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Gardeners World - Season 59 - Episode 02
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00:11Are you coming? Come on then.
00:17Come on then.
00:25Come on then.
00:26Come on then.
00:28Good boy, Ivar. Good boy.
00:42Hello, welcome to Gardener's World, and welcome to a lovely spring day here at Longmeadow,
00:47and a brand new piece of the garden.
00:50This used to be one side of the copse, and I planted it over 30 years ago from hazelnuts that
00:57I gathered.
00:58I planted some trees in here and underplanted it with all the lovely primroses and bluebells that you get in
01:03coppice woodland.
01:04But the trees grew very big, and they sucked all the moisture from the soil, blocked all the light, and
01:11for the last five years it really hasn't been very good on any level.
01:15But no longer, because I have begun the transformation into making this area into a really beautiful woodland garden.
01:23Good boy.
01:38Good boy.
01:41Good boy.
01:44Good boy.
01:47Good boy.
01:48Very good.
01:49But shade is not a problem.
01:51You will find plants that will thrive in almost every variation of the shade theme.
01:59Whoa, hang on a minute.
02:00That's Ned.
02:00Ned.
02:01What are you doing?
02:02Come on.
02:03come here okay good boy would you like a little something would that make you feel better now
02:11please don't bark when we're filming right what i'm going to plant today are two modest plants
02:19but they are charming they all grow in shade and they spread really easily but not out of control
02:26so what's not to like now first one is tiarella this is tiarella spring symphony
02:33and tiarella has these tiny white little starbursts of flower carried on long stems and flower from
02:41now through till may and they are happiest with dappled shade that doesn't dry out too much
02:50this is telema telema grandiflora and you can see the foliage is quite similar but the flowers are
02:55rather different because they are born on long thin stems but they're pale primrose yellow tiny
03:01little bells i love them they'll last into june and they are the perfect ground cover woodland plant
03:08that also looks really good they're not just filling a space they're performing as well
03:14both these plants come from the damp woodlands or forest of the west of america so don't stick it in
03:21very dry shade
03:30it's gardening convention the plants look better placed in odd numbers than even
03:36if you plant in threes five sevens even nines
03:41it tends to look more natural than if you do it in twos or fours or sixes
03:46so i tend to plant in triangles in groups of three
03:53if you want a mass defect of any kind it's nearly always more economic and more successful
03:59to buy lots of small plants than a few really big ones small plants establish much more easily and
04:16they're much cheaper
04:16although i absolutely love the creativity of making a new garden the thing i love most in the world
04:25is actually planting on a spring day with the sun shining the birds are selling
04:31putting plants in the ground knowing that they're going to grow that sense of
04:34hope and satisfaction all comes together and it's just as joyous now as it ever has been in my life
04:43now we're going to visit mary keen now mary keen over a long period of time has been one of
04:48our
04:49our best known garden designers and writers and she's made gardens all over the world but joe
04:56has been to see her in her own garden at home
05:02when i think of gardening royalty mary keen is right up there and what sets her apart
05:08is her instinct for planting
05:13from grand british gardens to designs across the world mary's work is about atmosphere and emotion
05:20and she designs gardens that are to be loved lived in and feel truly alive but down this path is
05:28something even more personal it's her own sanctuary and it's not somewhere that she shares very often so
05:35this is a real treat
05:42so mary you design gardens for oh the rich and famous royalty some very high profile clients quite
05:50high profile i'm not allowed to talk about any of them i know we're not going to talk about any
05:54of them
05:54but what i'm interested in is how different it is designing their gardens and designing your own
06:01garden garden it's completely different i like small flowered plants that you see through and that
06:07are ephemeral i'm not doing display i'm doing atmosphere and it's for me to potter and wander about
06:14in the morning in the evening and in the middle of the day it's just a lovely place to be
06:19not a place
06:20to look at not a place to show off and the actual layout did you draw it out on a
06:25piece of paper no i didn't
06:26It's two rectangles, like two tennis courts, end on end.
06:30And I knew I wanted some flower beds for conventional plants,
06:35and then I wanted two-thirds, which we're in now,
06:39to be wild, with wildflowers all year.
06:42And I made this S line of beauty path through it
06:46to make the garden seem longer and more mysterious.
06:50If you've got a small garden, you want to be able to walk round it
06:53and to feel like a sort of adventure.
07:00Oh, this is energising, Mary.
07:02I've got to say, what style of planting would you call this border, then?
07:06Mixed? Can we call it mixed?
07:08It sounds a bit boring.
07:10It's got lots of stuff in, like, snowdrops and hellebores underneath,
07:13so it goes on all the time.
07:15And then these sort of bursts of colour,
07:18like the Henry Lily and the Agapanthus.
07:21Don't ask me. I think it's a headborne hybrid,
07:23but it's just a good dark form.
07:25Yeah. I love the orange.
07:26Some people don't like orange.
07:28I love orange. I love it.
07:30There really is a lot to see,
07:32because you're planting in small groups here,
07:35like you said, not large brushstrokes.
07:37No.
07:37And it's got a sort of wild feel,
07:38and the more you look, the more you see.
07:40You could stand here for hours and just look at the detail.
07:47A plantswoman at her core,
07:49Mary has filled her garden with plants that bring her joy.
07:53Not as you might expect in the usual arrangements of threes or fives,
07:58more like an artist playing with colour on a canvas.
08:04Mary's really got me thinking,
08:06because I've been reticent to use purple foliage plants in my garden,
08:11mainly going for greens.
08:12But she inherited that purple berberis,
08:16which is on the boundary,
08:17and she's picked it up in colours and stems of other plants,
08:20like the thalictrum there has got dark stems.
08:23We've got the hollyhock with those purple flowers,
08:26really deep colours.
08:28And over here, we've got the foliage of the dahlias
08:30and that red sanguissorba in the back there as well.
08:34And it's really got me thinking,
08:35it adds a lovely depth to the planting colour-wise
08:39and a nice rhythm as well.
08:41Might have to use it.
08:50So has this border got a name?
08:53Well, that border beyond that we've just looked at,
08:56is wild and high and shrubby.
08:59And this one is the transition between wild and high and shrubby,
09:03not totally working,
09:05and a much more gardened, flowery look against the wall.
09:10So that's the floweriest, chaddest bed.
09:13Catchy names you've got there for them.
09:16I love the hollyhocks.
09:17I love the height,
09:18because a lot of people think,
09:19oh, tall plants, you've got to put them at the back of the border,
09:21but you're bringing them to the foreground
09:23and you're looking through them.
09:24Well, I love the looking through tall plants.
09:27That's my aim always, to look through.
09:30I love this euphorbia.
09:33It's Segueriana.
09:34What is it you love about euphorbias, Mary?
09:37Oh, well, I like their greenness.
09:39You like euphorbias too, don't you?
09:40Love them.
09:41I love their leaves.
09:43I love the fact that they perform all year.
09:46It's the zinginess, isn't it?
