Harmondsworth - Citrus, Geums and Patio Planting
6/12/202642 min
Peter Gibbs and the GQT panel visit the charming village of Harmondsworth, just moments from the bustle of Heathrow.
Peter is joined by James Wong, Frances Tophill and Bunny Guinness as they tackle horticultural conundrums, submitted by an audience of local gardeners. From growing citrus trees from supermarket fruit pips to distinguishing wild geums from their cultivated cousins, the panel share practical advice and horticultural insight.
There’s guidance on reusing compost, choosing hydrangeas for tricky shady spots and selecting the right planting choices to create year-round impact on a patio.
Later in the show, Frances explores the benefits of horticultural therapy with a local practitioner, Hardip Singh Lawana MBE, uncovering how gardening can support wellbeing and bring people together.
And to finish, the panel reveal which weeds they’d be, with answers ranging from charming to mischievous.
Producer: Dan Cocker, Rahnee Prescod and Alison Vernon-Smith Assistant Producer: William Norton
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
* If listening on BBC Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp2f/episodes/guide
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsPeter Gibbs· Host0:00
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. [gentle music] What do Beatles member Sir Paul McCartney- YouTube megastar MrBeast- and former Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg all have in common?
Speaker 20:13
They're all being discussed in the new season of Good Bad Billionaire, the podcast which explores the lives and fortunes of the world's super rich.
Peter Gibbs· Host0:20
That's Good Bad Billionaire from the BBC World Service.
Speaker 20:22
Listen now. Search for Good Bad Billionaire wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
Peter Gibbs· Host0:26
[gentle music] Hello, and welcome to this week's GQT with me, Peter Gibbs. In 1944, the tiny hamlet of Heath Row was demolished to make way for a new airport. Just can't think of the name. But it went on to become the busiest airport in Europe, filtering over 80 million passengers through its gates last year. But if only those 80 million people knew that less than a mile from Heathrow's northern runway, oh yeah, I get the name now, uh, is one of the prettiest and loveliest villages in Greater London, and it's called Harmondsworth. Well, despite the nearness, this place couldn't be further from the bustling energy of the airport next door. There's a thriving allotment association. It's the current champion of Best Small Village in London in the London in Bloom Awards, and its church boasts a horticultural feather in its cap. Richard Cox, grower of the famous Cox's Orange Pippin apple, is buried in the grounds of St. Mary the Virgin. Well, we're guests