- 12 hours ago
Gardeners' World 1968 Season 59 Episode 16
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00:12Water is really dry with a few bottles and a lot of water, which we also get into and take.
00:19In the morning, I would like to do a few bottles of water.
00:20So, so that you don't want to get in because these are very little bottles, and you're just having a
00:20cup of water, too.
00:22So, I would like to use the water the water is a little bigger than you and I don't like
00:22it.
00:35Hello, and welcome to Gardner's World.
00:38Yes, I am pulling bineweed off the fence and from beneath this hornbeam, so the roots are
00:48not competing.
00:50And as sad as it sounds, I really enjoy it, especially if you've got pernicious weed, you
00:57know, just that you have to go out little and often, I think, is the key.
01:04So, that's enough of that for the moment.
01:10If I'm honest with you, this is not going to be the most colourful gardener's world you
01:16have ever seen.
01:18But the reason is, we moved in in October.
01:21First of all, it was understanding the space, then designing it.
01:25And then starting the building, the paths, the terraces.
01:29Then over the winter, very much the hedges and the trees.
01:33It's all about early days, getting the soil right and the structure of the garden.
01:40But I will promise you one thing.
01:42There is plenty for us to get on with.
01:44And on that note, we best crack on.
02:10So, before we get on with the first job, be an idea, I think, just to sort of give you
02:15a bit of a recap.
02:16And ultimately, I've got four gardens.
02:18This first one being, let's call it the family garden.
02:21Some nice big lawn, deep borders, terrace area, pathway down one side, places to pause and sit.
02:28And you go down a level, but that will be divided.
02:31There will be a hedge across there, down a couple of steps into what I'm going to call my sort
02:35of fruit and herb garden.
02:36And at the back, there will sit this greenhouse, then another hedge, and then down another couple of steps.
02:42And then you'll go into a species rose, a few magnolias and a lot of sort of perennial planting with
02:49a big circular pool in the middle,
02:52which will probably just be full of lilies, so that will be a really romantic space.
02:58And then, after that, another hedge across, just to divide the space, and you'll go through to an area that's
03:04got my shepherd's hut, which I inherited,
03:07and an outside kitchen down there, two sort of large sort of deck areas, somewhere to entertain, relax.
03:15It sounds good, doesn't it?
03:17The only thing is, I've now got to get on with it and make it happen.
03:23You might remember, back in spring, I was prepping this border.
03:28I've since then kept it free of weeds, but also I put the canes in, where the shrubs were going
03:34to go.
03:35I'd normally wait until the autumn, but I'm itching to get some in the border, so I'm going to pop
03:42in just three today.
03:44So I think the first thing to say is, when I'm buying these plants, I'm not necessarily thinking about them
03:50as plants.
03:52I know that might sound strange, but it's about shapes, forms, how they connect with what's around them.
03:59If you imagine this viburnum, it's going to grow probably to about three metres.
04:03I'm going to lift the canopy, so I'm going to prune all those lower stems.
04:07So you're going to see those, they'll be exposed, you've got a spring flower, and you've got a real leathery
04:12leaf.
04:12And then next to it, this is a good old dogwood, so Cornus siberica.
04:18Quite relaxed in its growth.
04:21When I said spring flower, and think about it, fantastic winter stems, but also good autumn colour and a little
04:29flower.
04:30So you're starting then to join these sort of ornamental interests together.
04:34Then as we move down the border, you come to the amelanchia, multi-stemmed, really doned.
04:41Flower, berry, autumn colour.
04:47Now we get to the Cotinus cogria flammissiol.
04:52The smokebush are amazing plants, quite mounded in its habit.
04:58This beautiful sort of dark leaf with this smoky flower, it gives a pop of colour to the shrubs in
05:05the border.
05:05But again, you can just see the two leaves together.
05:08You know?
05:09So that will go in there.
05:11Now, last but not least.
05:14This is Ribes, so ornamental current.
05:17It's called Ribes Oregon Snowflake.
05:21It gets up to about one, 1.5 metres.
05:24But in my head, I'm going to sort of keep it slightly really in a dome.
05:28It will sit under the cornice mass, multi-stemmed, beautiful bark as it gets older.
05:34Winter flower, followed by a berry.
05:37Even pretty good autumn colour.
05:39So you can see that all the time, all I'm doing is a little jigsaw and I'm putting it together.
05:44So, let's get it in.
05:46I'm not going to put any manure in the bottom because I've already prepped the soil earlier on the spring.
05:52The next thing I am going to do though, is really soak this hole.
06:01But there we go.
06:03That's sitting in there nicely.
06:05And then as I take the shrub out, just start to break that up.
06:09It's not bad at all.
06:09It's quite fine.
06:11There's lots of white root in there, which is ultimately what we want.
06:16I'm gently teasing the roots apart to encourage them to grow into the soil.
06:22And now I'm just going to push that soil back around.
06:29What I've done by watering that hole before is create myself a bit of a sump.
06:36By creating that sump, our water's going to sit in there, you know, which will benefit that plant hugely.
06:42When it does come to watering this time of year, what I would say is rather than little and often,
06:49things like trees and shrubs, they're better off having a good soaking, you know, every two or three days.
06:58There we go.
06:59Slowly, slowly, it will come together.
07:03While I get the other two shrubs in the ground,
07:06Jamie went to Westingards in Chichester to enjoy some summer colour.
07:16In early summer, so many flowers are singing.
07:21The sweet peas climbing skywards, loving the mist.
07:26Salvias full of bees.
07:29There is a classic bloom for cottage gardens and borders alike that will add height, theatre and a variety of
07:39colour.
07:39They can be tricky to grow and they can be spectacular.
07:48Chantelle Spower is the deputy head gardener who looks after one very special display.
07:58Oh, wow.
08:01Oh, wow.
08:02They're incredible.
08:04My goodness.
