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Gardeners' Question Time

Gardeners' Question Time

BBC Radio 4 82 Episodes Aug 21, 2026

A panel of horticultural experts answer gardening questions from a live audience. Recorded in a different location each week.

Episodes

From the Archive: Microclimate
From the Archive: Microclimate Aug 21, 2026 2524 Kathy Clugston delves into the GQT archive to explore one of Britain’s most intriguing gardening phenomena: microclimates.Travelling across the British Isles, the programme uncovers how local conditions shape what gardeners can grow. We’ll hear stories from the subtropical gardens of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, to the urban heat islands of London and the dry conditions of East Anglia befor
Clarkston: Peach Tress, Pirate Sheds and Late Summer Pruning
Clarkston: Peach Tress, Pirate Sheds and Late Summer Pruning Aug 14, 2026 2528 Kathy Clugston and the panel visit Clarkston Halls near Glasgow.Joining Kathy are botanist James Wong, Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Head Gardener Bethan Collerton, and Balmoral’s Head of Gardens Kirsty Wilson.The panel answers questions on overwintering anemone corms, revitalising a gloomy shaded corner beneath mature lime trees, and whether an unheated Scottish greenhouse is suitable for growing
Postbag: The Hidden Gardens, Glasgow
Postbag: The Hidden Gardens, Glasgow Aug 7, 2026 2538 Kathy Clugston hosts another Gardeners’ Question Time Postbag episode from The Hidden Gardens in Glasgow, a remarkable community green space created on a former industrial site in the heart of the city.Joining Kathy to delve into your questions are Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ head gardener Bethan Collerton, Balmoral’s head of gardens Kirsty Wilson, and botanist James Wong.As they explore this ap
Pinchbeck: Awkward Astrantias, Watering Wisdom and Courgette Chaos
Pinchbeck: Awkward Astrantias, Watering Wisdom and Courgette Chaos Jul 31, 2026 2522 Peter Gibbs and the Gardeners’ Question Time panel visit the Lincolnshire village of Pinchbeck, a fenland landscape shaped by waterways and a long history of horticulture.On the panel are plantswoman Christine Walkden and garden designers Matthew Wilson and Bunny Guinness.The team tackles questions on choosing pond plants to support dragonflies, finding colourful plants for exposed, windy gardens,
East Renfrewshire: Balcony Brilliance, Reluctant Camellias and Making The Most Of Moss
East Renfrewshire: Balcony Brilliance, Reluctant Camellias and Making The Most Of Moss Jul 24, 2026 2555 Kathy Clugston chairs this week’s Gardeners’ Question Time from Clarkston Halls in East Renfrewshire, home to one of Scotland’s oldest horticultural societies.Joining Kathy are Balmoral’s Head of Gardens Kirsty Wilson, ethnobotanist James Wong, and Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Head Gardener Bethan Collerton.The panel tackles questions on reluctant camellias, fragrant planting for a windswept balc
Birmingham: Bonsai, Black Elder, Blueberry and Bees
Birmingham: Bonsai, Black Elder, Blueberry and Bees Jul 17, 2026 2543 Recorded at the University of Birmingham’s magnificent Elgar Concert Hall, Kathy Clugston is joined by Bethan Collerton of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Marcus Chilton-Jones of RHS Garden Bridgewater, and Dr Chris Thorogood from Oxford Botanic Garden.The panel tackles a wide range of audience gardening dilemmas, from reluctant peonies and coppiced hazel, to a struggling juniper bonsai and an overg
Spalding: Ant Infestation, Pot-Bound Olive Tree and Watering Seedlings
Spalding: Ant Infestation, Pot-Bound Olive Tree and Watering Seedlings Jul 10, 2026 2544 Gardeners’ Question Time visits the stunning Springfields Festival Gardens in Spalding, 15 acres of beautifully designed and diverse planting, created for visitors of all ages to explore and enjoy.Peter Gibbs is joined by a panel of horticultural experts - Matthew Wilson, Christine Walkden and Bunny Guinness - to answer questions from an enthusiastic audience of local gardeners. Together, they tac
Winterbourne House and Garden: Tomatoes, Topiary and Japanese Gardens
Winterbourne House and Garden: Tomatoes, Topiary and Japanese Gardens Jul 3, 2026 2519 Kathy Clugston and the panel are in Edgbaston at the University of Birmingham’s beautiful Winterbourne House and Garden, an Arts and Crafts era gem packed with horticultural interest.Joining Kathy to answer questions from a keen audience of local gardeners are Bethan Collerton, Marcus Chilton‑Jones and Dr Chris Thorogood. The team tackle everything from leggy tomatoes, to the challenge of designin
From the Archives: A Tribute to Matthew Biggs
From the Archives: A Tribute to Matthew Biggs Jun 26, 2026 2518 In this special episode, Kathy Clugston and Peter Gibbs dip into the archives to celebrate the life and work of Matthew Biggs. Matt spent four decades doing what he loved most - sharing his extraordinary knowledge of the natural world with anyone who would listen. And through the power of radio, listen they did!In this episode you'll hear Matt in his own words - from his very first appearance on G
Postbag Edition: Regents Park
Postbag Edition: Regents Park Jun 19, 2026 2564 Peter Gibbs and the GQT panel visit the Queen Elizabeth II Garden in Regent’s Park, London, tackling gardening challenges in tough conditions.Pippa Greenwood, Matthew Pottage, Bunny Guinness and Head Gardener of Regents Park Fiona Packe answer questions on creating a sensory hedge in rubble, choosing resilient perennials, and finding long-flowering wildflowers for shade. They also offer advice on
Harmondsworth - Citrus, Geums and Patio Planting
Harmondsworth - Citrus, Geums and Patio Planting Jun 12, 2026 2517 Peter Gibbs and the GQT panel visit the charming village of Harmondsworth, just moments from the bustle of Heathrow.Peter is joined by James Wong, Frances Tophill and Bunny Guinness as they tackle horticultural conundrums, submitted by an audience of local gardeners. From growing citrus trees from supermarket fruit pips to distinguishing wild geums from their cultivated cousins, the panel share pr
Diss: Gravel Gardens, Camellia Care and Ways to Weather Drought
Diss: Gravel Gardens, Camellia Care and Ways to Weather Drought Jun 5, 2026 2543 Peter Gibbs and the Gardeners’ Question Time panel visit Diss, on the Norfolk–Suffolk border, where heavy clay soils meet some of the driest conditions in the country; a combination that keeps gardeners firmly on their toes.Peter is joined by Bob Flowerdew on his home turf, alongside Christine Walkden and Bunny Guinness as they answer questions from a live audience. They advise on improving your s

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