James and Joe are back for another "unhinged" Q&A. With Joe calling in from a hotel room (and struggling with a single device for both recording and reading), James takes the lead on the accents, the questions, and the "perfectly unreasonable" answers.

In this episode:

The "Horticultural Bore" Threshold: Scarlett from Northampton asks when the transition from "contemporary" to "old bore" is complete. James reveals the true litmus test: Do you like Alpines yet?

The Mystery of the Ghostly Trowels: A listener from Edinburgh finds random tools buried in their beds. Joe reflects on the "Brookside" husband-under-the-patio trope and the actual treasure they've found, from Victorian oyster shells to poison bottles.

Scent & Memory: Sarah from Manchester (via Australia) asks about the power of smell. Joe talks about cut grass and football pitches, while James recalls the "musty humidity" of greenhouses and his grandmother's waxy Hoya plant.

The Rhubarb Ribbon Revolution: An amazing tip from a listener in Hawaii/Oregon—making "cordage" (that’s string for the unpretentious) out of dried daylilies and crimson rhubarb ribbons.

Front Garden Veggie Wars: Nigel from Derby wants a front-yard veg patch, but his wife thinks it’s "not the done thing." Joe gives a masterclass in how to sell it as a "Potager" to avoid the "keeping up appearances" drama.

Royal Near-Misses: James recounts the time he nearly took out the Queen with an extravagant elbow gesture at Chelsea and the terrifying physics of a vibrating glass garden floor.

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This episode is sponsored by Kress, leaders in robotic lawnmowing and battery landscaping tools. Learn more here: https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

About our hosts

James Alexander-Sinclair is a garden designer, writer and broadcaster. He is an RHS Vice-President and was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to horticulture in 2022. He is the RHS Ambassador for Garden Design and a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers.

Joe Swift is a familiar face on television as a presenter of BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World and other gardening programmes. He is a garden designer, broadcaster, writer and design director of Modular.

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