08:06It's not often I'm lost for words, but they're staggeringly beautiful.
08:11I have delphinium envy right now.
08:16This amazing array of delphinium allartum.
08:20There's 35 varieties here given to the garden five years ago with the aim of testing them out,
08:27learning about how they grow best and showcasing their blooms.
08:38Chantelle, why allartum?
08:41And why so many allartums?
08:43Well, other than the sheer beauty, they're more perennial than a lot of other delphiniums.
08:48And they're available in so many different colours.
08:51Well, you can see this sort of vast array of different shades.
08:55And their sheer size.
08:56You don't get any quite as high as allartums.
08:58They're the biggest delphiniums I think I've ever seen.
09:01Is that specific to the allartum group that they're more branching and clint forming and almost multi-stem?
09:07Huge multi-stem plants, yeah.
09:12Allartum is a species that originates from the chilly alpine meadows of Europe and Asia,
09:17which is why they're more perennial here in narrow winters.
09:20They've been hybridised hugely over the last 400 years.
09:24But, like most delphiniums, they're still tricky.
09:28Or fussy. Or both.
09:34You've clearly got the magic touch when it comes to delphiniums.
09:37These are magnificent.
09:39What have you learnt in growing these?
09:41Well, first and foremost, they really like their own space.
09:43Make a real feature of them in a bed of their own.
09:45They don't want that root competition from other plants,
09:48which can also lead to great hiding spaces for slugs.
09:51I've always put them in amongst roses and daily, that sort of typical cottage, country garden sort of vibe.
09:57No, that's when they don't tend to thrive so well.
10:00So they want to be by themselves?
10:01They want to be by themselves.
10:03And what about the soil?
10:03They really need free draining.
10:05Right.
10:05They really don't like having their feet wet.
10:07That's their biggest killer.
10:08And then the third thing that always happens with mine,
10:11which I guess might be because they're in a mixed border with bad drainage, is mildew.
10:15Yeah, very common.
10:17You really want that good air circulation around the plant.
10:19Space is critical.
10:21Space, they really need a big bit of space.
10:22That's the most important thing.
10:31And then in terms of deadheading, do you cut these down at all?
10:35We deadhead them and then when they finish flowering, we'll cut them right down to the ground.
10:40But they'll reshoot?
10:41They'll reshoot, they'll be reinvigorated, give them a bit of blood, fish and bone,
10:44and they'll re-emerge with another wonderful display, if not as tall.
10:48That's brilliant.
10:49It is wonderful.
10:50In the winter, do you lift and divide them?
10:52Do you propagate them?
10:53We're going to be lifting and dividing them this autumn, so extra plants.
10:56And that'll just increase their vigour again as well.
10:59Can I come back when you do that?
11:01Please do.
11:01Because then I can fill my garden up with all those spare delf in here.
11:04That's it, yeah.
11:07All right.
11:11Chantelle has also been taking basal cuttings, which involves removing a section of the stem
11:17and the woody crown.
11:19These were done in the spring and have developed into healthy new plants.
11:24And some are even flowering just three months later.
11:33The luxury of having so many different cultivars of delphiniums all growing side by side means I can work my
11:42way through and choose which ones are my favourites,
11:44which is really difficult when they're all this magnificent.
11:49But this one has really caught my eye.
11:52This is called Rosemary Brock, and it's this lovely, dusky, soft, romantic pink.
11:59I'm a huge fan of this sort of colour, but also, as you've probably noticed, it rained a lot through
12:06the night.
12:07And so some of the delphiniums here have started to flop in the rain, but this one has stayed fully
12:13upright.
12:14And these buds that haven't quite opened yet, they're like little pearls of joy that are waiting to unfurl.
12:21And the way these water droplets are just dangling off them are like little icicles.
12:25I think these are as beautiful, if not more so, than the flowers themselves.
12:30This is one that I'd definitely have in my own garden.
12:48This delphinium is striking, but in a very different way.
12:52It's regal, it's velvety, it's sort of rich and royal.
12:57And using deep, dark, bald colours like this in a flower border or in a container
13:03or even alongside other delphiniums like this, adds real depth into a border.
13:07We had 33 millimetres of rain last night.
13:10And even so, they're still standing erect and tall and proud.
13:15Just go along and shake the droplets off them.
13:19Like you would do sort of picking apples off an apple tree.
13:22It takes the weight off the branches.
13:24It alleviates them of that weight pressure and makes sure they won't flop.
13:28Not that this one is.
13:41There are not many plants in the garden that are blue anyway, but this.
13:46This blue.
13:48These are electric blue.
13:49This is more of an azure.
13:50This is a sky blue.
13:52This one's called blue dawn.
13:53I think this one's one of my favourites.
13:55It would add a zing to any border.
13:59It's uplifting.
14:00It's joyful.
14:01It's smile inducing.
14:02And it's not just this brilliant, beautiful blue that's so special about this delphinium.
14:07It's the size of it.
14:08These delphiniums tower well above me.
14:12They're huge.
14:13They're vast.
14:13The other really clever thing about this plant in particular.
14:16Each stem, as it comes up, actually then also breaks again into all these separate side shoots of flowers.
14:25So as the main flower finishes and fades away, you've got all these other buds and flower stems waiting in
14:32the wings.
14:32This is going to give you weeks, if not months, of enjoyment.
14:46I challenge anybody to walk through this bed of delphiniums and not just feel inspired and happy and joyful.
14:54They're just fountains of happiness.
14:57And what Chantelle's done here has not just infused and excited and sort of reignited my passion for delphiniums,
15:05but she's shown me how to grow them properly, which is something I've never been able to do.
15:10I'm on really heavy clay, and I now know I need to build a little raised bed to give them
15:16really good drainage,
15:17but more so, put them centre of attention, make them the main feature in the garden,
15:22give them plenty of space, and then hopefully I'll also be rewarded with something this beautiful.