09:48Yeah, and they set off other plants in the garden so well.
09:52And the Dianthus carthusian aurum.
09:54That is my favourite plant.
09:56Your favourite plant of all time.
09:58I've got a lot of favourite plants,
10:00but that is currently my favourite plant.
10:02Yeah, OK.
10:03Desert Island plants.
10:05Desert Island, I'm allowed eight.
10:07No, that's records.
10:08OK.
10:10No, but it's fabulous.
10:10The thing about it is, it grows in shade,
10:12it grows in gravel, it grows in the border,
10:14and it flowers for a long, long time.
10:17I mean, it's just a brilliant, brilliant,
10:19airy, graceful, lovely plant.
10:26As well as being a great designer,
10:28she obviously loves her plants too, does Mary,
10:31because, look, from the front of the garden,
10:33all you see is plants.
10:35You've got an apple tree with planting all the way round it.
10:37No voids whatsoever.
10:39And before I came, I thought,
10:41oh, there's going to be some unusual stuff,
10:43some rare things.
10:44I'd better gem up a little bit.
10:45But actually, what's lovely is
10:47they're mainly cottage garden-style plants
10:50and things that we can all get our hands on
10:52in nurseries and garden centres.
10:54Things like the pinks, the oregano there.
10:58We've got crocosmere here,
11:01peonies, iris, fennel, agapanthus,
11:05and it's all put together so effortlessly too.
11:12This is idyllic, this courtyard.
11:14It's beautiful.
11:15Well, I rather love it, because it's got a lot of rarities.
11:18You said there weren't any rarities in the rest of the garden.
11:20This is the rarity corner here.
11:23Well, I can see this is more unusual.
11:25It's more exotic.
11:25Yeah, I like a challenge.
11:27I've got the fuchsia climbing Lady Boothby.
11:30That's lovely.
11:31And Melianthus.
11:32Melianthus, which Joe likes.
11:34I like it.
11:34Well, I think he looks great there.
11:36Yeah, I know.
11:36I think it's lovely, actually.
11:38What about the one by the door over there?
11:40Oh, that's Begonia albopictorosia.
11:44It'll stay out all summer,
11:45and then it'll go in the kitchen in the winter.
11:48So, of all the gardens that you've created,
11:50how does this one rate?
11:52When people ask me what's my favourite garden,
11:54I always say mine, of course,
11:56and they're quite surprised.
11:58But, of course, isn't yours your favourite garden?
12:01Most definitely.
12:02Because that's where you can garden,
12:03and that's what we want to do.
12:05It just is the place where I feel completely at home and myself.
12:11The passion comes across from you so strongly.
12:15Oh, Joe.
12:16Thank you so much.
12:16It's just been amazing seeing your garden.
12:18It was lovely having you here.
12:19Thank you for coming.
12:20Thanks for inviting us.
12:40Come on.
12:51Many, many years ago,
12:53I visited Mary Keane's previous garden in Berkshire.
12:56It was wonderful.
12:57And she was the very first person
12:59to come and see my garden in London 43 years ago,
13:04and she wrote an article about it,
13:05and arguably started my career
13:08as a garden writer and broadcaster.
13:10So it's fascinating to see her garden now.
13:14Now, I'm just gathering one or two
13:16of these scented-leaf pelargoniums,
13:18which I'm going to take down to the end
13:20because it's time to give them a bit of attention.
13:30Come on, panty boy.
13:32Hot panty boy.
13:39The thing about these scented-leaf pelargoniums
13:42is obviously, as the name suggests,
13:45that they're fragranced.
13:46Now, this is Tormentosum,
13:48and you rub the leaf,
13:50and it releases this strong odour of peppermint.
13:54It's really powerful.
13:57Now, this is a new variety called Torrento,
13:59which rather weirdly smells of those little cola sweets.
14:05It is slightly weird, I have to confess,
14:08but interesting.
14:10And there are lots and lots of fragrances,
14:13from the slightly weird to the absolutely delicious.
14:17But whatever type of pelargonium you have,
14:19now is the time to get them ready for spring.
14:27This is a much more familiar zonal pelargonium.
14:31It comes from South Africa,
14:33and rather than these relatively compact plants
14:38with big flowers,
14:39when you see them growing wild,
14:41they can be big shrubs,
14:42big woody shrubs,
14:44sort of six foot tall,
14:45with smaller flowers,
14:47which are then pruned by fire,
14:51but from it they regrow.
14:53And I don't necessarily suggest
14:55getting a blowtorch to prune this,
14:57but prune it you must
14:59if you don't want it to get really leggy.
15:01These have been in the greenhouse all winter,
15:04so they've flowered all winter.
15:06However, you've got to be bold
15:08and cut them off now,
15:10or else you won't have any in the summer.
15:11It's exhausted,
15:12and it needs a rest.
15:14So if we take off those flowers
15:16and cut back,
15:17refresh the compost,
15:19water it,
15:19feed it,
15:20we'll get vigorous new growth,
15:22and that will give us
15:23a really good display later on in summer.
15:25You can cut these really hard,
15:28or if you like a little bit of legginess,
15:31and I do,
15:32then you include that.
15:34So what I'm going to do
15:35is just cut here,
15:36which leaves a bit of stem,
15:39and then here.
15:45And that can come off there.
15:49Now, this one,
15:50the one that smells of cola bottles,
15:54I'm going to be much more ruthless.
15:58Take that off.
16:00That there.
16:01Now, can you see there is new growth
16:03right at the base?
16:05And that's where I'm going back to.
16:07Now, that is radical,
16:09but because it's a young plant,
16:12I'm doing that
16:13to really encourage
16:15a fresh flush of growth
16:17from the base.
16:19And finally,
16:20this one,
16:21tormentosum,
16:22I like the way
16:23that it spills down.
16:25I don't really want
16:25to reduce this at all.
16:27All I'm going to do
16:28is take off
16:29any spent leaves.
16:32However,
16:33this one here,
16:35this zonal pelargonium,
16:36needs repotting,
16:37and I'll show you how to do that.
16:38So I'm going to take it
16:39out of the pot
16:40like this.
16:45And what I'm going to do
16:46is take off
16:47the bottom third.
16:49So we're taking off
16:51quite a lot
16:52of the compost there.
16:58I've put
17:00the crocks back
17:01in the bottom.
17:04And I've got
17:05some fresh compost here.
17:06Now, this is
17:08a wood-based compost,
17:10a little bit of garden compost,
17:11I've just added,
17:12and quite a lot of grit.
17:15Just look at the roots
17:17on that.
17:19Great.
17:20In you go.
17:28And I'm going to wiggle it
17:29to work the soil
17:32around the roots.
17:33And then I'm going to
17:33dress that with some grit,
17:35which just makes it
17:36look better.
17:40give it a drink,
17:42but make sure
17:43it drains thoroughly.
17:48And then feed it
17:49liquid seaweed
17:51once a week,
17:52and you should start
17:53to see healthy new growth.
17:55And keep feeding it
17:56until it starts flowering.
