Dig It

After a damp and cool July, we look forward to a productive, colourful yet relaxed August. Dig It’s Peter Brown and Chris Day provide a round-up of the month’s gardening what’s on’s, a look at the stories making the gardening headlines and a round-up of those essential gardening tasks. What’s on 2 - 6th August: RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show, Chelmsford, Essex. 4 - 13th August: Shropshire Petal Fields,...

In this episode of Dig It Peter Brown and Chris Day talk national plant collections with Gill Groombridge, who is Plant Heritage’s Business Manager. We find out some of the background history of Plant Heritage and the diverse ranges of National Plant Collections and why 2023 is a special year for this charity. We also chat with Jonathan Shepherd, who is a holder of not one but two plant collection...

Our gardens are growing apace this month and there’s plenty to be getting on with as Dig It’s Peter Brown and Chris Day tackle those essential tasks, plus a round-up of July events and garden stories around the UK. What’s on 4th - 9th July: RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, Surrey. Shop for plants from specialist nurseries and be inspired by gardens. 15th & 16th of July: Belvoir Castle...

In this edition of Dig It, Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Nick Hamilton, son of Geoff Hamilton, who for 17 years presented the BBC gardening programme Gardeners’ World . Nick continues the legacy at Barnsdale Garden, in Rutland, where back in the 1980s over 30 TV gardens were created. In this fascinating episode we discover how Barnsdale has developed over the past 40 years, chat peat-free an...

In the latest Dig It podcast, Peter Brown and Chris Day discuss the latest gardening news stories, events in the gardening calendar and take a look at some of the gardening tasks to be getting on with through the month of June. What’s on 27th May - 4th June National Children’s Gardening Week featuring The World of Peter Rabbit. 1st - 5th June: Bord Bia Bloom Ireland's largest gardening event. 15 -...

In this edition of Dig It, Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with celebrity gardener, social media influencer and TV presenter Michael Perry. From the introduction of new plants with the famous Ipswich-based Thompson and Morgan seed company to writing, hosting podcasts, books and tv appearances including the QVC shopping channel, Michael enjoys nothing more than sharing his extensive knowledge. Micha...

Join Dig It’s Peter Brown and Chris Day and catch up with the latest garden news, views, events and tasks as we enter one of the busiest gardening months of the year. What’s On 1st – 31st May No Mow May 2nd-8th May: RHS National Gardening Week. 6th May: King’s Coronation. Turn Your Garden Red, White and Blue – Patriotic Planting for The King's Coronation. Sunday 7th May: Specialist Spring Plant Fa...

In this edition of Dig It we chat with freelance garden writer and broadcaster Steve Bradley. Steve and wife Val (also a qualified horticulturist) have worked for The Sun newspaper since 2002, writing the gardening column with the late and legendary Peter Seabrook. Peter Brown and Chris Day share Steve’s many memorable moments of a full and brilliant gardening career. Media mentions: Books Propaga...

April, as they say, can be one of the cruellest months with sun one minute and frosty mornings and bitter winds the next. In this edition of Dig It Peter Brown and Chris Day look at some of the current news stories, provide a round-up of popular events coming up and those pressing gardening jobs that need to be done this month. What’s on 1 - 2 April: Cornwall Garden Society Spring Flower Show Plan...

Over the past few years there has been a massive resurgence in growing flowers and vegetables from seed. Fuelled by the pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis more of us are looking to raise plants from seed for our gardens, allotments, and containers. In this Dig It podcast Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with David Turner, the Marketing Services Manager at Mr Fothergill’s Seeds Limited to fin...

The first blossom, bulbs are coming into their own and there’s a bit of welcome warmth to the sunshine -spring has officially sprung! Peter Brown and Chris Day delve into March with this month’s busy podcast, including what’s on, topical news, the Dig It top 5 and much more. What’s on Saturday 11th March  is Orchid Day at the Garden Centre with Dig It’s favourite Orchid expert Manos Kane...

The National Garden Scheme (NGS) open exceptional private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands raising money for charity through admission fees, tea and cake. Over the past 96 years the NGS has raised over 67 million pounds for charities. Dig It’s Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with the Chief Executive of the NGS, George Plumptre and discuss the huge impact opening o...

