520: Shady borders, plant cures, and winter containers

It’s dark outside, but rather than simply dreaming of brighter days, why not embrace the gloom and use it as inspiration in the garden? A shady corner needn’t be dull or colourless, and RHS Garden Wisley’s James McConnell has five perfect plants to bring life and interest to the most melancholic of spots: the dreaded north-facing border. And if a little melancholy has crept into the house as well as the garden, we have just the remedy. Ann Treneman, writer, journalist and gardener, joins us to explore her new RHS book, The Garden Cure: 100 Remarkable Remedies for the Curious Gardener, and the remarkable plants that promise to soothe, stimulate and cure all manner of ills. Staying with the theme of brightening up the winter months, RHS Garden Hyde Hall’s Sam Everiss shares some creative ideas for containers to keep your garden looking good over the months ahead. And, as always, we’ll round off the episode with your questions, answered by Gareth and Melissa Mabbitt. Host: Gareth Richards Producer: Dan Cocker Contributors: James McConnell, Ann Treneman, Sam Everiss, Melissa Mabbitt Links: Award-winning shade-loving plants The Garden Cure Winter container gardening Plants mentioned: Ajuga reptans | bugle Mahonia oiwakensis subsp. lomariifolia | lomaria-leaved mahonia Brunnera macrophylla 'Looking Glass' | Siberian bugloss 'Looking Glass' Pyracantha [Saphyr Rouge] ('Cadrou') | firethorn [Saphyr Rouge] Nandina domestica 'Seika' | heavenly bamboo 'Seika' Cornus alba 'Sibirica' | Siberian dogwood Rhus typhina | stag's horn sumach Cotinus coggygria | smoke tree Hydrangea petiolaris | climbing hydrangea Send your questions to podcast@rhs.org.uk