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Great Gardens Europe S01E02
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FunTranscript
00:00from vibrant blooms in every imaginable shade to magical landscapes that feel like they've sprung
00:09from a fairy tale breathtaking clifftop vistas and lush tropical sanctuaries alive with the
00:17extraordinary this UV light will reveal what insects see it is so symbolic of the flower
00:22figures on the island four of Europe's most enchanting horticultural wonders only flowers
00:30once every 10 years everything goes so tall that we feel like we are being smashed by nature where
00:37every garden tells a story this is our star of the garden it really tells us the history of the garden
00:44in stone and every corner reveals a secret you realize why they picked this point for the game
00:50of the hills this has been like a vault with all our most precious treasures we'll share tips and
00:56tricks for your own gardens are they starting to turn brown are they losing petals and immerse
01:02ourselves in the legacies that continue to inspire garden lovers the world over welcome to Europe's
01:10greatest gardens tucked away in the breathtaking emerald hills west of Lisbon lies the enchanting town of
01:25Cintra a place where fantasy comes to life once a retreat for Portugal's royalty this historic area is
01:39dotted with grand mansions impressive castles and colorful palaces
01:44one of its gems is the palace of Montserrat a former summer residence that sits high in the lush hills
01:55with panoramic views stretching to the Atlantic Ocean but it's not just the palace that captivates the
02:05award-winning gardens cover eighty acres nestled in cool deep valleys and sprawled across steep
02:11sun-drenched slopes a fabulous mix of plants trees and flowers from around the world what I really love
02:22about the gardens at Montserrat is the experience that we can offer to the visitors which is to be
02:28transported from nowadays to the 19th century Montserrat is considered one of the richest botanical gardens in
02:37the whole of Portugal this gloriously eclectic estate stands tribute to the Victorian era's obsession with
02:45plant collecting when explorers ventured far and wide bringing back exotic species from every corner of the globe
02:52in the north of the garden we venture deep into the coolly shaded Fern Valley a verdant forest alive with tree ferns from Australia and New Zealand creating an inviting atmosphere that truly connects you to nature
03:14pause for a moment in the tranquil Japanese garden with this wall of bamboo a serene oasis of peace and wander along the scented path where tangled jasmine and wisteria hang from the ornate pergolas leading you towards the stunning palace
03:36but we start in a little piece of South America unique to Montserrat a tropical paradise with more than 3500 plants from 402 different species representing 11 botanical families
03:54the Mexican garden is something that is totally different that we are used to see in Portugal and it's really exotic
04:05when we think about most hot we think exotic and this is the perfect place to have this feeling
04:13Elsa isidro is parked to Sintra's landscape architect in charge of Montserrat in here we managed to have a slope that is facing south where the temperature is the the correct one and the humidity also it's the perfect
04:28the temperature in summer to have them plant bathing in the heat of the sun drenched southern slopes towering cacti and intricate succulents transport you into this Mexican wonderland
04:40the exposed hillsides can be several degrees hotter than the shaded north facing valleys of the park
04:48it was the ideal place for Montserrat's Victorian gardeners to try and mimic the sun-baked Mexican desert where temperatures can reach a scorching 50 degrees
05:02this is one of my favorite parts of the garden because the vegetation is so vibrant and everything grows so tall and so much that we feel like we are being smashed by nature
05:16as we wander into the depths of this 5,000 square meters of garden vibrant flowers like the common zinnia and amaranthus peek out from behind massive yuccas and majestic palms
05:31in here even the the pine cones are huge this is the pine cone from the penis yawakawiti that having here in the Mexican garden
05:44above the well-drained slopes come alive with a variety of cacti basking in the sun
05:59with stunning specimens like the giant candelabra tree and the apontia robusta the prickly pear
06:06surprisingly this resilient cactus can thrive even in the cooler wetter climate here in the UK
06:13either indoors or on a summer patio just choose a sunny space with well-drained soil for the best results
