BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Podcast

Almost every garden has a tricky spot and in this episode of Alan Titchmarsh gives advice for growing in small, residential gardens and in pots, discusses plants for different situations in the garden, what to plant in windy, coastal gardens and where to find inspiration for growing a new garden. Don’t forget to listen for the Wild Card question to see if it's your's!

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In this informative episode of Ask Alan, Alan Titchmarsh gives advice for how to care for lavender and magnolia plants, how to help red robin hedging thrive, ensuring peonies and clematis bloom and more. Don’t forget to listen for the Wild Card question to see if it's your's!

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One of the oldest cultivated spices that we know of, coriander is bursting with health benefits and every part of coriander is edible.

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With advice for pruning magnolia and wisteria, how to take cuttings and root pruning, Alan Titchmarsh also discusses the right tools to use for different pruning jobs in this episode of Ask Alan. Don’t forget to listen for the Wild Card question to see if it's your's!

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Discover plants that love shade and will bring life to shady corners, with Alan Titchmarsh’s expert answers to your questions.

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Broad beans can be grown in the ground, in raised beds, or in pots, and are a great source of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as protein and fibre.

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It's a great time of year to start sowing seeds but how many seeds should you sow, how can you make sure your seeds will germinate, when and how to plant them out and can you store seeds for future growing? Alan Titchmarsh will answer these questions and more in this episode of Ask Alan. Don't forget to listen for the Wild Card question to see if it's your's!

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Growing vegetables can be hugely rewarding, but what happens when your lovingly tendered veg doesn't thrive? In this episode of Ask Alan, Alan Titchmarsh will answer questions on growing successful root vegetables, stopping vegetables from bolting, finding the ideal tomato and the best growing medium in raised beds. Don't forget to listen for the Wild Card question to see if it's your's!

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Hear Alan Titchmarsh solve your gardening problems in a new podcast series Ask Alan, where he’ll answer questions on plants for tricky places, offer solutions for unhappy plants, give garden design ideas, examine how to cope with weeds, pests and diseases, give tips on pruning, roses and more. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday through February and March. If you’ve got a gardening question you’d like to Ask Alan, then please leave it in the comments below or go to gardenersworld.com/podcast/questions

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Sow Nigella seeds for a mass of beautiful flowers through the summer months, followed by gorgeous balloon like seed capsules in autumn.

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What role does nature play in our mental and emotional wellbeing? Beth Collier, a Nature Allied Psychotherapist and ethnographer, teaches woodland living skills and natural history and helps people connect with the natural world to support their mental health. Beth shares how nature can nurture during therapy, the barriers people of colour face in accessing outdoor spaces and how we can create more inclusive natural environments.

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Community gardens play a vital role in making green space accessible to everyone, particularly those in inner city areas where gardens are at a minimum. Such spaces are also a great source of wellbeing through gardening and volunteering opportunities, gatherings and events, places to grow food and help combat climate change, and most importantly connect with nature. In this episode, Stephen Mason, gardener at The Hoxton Trust Community Garden in East London, and a pioneer in growing green spaces for everyone, shares his thoughts about the power of community gardens, the many benefits they provide, and how to set one up.

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Crunchy, bright and full of peppery flavour, the radish is one of the quickest and easiest crops to grow.

Enjoy growing along with the seeds in this month’s magazine.

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Significantly reduce your stress levels, improve your ability to concentrate, and alleviate depression, using plants. Kathy Willis, professor of biodiversity at the University of Oxford, explains the dramatic impact plants have on our mental and physical health, and shares the wealth of scientific evidence from around the world that proves the power of nature.

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How does the food we eat shape our health, wellbeing and connection to the planet? Daphne Lambert is a medicinal chef, nutritionist and founding member of the Greencuisine Trust and has spent decades exploring the profound links between food, health and sustainability. From running an award-winning organic restaurant to teaching about soil, gut health and the food matrix, she shares how gardeners can nourish themselves through their harvests the emotional and social power of food.

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They're fun plants and they get their name from the fact that if you gently squeeze the mouth of the flower it opens wide, just like a Chinese dragon.

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When he received his type 2 diabetes diagnosis, gardener and writer Andrew Oldham took his gardening expertise to a new level, growing on his hillside plot in the Pennines to bring back his health. Discover how Andrew’s down to earth gardening and cooking has helped him lose weight and reverse his type 2 diabetes.

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A winter woodland walk – there’s nothing like it to boost your mood. But did you know the wellbeing benefits of a woodland walk actually go much deeper, with real physical health benefits? So in this episode we’re talking to Sally Bavin of the Woodland Trust to unveil the surprising science behind our relationship with these magical places.