17:59I will go through
18:00all the palygoniums,
18:01particularly the zonal ones,
18:03and set them up
18:04for fresh growth
18:05and, of course,
18:06a really fresh,
18:07good display
18:08in the summer months.
18:14Now,
18:15last September,
18:16we went to visit
18:17Karim Habibi
18:18in his nursery
18:19in Kent
18:20and his incredible
18:22collection
18:23of heritage apples.
18:31We have 700 varieties
18:32of apples.
18:34What I'm doing
18:35is actually preserving
18:36lots of the old varieties.
18:38It's important
18:38that these are available
18:40for people to grow
18:41in their gardens
18:41because they're not
18:42available in shops
18:43and people forget
18:45what very nice
18:46heirloom varieties
18:47taste like.
18:48Each apple
18:49is like re-hearing
18:49a song you've not
18:50heard for a while
18:52because I'll instantly
18:53remember the other
18:54times I've tried
18:55that apple.
18:56So I'm quite passionate
18:57to keep these apples
18:58going.
19:00I'm very glad
19:01when people do
19:01come to the nursery,
19:03try an apple
19:03for the first time
19:04and they say,
19:05goodness,
19:05I never knew apples
19:06could taste like this.
19:13This is Sweet Society.
19:15It's a lovely dessert
19:16apple with quite
19:17an intense flavour,
19:19quite crisp as well.
19:25This is Jumbo,
19:26one of my favourite
19:27cooking apples
19:28and it cooks down
19:29to a lovely apple sauce
19:30very, very easily.
19:36This is Captain Kidd,
19:37a lovely sweet apple
19:38with a pear-dropped flavour.
19:45Caring for all these trees
19:46is a huge operation.
19:48I'll be producing
19:497,000 or so
19:50new trees a year.
19:52I am obsessed
19:54with the apples.
19:55I'm obsessed
19:55with looking after fruit trees
19:57and maintaining
19:57the collection.
19:58It is a sort of
19:59labour of love.
20:03Right now we're amongst
20:04the mother trees
20:05so there's about
20:06a thousand trees here
20:07and every single tree
20:08is actually
20:08a different variety
20:10and that's essential
20:11to have
20:11so that I can harvest
20:12cyan wood
20:13and cyan wood
20:14is essentially
20:15new growth
20:16on that tree
20:17which I can use
20:18for cloning.
20:19Just above
20:20each leaf stalk
20:21there is a bud
20:22and each one
20:23of these buds
20:24has the potential
20:25to produce
20:26a new tree.
20:27If you look
20:27at older growth
20:28on a tree
20:28those active buds
20:30aren't there
20:30so that's why
20:31you can't use
20:32older wood
20:32and you need
20:33new growth.
20:36So right now
20:37I'm taking
20:38the leaves
20:38off the cyan wood
20:40so that it doesn't
20:41actually dry out.
20:42I'll also
20:44take the top off
20:45because that is
20:46actually too thin
20:47to work with.
20:48So now that's ready
20:49and the next stage
20:50is to
20:51graft this
20:52onto some rootstock.
20:59Right now
21:00we're amongst
21:00the rootstocks.
21:02The rootstock
21:03obviously determines
21:04the vigour
21:05of the tree
21:05and so every
21:07apple tree
21:07that is in
21:08this country
21:09is actually
21:10made in this way
21:11where it's actually
21:12made up of two parts
21:13the rootstock
21:14and the cyan
21:14which is above that
21:15and you can usually
21:16see the graft union
21:17where it's actually
21:19going to have
21:19different bark
21:20it's going to
21:20look quite different
21:21so that's the part
21:22where you know
21:23that any flowers
21:24on that top part
21:25of the tree
21:26will produce
21:27let's say your
21:28bramleys or your
21:29cox's orange pippins.
21:31So this cyan wood
21:32that I collected
21:33from the mother tree
21:34I'm going to graft
21:35this onto this
21:36rootstock right here
21:36using a technique
21:37called chip budding.
21:39I'm making a
21:40shallow cut
21:41on the cyan wood.
21:45the next stage
21:47is to make
21:48the exact same
21:49incision
21:50on the rootstock
21:55I'll then
21:56tape
21:57this up
22:02and that's
22:03now done.
22:04So that bud
22:05that is now
22:06on there
22:06that will fuse
22:07to the rootstock
22:08and next year
22:09and next season's
22:10growth
22:10that will grow
22:11into a one-year maiden
22:12so it might put
22:13five, six foot
22:14of growth on.
22:22So every summer
22:23I'll be out here
22:24chip budding
22:24in late July
22:25through till August.
22:27It's a lot of work
22:28I will probably
22:29be spending
22:29the best part
22:30of 10, 12 hours
22:31a day
22:31both collecting
22:32cyan wood
22:33and chip budding.
22:34I'll probably
22:35aim to do
22:36500 of these
22:37a day
22:37I'll work
22:38well into the night
22:39some nights
22:40with a head torch
22:41on
22:41and that's just
22:42because there is
22:43a shortish period
22:44where you have to
22:45get quite a lot
22:46of work done.
22:50Once you grow
22:51an old variety
22:52like Ashmead's
22:53Kernel
22:54for example
22:54it's such
22:55an unforgettable
22:56variety
22:57that you
22:58become quite
22:58excited
22:59and passionate
23:00about
23:00preserving
23:01more and more
23:02old varieties
23:02because you realise
23:03that these apples
23:05are some
23:06of the best
23:06fruits in the world
23:07and you can go
23:08back through time
23:09and see how
23:10important a certain
23:11apple was
23:12to a certain area
23:13because that
23:14apple is cloned
23:15you can actually
23:16taste exactly
23:17what people
23:18were tasting
23:19sort of 200
23:19300
23:20400 years ago
23:21and you can't
23:23really do that
23:23with a lot
23:24of other fruits.
