00:00Look down, look all around. Up in the air or on the ground. Come for a walk, come for a ride. There's so much to see, so come outside.
00:21Bright yellow petals, strong green leaves, seeds that float up on the breeze. We grow in the country, we grow in the town. Seeds as light as thistle-down. What are we? We're dandelions.
00:51Look, Pippin. I remember that ball. There wasn't much left by the time you'd finished playing with it.
01:04Hello, my dears. That's Pippin, when she was a puppy. She was only eight weeks old.
01:12Pippin, Pippin. I made a video with my camcorder to remind myself what she was like then.
01:20Hasn't she grown? She liked to play all the time then.
01:27She still likes to play.
01:31Oh, this won't do. I must get on with my gardening. Come on.
01:36Oh, yes. I do need to do a bit of gardening.
01:54I didn't plant these weeds here.
01:58They just grew by themselves.
01:59Not now, Pippin.
02:05Go and play.
02:07I need to finish my gardening.
02:12Merry, merry, quite contrary.
02:16How does your garden grow?
02:19With silver bells and cockle shells.
02:23And pretty maids all in a row, row, row.
02:27And pretty maids all in a row.
02:36And look what's growing in my garden.
02:39Dandelions.
02:42I know where they come from.
02:44Let me tell you the story.
02:46We were going to have a day out in the city, so I took my camcorder.
02:52I know where they come from.
03:07I know where they come from.
03:10It won't be long now, Pippin.
03:35Look. There it is.
03:39Tower Bridge.
03:40First, we went to the Tower of London.
04:03There was a wonderful view of Tower Bridge and the river. Boats going under
04:09the bridge, cars and lorries, going across. Pippin, you stay there and we'll see how this looks.
04:20Come on, Pippin. Let's look at the Tower. The Tower of London was built hundreds of years
04:36ago. Come on, let's go and see.
04:48In the old days, boats could sail up the river right to the Tower and people came in through
04:54this gate.
04:58Then we went to look for the ravens that live in the Tower of London.
05:08Oh, look, Pippin. There's one and another. There are eight ravens and they're looked after
05:18by the ravenmaster.
05:20How are you? How are you? Very well.
05:22He told me there's a story that as long as the ravens stay here, the Tower and the kingdom
05:29will be safe.
05:32The ravenmaster had a very smart uniform. That's because he's one of the yeoman guard who protect
05:40the Tower. People also call them beef eaters. Perhaps they eat a lot of beef. That would
05:46make Pippin a sausage eater.
05:51The Tower of London is a very old building. But the city is full of new buildings too.
05:57We went to have a look.
06:27We walked and walked. And then we found a place by the river where we could sit down.
06:51It was very peaceful, even though it was in the middle of the city. I was amazed how things
06:58managed to grow there, like those dandelions growing between the paving stones.
07:08Some of the dandelions' seeds had landed on Pippin's coat.
07:16If these seeds land on some soil, they might grow into new dandelion plants.
07:23Even here in the city.
07:24Up in the city, in amongst the buildings, where the traffic crumbles on its way.
07:33Nothing much is growing in the busy city, except a little plant we found today.
07:44Dandelion yellow, dandelion green. Dandelion growing in the city.
07:51In amongst the concrete, dandelion lives. Dandelion looking very pretty.
07:59Up in the city, in the dusty city, where the people hurry on their way.
08:11No time for flowers in the dusty city, except a little plant we found today.
08:20Dandelion yellow, dandelion green. Dandelion growing in the city.
08:29In amongst the concrete, dandelion lives. Dandelion looking very pretty.
08:37Oh, just a moment Pippin. Stay. You've still got some dandelion seeds on your coat.
08:52I don't want them all over my kitchen floor. There.
08:59The seeds fell on the ground and began to grow.
09:06Each seed grows roots and leaves.
09:11The roots drink water from the ground.
09:14And the leaves need light and air.
09:19Slowly, the plant grows bigger and bigger.
09:24And then some flowers appear.
09:28Soon, the petals dry up and die.
09:32But now, the seeds are growing.
09:35Each seed has its own tiny little white hairy parachute.
09:40And when the wind blows, they float away.
09:44Each one looking for a patch of soil to grow in.
09:52And here they are.
09:54All these dandelions grew from seeds that got stuck to Pippin's coat and travelled all the way from the city to my garden.
10:04Not everyone wants dandelions growing in their garden.
10:08But I like them.
10:10That reminds me of a story.
10:13Let me see if I can remember it.
10:16Once upon a time, there was a garden.
10:19In the middle of the garden was a flower bed.
10:22And in the flower bed grew seven lilies.
10:26They were tall and proud and thought they were very important.
10:32They loved the sunshine.
10:35And they loved the rain.
10:37And every day they would sing.
10:40We are lilies.
10:42We are ground.
10:43There is flowers in the land.
10:46One day, the lily on the left suddenly screamed.
10:50Oh, my leaves and petals.
10:53Look what's growing in our bed.
10:55And there beside her was a clump of dandelions.
10:59The lilies were horrified.
11:02Go away!
11:03They cried.
11:04You're weeds.
11:05You don't belong here.
11:06You're spoiling our lovely flower bed.
11:09How can we go away?
11:12Said the dandelions.
11:14We're growing here.
11:16Oh, yuck!
11:18Spit, spit, spit!
11:19Said the lilies.
11:21How can we beautiful lilies share a bed with you,
11:24small, ugly little dandelions?
11:27And they turned their heads away.
11:30Then they saw Mrs walking down the garden towards them.
11:33She was carrying her garden tombs.
11:36Oh, look!
11:37Said the lily on the left.
11:39Here comes Mrs to do some gardening.
11:42She'll be bound to dig up you horrible little dandelions
11:45and throw you on the compost heap.
11:48The dandelions shivered with fright
11:51as Mrs came nearer and nearer
11:54and knelt down beside them.
11:57She took a big pair of scissors from her basket
12:00and...snip!
12:03She picked one of the lilies.
12:06Then she picked another.
12:08Then another.
12:09Oh, my leaves and petals!
12:13shouted the lily on the left
12:14as she too was picked and put in the basket.
12:17When Mrs had picked all seven lilies
12:20she took them indoors.
12:22The dandelions were left safe and sound in the flower bed.
12:27Later that day
12:30Mrs put a vase of flowers in her window
12:33and there were the lilies.
12:35No more sunshine
12:36and no more rain.
12:38All they could do
12:40was look out of the window
12:41and watch the little dandelions
12:43living happily ever after
12:46in the garden.
12:47Just like these.
12:53Pippin!
12:54Come and look at your dandelions!
12:56Pippin!
12:57Wherever did you find this?
13:02It's the ball she used to play with
13:04when she was a puppy.
13:05Look at the state of this!
13:08It looks as though we're going to have
13:30lots more dandelions next year.