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Easy to grow and reliable, cosmos will reward you with weeks of beautiful flowers that fit into lots of different planting styles.

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The winter months can be challenging for our health and, while we wait for spring days to nourish us once again, what can we do to support and boost our immune system? Medical herbalist Jo Dunbar’s knowledge on how to use herbs, plants, and spices from the kitchen and garden could help keep us healthy over the cold winter months until Spring’s bounty emerges once again.

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We all feel instinctively that house plants are good for us. But is it all in the mind, or is there something real and tangible going on? Can house plants really scrub the air around us, and if so how on earth do they do it? And what difference can one little plant on a shelf really make in our lives? In this episode we delve deep into the amazing world of house plants and their health benefits, with the expert help of Dr Tijana Blanusa, Principal Horticultural Scientist at the RHS.

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Tomatoes are fun to grow, with many different varieties to choose from, and they taste so much better home-grown than from the shops.

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It's the heart of winter, light levels are low and we've got weeks of cold still to come. There's no getting away from the fact that winter can feel like a slog and there's every chance you could be feeling overwhelmed by it all. But it's not all bad news and, as we begin a fresh new year, we explore how gardening can help us feel better, the role gardening can play in our mental health and the positive impact of getting outdoors as often as possible.

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Give your mental and physical health a boost this January, with the new Wellness podcast series from BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine. You’ll discover ways to improve your mental wellbeing through gardening, herbal remedies for winter illnesses, advice on using your garden to keep your body strong, the difference that growing your own can make to the nutritional value of your food, the impact of house plants on our health and many more ways that gardens and nature can help our mind, body, and soul.

And join our Sowalong series too. These friendly, bite-size podcasts offer advice on how to grow vegetables, flowers, and herbs from seed for healthy crops and impressive blooms this year.

Start your gardening year with inspiration and motivation from some of the UK’s most loved and well-respected experts. With new Wellness episodes every Tuesday and Thursday in January, and Sowalongs every Saturday until the end of June, subscribe now, wherever you get your podcasts, and never miss an episode.

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Eminent gardener and plantswoman Carol Klein celebrates the wonderful women who have played a central role in horticulture for centuries, from early plant hunters such as Marianne North to designers like Gertrude Jekyll, gardeners such as Margery Fish and Beth Chatto, to this year’s Chelsea best in show designer Ula Maria. And yet, the industry remains rather male dominated. She shares her opinions on the grass ceiling, how the industry needs to change, and the women who have inspired her.

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When you’re inside the serene surroundings of Shinjuku Gyoen, it’s hard to believe you are in one of the most populated cities in the world. Shinjuku Gyoen features three distinct garden styles: Japanese traditional, English landscape, and French formal, each with its own unique vibe. During cherry blossom season from late March to April, the park’s 1,500 cherry trees make it one of Tokyo’s most popular hanami spots.

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a gardener at a zoo? Rab Harden, head gardener at Edinburgh Zoo, explains how they grow specific plants to feed the zoo animals as well as choosing the right plants for their enclosures. No two days are the same for a zoo gardener and the team’s work is as varied as it is vital.

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Moving home and thinking about the practical and emotional aspects of leaving your garden? Or perhaps you’re about to garden a new plot. Join BBC Gardeners' World presenter and landscape designer Adam Frost as he shares the ins and out of leaving his garden following a recent move to a smaller space nearby. Listen in as Adam advises on everything from which plants to take and which plants to leave, how to bed things in when you get there, making memories before you leave and whether we ever really have ownership of a garden or are just custodians of the nature within.

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Discover the hidden gem that is the Conservatory Gardens, within the world- famous Central Park. Nestled in the northeastern corner of Central Park, the Conservatory Gardens is a lush, six-acre oasis that offers a stark yet welcome contrast to the bustling cityscape. The gardens are divided into three distinct sections: the Italian Garden, the French Garden, and the English Garden, each offering its own unique charm.

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Join Shirlie Kemp to discover how she brings the outside inside from her garden for natural Christmas decorations. From an early age, Shirlie was drawn to nature and, after a successful career in the music industry in the 1980s with the band Wham, she has switched her microphone for a pair of secateurs as she takes on the task of renovating her large garden in Hertfordshire. With a desire for creating an enchanting garden space, Shirlie also shares her love of roses, her joy of renovating the old pig shed affectionately known as ‘Piglet’ and her spectacular Spring garden plans.

