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Hyde Hall: Latin Names, Water Butts and Plant Superpowers

Peter Gibbs leads the horticultural festivities as a vibrant panel of plant pros take on questions from a crowd of passionate and curious gardeners.

What can gardening clubs do to entice new members? How do the panel handle their plant addiction? If you were to have a plant superpower, which would it be and why?

It’s party time in the garden once again! Gardeners’ Question Time returns with the much-anticipated GQT Summer Garden Party, recorded at the breathtaking RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex.

This week, Peter Gibbs leads the horticultural festivities as a vibrant panel of plant pros take on questions from a crowd of passionate and curious gardeners. On the panel - proud plantswoman Christine Walkden, pest and disease detective Pippa Greenwood, and botanical explorers James Wong and Dr Chris Thorogood.

Expect expert insights, surprising solutions, and a whole lot of garden inspiration in this special summer celebration of all things green and growing.

Producer: Matthew Smith
Assistant Producer: Suhaar Ali
Assistant Producer: Rocky Cocker
Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4.

Available now

42 minutes

Last on

Sun 17 Aug 2025 14:00

Featured

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Plant List

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

Q – How do the panel handle their plant addiction? (02’40”)

Q – Can the panel suggest other imaginative ways of using common, easily grown plants in the garden? (06’11”)

Pippa Greenwood –

Squash

Q – Why have the flowers of my Rosa Jacques Cartier started to distort and deteriorate? (09’37”)

Q – What should horticultural societies do to make sure they continue to thrive and entice new members? (11’38”)

Q – What should I do to ensure my plants survive as it gets hotter each year? I rely on water buts to water my garden. (18’33”)

Dr Chris Thorogood –

Digitalis, foxglove

Digitalis purpurea 'Camelot Lavender' (Camelot Series), foxglove 'Camelot Lavender'

Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian Peach' (Dalmatian Series), foxglove 'Dalmatian Peach'

Alcea rosea, hollyhock

Stachys byzantine, lamb's ear

Christine Walkden –

Buddleja globosa, orange ball tree

Embothrium coccineum, chilean fire bush

Q – The fruits of my grape vine have suddenly gone hard and small, what’s happened? (25’07”)

Q – Do you think it's necessary or even helpful? To know the Latin names of common plants? (28’25”)

Q – If you were to have a plant superpower, which would it be and why? (34’42”)

Pippa Greenwood –

Sarracenia, pitcher plant

James Wong –

Coffee Plant

Christine Walkden –

Mimosa pudica, sensitive plant

Ecballium elaterium, squirting cucumber 

Broadcasts

  • Fri 15 Aug 2025 15:00
  • Sun 17 Aug 2025 14:00

Join us at RHS Garden Wisley and be part of the show as we host the BBC Radio 4 Gardeners’ Question Time Summer Garden Party

Join us at RHS Garden Wisley and be part of the show as we host the BBC Radio 4 Gardeners’ Question Time Summer Garden Party

Find out more about how to get tickets to this event.

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