In this special episode, we’re branching off from the regular content of the show to zero in on what we can make when using flora as both our inspiration and our medium. It’s about art – where the greenery of our landscape is the lens through which we create. We’ll be travelling to RHS Lindley Library to get some expert insights into the secrets of the world’s finest botanical art, getting the inside scoop on what to grow to produce natural dyes ahead of the WOVEN festival in Kirklees, and finally, chatting with academic and author Elizabeth-Jane Burnett about writing poetry about moss. Plus, you’ll get a rundown from RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter on what you can do in your garden this week.   Links: RHS Botanical Art and Photography Show   WOVEN 2023   Twelve Words for Moss

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 is finally upon us! And this week, we’ve brought you an episode recorded amongst the hustle and bustle of designer gardens, best in class floral displays, traders, talks and exhibitions, and more. We’ll catch up with a few of the big designers – including Tom Massey, Cleve West, Charlotte Harris & Hugo Bugg – explore the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year Competition, and get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on at the show.  Links: The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 The Royal Entomological Society Garden The Centrepoint Garden Horatio’s Garden Project Giving Back

For this week’s show, we’re delving into the natural world of cities – looking at how best to grow our favourite plants with limited space and to treasure the diverse flora and fauna of our cityscapes. Author Ben Dark shares his love for the wisteria embellishing urban front gardens. Urban farmer Alessandro Vitale – you might know him as Spicy Moustache — takes us through all his tips and tricks for growing vertically in whatever space you’ve got. And, author and amateur urban naturalist, Bob Gilbert, gives his thoughts on the sounds of London’s trees. But that’s not all – we’re ending the show with a touching tribute from Daisy Payne on what she’s doing in honour of Celebration Day on 28 May. Links: Rebel Gardening: A Beginner’s Handbook To Organic Urban Gardening The Grove: A Nature Odyssey in 19 ½ Front Gardens Ghost Trees: Nature and People in a London Parish “The Susurration of Trees” BBC Radio 4 programme Make the most of your urban garden

As the UK becomes more and more diverse, the flora we grow is changing – and we want to honour that. So, this week, we’re spotlighting the plants grown here from elsewhere. First up, we’ll take a trip to an allotment site in Southall. Here, award-winning garden designer Manoj Malde will chat with us about the fruit and veg from around the world that he’s including in his garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. We’re then delving into the history of plant collectors. Fiona Davison, Head of Libraries and Exhibitions at the RHS, will take us through the often overlooked legacy of how some of our garden favourites made it to Britain from far-off lands. Finally, we’ll head to RHS Bridgewater’s Chinese Streamside Garden – and explore how international horticultural partnerships have changed over the years.    The RHS and Eastern Eye Garden of Unity   The Chinese Streamside Garden   Rare and Familiar Friends: The story of Chinese plants in our gardens

The coronation of His Majesty King Charles III is just two days away. As a royal society, we thought it was only fitting to celebrate our new monarch with a royal-themed episode. First, we’ll check in with three of the Prince’s Foundation estates – Highgrove, The Castle of Mey, and Dumfries House – to get the inside scoop on how they manage their vast gardens while still considering the environment. Then we’ll visit Arundel Castle for their Tulip Festival, leading you on a tour of their over 130,000 tulip blooms, before giving you a tutorial on how to build a coronation container in time for National Gardening Week. Links: The Prince’s Foundation Dumfries House Highgrove House and Gardens The Castle of Mey Arundel Castle National Gardening Week 2023

It’s almost May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. So for this week’s show, we’re getting into growing for wellbeing, and the many ways you can enjoy the sounds, sights, smells and experiences of gardening this spring. RHS Advisors discuss their go-to wellness tips in the thick of the growing season, artist MoYah reveals the unexpected links between gardening and hip hop, and RHS Advisor Becky Mealey takes us back to the mediaeval times, explaining how monks created productive but calming gardens of their own.  Links: Gardening for health and wellbeing May Project Gardens A Gentle of Plea for Chaos

At the RHS, we try to think critically about the ways we cultivate the earth and interact with the wildlife that inhabit our green spaces everyday. But this week, in honour of Earth Day, we wanted to take extra time to really celebrate our gardens – and to share our love for the many plants and animals that bring them to life. Gardener and writer Ben Dark shares a history of the tulip that stretches back 1,000 years, RHS Senior Ecologist Gemma Golding chats with us about her exciting wildlife research, and artist and author James Bridle takes us through his exploration of the intelligence of plants. Plus, throughout the show we’ve sprinkled in plant love letters from Alice Vincent, Victoria Bennett, and Sue Mabberley.    Links:   The Grove: A Nature Odyssey in 19 ½ Front Gardens   iNaturalist   Ways of Being: Animals, Plants, Machines: The Search for a Planetary Intelligence   RHS Sustainability Strategy

This week, we’ll be checking in on the health of our gardens, taking a look at the various diseases on the rise here in the UK and what we can do to stave off their encroachment. But that’s not all! With the return of allergy season, we’re also going to explore the many ways we can garden with not just the health of our plants in mind, but with that of our own bodies, as well. Plant Pathologist Dr. Liz Beal chats with us about the RHS annual disease rankings, Dr. Shubha Allard and Dr. Patrick Yong take us through the allergies to watch out for this spring, and finally virologist Dr. Tim Wreghitt shares his advice on building a low-allergy garden. Links: RHS Disease Ranking Hilltop Live: “Plants and Allergy” on 21 April Low Allergy Gardening: The Why and Where of Plant Allergies and Plants to Choose for Your Low Allergy Garden Pollen forecast

Today, we’re looking to the future – exploring how we can create resilient gardens that can flourish in the changing climate while also serving their local ecosystems. Renowned Garden Designer Tom Massey shares his blueprint for designing sustainable gardens that persevere, Peter Jones, the Garden Manager of Hardy Ornamental at Wisley, gives us a tour of the plants that survived through this past winter, and finally, RHS Advisor Esther Wolff chats with us about her tips on what you can do now to build up your garden’s resilience. Links: RHS Resilient Garden: Sustainable Gardening for a Change Climate Plants for wet and dry soils  What can I do about climate change in my garden?

April is just around the corner, and you know what that means: The hectic growing season is finally upon us. So, with that in mind, today’s episode will be exploring some of the big spring to-do’s. RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter takes us to his allotment in Surrey, giving us a tour of his current grow-your-own projects, Flower Farmer and Author Rachel Siegfried chats with us about creating the perfect spring bouquet, and finally, Fiona Davison, Head of Libraries and Exhibitions, walks us through the influence certain royals have had on gardening trends throughout history.   Links: Allotments Allotment: getting started The Cut Flower Sourcebook The Old Laboratory at Wisley

In today’s episode, we’re exploring the many, many ways we can all get wilder with our lawns. It’s part of a larger RHS campaign with The Wildlife Trusts to celebrate how we can Bring Our Lawns To Life by gardening with nature, rather than against it. Mark Schofield from conservation charity Plantlife takes us through the whys and hows of creating wildlife-friendly lawns, Sue Mabberley from Nant y Bedd garden in Wales chats with us about her grassland and meadow care, and Janet Crouch from Maryland, USA tells us the story of her legal battle to keep her biodiverse front yard.  Links: Plantlife Nant y Bedd Garden Workshops Wild About Gardens Campaign Lawn and mini-meadow habitats

With spring just around the corner, we thought we’d devote an entire episode to blossoming trees. We’ll get into selection and planting advice, and journey across time and space to discover their history and current status. Tree Nurseryman Nick Dunn walks us through how to select the perfect cherry tree for an English garden, Journalist Naoko Abe takes us back in time to explore the work and legacy of cherry-tree fanatic Collingwood Ingram, and Richard Baines, Curator at Logan Botanic Garden in Scotland, gives us an inside look at his efforts to conserve endangered evergreen magnolias. Plus, RHS Advisor Lenka Cooke shares a dynamic tutorial on planting flowering apple trees this March.  Links: Flowering cherry trees for small gardens ‘Cherry’ Ingram: The Englishman Who Saved Japan’s Blossoms Plant Explorer: A Plantsman’s travels in Northern Vietnam How to grow apples: RHS advice

This week, in honour of International Women’s Day, we’re giving space to a few of the women who’ve found meaning and fulfilment in the gardens they’ve created. We’re exploring the power that exists in our own connection with the rich environments we inhabit, and the myriad of ways we can care for and cultivate it. Writer and gardener Alice Vincent opens up about her quest to find out why exactly women grow, RHS edible grower Suzie Kelly shares her top tips for growing her favourite vegetable (tomatoes!), and author Victoria Bennett gives us an honest look at the apothecary garden she built in the midst of deep grief.  Links: Why Women Grow  Why Women Grow Podcast All My Wild Mothers Tomatoes – growing your own Fast tomatoes – the quickest way to grow your own

This week, we’re exploring the afterlife of plants. We’re looking at what happens when we remove different plant material from our gardens – either parts of flora still growing or others long dead – and preserve or display them as they were then, frozen at a particular stage of their life cycle. Flower farmer and author Rachel Siegfried shares her secrets on growing perennials and woody plants for cut flowers, Tivvy Harvey and Lydia Walles take us into the inner sanctum of Wisley’s herbarium, and then horticulturist Mark Tuson shows us the ornamental structures he’s made from pine cones and dried flowers. Finally, Fiona Davison, Head of Libraries and Exhibitions at the RHS, takes us away from dead plants and into the world of dead insects. She’ll help uncover a piece of the RHS’s rich history, giving us an inside look at the life and legacy of entomologist George Fox Wilson.  Links: The Cut Flower Sourcebook RHS Herbarium  How to dry flowers and foliage The Old Laboratory

Our gardens don’t exist in a vacuum, just for us. They are part of a much larger ecosystem. They provide habitats that are crucial for supporting biodiversity and can offer scores of additional environmental benefits. So today, we’ll be looking at straightforward and eco-friendly alternatives we can take up to transform our gardens into the sustainable havens our world deserves. Chris Baines, a leading environmentalist, will delve into how wildlife gardening has changed over the past 50 years, RHS Advisor Nikki Barker will share her top tips for growing seeds and cuttings in peat-free compost, and finally, Jenny Bowden, another advisor and long-time friend of the show, will give us an inside look at her research into box alternatives.  Links: RHS Companion for Wildlife Gardening How to use peat-free compost: for seeds and cuttings  Box Alternatives Survey

In this week’s show, we’re zooming in on how to garden in small spaces. Whether you’ve got a neglected corner of your garden that you need to fill – or you’ve no garden at all – we’ve got you covered. We’ll be exploring a host of techniques for turning odd nooks and crannies into little green oases. John Dower, a long-time member of the Alpine Garden Society, will start us off with a master-class on constructing mesmerising gardens in miniature. Connor Smith, head of the Rock Garden at Utrecht Botanic Gardens, will share his tried and tested advice for using recycled materials to make compact crevice gardens. And finally, Alpine Horticulturists Amy Smethurst & Bertie Swainston will share their love for dainty dionysias.  Links: Alpine Garden Society Harlow Carr Alpine House Rock gardening

While it’s not quite planting season, fear not – there are still creative ways you can grow and harvest food today, and, of course, it’s never too early to start planning ahead for spring. So this week, in our food special, we explore the many ways you can enjoy the different tastes and flavours of a winter garden. Woodland Ecologist and author Artur Cisar-Erlach delves into the many unusual and delicious ways of using trees in the kitchen, RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter takes us to a supermarket to share all the cheap and easy ways we can grow fruit and veg from food scraps, and Paul Oswick closes out the show with a tour of the nearly 100 seed potato varieties sold at Clockhouse Nursery in North London. Links: The Flavor of Wood: In Search of the Wild Taste of Trees From Smoke and Sap to Root and Bark Grow your own fruit, vegetables, and herbs Clockhouse Nursery

This week, we’re journeying back in time to explore plants of yore. Otherlands author Thomas Halliday tells us the story of the United Kingdom’s ecological origins, Kew Botanist Rafael Govaerts describes how garden plants can go extinct, and Karen Clarke gives us the scoop on the RHS’s Digital Dig project – an effort to digitise the many, many thousands of old plant nursery catalogues in our collections. But that’s not all, Mr. Plant Geek, aka Michael Perry, will close out the show by bringing us into the present with a love letter to an exciting hyacinth he helped roll out. It’s an episode chock-full of deep-rooted flora stories!  Links: Otherlands: A World in the Making The Plant Review Digital Dig Volunteer with the RHS

This week, we explore some of the most eye-catching parts of deep winter gardening, all while providing advice on what you can do in your garden as January draws to a close. Dawn Smith from Walberton Nursery shares her love of hellebores, RHS Team Leader Mark Tuson teaches us how to build ornamental habitat structures to attract wildlife, and RHS Advisors respond to pressing winter questions and concerns.  Links: How to grow hellebores Plan your visit to Wisley Dead wood and compost heap habitats Advice

This week we’re diving into the world of aquatic and semi aquatic plants. Sarah Gerrard-Jones, also known as The Plant Rescuer, gives a dynamic tutorial on making mini water features for the home, Dr. John David, Head of Horticultural Taxonomy, describes the invasive nature of many aquatic plant varieties, and then, Dr. Elisabeth Larsen, RHS Ecosystems Services Fellow, takes us away from ponds and waterways, giving us an exclusive tour of her research on how trees capture water.  Links: The Plant Rescuer: The book your house plants want you to read How to grow aquatic and bog plants Aquatic Weeds Climate Change & Trees

Get ready – today’s episode is all about hedges. RHS scientist Tijana Blanusa delves into the environmental benefits different hedges provide, grower and self-proclaimed “plant nerd” Kevin Hobbs fills us in on unconventional plants that end up making great garden barriers, and RHS advisor and longtime friend of the show Leigh Hunt teaches us how to plant deciduous hedges in January. Plus, several RHS experts share hedge “love letters,” letting us in on their favourite variety.  Links: Hedges: choices with environmental benefits Hedges: planting The Story of Trees: And How They Changed the Way We Live

We thought there was no better way to start off the new year than with an episode entirely focused on sustainable gardening. In this week’s show, RHS Sustainability Fellow Chloe Sutcliffe gives you an inside look at her research measuring the environmental footprint of our horticultural practices, a handful of RHS experts share their go-to tips for cultivating a greener garden, and finally, we delve into our podcast archives to revisit two of our favourite permaculture stories.  Links: Gardening for the Environment Planet-friendly gardening tips 3 ways to connect to nature RHS Sustainability Strategy 10 ways to be more sustainable in your garden

This week, we’re looking back on our garden highlights (and lows) of 2022 while also taking stock of the current state of our winter green patches. We’ll hear from Wisley horticulturalists on their reflections of the year, learn all about colonised fungi log piles from plant pathologist Jassy Drakulic, and get the inside scoop on why Wisley doesn’t cut back their herbaceous perennials until early spring. Useful links: Dead wood and compost heap habitats The Glasshouse at Wisley Visiting Wisley RHS Allotment Handbook

Tis the season of fruiting hollies, mysterious mistletoe, and of course, the ubiquitous Christmas tree. In this episode, we’re bringing you stories on how to make our gardens and homes as festive as the season demands. We’ll hear from RHS advisor Rob Stirling on how to keep your finicky poinsettias alive, get a hands-on tutorial from wildlife expert Helen Bostock on cut-stem crafts, and discover the final tasks you can do in your garden before the start of 2023.  Useful links: Poinsettia Care Garden Craft Instructions RHS Garden Wisley

Trying to impress your neighbours with a rich, diverse, and perhaps even wacky winter garden? Well, look no further. On this week’s episode, we’ll hear about author Phil Clayton’s favourite winter plants, get an inside look at the weird and wonderful seed varieties sold at the RHS, and dive into the world of bird-friendly wreaths with our Senior Wildlife Specialist Helen Bostock. Useful links: A Plant for Every Day of the Year by Phil Clayton  RHS Members Seed Scheme Information DIY Christmas Wreaths

The handy guide you’ll want for your Christmas shopping! Join Guy Barter, Fiona Davison and Tom Howard as they discuss their favourite horticultural reads of 2022. Books mentioned: Old Herbaceous by Reginald Arkell  The Grove : A Nature Odyssey in 19 and a half front gardens by Ben Dark The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins RHS Encyclopedia of Gardening New Edition by Guy Barter and Christopher Brickell  Grow 5 by Lucy Bellamy  Your Garden Week by Week by Arthur Hellyer The Science of Compost: Life Death and Decay by Dr. Julian Doberski   Useful links:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00xp2cs 

Putting the garden to bed over winter is a thing of the past. Today we’ll be speaking to an expert horticulturist on how he created a 400m walk of winter interest planting and we’ll be chatting with Big Plant Nursery about spicing up your evergreen reserves with lush exotics. Plus we catch up with our RHS experts to learn the essential gardening jobs you ought to be doing now. Useful links https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/garden-highlights/seven-acres/winter-walk https://www.bigplantnursery.co.uk/ https://www.rhs.org.uk/pruning

Absolutely everything. Today’s episode is in honour of National Tree Week, the largest annual tree celebration in the UK. We’re chatting with a whole host of experts including wildlife gardening presenter and author Kate Bradbury, science educator Jonathan Newell, and RHS Edibles team leader Paul Kettell. From managing apple orchards to the science and history of trees, you won't want to miss this special! Useful links: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/articles/glow-illuminations https://www.waterstones.com/book/rhs-the-tree-in-my-garden/kate-bradbury/lucille-clerc/9780241459751 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXykC-7kmZkydawYL7yVJoA https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-inspiration/grow-your-own/choosing-apple-trees-and-planting

It’s time to stock up on some Vitamin G to get through these colder, darker days. Join us as we chat with RHS Wellbeing Fellow, Dr Lauriane Chalmin-Pui about how scent impacts our emotions, completely subconsciously! Plus we head to RHS Wisley’s Wellbeing Garden to learn how to design with wellness in mind, and visit a community gardening project in London’s Gladstone Park to hear what keeps the volunteers going in even the wettest winters.    Useful links: https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/articles/scent-and-emotion  https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/garden-highlights/the-wellbeing-garden  http://gladstoneparkfriends.org/  https://gladstonepark.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=245e1c80cc92a26222a012488&id=7136bd8bcc  https://www.rhs.org.uk/get-involved/community-gardening

Today we’re plunging into the depths of the woods! We’re chatting with permaculturist and garden designer Pippa Chapman on how to make your own backyard forest garden. And wildlife expert James Lowen transports us to some stunning British woodlands to learn about the rare creatures lurking within. Plus we meet the RHS gardening advisors to get some crucial tree-related FAQs answered. Useful links: https://www.permanentpublications.co.uk/pippa-chapman/ https://www.waterstones.com/book/much-ado-about-mothing/james-lowen/9781472966971 https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/trees https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/cotoneaster

From medieval ruins to country estates, the UK is filled with old and significant spaces that continue to inspire. So today we’re talking to the head gardener at Arundel Castle about how to plant 80,000 tulip bulbs. Plus we hear the epic historic tale of the Bicycle Boys who toured the length of the country visiting all manner of estates and gardens. Finally, we get expert advice from organic gardener Ellie Mitchell on how to plant wildflowers right now, to please the bees and get a touch of that traditional cottage whimsy.    https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/tulip https://www.arundelcastle.org/ https://www.rhs.org.uk/digital-collections/the-bicycle-boys  https://ellieswellies.com/podcast/

It’s the last week of October and though the deciduous leaves have yet to all fall, we need to start preparing for the upcoming season. So today we’re talking you through the essential jobs to do in your green space with RHS horticultural advisor Jenny Bowden. We’ll also be hearing from wildlife author James Lowen on the humble moth and how to encourage its numbers in your garden. Plus we visit Gladstone Park in North London, to celebrate Black History Month as we explore a gardening initiative which encourages new ways of looking at British history. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/NOVEMBER    https://www.rhs.org.uk/wildlife/moths-in-your-garden    https://www.waterstones.com/book/much-ado-about-mothing/james-lowen/9781472966971 http://harunmorrison.net/

A new frontier of debate has arrived in the garden… artificial grass. Does this plastic green sward have any place in our homes? That’s the question we’ll be answering today.  Featuring interviews with Dr Mark Gush, Head of Environmental Horticulture at the RHS, Organic Gardener, Ellie Mitchell and the owner of Dunsborough Park, Caroline Sweerts.  Autumn care for lawns: https://www.rhs.org.uk/lawns/autumn-care Wildflower meadow establishment: https://www.rhs.org.uk/lawns/wildflower-meadow-establishment  Bulbs: https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/bulbs  Ellie’s Wellies Organic Gardening: https://ellieswellies.com/  The Wildlife Garden Podcast: https://thewildlifegardenpodcast.podbean.com/  Dunsborough Park:  https://dunsboroughpark.com/ 

It’s time for a love-in and a few lessons about the stuff we shove our precious plants into… soil! This episode we’re speaking to not one, but two expert scientists on what’s going on in the ground. Dr Magdalena Boshoff clues us into the world of nematodes and Dr Jassy Drakulic fills us in on fungi. Plus we chat with horticulturist Joe Lofthouse about how to choose the best compost bin to improve the soil in your garden.  Send soil samples to the RHS: https://www.rhs.org.uk/membership/rhs-gardening-advice/sending-in-samples  Honey fungus: https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/honey-fungus Stem and bulb nematode: https://www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/stem-and-bulb-nematode

Dust off your gardening gloves and don your sunglasses, as we look to the skies on today’s show. We’ll be exploring the dizzying heights of a famously tall plant, the gunnera, with expert botanist James Armitage. We’ll also be taking on a high flying adventure with garden author Ben Dark into the world of trees. Plus, if you need a reminder on what to do in your garden or allotment this week, fan favourite Matthew Oliver is here to jog your memory.

