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Elegies from a Suburban Garden

Elegies From a Suburban Garden: Episode 3

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Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

Episode 3

Elegies From a Suburban Garden

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Elegies From a Suburban Garden, Episode 3Search BBC

For botanist Phil Gates, when summer arrives there's a sense of exuberance in the garden.

Botanist Phil Gates reflects on the emotional rollercoaster every gardener experiences as the seasons change. Summer arrives in the garden and with it a sense of exuberance.

"If we're lucky", says botanist Phil Gates "we gardeners get to experience the seasonal rollercoaster of gardening emotions about 70 times. Just 70 spring, summer, autumn and winters in a lifetime... and with each passing cycle those that remain become even more precious". In this series, recorded over a year, the relationship between a gardener and his garden are explored, and the emotions evoked by each season. 

With the arrival of summer, the garden is transformed. Barely a centimetre of soil is visible, under the luxuriant growth of trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables. Phil slides back the glasshouse door carefully. Just inside there are several pots of squirting cucumber plants. The squirting cucumber, Ecballium elaterium, disperses its seeds in a sudden explosion. As the fruit ripens, it fills with a slimy juice, which gradually creates pressure. It then burst open and propels its seeds with an initial velocity estimated as of 56 km (35 miles) per hour. So, as Phil explains, it's necessary to enter the greenhouse with caution at this time of year, to avoid becoming a victim to a rain of seed pellets! Then there are the pitcher plants capturing and digesting wasps and flies; a gruesome sound on a quiet night! Beyond the glasshouse, poppies fight for space amongst the potato crop; courgettes straddle across the path, and the fruit bushes ripen in the sun. At this time of year, there's almost nothing nicer than grazing as you wander through the garden, even if that means feasting on the occasional maggot-infested raspberry! After all, as Phil says "What's wrong with eating a few maggots?"

Presenter Phil Gates
Producer Sarah Blunt.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Factual: Homes & Gardens

BBC Radio 4 Extra

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Your digital radio entertainment station showcasing the best in comedy and drama. With recent favourites from BBC Radio 4.

Botanist Phil Gates reflects every gardener's experiences as the seasons change.

Botanist Phil Gates reflects on the emotional rollercoaster every gardener experiences as the seasons change

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Elegies From a Suburban Garden

Episode 3

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