06:21this is the perfect spot to see the view through the valley and to understand the different levels and the structure of this garden
06:33you can see the stone walls making beds that are raised up and with a higher temperature
06:40and lower beds where we can have more humidity and the perfect place to have the collection of salvias growing
06:48and some palm trees for crayons and so on
06:55it's a privilege to take care of such a vast botanical collection
07:00and Elsa and the team's commitment to ensuring the survival of every species is unwavering
07:05here plant casualties aren't simply discarded
07:10instead they're carefully nurtured back to life
07:13behind the scenes gardener Maria is caring for a very resilient cactus
07:19another plant fell over him and he broke and it's bad because it was a great cactus
07:25but we need to see from the bright side now we have tree
07:29I know they seem dead but they are still very much alive
07:39it's a very patient work
07:41this one will be at least two years before we can put it on the garden
07:48we gardeners play a little god because we can resuscitate the plants
07:54next door in the garden's nursery even more magic is happening
08:01this special place is full of life
08:07all these young plants have been cultivated from donors right here on the grounds
08:12it's a beautiful way to keep the park's natural wonders alive
08:16in here we can see a lot of different species because we are trying to reproduce as much as we can
08:27to make sure we conserve the genetic information from the original cultivars that were
08:32planted in here in the gardens during the 19th century
08:35let's check in our little cats
08:39those are six weeks old we just took from the mother plant small cuttings
08:47and then we put them in here to get roots
08:51and here we can see some of the same species but a little bit bigger
08:57and they are very slow growing plants so they will be available for us to put again outside
09:04more or less in two or three years so it's a long process and we have to be patient on the gardens
09:11oh great we can bring small ones to fill the spaces between the wall
09:19today the circle of life comes full circle
09:25you can bring some
09:28some of the young plants nurtured in the nursery are now ready to be planted back in the Mexican garden
09:39the succulents is a very easy plant to reproduce actually
09:43you just have to take a leaf off and you put it in a little bit of soil and they will root right away
09:53these kinds of small succulents will do well on a south facing wall in the UK
10:00with a bit of shelter and a horticultural fleece
10:03some varieties can survive through a harsh British winter
10:07by putting all the plant collection again in here
10:11I think we are honoring all the work that were done in here in the 19th century
10:17coming up
10:21this would have been equivalent of having a Ferrari parked on your front lawn
10:25we'll discover some of the gardens most remarkable successes
10:29it's seven meters around seven meters
10:33and up in the high forests
10:36there's alien invaders
10:38if we don't cut them down they will take over everything
10:42we're in the captivating town of Sintra in Portugal
11:00nestled into the lush hills is the park of Montserrat
11:04a botanical wonderland filled with exotic plants
11:11vibrant flowers and unique trees from around the world
11:25like all gardens water is the key to Montserrat's thriving success
11:29something that's not normally abundant in Portugal's hot climate
11:36but here there's a secret weapon
11:42Sintra sits right next to the coastline
11:44where the winds blow in moisture from the sea
11:47this humidity gets trapped in the mountains
11:49creating a delicate layer of fog
11:51that gracefully settles over the landscape
11:54this essential moisture gives life to tiny water droplets
11:59that cling to leaves and twigs
12:01gradually collecting and dripping down into man-made water channels below
12:11at Montserrat
12:12one of the areas this water feeds into
12:14is the mesmerizing Fern Valley
12:17this always feels amazing
12:25I love this part of the garden
12:30built deep into a cool shaded valley
12:32it's a magical area that promises to leave you spellbound
12:38this area is a very clever place in the garden
12:41a valley with a water stream coming from the landscape above
12:45and the water is allowing us to have enough humidity
12:49to plant in here plants from New Zealand and Australia
12:56as we explore this lush oasis
12:58we find ourselves surrounded by a breathtaking canopy
13:01created by a collection of rare and exotic tree ferns
