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Peter Gibbs and his panel of gardening experts are at RHS Rosemoor.

Peter Gibbs and his panel of gardening experts are at RHS Rosemoor. Anne Swithinbank, Matthew Pottage and Pippa Greenwood answer the audience questions.

From the luscious landscape of Devon's RHS Rosemoor, the panellists recommend the best time to plant a young oak tree, guide on growing without peat and share their tips for planting near a stream.

In a shady corner of the garden, regular panellist Anne Swithinbank takes a turn about the stumpery, picking up some tip and tricks for starting your own from team leader Jonathan Hutchinson.

Producer: Jemima Rathbone
Assistant Producer: Bethany Hocken

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

Available now

42 minutes

Last on

Sun 18 Sep 2022 14:00

Plant List

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

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Q – For the last two years I have competed with a friend to establish the best wildflower meadow. On both occasions, I’ve come second. Each year I have cut turf and sow mixed wildflower seed on poor stony soil in March. Would I do better sowing the seed in Autumn? I cannot allow my friend to gloat for a third year running.

(2 minutes 26 seconds)

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Q – What depth of topsoil do I need to lay on top of existing builders’ rubble and clay?

(6 minutes 53 seconds)Ìý

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Q – When is the right time to plant a young oak tree? Should I use any special medium?

(9 minutes 01 seconds)

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Q – My front garden is a small six foot something shady, north facing space on acidic clay, prone to water logging, it’s wind shelter but it is in a frost pocket, and it has a healthy slug population. What plants would you recommend?

(12 minutes 12 seconds)

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Matthew –

Crinodendron hookerianum, Chile lantern tree

Blechnum spicant, hard fern

Long-styled disporum 'Night Heron'

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Q – We have recently moved to a new house and have been left a number of tree stumps that we’d love to arrange into a stumpery. We’re big fans of ferns but can you suggest any other suitable plants or tips to get started?

(16 minutes 35 seconds)

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Feature – Anne Swithinbank explores the shady corner that is RHS Rosemoor’s stumpery

(17 minutes 00 seconds)

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Oak

Hart's tongue fern

Dryopteris filix-mas, Male fern

Woodwardia unigemmata

Woodwardia radicans

Cardamine pratensis

Galanthus

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Q – Our chilean fire bush appears to be dying, branch by branch? It started about three years ago after we had two falls of snow and now, what with the drought this year, well it certainly hasn’t helped. There are lesions on the bush. Can you help me save it, please?

(23 minutes 39 seconds)

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Q – I would like to ask the team their advice on growing plants in peat-free compost?

(27 minutes 45 seconds)

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Q – Whilst the lawn is slowly greening up again after the recent rainfall, there are still some bare patches. In view of the extremely hot summer, would you recommend scarifying this autumn or leaving it until the spring? Ìý

(33 minutes 36 seconds)

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Q – Now that we are getting rain, what can we do, now, at this time of the year, to help our gardens to recover from the stress they’ve been under and get them prepared for next spring?

(35 minutes 02 seconds)

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Q – I now own a quarter of acre with a lilt in it, two big ash trees and an orchard. I have taken out the invasive species. What else should or shouldn’t I do in terms of planting in and around the water? Any help appreciated.

(36 minutes 48 seconds)

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Matthew –

Primula prolifera (Pf), Candelabra primose

Astilbe

Iris ensata

Iris pseudacorus, Yellow flag iris

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Anne –

Darmera peltate

Gentiana asclepiadea, Blue gentians

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