Feathers, Fruit and Fascinating Plants

This week we’re rolling up our sleeves to look at how we can support our garden visitors, while also preparing for the burst of life that spring will bring. The RSPB’s Emma Marsh is back to share how monitoring projects like the Big Garden Bird Watch can make a real difference when it comes to helping our declining species. Gareth Richards pops in with his top tips for growing one of his allotment favourites (and a firm favourite with bumblebees too) the humble raspberry. And Olivia Drake shines a spotlight on the RHS Wildlife Wonders plant for January: the shrubby honeysuckle. Host: Nick Turrell Contributors: Emma Marsh, Gareth Richards, Olivia Drake Links: Sign up to the Big Garden Bird Watch RSPB free guide and ID chart How to grow raspberries Why you need a shrubby honeysuckle in your garden

Today, we’re joined by the RSPB’s Emma Marsh, who shares how she has made her garden into a haven for birds. We’ll also conclude Nick Turrell’s countdown of the most influential plants that have shaped human culture, and history around the globe. Plus, now is the best time to get outside and prune your freestanding apples and pears. The RHS’s Jim Arbury gives us a masterclass on exactly what you need to do to keep your trees productive and in shape for the year ahead. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Emma Marsh, Nick Turrell, Jim Arbury Links: Plants for birds Apples and pears: winter pruning

The new year has arrived with an Arctic blast, and so it feels like the perfect moment to retreat indoors and let the garden live in our imaginations for a while. Nick Turrell joins us to continue his countdown of the most influential plants that have shaped human history. Guy Barter shares his practical ideas for making the most of your Christmas tree in the garden, and Pru Murray takes us through some of the new partner gardens RHS members can enjoy visiting in 2026. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Nick Turrell, Guy Barter, Pru Murray Links: Nick Turrell's most influential plants part 1, and part 2 Visit rhs.org.uk/partnergardens to search for Partner Gardens to visit local to you and find out their opening times for members.  If you want to suggest a garden to join the scheme or have any other feedback you can email the team on: [email protected]

As 2025 comes to a close, host Nick Turrell looks back on a year of discovery in this special end-of-year edition of Gardening with the RHS. From the quiet resilience of winter-flowering hellebores with plantsman John Grimshaw, to the gentle industry of hoverflies with RHS entomologist Josie Stuart, and a summer journey into Britain’s rare temperate rainforests with designer Zoe Claymore, this reflective episode revisits three listener favourites that reveal how even the smallest patches of nature can support a much wider living network.

Oh the weather outside is frightful but there’s still plenty of wonder to be found out there. James Armitage, editor of The Plant Review, joins Gareth Richards to reflect on the quiet beauty of the resilient plants that carry us through the winter months, and on the quiet beauty of seeing familiar plants anew.We begin with writer and plantsman Phil Clayton, who tells the extraordinary story of the Wollemi pine, tracing its journey from near-extinction to gardens around the world. James then sits down with Tom Christian to discuss the remarkable diversity of the ivy family, a group of plants rich in variety and resilience, whose beauty and horticultural value are often underestimated. Finally, we meet South Korean artist Seong Weon Ahn, whose delicate paintings capture plants not only with botanical precision, but with a deep sense of presence and mood. Contributors: Phil Clayton, Tom Christian, Seong Weon Ahn Links: Subscribe to The Plant Review Host: Gareth Richards and James Armitage

This week, we honour the stillness of winter and the returning promise of light as we mark the winter solstice. At this turning of the year, we reflect on the people, plants and initiatives that this new light brings into focus. We begin by stepping into the richly curious world of Christopher Lloyd, the influential gardener and visionary behind Great Dixter House and Gardens. His legacy is recalled by his former student and now Head Gardener at Great Dixter, Fergus Garrett. Nick Turrell then returns with his top 10 countdown of plants that changed human history. This time, Nick delves into one species that helped ignite a vast global industry, asking whether its influence has ultimately made our lives better or worse. Finally, a look to the future with Sara Redstone who shines a light on a pioneering initiative taken up by theRHS, focused on strengthening plant biosecurity, highlighting the vital work being done to protect our plants and ecosystems for generations to come. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Fergus Garrett, Nick Turrell, Sara Redstone Links:  Great Dixter  Protect your garden health  Biosecurity at the RHS  Defra list of authorised distance plant sellers

