West Horsley

9 snips

Jun 20, 2025

Guest

Bob Flowerdew

Pippa Greenwood, a pest and disease specialist, joins botanist and broadcaster James Wong, award-winning garden designer Juliet Sargeant, and grow-your-own expert Bob Flowerdew for a lively discussion. They tackle common gardening challenges like why onions bolt and the best practices for pruning lilacs. Juliet suggests flowering shrubs suitable for chalky soil, while Bob offers essential tips for feeding and watering crops. The team shares strategies for thriving gardens, blending science with personal anecdotes for an engaging horticultural journey.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ADVICE

Ficus Ginseng Care Tips

Let your Ficus Ginseng dry out between waterings to avoid leaf drop due to overwatering stress.
Increase humidity around the leaves using a tray with pebbles and water for better plant health.

ADVICE

Use Crocks Sparingly in Pots

Use crocks sparingly in pots to prevent soil loss and improve drainage but avoid large layers as they don't enhance drainage.
Block the drainage hole with a single croc to stop soil pouring out and assist in pot handling.

ADVICE

Shrubs for Chalky Soil

Choose shrubs like Philadelphus, Weigela, Ceanothus, Magnolia stellata, and Syringa pubescens for late spring flowers on chalky soil.
Train wisteria as a freestanding shrub on frames for scented beauty without needing a wall or fence.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

What causes onions to bolt? What do the team think about using crocs at the bottom of pots? How should I go about pruning my lilac tree?

Kathy Clugston and a panel of esteemed gardening experts visit West Horsley, Surrey, to tackle common horticultural challenges and share practical solutions. Joining her are pest and disease specialist Pippa Greenwood, botanist James Wong, and award-winning garden designer Juliet Sargeant.

Later in the programme, Bob Flowerdew wraps up our Edible Essentials series with a fool proof guide to feeding and watering your crops - ensuring a rich and rewarding harvest.

Producer: Matthew Smith Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod Executive Producer: Carly Maile

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

Q – My Ficus Ginseng has lost most of its leaves, what am I doing wrong? (01’35”)

Q – What do the team think about using crocs at the bottom of pots? (06’41”)

Q – Can the panel suggest shrubs that will flower late spring, early summer and thrive in chalky soil? (10’57”)

Juliet Sargeant – Philadelphus, mock orange Philadelphus 'Manteau d'Hermine' (d), mock orange 'Manteau d'Hermine' Weigela All Summer Red ('Slingco 1'PBR) (All Summer Series), weigela [All Summer Red] Weigela All Summer Peach ('Slingpink'PBR) (All Summer Series), weigela [All Summer Peach] Ceanothus, californian lilac

Pippa Greenwood – Magnolia stellata, star magnolia Mahonia, oregon grape Syringa pubescens subsp. patula 'Miss Kim', lilac 'Miss Kim' Deutzia × rosea 'Carminea', deutzia 'Carminea'

James Wong – Pittosporum tobira, japanese pittosporum Wisteria

Feature – Bob Flowerdew’s Edible Essential guide to watering and feeding crops (16’56)

Q – What causes onions to bolt? (21’19”)

Q – Can the panel advise on what I can plant on a north facing one-and-a-half-meter border adjacent my mixed hedge? (25’37”)

Juliet Sargeant – Euphorbia robbiae, mrs Robb's bonnet Anemone hupehensis, japanese anemones

James Wong – Digitalis, foxglove Primula vulgaris (Pr/Prim), primrose Hyacinthoides non-scripta, bluebell Hakonechloa, japanese forest grass Ferns Lillies

Pippa Greenwood – Hardy geraniums Epimedium Helleborus, hellebore

Q – How should I go about pruning my lilac tree? (31’48”)

Q – What plants would the panel take from your current gardens if you were moving to a much smaller garden with very poor soil and lots of builder’s rubble in it? (35’23”)

James Wong – Tree ferns

Juliet Sargeant – Iris germanica, bearded iris Ficus carica (F), fig Salvia 'Royal Bumble', sage 'Royal Bumble' Salvia 'Hot Lips', sage 'Hot Lips' Salvia, sage Salvia 'Amistad'PBR, sage 'Amistad' Erigeron karvinskianus, mexican fleabane

Pippa Greenwood – Aubrieta Eryngium, sea holly