From choosing the perfect terracotta pot to creating spectacular seasonal displays, Monty Don shares his expert advice on gardening in containers. Discover why bigger pots often work best, how to create the ideal compost mix for different plants, and the secrets to watering and feeding for long-lasting success. Monty also reflects on his lifelong love of handmade pots, revealing the stories behind some of his favourites and explaining how containers can become an integral part of any garden design.
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Why buy new when your garden could be full of materials with a story? Frances shares her passion for reclaiming and reusing everything from old bricks and timber to windows, pallets and unexpected household finds. Discover how reclaimed materials can save money, reduce waste and bring personality to paths, patios, containers and garden structures. Frances also explains why working with what already exists can be creatively liberating, more sustainable and surprisingly accessible, even if you’re not a skilled DIYer. Packed with practical ideas and inspiration, this episode will have you looking at “junk” in a completely new way.
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This week’s cheerful garden checklist with Claire Vennis covers juicy harvests, alpine TLC and a simple way to help hedgehogs before winter.
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Growing your own food can transform the way you cook, eat and live. Cook, writer and grower Nelly Babazadeh shares how her Iranian heritage inspired a lifelong love of seasonal food and how gardening has helped her reconnect with nature, family and wellbeing. From preserving the harvest with homemade jams and pickles to reducing food waste and embracing slow living, Nelly offers practical tips to help you make the most of every ingredient and encourages you to savour every season.
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Flowers don't have to be fleeting. Katie Christer from Sitopia Farm shares how to grow, harvest and dry beautiful blooms that can be enjoyed long after summer has faded. Discover the best flowers and seed heads for drying, simple techniques to preserve their colour and shape, and how to create stunning seasonal wreaths and arrangements. Katie also explains why growing flowers sustainably is so important, how organic farming supports pollinators and biodiversity, and why working with nature, not against it, can create healthier gardens, more resilient soils and flowers full of character that tell the story of the seasons.
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Claire has 3 early September jobs to do in the garden including planting pollinator-friendly bulbs for a buzzing spring ahead.
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What makes an organic garden thrive? Sarah Mead, creator of the celebrated Yeo Valley Organic Garden, shares the philosophy and practical techniques behind one of Britain's most inspiring gardens. From composting and healthy soil to seasonal planting, meadow management and creating year-round interest, Sarah explains how working with nature leads to stronger, more resilient gardens. She also reflects on the importance of patience, creativity and learning to trust natural processes, before offering simple ways every gardener can make a positive difference.
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Should gardens always be neat and tidy? In this episode, Monty Don makes the case for embracing a little unruliness in the garden. He explains how balancing structured planting with wilder spaces can create healthier habitats for wildlife, improve biodiversity and make gardens more resilient. From lawns and long grass to weeds, mulching and healthy soil, Monty shares practical advice on gardening with nature rather than against. Along the way, he explores why gardens are works of craft rather than wilderness, and how adapting our expectations can help us create beautiful, thriving spaces for both people and wildlife.
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Claire shares the simple sweetcorn trick every gardener should know, plus late-summer jobs for roses and dragonflies.
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Monty Don joins us to celebrate one of the stars of the late-summer garden: the dahlia. From favourite varieties and colour combinations to overwintering techniques and growing dahlias in containers, Monty shares how he uses these vibrant plants to keep Longmeadow looking spectacular well into autumn. He also reflects on the creation of his famous Jewel Garden, explains why late-season interest is so important, and reveals the other plants he relies on to bring colour and drama when many gardens are beginning to fade. Packed with practical advice and gardening inspiration.
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Frances Tophill explores the joys, challenges and emotions of creating your own garden. From deciding what to keep, remove or rehome, to choosing plants that reflect your personality and support wildlife, Frances shares honest insight from her own gardening journey. She talks about leaving a much-loved garden behind, planning a new urban wildlife experiment and why a garden doesn’t need to look professionally designed to be meaningful. With practical ideas, thoughtful reflections and plenty of encouragement, this episode is for anyone ready to put their own stamp on a growing space.
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Join Gardeners’ World Magazine podcast presenter Claire Vennis for a lively late-summer potter through the jobs worth doing now - from jazzing up heucheras to sowing spinach and saving seeds for bees.
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Join BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Ashley Edwards as he reveals what really goes on behind the scenes of DIY SOS. From designing life-changing gardens in just days to working through 2am finishes, Ashley shares the chaos, community spirit and emotional moments that make the show so special. He talks accessible planting, sustainable reuse, favourite low-maintenance plants, and the joy of seeing families enjoy their transformed spaces. Plus, hear about his horticultural journey from Kew to Sicily, Horatio’s Garden, Gardeners’ Question Time and Gardeners’ World, with plenty of practical inspiration along the way.
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What makes a garden truly welcoming? In this episode, BBC Gardeners' World presenter and garden designer Arit Anderson explores how thoughtful garden design can create spaces that work for everyone, regardless of age, ability or gardening experience. From sensory planting and accessible pathways to community gardening projects and intergenerational growing, Arit shares practical ideas for making outdoor spaces more inclusive. She also discusses how gardens can support wellbeing, tackle loneliness, inspire young people to connect with nature and help communities thrive. Whether you have a large garden, a balcony or no garden at all, there's inspiration for everyone.
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Will your buddleia give butterflies one last feast, are your tomatoes ready for their big August moment, and could a simple splash of water turn your garden into a wildlife hotspot? Join BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine's Claire Vennis for three easy, feel-good jobs to do now.
