This ancient tradition involves offering gratitude for the growing season – and the abundance we may take for granted while many go without

I have fond, slightly surreal, memories of each autumn in primary school being filled with leaves cut from orange and red paper, bread dough sculptures of bundles of wheat, scarecrows, and tables covered with cans of food. I don’t have children myself, so I don’t know – do schools still celebrate harvest festival?

Traditionally scheduled to coincide with the annual appearance of the harvest moon – which is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox – harvest festival was a celebration of the busiest time in the growing season coming to a close. At this point in the year, when the wheat had been harvested and the fields were being cleared, rural communities would gather to give thanks for the food that would sustain them through the leaner months.

Where did the world-famous author Jane Austen find inspiration for her classic novels? Two hundred and fifty years after her birth, Gardeners’ Corner presenter David Maxwell explores the outdoor spaces closely linked to her life and writing. In Hampshire, he visits the cottage garden at Chawton, where Jane lived with her mother and sister, and where she wrote and revised her most famous works. Now the Jane Austen House Museum, its Director Lizzie Dunford reveals how gardens and outdoor life shape Austen’s stories. The new head gardener, Michelle Hickman, shares how the garden around the house has a planting scheme Jane would have recognised, all beneath two venerable yew trees which still stand as living witnesses to her time there. Inside the house, David discovers the horticultural wallpaper that surrounded Austen as she wrote. Nearby at Chawton House—once gifted to Jane’s brother—Molly Maslan and Julia Weaver walk him through the grand gardens where she found further inspiration. He also finds a rose bred in her honour called ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Further north, David travels to Chatsworth in Derbyshire. This palatial home to the Dukes of Devonshire became Austen heartthrob Mr Darcy’s ‘Pemberley’ in a film adaptation of ‘Pride of Prejudice’. Librarian Fran Baker reveals that the 6th Duke was an Austen fan and collected first editions of all her works and head gardener Steve Porter takes David on a tour of the gardens designed to project power. In all three locations the programme explores how gardens connect us to the past, and how they have been—and continue to be—a source of inspiration. Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

When do kiwis produce fruit in the UK? What plant cuttings are the panel most proud of propagating? Should we freeze our seeds in water before planting them in the ground?

Kathy Clugston and a powerhouse panel of gardening experts return to the iconic Eden Project outside St Austell in Cornwall where they field questions from a green fingered live audience. Tackling everything from persistent pests to planting dilemmas, the panel includes houseplant specialist Anne Swithinbank, award-winning garden designer Chris Beardshaw, and horticulturalist Frances Tophill.

Later in the programme, continuing our autumn feature series, Matthew Wilson provides an extensive guide to dividing your perennial plants.

Senior producer: Dominic Tyerman Junior producer: Rahnee Prescod

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Secateur and strimmer seen better days? Give your tools some TLC with these tried-and-tested tricks

• How to get your garden ready for autumn

Garden tools have it rough, there’s no getting around it. Dragged through the mud, blunted by branches, clogged with clippings and exposed to some of the most wearing of environmental conditions – namely rain, sap and soil – you can’t help but feel the average spanner gets an easier ride than a pair of secateurs.

And yet gardening tools are among the most cherished and expensive of maintenance equipment, with popular brands such as Niwaki and Felco catering to a booming luxury market with embellished components such as leather and rattan handles, and blades forged in the mountains of Yamagata, Japan.

These are the fruiting bodies of fungi that live in compost. They are toxic if eaten but not harmful to plants

What’s the problem?
I’ve noticed tiny mushrooms popping up in my houseplant’s soil. Are they dangerous, and should I be worried?

Diagnosis
What you are seeing are the fruiting bodies of fungi that were already present in the compost – they’re very common and usually nothing to panic about. These fungi thrive in moist, organic-rich soil, and mushrooms appear when conditions are just right, often after a period of regular watering and warm weather. While not harmful to your plant, they are toxic if eaten, so keep them out of reach of children and pets.

In Magherafelt, David Maxwell visits Yew Cottage garden where Philip Stewart is turning his pond into a sunken garden. He hopes to turn a ‘frost pocket’ into a place for tender plants including bananas. In County Clare, Karoly Torok takes us on a tour of Vandeleur Walled Garden, which is now a thriving community space after years of neglect. Colin Agnew joins David in studio to take questions including one on how to grow asparagus. And a tribute to long-time listener and chrysanthemum expert Herbie McCauley, who has passed away at 86. Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

Why do indoor cyclamen develop sticky leaves? What’s the secret to growing taller sweet peas? And how can we make our gardens more fungi-friendly?

