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Hyde Hall: Latin Names, Water Butts and Plant Superpowers

Peter Gibbs leads the horticultural festivities as a vibrant panel of plant pros take on questions from a crowd of passionate and curious gardeners.

What can gardening clubs do to entice new members? How do the panel handle their plant addiction? If you were to have a plant superpower, which would it be and why?

It鈥檚 party time in the garden once again! Gardeners鈥 Question Time returns with the much-anticipated GQT Summer Garden Party, recorded at the breathtaking RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex.

This week, Peter Gibbs leads the horticultural festivities as a vibrant panel of plant pros take on questions from a crowd of passionate and curious gardeners. On the panel - proud plantswoman Christine Walkden, pest and disease detective Pippa Greenwood, and botanical explorers James Wong and Dr Chris Thorogood.

Expect expert insights, surprising solutions, and a whole lot of garden inspiration in this special summer celebration of all things green and growing.

Producer: Matthew Smith
Assistant Producer: Suhaar Ali
Assistant Producer: Rocky Cocker
Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod

A Somethin' Else production for 麻豆社 Radio 4.

Available now

42 minutes

Last on

Sun 17 Aug 2025 14:00

Featured

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Plant List

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

Q 鈥 How do the panel handle their plant addiction? (02鈥40鈥)

Q 鈥 Can the panel suggest other imaginative ways of using common, easily grown plants in the garden? (06鈥11鈥)

Pippa Greenwood 鈥

Squash

Q 鈥撯奧hy have the flowers of my Rosa听Jacques Cartier started to distort and deteriorate? (09鈥37鈥)

Q 鈥 What should horticultural societies do to make sure they continue to thrive and entice new members? (11鈥38鈥)

Q 鈥 What should I do to ensure my plants survive as it gets hotter each year? I rely on water buts to water my garden. (18鈥33鈥)

Dr Chris Thorogood 鈥

Digitalis, foxglove

Digitalispurpurea听'Camelot Lavender' (Camelot Series), foxglove 'Camelot Lavender'

Digitalispurpurea听'Dalmatian Peach' (Dalmatian Series), foxglove 'Dalmatian Peach'

Alcearosea, hollyhock

Stachysbyzantine, lamb's ear

Christine Walkden 鈥

Buddlejaglobosa, orange ball tree

Embothriumcoccineum, chilean fire bush

Q 鈥 The fruits of my grape vine have suddenly gone hard and small, what鈥檚 happened? (25鈥07鈥)

Q 鈥 Do you think it's necessary or even helpful? To know the Latin names of common plants? (28鈥25鈥)

Q 鈥 If you were to have a plant superpower, which would it be and why? (34鈥42鈥)

Pippa Greenwood 鈥

Sarracenia, pitcher plant

James Wong 鈥

Coffee Plant

Christine Walkden 鈥

Mimosapudica, sensitive plant

Ecballiumelaterium, squirting cucumber听

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  • Sun 17 Aug 2025 14:00

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