Gardening with the RHS

• Under The Radar

  This week we’re exploring some of the plants which may have flown under your radar. Plantsman Chris Sanders will take us on a journey that began with a casual flick through a rare horticultural book and spiralled into a decades-long obsession with rare Japanese cherry cultivars, never seen before in the UK. Horticulturist Scott Galloway makes a compelling case why the resilient favourite of Gertrude Jekyll – the much overlooked bergenia – could be a game-changer in an era of shifting climates. And Abbotsbury Subtropical Garden curator David Pearce proposes why African boxwood makes the ideal box alternative. Hosts: Gareth Richards and James Armitage Contributors: Scott Galloway, David Pearce, Chris Sanders Links:  Subscribe to the Plant Review  Grow bergenias Scott Galloway’s website with more info on bergenia Find Matsumae cherries  Plant Heritage

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• Love in Bloom

  Valentine’s Day and flowers go hand in hand, so what better way to celebrate than by dedicating this week’s programme to the stunning blooms you can grow right in your own garden? Over the past four years, the RHS has been on a mission to find the best red roses for home gardens. We’ll be revealing the top contenders with Wisley’s Roz Marshall. If roses aren’t your thing, Roz Chandler from Field Gate Flowers will be guiding us through the process of starting your own cut flower garden from bare earth to vase. And finally, nothing signals the arrival of spring quite like the golden explosion of daffodils! This year, the RHS is launching a nationwide appeal to track their varieties, flowering times, and distribution across the UK. RHS Principal Scientist and daffodil enthusiast Dr. Kálmán Könyves will share their fascinating history and his hunt for rare—and possibly lost—cultivars. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Roz Marshall, Roz Chandler, Kálmán Könyves Links: Red Roses Trial results Field Gate Flowers Seed To Vase Course Daffodil Diaries

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• The Dark Art of Rhubarb

  This week, Guy Barter takes us through some essential gardening tasks for the season ahead and we explore a hardy favourite: as Caroline Williamson from RHS Garden Bridgewater reveals the fascinating (and surprisingly dark) art of forcing rhubarb. And finally, mother-daughter duo Ellie and Claudia of Elka Textiles will show us how to turn garden plants into beautiful, sustainable dyes—perfect for a creative winter project! Host - Jenny Laville Contributors - Guy Barter, Caroline Williamson, and Ellie Fisher & Claudia Gosse from Elka Sustainable Textiles Other links   How to grow rhubarb How to force rhubarb More jobs to be getting on with in February Green Futures Gardening Club PDF tutorial ’Natural Dyeing with Brown Onion Skins’

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• Sowing Success: Garden Planning & Front Garden Inspiration

  This week, Jenny Laville explores the incredible world of seeds with RHS botanist James Armitage, uncovering their diverse shapes and dispersal methods. We’ll also be embracing this time to start planning our gardens for the growing season ahead, RHS Senior Wildlife Specialist Helen Bostock will be describing all the key things to consider when it comes to creating wildlife friendly spaces bursting with key habitats. Plus, in the final part of our front garden mini-series, RHS Gardening Advisor Nick Turrell offers practical advice on designing a space that’s both beautiful and functional.  Host Guy Barter Contributors Jenny Laville, James Armitage, Nick Turrell, Helen Bostock Links The Great Seed Swap at RHS Garden Wisley Wildlife Gardening

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• From beak to branch - how gardeners can help our feathered friends

  Join us as we celebrate garden birdlife ahead of the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch! The RSPB’s Adrian Thomas gives us a crash course in birdwatching from the comfort of your own kitchen window, while scientist Arran Folly discusses the threats facing our feathered friends and what we as gardeners can do to help. Plus Nick Turrell from the RHS advisory team shares how front gardens can play a vital role in reducing flood risks in our communities. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Dr Arran Folly, Adrian Thomas, Nick Turrell Links: The Big Garden Bird Watch RHS guide to identifying garden birds The Vector-Borne RADAR project

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