15:36ORCHESTRA PLAYS
16:03ORCHESTRA CONTINUING
16:05ORCHESTRA CONTINUES
16:08My offering at the moment are those which are literally two delphinium recuenei,
16:15which is a biannual that I grew in the other garden,
16:18have rocked up here in a plant that I brought with me.
16:22On the bright side, I can collect the seed,
16:24and maybe next year I'll be in a place where I can actually sow them.
16:30But, as we've already worked out, I've got an awful lot of building to do.
16:37So here, which is going to be a gravel path, bricks either side,
16:41is going to run down to some steps and then drop away into that lower garden.
16:47This is quite simple as far as the actual construction process.
16:51So if I come down, imagine straight away I've got a path, it's sloping.
16:57So I've got a fixed point at the top there, a fixed point right down there where I meet the
17:02step.
17:02So I've squared everything off the house and then I've run a string line really tight
17:09from point A down ultimately to point B.
17:13So when you're excavating, you're working out your levels,
17:16you've got to allow for that sub base or let's call it hardcore.
17:20I've allowed about 100mm there.
17:23Then you've got your mortar bed that your brick's going to sit on.
17:25That I've allowed about 30-40mm.
17:28And then I sit my brick on top, which is about another 50mm.
17:32So if you add all those together, you know, you're not very shy of about 200mm.
17:39So once you've dug it out, taken it away, then you start to fill back in.
17:43So the hardcord goes in first, then you compact that and then you're ready to start your building.
17:50When it comes to edging any path, you could do it in sort of timber, steel edgings.
17:56I've chosen a brick. You know, there's lots of different options.
17:59Although this is a clay brick, it is a paving brick.
18:04So a lot of the bricks that we build our houses with, they can't use them on the ground in
18:10the gardens.
18:11Because what will happen is they suck up too much moisture.
18:14And then in the winter, if the frost comes, they'll blow the surface of them.
18:18With these, these have actually been what we call fired to a temperature that will deal with the cold conditions.
18:25And now if we sort of talk about the mortar mix, this is one part cement and then six parts.
18:33Sharp sand. All I'm doing now really, is laying myself the mortar underneath, working that down with my trowel.
18:43And then I'm just going to offer my bricks in and I'm working to my line.
18:49So nice, simple and level.
18:52And then what we do, is as we're working down, we're sort of haunching as we go.
18:59That's going to hold the brick to stop it moving.
19:02So it really is that simple.
19:14So I will top this up, probably with a bit more sand and leave about 30, 40 mil for my
19:22gravel finish.
19:23But I will not do that to really, the last sort of knock-ins, when the garden's getting to the
19:29point where, you know, I'm not bringing in dirty wheelbarrows and lots of mud on my feet.
19:36Because I don't want my gravel being ruined.
19:39So the next thing really, finish the pathway, sand through, and then I can prep the beds, finish off.
19:54Now, we're off to Norfolk to meet Rajal Shah, who has put a modern twist on a cottage garden.
20:09I describe my garden as light and airy, filled with plants that dance.
20:20Delicate, wafty grasses, succulents.
20:25Tumbled together, they make for quite a charming cottagey look.
20:31Putting a plant in the ground and watching it thrive and flower is just so special.
20:38It's been like medicine for me.
20:44My name's Rajal and this is my contemporary cottage garden in Norwich.
20:52A lot of the plants that I think of as traditional cottage garden plants won't necessarily thrive here.
21:00We have very sandy soil and it gets very dry very quickly.
21:05I've never ever had a squidgy lawn or puddles, doesn't matter how heavy it rains.
21:11So I've had to choose plants that cope with that.
21:19So this is the big south-facing border.
21:23The hottest, driest, toughest part of the garden here.
21:27I wanted a great depth of border to really have an impact
21:31and so I can have plants coming into their own through the year.
21:35The ones that will thrive here are drought-tolerant.
21:39They can cope with this very dry sandy soil.
21:42So there's Verbena bonariensis.
21:46There's Gauras.
21:49Agapanthus.
21:50And back here is a really special plant called Althea cannabina,
21:55which is in the mallow family.
21:56If you like hollyhocks but can't grow them,
21:59it's the same flower shape but much more delicate and pretty.
22:02So I'm picturing a sea of pink airy flowers all around me.
22:08Lots of cottage gardens can start to feel quite tired and faded at this time of year.
22:13So I think foliage is really important,
22:16particularly when flowers are a little scarce.
22:19So lovely shiny foliage from something like this
22:22pitosporum tenufolium golf ball.
22:24The coloured foliage from the beautiful Sambucas.
22:36I moved here back in 2012 with my husband.
22:41Both the children were under three.
22:44And it was pretty hard.
22:50Gradually I just got more and more stressed and tired
22:54and my self-esteem went down, down, down, down, down.
22:59I felt I wasn't good at being a mum.
23:03And in the end I did leave my job
23:05and was finally diagnosed with postnatal depression.
23:15When I was at my lowest I couldn't face going out.
23:19But the garden was safe.
23:21I could still be outside.
23:26As I started to feel a bit more functional, the garden became a refuge.
23:33And I just started picking away at it, planting things.
23:40I think the physical element of gardening was a big factor in my recovery.
23:50Seeing things grow and getting those wonderful rewards for your efforts
23:55was something I could do and feel safe doing.
23:59You just get immersed in this world of sounds and smells and sights and textures.
24:06Your mind is just focused on that.
24:10In a way it was like I was prescribing myself gardening.
24:19I'm always looking for spaces where I can squeeze more in.
24:24Hence it being quite cottagey.
24:27I want it full of life.
24:28It thrills me when there are butterflies and bees and dragonflies
24:33and other weird and wonderful creatures around.
24:51So the way I made the garden more contemporary is by having these linking elements.
24:59I've used repeating materials or structures to connect the garden.
