Norwich
Kathy Clugston and a panel of horticultural experts answer your questions from Norwich.
Will dividing a large plant help bring it back to life? What鈥檚 the story behind the Norwegian spruce that each year adorns Trafalgar Square in London? And how do you encourage a cactus to flower?
Joining Kathy Clugston to solve your horticultural conundrums are grow-your-own expert Bob Flowerdew, designer Matthew Wilson and orchid enthusiast Anne Swithinbank.
Each year for 75 years the people of Norway have gifted the UK a large Christmas tree. Gardener Matt Biggs and GQT producer Dan Cocker head to Trafalgar Square to discover the origin story of this tradition. Sharing in the history are the UK Ambassador to Norway, Richard Wood, and Mayor of Oslo, Marianne Borgen. They also turn to expert Matthew Pottage for debunking what makes a 鈥済ood tree鈥�.
Producer: Bethany Hocken
Assistant Producer: Aniya Das
Executive Producer: Louisa Field
A Somethin' Else production for 麻豆社 Radio 4
Last on
Plant List
Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided.
听
听Q 鈥� Can an alstroemeria be divided to revive a large plant? It鈥檚 about a foot (30.5cm) tall at the moment.
(3 minutes 22 seconds)
听
Anne -
Peruvian alstroemeria
听
Q 鈥� How can me and my ten year old son encourage his cactus collection to flower?
(6 minutes 25 seconds)听
听
Anne 鈥�
Rebutia
Mammillaria bocasana
听
听
Q 鈥� I鈥檝e got a Scots pine in a large pot that鈥檚 been really healthy up to now, but since the summer it鈥檚 become covered with tiny, lozenge shaped black dots, and the needles have also started to drop off.听
(9 minutes 23 seconds)听
听
听
Feature 鈥� For 75 years the people of Norway have given Londoners the gift of a Christmas Tree 鈥� a Norwegian spruce. Matt Biggs and producer Dan Cocker went to see this year鈥檚 lights being switched on in Trafalgar Square and to find out the story behind this.
(14 minutes 02 seconds)听
听
听
Q 鈥� Do the panel have a favourite Christmas Tree and why?听听
(21 minutes 30 seconds)
听
Bob 鈥�
Asparagus
听
Anne 鈥�
Norway Spruce
听
Matthew 鈥�
Traditional tree
Picea albertiana '颁辞苍颈肠补鈥�
Picea omorika
听
听
Q 鈥� I would welcome some suggestions for suitable plants for a dull, north facing corner.听 As a hint, acid loving plants enjoy my new garden.听 I鈥檇 like something that鈥檚 fairly easy maintenance, and adds some brightness.
(26 minutes 32 seconds)听
听
Matthew 鈥�
Sarcococca confuse, sweet box
Carex
Carex oshimensis
Carex muskingumensis
Deschampsia 听'Goldtau'
听
Bob 鈥�
Rhododendron
Camellia
Foxglove
听
Anne 鈥�
Hardy fuchsia
Actaea听
Rhododendron 鈥楴耻驳驳别迟鈥�
听
听
Q 鈥� Can the panel please suggest an architectural, branching, small tree suited to a hot area in my new courtyard garden?听 There鈥檚 not a lot of topsoil and the subsoil is solid sand.听 I鈥檓 keen not to have a 鈥榣ollipop鈥� tree.听
(31 minutes 22 seconds)听
听
Matthew 鈥�
Colletia paradoxa
听
Bob -
Poncirus听
听'Buddha's Hand' citron
Eriobotrya, Loquat
听
Anne 鈥�
Colletia armata
Elaeagnus 'Quicksilver'
Cercis siliquastrum, Judas tree
Albizia julibrissin
Arbutus unedo, strawberry tree
听
听
Q 鈥� My musician husband, whilst not being a gardener, does appreciate the garden.听 What can the panel suggest I can plant to bring more musicality to the garden?
(37 minutes 45 seconds)听
Broadcasts
- Fri 23 Dec 2022 15:00麻豆社 Radio 4
- Christmas Day 2022 14:00麻豆社 Radio 4
Six of GQT鈥檚 naughtiest gardening innuendos
When Gardeners' Question Time got mucky.
Podcast
-
![]()
Gardeners' Question Time
Horticultural programme featuring a group of gardening experts
