Gardeners’ World & Alan Titchmarsh Gardening Club 2025

8pm tonight.

" As summer starts to make way for autumn, Monty is harvesting sweetcorn, taking stock of his plants in pots and pruning summer-fruiting raspberries.

Toby Buckland visits a magical garden in Wiltshire, where a collaboration between owner and gardener has created a stunning space full of beauty and daring design. And Frances Tophill is in a Cornish village to find out how pioneering technology is creating beautiful borders for pollinators.

There’s a self-taught grower who has been on an incredible journey transforming her allotment. Plus a gardener for whom water and wildlife are truly precious."

 

Caught up with this week's offering and must say that I enjoyed it in general .

The garden that Toby Buckland visited was lovely, I particularly liked the shot of the 2 deckchairs sitting under the hedge "pergolas" (for want of a better description), plus the overhead shots.

The lady with the cut flower garden made me smile with her remark about feeling that every time something grew from seed successfully she felt it was a total fluke. Even after many years of gardening I feel exactly the same .

I found the Frances Tophill item about the "Pollinator Pathway" very interesting, even my OH paid attention to that, and we did discuss maybe attempting it in the big bed in our front garden. I have tried it out, and it is very clever. Here's a link if anyone's interested.
Create my Garden - Pollinator Pathmaker

Finally, Monty might not have been able to see any box caterpillars, but I'd bet any amount that the little blighters were in there somewhere .

 

Thanks for the link @AnniD

I enjoyed this episode.
Someone from the MD team seems to have moved to Wiltshire. It’s the third time in the recent weeks that they showed garden from the North of Wiltshire. Finally, they’re talking about gardens on clay soil

 

I enjoyed most of it, particularly the garden that Toby visited and the cut flower grower. I wasn't convinced by the Pollinator Pathway but clicked on your link @AnniD (thank you ) and can see its merits, for less experienced gardeners who like their apps! (I don't think Monty was very impressed though!)

I'm not sure that many viewers will have room in their garden for an oak tree .

I also think there will be some caterpillars in that box topiary. How repotting the box will help to deter them doesn't seem logical to me - the caterpillars camouflage themselves in the foliage over winter then emerge in spring to start munching .

 

I agree about the box plants @Plantminded .

I'm afraid I was muttering "Just get rid" while Monty was outlining his plans. Like you, I couldn't see the point in repotting them. Perhaps he thinks the soil/compost has something to do with it ?

We still have a box hedge in the front garden and in the last few months my OH has bought replacement plants for a damaged section.

I kept them in the back garden for several weeks (no box plants there any more), and inspected them as forensically as I could at least every 2 or 3 days. You've guessed it, the caterpillars eventually appeared and decimated them.

 

Sorry to hear that @AnniD. Our neighbourhood has had an invasion this summer. One of my neighbours warned me a few weeks ago and sure enough they appeared in all my box hedging and topiary, in front and back gardens. I've removed the hedge and will tackle the two pots with topiary next week. I was loathe to do this as I've had them for over 20 years, but needs must .

 

I was recently visiting Dyrham Park, and saw that they had replaced the border with yew tree. It looked quite nice as replacement.

 

I like yew as an alternative. I think Monty added some yew topiary to his garden last year. I’ve also used Euonymus Green Spire as a low hedge. The leaves are slightly larger than box but brighter and, so far, pest free .

 

Just a reminder that there is no Gardeners' World programme this week, due to coverage of the rugby.

 

8pm tonight.

" Monty has plans for interest and colour in his garden next year, from adding a rose to the new Dog House to planting daffodil bulbs and sowing sweet pea seeds. He also shares solutions for tackling plant pests in his greenhouse.

Rachel investigates a quiet revolution in the world of floristry at a flower farm with a difference in Oxfordshire. Adam has a privileged view of a spectacular garden in North Yorkshire, where intricate planting designs blend seamlessly with the landscape.

And there's a visit to the flower beds of Glyndebourne, which are helping create authentic colours for their operatic costumes. Plus, two retired police officers who have joined forces to create a beautiful space in Devon."

 

I may not get around to watching that until next week, but I think I'll enjoy Adam's item.

The last episode of Beechgrove was last night. It was quite interesting hearing George talking about his rainfall comparisons. I'll just say - our August total was ten times his total, and that was still low for here. He compared with last year, and we were almost double his, and probably still a bit on the low side.

He was right about the way many people are experiencing their rainfall - long dry spell, then all at once, rather than evenly spread out through a month. We're getting that on this side too, but we still get far more rainfall than the east side. It's definitely a pattern, and something all gardeners, regardless of location, will have to consider when putting in any new plants, as well as the maintenance of what they already have. Always a challenge, this gardening malarkey.

 

Really enjoyed this week's GW, especially the retired police officers' garden - their enthusiasm was truly infectious. Surprisingly I really enjoyed the floristry segment and the Glyndebourne fabric dying one as well - both not usually my thing - but the latter was most informative.

 

For those who liked the beautiful Mount St John garden visited by Adam Frost, it is open for charity next Saturday (4th October).

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/mountstjohn/1748485

 

8pm tonight.

" Frances Tophill is back at Damson Farm in the Somerset countryside to revel in the atmosphere and abundance in an autumn garden. There are ornamentals and edibles to harvest, and in the meadow, there are seeds aplenty. She shares evergreen planting ideas for shady corners and adds a touch of late seasonal interest to beds and borders.

In the Peak District, Rekha Mistry reaps the rewards of her labour in a productive kitchen garden. And Nick Bailey takes a deep dive into plant science and the kaleidoscope of colour.

There’s a beautiful family garden in Kent that became a sanctuary during the darkest of times. Plus an entomologist in Edinburgh who is passionate about conserving insects and their native habitats."

 

Thanks for sharing @AnniD . Frances and Rekha are my favourites.
Can't wait to see this episode which I will watch this morning after my second round of sleep :-)