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Postbag Edition: RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Kathy Clugston, Peter Gibbs and the GQT team dip into the postbag to answer your gardening questions at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Kathy Clugston and a panel of green-fingered gurus, Kirsty Wilson, Pippa Greenwood, and Dr Chris Thorogood, explore the spectacular Chelsea Flower Show!

Meanwhile on the vibrant main avenue, roving reporter Peter Gibbs explores gardens shaped by climate challenges. He steps into the thought-provoking Save for a Rainy Day Garden to chat with designer Baz Granger about clever water-saving ideas. Then, he ventures into the lush creativity of the Hospitalfield Arts Garden, where he meets celebrated garden designer Nigel Dunnett for a conversation on art, ecology, and sustainable planting.

Producer: Dom Tyerman
Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod and Suhaar Ali

A Somethin' Else production for 蜜芽传媒 Radio 4

Available now

42 minutes

Last on

Sun 25 May 2025 14:00

Plant List

Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided.

Q - Why have my 10-year-old Camelia gotten developed smaller flowers this year? (02'05")

Q - Has my very large sycamore tree been stunting the growth of my old flowering cherry tree? 听(04'32")

Q - I wondered if I could plant that鈥檚 low level and creeping, which would reduce weeding and could cope with occasionally being walked on? (09'20")

Joe 鈥

Mentharequienii, corsican mint

Thymusvulgaris, common thyme

Wild carrots

Poppies

Pippa Greenwood鈥

Armeriamaritima, thift

Kirsty Wilson-

Erigeron, fleabane

Thymus听'Jekka', thyme 鈥榡ekka鈥

Dr Chris Thorogood 鈥

Atriplexhalimus, tree purslane

Q 鈥 I鈥檝e been experimenting with a variety of annuals, small trees, herbs, strawberries, and tomatoes. Should I be replacing all the compost in the tubs? 听(12'45")

Feature 鈥 Peter Gibbs visits the 鈥楽ave For A Rainy Day鈥 garden, where he speaks to garden designer Baz Granger (15鈥55鈥)

Baz Granger 鈥

Stachysbyzantine, lamb鈥檚 ear

Achilleamillefolium, common yarrow

Oreomeconnudicaulis, Icelandic poppy

Linumperenne, perennial flax

Q- I got a puppy last August and I want to redesign my garden this year to be dog friendly. What advice can the panel offer? (22'30")

Q - We've had sporadic appearing orange patches. They鈥檙e now a permanent feature of the lawn. Any ideas on what could be causing this? (24'35")

Feature 鈥 Hospitalfield Arts Garden, where he meets celebrated garden designer Nigel Dunnett for a conversation on art, ecology, and sustainable planting (26鈥24鈥)

Nigel Dunnett-

Gypsophilarepens听'Rosea', creeping baby鈥檚 breath 鈥楻osea鈥

Arrhenatherumelatius, false oat grass

Q- We have a raised bed in our back garden, about 30 meters long with mature trees 鈥 what could grow here? (32'06")

Kirsty 鈥

Spinach

lettuce

radishes

Bunny Guinness-

Polystichumsetiferum, soft shield fern

Valerianaofficinalis, common valerian

Euphorbia, spurge

Chris Thorogood-

Salviayangii听(Pe), Russian sage

Irisgermanica, bearded iris

Iris听'Superstition' (TB), iris 鈥楽uperstition鈥

Q - What advice could you give to supermarkets to keep their plants fresh and saleable? (37'00")

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