25:07Behind me it's this ROM steel reinforcement which is used to reinforce concrete.
25:13And it goes naturally rusty.
25:15So you get this beautiful colour and texture behind the plants.
25:19The shape is ideal for screens and climbers.
25:23This is Tracula Sperma.
25:24It's an evergreen climber that twines the most wonderful fragrance when it's in full flower
25:29and will eventually screen the greenhouse beautifully.
25:34I couldn't be more grateful to have found gardening in my life.
25:39The garden gave me a chance to experience success and things going right
25:44when everything else in my life was going wrong.
25:48And it continues to heal me whenever I need it.
25:52The garden made it to the garden.
25:53The garden made it to the garden was going to be more complicated.
25:57The garden made it to the garden...
26:11You will be more comfortable to have that kind of ground.
26:13We're still trying to achieve some of the things that you have to do when I am.
26:17And I think the garden made it to be more of a fire Ä°nsan Day.
26:22You know, a garden being a safe place.
26:25I think so many people are going to resonate with your story.
26:31Look, just sort of creating a little courtyard for the time being
26:36with a lot of the containers that I bought from the other house.
26:40So, yes, we have some colour.
26:42Absolutely stunning.
26:43But I want to arrange the pots, but make the most of the walls,
26:48which are south-facing.
26:50What I want to grow here is a fig.
26:53But figs, it's not just about digging a hole and popping it in.
26:58What you want to do is actually contain the roots.
27:01So by doing that, you've got to just stress the plant slightly,
27:06and then hopefully that kicks it into delivering more fruit.
27:10So I've dug a hole, probably about 50 to 60 centimetres,
27:14and about the same wide.
27:17And these were slabs that were already here, to be fair,
27:20when we moved in.
27:23I'm just going to bring these in.
27:26So in a way, I'm making a planting box.
27:30So height-wise, I just want to be just above soil level,
27:33so you don't want any chance of the roots coming out and over.
27:37So now I've got a wonderful little sort of planting container.
27:41I'm just going to put a little bit of this rubble that I've dug out
27:46back around, just to hold the paving slabs.
28:05Right, I've back-filled the hole.
28:08I'll be honest with you.
28:11This is hot.
28:12If the figs don't ripen here, they've got no chance.
28:17Now what I want to do is I'm going to wire the wall.
28:20So I'm going to grow it up against the wall.
28:22I'm going to fan it out and then tie it in as we go.
28:30What I'm going to create is some horizontal wires.
28:33First one's about 50 centimetres off the ground.
28:36And then I'll repeat that, working up the wall.
28:44And I've allowed about 70 centimetres between each eye.
28:49But that'll vary depending on what you're trying to support.
28:56So when it comes to the wire, this is about two, two and a half mil galvanised wire.
29:01So what we're going to do now, really, is start to work this through the holes.
29:11This is the fun bit.
29:14Pulling that along.
29:23So we just pull that through that last hole.
29:26And I've got about 10 centimetres to play with.
29:31And all I'm going to do then is start to wind it back around the wire.
29:38You might find it easier with a pair of pliers.
29:43So once that's pulled back round, then what you want to do is then go back to the other end.
29:50Now what I'm doing is tensing that wire.
29:54I'm not that worried about it being really, really tight.
30:00I mean, it is, but, you know, I could possibly pull on it and pull on it.
30:04Because what you'll find is that wire is already warm.
30:10So what will happen as the weather changes, the wire will actually tighten itself.
30:25Like the shrubs earlier on, I'm going to water this whole well before we drop the fig in.
30:33The fig that actually is highly recommended for outdoors, you will see mentioned a lot, is brown turkey.
30:41But this, Osborne's prolific.
30:45I'm hoping the second part of that is right.
30:47It's been recommended to me.
30:49Good cropper.
30:51And a friend has said to me, they taste really good frosty.
30:57So I'm hoping that they do.
30:59When it comes to planting against a wall, really, any time, don't put anything too close.
31:08Whether it's a climber, a wall shrub, you're always better off bringing it, you know, a foot away.
31:15And what we're going to do is we're just going to tilt this back in.
31:18Right.
31:19Let's get this soil in.
31:22I've literally just dug it out the back garden, so I'm not putting in a lot of compost.
31:28Take the cane out.
31:31If I just tease these apart carefully, you can see, as I tie them in to the wires above, I
31:39can create a beautiful fan.
31:42So hopefully in time, not only will I have beautiful feeks, but as that covers that wall, those fantastic architectural
31:54leaves against that backdrop, I think, will look absolutely stunning.
32:01Talking about stunning, we are now off to Cowell's Garden in Devon.
32:24About eight weeks or so ago, I started this little plot, and it is little.
32:30It's about eight feet by five feet, about one and a half by two metres.
32:35I just wanted to show that not only can you grow beautiful flowers, but alongside them, you can grow all
32:42sorts of wonderful produce, even in a really small space like this.
32:48Everything in here has been grown from seed, and already I'm beginning to harvest stuff.
32:58Look at that.
33:02This is a beetroot called boltardi.
33:05Boltardi just means it doesn't run to seed, it doesn't bolt, and it's my favourite beetroot.
33:10It tastes really good, and quite frankly, when you're growing vegetables, the only thing that really matters is the taste.
33:18That's what you grow them for, to eat.
33:21One of the first flowers I planted was cosmos, easy to raise from seed.
33:28It's a half-hardy annual.
33:30It's been flowering its socks off for weeks.
33:33All flowers try to set seed, but if you want to keep them flowering, it's vital to cut off their
33:40dead heads.
33:40As soon as the petals fall, I trace the stem back to the next bud and snip off just above
33:48it.
33:49If you carry on doing this regularly and keep them well fed and watered, you'll be rewarded with a glorious
33:56show of blooms right through to the first frosts.
