Gardening with the RHS

Insects are vital ecosystem engineers in our gardens. Small but mighty, they help create healthy, balanced environments where plants can thrive. Of course, not all insects are flying or scuttling above ground all the time, so to mark Insect Week, we’re going underground with RHS Principal Entomologist Dr Hayley Jones to explore the beetle larvae living in our soils. We’ll learn how to identify the species that benefit our gardens, and what to do about those that can cause problems.

Bee expert Rachel Richards from conservation charity Buglife joins us to reveal the remarkable diversity of solitary bees that may be nesting right outside your door, and share simple ways to support these important pollinators.

And finally, as the heatwave continues, we turn our attention to a seasonal favourite: strawberries. RHS Horticultural Advisor Chris Taylor shares his top tips for growing healthy, productive plants and getting the very best harvest. Plus a roundup of top tips based on the latest enquiries on rhs.org.uk

Email your questions to podcasts@rhs.org.uk

Host: Gareth Richards

Contributors: Hayley Jones, Rachel Richards, Chris Taylor

Links:

How to help hoverflies

Vine weevil 

Chafers in garden borders

Ground beetle larvae and other predatory gardener allies

More in depth ID features for chafers and stag beetles

Previous episode on Hoverfly Heroes with Josie Stuart

How to help hoverflies

Strawberries

Insects are drawn to them, poets and artists are inspired by them, and without them, much of our agriculture simply wouldn’t exist. Flowers are one of nature’s most remarkable inventions, and in honour of British Flowers Week, we’ve got three fantastic floral stories. Georgie Newbery, artisan flower farmer and passionate advocate for the British cut flower industry, joins us to share how years of campaigning is giving flower growers a stronger voice and greater visibility at a national level. We explore the sweet pea extravaganza at RHS Garden Wisley this week with National Sweet Pea Society President Roger Parsons. And finally we tackle one of the biggest challenges facing gardens: aphids. Josie Stuart from the RHS Plant Health Team explains how to keep these sap-sucking squatters under control using flowers, while maintaining the natural balance of the garden.

Host: Nick Turrell

Contributors: Georgie Newbery, Roger Parsons, Josie Stuart

Links:

National Sweet Pea Society 

Aphids advice

In this summer edition of the Plant Review podcast special, we get stuck into the plants which love to bask in the sun. Journalist Phil Clayton shares his tips for success with bearded irises, and tackles one of the conundrums associated with this antisocial plant – what to grow them with! Taxonomist Julian Shaw introduces us to a striking new Arum hybrid that's been causing quite a stir among plant enthusiasts. And we dissect what lessons we can learn from mediterranean gardens.

Hosts: Gareth Richards and James Armitage

Contributors: Phil Clayton, Julian Shaw

June is when many kitchen gardens begin to hit their stride. Horticulturist, author, and YouTuber Huw Richards joins us to explore the joys of growing your own food, the benefits of self-sufficiency, and why gardens of every size can have a big impact on people, communities and wildlife. Huw also shares details of the Top of the Plots competition, celebrating inspiring growers across the UK. RHS Wisley's Liz Mooney reveals what you can still sow this June, from reliable favourites to more unusual edible crops. And as gardens buzz into early summer, RHS Science and Horticulture Editor Olivia Drake investigates lavender, our Wildlife Wonder Plant for June, and reveals which varieties prove most irresistible to bumblebees.

Host: Jenny Laville

Contributors: Huw Richards, Liz Mooney, Olivia Drake

Links:

Top of the Plots competition

Lavender Wildlife Wonder plant of the month

As the UK experiences some of the hottest May weather on record, we share practical tips for helping your garden cope during heatwaves. And if the soaring temperatures have you seeking shade indoors, we’ll hear from houseplant experts about their favourite indoor plants and their advice for tackling common houseplant problems. We also catch up with Chris Potts from Sienna Hostas to discover a breakthrough in hosta breeding that has produced the first truly red-leaved cultivar Hosta RED NINJA in the genus. And with the warm weather set to continue, why not visit an RHS Garden this weekend? We head to RHS Garden Bridgewater, where curator Tracy Snell tells us more about the transformation of this remarkable historic garden as it celebrates its fifth birthday this month. Plus a tribute to horticultural legend Matt Biggs, who sadly died last week. 

 

Host: Gareth Richards 

 

Contributors: Natalia (Conservatory Archives), John (Hugo & Green), Alice (Botanica Studios), Chris Potts (Sienna Hosta), Tracy Snell, Tim Upson