23:28In the early 90s
23:29when my parents
23:30started things here
23:31Britain was actually
23:32losing lots
23:33of its old
23:34orchards
23:34my parents
23:35were quite
23:35passionate
23:36about actually
23:37sourcing old
23:38material
23:38and creating
23:39a collection
23:40things like
23:41margill
23:41or pitmast
23:42and pineapple
23:43these old
23:44varieties
23:45which were
23:46such lovely apples
23:47to actually
23:48grow and try
23:49yourself
23:49they really
23:51wanted
23:51you know
23:52everyone to
23:53have that
23:53experience
23:56I really
23:57wanted to
23:58experiment
23:58and try
23:59and create
24:00my own
24:00varieties
24:01eventually
24:02I persuaded
24:03my dad
24:03to let me
24:04have a
24:04sort of
24:04small
24:05nook
24:05of the
24:06nursery
24:06where I
24:07actually
24:07sort of
24:08planted
24:08seedling
24:09varieties
24:10grafted
24:10those out
24:11and eventually
24:12I have actually
24:13produced some
24:14of my own
24:14varieties
24:15unfortunately
24:16my father
24:16passed away
24:17before trying
24:18any of the
24:18seedling apples
24:19and one
24:20of the first
24:20apples
24:21which was
24:21an exceptional
24:22apple
24:23I've actually
24:24now named
24:24that variety
24:25after my father
24:26I've called it
24:26Hamid's Red Pippin
24:28I think he would
24:29have been very
24:30interested to try
24:31that and it's
24:31quite sad
24:32he never did
24:32but it's
24:33very nice
24:34every time I
24:35see that apple
24:35to sort of
24:36think of my dad
24:40right now
24:40we're amongst
24:41the maidens
24:42in the nursery
24:43to get to the
24:44point where
24:45your one year old
24:46tree is going
24:46to start to
24:47thrive and
24:48produce apples
24:49firstly you want
24:50to plant the
24:50tree in the
24:50winter time
24:51and let the
24:52tree establish
24:53so that means
24:54plant the tree
24:54well so the
24:55roots are happy
24:55and water the
24:56tree quite a lot
24:57so in that
24:58very first
24:59winter time
25:00whilst it's
25:00dormant
25:01you probably
25:01want to cut
25:02some branches
25:03off lower
25:03down
25:03so these
25:04lower branches
25:05in the long
25:06term are not
25:06going to be
25:07very useful
25:07perhaps if you
25:08are going to
25:08sort of try
25:09and train
25:09an espalier
25:10or step over
25:11but for a
25:11freestanding tree
25:12which generally
25:13is what most
25:14people plant
25:14you really want
25:15a clear trunk
25:16lower down
25:16so that
25:17maintenance
25:17is quite easy
25:18and then at
25:19the top of
25:20the tree
25:20most people
25:20actually want
25:21quite a sort
25:22of three
25:22dimensional crown
25:23so imagine
25:23a goblet
25:24shaped tree
25:24and those
25:25are where
25:26you want
25:26your fruit
25:26so that
25:27the tree
25:27is able
25:28to sort
25:29of hold
25:30itself up
25:30whilst carrying
25:31heavy fruits
25:32you can
25:32essentially choose
25:33where you want
25:34the crown
25:34of the tree
25:35to be
25:35by cutting
25:36the leader
25:37off at a
25:37certain point
25:38because what
25:38happens is
25:39if you cut
25:39the leader
25:40off
25:40all the buds
25:41below the
25:42certain point
25:43where you cut
25:44the tree
25:44they're going
25:45to compete
25:45for apical
25:46dominance
25:47which means
25:47they're going
25:47to try
25:48and grow
25:49as much
25:49as they
25:49can
25:50so you end
25:50up with
25:51a large
25:52sort of
25:53cluster of
25:53branches
25:54coming out
25:55and from
25:55that you can
25:56actually select
25:57some that will
25:58form a balanced
25:59crown of about
26:00sort of four
26:00branches
26:00five branches
26:03I would like
26:04to think
26:05that in a few
26:06hundred years
26:06time people
26:07might have
26:08a Hamid's
26:08red pippin tree
26:09in their garden
26:10and they will
26:11look up
26:11who was this
26:12person
26:13where did
26:13this apple
26:14come from
26:14oh I live
26:15in Kent
26:15oh okay
26:16I know
26:16where that
26:17you know
26:17where that
26:18town is
26:19it's something
26:20that I'm
26:21very fortunate
26:21to be able
26:22to do
26:22and I
26:23certainly
26:24would love
26:24it if
26:25one day
26:25one of my
26:26children
26:26wants to
26:27continue this
26:28I can't
26:29think of
26:29anything nicer
26:30than working
26:31alongside
26:31one of them
26:32or all of
26:33them
26:33if they all
26:34want to join
26:35in
26:35so many
26:36apples
26:36yummy
26:52when I
26:52planted this
26:53orchard
26:53so many
26:54years ago
26:55I carefully
26:57hunted out
26:58and chose
26:58heritage
26:59local
27:00variety
27:01I wanted
27:02to build
27:02up something
27:03that could
27:03only represent
27:04this area
27:05so therefore
27:06of course
27:06I really
27:07admire what
27:08Kareem is
27:08doing
27:08and he's
27:09doing it
27:09so well
27:10it wouldn't
27:11be marvellous
27:11if his children
27:12carried that
27:13on and his
27:13grandchildren
27:14what a
27:15fantastic project
27:16now
27:17it's time
27:18to visit
27:19one of your
27:19gardens
27:19we're going
27:20down to
27:21Dorset
27:22to visit
27:22the garden
27:23of James
27:24Baker
27:25hello
27:27I'm James
27:28off of
27:28the
27:28traitors
27:29welcome to
27:30Weymouth
27:30I do
27:30this for a
27:31living
27:31gardening
27:32so I thought
27:33I'd show you
27:33my humble
27:34abode
27:34this is like
27:35a patio
27:36area
27:36obviously it's a bit
27:37early in the year
27:38but your tulips are
27:38coming up now
27:39it's constantly
27:40experimenting
27:41daily I might move
27:42something around
27:43whatever tickles my
27:43fancy
27:44that's part of the
27:45fun of gardening
27:46you know
27:46you're never right
27:47and you're never wrong
27:47everyone's a busker
27:49me included
27:52structurally
27:53functional down the
27:54middle
27:54I have a family
27:55I don't have any
27:56please keep off the
27:57grass business
27:58I just like to fill
27:59the beds with
28:00everything just go
28:01wild and I like to
28:02let the periwinkle
28:03cascade down a bit
28:04like a waterfall
28:05the hebe just goes
28:07wild and what I love
28:08about this you get
28:09the purple and I've
28:10got a climbing rose
28:11that comes through
28:11and the pink and
28:13purple intertwine
28:14beautiful
28:15now this is my
28:16pièce de résistance
28:17my favourite bit
28:18of the garden
28:19this pear tree
28:20so basically this
28:20pear tree was
28:21swamped with ivy
28:23and it was on
28:23its last legs
28:24had one little
28:24pear on it
28:25we replanted that
28:26seed and that is
28:27growing down there
28:30that scraping sound
28:31you hear in the
28:31background is my
28:32son
28:33hello
28:34raking up the
28:35leaves good man
28:35and I let the
28:36kids do what I
28:37used to do in my
28:37granddad's garden
28:38is just learn on
28:39the spot watch
28:39learn experiment
28:41trial and error
28:42my great granddad
28:43was an incredible
28:44gardener lived to
28:45102
28:46so you know
28:47there's something to
28:48be said to be