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What makes a garden feel calm, balanced and timeless? Award-winning garden designer Tomoko Kawauchi shares how her upbringing in rural Japan continues to shape her approach to creating beautiful outdoor spaces. In this episode, she explains the simple design principles that work in gardens of any size, from using structure and circulation to choosing plants for function rather than fashion. Tomoko also discusses designing with nature, adapting to climate change, improving soil health and creating spaces that encourage people to slow down and reconnect with the outdoors.
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In this inspiring episode, broadcaster, garden designer and author Mark Lan explores what accessible gardening really means. Following a life-changing accident, Mark discovered the restorative power of plants and went on to champion inclusive outdoor spaces that work for everyone. He shares practical ideas for designing gardens around ability, from wide paths, sensory planting and resting places to thrifty approaches that remove financial and physical barriers. With warmth, honesty and plenty of expert insight, Mark shows how gardens of any size can boost wellbeing, welcome wildlife and help more people enjoy growing.
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This week, Claire's quick and practical gardening jobs are to trim lavender, clean bird boxes and how to grow bigger beetroot.
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Celebrate the joy of summer harvests with Frances as she shares why growing your own tastes better, how to choose crops that are useful, beautiful and good value, and why perennial veg deserves a place alongside annual favourites. From tomatoes, squash and kale crisps to cut flowers, sweet peas and plants for natural dyes, this warm, practical chat explores the many rewards of a productive garden and proves it’s never too late to sow, grow and harvest something delicious.
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Award-winning garden designer and TV presenter Danny Clarke (The Black Gardener) reveals how to create a garden you love without spending a fortune, whatever size gardening space. Danny shares the personal story of how he found his way into horticulture and offers practical, budget-friendly design ideas that make an immediate difference. Encouraging gardeners to plan slowly and thoughtfully, prioritise plants over lawn for lower maintenance and more wildlife, choosing resilient plants that suit your space and conditions.
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As we head into August, Claire takes you through giving those borders a freshen up, taking salvia tip cuttings and planting out spring cabbages
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How can we grow food in a way that's rooted in heritage, but forward thinking enough to support biodiversity and sustainability for generations to come? Gemma Sturges is the Kitchen Garden Supervisor and organic gardener at Audley End House and Gardens and has spent more than a decade managing the historic walled kitchen garden. Growing heritage fruit and vegetables, nurturing soil health and caring for perennial crops and traditional produce in a fully organic way, Gemma shares how she grows to build sustainable gardens that support wildlife, celebrate biodiversity and connects to the generations of growers before us.
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Transform your balcony into a beautiful, wildlife-friendly garden with expert advice from BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Ashley Edwards. In this practical episode, Ashley shares how to choose lightweight containers, create stylish planting schemes and select tough plants that can cope with wind, shade and drought. He also explores clever watering ideas, balcony ponds, compact trees, outdoor furniture, composting and ways to make even one pot count for wildlife. Whether you have a tiny urban balcony or a small paved space, discover how to grow with confidence, experiment with plants and turn your outdoor area into a relaxing, colourful retreat.
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Claire is back this week with easy jobs for summer gardens that can make a real difference, but don’t take long - this week refresh your containers, give your lawn some TLC and have a bit of a tidy up.
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Sharing her expert advice on gardening and growing plants on a budget, Frances reveals how to find bargain buys at nurseries and garden centres and advises to choose smaller pots, healthy roots and plants with strong growth points. She explains when it’s worth splashing out on statement plants, why trees can be a smart investment, and how swapping seeds, growing from supermarket scraps and rescuing discounted perennials can save money. Packed with practical tips on buying, planting, watering and nurturing new plants, get more from every pound while creating a thriving, beautiful garden.
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How can spending time in nature improve our health? In this episode, GP, broadcaster and bestselling author Dr Amir Khan explores the science behind nature's remarkable benefits for both our physical and mental wellbeing. From the calming effects of birdsong and green spaces to creating a wildlife-friendly garden filled with ponds, pollinator plants and butterflies, Amir shares practical ways to make the most of the natural world. He also discusses his work with Butterfly Conservation, why our gardens play a vital role in protecting wildlife, and how even the smallest green space can become a sanctuary for both people and nature. Pick up the August issue of BBC Gardeners' World magazine for lots more advice on creating a butterfly-friendly garden. To take part in this year's Big Butterfly Count, visit bigbutterflycount.org.
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Claire enjoys a cheerful mid-July potter to collect seeds, give strawberries some TLC and suggest easy ways to give garden wildlife a helping hand.
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Looking for advice on gardening in shade? In this episode, recorded at BBC Gardeners’ World Live, Monty Don explains how to grow plants successfully in low-light conditions and why shade can be an advantage, not a problem. Discover the best plants for shade, how to improve soil in dry shade, and practical ways to manage light and moisture for a healthier garden. Whether you’re dealing with a small shady corner or a full shade garden, this episode is packed with expert, easy-to-follow tips.
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Garden and landscape designer Adam Frost breaks down how to design or redesign your garden properly. Starting with what you want from the space, how you move through it, and why getting ideas down on paper can save you serious money and frustration. From rescuing mature shrubs with confident pruning to balancing hard landscaping with planting and planning a garden that can evolve with family life, it’s a practical, confidence-boosting guide to creating an outdoor space that truly fits you.
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Join Claire in the garden this week to thin out fruit on apple and pear trees, support tall vegetables and flowers, and enjoy a little summertime harvest.
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