34:01So that's it with the cosmos for now, but I shall keep on deadheading, because I want them to flower.
34:07I don't want them to go to seed, but I do want this lettuce to go to seed.
34:13Unusually, I want it to flower, set seed, and I'm going to save the seed for next year.
34:18Now, this is a little gem, and I had a whole row of them through here, and we've eaten most
34:24of them.
34:24You can eat it either as a salad vegetable, or you can even cook it, but only when it's young.
34:30By the time it's done this, these leaves are very, very bitter.
34:39Right, that's the last of my lettuce out, apart from the one that's going to go to seed.
34:43And what I'm going to replace it with is some rainbow chard.
34:48Now, this is a mixture that's called bright lights, for obvious reasons.
34:54The stems are lots of different colours, yellow, red, some of them are white.
34:58And the reason I want this in here is, even when everything else has been taken out,
35:03it'll carry on through the winter, and it's delicious.
35:10One quirky feature of rainbow chard is that the colour of the roots corresponds with the colour of the stems.
35:20I'm alternating the chard with Brompton stocks, so I'll have handsome foliage and glorious scented flowers.
35:31Several weeks ago, I sowed some basil seed directly into the ground in a big circle.
35:37And the whole idea was that eventually I was going to put a tomato in the middle of that.
35:42And there's this old saying, what goes together grows together, or the other way round.
35:47And it's great to grow basil with tomatoes.
35:50Sadly, although the seed germinated, the slugs got every single one.
35:56Now, I've sown some more basil seed, but I'm afraid they're really tiny plants, so I'm going to cheat.
36:03I've been to the supermarket and got a pot full of basil.
36:06But what they do when they sow this basil seed is put loads and loads of seed on the top,
36:12which means I've got a whole multitude of little separate basil plants.
36:18Well, they will be separate when I finish with them.
36:21So thumbs in, and you've got to go for it.
36:26You've got to be brave.
36:33Now, I could separate that even more, but I'm not going to.
36:37And I'm just going to plunge this whole thing into here.
36:43Of course, especially on a hot day like this, it'll need a really, really good watering.
36:49And I'm going to finish it off with a bit of grit.
36:54This'll keep out any weeds.
36:56It'll retain the moisture once I've watered it.
37:00And with a bit of luck, we'll have several really established plants.
37:13Well, this little plot is abuzz with all sorts of insect action.
37:18There are bees and hoverflies, butterflies, all sorts.
37:22They particularly love the cosmos and the rubeckia, these big open flowers.
37:27I'm sure you know that I garden organically.
37:30I wouldn't dream of using any kind of pesticides and insecticides.
37:34And so far, this plot is just about pest-free.
37:38But it's just the time of year when aphys start to move in
37:42and start gobbling up your crops.
37:45And I want to do a bit of companion planting.
37:48And the plant I'm using is tagetes.
37:51It's sometimes called French marigolds, sometimes African marigolds.
37:55It's got sort of very pungent kind of foliage.
37:59So that itself will deter some things.
38:02One of the insects that's going to come into here and be attracted by this
38:06is the hoverfly.
38:08Hoverflies lay their eggs on the stems of different plants.
38:12Now, when those eggs hatch into larvae,
38:15they don't eat the plants because they're carnivorous.
38:18So what they're going for is aphys.
38:21And they'll gobble them up and keep your plants really clean.
38:24And this one's called harlequin.
38:27You can see why.
38:28Because it's got these alternate mahogany and bright golden yellow petals.
38:38I've also planted up a container with ornamentals and edibles.
38:43There's cosmos purity, amaranth and aurac.
38:47So far, everything's heading for the sky.
38:50It needs something shorter to grow over the edge.
38:54So I'm squeezing in some nasturtiums.
38:58They satisfy both criteria.
39:00Not only do they have showy flowers, but you can eat them too.
39:09Ooh, just look at that.
39:14Never mind, look at them, smell them.
39:17Oh, that fragrance is...
39:19It's just summer personified.
39:21The sweet peas, of course.
39:23And they're one of the first things that I planted in here.
39:27I planted them up this wonderful structure
39:30and alternated them with three different kinds of climbing beans.
39:35Of course, the more you cut them, the more sweet peas you get.
39:39And who wouldn't want a bunch of those on the table?
39:42They're just lovely.
39:43And they're going to carry on producing those flowers all summer long.
39:50We're halfway through the season already
39:53and yet we've got masses and masses of beautiful flowers
39:58and gorgeous produce.
40:00And there's so much more to come.
40:20I do love that interplanting of veg and flower.
40:26But that, for me, is a little bit further down the road.
40:30You might see, look.
40:32I've had a bit of a rethink.
40:34The fig sits there at the back.
40:36Do you know the one plant I cannot do without?
40:40Watch his herbs.
40:42You know, I love my cooking.
40:43So I've got loads of them in containers.
40:47And I'm growing them on.
40:49And ultimately they will make it into the garden long-term.
40:53But I'm just sort of playing about.
40:54I've sort of got this really sunny side.
40:56Things like the times.
41:00And the sages.
41:01I might sort of mince and things like that
41:04sit back in this space.
41:06There you go.
41:07I can mess about with that when I come out.
41:10With a cup of tea.
41:12But I've got a couple more.
41:14A few little times that I bought.
41:16I just want to pop those on.
41:17And I have a mint.
41:19That needs a little attention.
41:24First, this is a lovely little lemon.
41:29Thyme, which is incredible.
41:30Beautiful flower.
41:32But straight away.
41:34Two herbs.
41:36Completely different conditions.
41:38You know, my mint will love damp.
41:41Even take a bit of sort of semi-shade.
41:43Where at the time, you're all happy.
41:46Basking out in the sunshine.
41:48So all I'm going to do is put three in this little pot.
41:54You know, I want this to be free draining.
41:56So my mix really is peat-free compost.
42:00I've got a little bit of topsoil in there.
