delaware State Flower, I ran across a botanist named Erwin Frink Smith. Smith had attempted to solve the problem of the peach yellows. Had Smith solved the problem, he will would have become world-famous. But, he didn't. Years later, it was actually the botanist Louis Otto Kunkel who discovered that a type of leafhopper was carrying the disease. In researching Smith, I discovered a rare combination of kindness and intellect. Smith married the pretty Charlotte Mae buffet on April 13, 1893.They were quite happy together. They shared a love for reading and poetry. Tragically, Charlotte was diagnosed with endocarditis and she died eight months later on December 28, 1906. Smith dealt with his grief by putting together a book made up of poetry, stories, and a biography of Charlotte. The book is called for her friends and mine: A book of aspirations, dreams and memories. Of it, Smith says, "This book is a cycle of my life— seven lonely years are in it. The long ode(on page 62) is a cry of pain." There are many touching passages – too many to share here now. (There's a link to it in the show notes that you can use to access it.) But there's one passage from Smith describing her amazing ability to see the world with profound clarity and I thought you'd like it: Her visual powers were remarkable. They far exceeded my own. Out of doors her keen eyes were always prying into the habits of all sorts of living things: ants, spiders, bees, wasps, fish, birds, cats, dogs. Had she cared for classification, which she did not, and been willing to make careful records, she might have become an expert naturalist. Form in nature seemed to interest her little, or at least comparative studies of form. What did interest her tremendously was the grade of intelligence manifested in the lower forms of life. She would spend hours watching the habits of birds and insects, and never without discovering new and interesting things. Whether she looked into the tops of the tallest trees, or the bottom of a stream, or the grass at her feet, she was always finding marvels of adaptation to wonder at, and links binding the world of life into a golden whole. She made lists of all the birds that visited her neighborhood. She knew most of them by their songs, and some times distinguished individuals of the same species by little differences in their notes, as once a song-sparrow at Woods Hole, which had two added notes. She knew when they nested and where, how they made their nests, and what food they brought to their young. In studying birds she used an opera glass, not a shotgun. She was, however, a very good shot with the revolver. Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
As 2018 draws to a close, here's a look back at some of our favourite moments of the year. From the energy and dynamism of the Chelsea Flower Show, interviews with luminaries of the gardening world such as Fergus Garrett and Beth Chatto, to an exploration of the tranquil streamside plantings at Harlow Carr, join us on a leisurely stroll through the audio annals of 2018 - a year in gardening. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Have you ever dreamed of travelling to distant lands to see and study plants in their native habitats? Or perhaps you'd like to grow your knowledge in other ways? An RHS bursary may be able to help. Past recipients share their stories of travels to Portugal and the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Closer to home, Matt Pottage gives an update on the latest in RHS Garden Wisley's multimillion-pound redevelopment, we head to Harlow Carr for tips on helping hedgehogs. Plus news on the Big Soup Share from the RHS Campaign for School Gardening. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
From iconic blue Himalayan poppies and drifts of streamside primulas to subtropical borders and precious alpines, Harlow Carr is a paradise for plant lovers. In this episode we meet the gardeners who share their favourite plants and parts of the most northerly RHS Garden. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Pupils from #Bentham Community Primary School tell Stray FM about their visit to Harlow Carr in #Harrogate as part of the Food for Life project.
Green-fingered pupils from #Bentham Community Primary School have picked up a special award during a visit to #Harrogate, after creating a garden to grow vegetables and plants. Stray FM caught up with their teacher Vicky Thwaite at Harlow Carr.
Ruth Stacey tells Stray FM about the Food for Life project and a special event at Harlow Carr in #Harrogate.
In this edition, RHS Senior Entomologist Dr Andrew Salisbury counts down the annual top ten garden pests enquired about in the past 12 months. We also focus on RHS Partner Gardens looking good now across the UK and, as always, there’s seasonal advice on gardening jobs you can be doing, including… • Glasshouse maintenance • Pruning of fruit trees • Long term weed prevention Plus, the latest news and events at our 4 RHS Gardens at Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor and Wisley.
Garden Manager of RHS Garden Wisley, Matthew Pottage explains why every garden needs a conifer, plus we have a focus on and appreciation of crown imperial flowers. RHS experts pick top performing seasonal selections to brighten your patch and the RHS Wisley gardening team are on hand to give their advice on what you should be doing in your gardens right now including: • Considering sub-tropical borders • Looking out for pests and diseases • Sowing a range of herbs for the kitchen Plus, we have the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens at Wisley in Surrey, Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire, Hyde Hall in Essex and Rosemoor in Devon.
Our team of Horticultural Advisors are on hand to answer your seasonal gardening questions including… • How to recognise and treat honey fungus • How to protect tender plants from frost • Suggestions for colour-themed containers to plant for spring We also speak to forager Yun Hilder at the RHS London Autumn Harvest Show for an introduction to this increasingly popular phenomenon. Yun explains the do’s and don’ts of foraging in the wild and in your own garden. Plus members of the garden team at RHS Wisley give their advice on what you should be doing now in your own gardens including • Planting hedges • Winter rain protection • Preparing your greenhouse for winter And as always we have the latest news on events across all four RHS Gardens at Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor and Wisley.
The team at RHS Garden Wisley give their expert advice on protecting your plants from winter weather, including: • A guide to frost protection for dahlias and tree ferns • To dig or not to dig? How to prepare your soil to give next year's vegetables a head start • Autumn house plant care The RHS Advisory Service answers your latest gardening queries and we have the latest news on events in October across all four RHS Gardens at Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor and Wisley
Florist Neil Honor of the Original Wreath Company takes us through making our own Christmas wreath using plants from the garden and Matthew Wilson, curator of the RHS garden at Harlow Carr, gives advice on a more sustainable approach to gardening.