28:48outdoors you know
28:49breathing in the air
28:50it's good for the
28:51soul gardening
28:53master and
28:53apprentice
28:54I think you're the
28:55master there
28:55in this area I'm
28:57gonna put onions
28:58down here
29:00carrots in the
29:01front row
29:01radishes
29:02lettuce plants
29:05potentially a
29:06cucumber plant
29:07running up that
29:07you've got the job
29:08now
29:08it's yours
29:10so this little
29:11area I salvaged
29:12what I could from
29:12the wreckage of a
29:13hedgerow
29:14this bay was put in
29:15and it was a twig
29:16when we cut it back
29:17but it's you know
29:18been shaped now
29:19no Edward Scissorhands
29:20but you know
29:21good enough
29:21the little hack I've
29:22got is sedum stone
29:23crop
29:24it's good ground
29:25cover it's great
29:25weed suppressor
29:26this came from one
29:28clipping I got
29:28which is incredible
29:29they're up there with
29:30periwinkle for me
29:31for beautiful
29:32almost like forest
29:33floor carpet coverage
29:35here's my bravery
29:36award for gardening
29:37this aeonium
29:39was left out
29:40all year
29:41kind of as an
29:41experiment really
29:42it was a success
29:43story so I will be
29:44trying that again
29:45I hate to chatter
29:45the illusion
29:46it is trial and
29:46error gardening
29:48gardening adds
29:49years to your life
29:50and life to your
29:51years and that is
29:52like the best quote
29:53I think I've ever
29:54heard I want that
29:55on a t-shirt
29:56that's my garden
29:57thank you for
29:58watching
30:24I like the fact
30:25that James' son
30:26was growing
30:26vegetables
30:30well it's time
30:31that I started
30:32to sow some
30:32vegetables too
30:34Longmeadow had
30:35such a soaking
30:36all winter
30:37now the raised beds
30:39make a difference
30:40and actually now
30:41they're not too bad
30:42they're ready
30:42the rule of thumb
30:43if you're sowing seeds
30:44or indeed planting
30:45anything out
30:46is if the soil feels
30:48cold to your hand
30:49don't do it
30:50but if it doesn't feel
30:51cold
30:52doesn't have to feel
30:52warm
30:52it just doesn't feel
30:53cold
30:54then you're away
30:55and you can get going
30:56and what I'm actually
30:57going to put in here
30:58is for me a bit
31:00unusual
31:02this is garlic
31:03and nine years
31:05out of ten
31:06I plant garlic
31:07directly into the bed
31:09usually in September
31:10but certainly no
31:11later than October
31:12but I couldn't get
31:14the bulbs to plant
31:16until October
31:17late October
31:18and by then
31:19the ground was too wet
31:20so what I did is
31:22I planted them up
31:22into these plugs
31:23I brought them on
31:24in the greenhouse
31:25for about the first month
31:26and then they've been
31:27outside all winter
31:28because for garlic
31:29to form cloves
31:31rather than just a single bulb
31:32it needs a period
31:34of cold weather
31:41if you've planted bulbs
31:42and they've rotted
31:43in the wet
31:44or if you've just got
31:45ground that stays wet
31:45all winter
31:46this system of planting
31:47the garlic
31:48in deep plugs
31:49or pre-inch pots
31:50and then planting out
31:52when the ground is ready
31:52I think can work
31:54very well
32:04now
32:05last August
32:06Carol went to RHS
32:08Rosemore
32:09to see their vegetable garden
32:11and potager
32:12and of course
32:13I'm sure they produce
32:14delicious food
32:15and I'm pretty sure
32:17that all of it gets eaten
32:18but it also
32:20looks fantastic
32:25as far as I'm concerned
32:27nothing beats
32:28growing your own
32:30fruit and veg
32:31and eating it
32:32here
32:34there's so much
32:35to inspire you
32:36to grow your own
32:41this is a huge space
32:43the sort we might
32:44all dream of
32:45mind you
32:46with a veg garden
32:47this big
32:47we'd have to feed
32:48the whole street
32:49there are so many
32:51ideas here
32:51we can take away
32:52and use in any size
32:54garden
32:54or even without one
32:56there are examples
32:58all around
32:58of veg, herbs
33:00and fruit
33:00growing in containers
33:02there are tomatoes
33:03chillies
33:05aubergines
33:06basil, parsley
33:07an array of herbs
33:08and even
33:09a glorious apple tree
33:12traditionally
33:13in larger gardens
33:14fruit and veg
33:16are separated
33:17from flower borders
33:18to be more productive
33:19but that's not
33:21practical
33:22in smaller spaces
33:23so
33:24if you want
33:25to grow
33:26a bit of both
33:27and have limited space
33:28there's a perfect solution
33:32well this is another
33:33of Rosemore's
33:34beautiful gardens
33:35this one is called
33:36the potager
33:37there are vegetables
33:39galore here
33:40but it has a whole
33:41different aesthetic
33:42from the vegetable garden
33:44in the vegetable garden
33:45everything's grown
33:46in serried ranks
33:48here
33:49everything's grown
33:50because it looks
33:51beautiful
33:52next to its neighbour
33:53the whole idea
33:55is about design
33:56using vegetables
33:58ornamentally
33:59and making them look
34:01utterly beautiful
34:04beautiful
34:05the overall design
34:05in this garden
34:06is important
34:07it's based on a circle
34:09there's a circular
34:10herb garden
34:11in the centre
34:12and around it
34:13are arranged
34:13four symmetrical
34:14beds
34:15although everything's
34:17edible
34:17it's all about
34:19what plants
34:19look like
34:20together
34:21so you've got
34:22beautiful chard
34:23here
34:24with these pink
34:25stems
34:25but over there
34:27another Swiss chard
34:28but this time
34:29with golden stems
34:31with the sunlight
34:31streaming through it
34:33it's hugely versatile
34:35and what's more
34:36you can eat it
34:37right the way
34:38through the year
34:39it'll overwinter
34:40wonderfully
34:41it's very very hardy
34:43I love the addition
34:44of these tagetes
34:45all around the edge
34:46of this bed
34:47there's the tall one
34:49here which is one
34:50called cinnamon
34:51but the point is
34:52it's single
34:53which means it's
34:54hugely attractive
34:55to pollinating insects
34:57and of course
34:58that's just what
34:59you need
34:59to pollinate
35:00your beans
35:01and lots of
35:01your other
35:02flowering plants
35:03and then
35:04for a bit of drama
35:05in the background
35:06we've got this
35:07amaranth
35:08this is one
35:09called red army
35:11with these very
35:11dark stems
35:12and dark flowers
35:14and seed heads
35:15amaranth is a
35:16wonderful vegetable
35:17it's grown all
35:18around the world
35:19for its leaves
35:20here it's grown
35:21both to eat
35:22but also decoratively
35:24now everything's
35:26set against each
35:27other here
35:27to give interest
35:28in texture
35:29and colour
35:30but also
35:31there's height
35:32from these beans
35:33growing up an obelisk
35:35in the corner
35:35and next door
35:37to them
35:37another vertical
35:38emphasis
35:39that great big
35:40orac
35:40looking gorgeous
35:42in seed
35:42against the blue sky
35:44and then
35:45right in the middle
35:46these two sentinels
35:48these great big