If you're curious about extending the growing season and continuing to enjoy home-grown food through the colder months, this episode is for you. Matthew Oliver joins us with tips from RHS Hyde Hall's famous glasshouse – with a focus on overwintering chillies for an abundance of spice next year. Emmy nominated TV chef, Ching He Huang, shares the flavours she’s been playing with at Wisley’s World Food Garden – ahead of her involvement in the RHS’s Festival Of Flavours. And The Garden magazine's Gareth Richards helps us get to grips with winter salads. Presented by Guy Barter. Useful links: Global Growth Vegetable Garden at RHS Garden Hyde Hall RHS Festival of Flavours Ching He Huang The Garden magazine

Let’s take a break from soil and jump into the world of water. With expert advice from award winning garden designer Nicola Oakey on how to introduce a pond to your space and top tips from author Martyn Cox on managing the practicalities of pond life. Plus we get the lowdown on water butts with RHS Chief Horticultural Advisor Guy Barter.  RHS advice on ponds https://www.rhs.org.uk/ponds RHS advice on managing water in your garden https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardening-for-the-environment/water The Gardener's Yearbook by Martyn Cox     https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/martyn-cox/the-gardeners-yearbook/9781784728151/  Nicola Oakey Design  https://nicolaoakey.com/ 

In this week's episode we'll be hearing from a panel of experts across the country regarding the humble and often overlooked front garden. Frances Tophill will explain how to keep your small space green during even the darkest winter months. Matthew Oliver from RHS Hyde Hall, shares how to add seasonal variety with a lasagna planter of bulbs. Plus, Ben Dark will inspire us with the history and whimsy of the front garden, along with a few tips on making yours stand out. It is also with deep sadness and respect that we mark the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Patron of the Royal Horticultural Society. Director General of the RHS, Clare Matterson CBE, shares a few words on the Queen's incredible impact on the RHS and the wider horticultural community. To read more from Frances Tophill: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-modern-gardener/frances-tophill/9780857839435 To read more from Ben Dark: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/ben-dark/the-grove/9781784727420/ For more info see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

Resident gardening guru Guy Barter gives the lowdown on slow worms, a fascinating and under-appreciated part of our garden wildlife. Organic gardener Anna Greenland sings the praises of lemon verbena, sharing some delicious and unusual recipes. Urban food grower Alessandro Vitale ('Spicy Moustache' of Instagram fame) explains hügelkultur - a low-cost and eco-friendly way to boost soil health.

Which fruit and veg thrive in heatwaves? RHS veg growing experts Guy Barter and Matthew Oliver discuss what our record-breaking summer has taught us about the fruit and veg we can grow in the UK climate. BBC Gardeners' World presenter Frances Tophill shares her advice on getting the best from your houseplants. Jenny Berger, a researcher at the University of Reading, offers insight into how houseplants can improve our wellbeing - busting a few myths along the way. Grow your own fruit and veg (RHS website) Houseplant hub (RHS website)

This week's programme is stuffed with barrowloads of seasonal kitchen gardening advice from organic grower for top chefs Anna Greenland. RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter offers a guide to harvesting sweetcorn and author Alys Fowler shares some hard-won thrifty gardening wisdom. Useful links Grow your own (RHS website) Grow Easy by Anna Greenland The Thrifty Gardener by Alys Fowler (eBook)

Fermenting - enlisting the help of friendly microbes - is a brilliant way to preserve your homegrown harvests. Fermented foods can be great for our gut health and are easy to make, explains food writer and gourmet gardener Mark Diacono. Did you know that many herbs are great for bees too? Andrew Perry of Urban Herbs sings the praises of some of his favourites which are a real hit with pollinating insects and cooks alike. Plus Bella Lack, author of The Children of the Anthropocene offers her take on why rewilding offers hope for the future. Useful links RHS Grow Your Own Mark Diacono (Instagram) How to grow herbs (RHS website) Urban Herbs See the 'Rewilding Britain Landscape' garden at Chelsea 2022 Bella Lack (Instagram)

Food writer and gourmet gardener Mark Diacono sings the praises of home-grown apricots - a crop that's thriving in this warm, dry summer. Forager Alys Fowler braves the prickles of garden (and car-park) favourite mahonia*, harvesting its blue berries to make jams and jellies with stunning colour and unique flavour. And if you're not the only one enjoying your home-grown fruit, Guy Barter has advice on the spotted wing drosophila, a fruit fly that causes tiny white maggots in many kinds of fruit, especially cherries and raspberries. Useful links: How to grow apricots (RHS website) Mark Diacono (Instagram) Alys Fowler (Instagram) Buy mahonia plants (RHS website) Spotted wing drosophila (RHS website) *Note: the species name for Oregon grape is Mahonia aquifolium. This is the principal edible mahonia species, although the berries of some hybrid mahonias are also sometimes eaten. Never eat a wild food unless you're 100% sure of its edibility and identity. If you have underlying health conditions, are pregnant or nursing, consult a doctor before adding new foods to your diet.

Now's the perfect time to pep up your summer cocktails and add perk to your pasta with an array of unusual plant-based ingredients. Andrew Perry of Urban Herbs is a man on a mission to spice up herb gardens across the country with unusual varieties that you may never have heard of – from lime mint to a smoky rosemary that's a sure-fire summer barbecue hit. Hear our resident gardening guru Guy Barter give seasonal tips on growing green manures and successionally sowing veg crops for bountiful harvests into the autumn months. Plus, author Kendra Wilson takes us on a journey into sound with her new book, Garden for the Senses. Useful links Urban Herbs website and Instagram Herb-growing advice from the RHS Successional sowing (RHS website) Green manures (RHS website) Kendra Wilson - Garden for the Senses

A retrospective look at last week's RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. Meet some of the Young Designer of the Year finalists, discover how science has informed a beautiful travelling garden dedicated to wellbeing, explore the new 'Greener Front Gardens' category and much more. Useful links RHS Young Designer of the Year See all gardens at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park Tatton show highlights 2022 Vitamin G garden

To celebrate Bees Needs Week we're taking a walk with RHS wildlife experts Helen Bostock and Nick Tew, to help count Britain's bumblebees. The Bumblebee Conservation Trust are asking for volunteers to join Bee Walks across the country to help save these cute, furry and very important pollinators. Then we visit a forest bathing garden to discover how a trend that started in Japan in the 1980s is making waves here too. And finally, Ellie Mitchell from The Wildlife Garden Podcast shares her love of a rare native plant that's very much at home in gardens. Useful links: Bumblebee Conservation Trust BeeWalks Top tips to create a forest bathing garden Buy shrubby cinquefoil Visit RHS Flower Show Tatton Park

This week we meet renowned lavender expert Simon Charlesworth of Downderry Nurseries, who grows hundreds of varieties of this fragrant favourite. Discover which is the most scented type of all and hear his choice of the easiest ones to grow. Matthew Biggs, author of The Great British Village Show, offers tips on how to grow prizewinning veg; and Guy Barter prepares for a bean feast on his allotment as he shares a cunning tip for abundant autumn harvests. Useful links The Great British Village Show, by Thane Price & Matthew Biggs Grow Your Own - RHS veg growing advice Lavenders - RHS advice on choosing and cultivating

A gardening wonderland returns to southwest London with the world's biggest annual flower show. Join us on a tour of the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival – bursting with glorious gardens, petite yet productive allotments, fragrant roses and thought-provoking design ideas. RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival Buy your tickets Discover the show gardens Fundraising appeal for rebuilding Ukraine's green spaces

It's a creature that has been crawling around the earth's surface since the time of the dinosaurs. There are estimated to be more than a million of them for every human on earth. But what do they actually do? Dr Andy Salisbury, Principal RHS Entomologist delves into the fascinating world of ants and their effect on our gardens. Meanwhile in Hackney, Clair Battaglino welcomes us to Rainbow Grow, an LGBTQ+ community gardening project that brings multiple generations together. Plus professional wildlife gardener and fellow podcaster Ellie Mitchell from The Wildlife Garden Podcast offers tips on how to welcome invertebrates great and small to your plot. Useful links Hilltop Live - scroll to find wildlife talks at RHS Garden Wisley Rainbow Grow The Wildlife Garden Podcast RHS wildlife gardening hub

What have wasps ever done for us? The answer might surprise you, as we meet entomologist Dr Seirian Sumner, author of Endless Forms: The Secret World of Wasps. Food and garden writer Rekha Mistry offers advice on growing turmeric and ginger at home, while RHS Garden Hyde Hall's very own veg growing guru Matthew Oliver gives tips on growing chilli peppers. Useful links Endless Forms: The Secret World of Wasps by Seirian Sumner Rekha's Garden & Kitchen RHS Garden Hyde Hall Fruit and veg growing advice from the RHS

As summer hits its stride we head into the orchards at RHS Garden Wisley to meet Sheila Das and Liz Mooney. They explain how the garden is greening up its act, bringing wildlife and wildflowers into the heart of the productive growing spaces. Then we head to Alresford in Hampshire, to meet watercress grower Tom Amery who shares the secrets of growing this uniquely healthy British favourite. Plus author Sandra Lawrence tells the tale of an unsung hero of horticulture, the mysterious Miss Willmott – a gun-carrying Edwardian plant collector with a complex personal life. Useful links Visit RHS Garden Wisley Grow your own fruit and veg The Watercress Company Miss Willmott's Ghosts: The extraordinary life and gardens of a forgotten genius by Sandra Lawrence

This week we visit the World Food Garden at RHS Wisley to see how new eco-friendly ways of growing are taking shape. Guy Barter gives his expert guide to brassica growing for bumper crops of Brussels sprouts, kale and kalettes next winter. Plus a fond farewell to Sue Biggs CBE, who's been Director General of the RHS for the last 12 years – hear her reminisce about some personal highlights and a close encounter of the royal kind... Useful links Discover the World Food Garden at RHS Garden Wisley See our RHS Grow Your Own for advice on growing all kinds of fruit and veg Join the RHS for fabulous days out, free gardening advice and more

Are plants passive green things, just waiting for the next passing mouth to munch on them? Or do they sometimes fight back? This week's programme is devoted to the botanical poisoners, the tricksters and the carnivores that turn the tables and seek revenge on the animal kingdom. Featuring Amy Stewart, author of Wicked Plants – The A-Z of Plants That Kill, Maim, Intoxicate and Otherwise Offend; RHS Editor and flytrap fan Gareth Richards; and Dr Chris Thorogood, Deputy Director of Oxford Botanic Garden. Useful links: ►Wicked Plants [book] ►RHS advice on potentially harmful plants ►Learn more about carnivorous plants ►Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum 

The greatest flower show on earth is back in its traditional time and place at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, in spring. And what a show! Join us as we meet the designers of the Gold medal-winning 'A Rewilding Britain Landscape' garden to explore their portrayal of how the return of a long-lost species, the beaver, can transform landscapes and ecology. BBC Gardeners' World presenter Joe Swift gives a tour of his bee-friendly garden and we meet 'Cloud Gardener' Jason Williams and fellow balcony gardener Bea Tann. Useful links: RHS Chelsea Flower Show Meet the designers: A Rewilding Britain Landscape RHS Plant of the Year 2022 The Cloud Gardener, Jason Williams The Enchanted Rain Garden by Bea Tann

Did you know that bumblebees have a 75% higher metabolic rate than hummingbirds? These furry insects need a lot of energy! And your neighbourhood could help fuel our native bumblebees to fly 1 million miles. The secret is plants. We speak to RHS wildlife expert Helen Bostock and the pollinator team at RHS Science who have designed three planters that will give bees, and people, a real boost. Podcast hosts Guy Barter and Gareth Richards discuss companion planting, and Lucy Bellamy shares some simple yet fabulous planting combinations from her latest book, Grow 5. Useful links Find out more about the RHS bumblebee planters RHS wildlife gardening hub Grow your own fruit and veg Grow 5 by Lucy Bellamy

This week we're heading out into the darkness to meet some surprising garden friends – bats. These furry night fliers are surprising garden helpers, hoovering up all kinds of mosquitos and midges that might otherwise be biting us instead. Shirley Thompson MBE has been at the forefront of UK bat conservation for almost 40 years and she offers advice to gardeners on how we can all play our part in helping keep bat numbers strong. Did you know that some cacti grow on trees and bloom at night? Meet the spectacular moonflower, Selenicereus wittii, an epiphytic cactus from the Amazonian rainforest. Sally Petitt of Cambridge University Botanic Garden tells the tale of how it bloomed in Britain last year, for the first time ever. Plus expert veg grower Matthew Oliver from RHS Garden Hyde Hall gives some brilliant tomato-growing tips, particularly for the tricky-but-tasty beefsteak varieties. Useful links RHS advice on bats in your garden Stars of the Night (Wild About Gardens pdf all about UK bats) Secrets of the Moonflower (Cambridge University Botanic Garden) RHS advice on how to grow tomatoes Visit RHS Garden Hyde Hall

This week we meet Michael Marriott, one of the UK’s foremost rosarians. Michael shares his expertise from a lifetime of rose growing, which is distilled into his new book, RHS Roses: An Inspirational Guide to Choosing and Growing the Best Roses. Plus troubleshooting tips on rose growing from the RHS Gardening Advice team. Matthew Oliver, horticulturist and veg grower extraordinaire continues our greenhouse growing mini-series with a piece from the beautiful glasshouse at the heart of RHS Garden Hyde Hall. Hear seasonal GYO advice and first-hand hints on how to grow melons with exceptional flavour. Useful links: ►RHS Roses: An Inspirational Guide to Choosing and Growing the Best Roses ►RHS advice on how to grow roses ►Global Growth Vegetable Garden ►How to grow melons

Join us as we celebrate 200 years of spreading gardening knowledge with RHS educational programmes. Whether you want to travel the world on botanical adventures for a Master of Horticulture qualification, or for your children to learn how to plant seeds, we are there for you. An RHS course can open the door to a fantastic career in gardening, and we hear from students past and present who share their stories. Study & learn with the RHS

Out of more than 200 gardens nationwide, only one can take the coveted crown of RHS Partner Garden of the Year. The 2021 winner has just been announced as Larch Cottage Nurseries in Cumbria's Eden Valley – we meet owner Peter Stott to find out the story behind his piece of horticultural heaven. Back at RHS Garden Wisley, horticultural advisors James Lawrence, Nikki Barker and Julie Henderson get together to answer queries on compost-making, wildflower growing and how to get year-round fragrance in your garden. Plus we talk to Sui Searle, curator of the alternative gardening newsletter Radicle, to hear about her journey into gardening and the changes she hopes to inspire within the horticultural world. Useful links RHS Partner Garden of the Year Larch Cottage Nurseries How to make compost Radicle newsletter Join the RHS for free access to RHS Partner Gardens at selected times Scented shrubs mentioned Winter honeysuckles (Lonicera fragrantissima and Lonicera x purpusii) Osmanthus x burkwoodii and Osmanthus heterophyllus Elaeagnus x ebbingei Daphnes

Today we're taking a trip back in time with Dr Chris Thorogood, Head of Science at Oxford Botanic Garden. Enter long-forgotten worlds of the weird and wonderful plants which flourished before, during and after the age of dinosaurs, and discover their descendants that still flourish today. Ferns are among these 'living fossils', and RHS Gardening Advisor James Lawrence shares some favourite varieties to grow in the garden* in discussion with colleagues Nikki Barker and Julie Henderson. Plus, an alternative look at ancient plants with Sarah Gerrard-Jones, aka The Plant Rescuer. She's built a huge online following charting her journey into rescuing abandoned plants and championing houseplant heirlooms passed down through generations. Useful links:  ►RHS info on ferns  ►RHS info on houseplants ►When Plants Took Over the Planet: The Amazing Story of Plant Evolution by Chris Thorogood ►The Plant Rescuer – The Book Your Houseplants Want You To Read by Sarah Gerrard-Jones Contributors: Chris Thorogood, Sarah Gerrard-Jones

In the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower disaster Tayshan Hayden-Smith brought a traumatised community together through gardening. In almost exactly 5 years his gardening journey has taken him from neglected London street-side spaces to a garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It's a tale of resilience, resourcefulness and horticultural heroism – and homage to the bravery of 1970s activists whose legacy lives on today.  There's bravery in admitting your mistakes too, as BBC Gardeners' World presenter Adam Frost shows as he shares one of his gardening fails. Plus, RHS advisors gather to answer queries on daffodils that won't flower, growing lawns in shady spots and veg growing in raised beds. Useful links: ►'Hands Off Mangrove' garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show ►Grow2Know CIC ►Search RHS advice online ►Join the RHS for free, personalised gardening advice ►Houseplant care ►Lawns in shade ►Grow your own fruit and veg

To celebrate the publication of his new book, The Creative Gardener, Adam Frost joins us this week to share some of his favourite creative outdoor projects. From simple yet stylish benches to a planted coffee table, there's a host of wonderful features you can make with very little cash.  Meanwhile at RHS Garden Harlow Carr, horticulturist Aimee-Beth Browning explains how having wet or boggy ground can open up a whole world of planting possibilities. Plus a look at how to up your gardening game with a greenhouse and Guy Barter shares his timely tips for vegetable growing. Useful links: ►The Creative Gardener by Adam Frost ►Explore RHS gardening design inspiration ►Streamside, RHS Garden Harlow Carr ►Plants for bog gardens ►Further information about bog and aquatic plants ►Choosing a greenhouse ►RHS Grow Your Own Selected plants mentioned: ►Harlow Car primulas [note spelling] ►Rodgersia ►hostas ►astilbes ►Iris ensata ►RHS Find a plant

Welcome to the contrary and fascinating world of one of the biggest plant families on Earth. 'Orchids are plants of great contradiction but always astonishing beauty' - says James Armitage, botanist and Editor of The Orchid Review magazine, who shares insight into what draws people to these strange and wonderful plants.  Historian Abra Lee tells the tale of a young enslaved man in Reunion who solved the riddle of how to pollinate vanilla - the only orchid out of 25,000-plus species that's commercially grown as a food crop. Did you know you can grow orchids as garden plants? Jeff Hutchings of Laneside Hardy Orchids gives tips on how to grow them outdoors - why not make an orchid meadow in your garden this year? Colin Newlands tells the tortuous tale of our rarest native orchid, the lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus). Thought extinct in the early 20th century: a chance encounter in the 1930s on an isolated hillside led to decades of botanical intrigue - and even personal protection for the plant. We discover how this exquisite wildflower is faring almost a century after its assumed disappearance. Useful links The Orchid Review Tips for growing orchids indoors  RHS Orchids (book)  Laneside Hardy Orchids  Orchid Show at RHS Garden Wisley  The Wildlife Trusts  BSBI maps (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland) (for discovering your local native orchid species) Selected plants mentioned Hardy orchids: Bletilla, Calanthe, Dactylorhiza, Cypripedium, Pleione Indoor orchids: Phalaenopsis (moth orchids), Cattleya

Our Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter wanders into Hampton Court Palace's historic yew maze to meet Gardens Manager Graham Dillamore. Once haunt of kings and queens, this 300 year old spread of tortuous topiary now welcomes thousands of visitors and contains valuable lessons for modern-day gardeners too. Guy offers hedge planting and maintenance advice before handing over to Dr Stephanie Bird who shares the latest thinking on box tree moth, a recent arrival to Britain that can devastate plantings of box (Buxus sempervirens). Did you know that hedges have some powerful environmental benefits? Recent RHS research shows they can reduce pollution levels, help prevent flooding and even provide habitat for wildlife and food for pollinators. RHS scientist Dr Mark Gush explains more, and shares details of the best plants to use. Useful links Hampton Court Palace maze Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival RHS advice on growing and maintaining hedges Box tree moth (includes info on planting alternatives to box) Hedges with environmental benefits Plants mentioned (to find suppliers please visit RHS Find a Plant or the RHS online plant shop) Yew (Taxus baccata), western red cedar (Thuja plicata), hawthorn (Crataegus) and cotoneaster (Cotoneaster franchetii and others), beech (Fagus sylvatica), pyracantha, Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), holly (Ilex aquifolium), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)

This week’s programme is all about being kinder to the earth and the creatures we share it with. Guy Barter meets the founder of Riverford Organic Farmers, Guy Singh-Watson, to discover how he turned a family dairy farm into a byword for sustainable food. Dave Goulson, author of Silent Earth – Averting the Insect Apocalypse shares his thoughts on how gardeners can be more active in the fight to save our bees, butterflies and all manner of threatened insects. Plus RHS Gardening Advisor Nikki Barker offers advice to gardeners who grow on sandy soil.

