Edgworth & District
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Gardener's Question Time returns to Edgeworth, Lancashire, hosted by Cathy Clugston and featuring a panel of horticultural experts: Matthew Wilson, Christine Walkton, and Marcus Chilton-Jones. The episode blends practical gardening advice with rich historical context, beginning with the legacy of the Barlow family—industrialists, physicians, and even relatives of Charles Darwin—whose estate now hosts the event. The panel addresses a range of audience questions, from potato varieties and moss management to bird-friendly gardening, pruning plum trees, and identifying the invasive Viburnum beetle. A standout segment features Matthew Pottage’s spring guide on dividing warm-season perennials and grasses, emphasizing timing, technique, and the use of tools like bread knives for precision. The discussion also tackles ecological restoration, particularly replacing invasive Himalayan balsam with bee-friendly alternatives like eupatorium and ivy. The episode closes with a heartfelt tribute to inherited garden tools, highlighting their emotional and historical value, as panelists share stories of heirloom spades, forks, and secateurs passed through generations. The tone is warm, witty, and deeply rooted in both tradition and ecological awareness.
Divide warm-season perennials and grasses in spring, not autumn, to avoid winter damage and support healthy regrowth.
Moss is not a weed—embrace it as part of a natural, wildlife-friendly garden.
Replace invasive Himalayan balsam with native, non-invasive plants like eupatorium and ivy to support bees and prevent erosion.
Use non-chemical, long-term strategies like turfing over and mowing for years to control persistent weeds like horsetail.
Inherited garden tools carry emotional and historical weight—maintain them with care and pass them on as heirlooms.
Welcome to Edgeworth & the Barlow Legacy
“The Nora Barlow cultivar of Aquilegia, also known as Granny's Bonnets, is named in her honour.”
Moss, Potatoes, and the Art of Not Being Too Tidy
Elaine Taylor asks about using vinegar on moss in her kitchen garden and seeks potato variety recommendations. The panel humorously defends moss as a valuable garden feature, warns against vinegar’s ineffectiveness, and recommends Majestic or Pink Fur Apple potatoes based on taste and growing conditions.
Creating a Bird-Friendly Garden
“Wildlife dislikes excessive disruption. You know, wildlife doesn't like a neat garden.”
Pruning Plum Trees and the Joy of First Fruits
Wendy Mumby asks about fruiting on her five-year-old plum tree and best pruning times. Marcus confirms fruit is likely with pollination, and advises pruning after harvest during the growing season—not in dormancy—due to the tree’s brittle fruiting wood.
Best Flowering Perennials for Northern Climates
“Many of the sedums, provided they're growing in reasonably well soils, will do very well.”
“I love it and I lavish attention on it. And all of my tools are linseed oil, I wipe them down with oil.”
“You can have a triffid in your airing cupboard.”
“Wildlife dislikes excessive disruption. You know, wildlife doesn't like a neat garden.”
Host
Guests
Matthew Wilson
person
Christine Walkton
person
Marcus Chilton-Jones
person
Cathy Clugston
person
Horsetail
other
Barlow Family
organization
Viburnum Beetle
other
Viburnum tinus
other
Himalayan Balsam
other
Matthew Pottage
person
Postbag Edition: Mary Berry's House
Gardeners' Question Time • 42m • 4/3/2026
Bolton
Gardeners' Question Time • 41m • 4/17/2026
The Great Barn: Chillies, Camellias and Consciousness
Gardeners' Question Time • 42m • 4/24/2026
From The Archives: Summer Colour
Gardeners' Question Time • 42m • 5/1/2026
Pulham Market
Gardeners' Question Time • 42m • 5/8/2026
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