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GQT at Ö÷²¥´óÐã: A Midspring Night's Dream

Peter Gibbs hosts the horticultural programme with a panel of gardening experts.

Peter Gibbs hosts the horticultural programme with a panel of gardening experts. This week's questions from the virtual audience are answered by Christine Walkden, James Wong and Matthew Wilson.

The panellists discuss rewilding a garden, wearing gloves while gardening, and the cold hard truth about Bonsai trees.

Away from the questions, Alex Young advises on how to prepare houseplants for spring, and award-winning garden designer Juliet Sargeant gives the ultimate guide to self-seeding plants.

Producer - Jemima Rathbone
Assistant Producer - Millie Chu

A Somethin' Else production for Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 4

Available now

42 minutes

Plant List

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

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Q – To glove or not to glove whilst gardening?

(2 minute 35 seconds)

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Q – Is it possible that I have severely poisoned my raised bed with coffee grounds and can the panel recommend something to detox the soil?

(4 minutes 30 seconds)

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Q – I received a glass bowl for houseplants. I’ve tried to grow several plants, but to date and without fail I’ve managed to kill every single one. Would the panel be able to advise me on a houseplant suitable to a shallow dish?

(7 minutes 53 seconds)

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James –

Fern

Orchid

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Christine –

Pilea cadierei

Ficus pumila

Fittonia

Saxifraga tomentosa

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Q – Our lawn is very wet most of the year and the soil is heavy clay. What does the panel recommend?

(10 minutes 57 seconds)

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Christine –

Primula

Fern

Hosta

Heuchera

Valerian

Caltha

Trollius

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Feature – Preparing your houseplants for Spring with Alex Young

(13 minutes, 42 seconds)

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Q – I have been given a second grow-your-own bonsai tree as a present. I had minimal success with the first box – can the panel suggest, other than watering, how I can be more successful this time round, or should I just wait and gift it on?

(16 minutes, 47 seconds)

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Q – My vegetable garden has been taken over by clover and I can’t get rid of it. Please can you help?

(21 minutes, 8 seconds)

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Q – Last year, we cut our lawn short and it now consists mainly of moss. Can the panel advise on what to do with the space?

(24 minutes, 30 seconds)

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Q – Could the panel please clarify what they think this plant is?

(30 minutes, 28 seconds)

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Feature – Juliet Sargeant’s ultimate guide to self-seeding plants

(31 minutes, 20 seconds)

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Echium

Buddleia

Brambles

Bindweed

Ground Elder

Nettles

Creeping Buttercup

Japanese Knotweed

Horsetail

Couch grass

Dandelions

Thistles

Sun Spurge

Chickweed

Groundsel

Hairy bittercress

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Q – I’m currently trying to learn more about rewilding and how we can do it in our own gardens. Please could you advise which plants would be good to plant to introduce a range of wildlife?

(35 minutes, 14 seconds)

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Q – If you could choose to have a flower named for you, what would it be, and what would you like it to be called, and why?

(38 minutes, 17 seconds)

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Matthew –

Davidia involucrata (Dove tree, Handkerchief tree)

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James –

Rhododendron wongii

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