35:49plants of bronze
35:51fennel
35:51another interesting
35:53texture
35:53to add
35:54to what already
35:55exists
35:56right the way
35:57through the bed
35:57and in fact
35:59right the way
35:59through the garden
36:02how about this
36:03for a novel idea
36:04if you've got a fence
36:06separating one bit
36:07of the garden
36:07from the other
36:08don't just leave it
36:09grow something up it
36:11grow something
36:12like this
36:13beautiful plant
36:14this is an
36:15ornamental gourd
36:16and it's just
36:18using the fence
36:18as supports
36:19all along
36:20these stems
36:21flowers are produced
36:22both male
36:23and female
36:24and when the bees
36:25have moved the pollen
36:26onto the female
36:27flowers
36:28they'll turn
36:29into fruit
36:29now on this plant
36:31they're ornamental
36:32gourd
36:33so they're not edible
36:34but there are so many
36:35members of the
36:36corcorbit family
36:37that grow in exactly
36:38the same way
36:39that are utterly
36:40delicious
36:41squash and pumpkins
36:42for a start
36:43all they need
36:45to grow successfully
36:46is loads of sun
36:48and lots of water
36:49beautiful
36:50beautiful
36:56not only
36:57is this garden
36:58packed
36:59with beautiful
37:00vegetables
37:00but there are so
37:02many fruit trees
37:03too
37:03and so many
37:04good examples
37:05of how to grow them
37:06here's a step
37:08over apple
37:09the whole idea
37:10is it makes
37:11a really
37:11really low plant
37:12and yet
37:13it's extremely
37:14productive
37:15just look at
37:16the apples here
37:17and all that
37:19happens is
37:19as the apple
37:20comes up
37:21two big shoots
37:22are trained
37:23horizontally
37:24along wires
37:25the wires
37:26are just a couple
37:27of feet
37:27off the ground
37:28and it's tied
37:29in and keeps
37:30making progress
37:31all the time
37:32and each time
37:33it sends out
37:34a side shoot
37:34that's cut
37:36back to a couple
37:37of buds
37:37which is when
37:38it makes
37:39these fruiting
37:40spurs
37:40and eventually
37:41these lovely
37:42delicious apples
37:43too
37:44but another
37:45wonderful way
37:46of training
37:47apples
37:47is this
37:48this is an
37:49espalier
37:50and it's a
37:51beautiful example
37:52of this technique
37:53so here's the
37:54central trunk
37:55and this time
37:57these branches
37:58have been trained
37:59out horizontally
38:00these ones
38:01first
38:02obviously
38:02the plant
38:03has grown up
38:04a couple
38:04of feet
38:05and then
38:06two more
38:06are trained
38:07out sideways
38:08again
38:09that happens
38:10third one
38:12and probably
38:13you'd end up
38:13with a fourth
38:14one you have
38:15here
38:15and all the
38:16way up
38:17you've got
38:17this bountiful
38:18crop of apples
38:19so even in
38:20a tiny space
38:21or on a flat
38:23wall
38:23or in between
38:25two parts
38:26of a garden
38:26you can produce
38:28a plant
38:28which gives you
38:29loads and loads
38:31of fruit
38:34throughout the
38:35veg garden
38:35there are
38:36glorious examples
38:37of companion
38:38planting
38:38as here
38:39with this
38:40wonderful
38:41archway
38:42full of
38:43fig leaf
38:43gourds
38:44look at those
38:45beautiful fruits
38:46but at their feet
38:48are growing
38:48tagetes
38:49and they are
38:50supposed to
38:50deter whiteflies
38:52and other kinds
38:53of apis
38:54they've got a
38:55really strong
38:55pungent smell
38:56and they bring in
38:58all sorts of
38:59pollinating insects
39:00the potager and
39:02the vegetable garden
39:03show us all
39:04that with a little
39:05bit of creativity
39:07we can put
39:08vegetables and
39:09flowers together
39:10to produce something
39:12which is just as
39:13beautiful as any
39:15bed or border
39:16and they bring in
39:40now here's another
39:41change that we made
39:42over the winter
39:43this is the mound
39:44and for the last
39:46six or seven years
39:47these have been
39:49big beds
39:50on either side
39:51of the path
39:51with roses
39:52and quite big
39:54planting
39:54but the space
39:56was awkward
39:57so
39:58taken them out
39:59and this has been
40:01laid as a terrace
40:03here you're raised up
40:05I'm looking down
40:06on the new
40:07woodland garden
40:07which is pleasing
40:08and so I'm very happy
40:10with the result
40:22this has proved
40:24to be the perfect
40:25place to keep
40:25house plants
40:26and they're happy
40:27in here for three
40:28reasons
40:29the first is
40:30the light
40:31is good
40:32it's bright
40:33but it's not glaring
40:35it's never very
40:36direct sunlight
40:37the second reason
40:39is that the
40:39temperature in here
40:40is pretty constant
40:41and house plants
40:42like that
40:43whereas in a modern
40:44centrally heated
40:44house the temperature
40:46can fluctuate by 20
40:47degrees
40:48and thirdly
40:49the reason why
40:50they're happy in here
40:51because they're neglected
40:52and neglect
40:53is the secret
40:55of the happy house plant
41:07when I say they thrive
41:09on neglect
41:09what I mean is
41:11is that you can really
41:12damage them
41:12by too much of anything
41:14too much watering
41:15too much feeding
41:16too much warmth
41:18too much light
41:19is going to do
41:20far more damage
41:21to house plants
41:22than a bit of
41:24benign neglect
41:25I'm going to go through
41:26each of these
41:27and do what I would
41:28do in spring
41:29as we enter
41:31the growing season
41:31I'm going to start
41:32with the cheese plant
41:33because this poor thing
41:34is not in a good state
41:36look it's fallen
41:36completely over
41:37it's lost its support
41:39and if I put it
41:41on the table
41:41for a minute
41:42you can see
41:43what's happened
41:43this here
41:45has broken away
41:46so the first thing
41:47to do
41:48is to prune it
41:49now now is the time
41:51to prune
41:52a cheese plant
41:53too big
41:55reduce it in size
41:56if it's damaged
41:57take off the damaged part
42:00by and large
42:01it's actually
42:02not at all unhealthy
42:03can you see me
42:04through the leaves
42:06it's looking quite happy
42:07so the first thing
42:08I need to do
42:09is to support it
42:12make sure they're strong
42:13and make sure
42:14they're tied in well
42:15when you're tying up
42:16any plant
42:17always use soft twine
42:19so it doesn't damage
42:21the plant
42:24there we go
42:26if the leaves
42:28get at all dusty
42:29just wipe them
42:30with a damp cloth
42:32with your fingers
42:34just remove
42:35some of the compost
42:36maybe the top inch
42:38and then top it up
42:40so a soil based compost
42:42or a bark based compost
42:44with plenty of drainage
42:47this just gives it
42:49a little bit of extra goodness
42:50to kick off
42:51this fresh growing season
42:54the next thing to do
42:55is to give this a good drink
42:58what I have
42:58is a very weak solution
43:00of seaweed feed
43:01and I'm going to water that in
43:02until it's running out
43:03of the bottom
43:06let it be sodden
43:07and then
43:08let it really drain well
43:12now this spider plant
43:14is moderately happy