Plant names and their pronunciation can be a vexed business. If you’re overwhelmed by long Latin plant names, take heart: botanist and author James Wong comes to the rescue and explains why the botanical names matter and how a little knowledge of them can give us clues as to how plants look and perform.  He explains that since Latin is a dead language, there’s no-one around to correct your pronunciation – so just go ahead and have a go! When familiar plant names are changed, it can be a source of annoyance for us gardeners. But James Armitage, Editor of The Plant Review, explains there is method behind the apparent madness of this; plus, after the storms, what you need to check in your garden this weekend. Useful links The Plant Review Promoting garden plant diversity (RHS website) Meet the RHS horticultural taxonomy team

Swifts... their screaming calls are the sound of summer, yet these aerial acrobats are in trouble. Their UK population has declined by almost 60% over the last two decades. This week we meet John Stimpson, the man on a mission to reverse the decline of this much-loved bird. Does garden size matter when it comes to providing food for pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies? New research from the RHS along with the Universities of Bristol, Cardiff and Northumbria shows that even tiny gardens have a valuable role to play – but it all depends on the planting. The paper also produced interesting findings on how certain types of plants and flower shapes were particularly useful to pollinators, as scientist Nick Tew explains. Plus RHS gardening advisor Nikki Barker shares tips on how to garden successfully on clay soil. Useful links RHS wildlife gardening hub The man who built homes for 60,000 swifts (Guardian article) University of Bristol press release (pollinator research) RHS advice on gardening on clay soil

This week we visit Yorkshire to talk to allotmenteer and YouTuber Mothin Ali (MyFamilyGarden), to find out how he's preparing for the growing season ahead. Including tips on chillies, tomatoes and green manures (also known as cover crops). RHS Gardening Advisor Nikki Barker shares expert tips on how to garden on chalky soil. Gareth Richards has an ode to an 'allotment workhorse' – a fragrant shrub with abundant crops of healthy berries – the blackcurrant. Useful links RHS Grow Your Own pages Mothin Ali - My Family Garden (YouTube) Advice on green manures / cover crops How to grow chillies and tomatoes Gardening on chalk How to grow blackcurrants

Wild gardening might be all the rage right now but it's not as new as you might think. In this programme we examine the legacy of pioneering Irish gardener and writer William Robinson. He shook up the horticultural world in the late 1800s, bringing in new approaches to planting that still resonate today. Plus, Guy Barter has a 'love letter' to snowdrops and we speak to Peter Moore, the British plant breeder behind some of the most successful plant introductions of the past few decades. Useful links How to grow snowdrops William Robinson - The Wild Garden RHS Libraries Peter Moore How to grow buddleia How to grow choisyas

The number of people renting houses has doubled in the past 10 years. But how do you make a garden when you're faced with blank concrete paving or the prospect of having to move home in just a few months? Luckily we have barrowloads of fantastic advice from Matthew Pottage, Curator of RHS Garden Wisley and long-term renter of a house in southwest London. His new book, 'How to Garden When You Rent' is published today. Hear him discuss some of the tips and tricks he's learned from a decade turning a grey concrete yard into a lush urban jungle, all without lifting a single slab. Including advice on design, planting ...and dealing with landlords. Plus we talk to garden designer Sara Edwards, who created an innovative container garden at last year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Using IBCs (intermediate bulk containers, widely used in industry and farming) she created miniature forests, ponds and naturalistic planting, to stunning effect. All without breaking into the ground below. Useful links RHS How to Garden When You Rent by Matthew Pottage See Sarah Edwards' 2021 Chelsea garden, The IBC Pocket Forest Get RHS advice and inspiration on container growing

From Sussex to South Carolina, this week we're exploring what happens when plants take over. What do you get if you mix poor quality farmland, a passion for wildlife and a biodiversity crisis? The answer is a pioneering rewilding project that has stunned ecologists and revolutionised ideas about nature conservation in Britain. We head to Knepp Estate in Sussex to meet Isabella Tree and find out more.  Bill Finch is a naturalist who grew up in the Deep South of the USA. Here he witnessed a very different form of rewilding from an invasive plant, kudzu (Pueraria montana). It became infamous during the 20th century for swamping roadsides and blanketing everything in its path - becoming known as a scourge and 'the vine that ate the South'. But is it as much of a problem as people think? And finally, podcast regulars Fiona Davison and Gareth Richards discuss the history of two very wild plants, ivy (Hedera helix) and Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria or Fallopia japonica). More information Knepp Wildland Rewild your garden with tips from Springwatch  RHS wildlife gardening hub Learn more about ivy  Ivy on houses RHS ivy monograph Japanese knotweed advice from the RHS 

This week's programme is dedicated to vegetable growing. You can grow veg almost anywhere - as New Yorker Kofi Thomas proves with his inspirational story of how he created The Good Life Garden from a former dumping ground in the heart of Brooklyn. It's a project that has improved the lives of thousands of Long Island residents and has distributed literally tons of fresh homegrown fruit and veg to people in need. Regular presenters Guy Barter and Verity Battyll of RHS Garden Wisley offer seasonal veg growing tips and share their successes and failures growing unusual crops in the UK climate. Plus Kamal Bell, CEO of Sankofa Farms in North Carolina tells us all about a crop that's close to his heart - okra. For more info please see rhs.org.uk/podcast or check out our show notes.

This week we're working with plants through time and across the world. Author and previous guest on the show Jonathan Drori explores more incredible plants from across the globe, including Tillandsia (Spanish moss) from the American Deep South. It's a mysterious relative of the pineapple plant that has almost no roots yet is woven into the history and culture of the southern states. Historian Fiona Davison tells the story of Thomas Fairchild, a London man who made the first ever intentional plant hybrid. Plus Anna Greenland presents the last of our grow-your-own beverages series with a look at elderflower. Useful links: ► Find out more about tillandsias (also known as Spanish moss or airplant) ► Find suppliers of elder plants Contributors: ► Fiona Davison, Head of RHS Libraries and Exhibitions ► Jonathan Drori, author of Around the World in 80 Plants ► Anna Greenland, author of Grow Easy

Happy New Year from the RHS podcast team! This week's programme is all about looking forward to a green and pleasant 2022. Wisley’s Guy Barter and Verity Battyll discuss their 5 winter must-have plants, while gardening advisor James Lawrence shares his top 5 seasonal jobs. Plus RHS editor and allotmenteer Gareth Richards offers advice on how to grow fruit and veg in a sustainable way. For links to more information please see our show notes or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast

What a year 2021 has been for gardening! We've had weird weather, an autumn Chelsea Flower Show, a peat ban, RHS Bridgewater opening... the list goes on. This week we're looking back to some of our podcast highlights, including delving into the tiny but terrifying world of parasitic wasps with RHS Wisley scientist Magdalena Boshoff who explains how these insects do an amazing job destroying garden pests. Zehra Zaidi tells the story of how she helped name a rose after a trailblazing black gardener - the first rose to be named after an ethnic minority Briton. Allotmenteer and YouTuber Mothin Ali (@MyFamilyGarden) shares tips on growing the perfect potato and RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter gazes into his crystal ball and gives his predictions for gardening in 2022. Plus garden designers Ann-Marie Powell, Humaira Ikram and Lee Burkhill share their thoughts on what they'll be focusing on next year.

This week's programme is bursting with seasonal greenery. Award-winning writer and RHS blogger Graham Rice explains how to grow a Yuletide favourite and one of our most mysterious native plants – mistletoe. Then we hop 'over the pond' for the latest in our Hidden Horticulturists series to explore the life of one of the 20th century's greatest botanists: holly expert Dr Shiu-Ying Hu. Meanwhile back at RHS Garden Wisley, Verity Batyll describes her favourite plants to brighten up winter gardens, and Devon-based food writer Mark Diacono shares his personal recipe for a delicious homegrown lemon verbena cocktail. For links to more info please see our show notes or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast

When a successful lawyer suffered a debilitating stroke, it turned her life upside down. Meet Bhupinder Sohanpal as she explains how she rebuilt herself through gardening with the help of the Wisley Community Allotments programme. The Horticultural Therapy Trust is a charity which uses gardening to help support people facing long-term mental health issues and brain injuries: its Project Manager Deb Hoskin tells the stories of some of the people who've benefitted. Plus, organic food grower Anna Greenland shares a recipe for a traditional homegrown, home-made winter pick me up – fire cider. For links to more info please check out our programme page or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast

Cold winter nights are the perfect time to get reading, so this week’s podcast is a celebration of gardening books and garden writing. Writer and BAFTA award-winning TV producer Jonathan Drori takes us around the world in 80 plants while RHS authors Fiona Davison and Gareth Richards discuss their favourite books of the year. Plus a look at how gardening newsletters are bringing fresh ideas to the horticultural world. Books mentioned in this programme: Around the World in 80 Plants – Jonathan Drori Flower-Name Fancies – Guy-Pierre Fauconnet RHS Weeds – Gareth Richards The Hidden Horticulturists – Fiona Davison Vegetables: The Definitive Guide for Gardeners – Roger Phillips and Martyn Rix How to Garden the Low-Carbon Way – Sally Nex Spirit of Place – Susan Owens Tropical Plants and How to Love Them – Marianne Willburn For links to more info please see our episode page or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast

Did you know that there are 30 different species of worm in the UK? Or that fungi can actually help create habitats for wildlife? This week we're exploring the roles played these crucial but often overlooked garden residents. Back indoors we meet a hidden hero of horticulture - ‘likely the most prolific botanical explorer of the early 20th century’. Staff from RHS Garden Wisley and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh join forces to tell his story. For links please visit our show notes or rhs.org.uk/podcast

Learn how to grow winter veg staple (and superfood) kale with RHS expert Guy Barter, who recommends the best varieties and explains how to keep problems at bay. There's also great advice on when and how to protect tender plants from the winter cold, and chef Mark Diacono tells us how to make delicious and warming sloe gin from the fruit of the blackthorn bush.

Kuda Chimbudzi is a superstar gardener, growing healthy fruit and veg for the Premier League footballers at Tottenham Hotspur FC. Our resident gardening guru Guy Barter heads to north London to check out his award-winning kitchen garden at the club's grounds. Plus we meet Lucy Vincent of Food Behind Bars – a charity that's trying to improve the lives and diets of prisoners through growing food; and Greig Robertson from Edible Estates in Edinburgh, an organisation creating neighbourhood plots to bring fresh food to disadvantaged communities. **Useful links: ** - Read more about the kitchen garden at Tottenham Hotspur FC https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/health-and-wellbeing/real-life-stories/kuda-chimbudzi - The Garden magazine - https://www.rhs.org.uk/about-the-rhs/publications/the-garden - Food Behind Bars https://foodbehindbars.co.uk - Edible Estates http://www.edibleestates.co.uk - [RHS Flourish Fund](https://www.rhs.org.uk/education-learning/bursaries-grants/rhs-bursaries/flourish-fund)

From smuggled wealth hidden in the pockets of 17th-century refugees to imperial beheadings and long treks up freezing, desolate mountainsides... there's more to the humble tulip than you might think. And as the nights draw in, now is the perfect time to get planting these spring favourites. Garden designer Humaira Ikram shares her favourite varieties and ways of using them, and we head to Cambridge University Botanic Garden to discover a unique collection of species tulips and talk about their origins. Plus historian Fiona Davison tells the tale of how tulip mania shaped the history of Europe and gripped the Ottoman Empire to deadly effect.

You might think of gardening as an intrinsically green activity, but our verdant hedges and lush lawns can cause some very dirty habits. In an eye-opening interview, low-carbon gardening expert Sally Nex gives the lowdown on how ditching petrol power tools is important for the health of both gardeners and our planet. Plus we head to COP26 host city Glasgow to discover a pioneering urban seed library that helps create resilience in local food systems. And in Cornwall we meet artist Dr Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg who's created an inter-species installation using an algorithm to create gardens designed from the perspective of pollinating insects, rather than humans. For links to more information on today's topics please check out our show notes or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast

This week we meet Harriet Thompson, who's spearheading an eco-friendly revolution in houseplant growing. RHS scientist Jassy Drakulic explains the latest thinking on an extremely common garden problem, honey fungus. Plus Will Rogers of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia shares his unique approach to conserving the fabulous native flora of the Southeastern USA. For links to more information see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

It's almost a year since Zehra Zaidi told us the remarkable story of John Ystumllyn, an 18th century African gardener in North Wales, as part of our Hidden Horticulturists series. This week she's back with the joyful news of a new rose that has just been launched to commemorate his life. It's believed to be the first rose named after an ethnic minority Briton. Author Simon Morley tells how a fusion of Chinese and European rose species created the repeat-flowering garden roses we know and love today, and Julia Bridger of Keyneston Mill in Dorset explains the history and selection of roses grown for fragrance. For links to more information please visit rhs.org.uk/podcast or check out our show notes.

Discover the brilliant berries you can grow at home. RHS Editor Gareth Richards talks to Guy Barter about his experiences growing exciting novelties such as Chilean guavas and juneberries, while allotmenteer Kirsty Ward offers first-hand advice on growing blueberries. Anna Greenland is a cook and gardener to Michelin-starred chefs; she shares favourite berry-based recipes and her star varieties of strawberry. Plus RHS historian Fiona Davison explores the fascinating history of British gooseberry growing.

Rakes and rhinestones, wigs and water butts... Daisy Desire the Drag Queen Gardener explains how she's bringing a touch of glamour to the potting shed and hopes to attract new audiences to gardening. Back at Wisley, RHS Gardening Advisors Chris Taylor and Michaela Freed give a seasonal update on how to get your garden looking great for the season ahead. Plus our resident history expert Fiona Davison tells the story of the mysterious Miss Harrisson, a horticultural high-achiever who, over a century ago, helped pave the way for women to break through into the world of professional gardening. For links to more information please see our show notes or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast

Dr Amy Jane Beer explores the marvels of all things arboreal – from the world's loneliest tree that also helped define our current geological era to the 400 year-old apple tree that inspired Newton's theory of gravity. Plus she takes a look at trees' wellbeing benefits too. Curator Matt Pottage explores the concept of Champion Trees, highlighting some of the magnificent specimens to be found at RHS Garden Wisley. And did you know that some conifers are deciduous and offer fabulous autumn colour? Matt is a conifer fanatic and shares some suggestions to light up your autumn garden. And finally... there's a call for citizen scientists as we're on the hunt for a new tree pest with RHS scientist Jassy Draculik. Her 'Check a sweet chestnut' campaign seeks to track the spread of a recent arrival to Britain, the Oriental chestnut gall wasp. Tune in to find out how you can help protect our precious chestnut trees. For links to topics mentioned in the show, please see rhs.org.uk/podcast

Join us for an inspiring delve into this Chelsea one-off - the year the famous flower show took place in September. This year the show has some unique aspects to explore, including the gorgeous houseplant studios and the brand new balcony and container gardens. Find out how to create pure garden escapism in even the smallest of spaces with designer Martha Krempel and hear how landscape architect James Smith made his balcony into a green oasis of calm. Designer of the tiny Pocket Forest Container Garden, Sara Edwards, explains how to think big in a small space.  Plus an in-depth interview with Arit Anderson on how her show garden will go on to have a special life after Chelsea, and a look into the RHS COP26 Garden that focuses on how gardeners can respond to climate change.

It's time to get your flower bulbs in the ground, and RHS expert Nikki Barker shares her top tips on what to plant and how to plant it for beautiful and long-lasting spring displays. In an intimate conversation packed with gardening tips, author, broadcaster and kitchen garden guru Sarah Raven talks Arthur Parkinson, discussing everything from how their gardening friendship grew, to the edible and visual late-season glories of the ornamental kitchen garden. Plus Fiona Davison tells the tale of how a perplexing 19th-century botanical art mystery was solved. *To hear more from Sarah and Arthur, head over to the Grow, Cook, Eat, Arrange Podcast For links see the episode show notes or visit rhs.org.uk/podcast

If you’re looking for a sustainable way to control garden pests, delve into this episode on the weird and wonderful world of biological controls. RHS expert entomologist Andy Salisbury explores the fascinating history of how certain bugs and beasties were introduced as pest controls (with many successes... and some disasters), and food and nature writer Eugenia Bone explains how fungi have a potentially vital role. Plus, RHS scientist Magdelena Boshoff explains how to successfully apply nematodes to control pests in your garden.

How do you get the best displays of autumn colour in your garden? Which flowers can you sow now for extra early displays next year? Are there any crops you can sow in September for late autumn harvests? Tune in for answers to these questions and many more in this a bumper edition of seasonal gardening advice from RHS experts. Plus Wisley horticulturist Alex Young shares tips on propagating houseplants.   Useful links: ►Find out more about growing trees and shrubs  ►Houseplants ►Sowing hardy annual flowers in autumn ►Grow your own fruit and veg Plants mentioned: Hydrangea quercifolia, Abelia grandiflora, Ceanothus 'Autumnal Blue', Gingko biloba, Sorbus 'Josph Rock', Parrotia persica 'Persian Spire', jewel orchids (Ludisia discolor and Macodes sanderianus), hardy annuals (Calendula officinalis, Nigella damascena, Cerinthe major), yellow rattle (Rhinanthus major/minor) - see RHS Find a plant for suppliers and more details Whitefly study details: please contact mia.graham@stir.ac.uk

This week we're going wild for some of the daintiest, most airy and graceful plants out there - ornamental grasses. Author and RHS Editor Gareth Richards shares his favourites and offers tips on how to use them in the garden. Eminent expert and nurseryman Neil Lucas takes us on a tour of one of the best grass gardens in the country, Knoll Gardens in Dorset. Plus growing tips from RHS Gardening Advisor Nicky Barker, and we delve into the undergrowth to meet some grass-loving creatures - conehead crickets - with Brian Eversham of The Wildlife Trusts. In our houseplant series, Wisley Horticulturist Alex Young tackles repotting. **Plants mentioned** Grasses: Deschampsia, Hakonechloa macra, Calamagrostis, Pennisetum, Arundo donax, Carex oshimensis Evercolor Series, Molinia, Stipa gigantea, Panicum, Miscanthus, Festuca glauca, Poa, Sporolobus, Miscanthus 'Cindy' & 'Starlight', Miscanthus giganteus; Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra', Milium effusum 'Aureaum', Festuca 'Elijah Blue' Perennials: Rudbeckia, Echinacea, Verbena bonariensis, Aconitum, Scabiosa, wild carrot (Daucus carota) Find plant suppliers: rhs.org.uk/findaplant Discover grasses: rhs.org.uk/plants/types/grasses knollgardens.co.uk

We talk to Lucy Jones and Kenneth Greenway, authors of 'The Nature Seed – How to Raise Adventurous and Nurturing Kids' about ideas for how to engage your children in outdoor activities this summer. Author Abra Lee tells the story of Booker T. Washington, a leading African-American educator who brought horticultural learning opportunities to disenfranchised communities in the South in the late 19th century. Plus a look at picking the right houseplant with RHS Wisley's Alex Young and a guide on drying flowers at home with Raymond Gordon.

