From Botanic Gardens to Insect Studies; the Secrets to Thriving Ecosystems

Gardening with the RHS

Chris Kidd, Curator of Ventnor Botanic Gardens, discusses his pioneering low-intervention approach to horticulture with a two decade long experiment which has yielded some surprising results on the Isle of Wight. New research from Butterfly Conservation reveals letting parts of your garden grow wild can increase butterfly numbers by up to 93%, we meet entomologist Dr Richard Fox to find out why moths and butterflies are such important members of the garden community. And finally, we catch up with Gemma Burr at RHS Garden Wisley to learn what you can sow right now to ensure your garden stays insect friendly throughout the season.

Host: Guy Barter

Contributors: Chris Kidd, Dr Richard Fox, Gemma Burr

Other links:

Ventnor Botanic Gardens website

Butterfly Conservation wild garden study

Wild Spaces website

The Big Butterfly Count

Sustainable Planting Combinations

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