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Winston Churchill resided in his country home, Chartwell, from 1924 until his death in 1965. From its valley setting, with views of the Weald of Kent, much was made of the terraced gardens which overlook a lake and a brick wall, built by Churchill himself, but what role did the gardens play in the lead up to World War Two? Advolly Richmond talks to Chartwell’s curator and author Katherine Carter to reveal meetings that took place in the gardens that might have changed the course of history.

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Ashridge House in Hertfordshire is a bit off the beaten track but for those who prefer a more natural setting, the woodland walks around Ashridge House are a must. These paths wind through ancient trees and wildflower meadows, offering a peaceful retreat from the more formal parts of the garden. In spring, the bluebells carpet the forest floor in a sea of blue, and in autumn, the oaks, maples, and sweet chestnuts turn vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow.

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In this episode, Lara Cowan, Founder of Botanic Shed and the School of Nature, shares how the power of gardening and nature connection has massively transformed her life in terms of managing the everyday experience of thinking differently and the fallout of a series of life-changing events. And how she now uses gardening, garden design, and garden therapy – gathering together the expertise of a range of horticultural and health experts – to enhance the lives of others, including those with conditions such as ADHD, autism, and PTSD. She is inspired by and works closely with her 24-year-old daughter.

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The view from the window of the Hall of Mirrors will literally take your breath away. Manicured lawns, perfectly trimmed trees, ornate fountains, and a natural verdant green funnel stretching into the distance. This is one of the most iconic and jaw dropping gardens in the world: the Palace of Versailles Gardens in France.

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Tending to houseplants through the winter months is a great way to carry on gardening when there’s less to do outside. Some indoor plants even flourish at this time of year showcasing colourful flowers or uplifting foliage. To find out more about all things houseplants – how to choose them, where to place them, and that all-important care – tune into this week’s episode with former BBC Gardeners' World presenter and indoor plant expert Anne Swithinbank. With a houseplant collection of over 70 plants or more, including some winter favourites, she has lots of insightful tips and advice to share.

Do you have a gardening question you'd like Alan Titchmarsh's help with?

Submit your question in the comments below or go to www.gardenersworld.com/podcast/questions/

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What can we do to ensure next year’s growing season is the best yet? With the frenzy of the growing season now behind us, lost to the memory of warm, summer days and bountiful harvests, and while our vegetable patches and flower beds lay bare, ecologist and botanist Becky Searle shares advice and tips for how to care for our soil over the winter months.

Do you have a gardening question you'd like Alan Titchmarsh's help with? Submit your question in the comments below or go to www.gardenersworld.com/podcast/questions/

Alan will answer a selection in the Ask Alan podcast series from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine in February and March.

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Imagine discovering a garden oasis while seeking out world-famous sculptures. This expansive park is famous for the Vigeland Sculpture Park, featuring over 200 of Gustav Vigeland’s works. Frogner Park has expansive lawns, majestic oaks, maples and lindens and seasonal flower beds. The garden layout invites leisurely wandering, with benches for relaxation and offers plenty of inspiration, blending formal garden elements with naturalistic plantings.

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Imagine you’re in danger. Your home has become a warzone – bombs and bullets are a daily occurrence. What would you do? Astonishingly, the answer for many people is to create a garden. War correspondent Lalage Snow has travelled to Israel, Gaza, Ukraine and Afghanistan to document the gardens that people create to provide peace and respite from the wars around them. She shares how gardening can be an act of hope and defiance.

Do you have a gardening question you'd like Alan Titchmarsh's help with? Submit your question in the comments below or go to www.gardenersworld.com/podcast/questions/

Alan will answer a selection in the Ask Alan podcast series from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine in February and March.

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Trees are ever-present in our lives and have enabled us to connect to the natural world. But should we be concerned for our trees with our changing climate and what trees can we plant in our gardens for the future?Tony Kirkham, MBE, British botanist and former Head of Arboretum, Gardens and Horticulture at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, discusses how trees are adapting around the world to climate change and what we can expect to see as our future tree-lined horizon takes on a different shape.

Do you have a gardening question you'd like Alan Titchmarsh's help with? Submit your question in the comments below or go to www.gardenersworld.com/podcast/questions/

Alan will answer a selection in the Ask Alan podcast series from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine in February and March.

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Fungi are some of the most important organisms in our gardens, partnering with plant roots to help them access nutrients, processing dead material and nurturing countless vital processes – but most of the time they are completely invisible to the naked eye. In this episode we meet fungi expert and author of the bestselling book Entangled Life, Merlin Sheldrake, to find out more about these extraordinary organisms.

Do you have a gardening question you'd like Alan Titchmarsh's help with? Submit your question in the comments below or go to www.gardenersworld.com/podcast/questions/

Alan will answer a selection in the Ask Alan podcast series from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine in February and March.