This week we’re clambering for climbing plants, wading through wisteria and going eye-to-eye with one of the most contentious wall-huggers of the lot: ivy. Featuring barrow-loads of expert RHS advice on how to keep your climbers happy and full of flowers, plus tips on how to use them in your garden. Featuring Matt Pottage (Curator of RHS Garden Wisley), garden designer Flo Headlam, RHS Gardening Advisor Becky Mealey and author Gareth Richards. **Plants mentioned** - Cobaea scandens - Ipomoea 'Heavenly Blue' - Lablab purpurea 'Ruby Moon'

This week we're all about growing your own fruit and veg in a programme dedicated to allotments and the green-fingered people who tend them. We meet the 'Veg King', retired fisherman Gerald Stratford (@GeraldStrafor3) – who became an overnight internet sensation, bringing giant veg growing to the attention of a worldwide audience and even starring in a fashion campaign by Gucci. Allotmenteer and YouTuber Mothin Ali (My Family Garden) shares top tips on growing potatoes while Kirsty Ward (@my_litttle_allotment) gives advice on engaging children with gardening. Plus RHS Garden Wisley's resident fruit guru Jim Arbury offers expert advice on choosing an apple tree for your garden.

Enjoy a tour around RHS Garden Wisley’s Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden with its 4,500 roses and find out how to keep yours blooming until autumn. We discover how this iconic plant became the favourite (and least loved) flower among the British with historian Simon Morley, then author Gareth Richards sings the praises of a rose relative, the bramble, ‘nature’s frontline defender against man’. Finally, find out about the pest-busting wasp you definitely need in your garden this summer.

This week we're at the glorious Tatton Park in Cheshire, for a floral extravaganza like no other. From a rewilded garden taking inspiration from the wider Tatton Estate to beautifully designed small urban spaces full of clever ideas to save water, there's something for everyone. Plus top culinary tips from chef Sophie Gordon and food writer Mark Diacono who share ideas for homegrown feasts, full of unusual flavours.

From lush and leafy banana plants to the delicate charms of the tiniest trees of all, this week's show is all about planting with a difference. We explore the weird, wild and wonderful Exotic Garden at Wisley, which is packed full of tropical-looking plants and ideas to steal for your own backyard paradise. Tayshan Hayden-Smith, footballer and founder of the non-profit Grow2Know tells the story of how he came to discover and love what's probably the most dramatic plant you can grow outdoors in Britain. And if you've ever wished you could grow a tree but don't have the space, think again, as we take a look at bonsai with RHS expert Peter Goodchild.

The RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival returns for 2021. And what a return it is! From world-class garden design talent to new ways of growing cabbages, there's something for everyone. We explore the show's no-dig gardens, community allotments and experience some lively debates between horticultural experts in the talks theatre. Plus an interview with a cut-flower grower who overcame multiple tragedies in 2020 to bring a heartwarming and colourful garden to this year's show.

This week we’re exploring the relationship between art and gardens. Including an interview with award-winning designer Sarah Price who shares her experience of using art to inspire her RHS Chelsea gold medal winning gardens, and we visit a new David Hockney exhibition celebrating the arrival of spring in his garden in France. Plus plant-loving Instagrammers discuss how social media affects the way we garden and Curator of RHS Garden Wisley, Matthew Pottage, shares tips how to use sculpture in your home plot.

In this week's programme we visit a brand new hotbed of horticultural research in the UK: RHS Hilltop – The home of gardening science. In the heart of RHS Garden Wisley, this state-of-the-art facility will house groundbreaking research into problems affecting real-life gardens, and offer visitors unique insights. We meet award-winning designer Ann-Marie Powell who talks us through the stunning spaces surrounding the building, featuring an array of edibles and wildlife-friendly planting. Plus our resident history maven Fiona Davison shares the story of how Wisley ended up at the forefront of gardening science over a century ago.

This week we head to RHS Garden Wisley for a bumper edition of summer gardening advice. Our RHS experts guide you through everything you need to know to keep your blooms blooming and your crops cropping all summer long, and what you can do now to ensure good results next year too.

Join us as we visit this incredible 154-acre garden in Salford, Greater Manchester. RHS Garden Bridgewater has been the biggest hands-on horticultural project undertaken in Europe since it got the go-ahead back in 2017. We go behind the scenes to meet the people who make it all happen, discovering horticultural gems galore as we go, including the unique Chinese Streamside garden.

How do you grow fruit and veg that doesn't cost the earth? Edible gardening guru Mark Diacono shares tips from his decades of experience growing all kinds of palatable plants as sustainably as possible. RHS Gardening Advisor Leigh Hunt gives tips on how to use less water but still get brilliant results on your plot, and historian Fiona Davison shares her delight at putting together a new digital collection chronicling how gardeners come together to get through tough times. Plus researcher Advolly Richmond tells the forgotten story of 20th century gardening heroine, Norah Lindsay.

"Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away..." This week we're gardening with winged visitors in mind as we talk all things pollinator. However, there's more to pollinating insects than just bees, as the Natural History Museum's Senior Curator, Erica McAlister explains. "Having a cuppa tea and a chocolate brownie? You wouldn't be having any of that in your beautiful garden if it wasn't for the flies," she says. Who knew such humble creatures could be so important? Garden designer Humaira Ikram shares tips on how to create a pollinator-friendly plot and in the latest part of our grow-your-own series, Sylvia Travers of RHS Garden Bridgewater offers tips on growing all kinds of beans. Plus, as part of our Hidden Horticulturists series, grower Abra Lee tells the inspirational story of Edmond Albius, a young slave boy who worked out one of the biggest botanical mysteries of his day – how to pollinate the vanilla orchid. As Abra says, "It's so empowering to hear these stories, and you're able to look at yourself and know you are capable of great things".

It's a bumper year for 'The greatest flower show on earth' as 2021 sees not one but two RHS Chelseas! Join Shows Manager Katherine Potsides as she lifts the lid on this bubbling cauldron of gardening goodness. Including interviews with multi award-winning garden designer Sarah Eberle and clematis connoisseur Raymond Evison, who share their thoughts on the opportunities and challenges presented by an autumn show. Plus our weekly GYO slot with expert advice on a technique to really make the most of every square inch of your vegetable plot.

This week we're talking about gardening as a force for good. We visit an inspiring hospital garden that has brought joy from tragedy, and meet Mothin Ali, founder of the Dig It Out campaign, which aims to tackle racism in the gardening world. Plus we learn how to encourage beneficial beetles in our plots and get GYO tips on growing kale and courgettes from Sylvia Travers of RHS Garden Bridgewater.

From plant pots to compost bags to watering cans and much more, it can be hard to avoid using plastic in the garden. In this week’s programme we examine how to go plastic-free on your plot. With contributions from RHS Editor Chris Young, industry insider Natalie Porter of Happy Plants nursery, RHS advisor Becky Mealey and eco-gardening expert Sally Nex.

This week we’re discussing wildlife ponds with author Kate Bradbury and growing sweet peas with top breeder Roger Parsons. In our weekly GYO feature, Dr Sylvia Travers of RHS Garden Bridgewater shares tips on strawberry cultivation. Plus garden writer and wildlife expert Jean Vernon gives advice on controlling pests without chemicals.

This week we're discovering how to garden the pet-friendly way. Whether that's making a dog-proof garden, keeping cats at bay or growing food for small animals such as guinea pigs and rabbits – there's lots you can do to keep plants, people and pets all happy together. Author, dog lover and RHS Senior Horticultural Advisor Helen Bostock explains how. Author and organic veg grower Claire Ratinon shares her love of chicken keeping and offers tips on how to keep birds and plants in happy balance. We meet the new Editor of The Garden magazine, Tom Howard, who offers a sneak peek into the upcoming May edition. RHS gardening advisor Leigh Hunt gives advice on crop rotation in the vegetable plot and we hop along to Leonardslee Gardens in Sussex to meet some rather unusual residents...

This week we're zooming in on gardening to appreciate some miniature marvels. James Wong shares his experiences creating miniature tropical worlds at home using terrariums, and Peter Goodchild of RHS Garden Wisley explores the colourful diversity of alpines. Historian Wesley Kerr tells the story of a groundbreaking painting of a gardener that was a milestone in the representation of Black people in British art. Plus ideas of what to do with your children in the garden with RHS Advisor Becky Mealey.

Perfect green sward or flowery meadow? Or maybe a bit of both? RHS gardening advisor Nikki Barker gives advice on how to grow a lawn that works for both people and wildlife. Editor-at-Large Chris Young talks to garden designer Arne Maynard about his design for a beautiful and unusual suburban garden, featured in this month's edition of The Garden magazine. And finally, historian Wesley Kerr sings the praises of another influential designer, 18th-century landscape architect William Kent, in the latest part of our 'Hidden Horticulturists' series.

Did you know that you can help fight climate change and protect rare plants and animals simply by changing what type of compost you buy? Peat bogs hold more carbon than all the world’s forests combined, and incredibly, the UK is one of the world’s top 10 countries by peatland area. Discover the amazing world of peat, and the part that gardeners can play to keep it in bogs, not bags, this spring. Featuring Sarah Johnson from the Lancashire Peat Partnership, botanist Joshua Styles, and an interview with Rebecca Pow MP, Minister for the Environment. Plus expert tips on peat-free growing from Propagation Team Leader Sam Gallivan at RHS Garden Wisley.

This week's programme is jam-packed with great gardening advice from our RHS experts on a huge range of topics to get your garden off to a flying start, including how to smarten up your garden and plants for spring colour. It's dahlia planting time and top dahlia breeder Dr Keith Hammett offers insight into the wonderful world of this most variable of garden flowers ('I like to call them the dogs of the plant world'!). Did you know you can propagate some houseplants by literally pulling the roots apart? And others can be grown from sections of leaf? RHS gardening advisor James Lawrence explains. Plus Chris Young with a preview of the latest issue of The Garden magazine.

Did you know that running a petrol lawnmower for an hour can create the same carbon emissions as driving a car for 93 miles? Or that using peat-free compost in your garden is a great way to save wildlife and cut your carbon footprint? This week's show is all about the ways we can all make a difference on our doorstep. Featuring Catherine Cutler from The Eden Project, author Sally Nex and no-dig gardening guru Charles Dowding. Plus the latest in our series celebrating the unsung heroes of horticulture: the inspirational story of George Washington Carver; born a slave, he overcame overwhelming obstacles to become one of the most eminent and forward-thinking scientists of his day.

This week's programme is devoted to all things edible. Writer and podcaster Lucy Chamberlain shares expert tips on growing crops in small spaces and hot dry spots. Allotmenteer Ashley Nwokorie finds delight in growing a taste of her native Zimbabwe – covo or African kale. In the latest part of our Hidden Horticulturists series we highlight the story of Robert Thompson, a Victorian writer who help make gardening accessible to the masses. Host Guy Barter shares tips on hedges for allotments and shares some of his growing fails, proving that even the experts sometimes get it wrong. And finally, award-winning food writer Mark Diacono reveals the Far Eastern spice you can grow in your garden.

From winter floods to summer droughts, water is becoming ever-more of an issue for gardeners. This week, we talk to RHS Water Scientist Janet Manning, to discover clever ways we can all make the most of what we've got. The gardening advice team answers listeners' questions on plants that help prevent flooding, and those that tolerate both drought and waterlogging. Plus a look at the enduring legacy of pioneering plantswoman Beth Chatto's Dry Garden.

Discover a world of daffodils; from their amazing cultivars, the forgotten story of a man who saved them from a dreaded pest to their modern uses in treating Alzheimer’s disease. Plus, do you know the difference between a bulb, corm and a tuber? An RHS gardening advisor busts more botanical jargon.

Growing plants from seed has to be one of gardening’s most profound pleasures, and now is the ideal time to start thinking about what you’re going to grow this year. Today’s programme is jam-packed with great advice, including a surprising rule of thumb you may never have heard of from our resident allotment guru Guy Barter. Plus RHS Gardening Advisor James Lawrence gives tips on growing houseplants from seed and organic grower Claire Ratinon shares her love of tomatoes.

Love is in the airwaves this week. We’re bewitched by witch hazels, exploring the amorous history of the rose and the forgotten love language of flowers. Hear growing advice on roses and a Valentine’s bloom you can pick from the garden on the day itself, the violet. Plus expert flower arranging tips from florists Putnam & Putnam.

Wildlife is a hugely important part of gardens, and one that we’ve come to appreciate all the more in the last year. This week we discover the secret winter lives of native butterflies, learn how to make a wildflower meadow, and unearth why moles can actually be good for gardens. Plus author and wildlife expert Kate Bradbury discusses wildlife in RHS Gardens with editor of The Garden magazine Chris Young, and reflects on how our animal neighbours are helping humans get through lockdown. For links and info please see the show notes or rhs.org.uk/podcast

If you love nature and growing your own, but don't love digging, listen up! This week we're exploring permaculture, an environmentally-friendly way of growing that encompasses both edible, ornamental and wildlife-friendly plants in the same space. Including contributions from grower and forager Poppy Okotcha; Sylvia Travers, Team Leader in the Forest Garden at RHS Garden Bridgewater; and Vera Greutink, permaculturist and author of Edible Paradise.

It's an often-repeated phrase in gardening but putting the 'right plant in the right place' really is a shortcut to growing success. So this week we're exploring how to match plants with places – both indoors and out – to get the absolute best out of your garden and house plants. RHS gardening advisor James Lawrence gives tips on picking the right houseplant for different rooms and garden designer Lee Burkhill shares tips on getting to know your plot. Plus designer and nursery grower Gerry Price offers advice on growing plants in coastal gardens.

In this week’s episode we visit Cambo Gardens in Fife to meet snowdrop enthusiast Lady Catherine Erskine and her impressive collection of these iconic winter flowers. Plus contributions from nurserywoman Jane Rowlinson of Galanthus specialists Morlas Plants, and snowdrop growing tips from RHS gardening advisor Nikki Barker.

As the new year begins, our outdoor spaces seem more important than ever. This week we're looking at gardening can benefit the mind, body and soul. Grower and forager Poppy Okotcha shares the seasonal delights of winter purslane (Claytonia perfoliata) – a little-known salad plant that can provide fresh, healthy greens throughout the coldest months. Award-winning garden designer Juliet Sargeant gives her thoughts on how the way we garden will change in 2021, and what she's doing on her own plot to encourage wildlife. Plus the RHS's first 'Wellbeing Fellow', Dr Lauriane Suyin Chalmin-Pui details the results of a four-year scientific study onto how having a green front garden can reduce stress and improve your mental and physical health.

Do you know why we kiss under the mistletoe, or why holly and ivy are associated with Christmas? Head of RHS Libraries Fiona Davison explores the ancient myth and magic of Christmas plants. How green is your Christmas tree? Hear our guide to making sure your festive focal point doesn't cost the earth. Plus a look at an unusual cactus that grows on trees (and on your windowsill).

From changing patterns of frost and rainfall to increasing risks of summer heatwaves, climate change presents a unique set of challenges – and some opportunities – for gardeners. This week’s show is all about our increasingly variable weather and what it means for gardens, gardeners and our wildlife. Featuring weatherman and BBC broadcaster Peter Gibbs, WWF Head of Climate Change Gareth Redmond-King and RHS Gardening Advisor Nikki Barker.

This year our expert RHS panel comprises Fiona Davison (Head of Libraries and Exhibitions), Chris Young (Editor of The Garden magazine) and Guy Barter (Chief Horticulturist). They share their favourite gardening publications of 2020, and look forwards to some exciting new titles for 2021. We also speak to award-winning author Robert Macfarlane, who, like many people, was dismayed to discover that many nature-related words such as 'bluebell', 'acorn' and 'jay' were being lost from children's dictionaries. Unwilling to sit by and watch nature slip from the consciousness of our young people, he wrote a book – The Lost Words – which is now taught in schools across the country.

Snakebark maples, winter-flowering camellias and a sacred Central American shrub that makes itself at home on our windowsills... there are many amazing plants that give us colour and interest in even the darkest months. We visit the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens* to discover an incredible range of hardy plants that look great all winter. Garden designer Juliet Sargeant gives her seasonal tips for adding interest to your garden at home and we uncover the surprising story of a perennial Christmas favourite, the poinsettia. Plus plantsman and nursery owner Claire Austin's ode to an unusual evergreen iris that flowers from December to March. *Please note that this RHS Partner Garden is open free to RHS members in January and February. See link in the show notes for more detail.

Hear the incredible story of EK Janaki Ammal, a pioneering scientist who overcame race, class and gender discrimination to become the first female botanist at RHS Garden Wisley. Dr Chris Thorogood of Oxford Botanic Garden shares insight into the weird world of mutualism – plants and animals cooperating in unexpected ways to make the most of tough conditions. Plus the RHS gardening advisors gather to answer questions on roses (can you grow them in shade and can you move them?), a passionflower that refuses to bloom and growing herbs in planters.

This week we meet Andrew Forsyth of Weasdale Nurseries in Cumbria who explains the challenges of gardening 850ft up in the hills of Cumbria, and shares tips on how to garden in cold and exposed situations. Kate Risely, head of pioneering research project Garden BirdWatch, explains what changes have been observed since the project launched in 1995. Plus RHS advisors share insight on epiphytic plants and how to encourage birds into your garden.

This week we're unwrapping lots of gardening goodness, from expert seasonal advice and untold stories to wildlife tips. Nursery owner and plantswoman Claire Austin shares inside information on what the people who produce plants for our gardens are doing at this time of year (it's much more than you might think!); Zehra Zaidi tells the little-known story of John Ystumllyn, an 18th century African gardener in North Wales and Helen Bostock heads into the undergrowth to share tips on how to help hedgehogs in your garden.

This week we're all about planning for the months ahead. RHS Gardening Advisor James Lawrence offers tips on how to keep your houseplants happy and healthy through the winter. We visit Holehird Gardens* in Cumbria for inspirational seasonal planting ideas. Plus garden designer Flo Headlam offers tips on how to really make the most of fragrant plants in your garden. *Holehird Gardens are looking forward to welcoming visitors after lockdown. The gardens are un-manned and visitors are encouraged to show their support via the donation boxes.

Join us on a Halloween spooktacular! Dr Chris Thorogood of Oxford Botanic Garden delves into the weird and wonderful world of parasitic 'vampire' plants including the rainforest giant Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world; to one you can grow at home. Plus RHS gardening advisors Leigh Hunt and Becky Mealey talk death in the garden, with a guide to telling if your plants are ill or just resting, and how to rescue them from a near-death experience. Sometimes Frankenstein-style surgery really is the way forward!

From Japanese digging knives to LED growing lights, tools and technology are transforming the way we garden. In this episode RHS experts share some unusual favourite gardening implements. We discuss how technology – from 19th century lawnmowers to 21st century sensors and apps – has changed and continues to change the face of gardening. Chelsea designer Hay Joung Hwang describes how she incorporates technology into her gardens. Paul Myers of Farm Urban explains how a zero-waste underground farm is bringing fresh year-round local food to the heart of Liverpool.

In week's programme we’re going wild for weeds. Author and designer Jack Wallington sings the praises of these much maligned plants and offers ideas for using them in gardens. RHS gardening advisor Nikki Barker offers insight on dealing with Japanese knotweed. California-based educator Indy Srinath shares her love of dandelions and writer Gareth Richards offers insight into the secrets of weeds’ success.

If you thought that fungi are just toadstools, think again. In this episode we discover how they make food, both help and hinder plants, and even inspire music. Featuring author and biologist Merlin Sheldrake, mushroom grower Ann Miller and RHS gardening experts.

This week we're turning young fingers green in a programme dedicated to the gardeners of tomorrow. Alana Cama and RHS Young Ambassador George Hassall hear heartwarming stories of people involved with the RHS Campaign For School Gardening; including last year's School Gardening Champion of the Year, Michelle Jones. Plus Lee Connelly, aka the Skinny Jean Gardener shares tips on how to engage children in gardening.

If you love spring bulbs but aren't sure where to start, we've got you covered. RHS Gardening Advisor Jenny Bowden gives her bulb planting 101 with lots of handy hints and tips; plus some lovely recommendations of which varieties to plant. Organic food grower and writer* Claire Ratinon tells the story of how she got into an ecologically-based way of gardening, and why it matters. Claire gives tips for organic growing in small spaces and containers. Plus garden designer Tom Massey's love letter to London's green lung, Richmond Park.

This week's show is all about saving. Jack Wallington is saving veg for the winter – who doesn't love being able to reach into the freezer or pantry for a quick taste of summer on a cold November day? RHS Water Scientist Janet Manning shares some expert tips on how to make the very best use of water and mulches in your garden, revealing some surprising facts along the way. And as ever our resident gardening guru Guy Barter is full of useful info and gardening tips too.

