Brunel's SS Great Britain: Ponds, Wardian Cases and Figs

Gardeners' Question Time

BBC

Leisure, Home & Garden

4.6 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 13 December 2024

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Lawns - to mow or not to mow? What could I use to make my pond visually pleasing and wildlife friendly? Will my two year-old fig tree produce more fruits if I feed it?

Kathy Clugston and a team of experts board Brunel's SS Great Britain in Bristol to answer gardening questions from an audience of novice gardeners. Joining Kathy are garden designers Chris Beardshaw, Matthew Wilson and house plants expert Anne Swithinbank.

Later in the programme, Matthew Wilson meets with head of research James Boyd, and head of interpretation and programming Iona Keen, to learn about the importance of Wardian cases to the horticultural industry.

Producer: Daniel Cocker Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod  Executive Producer: Carly Maile

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're about to listen to a BBC podcast, but this is about something else you might enjoy.
0:05.4	My name's Katie Lecky and I'm an assistant commissioner for on demand music on BBC Sounds.
0:10.8	The BBC has an incredible musical heritage and culture and as a music lover, I love being part of that.
0:17.5	With music on sounds, we offer collections and mixes for everything, from workouts to
0:22.4	helping you nod off, boogie in your kitchen, or even just a moment of calm. And they're all put
0:28.3	together by people who know their stuff. So if you want some expertly curated music in your life,
0:35.0	check out BBC Sounds.
0:41.2	BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.
0:47.7	Hello, I'm Cathy Clugston, and this is Gardner's Question Time from BBC Radio 4.
0:52.6	So grab those secateurs or sit back and relax however you like to listen and enjoy the next 45 minutes of great tips, advice and dubious horticultural humour.
0:59.6	Ahoy and welcome to GQT.
1:02.0	You find us today at Brunel's SS Great Britain in Bristol Harbour.
1:06.5	It's a magnificent ship and a popular visitor attraction these days.
1:10.0	But back in the mid-1800s,
1:12.0	it was the most innovative vessel in the world, the first to be built of iron and to use a
1:17.6	propeller instead of paddles. Isambard Kingdom Brunel's ship was the largest and grandest of its day
1:23.5	and cut the voyage time to Australia from three months to two, very useful for plant traders who'd begun moving live plants such as ferns, roses and orchids,
1:33.9	to and from Australia in specially built Wardian cases.
1:38.0	More about those a little later.
1:40.0	Well, after many, many thousands of nautical miles,
1:42.7	the SS Great Britain ended up in the Falkland Islands being used for storage before it was scuttled and abandoned.
1:49.4	She was recovered in 1970 and towed back for restoration to her home in Bristol, where she proudly remains.
	...

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