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How do I keep my gladioli coming back? Why are my hellebores covered in black spots? Why do my courgettes go mouldy so quickly? Kathy Clugston and the panel have the answers.

How do I keep my gladioli coming back? Why are my hellebores covered in black spots? Why do my courgettes go mouldy so quickly?

Kathy Clugston and a panel of plant and gardening experts are offering advice to an audience of keen gardeners in Ridgewell, Essex. Joining Kathy are grow-your-own guru Bob Flowerdew, garden designer Bunny Guinness, and gardener Matthew Pottage.

Later in the programme, we hear from Peter Gibbs about the increasing number of sponge cities in the UK.

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Available now

42 minutes

Plant List

1 minute, 33 seconds

 How do I keep my gladioli coming back?

Matthew Pottage

Tulip

‘Gladiolus × byzantinus’

Bob Flowerdew

‘Gladiolusmurielae’ Abyssinian gladiolus

6 minutes, 35 seconds

We have two mature walnut trees in our garden. They are about 40 feet from each other, but one comes into leave about four weeks before the other one. Why?

Matthew Pottage

Beech

8 minutes, 39 seconds

 Why are my hellebores constantly plagued with black spots on their leaves?

11 minutes, 19 seconds

We've got a problem with courgettes. We try and grow them every year, but they go rotten before we can eat them. Why?

20 minutes, 26 seconds

 Which crowd pleasing plants could you suggest for my north-facing low walled garden?

Bunny Guinness

Pittosporum

Camassia

Fritillaria

Bob Flowerdew

Privet

Ruscus acleatus ‘butcher’s broom’

Alstroemeria

Matthew Pottage

Stachyurus ‘Magpie’

Danae racemosa

Lilium nepalense

26 minutes, 42 seconds

How do I keep my lawn verdant all year round?

32 minutes, 29 seconds

Which sorts of trees would you recommend to give the effect of a natural pergola, which provides shade, but with an interesting bark?

Bob Flowerdew

Judas tree

Bunny Guinness

Hornbeam

Matthew Pottage

Sorbus aria ‘lutescens’

Lagerstroemia indica ‘crape myrtle’

36 minutes, 16 seconds

My osmanthus heterophyllus has burst out in leaf again, but no flowers.

Should I prune it to encourage flowering?

Matthew Pottage

Osmanthus heterophyllus

Bunny Guinness

Osmanths aquifolium

Kolkwitzia

39 minutes, 49 seconds

 If you could only choose one, which would you choose: a greenhouse or a compost bin?

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