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Brunel's SS Great Britain: Ponds, Wardian Cases and Figs

Lawns - to mow or not to mow? How could I make my pond visually pleasing and wildlife friendly? Should I feed my two year-old fig tree? Kathy and the panel have all the answers.

Lawns - to mow or not to mow? What could I use to make my pond visually pleasing and wildlife friendly? Will my two year-old fig tree produce more fruits if I feed it?

Kathy Clugston and a team of experts board Brunel's SS Great Britain in Bristol to answer gardening questions from an audience of novice gardeners. Joining Kathy are garden designers Chris Beardshaw, Matthew Wilson and house plants expert Anne Swithinbank.

Later in the programme, Matthew Wilson meets with head of research James Boyd, and head of interpretation and programming Iona Keen, to learn about the importance of Wardian cases to the horticultural industry.

Producer: Daniel Cocker
Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod鈥
Executive Producer: Carly Maile

A Somethin' Else production for 大象传媒 Radio 4

Available now

42 minutes

Plant List

Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided.

Q 鈥 Lawns鈥o mow or not to mow? What do you advise considering the change in climate? (01鈥32鈥)

Q 鈥 Where should we start with a sloped garden that is 200ft long? (05鈥39鈥)

Q 鈥 I've been growing Cannas in pots for several years, but they鈥檙e not flowering reliably. What am I doing wrong? (11鈥32鈥)

Q 鈥 My pond needs some TLC - How could I make it visually pleasing and wildlife friendly? (14鈥56鈥)

Matthew Wilson 鈥

Irispseudacorus, yellow flag iris

Butomusumbellatus, flowering rush

Typhalatifolia, bulrush

Q 鈥 My two-year-old fig tree in a pot hardly produces any fruit - Should I be feeding it? (19鈥04鈥)

Feature 鈥 Matthew Wilson meets with head of research James Boyd, and head of interpretation and programming, Iona Keen to learn about the importance of wardian cases to the horticultural industry (22鈥19鈥)

Q 鈥 Which reasonably fast-growing trees would the panel recommend for colour in the autumn and flowers in the spring? (27鈥21鈥)

Matthew Wilson 鈥

Sorbusaucuparia, rowan

Sorbus听Autumn Spire听('Flanrock'), mountain ash [Autumn Spire]

Ginkgo Biloba, maidenhair tree

Anne Swithinbank 鈥

Crataeguspersimilis听'Prunifolia', plum-leaved thorn

Malustransitoria, cut-leaf crab apple

Cercidiphyllumjaponicum, katsura tree

Chris Beardshaw 鈥

Ilexcastaneifolia听hort., holly 'Chestnut Leaf'

Tiliatomentosa, silver lime

Liquidambarstyraciflua听'Palo Alto', sweet gum 'Palo Alto'

Nyssasylvatica, tupelo

Magnolia听脳听soulangeana, saucer magnolia

Q 鈥 I have a Brugmansia 鈥 Will it survive outside during the winter, or does it need to come inside? (33鈥50鈥)

Q 鈥 Can you suggest resilient indoor plants that will bring add colour to a room? (36鈥29鈥)

Anne Swithinbank 鈥

Cyclamen

Chris Bearshaw 鈥

Evergreen azaleas

Stephanotis

Clivia

Matthew Wilson 鈥

Chillies

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