Gardeners' Question Time

Kathy Clugston chairs Gardeners’ Question Time from Minstead Village Hall in the heart of the New Forest.

Joining Kathy are  plant pathologist Pippa Greenwood, head gardener at Birmingham Botanical Gardens Bethan Collerton, and garden writer and designer Matthew Wilson. As well as being surrounded by roaming wild ponies, the panellists answer questions on drought-tolerant planting, climbing roses for dry shade, alternatives to traditional lawns and whether mulching still makes sense after an exceptionally dry summer.

They also suggest bedding and perennial planting combinations for a sunny farm shop border, discuss why weeds and brambles seem to thrive when other plants struggle, and reflect on the garden successes and failures that this year’s hot weather has revealed.

Also, Matthew Wilson  visits the site of one of the New Forest’s recent wildfires to meet Leanne Sargeant from Forestry England to talk about the impact the fires have had on the environment.
Producer: Alison Vernon-Smith
Assistant Producer: William Norton
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.
Tickets are available for the BBC Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time Summer Party 2026 held at RHS Garden Wisley on Saturday 5th September.
Information and ticket details can be accessed via: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/whats-on/gardeners-question-time-summer-garden-party

Peter Gibbs hosts GQT from The Donkey Sanctuary near Sidmouth in Devon.
Joining Peter are plantswoman Anne Swithinbank, pest and disease expert Pippa Greenwood and the Royal Parks’ Head of Horticulture Matthew Pottage.
Soundtracked by the braying of the sanctuary's donkey residents, the panel tackles questions on greening up a concreted-over garden, starting a new allotment during challenging drought conditions and improving the fruiting of a hardy kiwi.
They also discuss drought-tolerant planting for clay soil, the prospects for a transplanted hibiscus, and whether changing weather patterns mean it is time to rethink when wildflower meadows are sown.
Also, Matthew Pottage runs a special drought clinic, and the panel reveal which garden weed they would choose to champion.
Producer: Rahnee Prescod
Assistant Producer: William Norton
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.
Tickets are available for the BBC Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time Summer Party 2026 held at RHS Garden Wisley on Saturday 5th September.
Information and ticket details can be accessed via: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/whats-on/gardeners-question-time-summer-garden-party

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 before ending up in one gardener's rather chilly frost pocket.
Along the way, the panel suggests plants for coastal walls, city streets and challenging shade, explore exotic species thriving in unexpected places, and offer advice on everything from tropical-style planting to sweetcorn cultivation.
Plus, a visit to St Michael’s Mount, and Derek Jarman's garden in Dungeness.
Producer: Rahnee Prescod
Assistant Producer: William Norton
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.
Tickets are available for the BBC Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time Summer Party 2026 held at RHS Garden Wisley on Saturday 5th September.
Information and ticket details can be accessed via: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/whats-on/gardeners-question-time-summer-garden-party

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 peaches.
They also discuss a mysteriously weeping houseplant, what might be causing a Japanese maple to decline, and why healthy nasturtiums can sometimes produce plenty of leaves but no flowers.
Plus, Kirsty shares some late-summer pruning tips, and the panel reveal the gardening advice they would give to anyone just starting out.
Producer: Alison Vernon-Smith
Assistant Producer: William Norton
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.
Tickets are available for the BBC Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time Summer Party 2026 held at RHS Garden Wisley on Saturday 5th September.
Information and ticket details can be accessed via: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/whats-on/gardeners-question-time-summer-garden-party

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 aptly named urban oasis, the panel considers how gardeners can make the most of even the most challenging spaces, from creating green roofs to choosing the right trees for compact gardens. They also weigh up the balance between encouraging wildlife and protecting prized plants, in a lively discussion sparked by a rose-munching garden visitor.
Along the way, head gardener Paula Murdoch reveals how The Hidden Gardens has evolved from a former tramworks site into a haven for people, plants and wildlife, with wildflower meadows, sensory planting and inventive habitat features woven through the garden.
Also, there's advice on designing a sensory school garden, creating a wildlife-friendly pond in the smallest of spaces, and why some plants refuse to behave as the gardening books suggest.
Producer: Alison Vernon-Smith
Assistant producer: William Norton
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.
Tickets are available for the BBC Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time Summer Party 2026 held at RHS Garden Wisley on Saturday 5th September.
Information and ticket details can be accessed via: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/whats-on/gardeners-question-time-summer-garden-party