42:02Some horticultural sand.
42:04And then grit.
42:05So if I actually hold that together.
42:09It falls apart.
42:10Straight away.
42:11So you know that is going to be free draining.
42:14Put some of that in the bottom there.
42:17And then let's tease these out of here.
42:20What you'll find with times as well when you buy them.
42:23Especially this time of year.
42:25They're normally well and truly rooted through.
42:27So I'm going to be quite brutal.
42:31I'm literally just going to use the back of my secateurs.
42:34And just knock that down.
42:38That will really encourage that plant.
42:43Another one in there.
42:46Right, so there you go.
42:47That's the second one.
42:49So really, the key to this.
42:55You know, growing well.
42:57Is me putting it in a nice sunny little spot.
43:00Yeah, keep an eye on the watering.
43:02Over the rest of the summer.
43:04But that drainage.
43:07Is key.
43:09So.
43:10Really good free draining mix.
43:15And keep the plants apart.
43:19Good air circulation.
43:24And there's one little bit I'm going to do.
43:27I know.
43:28Hold your breath.
43:30Take that off.
43:33I know.
43:36That's.
43:39That'll be used in tonight's tea.
43:42Cutting those flowers off.
43:44And now.
43:45The way those plants are.
43:46Water that in.
43:48That'll do it the world of good.
43:49Because it will concentrate on putting that root growth in.
43:52And then actually.
43:53It will start to sort of restock itself.
43:56From the bottom.
43:57So there we go.
43:59Now for something completely different.
44:02A lot of you grow your mince in pots.
44:04What happens.
44:05Is eventually.
44:06The centre starts to die out.
44:09It shoots and runs.
44:10It shoots and runs.
44:11That's ultimately what it does.
44:13So what we're going to do.
44:14Is I'm going to cut.
44:15Straight down through the middle of this.
44:21And then just where I can't get through there.
44:23I'm just going to take the secateurs.
44:26And just cut through those.
44:28Then if we bring our pot back up.
44:31What I want now.
44:33As you think about it.
44:34I want to hold that moisture.
44:35In.
44:35In.
44:36To what I'm going to do here.
44:37So.
44:37The mix I've got here.
44:39Has got.
44:40Peat free compost.
44:41But some topsoil.
44:42So what I'm trying to do in my head.
44:44Is.
44:45Is get to.
44:46As close as possible.
44:48To where this would be happy.
44:49You know.
44:50Growing in.
44:51In a garden environment.
44:54So.
44:54Now sits.
44:56Back to back.
44:57In the middle.
44:59And then we're going to work in.
45:01That compost.
45:03In around.
45:05If you think about the compost.
45:06I've picked up with the time.
45:08Now if I pick this up.
45:09Give it the same squeeze.
45:12Stays together.
45:14So you instantly know.
45:16That is going to hold more moisture.
45:18So.
45:19All I'll do with that.
45:20Is give it a really good soaking.
45:22Just keep it.
45:23Slightly sort of in the semi shade.
45:25Keep an eye on that watering.
45:27That will soon root away.
45:31So.
45:33I said.
45:33I couldn't live without herbs.
45:36Well.
45:36We're now off.
45:37To the West Midlands.
45:39To meet Tracy West.
45:41And I'm not sure.
45:42She could do.
45:43Without.
45:44Her roses.
45:50Of course I love roses.
45:51Can you see them all around you?
45:54You call it a bit of an obsession.
45:56I would think.
45:56Some people.
45:57When they look in the garden.
45:58See how many there are.
46:00You wouldn't have this many.
46:01If you didn't love them.
46:04I'm Tracy.
46:05And this is my rose garden.
46:06In Birmingham.
46:08We moved into this house 26 years ago.
46:11The garden was a very mature garden.
46:13There wasn't much colour.
46:14It was quite overgrown.
46:16It was unkempt really.
46:18Now obviously the garden is very, very different.
46:20It's packed to the rafters with colour.
46:22Roses everywhere.
46:24All different colours.
46:25Different types.
46:26Different breeders.
46:32I've always liked gardening.
46:34But probably around 2018.
46:37I started to join a few social sites.
46:41And then there was actually one person.
46:44That invited me to join a site.
46:46That was just for roses.
46:48I started getting more and more drawn into it.
46:50I could feel myself thinking.
46:52I think I want to go more down that route.
46:58One of the things that I love.
47:00Is the names of the roses.
47:01And the history behind them.
47:03It always gives them a bit of interest.
47:05This rose is named Gertrude Jekyll.
47:07And she's named after a famous garden designer.
47:10Born in Victorian times.
47:12It's a beautiful electric pink.
47:13And it's got a lovely scent.
47:15Quite thorny.
47:17Very known for her thorns.
47:18And the flowers are a lovely rosette shape.
47:25So the name of this rose is Desdemona.
47:28She's one of my favourites.
47:29She has beautiful pink buds.
47:33That open up into these lovely.
47:35White cup shaped blooms.
47:36You don't have to do too much.
47:38To keep a rose looking this good.
47:40The main things are really.
47:41To prune in January.
47:43Make sure you feed twice a year.
47:46Before the first and the second flush.
47:48And mulch to suppress weeds.
47:51And protect the base of the plant.
47:53If you do those things.
47:54They're not that difficult.
47:55You will be rewarded in full.
47:57With these beautiful blooms.
47:59And this lovely glossy green foliage.
48:08So this is Floribunda rose.
48:10The name is absolutely fabulous.
48:13Very pretty rose.
48:14It's a standard.
48:15Which means that it's been grafted.
48:18The trunk.
48:20And the roots.
48:21Come from the host rose.
48:22Which they call the root stock.
48:24And then they.
48:24Will graft three shrub roses.
48:27Onto this stem.
48:28You can see.
48:29One there.
48:31Another one here.
48:32And another one there.
