Cheshire West

Cheshire West

Author: BBC Radio 4 May 31, 2024 Duration: 41:51

My Fatsia plants had their stems nibbled by deer – will they recover, or should I buy new ones? Any tips on how I can get my eucalyptus plants to produce juvenile flowers? If you were building a scarecrow in your garden, what would you suggest dressing it in?

Kathy Clugston and a panel of experts are in Cheshire West to answer queries from an audience of keen gardeners. On the panel are garden designer Bunny Guinness, houseplant expert Anne Swithinbank, and curator of RHS Bridgewater Marcus Chilton-Jones.

Later, James Wong and head gardener of the Castlefield Viaduct Nancy Scheerhout discuss how the 'garden in the sky' was created, as well as how it's maintained.

Producer: Bethany Hocken Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod Executive Producer: Carly Maile

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4


For decades, Gardeners' Question Time has been a trusted companion for anyone with a patch of earth, a windowsill pot, or simply a curiosity about the natural world. Produced by BBC Radio 4, this enduring podcast brings together a rotating panel of seasoned horticulturalists, each with their own specialties and practical wisdom. The format is beautifully simple yet endlessly varied: a live audience, gathered in a different village hall, community garden, or nursery somewhere across the country each week, poses their real-life gardening dilemmas. What you’ll hear are unscripted, thoughtful, and often wonderfully anecdotal answers that tackle everything from stubborn lawn weeds and pruning perplexities to coaxing a better tomato harvest. The changing location means the advice is grounded in specific climates and conditions, offering relatable insights whether you're dealing with coastal winds, heavy clay, or a tiny urban balcony. It’s the conversational tone and the collective knowledge of the experts that makes this podcast feel like a friendly, invaluable chat with a knowledgeable neighbor. You get the sense of a shared gardening community, with all its trials, successes, and seasonal rhythms. Listening feels less like receiving a lecture and more like eavesdropping on a fascinating, problem-solving conversation that has been honed over seventy years on the air. The questions from the audience are always genuine, often urgent, and the answers are delivered with a blend of science, hands-on experience, and good humor. It is a direct line to practical help and inspiration for your own garden, whatever its size or style.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 74

Gardeners' Question Time
Podcast Episodes
Postbag Edition: Belfast Botanic Garden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:00
Why are my potatoes so floury? How do you banish lace bugs for good? And what mysterious plant has the panel stumped?Kathy Clugston and a team of gardening experts explore the various locations of Belfast Botanic Garden.…
Twyford: Blueberry Dieback, Anosmia and Itchy Fingers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:47
Why are my blueberry plants experiencing blueberry dieback? How can we prevent or treat an infestation of whitefly in an eco-friendly manner? Which plant have you been most tempted to steal and why?Peter Gibbs and a pane…
Ridgewell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:13
How do I keep my gladioli coming back? Why are my hellebores covered in black spots? Why do my courgettes go mouldy so quickly?Kathy Clugston and a panel of plant and gardening experts are offering advice to an audience…
Bradford: Buddha's Hand, Yorkshire Climate & Upcycled Ginnels [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:48
What’s the best time to sow and harvest up north? Why won't my Buddha's hand plant produce fruit? Can nematodes get rid of codling moth? Kathy Clugston and the Gardeners’ Question Time team head to Bradford, the UK’s Cit…
Clandeboye Estate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:25
What’s soil type works best in terrariums? Want plants could I use to absorb the damp patches in my garden? Which unloved flower has a place in your garden?Kathy Clugston and her team of gardening experts visit the Cland…
Walsall Arboretum: Bonsai Trees, Shrub Roses & Favourite Plants [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:44
How do you keep a bonsai tree thriving? Should you risk moving a well-established shrub rose? And what’s the one plant you simply couldn’t live without?Kathy Clugston and the GQT team are back in Walsall, ready to tackle…
Walsall: Rainwater v Tap Water, Caffeinated Ants and Daffodil Diaries [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:56
How do we get rid of red ants? Rainwater or tap water? How can I stay motivated in the garden when it's wet and windy?Kathy Clugston and her team of gardening gurus visit Walsall to solve some horticultural problems. Joi…