43:16and spider plants
43:18are one of the few house plants
43:20that actually can be
43:20a bit wetter than most
43:21because they're very forgiving
43:22so if you do overwater them
43:25you're unlikely to kill them
43:26but once a week
43:28is plenty
43:29with house plants
43:30you may experience
43:31little flies
43:32these are fungus gnats
43:34and they are living off
43:37decaying organic matter
43:38in the compost
43:39and one of the reasons
43:40why it's decaying
43:41is because it's too wet
43:42so the quickest way
43:43to get rid of it
43:44is take off
43:45the top layer of compost
43:46replace it with fresh
43:47give it a soak
43:49and then only water it again
43:51when it's bone dry
43:52what I'm going to do
43:53with this now
43:54is give it
43:55an immersive soak
43:57hold it down
43:58until it stays under the water
43:59can you see the bubbles
44:00coming up there
44:02it's bubbling
44:03like a man
44:04who's had
44:05Jerusalem artichokes
44:06before his bath
44:09it's got a good way
44:10of watering house plants
44:11that have become
44:12so dry
44:13that the water
44:13just seems to bounce
44:14off the top
44:16now
44:17while that's having a soak
44:18I'm going to deal
44:19with the Chinese money plant
44:21and what I'm going to do
44:22with this is repot it
44:23that's pretty firmly in there
44:25a little trick
44:27is to use a cane
44:27in the bottom
44:28and just push like that
44:30now you can see
44:31that that is essentially
44:33pot bound
44:34if you can see
44:35more roots than compost
44:37it needs repotting
44:38now I'm going to put it
44:40back in the same pot
44:41rather than putting it
44:42in a bigger pot
44:43so I'm going to remove
44:44some of the existing
44:46roots and compost
44:47and I'm just going to
44:48use my fingers
44:48I'm just going to
44:49scrape away a bit
44:50like this
44:53creating room
44:54for some fresh compost
44:56and therefore fresh roots
44:57to grow into
45:00we'll put a little bit
45:01of compost in the bottom
45:08push that down in
45:10having repotted
45:11I will give this
45:12a water
45:13and a feed
45:14let it drain thoroughly
45:15and then put it back
45:18now
45:18your best friend
45:19with any house plant
45:20is this
45:21a mister
45:23if you're not sure
45:24how much to water
45:25or when to water
45:26you can never go wrong
45:28by increasing the humidity
45:30so place them somewhere
45:32where you can spray them
45:33so their leaves
45:34are distinctly damp
45:35and sometimes running
45:36with water
45:36without damaging
45:38carpets
45:38or curtains
45:39or cushions
45:40and having watered them
45:42if any has accumulated
45:43in the saucer
45:44that's beneath them
45:45throw that away
45:46don't let them sit
45:47in the wet
45:48and that will do
45:49for most house plants
45:51of course it doesn't
45:52apply to cacti
45:55or succulents
45:55which are another
45:56whole thing
45:57altogether
45:58now the whole point
46:00of house plants
46:00is that they deliver
46:02all the year round
46:05but out in the garden
46:07there are some plants
46:08that are absolutely
46:09of the season
46:10and only perform
46:11for a few brief
46:13bright weeks
46:15but are really special
46:16when they do
46:17and we went down
46:18to Cornwall
46:19to visit a grower
46:21of camellias
46:22which of course
46:22are at their best
46:23and I think
46:25you might truly say
46:27that he does love
46:29a camellia
46:38I'm described by my missus
46:41as a serial obsessive
46:42and my current obsessions
46:43are camellias
46:46really in it deep
46:47with camellias
46:51the Italians
46:52used to call them
46:53perfecters
46:53there's a perfection
46:54in the arrangement
46:56of the flower
46:56that is
46:58pretty much
46:59unrivalled
47:05my name is Jim Stevens
47:06I've been in professional
47:08horticulture
47:08all my life
47:09this is my garden
47:10in Dobwells
47:11in south
47:12east Cornwall
47:12and we've been here
47:13for about 35 years
47:14now
47:16camellias
47:17give me interest
47:18in the garden
47:19from late autumn
47:20right through to spring
47:21when not much
47:22else is happening
47:23being evergreen shrubs
47:25providing greenery
47:26through the winter
47:27and form a background
47:28for everything else
47:28that's going on
47:29they're beautiful
47:32look at that
47:38there are over
47:3930,000 varieties
47:41of camellias
47:42it's about 300 species
47:43there are
47:45camellias
47:45with beautiful foliage
47:47right through
47:48to the other extreme
47:49where you've got flowers
47:50six inches diameter
47:52in vivid pink
47:53and everything in between
47:54you've got perfume
47:56you've got big growers
47:57you've got small growers
47:58there's got to be a camellia
47:59for everybody
48:01I've got a couple of dozen here
48:03when I'm showing you them all
48:04I want you to
48:05put your hand on your heart
48:06and say
48:07you don't like any of them
48:11this is a camellia
48:12Annette Carroll
48:13which has long been
48:14one of my favourites
48:14it always performs
48:16really well every year
48:17I love the way
48:18it opens from
48:19it's really deep pink bud
48:20and then fades
48:21so at any one time
48:22you've got a sort of range
48:23of different colours
48:23across the bush
48:29this is one called
48:30camellia japonica
48:32bob hope
48:33as good a
48:34deep rich red
48:35camellia as you'll get
48:37but a very typical
48:38japonica type camellia
48:39so it's a fairly solid
48:41presence in the garden
48:42this one has been here
48:43probably 12 or 15 years
48:45and I've kept it around
48:46about the same size
48:47by taking a couple of years
48:49growth off
48:50every second year
48:53camellia when you read
48:54gardening books
48:55they'll often tell you
48:56that camellias don't need
48:58pruning but if you don't
48:59prune them
48:59they'll grow into
49:00small trees
49:01and are much too big
49:03for a small garden
49:04and you can prune them
49:05they respond extremely well
49:07to pruning
49:13so if you're wanting
49:14a really good starter
49:15camellia
49:16I've got a variety
49:17called Debbie
49:18this is a
49:19williamsii
49:20camellia
49:21it's a good
49:22rigorous grower
49:23has lots and lots
49:24of flowers
49:24over a long period
49:25of time
49:26one of the characteristics
49:27of the williamsii
49:28is that they
49:29generally speaking
49:30drop the flowers
49:31before they go brown
49:32one of the reasons
49:33that they're so popular
49:34the japonica varieties
49:36which comprise the majority
49:38tend to hold on to the flowers
49:40and they go brown on the bush
49:43this one's one called
49:44minato no akibono
49:46which means
49:47harbour at dawn
49:48and this is a
49:50luchuensis hybrid
49:51which means that it's
49:52beautifully perfumed
49:53right beside that
49:55towering above it
49:56is
49:56camellia reticulata mystique
49:58which is
50:00very very different
50:01it's a very blousy
50:02pretty pink thing
50:05camellia reticulata
50:06is the prima donna