This week, Kathy Clugston and the Gardeners’ Question Time panel return to Claygate in Surrey, ready to tackle listeners’ gardening dilemmas. Joining Kathy are horticultural experts Bob Flowerdew, Juliet Sargeant, and Pippa Greenwood, bringing their deep knowledge and lively discussion to the table.

Later in the programme, Bunny Guinness shares seasonal tips and practical advice to help you make the most of your garden as autumn sets in.

Producer: Matt Smith Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4.

To make home-brewed beer, why not grow your own hops? They’re easy to propagate from a rhizome or stem cutting, though they need plenty of room

My partner’s childhood home had a collection of beer barrels, each at a different stage of the brewing process, with one always ready to taste. When we moved out of our tiny flat and into a house, a brewing kit arrived in the post as a housewarming gift from his parents, soon followed by a small hop plant from an old friend, which now takes up more room than anything else in the veg patch.

This perennial has proved easy to grow. Once established, you can expect a flush of bines (similar to vines) to emerge every spring, bearing hop flowers, or “cones”, which are ready to be picked about now.

Don’t panic! This plant has a natural seasonal rhythm, so resist the urge to overwater when it’s bare

What’s the problem?
My Euphorbia ritchiei sprouted a leaf, but it was accidentally knocked off and now it’s bare. Will it grow back?

Diagnosis
Please don’t panic, this east African succulent is unusual in that it grows fleshy leaves along its ridged stems during its growing season, then often sheds them in winter. In its native Kenya, rainfall is seasonal. The plant responds by producing foliage in the wet season, then dropping its leaves in the dry season to conserve water and energy. The green stems continue to photosynthesise so the plant can survive leafless for long periods.

Nostalgic tech; autumn garden hacks; and what to wear when it rains

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When I was 18, I bought a heavily reduced MiniDisc player. This wasn’t even what you could charitably call “fashionably late”, given the format was already on its last legs, but I loved it, and because nobody else was interested, blank discs were dirt cheap. I have a vague recollection of grabbing packs at Poundland, allowing me to create a glorious self-curated library of cheap music, five years before the birth of Spotify.

I’m reminded of this because this week I’ve published a piece on the Filter about the portable audio technology that killed them: MP3 players. Or digital audio players, to give them their more accurate name, given MP3 playback is just one of many supported file formats.

The best beauty Advent calendars in 2025, tested (yes, we know it’s early!)

The finishing touch: great buys for under £100 to lift your living space, chosen by interiors experts

‘It’s better than plastic and cheaper’: 20 sustainable swaps that worked (and saved you money)

How to get your garden ready for autumn: 17 expert tips you can do now – and what to skip

‘The crunch? Spot on’: the best supermarket gherkins, tasted and rated

What to take to university – and what to leave behind, according to students

How to decorate your university room: 16 easy, affordable ways to make it feel like home

Dry herbs, sow green manure, catch the rain: garden professionals share the simple jobs that will make all the difference come next spring

• The best garden tools to make light work of autumn jobs

The nights are drawing in, TV programming is kicking back into gear and there are ominous warnings about “party season”. However, that doesn’t mean we should ascribe to horticultural tradition and “put our gardens to bed”.

There’s still plenty you can do in the garden to make the most of those crisp, bright autumnal afternoons and relish the offerings of the season to come. Whether squeezing some more joy out of the garden before it dies back for another winter or doing jobs your future spring self will thank you for, these are the things that define the season.

This week, David Maxwell heads to County Antrim where he meets a Canadian couple gardening in the shadow of Slemish. Judith and Hugh Jackson moved to the area from Vancouver after they both retired. They built a house in a rural area and they quickly realised that gardening at 300 metres above sea level meant they needed plants that can look after themselves. Judith reveals her friendly ‘thugs’ including the tough perennial Persicaria which cuts down on any weeding. In County Clare, the programme visits the Irish Seed Savers Association who look after Ireland’s heritage apple collection and conserve heritage seed varieties for the future. Ruth Bramley from Farmyard Nurseries shows David some of her favourite indoor plants including Mimosa, also known as the sensitive plant, which moves when it’s touched. In studio, Anna Hudson joins David with seasonal inspiration and the answers to questions including how to ripen pairs and what to do with a Kumquat! Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

What is this mysterious vegetable growing in my vegetable patch? Can you identify this mysterious plum? How can I make my cottage garden look full of life?

Kathy Clugston hosts a lively Potting Shed edition of Gardeners’ Question Time, recorded at the vibrant GQT Summer Garden Party held at RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex.

