In this episode of Green Queens, Imogen Bhogal and Abbie Dewhurst step into the Carbon Garden at Kew Gardens— a new space designed to show how the carbon cycle, plants, and fungi shape our climate future.With the help of:

🌳 Joe Richomme – Garden Supervisor and project lead of the Carbon Garden

💧 Justin Moat – Senior Research Leader on carbon capture

🌿 Kevin Martin – Head of Tree Collections

They discuss why it’s not just rising temperatures, but water shortages that really put trees at risk, and how fungi beneath our feet quietly act as nature’s hidden carbon heroes. They dive into the curious phenomena of “false autumn” and summer branch drop—signs of trees struggling to cope with stress—and explain why protecting old, established trees matters so much more for storing carbon than planting new ones alone. The conversation also celebrates the benefits of “messy” gardening, showing how leaving leaves, letting grass grow, and embracing natural cycles can boost soil health and biodiversity. Above all, they encourage us to think long-term, with a 200-year vision for the landscapes of the future. Enjoy!

00:00 False Autumn

00:23 Welcome to Green Queens

03:13 A trip to the Carbon Garden

04:00 What is the Carbon Cycle?

04:44 The head of Trees!

05:28 What will it look like in 100 years time?!

07:54 Water, Autumn and Cracking Branches!

10:21 Not capturing carbon?!

11:51 Fungus?!

13:30 Make more mess...

18:36 What to do at Kew?!

21:10 Plant more trees?

23:31 Why bother?

27:20 Big take home

30:28 Thank you and please subscribe (love you bye xx)

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