In this month’s Dig It podcast Peter Brown and Chris Day look at how the gradual change in seasons is beginning to affect what we plant, prune and plan ahead in our gardens. Thursday 2nd February Chasing Plants talk with Dr Chris Thorogood in Oxford, 7-8pm.  Saturday 4th February, 10am-4pm. Our Graft & Grow Event at the Garden Centre with The Mid Shires Orchard Group and grafters Andy How...

In this episode of Dig It, Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Charles Dowding, a leading champion of no-dig gardening. Not only does he have a huge following, but his advice is born out of more than 40 years of growing, analysing, comparing, and recommending. We learn about the process of his No Dig philosophy from soil preparation, weed control, plant nutrition and how this method could work for...

There’s plenty to chat about in the garden this January as Dig It’s Peter Brown and Chris Day look at the gardening stories making the headlines, the Dig It Top 5 as well as tackling those gardening tasks. What’s on Snowdrop gardens and snowdrop days https://www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/seasonal/snowdrops.html Monday 16th January: Small is Beautiful, a talk by Alys Fowler www.kew.org/kew-gardens/...

A passion for houseplants In this episode of Dig It, Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with Tony Le-Britton, passionate houseplant professional and owner of Not Another Jungle shop in Northampton. From humble beginnings growing houseplants in a greenhouse in the house (yes, really!) a childhood ambition fulfilled by appearing on the Gardeners’ World to developing his own special style and flair in he...

December 2022 in the Garden (short notes) Dig It hosts Peter Brown and Chris Day delve into the stories affecting gardeners and the gardening trade, plus jobs to do in the garden. In the news The RHS move their gooseberry and rhubarb national collections from Wisley to Bridgewater, near Manchester. The 5,000-year-old Newlands Corner Yews are highlighted as part of the Conservation Foundations 40th...

Alan’s down-to-earth world of gardening Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with horticultural supremo Alan Down in this latest Dig It podcast. Alan has been incredibly active in the gardening trade from early days in commercial growing in Germany, developing skills in germinating tree seeds and in Somerset to setting up a very successful garden centre and most recently taking on a new role - President...

The mild weather continued into November but plenty of rain and wind brought the garden to a colourful if damp end to autumn. Peter Brown and Chris Day prepare for the bare-root planting season, delve into some of the popular news stories making the headlines, plus a look at some of those pressing jobs in the garden and with our beloved houseplants. What’s on Monday 7th November: Wilding Rural Enf...

In this edition of Dig It Chris Day chats with the editor of Garden Trade News (GTN) Trevor Pfeiffer. Trevor examines how the massive garden trade, suppliers of both products and plants help spread news and information as well as analysing the sales across the trade in the Best Sellers Charts. Trevor gives us some of his personal insights into the garden centre trade from sustainability and g...

Peter Brown and Chris Day start preparing for winter as well as providing us with a roundup of the latest news and views from the world of gardening. What’s on Saturday 1st – Sunday 2nd October: Buckingham Garden Centre’s Apple Weekend with Gerry Edwards, The Mid Shires Orchard Group, CPRE The Countryside Charity, BBOWT, Chrissie’s Owls (Saturday), plus Junior Gardening Club’s children’s best dres...

For the past 33 years Kathy and her husband Simon have created a simply amazing Manor House Garden in Stevington, just north of Bedford. It’s a garden full of inspiration, buoyed by Kathy’s keen use of colour and structure as well as plenty of great plants. In this episode of Dig it, Peter Brown and Chris Day discover more about how the garden evolved, advice on growing plants in containers using...

After a challenging hot and dry summer in the garden we enter the month of September and a change in season. Dig It’s Peter Brown and Chris Day tackle some essential tasks for the month, plus they look at the latest garden news and events coming up at the Garden Centre. Wednesday 21st September: Orchid Day 11am-3pm at the Garden Centre. We will be joined by Manos Kanellos, top orchid guru and a pr...

In this edition of Dig It, Chris Day chats with Pauline Brown, Partner at Buckingham Garden Centre and Nurseries, to discover more about the history and evolution of the business looking at the changes in the way we garden, the development of the site over five decades and how trends have impacted on the business from sustainability to new plants. We also chat to Pauline about her own passion...

Make sure you’re ready for August in the garden with Dig It’s round-up of garden news, events as well as a look at those essential tasks to be getting on with top advice from Buckingham Garden Centre’s Peter Brown and Chris Day. What’s on 3rd-7th August RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show , Chelmsford, Essex 4t h August Summer Cycle at the Royal Botanic Kew Gardens , Richmond, 5.30-8.30pm Wednesday 17th at...