13:08like the elegant lacy tree fern
13:10naturalized in New Zealand
13:12that can grow to five meters high
13:14with four meter long fronds
13:20the majestic Gixonia Antarctica
13:22a slow growing tree fern native to Tasmania
13:27revered as one of the oldest plants in the world
13:29this variety is also one of the most popular in the UK
13:33thanks to its ability to withstand colder temperatures
13:36preferring a damp sheltered location with shade for parts of the day
13:39preferring a damp sheltered location with shade for parts of the day
13:43it can tolerate sun if it's given enough water
13:50to ensure Montserrat's botanical ferns flourish
13:53they have been carefully planted in a specific area
13:56you can see that the park is laid out in the land that has a lot of valleys
14:01with a lot of slopes that are so steep
14:05that allow us to have places that are facing north
14:09like this one in the fern valley
14:11and places where we are facing south
14:13and when we have this kind of conditions
14:15we can feel differences of temperature from 5 to 10 degrees
14:19so you can feel like you are in a desert
14:22in a Mexican garden
14:24and you can feel like you are in a tropical or sub-tropical climate
14:28if you are inside the fern valley
14:33this ideal setting provides the perfect sub-tropical environment for growth
14:38without the need for a greenhouse
14:40so you can see this line of plant trees in here
14:49that allow us to create a perfect protection from the winds coming from the ocean
14:55and also these plant trees allow us to have the sun coming during winter time
15:01and during summer time the sun is being filtered
15:05so the planting scheme of the trees at the 19th century was really really clever
15:12when we think about the specimens that were planted in here
15:18the seeds that were collected from all over the world
15:21it's really a lab outside
15:24this remarkably diverse garden is all down to one man
15:30Sir Francis Cook
15:32a wealthy English industrialist
15:34who in the 19th century made Montserrat his summer retreat
15:41he was an avid plant collector
15:43and envisioned creating a place where eager botanists from all over the continent
15:48could come and marvel at nature's wonders
15:53one of his earliest specimens is still here
15:56thriving right in front of the magnificent palace
16:00here we have a photograph from a postcard
16:03and it shows the front of the house full of trees
16:06but there's one little tree that's growing here
16:09it's a cycad
16:10and this cycad is originally from Australia
16:13but Francis Cook obtained it from Kew Gardens
16:17and it's behind me here
16:19Gerald Gluckhurst is a landscape architect
16:25who spent 30 years researching Montserrat
16:28helping to restore it back to its former glory
16:32now these cycads they're very slow growing
16:35but this is a monster
16:37and it's probably the largest cultivated specimen of its species in the world
16:44they were around from the time of the dinosaurs
16:49they're very very primitive plant
16:51and one of their characteristics is they have male plants and female plants
16:56and just around the corner here we can see
16:58because this is a male
17:00and this is the cone just like a pine cone
17:04and the males are always tall and straight
17:07and the females are rounder like a pineapple
17:12so this being a male and not having any females
17:16because this was the only plant that they had at Montserrat
17:19so I thought we'll do something about that
17:21and I contacted somebody in Australia
17:24he sent me a bag of 50 seeds
17:26and he made a comment I'll never forget
17:29he said see if you can germinate some young fillies for the old bull
17:35Today this old bull may not steal the spotlight
17:39but rewind to the 19th century when Cook first planted it
17:43it was the talk of the town
17:46of course this was also about status
17:50I mean we've seen the house it's not a modest house
17:52so it's show off
17:54this would have been equivalent of having a Ferrari parked on your front lawn
17:58and if you're in London or Paris
18:01you have to put them in the greenhouse
18:03Cook was really showing off
18:05to have a cycad all the way from Queensland Australia
18:09and have it growing on the lawn is something very special
18:13There are over 300 species of cycad
18:17in the UK they grow best in southern parts
18:21preferring semi-shaded or filtered sun to avoid scorching
18:25the pineapple cycad is one of the more common
18:29and thanks to climate change
18:31they are flourishing like never before
18:33producing pine cones for the first time in over 120 million years
18:41Francis Cook's pineapple cycad grown outside
18:44had the effect that he wanted
18:46botanists from all over Europe came to marvel at this remarkable specimen
18:51along with his many other plantings
18:53some of which are now record breakers
18:57so this is the
18:59the cowrie pine
19:01from Queensland
19:03another Australian
19:06you know this is quite possibly
19:09the largest tree of its species
19:12the champion tree in the world
19:14we've measured it
19:16it's seven metres around
19:19seven metres
19:20look at this
19:22it would take
19:24six people
19:26to go around it
19:28and you know
19:29when I first measured it
19:30it was six metres
19:32so it's got another metre
19:34in maybe 30 years
19:35it's grown a whole metre
19:36and as it grows
19:38you get these incredible stretch marks
19:41as the bark just expands
19:44they're really remarkable trees
19:48across the park
19:52back in the Mexican garden
19:54there's another champion
19:56this one is a swamp tree
19:59called
20:00taxodium cronatum
20:01which is a very interesting species
20:04it's very important for Mexican people actually
20:07because the place with this kind of species is a place with water
20:11this specimen holds the record for the biggest perimeter
20:17but as impressive as cook's zest for the exotic was
20:22it has led to a few challenges
20:24this may look like a natural forest
20:28this may look like a natural forest
20:30but it's actually mostly man-made
20:33and while it's stunning to behold
20:35some of those non-native plants
20:37are getting a little too wild
20:39so I'm looking for invasive species
20:44here in the Montserrat garden
20:46Ines Morera is Park de Sintra's dedicated biologist
20:51Invasive species are a very big problem
20:54because we don't want them to spread all over the garden
21:00If invasive species are left
21:02they can grow aggressively
21:03competing for sunlight, water, nutrients and space
21:07hindering the growth
21:09and ultimately pushing out the native plants
21:16This is an acacia
21:18an adult one
21:19and this is a very problematic species
21:22it's an invasive species
21:24brought here in the 19th century
21:26that has spread all over
21:28Serra de Sintra
21:30and here in the garden
21:31we want to control their growth
21:34we don't want them to grow like this
21:37we want to find them small
21:39so that we can hand pull them
21:44Acacias were introduced to Sintra from Australia
21:47with their feathery leaves
21:50and round yellow flowers
21:51they were a pretty addition to the romantic garden
21:54but these impressive seed pods
21:56spread easily in the wind
21:58and are also particularly hardy
22:02In 1966 when there was a very big fire in Sintra
22:06the seed of the acacia just grew back
22:09and took over Serra de Sintra
22:12Oh, we have one here
22:15that I can hand pull
22:17so it's not a very big one
22:20and when I hand pull it
22:22I have to hand pull the root
22:24otherwise it will grow back
22:26and I didn't do anything
22:30If we don't hand pull them
22:31if we don't cut them down
22:33and if we don't manage the garden
22:35they will take over everything
22:37Of course, not all exotic species are invasive
22:42and Inish and her team spend much of their time out in the woods
22:46researching and monitoring how different species are faring
22:52Of particular interest are the few remaining native species
22:56And there's one over here
23:02that it's very interesting
23:04It's called the butcher's broom in English
23:08Ruscus acoliathus is the scientific name
23:11The reason why it's called the butcher's broom
23:14it's because it could be used as a broom when it was dry
23:19because it's very hard, very prickly
23:21and it's easy to use as a broom
23:26It's good because it's native
23:28and it's part of our forest
23:30It's protected because, you know
23:33it has these red berries
23:36like the holly
23:37and the holly is used as a Christmas ornament
23:40and here in Portugal
23:41the holly became a protected species
23:43and people couldn't use it anymore
23:45and so people started to use the butcher's broom
23:48and it was almost gone
23:51and then this plant needed to be protected also
23:55When I find one of these
23:57I will register in an application
24:00so that we can make maps
24:03and tell our colleagues
24:04that manage the forest and the gardens
24:07to be careful
24:08So I found this one
24:09So I'm going to create here
24:12because it's very interesting for the environment
24:15and for the ecosystem
24:18Okay
24:23Coming up
24:24This is the most important building
24:27in the garden at Montserrat
24:29We go deep into a fairytale part of the garden
24:32It's really a magnificent sight
24:34And travel closer to home
24:36Isn't this just amazing?
24:38To a fantasy land full of follies
24:41How many crystals are there?
24:42Possibly two million
24:44Two million crystals
24:46Located on the Portuguese Riviera
25:01is the small yet spectacular town of Cintra
25:06A place so rich in romance
25:08that it captured the heart of none other than poet Lord Byron
25:11He affectionately referred to it
25:14as a glorious Eden
25:15where ruined splendour lingers
25:22Among the jewels that inspired Byron's poetic musings
25:25was the then neglected Parque de Montserrat
25:28an enchanting palace and gardens
25:30nestled into the lush Portuguese hills
25:32Now this estate is an open air glass house
25:39full of exotic species collected from around the world
25:43by a wealthy Victorian entrepreneur
25:45But actually it has an even older history
25:49It was originally designed in the 1700s
25:52as an English landscape garden
25:55The very first of its kind in Portugal
25:58Complete with a sweeping lawn
26:01Surrounded by huge trees
26:03Sparkling lakes
26:05And a cascading waterfall
26:07In the English landscape garden
26:09The objective is to make everything to look as natural as possible
26:14But of course everything is man-made
26:17It's artificial
26:19It's all made to create an image of ideal nature
26:26And the perfect example of that
26:28is this cascade
26:29from the 18th century 1719
26:34And if you can imagine
26:35they had a natural stream
26:37and maybe they exposed
26:39the natural rock at the bottom
26:41But then they constructed
26:43this wall of boulders
26:45And then the water falls onto the natural rock
26:48and into the pond
26:49And of course the pond
26:50is not natural either
26:52The stepping stones we've just walked across
26:55is a dam
26:56that forms the pond
26:57Down at the bottom of the valley
27:01there are a series of artificial lakes
27:03But it just all looks so natural
27:08And that's the secret of the English landscape garden
27:11This dreamy, romantic wilderness
27:18was a world away from the prevailing fashion
27:20throughout most of Europe at the time
27:22Baroque, or formal landscapes
27:27focused on strict symmetry and order
27:30These grand gardens
27:32were usually designed with a central path
27:34surrounded by borders and walkways
27:36that organised the space
27:38They showcased man's control over nature
27:42with every element carefully placed
27:44and perfectly arranged
27:45However, by the early 1700s
27:49the British were rejecting this style
27:51Designer Lancelot Capability Brown
27:54changed the game
27:55turning formal gardens
27:57into natural landscapes
27:59His vision focused on enjoying nature
28:02rather than controlling it
28:03But these romantic gardens
28:11also had a playful, magical side
28:17In Montserrat
28:18at the bottom of the fern valley
28:20it feels like you've stepped
28:21into a real life fairy tale
28:23This is perhaps
28:26the most important building
28:29in the garden at Montserrat
28:31Montserrat
28:33It's Montserrat's
28:3418th century folly
28:36Folly
28:37Folly, from the French
28:38Le Folly
28:39a building that has
28:40no utility whatsoever
28:42just simply for ornament
28:45It was built
28:46as an eye-catcher
28:48which meant
28:50you could see it
28:51in the landscape
28:52from the house
28:54Built in a variety of styles
28:59Built in a variety of styles
29:01these whimsical structures
29:03took on many forms
29:04And while Montserrat
29:07has just one folly
29:08perhaps it took inspiration
29:10from a park
29:11much closer to home
29:12Payne-sealing Cobham Surrey
29:14which has several
29:15Crafted in the 1700s
29:18it's one of the finest
29:20surviving examples
29:21of an English landscape park
29:23and it's famed
29:24for its follies
29:25Haynes Hill
29:26is such a unique
29:27and special place
29:28What you see today
29:29is almost what was there
29:30in the 18th century
29:31Even all the plants
29:32they're all selected
29:33very specially
29:34from the 18th century
29:35Simon Ackroyd
29:48is Payne's Hills
29:49head of estates
29:50and landscape
29:51He takes care
29:52of all areas
29:53of the garden
29:54including the many
29:55fabulous follies
29:56that are dotted
29:57throughout the 158 acres
30:00So whereas
30:01one garden
30:02in the 18th century
30:03landscape movement
30:04might have wanted to
30:05address their guests
30:06with a folly
30:07or maybe two follies
30:08We have
30:0911, 12 follies here
30:11and every one
30:12is uniquely different
30:13and every one of them
30:14is designed
30:15to sort of
30:16take you
30:17into a different
30:18landscape
30:19give you a different
30:20mood
30:21a different ambience
30:22and all these follies
30:23were all taken
30:24from different areas
30:26that the designer
30:27Charles Hamilton
30:28had visited in Europe
30:29this is a Gothic temple
30:35and it's so cleverly designed
30:37because it draws you in
30:39and then once you're here
30:40it's obvious
30:41it's that landscape
30:43that landscape
30:44that lies in front of you
30:45you are absorbed in that landscape
30:47you become part of the landscape
30:49part of that picture
30:50which is why we call it
30:51the picturesque movement
31:01Paynes Hill also boasts a lofty
31:0327 meter Gothic tower
31:05an 18th century Turkish tent
31:07and by the water's edge
31:09a ruined abbey
31:11evoking the romantic spirit
31:13of past civilisations
31:15there's even a hermitage
31:17that once housed a real hermit
31:25but not all of the impressive structures
31:27are above ground
31:29isn't this just amazing
31:32this is a grotto
31:34so it feels like a cave
31:36but actually it's fake
31:37it's covered in crystals
31:39and it is man-made
31:41Magical and mysterious
31:43these underground follies
31:45were designed to inspire
31:46and arouse the emotions
31:48Hello, Warwick
31:49Hello, how are you?
31:51Warwick is one of a team of six
31:54who are responsible
31:55for any repairs needed
31:56in this underground marvel
31:58How many crystals are there?
32:01Has anyone counted them before?
32:03Er, I don't think so
32:05I would probably estimate
32:07about half a million
32:08on the ceiling here
32:10In total
32:11possibly two million
32:13That's amazing
32:14two million crystals
32:15Over time
32:17these beautiful crystals
32:19naturally become loose
32:20fall off
32:21and require work
32:22to restore them
32:23Could you pass me that crystal layer?
32:25Could you pass me that crystal layer?
32:27This one?
32:28Yeah, of course
32:29There you go
32:30Holding one in
32:32Okay
32:33Whilst I add another one
32:35It's very time consuming
32:37It is an expensive job
32:39Every single crystal
32:41has been put on by hand
32:43Two million crystals
32:45Two million and one
32:46Two million
32:47One crystal now
32:48Multiply that by two million
32:50Two million
32:51Quite a long time
32:52I don't think I'll live long enough
32:53Yeah
32:54To finish this job
32:59This crystal cave is the pinnacle of extravagance
33:06And back in the hills of Portugal
33:08Peeking through the lush vegetation
33:10There's a twist in the tale of Montserrat's fabulous folly
33:18For it isn't just a whimsical structure
33:20It was originally a genuine building
33:25This, many people say, is a false ruin
33:28That is not true
33:30This is a real ruin
33:33And it's the real ruin of the garden pavilion
33:36That was built in 1790
33:40Here's the fireplace
33:44Here's the kitchen floor
33:47Up there is the chimney
33:50And if you look carefully
33:52You can see the tiles
33:54This had a roof
33:55This archway
33:57Had a gothic arch
33:59But Francis Cook decided
34:01It wasn't a big enough ruin
34:03And so he tore out the door frame
34:06And ruined the ruin a little more
34:09It then became like a little conservatory
34:13So nowadays we've got some really lovely plants
34:16Look at this
34:17There's a magnificent bromeliad here
34:18Look at the colour of these leaves
34:21They're really quite something
34:22And that's
34:23The bromeliad is the pineapple family
34:25So you sort of have a miniature pineapple there
34:28There are over 3,000 varieties of bromeliads
34:34With the pineapple plant being the most popular of them all
34:37These vibrant gems can also thrive in the UK
34:41Growing best indoors in a warm, bright spot
34:44Bromeliads love humidity
34:47And appreciate regular watering
34:49From spring through autumn
34:51In a free draining compost
34:57One of the most extraordinary features
34:59Of this folly
35:01Is this incredible tree
35:03It's a Morton Bay fig
35:06From Australia
35:08And it looks like it's been here forever
35:10But in fact
35:12The folly
35:13Is from 1790
35:15And this tree
35:17Just shows up
35:18On our records
35:19From 1929
35:21It was already
35:23Growing tree
35:24Growing tree
35:25At that stage
35:26So
35:27Probably planted sometime in the 20s
35:291920s
35:30But
35:31This is the original trunk
35:33Of the tree
35:36And
35:37It grew from here
35:39And
35:40Placed itself
35:41On top of the wall
35:43And then
35:44The aerial roots
35:46Grow down
35:48To the ground
35:49And they themselves
35:50Then became new trees
35:52And so
35:53Now it's beginning
35:54Difficult to say
35:55Where the tree begins
35:56And where it ends
36:02Well there we are
36:03The centrepiece
36:04Of the English landscape garden
36:06This magnificent folly
36:07Which to me
36:08Is so important
36:09Because
36:10It really
36:11Tells us
36:12The history
36:13Of the garden
36:14In stone
36:15It's really
36:16A magnificent sight
36:22Coming up
36:27Nobody ever mentioned
36:29That paradise
36:30Had a house
36:31But
36:32It's just in front of us
36:33We step inside
36:35The stunning
36:36Montserrat Palace
36:37We think
36:38We left the garden
36:39But
36:40The garden
36:41Is still surrounding us
36:42And
36:43We take a stroll
36:44On the park's
36:45Quintessentially
36:46British feature
36:47Montserrat
36:48Has the
36:49Very first lawn
36:51In the entire
36:52Iberian Peninsula
37:10As our journey
37:11Through the stunning park
37:12Of Montserrat
37:13Nears its end
37:14We can't leave
37:15Without taking a moment
37:16To explore the stunning
37:17Centerpiece
37:22Rising majestically
37:23On a hillside
37:24Overlooking
37:25The entire park
37:26Stands the
37:27Magnificent Palace
37:28A glorious extension
37:30Of the gardens
37:31Nobody ever mentioned
37:33That paradise
37:34Had a house
37:35But
37:36It's just in front of us
37:37Antonio Nunes Pereira
37:38Is the palace's director
37:41Whenever I'm
37:42Inside this palace
37:43I always
37:46Feel very privileged
37:48To be able
37:49To work here
37:50It's always
37:51A matter of
37:52Great joy
37:53Just to enjoy it
37:54This captivating creation
37:59Is an architectural marvel
38:01Showcasing a stunning blend
38:04Of delicate Indian influences
38:05And bold Moorish design
38:07The shimmering ceilings
38:09The shimmering ceilings
