This month on DIG IT Peter Brown and Chris Day discuss the latest gardening news, what’s on’s and as the peak gardening season is well underway, a look at those tasks to keep your garden looking its best this month and beyond.

What’s on

2 – 7th July: RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival is held in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace, Richmond.

12th July and 4th August: The Big Butterfly Count 2024.

17 – 21st July: RHS Flower Show Tatton Park in Cheshire.

20th July: Great Dixter Summer Plant Fair at Great Dixter Gardens, Rye, East Sussex.

News

Plant Heritage will showcase a range of its National Plant Collections, including Kniphofia, Rubus and Hosta (miniature and small) at Hampton Court.

New 4-year project by the University of London is evaluating prescribing social pursuits like gardening to children.

New garden around the Natural History Museum opens this month.

The BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Monty Don will be out on tour to share tales from his garden at Longmeadow and gardens he has visited around the world.

Belinda Howell has been appointed chair of the Peat-free Partnership to establish peat-free legislation across the UK and NI.

Susan Raikes is appointed the new Director of Wakehurst at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Nick Bailey, Gardener’s World presenter is appointed director of the University Leicester’s botanic garden.

Percy Thrower’s greenhouse, which once featured Shrewsbury’s main park, The Quarry, is to be restored by Shrewsbury Men’s Shed.

Bumper year for Box Tree Caterpillar reveals RHS.

Be alert for toxic oak processionary moth caterpillars.

How to take part in the Great Stag Hunt to help record the UK’s largest, and endangered beetle.

Asian Hornets: help needed to irradicate imported bee-killers.

The winning plants at last month’s BBC Gardeners World Live Show, include Hydrangea Eclipse and Apple Peter’s Gold. New plant awards annouced at the HTA Show including Digitalis Apple Blossom and Prunus Crystal Falls.

This month’s DIG IT top 5: Strawberry varieties. 1st Strawberry ‘Symphony’ 2nd ‘Cambridge Favourite’ 3rd ‘Hapil’ 4th ‘Honeoye’ and in 5th ‘Elsanta’.

Plant mentions: Apples (variety Scrumptious), Cherries, Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, Delphiniums, Euonymus Jean Hugues, Euonymus Green Spire, Pears, Plum, Sweet corn, Yew, Lonicera nitida, fuchsias, Dianthus, Carnations, Purple loosestrife, and Salvia Hot Lips. Sow Foxgloves, Sweet Williams, Wallflowers and Forget-me-nots and veggies including Round Carrots, Beetroot, Radish, Lettuce, and Spring Onions. Continue to plant Tomatoes and Peppers.

Product mentions: Bug Clear Ultra 2, Box Tree Caterpillar Killer Nematodes, Poppyforge plant supports, bird food, straw and terracotta pots for earwig control.

Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music.

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Flowers are big business in Britain over 50% of British households bought cut flowers in 2022. However, according to Defra, only 14% of cut flowers sold in the UK are grown in Britain. In this edition of Dig it Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Jessica Naish who runs a successful local flower farm in Buckingham. In the podcast we discover how Jess has developed her flower farm, plus the practicalities of growing a wide range of cut flowers from the field to the vase.

Flowers mentioned: Amaranthus caudatus (Love Lies Bleeding), Centaurea cyanus (Cornflowers), Cosmos, Dahlias, Godetia, Larkspur, Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-mist), Perennial and annual Phlox, Strawflowers (Xerochrysum bracteatum), Roses (including the Timeless range of roses), Sweet peas, Sunflowers, Ten Week Stocks and Wallflowers.

Fragrant foliage: Apple mint, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, and scented Pelargoniums to add fragrance to bouquets.

Bulbs mentioned: Alliums, Gladioli, Lillies, Narcissi and Tulips.

Buckingham brew: Nettles and Comfrey tea combo to feed plants organically.

Jessica’s major influence is Gill Hodgson, who set up Flowers From The Farm back in 2011. From humble beginnings, its membership is now more than 1,000 independent British growers, of which Jess is a member. The website allows you to search for your nearest local flower farmer.

Peach Fuzz, Pantone Colour of the year 2024.

Jess’s desert island essentials: Tool - the versatile Hori Hori Knife, plus a couple of plants one of the velvety purple mophead hydrangeas and Geranium ‘Attar of Roses’ famed for its amazing rose scented fragrance.

Find out more about Jessica’s flower farm, workshops and pick-your-own here

You can also follow Jessica on Facebook and Instagram

Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

June is here and with it brings the sun and fun in the garden! In this month’s Dig It, Peter Brown and Chris Day discuss the latest gardening news stories, events, and those all-important gardening tasks, plus celebrating DIG IT’s inclusion into the Rephonic top 15 gardening podcasts!

What’s On

3 - 9th June British Flowers Week celebrating the variety and skills of the nation’s flower growers.

8th June: Royal Windsor Flower Show in Windsor Great Park, Windsor.

8 - 9th June: London Open Gardens event.

13 - 16th June: BBC Gardeners' World Live at the NEC in Birmingham.

21st - 23rd June; Blenheim Palace Flower Show, Oxfordshire.

People, gardens, products and plants mentioned. Tom Stuart Smith, Val Bourne, Jonathan Sheppard - Cosmos National Collection and Dame Judi Dench plants the Sycamore gap seedling. Water Aid Garden, Octavia Hill Community Garden with the National Trust. The RHS No Adults Allowed Garden, Malvern Garden Houseplant Studios, Hanley Open Side Building from Malvern, and Taylors Bulbs win their 31st Gold medal.

Miracle Gro, Tomorite Tomato Feed, Enviromesh or garlic spray to deter carrot fly. Slug copper tape, Slug Gone, beer traps and coffee grounds.

Euonymus Green Spire and Euonymus Jean Hugues (good box alternative). Rose ‘Emma Bridgewater’ from David Austin and the ‘With Courage’ from Peter Beales.

Make direct sowings of Peas, Beans, Courgettes, Sweetcorn, Lettuce, Carrot, Spring Onions, Radish and flowers Nasturtiums, cornflowers, and calendulas.

News

Winner of the RHS Plant of the Year Prunus ‘Starlight’. Runner up: Cosmos ‘Cherry Chocolate’.

Bromeliads cultivated at Walton Hall in Cheshire.

Growing plants should be on the curriculum.

Kew ‘Carbon’ Garden created.

Scientists eavesdrop the sounds from the soil.

Long grass is benefiting butterflies says charity.

RHS Garden Wisley opens Oakwood Summerhouse to pay homage to Ellen Willmott.

National Trust revamps some gardens by future proofing with more resilient planting.

Aviva issues flood risk warning as residents turn to artificial lawns.

Jekka McVicar recipient of the Prince Edward Award.

Oudolf landscape opens at Wisley.

Lack of collective of nouns of trees.

Auckland gardens regeneration in County Durham.

Roses at risk from lack of genetic diversity.

A UK first Tulbaghia National Collection at Eastwood Park Prison.

25 years of research creates UK first for oak seeds.

King Charles III to continue as Patron of the National Garden Scheme, and is the new patron of the RHS.

Top 5 bedding plants 1 Geranium Zonal Mixed 9-pack, 2 Geranium Zonal, 13cm, 3 Hedera (ivy) Mixed, 9cm, 4 Geranium Ivy Leaf Mixed and at 5 Petunia Mixed carry pack.

In our next podcast we chat with Jessica Naish from Buckingham Flower Farm about the growing cut flowers.

Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.