This week we've a bumper crop of help and advice to get your garden into shape for autumn. RHS experts give timely tips on everything from picking seasonal bedding plants, smartening up your plot, growing lemons and how to prune a purple-leaf elderberry. Horticulturist and TV presenter Flo Headlam gives a garden designer's take on how to get the best from your garden in autumn and shares her favourite plants for late-season impact.

This week we're exploring the weird, wild and wonderful world of foraging with activist Indy Srinath. Dr Chris Thorogood from Oxford Botanic Garden explains the deadly secrets of some of our most common plants and garden designer Juliet Sargeant shares her love of a particular hebe which has some really useful qualities in the garden.

This week we’re exploring the colourful world of floral arrangements. We’re taking a journey from the field to the florist, starting with sustainable British grower Cel Robertson from Forever Green Flower Company. Then, we’re heading to one of the most famous floral centres in the world, New Covent Garden Market, to hear about its history. We’re meeting florist to the stars Simon Lycett in LA as he shares some of his career highlights: from arranging royal wedding flowers, to film set bouquets. Plus we finish with some top tips from our advisory team on how to grow spectacular cut flowers at home.

The transformative power of gardening has never been more evident – or more necessary – than it is now. This week guest presenters TV gardener Danny Clarke and Alana Cama from the RHS Campaign for School Gardening explore communal urban gardens tackling inequality and food poverty in Los Angeles with activist Indy Srinath. Closer to home we meet Tayshan Hayden-Smith. He's CEO of Grow2Know, a non-profit organisation born from the ashes of the Grenfell Tower disaster, that now empowers young people through horticulture. Tayshan talks about breaking through the barriers to make gardening and horticulture truly inclusive and sharing their amazing benefits for health and wellbeing with everyone. Plus a look at what the RHS is doing to promote community gardening across the country.

From growing exotic veg and making Middle Eastern spice mixes to the fascinating world of fermentation, this week's show is dedicated to all things edible.

Seed saving can be a powerful and life-affirming act – permaculture designer Poppy Okotcha shares her thoughts on how and why we should all be saving our own seeds. Resident gardening guru Leigh Hunt dispenses timely gardening advice with his top 10 jobs for August, and RHS advisors discuss rain gardens. Plus: how long can seeds and plants last? Dr Chris Thorogood of Oxford Botanic Garden reveals some surprising facts.

Did you know that the lotus leaf inspired the creation of self-cleaning glass and paints? Or that some tropical carnivorous plants get so big they can eat shrews? Plant hunter and scientist Dr Chris Thorogood shares some of the incredible floral feats that made him fall in love with plants. Garden writer Pattie Barron recounts a meeting with plant that makes a fragrant waterfall of edible foliage with an unmistakeable Mediterranean ambience. Terry Richardson (aka 'The Black Thumb') is a plant paramedic who rescues orchids from bins; hear his tips on turning trash plants into prize specimens. Plus the RHS gardening advice team tackle questions on evergreen shrubs for pots, poorly-looking roses, growing indoor ferns, and how to make your pond water clear.

This week we join in with Tatton Park at Home, as our much-loved Cheshire flower show heads online. Meet designers whose careers have been kickstarted by the show's Young Designer of the Year competition. Last year young designer Charlie Hartigan's 1 in 10 garden won the People's Choice award; hear her story and tips for aspiring designers. We speak to Ruth Bolam from English Country Gardeners to get advice for anyone starting a career as a professional gardener, and hear heuchera tips from the show's Master Growers, Plantagogo.

This week's programme is dedicated to perhaps the quintessential foliage plant, the fern. Firstly, garden designer Danny Clarke shares his love of the majestic tree fern, Dicksonia antarctica. Then we head into the dark and mysterious Stumpery at RHS Garden Rosemoor to meet a magnificent cast of ferns luxuriating in the cool, moist conditions there. Author and journalist Richard Mabey explores a fern frenzy that swept Victorian Britain, the catchily-named Pteridomania. And finally, RHS horticultural advisor Jenny Bowden offers hints and tips on how to get the best out of ferns in your garden.

Writer, broadcaster and houseplant obsessive James Wong encourages us to face our fear of killing plants and reap the incredible benefits of indoor gardening. There's never been a better time to think outside the (plant) pot, curating miniature worlds at home and getting creative with alternative planting spaces such as terrariums. Head of RHS Libraries Fiona Davison explores the history of plant medicine prior to next week's launch of the Healing Garden online exbitition. Erin Lovell Verinder, author of Plants for the People: A Modern Guide to Plant Medicine shares some of the herbal remedies that might just be lurking in our own garden weeds. Plus therapeutic gardener Ozichi Brewster outlines her pioneering social prescribing project at RHS Garden Bridgewater near Manchester.

This week we're gardening on barges, balconies and in bathrooms in a programme dedicated to urban gardening. Writer Alice Vincent dispenses tips on plants, pots and more from her London balcony garden 40ft above the ground. Freddie Blackett of Patch Plants talks about the changing ways we're buying and using houseplants, and permaculture designer Poppy Okotcha shares her experiences gardening on a houseboat in the heart of the city.

Join us on a globetrotting plant extravaganza! Sally Miller from the Barbados Horticultural Society takes us on a totally tropical tour of her paradise island garden. Danny Clarke – aka The Black Gardener – offers trolley-fuls of advice and design tips for making a garden so gorgeous you'll never want to leave it. Dr Chris Thorogood of Oxford Botanic Garden leads us into the steamy jungles of Borneo in search of the world's biggest flower, revealing some of its curious habits along the way. Plus author and columnist Pattie Barron shares her love of Mediterranean gardens and advice on how to give your garden a sun-drenched makeover in just a weekend.

This week we're talking all things edible with a programme entirely devoted to growing your own fruit and vegetables. Award-winning garden designer Juliet Sargeant shares veg garden wisdom in a piece that's a must-listen for anyone starting out on a homegrown journey. Allotment holder and Instagram gardener Kirsty Ward shares her life-long love of gooseberries, along with tips on how to grow them. Plus the RHS Gardening Advice Team answer listeners' questions on crop rotation, Florence fennel and growing veg in the shade.

This week we have an ode to oaks as we celebrate grandfather of British native trees. Wisley Curator Matthew Pottage shares his personal love for Quercus, and wisdom on how to garden with them. Professor Fiona Stafford from the University of Oxford, (author of 'The Long, Long Life of Trees') reveals their history and folklore. Plus Nikki Barker from the RHS Gardening Advice team offers extra advice on ways to use oaks in your garden.

This week we're talking green roofs with designer Ula Maria (past winner of the RHS Young Designer of the Year competition). We have part two of our chat about houseplants with biophilic designers and Virtual Chelsea exhibitors Studio Roco; plus the Gardening Advice team answer members' queries on dealing with lily beetle, groundcover shade planting and growing olives.

Plants might not seem like front-line weapons in our fight to stay healthy, but as our contributors to this week's programme show, green is good for everything from coronavirus to PTSD. My Little Allotment Kirsty Ward tells the story of how she used an allotment to help her rebuild her mental health after being diagnosed with PTSD following a traumatic childbirth experience. Nurse Kate Tantam (who cared for the 84 year old explorer we featured in last week's show as he was recovering from Covid-19) explains how and why hospital gardens are so good for patients. Plus RHS Young Ambassador George Hassall shares his love of the Acer (Japanese maple).

Show Manager Katherine Potsides takes us on a tour of this year's virtual version of the 'Greatest Flower Show on Earth'. Featuring biophilic design from Studio Roco, who give houseplant tips and talk us through their inspiration from artist, film-maker and activist Derek Jarman's renowned seaside garden in Kent. Meanwhile, Fiona Davison, RHS Head of Libraries, explores the show's history and origins, including a look at how the gardens have changed over time. Award-winning designer Tom Massey tells the tale of how unused Chelsea plants have brought joy from tragedy. After the show's cancellation was announced, they were planted in a hospital garden – with transformative results. One patient in particular felt the benefit: seeing this new garden literally gave Robin Hanbury-Tenison (an 84 year-old famous explorer) a new lease of life after his long battle with Covid-19.

This week Chelsea designer Jilayne Rickards and agricultural entrepreneur Beauty Gombana share the stories behind Jilayne's Zimbabwean-themed garden 'Giving Girls a Space to Grow', created for female education charity CAMFED. The advice team answers listeners' questions on subjects including taking cuttings, growing rubber plants and how to improve soil without buying compost. Plus designer Sarah Eberle's ode to the hawthorn tree.

Lots of us are drawing on creative pastimes as a way of getting through the current situation. This week we speak to artist, scientist, author and Deputy Director of the Oxford Botanic Garden, Dr Chris Thorogood. Chris shares his fascination with weird and wonderful plants and offers some expert tips on how to paint and draw them. Fiona Davison explores the history of botanical art at what is generally considered the world's biggest collection of plant paintings, the RHS Lindley Library. Young RHS Ambassador George Hassall is also a fan of plants that bite back, and he tells us about his passion for the gruesomely beautiful pitcher plants, Nepenthes. And finally... our resident allotment guru Guy Barter talks to gardening advisor Leigh Hunt about cunning ways to beat seed shortages and grow your own at home.

As we approach International Dawn Chorus Day this Sunday (3rd May), we've decided to dedicate an entire episode of the podcast to our feathered friends. We meet the RSPB's Adrian Thomas, who orchestrated a top 40-charting single composed entirely of birdsong; RHS wildlife guru Helen Bostock offers advice on how to make your garden bird-friendly, and Dr John Grimshaw of The Yorkshire Arboretum shares his love of peafowl. Plus an unforgettable rook impression from RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter.

Anna Greenland, former Head Vegetable Gardener at Raymond Blanc's renowned restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons shares experiences gained from years of growing veg and herbs for use in Michelin-star meals. Meanwhile Wisley Curator Matthew Pottage muses on monkey puzzles and RHS Gardening Advisor Rebekah Mealey heads into the garden with her daughter Faye to get growing too.

This week we've got seasonal lawncare tips galore, RHS entomologist Andy Salisbury shares his love of beetles, and award-winning designer Lee Burkhill explains how to use gardening to promote mental wellbeing. Plus design duo Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg discuss multi-dimensional design inspirations and storytelling in their creations both at RHS Garden Bridgewater and their garden that would have been at this year's Chelsea Flower Show.

Award-winning designer Sarah Eberle gives us a virtual tour of the garden she designed for this year's Chelsea Flower Show. Plus we're feeling the love for allotments and sharing advice on quick-growing vegetables to provide speedy harvests during lockdown. RHS water scientist Janet Manning explores the results of an experiment to find out how much water hanging baskets really need.

April is always a busy month in the plant world, and despite lockdown, this year is no exception. So this week's show is full of ideas of how to grow when you've nowhere to go. Lee Burkhill, winner of an RHS Feel Good Garden competition, shares his personal guide on how to keep on gardening during lockdown. Plus we're talking houseplants: Wisley Curator Matt Pottage shares one of his all-time favourite plants, and gardening advisor Jenny Bowden offers seasonal care tips. Nikki Barker has some expert help for a listener who wants to keep their herbs in shape, and offers some handy hints on growing herbs indoors.

Our human world might've changed completely in the past few weeks but the joyful beauty of plants and flowers shines brighter than ever. This week, Rob Evans of Pheasant Acre Plants shares his love for one of the brightest stars of flower gardens everywhere, the dahlia. RHS Gardening Advisor Becky Mealey brings us back to earth with some timely advice on how to get the best from peat-free compost, and Jenny Bowden encourages us all to make the most of our front gardens, sharing design tips and planting ideas to make them bloom.

This week's show is a bulging barrowful of edible gardening advice. RHS Horticulturists Guy Barter and Lenka Cooke discuss how to grow tomatoes, recommended tomato varieties and ways to beat blight. The Gardening Advice team gather to debate the best strawberries to grow on a patio and how to get rid of scale insects on a lemon tree. Plus seasonal gardening jobs to do in March.

How do you make your garden wildlife friendly? What are the star plants for helping out the birds and the bees? Horticultural Advisors Jenny Bowden and James Lawrence discuss top tips for bringing nature to your plot. Meanwhile Guy Barter and entomologist Andy Salisbury discuss the results of a pioneering RHS research project to discover whether native plants are better for bugs and Hayley Jones shares advice on what's hot and what's not when it comes to insect hotels. Plus an allotmenteer shares his love of bees.

What flowers can you grow for a September wedding? How do you tame a wisteria that's got a bit too involved with an apple tree? What's the best way to propagate snowdrops? Can you save climbers when replacing a rotten fence? Our team of experts gathers together to solve your gardening questions. Plus, advice on xylella, a major new plant disease; and we continue our mini-series on houseplants as Jane Perrone, Matthew Pottage and Anne Swithinbank share their personal favourites and offer tips on how to care for them.

Wake up and smell the chlorophyll! In a special collaborative edition we're simulcasting with On The Ledge podcast, panelists Jane Perrone, Anne Swithinbank and Matthew Pottage discuss all things houseplant. From their first ever plants that sparked a love of greenery, to what they're growing now, to fantasy houseplants for a fantasy house. Weird, wild and wonderful – full of interesting plant suggestions and practical tips on how to grow them. See our programme page at rhs.org.uk/podcast for a plant list and useful links

This week our resident gardening guru Guy Barter gazes into his crystal ball to make some predictions for the year ahead in horticulture, before heading to the Glasshouse at RHS Garden Wisley to come face to face with some very naughty houseplants. So naughty in fact that they've taken over an entire Victorian house, elbowing the human occupants aside in a verdant invasion that's sure to delight visitors. Garden Manager Emma Allen braves the bristling bromeliads and chess-playing cacti to take Guy round this quirky new attraction. Plus part two of our visit to gardening charity Thrive, who help people with disabilities or ill health to keep on gardening. Training, Consultancy & Education Manager Damien Newman gives useful advice on ways to garden when sight loss becomes an issue.

A look back over the past year to some of the best bits of our gardening podcasts. In March we met the staff and inmates at HMP Hull to find out how an award-winning prison garden has helped transform lives behind bars. Plus garden writer Sally Nex charts her quest for a plastic-free plot, and we discover what curators, editors and other RHS staff members are most looking forward to horticulturally in 2020.

This week we head to Reading to discover how gardening can bring positive life changes to people living with disabilities or ill health, thanks to the work of the charity Thrive. Plus RHS staff share their tips for homegrown Christmas decorations and Wisley's Curator Matthew Pottage shares some seasonal highlights to look out for and tips on houseplants.

Free yourself from everyday mundanities and dive into other worlds from the comfort of your own home... yes it's our annual books special! This year our literary committee share a huge range of favourites, including unusual and delightful books for gifts this Christmas, books to excite children and stimulate the minds of adults too. This year's panel comprises Fiona Davison (Head of Libraries and Exhibitions), Chris Young (Head of RHS Editorial), James Armitage, (Editor of The Plant Review) and Guy Barter (Chief Horticulturist).

With flooding, climate change and wellbeing becoming ever more important topics, planting trees has become a call to arms to anyone interested in making the future a brighter place. We talk to Carol Honeybun-Kelly from the Woodland Trust about a nationwide tree-planting campaign, The Big Climate Fightback. Dr Andrew Hirons, Senior Lecturer in Arboriculture at University Centre Myerscough offers advice on the best trees for challenging urban situations, making some personal selections that should prove resilient in the face of climate change and increasing pest and disease threats. Meanwhile, back at RHS Garden Wisley, our Gardening Advice teams offers tips on how to propagate bear's breeches (Acanthus) and shares advice on how to garden alongside cats and dogs.

What type of hedge is best for trapping pollution? Which hedging plants help mitigate flooding risks? Can you grow roses and clematis together to make a flowering hedge? We went to a recent 'Hedging Your Bets' event at RHS Garden Wisley to find out more. Plus the Gardening Advice team gathers to answer queries on houseplants for a shady bathroom, growing houseleeks and aeoniums, the secrets of making great compost – and whether you can grow your own wasabi peas?!

This week the Wisley teams share their wisdom on growing great veg and dealing with the sweet-sounding but deadly bane of many gardens: honey fungus. Pathologist Matthew Cromey shares the results of recent RHS research which shines new light on which plants are most resistant. Plus the heartwarming story of an unused church plot that was transformed with help from the RHS's Greening Grey Britain campaign into a garden to soothe and feed the mind, body and soul.

Horticulturists Joe Olds and Bernard Boardman are in the orchard at Wisley, discussing how to get the best from apples and grapevines. Alex Hankey talks plant trials and Sabatino Urzo shares the results of a recent People's Choice vote to discover the favourite clematis from a trial of 28 varieties at RHS Garden Harlow Carr. Meanwhile, our gardening advice team gather to answer questions on growing British native trees from seed, making gardens hedgehog-friendly and pruning lavender and rosemary.

As autumn hits its stride we're at RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex to sample the exotic yet seasonal delights of the Global Growth Vegetable Garden with Matthew Oliver and Head Chef James Curtis. Meanwhile back at Wisley, Team Leader Verity Bradbury shares her favourite autumnal plants from the Equinox Borders and entomologist Imogen Cavadino has a call for gardeners to help research into a new(ish) slug on the block which seems to be elbowing out its relatives. (If a slug could elbow!)

This week we return to Wisley for a very special event as HRH The Duchess of Cambridge opens the new Back to Nature Garden, which was inspired by show gardens co-designed by HRH alongside landscape architects Andrée Davies and Adam White at the Chelsea and Hampton Court Palace flower shows. It's a place for families and friends to have fun in nature, while hopefully igniting a love for gardening and growing plants. Plus seasonal gardening advice from entomologist Hayley Jones who offers timely tips on dealing with bugs, Mark Tuson who's busy planting bulbs at Wisley and we meet master daffodil grower Ron Scamp.

As autumn approaches and a new generation of gardeners re-discovers the late-season charms of chrysanthemums, we get expert advice on how to grow them from RHS Master Grower Martyn Fish of Chrysanthemums Direct. We talk to James Armitage, editor of The Plantsman, who shares some exciting news about this magazine for plant lovers ahead of its September re-launch. Plus seasonal lawn-care advice from David Hedges-Gower and joyful garden memories from Chelsea gold medal-winning designers Jilayne Rickards and Miki Sato.

This week we discover two fantastic new gardens - RHS Bridgewater near Manchester, which is gearing up to open its doors in 2020; and the Cool Garden which is already becoming a horticultural highlight at RHS Rosemoor in Devon. As peak hedge-cutting season approaches, hand surgeon Professor Grey Giddins gives some timely advice on gardening health and safety. Plus joyful garden memories from Chelsea designers Andy Sturgeon and Taina Suonio.

This week we're at RHS Wisley where we meet garden managers Peter Jones and Emma Allen who share seasonal horticultural highlights and tips on what to do now. The Gardening Advice team deal with a bulging post bag of queries on a range of topics including lining hanging baskets, feeding tomatoes, summer lawn care, growing plants in pots and more. Plus we have joyful garden memories from designers Sarah Eberle and Chris Beardshaw.

At the last major RHS flower show of the year we're talking bugs, slugs and lawns and visiting the show's Bridgewater garden, which is inspired by the new RHS site that will open in Salford next year. Plus we meet the winner of the Young Designer competition, whose garden aims to raise awareness of some important plant health issues that gardeners need to be aware of this summer.

This week we're going back to nature at the world's biggest annual flower show. Designer Jo Thompson explains how she's gone wild with the BBC Springwatch Garden, Dave Green shares his meditative spaces in the Stop and Pause Garden and Matthew Childs contemplates new approaches to energy use in the Smart Meter Garden. Plus we visit the RHS Back to Nature Garden (co-designed by HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, Andrée Davies and Adam White), discover a drought-tolerant garden in memory of horticultural hero Beth Chatto, meet community allotmenteers and hear a surprising botanical cocktail recipe from food writer Mark Diacono.

This week we uncover untold histories of 19th-century gardeners with Fiona Davison, author and Head of Libraries and Collections at the RHS. Then we head out into the Chelsea crowds to meet Sue and Steve Hall who are part of our purple-clad cadre of volunteers; un-sung modern day gardening heroes who help run the RHS Flower Shows – they share what volunteering means to them. Plus a look at the incredible floral art from the National Association of Flower Arranging Societies (NAFAS) as the organisation celebrates its 70th year.

