The Nature Garden: gardening, wildlife and nature notes · The Weekending Show

As big as the sky

·45 min·4 clips

Tom Cadwallader says the rain has had "really quite dire consequences" for breeding birds.

The programme opens with a warm, wandering welcome from Carl Steinson and the Weekending Show team from Lionheart Radio. Tom Pattinson has just returned from the Chelsea Flower Show, bringing fresh ideas for small gardens, containers, patios, courtyards, balconies, and even window spaces. Containers are the main thread here. The advice stays plain and useful: use decent compost, make sure there is drainage, and keep pots from drying out or running short of feed. Tom points out that plants in pots cannot forage the way plants in the ground can, so the gardener has to do that work for them. That means watering, feeding, and keeping an eye on things as the season goes on. He also steers things upward, toward vertical planting and space-saving choices. Star jasmine gets a mention as an evergreen, fragrant favourite for indoor or outdoor use. The show then opens back out into local life and local weather. Tom Cadwalland talks about a very moist May and some remarkable first-ever bird observations in the county. Steve Lowe looks forward to a proper celebration for the opening of the Cresswell Peel Tower Garden. There is also a visit from pupils at Larrick and Holy Island First's School. They are taking part in an RHS sow and grow campaign, following plants from seed through germination, first true leaves, and on toward seed again. That school segment gives the episode a gentle, hopeful centre. It is a reminder that gardening is often about patience, observation, and seeing the whole cycle through. Back on the practical side, there is a seasonal warning not to cut hedges too soon while birds are still nesting. Second broods are still going on in the shrubs and hedges, so the work has to wait. Tom Peel adds more seasonal tips before the close. The programme keeps its usual companionable pace, moving between advice, field notes, heritage, and a clear sense of place. It ends with a friendly reminder that more nature, gardening, and heritage reports are coming back in a couple of weeks, with previous programmes available to hear again. The whole thing feels like a garden walk that keeps pausing to notice something alive.

As heard by us

Practical garden advice, bird observations, and a clear sense of place.

The Nature Garden Podcast spends its time on container gardening, local bird notes, and a few community-minded stories, all tied to Northumberland.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want practical container gardening with birds, schools, and Northumberland nature notes in the mix.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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