BBC radio gardening show recorded at Shropshire church

The result was two editions of Gardeners' Question Time in the bag, which will be broadcast later this year.

The ever-popular radio show descended on Stottesdon, near Bridgnorth, last night for a recording session.

The programme has become part of British life since it premiered at the Broadoak Hotel in Ashton-under-Lyne in 1947.

Anyone expecting a large team of technicians in a shiny BBC van would have been sadly disappointed last night.

The modest white van parked outside was all there was to show for the hive of activity inside St Mary's Church.

Two episodes of the Radio Four show were recorded back to back last night, with questions to suit the time of year they will go to air.

One will be broadcast on June 27 and the other on August 1.

Not that producers were letting slip the subject matter of the questions. They are strictly embargoed until the show is broadcast so not to spoil it for listeners,

A gardening expert panel of Bunny Guinness, Bob Flowerdew and Chris Beardshaw fielded a variety of questions from the audience which had travelled from all over Shropshire. The event was chaired by Peter Gibbs, also known as a BBC weatherman.

Garden landscaper and designer Bunny said: "I love coming to Shropshire. There was a great atmosphere in the church and the audience was great and asked some very good questions. There are clearly some very keen gardeners here."

Audience member Emma Payne, 42, from the village of Astbury is a keen gardener but had never listened to the show.

She said: "It has been really good and I have really enjoyed it. There were tips I would never would have thought of doing, it was so informative, but very entertaining at the same time. I'm going to start listening all the time now."

John Mall travelled all the way from Oxfordshire and was staying with friends in Sidbury to come to the show.

He said: "it was so interesting, it really was. The panel were so knowledgeable and I have taken a lot away from this."

The recording coincides with Stottesdon open gardens on June 22, where 14 gardens in the village open up to the public.

The organiser of the event Tina King said: "I filled in a form about two years ago for the show to come here, but there is quite the waiting list.

"But it finally came here and it has been great.

"We have had people come from all over Shropshire including groups, like 17 from the Cleobury Mortimer Horticultural Society.

"The age range is big as well with people in their 20's right up into their 90's here.

"Everyone has really enjoyed it and been well informed.

"The knowledge from the panel on a variety of gardening topics is second to none."

The show takes the form of a question and answer where the audience submit questions and the panel answers the best they can.

Tess Link, 47, from Roton,said:"It was great to be in the audience, it's not something you get to see everyday.

"I'm a regular listener to the show and I really had a good time, but also learned a lot.

"The panel answer the questions without doing any research, it's just straight of the bat and really impressive."