In this edition we're at the newest RHS Flower Show on the block in the stunning estate of Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. We explore the power of trees, get dazzled by dahlias and inspired by the innovative gardens and plants galore. Plus a live recording of a question and answer session where an expert panel helps showgoers with their thorny gardening questions

This week we're at the world's premier floral extravaganza in the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. We meet garden designers, celebrities and plantspeople to discover the stories behind the gardens and plants that make the show so special.

Our gardening advisors gather to help RHS members with their horticultural queries, including propagating peperomias and repotting aloe veras, growing cauliflowers successfully and when to plant an acer. Plus Wisley horticulturist Bernard Boardman offers seasonal tips on garden ponds and broadcaster Matthew Biggs shares insights from his new book, A Nation in Bloom.

This week we head across the Severn Bridge to the RHS Flower Show Cardiff. Guest presenter James Alexander-Sinclair chairs a panel of gardening experts – Rob Evans from Pheasant Acre Plants, Jane Linsday from Tynings Climbers and Chairman of RHS South West in Bloom Jon Wheatley – who answer a bumper crop of show-goers' queries. Topics covered include which plants to grow with children in a community garden, which plants give you most return for your effort, how to get a bougainvillea to flower, dealing with overgrown trees in pots, and more. We also hear from some of the plant exhibitors and garden designers. (Ep 153: 25 Apr 2019) Selected plants mentioned: Verbena bonariensis, bougainvillea, Edgeworthia chrysantha (paperbush), Trachelospermum (star jasmine)

In this mini-edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, James Alexander-Sinclair chairs a panel of experts who answer show-goers' plant puzzles on the first day of the show. A full version of the Question and Answer session will be broadcast on 25 April.

Our trusty advisors gather to help RHS members with their gardening problems including what to do about an apple tree that produces nasty apples, which are the most blackspot resistant roses and how to stop your peace lilies going brown. Garden writer Melissa Mabbitt and Deputy editor of The Garden magazine Phil Clayton debate this month's hot topic – whether forcing plants out of season is an acceptable sales tactic. And finally, Jenny Bowden reveals the results of a nationwide survey into which plants are most deer resistant. Selected blackspot-resistant roses: Rosa rugosa , 'Roseraie de l'Hay', 'Blanche Double de Coubert', 'Shepherdess'

This week we meet the staff and inmates at HMP Hull and discover how a prison garden has helped transform lives behind bars. Last year the prison's horticultural achievements won them the coveted Windlesham Trophy, an RHS award for the best prison garden. Meanwhile back at RHS Garden Wisley we meet pathologist Matthew Cromey who shares advice on the top 10 plant diseases reported to our gardening advice service last year. And finally, entomologist Andy Salisbury introduces a new kind of insect that marks the first new 'order' to be found in the UK in over a century.

As the annual Hit Parade of garden nasties is revealed, Entomologist Andy Salisbury shares the results and offers advice on how to deal with them. Meanwhile the Gardening Advice team gathers to debate questions sent in from young gardeners at St Patrick's School in Stratford, including whether you can grow flowers from flowers and how to tell a good caterpillar from a bad one. And following the recent announcement of a forthcoming ban on metaldehyde-based slug pellets, our resident gastropod guru Dr Hayley Jones offers research-based advice on slug and snail control. Plus questions from members on box problems, growing your own dye plants and dealing with blackfly. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

This week we lift the lid on the RHS Herbarium, a unique collection of dried plant material from around the world that's used by scientists, researchers and artists. We learn how and why samples are prepared for inclusion – and share the recent discovery of a very special part of the collection: a potato that was brought back from the voyage of HMS Beagle by Charles Darwin. Plus, plant pathologist Matthew Cromey shares tips with Guy Barter on how gardeners can avoid potato blight and Chris Young gets an insider's view on what visitors can expect at this year's RHS Flower Show Cardiff. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

We visit RHS Garden Wisley to discover the new plant propagation facilities and what they mean for the gardeners there. And it's not just plants that the RHS is cultivating: as we look to the next generation of horticulturists there's still time to enter the Young School Gardener of the Year competition. Plus an exploration of our Partner Gardens, more than 200 glorious gardens nationwide (and overseas) that open their gates for free to RHS members at selected times throughout the year; and our advice team troubleshoots a poor courgette harvest and offers suggestions on replacing an overgrown shrub border. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

This week we follow in the footsteps of the Duchess of Cambridge who recently visited King Henry’s Walk Garden in Islington, an RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood group, to meet the community gardeners. Meanwhile back at our horticultural HQ, we meet Fiona Davison, Head of Libraries and Collections, who shares details of an exciting programme of upcoming exhibitions on hidden horticulturists, digging for victory and more. Plus a look into the murky waters of garden ponds to discover the difference between frog, toad and newt spawn and  get advice on how to protect these valuable garden amphibians. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

What can you plant for winter colour - that's not a dogwood? Should you remove the yellow leaves on sprouts? Tune in and find out the answers to these and lots more seasonal gardening questions. We talk to pest and disease experts to find out how the wild weather of 2018 affected plants and gardens. Plus a look at what's coming up at RHS Flower Shows this year. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

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

The Gardening Advice team gathers together for a bumper question-and-answer session, sorting out enquiries ranging from whether you can grow your own vine leaves, which figs grow best in the UK, using an old hot water tank as a pond, how to get rid of those pesky little compost flies in your houseplants, and more. Plus ideas for last-minute Christmas presents and a look at 2018's changes at RHS Garden Wisley. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

Wildlife expert and writer Kate Bradbury shares her top tips on what to do now to help garden wildlife through the winter. Paul Wood discusses the past, present and future of street trees, and shares some of his discoveries of the more unusual botanical residents of our towns and cities. Meanwhile back at RHS HQ, our magazine team debates the pros and cons of the 'novelty' plants - painted, bejewelled with glitter and more - that seem to pop up everywhere at this time of year. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

In this special edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we're joined by experts and authors who discuss their favourite gardening books both classic and modern, and give recommendations of books for presents this Christmas. For more information, including a list of the titles mentioned, please see rhs.org.uk/bookspodcast

Nestled in a Devon valley, RHS Garden Rosemoor blends formal and informal plantings to magical effect. From delightful cottage gardens to orchards, vegetables and peaceful woodland plantings, there's something for everyone, at any time of year. Join us as we go behind the scenes, meeting the people who make it all happen and uncovering the garden's history along the way. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

A visit to the recent RHS Urban Garden show uncovers an ultraviolet garden, dancing plants, terrariums and much more. Plus a delve into dahlias, what to do with an abundant grape harvest and smaller, slug-resistant sunflowers. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

This week's podcast is all about gardening winners - from Edwardian trailblazer who ruffled feathers by daring to win a nationwide horticultural competition while being a woman - to brilliant begonias, which won the RHS People's Choice Award last year on the Wisley trials field. Plus a look at how RHS Plant Trials are conducted and what the Awards of Garden Merit they produce mean for gardeners. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

The RHS Campaign for School Gardening touches the lives of hundreds of thousands of children throughout the UK, providing children with gardening opportunities to enhance their skills while boosting their development and wellbeing. We meet the people behind the campaign as well as the winners of its recent School Gardening Awards. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

This week's episode is jam-packed with helpful info on growing your own fruit and veg, including pumpkins and squashes, courgettes, garlic, pears, French and runner beans and more. Plus the Garden Advisors discuss banishing an over-enthusiastic Virginia creeper and growing cut flowers for a wedding. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

If you go down to the shops today, you're in for a big surprise. If you live in Sheerwater, Surrey, that is - where a new community garden is taking root as a result of an innovative new partnership between community groups, the RHS, local councils and the HLF*. Plus our Gardening Advice team gather to untangle a postbag bulging with horticultural heartaches including questions on dahlias, damsons, roses, hydrangeas, sweetcorn and more. 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

We head behind the scenes at Wisley to find out what RHS scientists are studying in their ongoing work to keep our beloved garden plants safe and healthy. And with just a few weeks to go until the ever-popular People's Dahlia Competition at the Wisley Flower Show, we get some top tips on how to get the best from these colourful flowers. Back in the science department, Dr Hayley Jones shares some wisdom on wasps and pathologist Matthew Cromey gives an update on ash dieback and what gardeners can do about it. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

Join us on a journey through a Floral Fantasia and around the world in 80 veg... As our easternmost garden reaches the end of a multi-million pound investment programme, we visit a revitalised site that's bursting with colourful flowers and exotic edibles, discover what's new for visitors and find out how it has become more environmentally sustainable. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

This week we're at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park in Cheshire, revelling in this floral extravaganza in the glorious Cheshire countryside. We explore some of the show highlights before heading into 'The Beehive' with author and broadcaster Matthew Biggs who chairs a live question and answer session with gardening experts Mark Diacono, Lia Leendertz and Tony Dickerson. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

Join us at the largest annual flower show on earth! We meet horticultural hero Piet Oudolf, chef and home-grown veg champion Raymond Blanc, RHS Master Grower Matt Soper of Hampshire Carnivorous Plants, among others in this whistle-stop tour of just a few of the highlights of this incredible show. Plus garden designer and TV presenter Ann-Marie Powell gives a guided tour of Countryfile's 30th Anniversary Garden. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

Designer Ann-Marie Powell explains the ideas behind her garden celebrating 30 years of BBC’s Countryfile, which aims to inspire and reconnect visitors with nature. The space explores a critically important world residing on our doorsteps as well as the wider countryside. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

This year at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show there's a real feeling of coming together and growing communities alongside delicious, healthy food. We meet the people behind these transformational gardens that promise to be a treat for the mind, body and soul. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

To mark the centenary of the first female suffrage in the UK, the RHS asked four female designers, all aged under 30, to create gardens to resonate with different lifestyles and reflect the owner's personality and way of life. It's the ideal category for visitors wanting ideas to create a garden at home that they can fall in love with, as Show Manager Gemma Lake and designer Lilly Gomm explain. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

As new plantings emerge from the dust and hubbub of the redevelopments at Wisley, we explore the Wisteria Walk and Heather Landscape. Plus a round-up of RHS partner gardens to visit this summer, results of a two-year science research project into how gardeners can best deal with carrot fly and wildlife writer Kate Bradbury rallies gardeners in defence of some surprising allies - wasps! For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

This week we're at the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show in Derbyshire, revelling in this floral extravaganza in the heart of the Peak District. Florist Jonathan Moseley reveals the UK's largest ever orchid display and James Alexander-Sinclair chairs a live question and answer session with leading gardening experts including Martin Fish, Leigh Hunt and Helen Bainbridge. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

One of the greatest gardeners of the 20th century, Beth Chatto, recently died at the age of 94. Beth was admired and loved by family, friends and gardeners around the world. One of those friends was another legendary plantsman, Roy Lancaster. He visited the garden in Essex she created with her late husband, Andrew, to discuss the development of what she described as a "horticultural and ecological experiment". Hear Beth and Roy in an interview which was to become an article, Dear Mrs Chatto, in the January 2010 issue of The Garden magazine.

Garden designer, TV presenter and RHS flower show judge James Alexander-Sinclair takes us on a journey into the heart and soul of the Chelsea Flower Show, exploring top-end design, incredible plants and planting, and meeting the people who make it all happen and the celebrities who turn out in force to soak up the Chelsea buzz. Find out about feel-good gardens, exciting new plants and garden products, and get design tips for your garden. This year's show also shows the power of gardening as a force for good. We meet the creator of The Lemon Tree Trust Garden, inspired by the gardens of Domiz refugee camp in Iraq. It's a heartwarming tale of human spirit and triump over adversity, and the RHS is proud to have been able to support the Trust in its work. We also speak to Baroness Floella Benjamin and singer and actress Beverley Knight about Birmingham City Council's display celebrating 70 years since the Empire Windrush arrived in Britain, marking the beginning of a new chapter in our nation's history. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

In the final part of our exclusive behind-the-scenes Chelsea preview podcasts, we meet designer Matt Keightley who's in the process of creating a trailblazing health and wellbeing garden - the RHS Feel Good Garden - which will live on after the show as a permanent garden at the Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

Get an exclusive peek behind the scenes of the greatest flower show on earth. Today we celebrate the real stars of the show – the plants! Designers Chris Beardshaw, Bunny Guinness and Kate Gould share their insights into the planting in this year’s show gardens and Show Manager Katherine Potsides outlines some of the other plant highlights to look out for. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

Get an exclusive peek behind the scenes of the greatest flower show on earth! Join us as we discover what's in store in our new 'Space to Grow' garden category, meeting designer Kate Gould who shares the trials, triumphs and tribulations that are all part and parcel of the Chelsea experience, along with a healthy dose of tips and hints for making the most of small, urban gardens. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

Hear behind the scenes interviews with award-winning garden designer Jo Thompson and Show Manager Katherine Potsides, who give a tantalising preview of the show and explore the increasing presence of women at Chelsea from designers to engineers and planting teams. Wildlife gardening expert Kate Bradbury shares a call to arms for gardeners to get involved in the Great British Bee Count, and we get timely advice from RHS experts on growing your vegetables – including how to avoid blossom end rot on tomatoes and how to grow a giant beanstalk! For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

Garden designer and television presenter James Alexander-Sinclair meets Sue Biggs, RHS Director General to discuss the Society's plans to invest millions of pounds in the future of gardening - revolutionising our gardens and horticultural research. Plus advice on restoring damaged lawns, coping with cats in the garden and suggestions on shrubs for clay soil. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

We speak to orchid experts at the recent RHS London Orchid Show and Plant Fair to get top tips on how to grow these most alluring of houseplants. Author and naturalist Jon Dunn shares his love of the native orchids that grow across the British Isles. Plus we talk to the people behind the incredible orchid displays planned for this year's RHS Chatsworth Flower Show. Chris Bavin, presenter of BBC's Britain in Bloom shares his experiences in filming the series, and we continue our countdown of the top garden problems from last year; this time it's over to diseases - will honey fungus stay top of the rots? For more info including plants mentioned and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

The results are in! A gruesome lineup of slugs, bugs and other garden baddies has been compiled in our annual round-up of the most troublesome garden pests. We head to the Laboratory to find out who's on the list and how to deal with them, and then out into the garden to see what's going on in the beds and borders at Wisley. Plus we open the postbag to discuss RHS members' enquiries on growing fruit in pots, whether you can grow your own edamame beans and how to minimise plastic and peat use in the garden. For more info including plants mentioned and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

Hear timely tips on what to do now if you want to grow fruit this year, plus we meet Wisley's plant propagation team and scientist Hayley Jones shares hints on how to get wildlife on side to help against common garden pests. And should gardeners be worried about sepsis? We get expert advice on this and other gardening health and safety issues. Plus news on our I Can Grow campaign and botanist James Armitage unearths more horticultural histories in his latest Wisley Plant Encounter. For more info see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

Can houseplants be dangerous for pets? And what is the new plant disease Xylella and how can gardeners avoid it? The Gardening Advice team discusses these and other enquiries, while Wisley Curator Matthew Pottage shares his love of houseplants, focusing on one old favourite in particular. Plus we hear about an exciting new garden feature planned for Wisley later this year. For links to more information on the topics discussed see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

The RHS Shows season got off to a flying start with the Early Spring Plant Fair last week. We went along to marvel at the hanging snowdrop extravaganza and meet the growers and celebrity experts who make it all happen - including Alys Fowler who gives seasonal houseplant tips and the team from Birmingham Botanical Gardens who share insight into the wonderful world of cyclamen. Plus a look at the RHS Master Grower Scheme, which is now in its third season. For links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

Discover the benefits and pleasures of growing indoor plants, and get some expert tips on how to make yours flourish. Experts pick their favourite houseplants and share tips on common pitfalls to avoid. Plus we discuss the findings of ongoing RHS research into the health benefits of growing indoor greenery, and get an insider's guide on how to keep your flytraps happy. For links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

As we begin the slow ascent to spring, the advice team shares wisdom on how to tackle rabbits eating bulbs, organic slug control, and whether you can grow the seaside plant samphire in Birmingham among other queries. Plus discover what's in store at our upcoming London Shows and how you can enter your favourite plants into one of the many RHS horticultural competitions. For links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast

We visit the press launch for 2018's Chelsea Flower Show to discover the exciting gardens in store this year. Our trusty team of gardening experts answers questions on how to dig safely, keeping potted Christmas trees alive, whether you can grow houseplants in dark rooms, and what to do about a lawn that keeps dying. Plus botanist James Armitage unearths more horticultural histories in his latest Wisley Plant Encounter ( see www.rhs.org.uk/wisleyplantencounters ).

Are you dotty about dahlias, fanatical about ferns or ardent about alpines? Then why not join a plant society? In this episode we meet a band of enthusiasts who are keen to share a love of plants with others and help new gardeners grow their favourite plants. Plus part two of our mini-series on attracting birds to your garden.

We look back at the best bits of 2017 including 'feel good' gardens at Chelsea, a brand new flower show at Chatsworth and groundbreaking RHS research on gardening in a changing climate. Plus botanist James Armitage meets an incredibly ancient plant in his latest Wisley Plant Encounter. See www.rhs.org.uk/wisleyplantencounters

The gardening advisors gather to solve queries on what you can prune now, whether you can plant trees in winter and how to protect bay trees from cold weather. Resident wildlife expert Helen Bostock meets Adrian Thomas from the RSPB to find out which birds come to Britain in winter and how gardeners can encourage our feathered friends. Plus a look at the incredible transformation happening to Wisley's iconic Laboratory building, and the science team discusses two emerging threats to a traditional Christmas favourite, the chestnut.

We visit a thriving community garden in an unlikely spot close to the M1 in Bedfordshire, and speak to local residents and volunteers who say it has changed their lives. Meanwhile, Wisley's curator Matt Pottage meets life-long conifer fan Adrian Bloom who encourages gardeners to take another look at these much-maligned plants.

Our trusty team of gardening experts answers questions on growing rhubarb, pears and strawberries. Plus we hear about a new RHS study on honey fungus and botanist James Armitage unearths more horticultural histories in his latest Wisley Plant Encounter. Listen out too for some of the seasonal highlights from our hundreds of partner gardens, as selected by Garden Visits Editor Sian Thomas.

We visit the RHS London Autumn Garden Show to hear expert advice on growing an edible forest garden, growing avocado plants and some imaginative ideas on floristry from the RHS Floral Artist in Residence. We’re also joined by bird and wildlife enthusiast Bill Oddie who recalls memories of the gardens of his youth and how they inspired his love of birds.

Wisley's Curator Matthew Pottage shares seasonal gardening tips and gives us an update on all the exciting new developments that are transforming RHS Garden Wisley. We visit the RHS London Harvest Festival Show to hear growing tips and fascinating ideas for uses of garlic. Plus, botanist James Armitage unearths an ancient larch tree with a mysterious past in his latest Wisley Plant Encounter.

We visit Wisley's stunning new Exotic Garden to discover the plants that give it such a tropical ambience, and get tips of how to get the look at home. Wildlife expert Kate Bradbury makes the case for being relaxed about autumn tidy-ups to provide habitats for overwintering wildlife. Meanwhile at the Lindley Library, we discover an exhibition of the RHS's remarkable 200-year project to protect heritage apples.

Wisley’s fruit specialists join the advisory team to answer listeners' questions, including poorly strawberries, maggoty apples and rotten tomatoes. We also visit RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex to discover the amazing wildlife that now shares our easternmost garden, and botanist James Armitage concludes his ongoing series of Wisley plant encounters.

Chickpeas, yard-long beans and shark's fin melons... all on a windy hilltop near Chelmsford... we visit RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex to hear some inspirational Grow Your Own ideas from their new Global Growth Vegetable Garden. We also hear about some of the latest research the RHS has conducted in the Plant For Bugs project and as usual we have all the latest on events across our RHS Gardens.

We visit RHS Garden Hyde Hall to discover a garden undergoing an incredible transformation, with huge new meadows linking it to the surrounding countryside. The RHS advisory team is back to answer listeners' seasonal questions including distorted leaves on fuchsias, moving roses, which tulips will come back next year and how to deal with whitefly. Plus we hear the latest instalment in botanist James Armitage’s Wisley plant encounters.

Curator Matt Pottage shares his personal highlights from RHS Garden Wisley this summer, and reveals how the redevelopment of the garden is progressing. Wildlife expert Kate Bradbury visits Chapel End Early Years Centre in East London to discover low-cost ways of encouraging wild creatures, and owner of a pioneering French nursery shares his tips for getting the best out of your orchids.

In this edition we have a focus on slugs - how to identify different species and how they can actually help your garden. We also have news on family events across all four RHS Gardens as well as the latest in our continuing series of Wisley Plant Encounters. The RHS advisory experts answer this month’s listeners' questions covering topics such as summer pruning of wisteria, growing courgettes and tips for making your soil more workable.

