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Four Points of the Compass Special: North v South

As part of GQT's 70th anniversary celebrations, the team visit the four points of the UK compass to explore the variety of climate and environment. This week it's North v South.

As part of GQT's 70th anniversary celebrations, the team visit gardeners at the four points of the UK compass to explore the incredible variety of climate and environment in this country - something that makes gardening here so endlessly fascinating.

For this second programme, it's North v South with Eric Robson, James Wong, Pippa Greenwood and Bob Flowerdew exploring the subtropical climes of Tresco Abbey Garden in The Isles of Scilly, while Peter Gibbs, Matthew Wilson, Matt Biggs and Anne Swithinbank visit one of the coldest spots in the UK - Lerwick on The Shetland Islands.

James Wong and Matt Biggs venture out to see how gardeners are making the most of hot and cold conditions respectively, and the two panels take questions from audiences some 733 miles apart.

Produced by Dan Cocker, Hannah Newton and Darby Dorras
Assistant Producer: Laurence Bassett

A Somethin' Else production for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4.

Available now

43 minutes

Last on

Sun 13 Aug 2017 14:00

Fact Sheet

Scilly

Q – How can I grow better aubergines?

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Bob – They need a lot of bright sunlight.Ìý You could try hand pollinating them too.

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James – You could try growing Thai pea aubergine instead

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Q – I have a Coleonema pulchrum which is too big – can I prune it?

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Mike – Yes you can cut it right back.Ìý To take cuttings you can take 40-50 six-inch (15cm) cuttings and put them in a pot and they should root quite easily in this climate

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Q – How do I prevent bud drop from a Fremontodendron californicum?Ìý

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Pippa – This can be caused by the plant being too dry.Ìý With Camellias and Rhododendrons this can happen when the buds are forming.Ìý You need free-draining soil as it doesn’t want to be soggy either.

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Bob – Do be careful of touching the plant with bare skin – it can cause serious irritation

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Q – Can you recommend fast-growing and dense plants that will withstand strong salty winds please?

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Mike – New Zealand plants do well eg Pittosporum crassifolium, Elaeagnus ebbingei and Gressilinia literalis.Ìý Olearia traversii as an individual shrub.Ìý

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Bob – Sea Buckthorn.Ìý You need male and female versions.Ìý Pampas grass too will grow in these conditions.

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Plants mentioned in feature with James and Mike:

Monterey Cypress

Proteas

Gazania splendens from South Africa

Agave

Cistus

Washtingtonia palm

Trachycarpus palm (from China)

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Matt Biggs in Levenwick:

Primulas

Oriental poppies

Thrifts (Sea Thrift)

Candelabra

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Shetland

Q – I have a coastal garden and I rely on raised beds.Ìý Which rhubarb variety would be best to grow?

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Matt – ‘Timperley Early’, ‘Grandad’s Favourite’, and most of the others will do well.Ìý They need moisture but don’t waterlog them

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Q – Can the panel suggest hardy flowering plants for late summer colour (apart from Crocosmia)?

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Matthew – Daisy flowers like Asters and Rudbeckia and Helenium.Ìý Chrysanthemums as well.Ìý Aster lateriflorus horizontalis.Ìý Aster alma potschke.Ìý

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Anne – Japanese anemone ‘honorine jobert’. Physostegia virginiana (‘Obedient Plant’)Ìý

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Matt – Geranium pratense.Ìý Geranium macrorrhizum.Ìý

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Q – I have a dwarf cherry tree – a ‘Compact Stella’ – and it’s growing out of control. What can I do?

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Anne – Bend the branches and tie them down

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Q – What are the best plants for a foliage border?

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Matt – Euonymus fortunei ‘Silver Queen’.Ìý Also Fortunei radicans.Ìý

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Anne – Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’.Ìý Asarum europaeum (related to the ‘Mouse Plant’).Ìý Cornus canadensis (‘Creeping Dogwood’).Ìý

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Matthew – Dryopteris erythrosora.Ìý Hostas.Ìý Hosta sieboldiana ‘Big Daddy’.Ìý

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Q – What plants/seeds would the panel take to an unknown land?

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Matt – Hops. Juniper berries. Sloes.

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Anne – Citronella

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Wilson – ‘Grass Pea’ (Lathyrus sativus). Old wheat varieties.Ìý Gourds.

Broadcasts

  • Fri 11 Aug 2017 15:00
  • Sun 13 Aug 2017 14:00

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