48:34Having three shrub roses.
48:35Grafted onto one stem.
48:36Does make them.
48:37Quite top heavy.
48:38So it's very important.
48:39To make sure.
48:40That you use.
48:41A good stake.
48:42And a good strap.
48:44To keep the head.
48:45Supported.
48:46The other thing is.
48:47Because they have.
48:47A lot of height.
48:48It means there's.
48:49A lot of space.
48:50Underneath them.
48:50So you can under plant.
48:52With companions.
48:53Here we've got.
48:54Oxeye daisies.
48:56Geraniums.
48:57Foxgloves.
48:58The lovely thing.
48:58About most of these.
48:59They self seed.
49:00I don't even have.
49:01To collect the seeds.
49:02On them.
49:02They just.
49:03Sprinkle themselves.
49:04Over the garden.
49:04Then pop up.
49:05The next year.
49:11So this.
49:12Rose here.
49:13Is called.
49:13Roald Dahl.
49:14It produces.
49:15An abundance.
49:16Of blooms.
49:17And.
49:18For those people.
49:18That aren't.
49:19Very happy.
49:20Working with thorns.
49:21It is.
49:22Virtually.
49:22Thornless.
49:23You can really.
49:24Handle it.
49:25Without getting.
49:26Snagged.
49:26Or anything.
49:26Like that.
49:31So we.
49:32Decided to put.
49:33Potted roses.
49:34In here.
49:35Yeah.
49:35So these.
49:35These have.
49:36Probably been.
49:36Here now.
49:37About.
49:37Five.
49:38Or six.
49:38Years.
49:40Did our.
49:40Homework.
49:41And looked at.
49:42The size of the.
49:42Pots.
49:43That you would need.
49:43To grow roses in.
49:45And.
49:45It was.
49:46Around 50 centimeters.
49:47Wide.
49:4850 deep.
49:48For a.
49:49Shrub rose.
49:49To survive.
49:50In a pot.
49:51If the roots.
49:52Become congested.
49:53In a small pot.
49:54Very quickly.
49:55The rose.
49:56Will tell you.
49:56That it's not.
49:57Very happy.
49:58You'll look at it.
49:58And it'll look sad.
49:59And it'll.
50:00Start wilting.
50:01And so.
50:02If you can look at them.
50:02And they're saying to you.
50:03I'm happy.
50:04Then you know.
50:05You're doing something.
50:05Right.
50:06You know.
50:06If you don't get.
50:07Any rainfall.
50:08In summer.
50:08You probably need.
50:09Some water pots.
50:10Every other day.
50:11So that you can.
50:12Literally almost see it.
50:13Coming out the bottom.
50:13Of the pot.
50:14And you know.
50:15Then it's gone.
50:15All the way down.
50:16To the roots.
50:21So.
50:22As you're watering.
50:23Try and make sure.
50:24That you only water.
50:25The base of the plant.
50:26Because.
50:28Fungus.
50:29Can reside.
50:30In the soil.
50:31And if you.
50:31If you splash.
50:32The leaves.
50:33And the soil.
50:34Splashes back up.
50:35Onto leaves.
50:36You can end up.
50:37With black spots.
50:38Or.
50:38Other things.
50:39That might be.
50:39Harbouring.
50:40In the soil.
50:40At the time.
50:44This is.
50:45Black spots.
50:46On this rose.
50:47Roses.
50:47Are susceptible.
50:48To several.
50:49Diseases.
50:50Most common.
50:51Ones.
50:52Are black spot.
50:53Mildew.
50:53And rust.
50:54Yeah.
50:54So.
50:55What I tend.
50:55To do.
50:56Is.
50:57Just pick.
50:57The leaves.
50:58Off.
51:04Of your.
51:05Compost.
51:05And.
51:06You want.
51:06To bin it.
51:07And get rid.
51:08Because.
51:08If you put it.
51:08Into your.
51:09Compost.
51:10You put it.
51:10Straight back.
51:11Into the ground.
51:11Again.
51:12And.
51:12Yeah.
51:13It defeats.
51:13The object.
51:14Doesn't it really.
51:18When we moved.
51:19In here.
51:19At.
51:20The top part.
51:21Of the garden.
51:22Was basically.
51:22A dumping ground.
51:24There was just.
51:24A load of rubbish.
51:25And rubble.
51:25Up there.
51:26So we decided.
51:27To start.
51:27Tidying that up.
51:28And put in.
51:28Some borders.
51:29And some.
51:30Plants.
51:30Various.
51:31Plants.
51:31And roses.
51:32And some ramblers.
51:35We had these.
51:37Ladders.
51:37Lying up here.
51:38Rather than.
51:39Throw them away.
51:39We could use them.
51:40As climbing supports.
51:41For the roses.
51:42This one.
51:43Is a rambler.
51:44Called.
51:45Paul Transon.
51:46This rose.
51:48Malvern Hills.
51:49And.
51:50This rose.
51:51Here.
51:52Is.
51:53Gardenia.
51:54They're ramblers.
51:56They've been here.
51:57About.
51:57Three.
51:57Three and a half.
51:58Years now.
51:59And they've just.
52:00Starting to.
52:03Display.
52:04The hope is.
52:04That these two.
52:05Then will mingle.
52:06So you'll get.
52:07The pink.
52:08And the yellow.
52:09All mingling together.
52:11Giving lots of colour.
52:12Because that's how I like it really.
52:13I'm a bit.
52:14Random with my colours.
52:15I like.
52:15Different pops of colour.
52:16All over the place.
52:21It is hard work.
52:22Looking after.
52:23This many roses.
52:24But when they start blooming.
52:26And that's.
52:26Payback time.
52:27And that's.
52:27That's what you work for.
52:29I think.
52:30That roses.
52:31Chose.
52:32Me.
52:33Somehow they.
52:34Crept into my life.
52:36Er.
