Peter and Chris celebrate the start of the New Year in the garden with events, latest news stories and a look at those topical gardening tasks to get you out and about in the garden this January.

What’s On

Saturday 18th January: National Tulip Day, Meseumplein, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 1-5pm. Free entry.

Sunday 19th January: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 2 – 3:30pm Discover the Botanic Gardens in British Sign Language (BSL) Tours are led by John Hope Gaterway. Ticket only.

Wednesday 22nd January: 11am - 12:30pm: Talk on RHS Hyde Hall through the Years with Garden Manager, Ian Bull - who has been involved in Hyde Hall's development across the last 20 years!

Thursday 23rd January: Winter Lecture Professor Simon Hiscock and The Oxford Ragwort Story. Oxford Ragwort is unique among Britian’s flora.

24-26th January: Time to take part in this year’s RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

News

Detection dogs sniff out the deadly tree pathogen, Phytophthora ramorum.

Buckingham Garden Centre’s charity of the year 2025 is Buckinghamshire Mind.

The National Centre for Music in Edinburgh is to get a major garden makeover by the nationally recognised garden designer Tom Stuart-Smith.

Scientists at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh aim to sequence the genomes of all 72,000 plants, animals, fungi across the UK and Ireland.

Applications for the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation Scholarships for budding horticulturists closes at the end of January.

New UK RHS Partner Gardens are announced for 2025 allowing RHS members to access 230 across the UK and further afield.

The National Trust announce the 49 recipients of Tree of Hope, aka Sycamore Gap Tree, including one of the saplings to be planted in Milton Keynes.

A £5 million national project – Nextdoor Nature and The Wildlife Trust – delivers a raft of results supporting wildlife on 1,600 community-inspired projects.

2024 proved to be another landmark year for the National Garden Scheme with the charity donating a record £3,501,227 to nursing and health beneficiaries from last year’s garden opening season.

George Plumptre, after 15 years at the helm, is set to retire as Chief Executive of the National Garden Scheme later this summer.

Top horticultural supplier Mr Fothergill’s have rebranded to reflect their growth, values and customer commitment.

The Sun’s gardening editor, Veronica Lorraine, found herself falling foul of LinkedIn’s rules when she tried to promote Perennials latest naked gardeners’ calendar.

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In this edition of DIG IT Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with horticultural journalist, garden designer and broadcaster Naomi Slade. Naomi’s latest book, Chrysanthemum: Beautiful Varieties from Home and Garden, is a celebration of the ever so versatile Chrysanthemum. On the podcast we discover more about Naomi’s garden design journey, plus great advice on planting and her love of plants, including some recommendations for winter interest.

Plants mentioned: Apples, Cyclamen Florist types, Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, Daffodils, Elodea (Canadian Pondweed – now banned from sale), Herbs, Helleborus, Hardy Cyclamen Coum and C Hederifolium, Snowdrops (including Galanthus reginae-olgae 'Naomi Slade' (Monksilver Nursery), Rhubarb, Roses, Paeonies, Plums, Prunus subhirtella autumnalis (winter flowering cherry), Wild Strawberries, Tulips, consider more vigorous rootstocks in difficult soils when growing fruit trees. The aptly named Cottage Chrysanthemums range are reliable and hardy as are the varieties ‘Ruby Mound’ and ‘Dulwich Pink’ (RHS AGM).

Scented winter plants: Sarcococca, Viburnum bodnantense, Snowdrops, Lonicera fragrantissima, Mahonia and Hamamelis (Witch Hazel).

People, products mentioned: Sir David Attenborough, Gerald Durrell, photographer Georgianna Lane, Piet Oudolf, Sarah Raven and Halls of Heddon. Which Gardening, Garden News, Water Butts, Old bread knife for dividing perennial clumps in the spring.

National Collection of Chrysanthemums: Norwell Nurseries and Gardens, Nottinghamshire.

Show gardens mentioned: 'Never Mind The Hollyhocks' Award Winning punk-themed conceptual garden by Naomi Slade at RHS Hampton Court 2012 and The Flood Resilient Garden in conjunction with Dr Ed Barsley. Silver Medal Winner at RHS Chelsea 2024.

Desert Island luxuries: Naomi’s tool would be her trusted bread knife and an apple tree, maybe a ‘Bramley’, would be her island tree of choice.

To find out more about Naomi and her books visit her website

Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music.

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In this month’s DIG IT Peter Brown discusses the latest news in the world of gardening, what’s on’s and as the winter kicks in, Chris and Peter look at those gardening tasks to keep your garden looking its best this month and beyond.

Places to visit:

Winter Flowers Week at the Garden Museum, London

National Memorial Arboretum mile long light trail

Alnwick Castle lights show

Cambridge University Botanic Garden Light show

Kew Gardens Lights Show

Plants Mentioned:

The Welsh Bramley - Gabalfa Apple, Rose

Perfumy Silueta Rose bred by Kordes Rosen wins several categories in Rochfords International Rose Trials

The Woodland Trust Highlights the plight of our Native trees and encourages planting more.

Collections of Hamamelis, Amelanchier and Eucalyptus held at the National Memorial Arboretum and Ventnor Botanic Gardens gain National Plant Collection status.

Skippinish Oak wins the Woodland Trusts tree of the year competition

Lace Bug pest spotted in London

Garden Organic searches for comfrey

A new Palm Tahina Spectablis arrives at the Eden project

60 000 snowdrops planted at the National Trust property Montacute House in Somerset

Jane Steward champions the medlar and tries to raise its profile

In the news:

Cruser SB Neonicotinoid Thiamethoxam has been licensed for use on Sugar Beet in the UK despite being banned in the EU.

British Horticulture will have to bear increased costs on imports due to the Common User Charge

Inverary Castle wins Prestigious Gardens Award

Haig Hall in Wigan undergoes restoration

Bath wins prestigious RHS Britian in Bloom award for the second time, Wrexham won a Gold award for the City and Forres in Scotland also won the town award.

Defra’s latest Data indicates a fall in Bird species

Green Allotments offer a chance to win an Allotment site to try and help increase the number of allotments in the UK

The National Gardens Scheme announce gardens to visit in the New Year

Greenfingers charity has a new president who takes over from Sue Allen

Allett mowers announce the 2024 winner for the Creative Stripes competition

We announce our support of Ripple Africa again this festive period.

Our special thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music.

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