This week's edition comes from the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, where BBC's Hairy Bikers share their love of edible gardening in the RHS Kitchen Garden, created by award-winning designer Juliet Sargeant. Plus we discover cunning designs aimed at coping with climate change, and reconnecting children with nature through play.

We visit the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show in Derbyshire for some expert advice on gardening in a changing climate and moveable gardens. Botanist James Armitage reads the latest in his series of Wisley Plant Encounters, discovering some of the garden's more unusual residents.

If you’re interested in gardening, why not grow your knowledge with the RHS? Anyone can learn with us; whether you’d like to take a day course to find out how to prune your apple tree or become a fully-qualified gardener, we can help. Hear stories from people whose lives have been transformed by getting into horticulture in this special edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast.

We go behind the scenes at the Chelsea Flower Show to speak to the unsung show garden heroes and find out what it really takes to make a medal-winning show garden. We also catch up on this year’s RHS Photographic Competition and meet the lucky winners of the Greening Grey Britain garden.

As this year’s gardens take shape, we visit the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to meet the designers. These include the brand-new, sensory Feel Good Gardens, created in conjunction with BBC Radio 2 DJs and celebrities including Jo Whiley and Jo Malone. Plus we have seasonal expert advice on questions including poorly-looking tomato plants and a wisteria whose flowers have changed colour.

Botanist James Armitage continues his series of Wisley Plant Encounters with a look at a tree peony with a back-story that spans the globe. Team leader Sam Gallivan explains where the missing plants at Wisley have gone; and following a major new report, the horticultural advisors discuss what climate change means for gardeners. Useful links: Gardening in a Changing Climate report Wisley Plant Encounters

Let your gardening imagination run riot at our world-famous flower shows this year. In this special edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we meet people behind the shows including designers, judges and show managers to find out what’s in store for 2017 and look back at the highlights of 2016.

Our gardening experts help listeners with queries including rabbit-proof plants, tulips with no flowers and dealing with a lopsided plum tree. We meet the manager of the Chelsea Flower Show to find out about BBC Radio 2's new Feel Good Gardens, and we celebrate 30 years of the RHS Plant Finder. Plus, botanist James Armitage continues his series of Wisley Plant Encounters (open full description for links). Useful links: Feel Good Gardens Wisley Plant Encounters

Hear the latest on the redevelopments at Wisley with Curator Matthew Pottage and find out about the huge range of events at RHS Gardens over the Easter holidays. We visit Angell Town to find out if the residents are still enjoying their relocated 'Greening Grey Britain' Chelsea Show Garden from last year, and discover how you can win plants from a garden at this year's Chelsea Flower Show.

We visit the fruit and vegetable gardens at Wisley to find out what seasonal jobs the gardeners are up to. Following on from episode 100, we discover which plant diseases plagued gardeners the most last year. Entomologist Anna Platoni shares tips on how to encourage native butterflies into the garden, while botanist James Armitage heads into the woods on the trail of beautiful vampire.

With the recent release of the RHS top 10 pests and diseases 2016 list, our horticultural advisors get together to help gardeners deal with these troubles. Topics covered include small trees that are resistant to honey fungus, slugs and snails, vine weevils and fuchsia gall mite. We also discuss raised beds and seasonal gardening jobs to help you get ahead this spring.

Do you have problems with your pots or suffer complications with your containers? Luckily help is at hand as our RHS gardening advisors and scientists sit down to help listeners get the best from their potted plant treasures. Topics include which compost to use, how to deal with pests and diseases and to crock or not to crock!

Our gardening experts help listeners with queries including how to use plants to tackle air pollution, dealing with an ugly concrete path, making gardens hedgehog-friendly and what to do if your hellebore won't flower. We also discover the wide range of educational opportunities on offer for adults looking to pursue a career in horticulture.

We’re at Wisley to see some of the highlights of the garden in winter including an update on the Winter Walk, butterflies in the Glasshouse and Bernard Boardman gives his expert guide to building the perfect pond.

As we welcome in 2017, we hear the latest news about redevelopments at RHS Garden Wisley from curator Matthew Pottage, plus the RHS Advisory Team are on hand to tackle some tricky new year gardening questions - including composting fallen fruit, caring for African violets and a sticky problem with a star jasmine. Plus all the latest on events across our four gardens.

In our final 2016 edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, the team revisit some favourite interviews from a busy and productive year at the Royal Horticultural Society - from the winning designers at the Chelsea Flower Show, invaluable advice from our expert Horticultural Advisors, words of inspiration from RHS Ambassador for young people, Baroness Floella Benjamin and our community project at Angell Town. We also hear Wisley Curator Matthew Pottage’s plans for the garden in 2017.

As we approach Christmas it's all about fruit and festivities as the Wisley gardening team discuss winter pruning of apple trees and our advice team scour the RHS shop for those all-important last minute Christmas gift ideas for garden lovers. We also have all the latest news on holiday events across our four RHS gardens.

In this special edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we're joined by experts and authors who discuss their favourite gardening books both classic and modern, and give recommendations of books for presents this Christmas. For a list of the books mentioned, please see rhs.org.uk/books-podcast

In a special edition of the RHS Members' Podcast, open to everyone, our Gardening Advice team tackles listeners' questions including what to do about a Bramley apple tree with tiny fruit, how to plant gooseberries and how to feed young trees. Plus, RHS Ambassador, Baroness Floella Benjamin, shares her love of gardening (the second part of an interview from episode 94 of the fortnightly RHS Gardening Podcast).

The RHS advisors are in session, helping gardeners pick the best plants for upright accents, sorting out sickly Brussels sprouts and rooting around the cause of a death in the shrubbery. Plus seasonal tips on lawncare, dealing with pesky garden flies and looking after your vegetable garden among other topics.

At the recent RHS Shades of Autumn Show, Anne Swithinbank gives us her essential seasonal gardening tasks, and expert nursery growers reveal their choices for plants that can bring sensational autumn colour into your garden. Plus, RHS Ambassador Baroness Floella Benjamin shares her enthusiasm for gardening and inspiring the next generation of gardeners.

We look at the benefits of leafmould and how we can create it, and general compost, for the garden. Plant suggestions for difficult situations and how to deal with usual and unusual autumn pests. We also catch up with gardeners from Angell Town on their visit to a master class at Wisley.

The team visit the annual RHS London Harvest Show at the Lindley Hall to meet award-winning nursery growers and hear expert advice on fruit and vegetables as well as exploring the ever-popular Giant Pumpkin Competition. We also hear about some exciting changes to this year’s RHS Photographic Competition and as always, we have the latest news on events across our four gardens.

The RHS Gardening Advice team tackle listeners' questions on dealing with lily beetles, which bulbs combine well for dazzling spring displays, and how to repair lawns after a summer of wear and tear. We also visit the Wisley Flower Show and meet visitors and growers including experts on ferns, dahlias and airplants. Useful links: Take part in our lily beetle survey RHS Advice: planting bulbs Autumn lawn care

This week we're at RHS Garden Wisley getting tips from the professionals on the very best rose varieties and what to plant with them for a long-lasting and fragrant display. Entomologist Andy Salisbury gives seasonal advice on dealing with vine weevils and chafer grubs, and resident vegetable expert Mario Di Pace shares his tips on growing onions, garlic and shallots - finishing with some delicious recipe ideas.

The RHS Advice team answer listeners' questions on camelias, acers and caring for trees that are close to buildings; plus we have seasonal advice on apples and an expert guide to propagating tender perennials. Plus an update on late summer events across the four RHS Gardens.

We’re in Cheshire for the 2016 RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. Listen to all the best bits from the show including expert advice from local nurseries, the winning gardens in the 2016 RHS Young Designer of the Year Competition and all of the Tatton favourites, including inspiring ideas for back-to-back gardens.

THis week we answer a bumper crop of gardening questions, including: • How to get clear water in your pond • Which fruit and veg are wildlife-friendly • How to grow bottlebrush plants • Growing potatoes for Christmas • Spotting and controlling box tree moth Plus Wisley's youngest-ever curator, Matthew Pottage discusses the garden's big plans for the future, and RHS edibles guru Jim Arbury gives advice on seasonal tasks in the vegetable and fruit garden.

Renowned for its rose displays, fantastic shopping opportunities and innovative garden displays, the show is a wonderful day out for garden lovers of all ages and runs until the 10th July. We hear from garden designers at the show, speak to the winners of this year’s RHS and BBC Garden Design Competition, ’A Feel Good Front Garden’, and have some expert advice on creating gardens with man’s best friend in mind.

We’re at Columbia Road Flower Market in East London with RHS on Tour - a pop-up event showcasing some of the best that RHS shows have to offer in local communities. We also hear details of our exciting new RHS Show at Chatsworth in 2017 and there's seasonal advice for jobs to do in your own gardens right now, including tips on spotting rosemary beetles and collecting seed.

Wisley’s Edibles team give seasonal advice on caring for fruit, award-winning designers at the 2016 RHS Chelsea Flower Show have tips on moving plants and the RHS Gardening Advice team answer listeners' gardening queries on everything from pests including pigeons, caterpillars and squirrels, to keeping bamboo within bounds.

We talk to leading designers, celebrities and nursery-people at the world's most famous flower show, including Cleve West, Jo Thompson, Richard E Grant and Diarmuid Gavin. Discover the inspirations behind award-winning gardens, and join us as we celebrate a surge in female designer talent at this year's show.

Get your garden into gear with professional advice on what to do now. We visit the RHS Allotment project at Wisley, and as always we have the latest news on events across our four RHS Gardens. The RHS Gardening Advice team answer listeners' seasonal questions on a wide range of topics including: • growing rainbow chard • how to prune early-flowering clematis • choosing the right jasmine for you • what to do if your daffodils didn't flower

Hear our expert guide to fertilisers, including all you need to know about those essential nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium combinations. We celebrate 150 years of the RHS magazine for members, 'The Garden’ and we have what to do now tips from Wisley’s Edible plants team. Plus all the latest spring events across our four RHS Gardens.

Expert advice from RHS Garden Wisley on what to do in your garden this week, including controlling bindweed and preparing your pots. Our Horticultural Advisors answer listeners' questions on fig trees, repairing lawns and watering succulents. Also, herb expert and RHS Ambassador Jekka McVicar explores how to improve health and wellbeing through plants.

It's an exciting time for horticultural science, and in response to new opportunities (and new challenges), the RHS has launched a five year plan: the 'RHS Science Strategy 2015–2019'. We go behind the scenes to find out what this will mean for gardens and gardeners up and down the country, as well as unearthing details of exciting plans for a new science centre at RHS Garden Wisley.

We venture into the fruit and vegetable gardens at Wisley to learn what to do in March to ensure the best performance from your fruit and vegetables in the year ahead. We also hear about plans to keep gardeners fit during this year’s National Gardening Week and we have the latest on new additions to the RHS Lindley Library - an Aladdin's cave of rare books and exquisite botanical art which is now more accessible than ever before. All of that plus the latest news on Easter events across the four RHS Gardens.

We visit the RHS Early Spring Plant Fair in London for seasonal hints and tips from leading nurseries. We also hear an expert guide to composting and the RHS Gardening Advice team are on hand to answer listeners' gardening questions.

As well as outlining gardening tasks you can do now our expert horticulturists, from RHS Garden Wisley, explain how to choose, plant and care for your roses, whether they are bush, climbers or hybrid teas. Plus the RHS advisors answer some of the most common questions gardeners ask about roses, and we have details of the latest RHS events.

As the days finally start to lengthen, there's plenty to be getting on with in the garden. Matt Pottage, Curator at RHS Garden Wisley, gives advice on dividing snowdrops and what to do in the rose garden this month. Meanwhile, the Gardening Advice team tackle a range of questions, including: • Which fruit and veg to grow in a small shady area • Using 'vintage' recycled materials in your garden • How to spot box blight and what to plant instead We also get inspiration for houseplants from the Glasshouse at Wisley, and give details of events across the four RHS Gardens.

The RHS Gardening team at Wisley share their seasonal suggestions of what you can be doing in your greenhouses and gardens to get ahead for spring. We also hear expert advice on dealing with extreme weather including waterlogging and cold temperatures. We have news on the latest research into how gardening can improve mental and physical health, plus Matthew Pottage, Curator at RHS Garden Wisley, gives his suggestions for plants with coloured stems that bring that a much-needed injection of colour at this time of year.

The garden team at Wisley give expert tips on the first jobs you should be doing this year including both soil and greenhouse preparation. Our team of horticultural advisors answer listeners' questions on a wide range of topics including. • Quick-growing plants for screening • Growing monkey puzzle trees • Heritage apple recommendations We also explore Italy with a look at RHS Gardening Holidays as well as events closer to home, with the latest on activities across the four RHS Gardens

The RHS Gardening Advice team answer seasonal questions on festive favourites including poinsettias, cranberries and scented wreaths. RHS Wisley’s new curator, Matthew Pottage talks us through the gardens' winter highlights and we have the latest news on Christmas and New Year events across our the RHS Gardens

We take a look back at the highlights of the gardening calendar from the past 12 months. Hear the best bits from our fortnightly podcasts from 2015 as we give seasonal advice, go behind the scenes at our RHS Flower shows and discover hidden gems of our four RHS Gardens. With advice on a wide range of topics from Grow Your Own, plants for shade, pests and diseases, garden design and much more, our 2015 review is an essential listen for gardeners of any level.

Many plants are winding down for winter, however December is still a busy time for gardeners. We speak to the team at RHS Garden Wisley to find out the seasonal jobs they are doing around the garden. Our RHS Advisors answer your questions on subjects including: starting in a new garden from scratch, planting apple trees and how to care for olive trees. We discover the berries, flowers, colourful stems and evergreen foliage on display in Wisley's Winter Walk. There is also an update of the latest events taking place at our four RHS Gardens.

Droughts and floods cause problems for gardeners - but what if your garden suffers from both? Our expert RHS Advisors offer tips and discuss their latest research in this area. We speak to plantsman Matthew Biggs about his latest book, ‘RHS Lessons from Great Gardeners: Forty Gardening Icons and What They Teach Us’; and as the festive period fast approaches, we have details of events across our four RHS Gardens.

Matt Pottage, Acting Curator at RHS Garden Wisley gives expert advice on seasonal tasks. The RHS Gardening Advice team answer listeners' questions on topics including: • Growing climbers in shade • Suggestions on how to get started in a new garden • Ideas for potted wedding presents Plus we have a comprehensive guide to planting bare-root trees as well as the latest news on events across our four RHS Gardens.

We take you behind the scenes of the world-famous RHS flower shows, with sneak previews of what’s in store at RHS shows for 2016, how to get discounted tickets, plus highlights of an outstanding 2015 season.

Is 'wildness' an inviolable concept, or with 7 billion of us on planet earth, is the whole world in fact a garden? And can we as gardeners make a difference to the fate of the planet and its biodiversity? Hosted by the RHS at the Lindley Hall in London, the John MacLeod Annual Lecture has fast become a prestigious event, highlighting important and inspiring topics on horticultural science. This year, Professor Stephen Blackmore CBE, spoke on 'Gardening Planet Earth - Sustainable Horticulture'. Download this podcast to hear the lecture in full.

Further reporting from the RHS London Harvest Show - we hear a selection of talks from the show on everything from growing and harvesting to storing your crops without refridgeration right through to next spring. Wild food expert Claudio Bincoletto extols the virtues of nettles and other foraged greens. Plus seasonal advice on growing fruit and vegetables and information on events and workshops across the RHS Gardens.

We visit the recent RHS London Harvest Festival Show to hear expert advice from growers on how to get the best performance from your homegrown fruit and vegetables - including apples, garlic and broad beans. We also round up the productive year and hear which crops have performed well. In addition, we visit The Glasshouse at RHS Garden Wisley to discover some of its hidden gems; and as always, we have details of events across all four RHS Gardens.

The fruit team at RHS Garden Wisley have expert seasonal tips on growing the tastiest fruit and vegetables, and the advice team are on hand with expert advice to your gardening questions, including.. • How to ensure your pears perform • Caring for courgettes • Choosing the right pea We also continue our series of gardening essentials with a focus on Glasshouses, where we discuss the ‘must-have’ kit for every gardener. Plus we have the latest news on events across our four RHS Gardens.

Hear the pick of the crop of seasonal gardening advice from RHS experts, covering both edible and ornamental gardening. Topics covered include • Dahlias in the autumn garden • Cyclamen for difficult spots • Harvesting apples and pears • Fruit diseases and how to prevent them We also take a look at ponds - which type to choose and how best to populate them; plus, as always, the latest news on events across all four RHS Gardens

Senior RHS Entomologist Andrew Salisbury reveals the result of a four year scientific study into ‘Plants for Bugs’ which examined the effectiveness of different plants into attracting beneficial insects into our gardens. The Science team also discuss a brand new pest they have discovered affecting agapanthus flowers. We also have ideas for gardening jobs you could be doing in over the coming weeks, and the RHS Advisory team answer listeners’ seasonal gardening queries, including detailed advice on strategies to overcome weed problems.

We visit the Pathology team at RHS Garden Wisley to learn about the methods and techniques they use to help inform gardeners about common plant diseases. Deputy Curator at Wisley, Matthew Pottage, gives us his tips on using foliage plants to create borders with year-round interest; and we have another instalment of our ‘Gardening Essentials’ series where we are back in the fruit garden to learn about the tools and tricks that every gardener needs. Also hear ideas on seasonal gardening tasks, as well as the latest news on RHS events.

Hear a series of masterclasses on caring for popular plants including fuschias, hostas and lilies. Also, the RHS Gardening Advice team at Wisley answer listeners’ seasonal questions, including: • Growing strawberries • Watering tomatoes • Creating green driveways And you can find out about the latest events across the four RHS Gardens.

Tune in and plan your visit to the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park in Cheshire. Highlights include interviews with the RHS Young Designer of the Year competitors, as well as from a gold medal-winning garden designer. In this edition of Gardening Essentials there’s some really useful advice on pruning tools for the fruit garden, and we also have the latest on summer events for all the family across our four RHS gardens.

On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we visit the 2015 RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and hear highlights from the showground as we celebrate Hampton’s 25th Anniversary. We also have news on how you can get involved in a major new RHS campaign ‘Greening Grey Britain’ and our RHS Advisors are on hand to answer your seasonal gardening questions including: • Growing marrows • Advice on trees growing close to buildings • How to propagate clematis We also have the latest news on summer events across our four RHS Gardens.

Our experts focus on watering, and there’s summer advice on hose attachments and how and when to water your lawns. We continue our regular feature on Gardening Essentials as the team discuss the tools and tricks that every gardener needs. We also have suggestions of Award of Garden Merit Plants for June, which include some fabulous roses, and the RHS’ science team tells us about their latest research projects on: • Greening • Climate • Ivy

Our expert teams at Wisley give seasonal advice on jobs to do in your kitchen gardens right now. In our regular guides to Gardening Essentials, we tackle weeding, including tips on selecting the right hoe. Our team of Horticultural Advisors at RHS Wisley answer listeners’ questions on a diverse range of topics including • Creating a blue border • Growing the perfect sunflower • Growing seeds in space! We also have the latest news on summer events across our four RHS Gardens including a focus on the 25th anniversary of the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

It’s all about the plants as we hear from award-winning designers Adam Frost, Matt Wilson and Chris Beardshaw, who discuss their choices of planting combinations for their gardens at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, as well as expert tips on agapanthus, perennials and more, plus: • Our selection of the best-performing plants, includingpoppies and peonies • A special report on a great alternative to the busy lizzie - the New Guinea impatiens • We also have advice on seasonal gardening jobs as well as details of the latest events across the four RHS Gardens.

In this episode, Phil Clayton, Assistant Editor of RHS Members’ magazine The Garden explores all the umbel has to offer, and gives us an insight into his favourites – there’s so much more to them than cow parsley… Plus our expert advisors answer visitors gardening queries at the recent RHS Great London Plant Fair, and the gardening team at RHS Garden Wisley give advice on what you can be doing in your own gardens right now. And, as always, details of wonderful events coming up at our four RHS Gardens.

As the pinnacle of the gardening calendar rapidly approaches, and build-up to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is underway, we take a behind-the-scenes peek and speak to a range of new and award-winning designers about their plans for this year. Show Garden designer Jo Thompson tells all about her sponsor’s garden, The Retreat for M and G Investments, we talk to 2014 BBC and RHS Chelsea People’s Choice winner Matt Keightley, as well as the youngest ever Chelsea design duo, the Rich Brothers. We also have the latest news on other Chelsea highlights, as well as reminders about this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and other gardening events across our four RHS Gardens.

In this edition, we visit the recent European Orchid Show and Conference at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London for a foolproof guide to caring for Phalaenopsis (moth orchids). Plus, in the first instalment of our new garden essentials feature, our experts from RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey discuss the best gloves and pruning tools to have in your shed. There’s also seasonal advice on current jobs you can be doing in your garden, and the latest news on events across our four RHS Gardens.

As we approach National Gardening Week, we have the latest news on special events across our four RHS gardens and a host of seasonal advice. As well as tips on pond maintenance we have a thorough guide to spring lawn care to help you get it in great condition. Also our the RHS advice team answer your gardening questions, including queries on: • helping olive trees to fruit • cutting back hydrangeas • choosing slug-resilient hostas

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.

We visit RHS Garden Wisley’s fantastic Butterflies in the Glasshouse exhibition and our expert team of horticultural advisors answer listeners’ questions including: • Suggestions for planting in a north-facing garden • How to deal with Japanese knotweed • Selecting trees for planting in containers Plus we have seasonal advice on preparing seeds for propagation, and the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.

We visit the RHS Garden Wisley fruit team for advice on what you should be doing in February with fruit trees such as apples and pears. We have expert advice on growing herbs from seed by bestselling author and RHS Council member, Jekka McVicar. We also talk to Garden Manager Markus Radscheit about his love for snowdrops and his advice to gardeners on creating great winter displays. Plus we have all the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.

We celebrate the 50th episode of the RHS Gardening Podcasts with some of our favourite moments from the archives, including words of horticultural wisdom from the likes of gardening guru Alan Titchmarsh, baking queen and keen RHS Member Mary Berry and Curator of RHS Garden Wisley Colin Crosbie. We also have topical seasonal advice for what you should be doing in your garden right now including: • How to prune wisteria • Tips on dealing with winter winds and snow. • The RHS advice team answer your latest gardening questions PLUS: latest news on Winter events across our four RHS Gardens, and your chance to win a pair of tickets worth £70 to this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

We have expert seasonal advice on what you could be doing in your garden on a bright, crisp winter’s day including: • Caring for blackberries • Choosing the right size pot for re-potting plants We also have handy tips on growing chillies and sweet peppers, as well as tips for selecting plants to grow in problem areas of dry shade. Plus, we have the latest news on RHS events across the four RHS Gardens

On the first 2015 edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast RHS Head of Libraries, Fiona Davison completes her guide to the best-selling gardening books of all time. We ask staff at the RHS what they are looking forward to in the year ahead and we have the latest news on events at RHS Gardens and RHS Shows. Plus, our expert team of advisors are on hand to answer your seasonal gardening queries including: • Caring for camellias • Tips for dealing with bindweed • Getting the best from your coffee plants

In this Christmas edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, Head of Libraries and Exhibitions Fiona Davison talks us through the biggest bestsellers in gardening books. RHS Horticultural Advisor Jenny Bowden asks for your help in important RHS gardening research. Plus we have expert advice on caring for birds in your garden over the Christmas period.

The advisory team at RHS Garden Wisley are on hand to answer your winter gardening questions on subjects including: • Tips for planting allium bulbs • Changing the colour of hydrangeas • First aid for damaged lawns Deputy Curator, Matthew Pottage makes the case for plants with a bad press such as pampas grass and heathers. Plus, we have the latest news on Christmas activities and events across the four RHS Gardens including the highly anticipated ‘Narnia’ trail at RHS Garden Wisley.

We hear seasonal advice from the team at RHS Garden Wisley gardening team including: • Hedge trimming • Tree planting • Dealing with worm casts Geoff Denton from the RHS Plant Pathology team discusses diseases that may prevail this winter and Chief Horticultural Advisor Leigh Hunt selects his range of Christmas gift ideas from the Wisley Plant Centre. We also have all the latest news in up-coming events across the four RHS Gardens.

The team at RHS Garden Wisley have advice on what you should be doing now in your garden as the festive season approaches, including: • Preparing the glasshouse for winter • Caring for climbing roses • Cultivating figs for a good harvest next year Our expert team review this year's crops and give tips for even better fruit and vegetables next year. Plus, we have the latest news on events coming up to Christmas across the four RHS Gardens.

We’re at RHS Garden Wisley with the Advisory Team who are on hand to answer your seasonal gardening queries including: • How to grow a wildflower meadow from seed • How to ‘puppy-proof’ your garden • What type of slug pellets to choose Garden Manager, Matthew Pottage talks us through the jobs his team is doing right now, including lawn maintenance and planting bulbs. We also hear inspiration from expert growers on ideas for growing fruit and vegetables in containers. Plus, we have the latest news on forthcoming events across the four RHS Gardens.

In this edition we suggest some plants for all-year-round interest that encourage beneficial insects into your garden. We have expert seasonal advice on: • Achieving the perfect pumpkin • Growing award-winning apple and pear trees in your garden • Delicious recipe suggestions to try for your autumn vegetables Plus we have a pick of the month’s best RHS Award of Garden Merit plants and, as always, the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.

Get advice on how to tackle climatic conditions within your garden. Also, the RHS Garden Wisley team are on hand with their thoughts on jobs you should be doing in your gardens right now touching on autumn raspberries, caring for houseplants, and dividing herbaceous perennials to increase your stock on garden favourites. Also, the RHS Advice team lend their expert knowledge to your gardening queries including: - Choosing plants for shade - Identifying puzzling apple pests - How to ripen green tomatoes And as always we have the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.

We visit the recent RHS Plant Day at the Cotswold Wildlife Park and hear from members of two RHS plant committees who were on hand to speak to visitors about their gardening successes and problems. We learn how to care for a range of ornamental plants and as always we have expert advice on what you should be doing in your garden now. Plus, we have the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens in the coming weeks.

We’re at RHS Garden Wisley with RHS ambassador and celebrity chef, Mary Berry as she opens this year’s Wisley Flower Show. Mary discusses her love of gardening, being an RHS member and her favourite parts of RHS Garden Wisley. The RHS Gardening Advice team are on hand to answer your questions including: • Suggestions for plants to grow on windy balconies • How to source interesting varieties of fruit trees • How to make a trellis for climbers such as clematis We discuss seasonal tasks and have all the latest news on events in September across our four world-class RHS Gardens, including the spectacular Wisley Flower Show.

We’re joined by botanist and horticulturalist James Wong, who reveals his unique advice on how to achieve maximum flavour for minimum expenditure when growing your own fruit and veg. Nigel Hewitt Cooper discusses the essentials for caring for carnivorous plants, and we have expert seasonal advice for what you should be doing in your garden right now from the gardening team at RHS Wisley, including… • Watering woody perennials • Cutting hedges • Caring for lavender We also have all the latest news on late summer events across our four world-class RHS Gardens, including the spectacular Wisley Flower Show in September.

The RHS Gardening Advice team are on hand to answer your seasonal gardening questions including: • How do I deal with a problem honeysuckle? • Why isn’t my perennial poppy flowering? • How should I care for an apple tree grown from a pip? We also have a special feature on bonsai with expert growing tips from the Mendip Bonsai Studio in Wales and some key advice from Wisley Garden Manager Matthew Pottage on watering throughout the summer months. We have news of forthcoming RHS Garden events including The Great Garden Quest, sponsored by Witan Investment Trust - a summer-long family adventure featuring sword-fighting and dragons across the four RHS Gardens.

Experts at RHS Flower Show Tatton share inspiring ideas and advice for managing and maintaining allotments, and we have expert advice on what you should be doing in your garden right now. Also hear a selection of Award of Garden Merit plants of the month suggested by The Garden magazine’s Phil Clayton. We speak to this year’s finalists in the RHS Young Designer of The Year competition as well as their mentor, designer Paul Hervey Brookes at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2014, on until 27 July, and show manager Kris Hulewicz gives us his guide to the show’s four zones - Escape, Grow, Inspire and Feast. In addition we have the latest events across all four RHS Gardens.

This week we bring you all the highlights from this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 8-13 July, including features on: • Hand-On potting bench demonstrations • Ocean Spray’s eye-catching garden display • John Wheatley’s celebration of 50 years of Britain in Bloom • The RHS Entomology team’s ‘Invisible Garden' • Tony Smith’s imaginative turf competition Plus the RHS Advisory team answer your July gardening queries including solutions for sloping and wet lawns, caring for tomatoes and ideas for July vegetable planting. In addition, we have news on the latest summer events across the four RHS Gardens.

We have expert tips for what you should be doing in your gardens now, plus a special feature on container ponds for gardens of all sizes – all from top experts at the recent RHS Flower Show Birmingham at BBC Gardeners’ World Live. Also at RHS Garden Wisley we learn how to troubleshoot common problems in the kitchen garden including: • Helpful advice on growing sweetcorn • Spotting garlic rust • Harvesting fruit We catch up with RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show manager, Dave Green for a preview of the show and Feature Editor of The Garden magazine, Phil Clayton selects his top-performing plants for June. We have all of this, as well as the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.

We visit the RHS Advisory Team at RHS Garden Wisley for expert answers to your seasonal gardening questions, including: • What plants will thrive on my windy balcony? • How can I grow a lawn without patches? • What can I grow in clay soil? RHS Wisley Garden Manager, Matthew Pottage has great suggestions for theming your borders and Alan Titchmarsh talks about RHS Gardens and picks a favourite. We also have the latest news on events across all four of our RHS Gardens.

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.

We take you behind the scenes during the exiting build-up to the world’s most famous flower show. We hear from garden designers including Cleve West, Adam Frost and Matt Keightley about the inspirations behind their RHS Chelsea Flower Show gardens. Alan Titchmarsh celebrates 50 years of the RHS Britain in Bloom campaign and we also hear from the RHS apprentices who have been given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work on some of Chelsea's high profile gardens.

On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we make our monthly visit to the RHS Advisory Team at RHS Garden Wisley to hear expert answers to your gardening questions, including: • How can I deal with wild garlic that’s growing in my garden? • How do I keep cats off my beds and borders? • How do I prune a rampant fig tree? Plus, we’ve expert advice on selecting varieties of beautiful beans and perfect peas, and handy tips from the Wisley gardening team on what you should be doing in your garden right now. As always, we have the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.

On this edition of The RHS Gardening Podcast, author of The Wildlife Gardener Kate Bradbury, shares her suggestions on how to make a garden more attractive to wildlife. Features Editor of the RHS members’ magazine The Garden Phil Clayton, selects his RHS Award Of Garden Merit plants of the month. There’s advice on what you should be doing in your own garden now from the RHS Wisley Garden team including: • Mulching flower beds • Sowing and harvesting vegetables • Pruning shrubs such as Forsythia and Camellia Plus, as always, we have the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens.

In this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we celebrate spring at RHS Great London Plant Fair 2014 at The Royal Horticultural Halls in Vincent Square, London. Our team of horticultural advisors are live at The Lindley Hall answering your gardening questions such as • How do I protect lilies from slugs? • When is the best time to move a hellebore? • What climbers can I plant on my south-west facing balcony? We’ll also hear tips on what you should be doing in your own gardens now from nurseries exhibiting at the plant fair including taking cuttings from chrysanthemums, caring for Agapanthus and looking out for lily beetles. Plus, we have the latest news on RHS Shows throughout 2014 including RHS Secret Garden Sundays as well as upcoming events at the four RHS Gardens.

In this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we visit the recent RHS Potato Day at the RHS London Plant and Design Show for a guide to cultivating the perfect potato. We’ll hear about • Choosing a variety • Looking out for pests and disease • The results of the RHS Potato trials Plus, RHS Senior Entomologist, Andrew Salisbury reveals the top ten most troublesome pests of 2013. As always, we have the latest news of events across the four RHS Gardens.

In this special edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we celebrate the 50th anniversary of RHS Britain in Bloom. We look at how Britain in Bloom helps to create lasting improvements to local environments for people across the UK as we visit Bloom projects in both Bath and Manchester. We hear about what’s in store for our golden anniversary and how you and your community can get involved.

On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, garden designer and writer James Alexander Sinclair returns with his guide to designing for small spaces. We visit the RHS London Plant and Design Show for seasonal tips from some of the UK’s finest nurseries, and the RHS Gardening Advice team are on hand to answer your gardening questions, including: • How to treat a waterlogged lawn • How to make your own compost • How to care for tomato seedlings Plus as always, we have news on the latest events across all four of the RHS Gardens.

On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, sponsored by Visit Wales we visit RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey for seasonal tips on what you should be doing in your garden now, including: • Treating recent tree damage • Looking out for diseases occurring in spring • Preparing your vegetable garden Also, we’re joined by garden designer James Alexander Sinclair for his expert guide to garden design for gardens of every size and we hear about the RHS Seed Scheme which collects and distributes seeds from garden plants to RHS members. Plus, as always we have news on the latest events across all four of the RHS Gardens.

In this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we’re at RHS Garden Wisley where Garden Manager, Matthew Pottage takes us on a guided tour of the new winter walk project. Plus, we visit the advice team where expert RHS advisors answer your gardening questions including how to reinvigorate lavender, how to prune Wisteria and how to prepare potatoes before planting. Also, members of the RHS Garden Wisley team are on hand with advice on what you should be doing in your garden right now, including: • February pond care • Collecting birch and hazel cuttings for staking perennials • Preparing your vegetable garden And, as always we have the latest news on events and offers across all four of the RHS Gardens.

In this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we visit the Lindley Library at the RHS headquarters in Vincent Square, London to hear some fascinating tales from the gardening archives as Head of Libraries and Exhibitions, Fiona Davison picks out her highlights from the collection. Also, Principal Horticultural Advisor, Leigh Hunt is on hand to give his recommendations for shrubs for seasonal scent and the RHS Garden Wisley team outlines jobs you should be doing in your garden right now, including: • Weeding beds • Renovating old fruit trees • Re-potting larger houseplants Plus, as always, we have the latest news on events and offers across our four RHS Gardens.

On the first edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast for 2014, our experts have suggestions for repairing damage caused by the recent wet and windy weather. We have butterflies in the Greenhouse at RHS Garden Wisley, and the RHS Advisory team are on hand to tackle your January questions. Plus expert information on; • Growing on Christmas plants such as hyacinths, poinsettias and Christmas trees • Sourcing and creating compost • The advantages of raised beds And as always there’s news of the latest events across our four RHS Gardens.

On this final edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast for 2013, the Wisley Garden team give suggestions for those final jobs of the year including.. • Plants for free by making root cuttings • Preparing your soil • Searching through seed catalogues Plus, Phil Clayton, features editor on the RHS’ award-winning The Garden magazine, sifts through the best of the seed catalogues and recommends top seeds to try for 2014 and RHS Garden Visits Editor Sian Thomas introduces her guide to RHS partner gardens to visit throughout the winter. All of that, and the latest news on events across our four RHS Gardens.

We visit the gardening team at Wisley for seasonal tips on what you should be doing in your garden right now, including… • Protecting your trees from winter pests • Winter pruning of acers • Preparing your hellebores Also we’re joined by editor Chris Young, from the RHS’ award-winning ‘The Garden’ magazine, for his pick of the best gardening books of 2013. And the RHS Advisory Team are on hand to answer your gardening questions including… • How to deal with frozen ponds in winter • Dealing with slugs and snails, outdoors and in. • How to spot and deal with Japanese Knotweed Plus, we have the latest news on Christmas events across all four RHS Gardens.

On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we get festive as Christmas fast approaches. Our horticultural experts give their suggestions on • Gifts for gardeners • How to choose and care for Christmas plants including Amaryllis, poinsettias. hyacinths and Christmas trees • How to create a stunning wreath from your own garden Plus as always, the Wisley gardening team are on hand to suggest jobs that you can be doing now in your own gardens now including • Bed renovation • Pond maintenance • Pest prevention And we have the latest news on events across our four RHS gardens.

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.

Join our seasonal celebration as we visit the RHS Shades of Autumn Show at Vincent Square in London where we: • Talk to exhibiting nurseries about suggestions for autumn colour • Join the RHS advisory team as they tackle visitors’ gardening queries And at RHS Wisley we catch up with the team and hear their suggestions for what you should be doing in your own gardens right now, including: • Planting up containers with winter bedding • Taking hardwood cuttings • Collecting material for autumn floral decoration We have all the latest news on events across our four RHS gardens, plus your chance to WIN £50 worth of RHS books by entering our podcast survey.

On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we're at the RHS London Harvest Festival Show with expert advice on: • Giant pumpkins, heritage tomatoes and the secrets to growing the perfect potato • How to choose the perfect apple for every garden, big or small We'll also be hearing winter tips from the team at RHS Garden Wisley including how to prune a climbing rose, how to wrap your bananas, and advice on dry seed heads for winter decoration. As always we'll have the latest news on events across the four RHS Gardens. This is also your chance to win £50 of RHS Books by completing our Podcast survey (www.rhs.org.uk/podcastsurvey).

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

Timely tasks in the garden, focussing on ornamental grasses and lawn care. We have a step-by-step guide to autumn lawn care by RHS Wisley Garden Manager, Matthew Pottage, and we're also joined by Neil Lucas, nurseryman of Knoll Gardens, to hear his expert suggestions for ornamental grasses that you can use in your garden. Plus we have autumnal advice and ideas for what you should be doing in your garden now including: • Spotting red spider mite and harlequin ladybirds • Dividing herbaceous perennials • Planting spring cabbages And as always there's news of the latest events across our four RHS gardens.

On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast, we explore RHS Wisley in September with Garden Manager Matthew Pottage. Our team of Horticultural Advisors answer your latest gardening questions and the garden teams give their expert seasonal practical advice including tips on harvesting this year's bumper crops of apples and how to deal with vine weevil. Plus as always we have the latest news on events across all four RHS Gardens.

On this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we travel to Devon with plantsman Matthew Biggs for a guided tour of RHS Garden Rosemoor. We'll be focussing on Rosemoor through the seasons, featuring a peek behind-the-scenes of the rose garden, cottage garden and Mediterranean garden. Matthew is also joined by members of the Rosemoor team to hear their expert advice on - fruit and veg - lawn care - and hedge maintenance. And we have news on the latest events at all four of our RHS Gardens.

In this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we visit RHS Garden Wisley for advice from Garden Manager Matthew Pottage on selecting and caring for small trees suitable for gardens Members of the glasshouse team select their recommendations for houseplants for every home The RHS Advisory Service answer some of your timely gardening questions Plus, seasonal practical seasonal advice including - deadheading Pelargonium - treating potential flower problems - how to tell when your sweetcorn is ready to pick And as always we have news on the latest events at our four RHS Gardens.

In this edition of the RHS Gardening Podcast we visit the 2013 RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. - Show manager Kris Hulewicz introduces Tatton's four new distinctive Zones, Grow, Feast, Inspire and Escape - Nurserymen give us their recommendations for plants to achieve late summer colour - Nurseryman Aldo Ciampittiello introduces us to airplants Plus, seasonal practical advice from our Wisley Garden team including - Planting autumn bulbs and summer pruning of wisteria - Combatting scale insects and red spider mite - Pruning bay trees and growing more lilies for free

We're at the 2013 RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show with a special focus on the brand new 'Escape' zone where we'll be - Exploring the Butterfly dome - Hearing about the launch of Rose of the Year 2014 in the 1950s-themed Rose Marquee - Discovering delicious Grow Your Own recipes from as far afield as Italy and Thailand in the Growing Tastes Marquee. We also have up-to-the-minute tips from Hampton Court Flower Show's nurserymen and experts on: - Pond maintenance - Sowing climbing beans - Caring for Irises Also, The RHS Advisory Team answer your latest gardening questions and, as always, we have news on all the latest events across our four RHS Gardens.

Gardening for the whole family with activities and inspiration for gardeners of all ages. The Dorchester Hotel's Head florist, Philip Hammond, shares his tips for preserving cut flowers and putting together a winning combination for a mid-summer arrangement, plus: - Wisley Gardeners give expert tips on treating Aphids - Staking tall plants - All you need to know on pinching out side shoots on tomatoes

Our Wisley Gardeners give expert tips on growing corguettes, ensuring the best crop from apple trees and caring for houseplants, plus Garden Manager Matthew Pottage selects his summer highlights at RHS Garden Wisley. Also the RHS Advisory Team answer your gardening questions on: - Controlling bindweed - Growing sweet peas - Potatoes in bags