Southwold: Weddings, Pelargoniums and Secret Snakes
Do grass snakes have any benefit to my garden? How do I stop my autumn raspberries from getting maggots? Kathy Clugston and the panel have the answers to these questions and more.
Do grass snakes have any benefit to my garden? How do I stop my autumn raspberries from getting maggots? What I can plant between now and next June that will flower in time for my daughter’s wedding?
Kathy Clugston and a panel of experts are in the hot seat as they answer the gardening queries from an audience in Southwold. On the panel are head gardeners Ashley Edwards and Matthew Pottage, and pest and disease expert Pippa Greenwood.
Later, Matthew Pottage sneaks away to Wootens of Wenhaston Plantsman Nursery in Darsham, where he meets co-owner Jill Stafford to discuss Pelargoniums and how there's a variety for everyone.
Producer: Dominic Tyerman
Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod
Executive Producer: Carly Maile
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
Last on
Plant List
Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided.
Q – How do I stop my autumn raspberries from getting maggots? (01’15”)
Q – Why do some of my dahlias flower easily, but other don’t flower at all? despite growing in identical conditions (03’50”)
Q –Do grass snakes have any benefit to my garden? (06’24”)
Q – What wind resistance plants would you recommend for a shady container? (10’48”)
Ashley –
Dryopteriswallichiana, alpine wood fern
Hakonechloa, japanese forest grass
Matthew –
Carex 'Ice Dance' (v”), sedge 'Ice Dance'
Pachysandraterminalis, japanese spurge
Blechnumchilense, chile blechnum
Narcissus, daffodils
Narcissus 'Thalia' (5”), daffodil 'Thalia'
Sciadopitys
Pippa –
dwarf conifers
Hedera, Ivy
Crocus
Narcissus, daffodil
Q – Can you suggest what I can add to my peat free compost, as it drains too easily and dries out too quickly? (21’22”)
Q – Something has been attacking my Viburnumtinus– Will it survive? If so, how can I treat it? (26’48”)
Q – Due to the change in climate, should I be pruning my roses later in the year? (31’17”)
Q – Can you possibly tell me what I can plant between now and next June that will give me a lovely garden – in time for my daughter’s wedding? (35’09”)
Ashley –
Amsoniatabernaemontana var. salicifolia, eastern bluestar
Astrantia
Astrantiamajor subsp. involucrata 'Shaggy', masterwort 'Shaggy'
Melica, melick
Allium bulbs
Eremurus, foxtail
Pippa –
Abutilon, indian mallow
Antirrhinummajus, snapdragon
Dahlias
Matthew –
Alstroemeria Indian Summer ('Tesronto'PBR”), peruvian lily [Indian summer]
Eremurusrobustus, giant desert candle
Galtoniacandicans, summer hyacinth
Astilbe
Broadcasts
- Fri 23 Aug 202415:00BBC Radio 4
- Sun 25 Aug 202414:00BBC Radio 4
Podcast
![]()
Gardeners' Question Time
Horticultural programme featuring a group of gardening experts