52:37And er.
52:37I'm glad they did.
52:53Tracey.
52:55Beautiful.
52:56Who doesn't love a rose?
53:18I'll be honest with you.
53:20I've been looking forward.
53:22To doing this job.
53:24All day long.
53:26All day long.
53:27All facing wall.
53:28So this stays lovely and cool.
53:30So what I want to do here.
53:32Really.
53:33Is start to cover.
53:34Some of the wall.
53:35And an ideal plant.
53:36That I can let go up the wall.
53:37Is this.
53:39Hydrangea.
53:39Peter Olaris.
53:41So what I've done here.
53:42Is I've put in.
53:43Top soil.
53:45With a lot of sort of.
53:46Well rotted.
53:46Manure.
53:47And.
53:48What's lovely about the hydrangea.
53:51Is I don't have to put wires.
53:52On the wall.
53:54Because it will just click.
53:56And.
53:57It's not evergreen.
53:59But I really do.
54:01Love.
54:03I love the structure.
54:04That it creates.
54:05If you look in there closely.
54:07What I love.
54:08Is as it clings.
54:09And then it loses.
54:10Its leaves in the winter.
54:12It sort of reveals.
54:14This sort of.
54:15Skeleton.
54:16Which I think looks.
54:17Absolutely.
54:18Incredible.
54:19And then.
54:20You've got.
54:21As with so many.
54:22Other hydrangeas.
54:24Beautiful flower.
54:25Sort of late spring.
54:26Really.
54:26Early summer.
54:28Probably.
54:2915.
54:2920 foot.
54:30Up there.
54:31But at the same time.
54:32It could be clipped.
54:33And controlled.
54:34So root system.
54:35Lots of wonderful white.
54:37Fibrous root.
54:38Let's just loosen that.
54:39All up a bit.
54:41I think if you are planting.
54:43Anything back.
54:45Against the house.
54:46I've come about a foot.
54:48So about 300 mil away.
54:53Let's just.
54:54Flop that in.
54:54Around there.
54:56Really is.
54:57A lovely plant.
54:58For a north facing wall.
55:00I'll still keep an eye on it.
55:01You know.
55:02Especially over the first.
55:0318 months.
55:06But.
55:06I'm sure.
55:07That.
55:08Will soon get away.
55:11So.
55:12I'll give this beautiful.
55:14Hindranger.
55:15A drink.
55:15And maybe.
55:16Treat myself.
55:17To one.
55:18Here's a few things.
55:19You could be doing.
55:20At the weekend.
55:31Birds.
55:32Hedgehogs.
55:32And even insects.
55:34Need a regular supply.
55:35Of water.
55:36And in hot weather.
55:37This.
55:38Is even more.
55:39Important.
55:41To give them a helping hand.
55:42I like to fill.
55:43A shallow tray.
55:44With a few rocks.
55:45And stones.
55:45From the garden.
55:47Place somewhere.
55:48Cool.
55:48Out of the way.
55:50And.
55:50Keep topped up with water.
55:52If.
55:53The weather stays dry.
55:59There's still time to sow lettuce.
56:03I'm using an old metal container.
56:05But.
56:05You could use anything.
56:07Provided it's got a few holes.
56:09In the bottom.
56:12Fill.
56:13With multipurpose.
56:14Peat free compost.
56:16Level off.
56:18And.
56:18Water.
56:21Sprinkle the seeds.
56:22Over the surface.
56:23I've chosen a mix.
56:25Of salad leaves.
56:26Which.
56:27Are dead easy.
56:27To grow.
56:28Cover.
56:29With a fine layer.
56:30Of compost.
56:31And.
56:31Within a few weeks.
56:33You'll be picking.
56:34Your own salad.
56:35Fresh.
56:36From the garden.
56:41Plancing containers.
56:43Will be romping away now.
56:44And.
56:44Over the next few weeks.
56:46We'll use up.
56:47A lot.
56:48Of nutrients.
56:48To help keep them.
56:50Ticking over.
56:52It's worth giving them.
56:53A weekly feed.
56:54I like to use.
56:55Organic seaweed feed.
56:56Which will give them.
56:57Everything.
56:58They need.
56:59For the best results.
57:00Apply last thing at night.
57:02Or.
57:02First thing in the morning.
57:04Wetting the roots.
57:05Rather.
57:05Other.
57:06Than the leaves.
57:25I think.
57:26This garden.
57:26I know.
57:27I know.
57:40It's early days.
57:41And.
57:41When I arrived.
57:42It was just.
57:44Grass.
57:45But.
57:46It felt something.
57:46And I think.
57:47That is.
57:49So.
57:49Important.
57:51And now.
57:51The levels are cut.
57:52The trees are in.
57:54I'm starting to sort of.
57:55Add.
57:56The places to be.
57:58And.
57:58Eek more.
58:00Out of the atmosphere.
58:02It's.
58:03I know.
58:04It's going to be.
58:05A special place.
58:07And.
58:08After a good day.
58:09In the garden.
58:10Myself.
58:10And her ladyship.
58:11Here.
58:12We come down here.
58:14Sit on this little.
58:15Bucket.
58:16And just have a moment.
58:19And I'm not sure.
58:21Gets any better.
58:24So.
58:25I'm afraid.
58:26That is it.
58:27From us.
58:28This week.
58:29Next week.
58:29We'll be at.
58:30RHS.
58:31Badminton Flower Show.
58:33Myself.
58:33Rachel.
58:34And Ashley.
58:35We'll be having a nose round.
58:37In the meantime.
58:38Look after yourselves.
58:40Bye bye.
58:41You gonna say bye bye?
58:42I'll get you.
59:01Bye bye.
59:03Bye bye.
59:05Bye bye.
59:08Bye bye.
59:09Bye bye.
59:10Bye bye.
59:11Bye bye.
59:12Bye bye.
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