Main content

GQT at Home: John Innes and Bellis perennis

Kathy Clugston hosts this week's gardening Q&A with a panel of experts.

Kathy Clugston hosts this week's gardening Q&A with her panel of experts - Pippa Greenwood, Matthew Wilson and Matt Biggs. Together they answer questions emailed by listeners.

This week, the panellists discuss the importance of Latin names in horticulture, offer suggestions for office planting and advise on the best pea growing techniques. They also chat about the work of John Innes.

Away from the questions, James Wong chats to Ashley Hunt at the Hampstead Pergola, and Dr Chris Thorogood discusses his favourite tree.

Producer - Jemima Rathbone
Assistant Producer - Millie Chu

A Somethin' Else production for 麻豆社 Radio 4

Available now

42 minutes

Plant List

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

听

Q 鈥� Who is, or was, John Innes?

(0 minutes 58 seconds)

听

Q 鈥� Can you give me some sensible choices for house plants to go in my office, and some idea of how to care for the plants?

(5 minutes 6 second)

听

Matt 鈥�

Aglaonema 鈥楥谤别迟别鈥�

Goosefoot

Spathiphyllum 鈥楽ilver Cupido鈥�

Painted-Leaf begonia

听

Kathy -

Devil鈥檚 ivy

听

Matthew 鈥�

Mother-in-Law鈥檚 Tongue

听

Q 鈥� This year I seem to dig up leather jackets wherever the trowel lands - what could I do next year to stop this happening?

(8 minutes 51 second)

听

Q 鈥� Why are plants still known by their Latin names?

(11 minutes 10 second)

听

Matt 鈥�

Bellis perennis

Magnolia

Williamsonia

听

Matthew 鈥�

Cleavers

Shrinking Violet

听

Feature 鈥� James Wong visits the Hampstead Pergola

(14minutes 50 seconds)

听

Q 鈥� What鈥檚 the best way to save bulbs for next year鈥檚 containers if you don鈥檛 have room to plant them in a garden to allow their leaves to die back?

(20 minutes 16 seconds)

听

Matthew 鈥�

Narcissus

Tulips

听

Q 鈥� I was fascinated to hear about the appearance of the blue alder beetle in Hampshire 鈥� I wonder where else in the UK it might be?

(23 minutes 36 seconds)

听

Pippa 鈥�

Beech Tree

Hornbeam Tree

听

Q 鈥� I have just heard about the plans for Jubilee tree planting. What do you recommend for an ordinary suburban garden if you do not have the space for trees?

(26 minutes 58 seconds)

听

Matt -

Amelanchier x grandiflora 鈥楤补濒濒别谤颈苍补鈥�

听

Matthew 鈥�

Prunus x Yedoensis

听

Feature 鈥撎� Dr Chris Thorogood on the Durian Tree

(31 minutes 25 seconds)

听

Q 鈥� I鈥檓 about to sow peas. We鈥檙e always told to dig a shallow trench, 8 inches (20cm) wide, planting the peas down each edge. Why can鈥檛 we just prepare two rows, same depth and distance apart?

(34 minutes 51 seconds)

听

Matt 鈥�

鈥楨arly Onward鈥� peas

鈥楳eteor鈥� peas

听

Q 鈥� Do the panel ever hold enthusiastic regional discussions about any wild or cultivated plants?

(37 minutes 47 seconds)

听

Matthew 鈥�

Bilberry or Whinberry

Horsetail or 鈥楲ego鈥� plant

Cleavers or 鈥榁elcro鈥� plant

Broadcasts

  • Fri 2 Jul 2021 15:00
  • Sun 4 Jul 2021 14:00

Six of GQT鈥檚 naughtiest gardening innuendos

When Gardeners' Question Time got mucky.

Podcast