From the Archive: Ponds and Bogs

From the Archive: Ponds and Bogs

Author: BBC Radio 4 February 2, 2024 Duration: 42:01

Kathy Clugston navigates the murky waters of the GQT archives in search of some Pond and Bog related advice throughout the years.

Water is the giver of plant life and nourisher of wildlife, but how do we ensure that we’re using it correctly? The GQT team have sorted through the archives in search for some questions and answers from the past.

The programme's horticultural experts share their knowledge on what to do if your pond liner breaks, how to remove bird poo from the surface of your pond, and what sort of plants you could plant in bogs and ponds to increase biodiversity?

We also listen back to when pest and disease expert Pippa Greenwood visited the Exbury Gardens dragonfly pond to learn more about these little creatures.

Producer: Dan Cocker
 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]

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Clandeboye Estate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:25
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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…