Explore the beauty of flowers in A Pressing Matter

Posted on 12 August 2025 • Science, maths, computing and technology, TV and radio

Watch tonight’s episode of The One Show to see the first in a series of short films co-produced by The Open University (OU) and BBC, with this episode exploring the art and science of pressed flowers.

A Pressing Matter airs on Tuesday 12^th August at 7pm on BBC One and will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

The film is presented by singer and keen gardener, Will Young. Will is currently restoring an overgrown garden in Wiltshire and as a child he liked to press flowers, using a small wooden toy press.

Will joins the Royal Horticultural Society, which uses pressing as a method for collecting specimens for a nationwide flower archive. Their stunning collection of plant specimens is carefully stored in their science centre at Wisley in Surrey.

In the first of this series of short films created by the OU and BBC for The One Show, David Gowing, Professor of Botany at the OU, acted as academic consultant.

Professor Gowing commented:

“It is great to see the One Show covering the Royal Horticultural Society’s ambitious plan to make a record of all the garden plants currently growing in the UK.  The delphiniums they feature are truly spectacular. 

“The Open University is partnering the BBC to provide further information for viewers who are inspired either to preserve their own favourite plant or to use pressed specimens artistically. Whatever your motivation, taking a closer look at plants is always rewarding.”

Supporting Online content:

Discover the art and science of flower pressing in this beautifully illustrated flipbook—complete with a handy how-to guide to get you started.

This film was commissioned by Broadcast and Partnerships and is supported by the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, with particular relevance to Q52 | BSc Environmental Sciences

• Commissioned by Dr Caroline Ogilvie, Director of Broadcast & Partnerships
• Academic Consultants – Professor David Gowing
• Media Fellows – Dr Zhraa Alhaboby
• Broadcast Project Manager – Jo Shipp
• Digital Content Producer – Patrick Kearney

Header image credit: BBC