This week, RHS Head of Libraries Fiona Davison, garden designer Zoe Claymore and RHS Gardening Advisor Nick Turrell gather to share their must-read gardening books of 2025. Along the way, they explore what really makes a garden waterwise, dive into the astonishing world of fungi, demystify regenerative gardening, and get to the root of soil science. They also journey through the makings of a temperate rainforest, spotlight remarkable horticultural heroes from history — and yes, they even tackle the topic every gardener loves to hate: slugs. Host: Fiona Davison with Nick Turrell and Zoe Claymore Books mentioned: Garden People: The Photographs of Valerie Finnis - Ursula Buchan  Botanical Illustration: The Gold Medal Winners - Charlotte Brooks RHS Waterwise Garden - Tom Massey RHS Fungi for Gardeners - Dr Jassy Drakulic RHS Slugs: Friend or Foe - Dr Hayley Jones The Kindest Garden: A Practical Guide to Regenerative Gardening - Marian Boswell  Illustrated History of Landscape Design - Elizabeth Boults  One Garden Against the World - Kate Bradbury  The Lost Rainforests of Great Britain - Guy Shrubsole

December is the perfect time to take stock of the garden and dream of the seasons ahead. With this in mind, this week we’re bringing you some extraordinary stories from horticulturists past and present. Fiona Davison kicks things off with the astonishing tale of Muriel Howarth, who passionately advocated for the potential of atomic energy in gardening. Nick Turrell then joins us to unveil the first two entries in his top ten most influential plants: species that have shaped history through their extraordinary abilities and dramatic backstories. And finally, Helen Bensted-Smith returns with the concluding chapter of the wildlife ponds mini-series, guiding you through how to keep your pond healthy and thriving for years to come. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Fiona Davison, Nick Turrell, and Helen Bensted-Smith Links: RHS How to Create a Wildlife Pond Pumpkins and Prizes exhibition Write in with your gardening questions to: [email protected]

It’s National Tree Week, and we’re heading into the woods to celebrate the trees that shape our landscapes, enrich our lives, and quietly support the world around us. We’re joined by Sally Bavin from the Woodland Trust, who explains why woodlands are so powerful for both our physical and mental wellbeing. She also shares her fascinating research into mapping the UK’s richest areas of “wellbeing woodland.” We’ll also dive into the RHS’s new Strong Roots report, which uncovers the challenges preventing Great Britain from growing the trees it needs for the future. Plant scientist Louise Jones takes us behind the scenes at the RHS to explore her investigation into a mysterious fungal pathogen that’s attacking lime trees. And finally, we continue our pond series with Helen Bensted-Smith, who reveals the wildlife you can spot around your pond this week. Host: Gareth Richards and Guy Barter Contributors: Sally Bavin, Lousie Jones, Helen Bensted-Smith Links: BIO-well research Ancient forgotten forests need our help Native trees to plant in small gardens State of the UK's Woods and Trees 2025 Submit to the natures calendar project Strong Roots report Lime Tilia Leaf Blotch Report Form Write in with your gardening questions to: [email protected]

As frosts arrive across the UK – later than usual this year – we’re exploring how to give nature a helping hand when the seasons fall out of step. In this installment of our wildlife ponds mini-series, Helen Bensted-Smith walks us through her top planting recommendations for different aquatic habitats. Wisley Garden Manager Mark Tuson also reveals how his team turns fallen leaves, cuttings, and woody material into valuable resources that enrich the soil, strengthen plant health, and boost biodiversity. Finally, we head to East Sussex for a tour of the iconic Arts and Crafts gardens at Great Dixter – home of the late garden writer Christopher Lloyd – guided by Head Gardener Fergus Garrett. Host: Gareth Richards Contributors: Fergus Garrett, Helen Bensted-Smith, Mark Tuson Links: Choosing pond plants Invasive non-native plants Aquatic weeds Chop and drop Mullet gardening Write in with your gardening questions to: [email protected]