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Established in 1863, the gardens cover 21 hectares and feature a diverse collection of plants from around the world. As well as a Rose Garden and Herb Garden, the botanic garden is home to majestic trees, including the giant sequoia. Standing beneath these giants is a humbling experience. The New Zealand Garden showcases native flora like the silver fern and Pohutukawa tree, creating lush, natural landscape.

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Hedgerows may be human-made, but there are few better habitats for wildlife – and they could play a major role in helping to reverse worrying biodiversity declines. Find out more about the amazing world of the hedgerow as we meet expert and author Christopher Hart.

Do you have a gardening question you'd like Alan Titchmarsh's help with? Submit your question in the comments below or go to www.gardenersworld.com/podcast/questions/

Alan will answer a selection in the Ask Alan podcast series from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine in February and March.

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For years, gardeners have been told to provide supplementary food for garden birds. Reasons for this include helping to compensate for a lack of food during a hard winter, increase competition for food at fledging time, and help to get adults into good breeding condition in spring. But is feeding birds all it's cracked up to be? And if not, how else can we support our feathered friends? Join award-winning author and wildlife gardening expert Kate Bradbury as she talks to naturalist, conservationist and author, Nick Atchison.

Do you have a gardening question you'd like Alan Titchmarsh's help with? Submit your question in the comments below or go to www.gardenersworld.com/podcast/questions/

Alan will answer a selection in the Ask Alan podcast series from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine in February and March.

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The anticipation builds as you approach Oedo Botanica – a botanical garden island. It’s like stepping into a different world—seriously, it’s that beautiful. Oedo Botanica feels like it’s been plucked straight out of a fairytale and the story behind it is just as enchanting. Oedo Island is a

popular tourist destination, requiring a boat ride, over 10,000 visitors arrive daily, amazed by this human-made miracle.

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The death of someone we love can be devastating. Leaving us grieving and feeling that life will never be the same again. When she was 7 months pregnant, Victoria Bennet lost her sister, suddenly. For her, building and tending a garden, was an act of hope that helped her during some of the darkest times of her bereavement. She talks about how gardening helped her manage her grief and anxiety and what she learnt about gardening and our resilience in the face of seemingly overwhelming challenges.

Do you have a gardening question you'd like Alan Titchmarsh's help with? Submit your question in the comments below or go to www.gardenersworld.com/podcast/questions/

Alan will answer a selection in the Ask Alan podcast series from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine in February and March.

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Why do gardens need compost? What exactly is compost and what are the benefits compost brings to our gardening spaces? Charles Dowdling, gardener, author and champion of the modern 'no dig' gardening method, brings ways you can transfer your garden through the use of compost.

Do you have a gardening question you'd like Alan Titchmarsh's help with? Submit your question in the comments below or go to www.gardenersworld.com/podcast/questions/

Alan will answer a selection in the Ask Alan podcast series from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine in February and March.

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Kew Gardens, officially known as the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, is a sprawling 326 acre paradise located in southwest London, home to one of the largest and most diverse plant collections in the world. Whether you're marvelling at the glasshouses or enjoying a leisurely picnic with friends, there's always something magical to discover.

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There’s so much more to growing tulips than planting a few bulbs in autumn and hoping for a bright display next spring. Expert grower, Polly Nicholson, shares her appreciation for the beauty and diversity of tulips and how to help them deliver vibrant flowers over several years in tune with nature. As a National Collection holder, Polly outlines how she continues a tradition of exhibiting some of the most beautiful varieties. Learn from her tulip growing tips and get the best from your bulbs whether growing for vases, container displays, naturalised or simply for spring beauty in your borders.

Do you have a gardening question you'd like Alan Titchmarsh's help with? Submit your question in the comments below or go to www.gardenersworld.com/podcast/questions/

Alan will answer a selection in the Ask Alan podcast series from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine in February and March.

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Monty Don explains how he puts Long Meadow to bed for winter and how his winter preparations have changed over the years due to the climate. From coping with wet soil, protecting plants, mulching late winter and early spring, greenhouse heating - or not. There are gardening changes we need to adapt to and embrace.

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Welcome to the Winter series of the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine podcast – packed with friendly and informative conversations with some of the UK’s favourite gardening experts.

You'll find advice on how to care for your garden over winter, support wildlife, boost wellbeing, and improve soil health. We’ll also unearth the fascinating world of fungi, discover the secrets to healthy house plants and spectacular tulips, and much more. Enjoy lively gardening chat and illuminating discussion, brought to you by the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine team. With new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday, subscribe now, wherever you get your podcasts, and never miss an episode.

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