38:10Catch the light
38:11In mesmerizing ways
38:12Creating an enchanting atmosphere
38:14But it's more than just a beautiful structure
38:18It's Francis Cook's masterpiece
38:20Meticulously designed to complement the surrounding gardens
38:25So here we are
38:29Inside Montserrat house
38:31We think
38:32We left the garden
38:34But the garden
38:35Is still surrounding us
38:36In all this beautiful decoration
38:38We've got plants
38:39And leaves
38:40And flowers
38:41All over the place
38:43We also have these chains of light
38:50And shade
38:51As if though we were in a forest
38:54We also have these columns
38:56That look like tree trunks
38:58And makes us feel outside
39:00Rather than inside
39:02The interesting thing about Montserrat
39:09Is that it was planned
39:11As a garden pavilion
39:12It was used during the day
39:15For people enjoying a rest
39:17In between walking and garden
39:20It was only in a later stage
39:23That the house was changed
39:24Into a residence
39:26So some doors were introduced
39:29In a pavilion that had no doors
39:31So this is very much
39:36Not only a testimony of nature's important
39:41As an inspiration for art and architecture
39:44But it is also the idea that
39:47Even if you are in an artificial environment
39:51Nature is always with you
39:53And this is very, very romantic
40:01Originally, this incredible palace
40:04Was designed to be seen
40:05From every part of the garden
40:07Over the years
40:10Sir Francis Cook's exotic plantings
40:12Have thrived
40:13And taken over the view
40:14But one of the most important
40:17English features
40:18Still remains
40:19A majestic sweeping lawn
40:22And it's a special one at that
40:24Montserrat has the very first lawn
40:29In the entire Iberian Peninsula
40:33Not just Portugal
40:34In fact, it's probably one of the very first lawns
40:36In southern Europe
40:37Because nobody has lawns in southern Europe
40:40Because there's not enough water
40:42Today, we often take lawns for granted
40:49But back in the 1700s
40:51These meticulously manicured green spaces
40:54Were the ultimate symbol of status
40:56A lavish showcase of wealth and prestige
40:59They required an immense amount of upkeep
41:02And prior to hose pipes and sprinklers
41:05They were often watered
41:06Using intricate gravity-fed systems
41:09The genius of this system
41:11Is Roman
41:12Or Moorish
41:13That's how they would
41:14Water their vegetable gardens
41:16With gravity
41:17The water just flows along the surface
41:19But that's always done on the flat
41:21And this is very steep
41:23So what did they do?
41:25They contoured the lawn
41:27And made small terraces
41:29And if you feel very carefully
41:30You can feel them with your feet
41:32As you go down
41:33There were channels
41:34There was a big pipe
41:35That came down the centre
41:36And the water was channeled
41:38Either side
41:39And just flowed over the lawn
41:41To make this brilliant emerald green
41:46The lawn is a marvel of engineering
41:51And today
41:52It's hosting a special event
41:54A night of cool jazz
41:56Paired with refreshing gin and tonics
42:01All these people listening to the music
42:03Enjoying their G&T
42:05It's an absolutely quintessential British scene
42:15With its enchanting beauty
42:17The Park of Montserrat
42:18Is a masterpiece of nature and design
42:20From its recognition as one of the most significant
42:23English landscape gardens
42:25Beyond the shores of Britain
42:26To its extraordinary array of exotic plants
42:29That makes it one of Portugal's richest botanical collections
42:34Montserrat
42:35One of Europe's greatest gardens
42:37Captivates all who wander through its eclectic wonderland
42:46Next time
42:47We visit the vibrant flower island of Mainau in Germany
42:51So we have about 270 different dahlia sorts this year
42:54But which one will be crowned the dahlia queen
42:57We are ready?
42:58Good
42:59The team open up a chrysanthemum exhibition
43:02Festival of colours works very good, yeah
43:04And can one of the very first sequoia trees to grace Europe be saved?
43:09There's a column of decay going up the back of the stem
43:12There's a column of decay going up the back of the stem
43:14in the back of the stem
43:17The
43:20The
43:24The
43:25The
43:27And
43:29The
43:31The
43:33The
43:35The
43:36The
43:39The
43:41The
43:43You
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