The Garden Editor on the Radio.
Listen wherever you are, whenever you want.
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I'm delighted to be the resident gardener for Basingstoke Community Radio, a charity-run radio station broadcasting round the UK and the planet. Every two weeks on Tuesday at 10am Dave and I sit down for a 20 minute chat about the latest gardening tips, advice and ideas. You can listen live at the website, or browse the catalogue below to download and listen at your leisure.
The Review of 2024 - 10 December
What a year 2024 was for our gardens! It felt like we lived a lot of it under grey skies and squelching mud underfoot. But despite all the downsides, there were considerable upsides. Listen as I chat with Dave about the gardening highs and lows of 2024, and what you can do in your garden to prepare it for whatever 2025 brings.
Trees for all - 26 November
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time to plant a tree is now! Listen as part of the National Tree Week to hear my top tips on what trees to choose for a small space, and crucially how to plant and get your tree off to a good start. We'll talk about the pros and cons of buying trees with bare roots, in rootballs and in plastic pots.
The 10 Mile Christmas - 12 November
We embark on the campaign for better Christmassing, with me sharing my plan for a 10 mile Christmas. What is it? Why would I do such a thing? And what are the pros and cons? Listen to my confession about my worst online purchase and why shopping locally this Christmas can be a gift in more ways than one.
Digging into autumn - 29 October
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It's now fully autumn, so listen as Dave and I tackle questions such as what plants to bring in indoors, the benefits of horticultural fleece - sadly not cute hoodies for plants - how to eke out your dahlias, what to sow now for 2025, and a quick reminder about the joy of bulbs.
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Autumnal Q&A Session - 1 October
Our autumnal Q&A series is open! Listen as I delve into matters like preparing containers for winter, how to look after soil in veg beds in the winter, what to prune, and how to inject colour that lasts during autumn and winter. Plus I challenge Dave to his knowledge of the podcast back catalogue, and we tackle rats and rodents.
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Moving plants around - 17 September
The Indian Summer has arrived, and with it a great opportunity to spy gaps, move plants around - or have a day out at the Newbury show. I'll be there on Sunday doing a talk in the local producer's area with Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants and Left-Field Flowers.
Listen as I ask Dave for his top tips on how to get the best out of this family-friendly farming fiesta.
My best ground cover perennials - 3 September
Ground control to Major Tom? Listen and discover my top design tips for ground cover - including those tricky areas like dry shade.
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My best tall herbaceous perennials - 20 August
Listen and discover my top design tips for tall perennials for your borders. From shade lovers that thrive in clay to those that love poor soil in full sun, there's bound to be something for you.
Going on holiday - 23 July
Going away on your holidays? Listen to my top tips on how to prepare your garden or green space before you head off, to ensure that when you get home you don't return to a sad spot. We cover borders, lawns, pots, hanging baskets, seedlings and houseplants.
Plants in pots - 25 June
Container gardening is how a lot of us start playing with plants, especially if we don't have much outside space. Listen to Dave and I chat planting for fruit, veg and flowers in even the smallest of planting places.
Early summer Q&A - 11 June
What veggies can I still grow in June? What's best - home grown, or shop-bought compost? How can I hide an oil tanker with climbers? When's the best time to prune roses? Listen in as Dave and I deal with your real-life gardening conundrums. Also - a plug for Big Green Week, with lots of events including Sustainable Overton's Slow Fashion show including this home-made jumpsuit.
Pond life - 28 May
The whys and wherefores of making a pond in your garden - no matter how small. How to create it sustainably, what to plant and how to tackle that algae which can dominate.
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Sustainable Slug Management - 14 May
A warm wet spring has brought all the slugs out in force. But can we rethink our relationship with them, and what are the sustainable methods of accommodating them in our gardens alongisde prize dahlias? Listen here to find out.
Spring gardening Q&A - 30 April
Can I plant tomatoes and peppers together? Is there science behind talking to plants? What do I do with daffodil bulbs and is there any use for eggshells in the garden? Join Dave & I as I we tackle these questions and more.
Sowing seeds of love - 16 April
Daring to sow seeds is one of the greatest expressions of hope I can think of. Join me on the radio as I talk about what to sow now, how to nurture your seedlings and what to do if you have limited outside space.
Words on plant labels - 2nd April
What do all those words on plant labels mean? Decipher the phrases and make life easy to shop for plants, whether online or in person.
Garden overwhelm - 5th March
Does the thought of spring bring feelings of despondency or overwhelm? Listen to my top tips on getting on top of your garden, step by pragmatic, practical step.
Winter Pruning Q&A - 20th February
Join Dave and I as we whirlwind through your questions on winter pruning of roses, wisteria, apple trees and more.
An introduction to pruning - 5th February
Pruning can be terrifying. Let's take it right back to the basics with our intro to pruning session. I share how to clean your tools and my top 4 rules to help demystify and de-bamboozle.
Winter work in the garden - 23rd January
Wondering what to do in the winter months in your garden? There's plenty to do, but equally plenty of time to sip a hot drink indoors and plan.
Gardening for Birds - 9 January
Why do we want birds in our garden? How can we encourage them? But what about squirrels and pigeons? Listen to Dave and I chat through all these birdy conundrums ahead of the RSPB great bird count later this month.
Christmas Presents - 28th November
Gardening presents for gardeners that really work. Listen in for my top 5 gifts from stocking fillers to postables.
New builds - 14th November
New build gardens have some tough challenges like being overlooked, poor compacted soil, and patchy lawn growth. Listen in for my top tips on overcoming these common headaches.
Question Session - 31st October
This week we had a gardener's question time session - all about wisteria, shady rockeries, late lavender pruning, rose care and shady climbers. Listen to find out how I answered these conundrums.
First frosts - 17th October
The first frosts are here! Find out what to protect from the plummeting temperatures and what to do. Plus, your queries about lawn cutting and bulb planting answered.
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Glorious grasses - 3rd October
Not the lawn type, nor the pampas type. Find out what types of grasses to add to your borders to add interest, drama and movement - all for very little effort.
Spring bulbs - 19th September
Spring bulbs already? What to buy, how to plant, and where to plant these pocket rockets.
Love for Lavender - 5th September
Make the most out of your lavender with these timely tips on pruning and care.
Climate-resilient plants - 22nd August
What are my top-rated resilient plants for our climate now, and in the future? Listen here to find out.
How to deadhead, chop back and rejuvenate flowering plants - 9th July
Keep your perennial plants looking tip-top all summer long with these tips on maintaining your flowering blooms.
Seed sowing at mid-summer -Â 26th June
What to sow now for tasty treats this year, and how to smugly get some flowers started for next year.
Using water sustainably - 11th June
How and when to use water in the garden, ideas for water saving, and how to sustainably garden in times of drought.
Luscious lawns? - 9th May
Lusting after a good lawn? Intrigued by No Mow May? Listen to find out more about our lawns, and how to care for them.
Shopping for plants - 24th April
Panic-buying plants? Overwhelmed by garden centres? Here's my guide to how to buy value for money, sustainable and good quality plants.