50:08of the camellia world
50:10and this I guess
50:10is what most people
50:11would associate
50:12with camellias
50:13this is what they
50:13would be thinking of
50:15beauty is in the eyes
50:16of the beholder
50:17that to me
50:18is beautiful
50:20at the other extreme
50:21are things like this
50:23this is camellia luchuensis
50:24which is a species
50:25such as you'd find
50:26growing in the wild
50:27so the flowers are tiny
50:29they're single flowers
50:30they're quite sweetly perfumed
50:32which the vast majority
50:33of camellias are not
50:34and then the third one
50:36that I've got here
50:36is a variety called
50:37Koto no Kaori
50:39which is a hybrid
50:40between luchuensis
50:42and a japonica variety
50:43and this to my mind
50:45combines
50:46the best of both worlds
50:48you've got the colour
50:48you've got the
50:49floriferousness of it
50:50plus you've got the perfume
50:57this is my propagator
50:58and I took this batch
51:00of cuttings
51:01it was very late July
51:02early August last year
51:03they've been pretty much
51:05undisturbed since then
51:06just watered them occasionally
51:08and it'll be interesting
51:09to see whether they've got
51:10any roots on them
51:12ah
51:13look at that
51:14a little root system
51:17oh you're looking
51:18at a happy man here
51:19terrific
51:20when I take them
51:21in the cuttings
51:22that I took
51:23I cut that off
51:24right at the base
51:26wounded it slightly
51:27with a very sharp knife
51:29I just pair the bark off
51:31just down one side
51:32which is just enough wounding
51:33to stimulate rooting a bit
51:35and stuck it in the propagator
51:38so that needs to be
51:40potted up now
51:40into a little individual pot
51:42and lots and lots
51:44of new plants
51:53here we've got another
51:54species camellia
51:55this one's one called
51:57transnocoensis
51:58with tiny little white flowers
52:00very very strong contrast
52:02with this and the debbie
52:04behind it
52:05the typical
52:05what people would think
52:06of as camellias
52:07perhaps wouldn't even
52:08recognise this as a camellia
52:09at all
52:10but it has a much more
52:12natural relaxed
52:13habit of growth
52:14a very thin
52:15twiggy
52:16upright habit of growth
52:17that might be
52:18much more appropriate
52:19to a lot of people's
52:20more natural type gardeners
52:22than the traditional camellia
52:30people who don't like camellias
52:31are not amenable to reason
52:33are they for heaven's sake
52:35how could you not like camellias
52:37it doesn't make any sense
52:54well
52:56it's hard to say this Jim
52:57but you may notice
52:58I don't have a single camellia
53:00in this garden
53:01because I'm one of those
53:02terrible people
53:03that has not yet
53:04learnt to love them
53:05but maybe it will come to me
53:08but I do love hydrangeas
53:10and I've got some here
53:11in the writing garden
53:13you may notice
53:13that we've made some changes
53:15over winter
53:16because when we put the doghouse
53:18up last summer
53:18we put a path in front of it
53:21and it was a bit narrow
53:22so we widened the path
53:23to make a terraced area
53:25now there is space
53:27to put big pots
53:28I've got two
53:29and I'm putting in
53:30hydrangea paniculata
53:33hydrangeas cope well
53:34in light shade
53:35and they need
53:37relatively good drainage
53:38and the great thing
53:39about paniculata
53:41they can be pruned hard
53:43every year
53:44so therefore
53:45you can grow them in a pot
53:46without them getting too big
53:49first things first
53:50it needs a crock
53:51in the bottom
53:51it's not so much
53:53to improve the drainage
53:54but it's to stop
53:55the compost
53:56falling out the bottom
53:57of the pot
53:59I've already mixed up
54:00a mixture of grit
54:02plenty of our
54:03homemade leaf mould
54:05and the rest
54:06is peat-free compost
54:17right
54:18now that
54:20obviously
54:21gives lots of room
54:22for growth
54:23and because this is
54:24a great big pot
54:24I do want it to be dramatic
54:26this is a hydrangea paniculata
54:29kayushu
54:30and it carries
54:31conical white flowers
54:33June
54:34July
54:34August
54:35a lot of hydrangeas
54:37you think of
54:37as being September
54:39coming in for their best
54:40later in summer
54:41and into autumn
54:42also the critical thing
54:43about them
54:44is they flower
54:45on new wood
54:48right
54:48let's take it out
54:49the pot
54:52as a rule of thumb
54:53when you're planting
54:54anything in a pot
54:56leave at least an inch
54:58for watering
55:00perfect
55:11now
55:12as always
55:13particularly at this time of year
55:14when you plant anything
55:15water it in
55:19give it a good soak
55:22as well as watering it
55:24and giving it moisture
55:25it's moving the soil
55:26around the roots
55:27and I will water
55:29this weekly
55:30now
55:31what you see
55:33will carry no flowers
55:34at all
55:34so these stems
55:35will be bare
55:36the new growth
55:37will carry
55:38the flowers
55:39eventually
55:40what I want
55:41is a plant
55:42that is about
55:42seven foot tall
55:45festooned
55:45with white
55:48conical flowers
55:51now
55:51I've got some jobs
55:52I've got some jobs
55:53you could do
55:53this weekend
56:04buddlia can be pruned now
56:07it flowers on new growth
56:10so everything that is on the plant now
56:13will produce no flowers
56:14so you need to cut hard
56:17if you go down to two buds from the base of the plant
56:21that's about as low as you need go
56:23or maybe about two or three foot
56:26but be brave
56:29and cut hard
56:37now is a great time to sow cosmos
56:39for a really good late summer display
56:43fill a seed tray with peat-free compost
56:45and carefully sprinkle the seeds
56:48so they're evenly placed across it
56:50cover them over
56:52water them
56:53and the best way to do this
56:54is to dip it in a tray of water
56:56for about ten minutes
56:57and then put them somewhere warm to germinate
57:00and they should be ready to prick out
57:01in a few weeks time
57:08if you've got hyacinths
57:10that you've grown for an indoor display over winter
57:12or any other bulbs
57:14that you've grown in containers
57:16you can plant them out into the garden
57:19when they've finished flowering
57:22put the whole thing
57:24untidied up
57:25leaves, stems and all
57:27into the soil
57:28bury them
57:29and let them die back naturally
57:31and they will flower next year
58:00you can't into it
58:03and then you can do that
58:03and
58:03I will take these buddler cuttings and put them through a shredder and then that will go onto paths and
58:11that way everything gets recycled.
58:14Well, that's it for today. It's been a beautiful spring day here at Longmeadow and I do hope that you
58:22can get out into your garden and enjoy some spring sunshine and just this sense of the world breaking free
58:30from winter and coming alive again.
58:32I'll see you back here at Longmeadow next time. So until then, bye-bye.
59:06Longmeadow
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