Joining her is the show’s renowned panel of horticultural experts — Bob Flowerdew, Christine Walkden, James Wong, Bunny Guinness, Dr Chris Thorogood, Matthew Wilson, and Pippa Greenwood — ready to tackle gardening dilemmas from enthusiastic visitors.

From tackling vine weevils and dealing with contaminated soil, to coaxing supermarket-bought pear trees into fruiting, the panel shares practical advice, clever solutions, and plenty of gardening wisdom throughout the programme.

Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod Assistant Producer: Suhaar Ali

A Somethin Else Production for BBC Radio 4.

Hylotelephiums flower from late summer in borders, pots and gardens – and their brilliant but subtle colours are perfect for autumn days

A friend’s husband has recently embarked on a love affair with an allotment plot. I’m totally delighted for him, and am enjoying the new dimension of our relationship, in which we discuss compost and seed sowing over WhatsApp, and he sends me photographs of the “lotty”. It reminds me of when someone has a newborn – you get to marvel at the progress with none of the hard work.

Recently he texted me a screen grab from my Instagram stories, of a photo of my old garden. “What is this plant? There’s loads on the abandoned plot next to mine.” Sedum, I replied. Well, hylotelephium, technically.

It sells £70 trowels and £3,000 trees – and with A-listers suddenly flocking to the Cotswolds, some of the most famous people on earth have been seen there

Name: Burford Garden Company.

Age: 49.

Tiny insects called thrips feed on the leaves, weakening the plant. Here’s how to discourage them

What’s the problem?
My peace lily has recently developed silver and grey streaks on its leaves. It hasn’t been moved and there haven’t been any changes to its routine – it gets watered and misted once or twice a week. Any advice?

Diagnosis
Silver or grey streaks on peace lily leaves often signify thrips. These are tiny slender insects that feed by scraping the surface of leaves and sucking out the sap, leaving behind a silvery sheen or streaking. They enjoy warm, dry conditions, and can go unnoticed until damage becomes obvious.

Carl Wright never intended to make a garden when he bought an old cottage in The Burren. Had he known he’d become smitten with plants he wouldn’t have chosen to live in an area famous for it’s limestone rock covered by a thin layer of soil. But after importing hundreds of tons of topsoil over 25 years he has created a garden like no other. It’s a space that sensitively fits into its unique surroundings and is full of valuable lessons for those wanting to bring an old overgrown garden back from the brink. Also on the programme, Adam Frost chooses cotinus ‘Grace’ as his shrub of the month. Garden wildlife expert Katy Bell brings in her skull collection and chats about mammals to look out for in the garden during autumn. Rosie Maye joins David in studio to answer listeners’ questions and bring some seasonal gardening inspiration. Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

Horticultural programme featuring a group of gardening experts.

Radishes aren’t just for salads – grow winter varieties to enjoy in soups and stir fries

Winter radishes are notably different from the smaller, brighter and often punchier ones you can grow from spring onwards. Winter radishes are left to grow for longer, so they can become larger, and while they can be eaten raw, there are many recipes for cooking them in soups and stir-fries, or roasting them like other root vegetables.

The first winter radish I ever encountered was the ‘Black Spanish Round’ (Raphanus sativus). This heritage variety develops into tennis ball-sized spheres with a rough black skin that conceals bright white, crisp flesh. I didn’t even realise the mooli – or daikon – was a winter radish when I was eating it pickled in a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich or fermented into kimchi. They develop an impressively long, conical root with a mild flavour and pleasingly crunchy texture, and I would grow them if only my heavy clay soil would allow it. The watermelon radish is my personal holy grail. It’s the prettiest radish that I’ve failed to grow despite trying these past few seasons. They’re not much to behold until they’re sliced open to reveal a vibrant fuchsia flesh. I blame end‑of‑summer exhaustion for all the times I’ve tried but haven’t succeeded in growing what ought to be a fairly easy crop.

Guardian-reading neighbours | Pythonesque newspeak | Paper harvest | Express potatoes | Chatbot divorce

Emma Beddington’s observations on neighbours (I don’t believe we’re a nation of neighbours at war – despite what the headlines say, 31 August) are timely and sad. This week, we say goodbye to our lovely neighbours of 19 years. We became friends the day they arrived, in spite of an age difference of some 20 years. Could the key to our friendship be that, in response to a tentative inquiry on that first day, we discovered that we were all Guardian readers? Good luck, Nick and Amy, please stay in touch.
Alistair and Angela Taylor
York

• The examples of newspeak (Letters, 1 September) reminded me of a classic Monty Python example of stringing such verbiage together: “I think all right-thinking people in this country are sick and tired of being told that ordinary, decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not! And I’m sick and tired of being told that I am.”
Phil Coughlin
Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear