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1
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BIRDSONG
2
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Hello, welcome to Gardeners' World.
3
00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:21,720
Don't you love the weather?
4
00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:23,880
Last week I was talking to you,
5
00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:26,400
the sun on my back,
and it was glorious.
6
00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:29,280
But we have had the most
horrendous downpours
7
00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:32,720
and it's just flattened
an awful lot of things.
8
00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:37,200
This rose, Munstead Wood,
has been performing beautifully
9
00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:38,920
and the scent is incredible,
10
00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,480
but that rain has really
battered things.
11
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:43,920
So what I'm going to try
12
00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:46,720
and do here is just give it
a little bit of support.
13
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:52,000
I'm going to wedge a cane just under
that strong stem and then I'm
14
00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:53,280
going to tie it in,
15
00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:57,040
and that will just help it
through the next few weeks.
16
00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:03,600
This time of year is all about
going out, deadheading, keeping
17
00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,840
an eye on things just to get
the best out of your garden.
18
00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:09,760
It's that morning walk round
with a cup of tea,
19
00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,920
is when you see what's been
going on overnight.
20
00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,240
Coming up on today's programme...
21
00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:23,040
Nick explores a vast collection
of ferns at Kew Gardens
22
00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,680
to discover more about these
mysterious Jurassic plants.
23
00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,440
This extraordinary Angiopteris
is one of the plants that was
24
00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:35,280
clearly around during the time
of the dinosaurs.
25
00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:39,800
You can just imagine Triceratops
making its way through this
26
00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:41,680
mass of huge foliage.
27
00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,480
Down in Brighton, we catch up with
Kate Bradbury in her wildlife
28
00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:51,160
friendly garden and discover her
unique recipe for hanging baskets.
29
00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:53,840
It's a bit of an experiment.
30
00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,280
I've got a bit of red clover
in the middle,
31
00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:00,000
and then tucked into the sides here
I've got bird's-foot-trefoil
32
00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,000
which I'm hoping will just
drape down like big curtains.
33
00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:08,520
And I will be making a window box
with a little bit of a difference.
34
00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:39,160
So, the first job I want to crack
on with today is getting some
35
00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:40,920
height in the back of this border.
36
00:02:40,920 --> 00:02:42,400
But remember last week,
37
00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,800
I was adding height
to a sunny part of the garden.
38
00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,400
This is a lot more shady.
39
00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,400
When you talk to people about shade
and planting in shade,
40
00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:56,760
it can be a little bit confusing.
41
00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,160
I'm going to classify
this as partial shade.
42
00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:01,240
The sun comes up in the morning
43
00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:06,280
and it gets a decent little dowsing
then, it'll always be dappled
44
00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,240
so through the day it's going to get
little glimpses of sun.
45
00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:12,360
So the next thing is the soil.
46
00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:16,200
You might think because here, you
know, big trees behind me and it's a
47
00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:20,120
reasonably shaded area that it's
going to be dry, but no, it's not.
48
00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,200
It's at the bottom of a slope
and the soil tends to hold
49
00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:26,200
the moisture pretty well
throughout the year.
50
00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:28,600
But then when it comes to
choosing plants,
51
00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,640
how do we get that little bit more
out of that planting?
52
00:03:32,640 --> 00:03:35,600
So if you look at what's in front
of me, first of all I've got
53
00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:40,600
aruncus, lovely flower now,
but quite an interesting leaf shape.
54
00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:43,800
Coming in front of me, Gillenia,
55
00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,160
interesting leaf shape,
but look at the stem colour.
56
00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,720
And then if we come across,
and this one is a bit of a mouthful,
57
00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,480
it's called Kirengeshoma,
but look at the leaf shape.
58
00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:59,080
But also, look at the stem colour.
Different again.
59
00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:03,000
That, by the way, has got
this beautiful yellow flower,
60
00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,880
and it's sort of bell-shaped.
61
00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,080
Now, if we move back to the
Gillenia, look at the flower shape.
62
00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,600
It's just different
from the kirengeshoma.
63
00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:15,200
And then over there, the aruncus is
different again, it's feathery.
64
00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:20,160
And that for me is how you add extra
details and interest to your garden.
65
00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:23,880
So the first plant I want
to put in is this Thalictrum,
66
00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:26,080
and it's called flavum glaucum.
67
00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:29,240
And you can see that leaf shape
is different.
68
00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:33,200
Flower wise, it's a really nice
soft yellow.
69
00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:37,680
So that will get to one metre,
1.5 metres,
70
00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:41,440
depending on the conditions
of your garden.
71
00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:45,240
I'm going to leave the cane in this
year with this plant because it is
72
00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:48,600
one of those plants that, if I take
that cane out, you can guarantee,
73
00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:50,920
especially with the variable
weather,
74
00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,040
that it'll end up getting snapped.
75
00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,040
Next year it will clump up,
76
00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,480
and it will be a really strong plant
that might not even need support.
77
00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,160
Coming across to the next one,
so this is Patrinia,
78
00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:05,440
and it's called punctiflora.
79
00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:10,280
It grows to about, again, one, 1.5,
depending on conditions.
80
00:05:10,280 --> 00:05:12,200
Lovely yellow head.
81
00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:16,000
This'll grow quite happily in
deeper shade than I've got here.
82
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And the same soil conditions.
83
00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,120
So, there you go.
84
00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:27,960
Let's get that in there.
85
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Get this last one in.
86
00:05:30,280 --> 00:05:33,080
So the last one is called
Actea yesoensis.
87
00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:35,800
Beautiful foliage plant.
88
00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:39,080
It's a smaller version in a lot of
ways of the aruncus, but that'll
89
00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:43,640
give me a nice repeated pattern
through the back of the border.
90
00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:47,560
Height wise, it's going to get up
to a good 1.2 metres plus.
91
00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,440
Flower, a lovely sort of white.
92
00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:53,160
But it's got a berry
that follows on.
93
00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:57,480
I think the last thing with
any herbaceous perennial is how
94
00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,280
is it going to see the season out?
95
00:06:00,280 --> 00:06:02,960
Is it going to sort of
die gracefully,
96
00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,960
will it hold its form all the way
through the winter months?
97
00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:10,440
And if it will and you've got, you
know, a smaller garden and you're
98
00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:14,640
trying to get that much more out
of it, then ask that question.
99
00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:18,720
So let's get this last
one in the ground.
100
00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:25,520
All I've got to do now is
give those a really good
101
00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,480
watering in, that will
settle the soil around the roots
102
00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:31,800
and they'll be away and I can enjoy
them for the rest of the year.
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00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,400
Now, we're going to find out a
little bit more about a plant that
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00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:43,280
is well and truly happy in shady
conditions, and that's ferns.
105
00:06:43,280 --> 00:06:46,720
Nick has gone to Kew Gardens
to look at their collection.
106
00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:02,720
Brits have had a fascination
with ferns ever
107
00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:06,440
since those early Victorian plant
hunters started bringing them
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00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:08,880
back from exotic climes.
109
00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:13,800
Now this, coupled with the fact that
as a nation we started to embrace
110
00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:16,040
our own native ferns,
led to fern fever,
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00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:19,640
and it's just as prominent
in our homes and gardens today.
112
00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,920
Ferns are an incredibly diverse
group of plants from a wide range of
113
00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:30,280
environments with an endless
variety of leaf shapes and patterns.
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00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:32,400
They add an understated elegance
115
00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:35,880
whether used alone or
to enhance other plants.
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00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:40,000
There are over 10,000 species of
ferns in existence across the world.
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This is maidenhair fern,
it makes a fabulous house plant.
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00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:49,160
And one of the reasons it
gets that name is
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00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:52,680
because it has these superfine
almost hairlike stems.
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00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,040
So if you look at the plant
from a distance,
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00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:57,760
it almost appears as
though the leaves are floating.
122
00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:00,880
Now, it comes from South America
which means it needs to
123
00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:04,960
stay at least +5, which means
it's ideal as a house plant
124
00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,320
and it particularly likes to be
in quite high humidity, so it
125
00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,680
will work well for a bathroom
or the like,
126
00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:12,600
where it can be in indirect light.
127
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If you want to up the ante,
then it might be worth considering
128
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growing its big brother.
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And here it is, over here.
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00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,240
This is Adiantum trapeziforme
131
00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,680
and it is about five times the size,
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00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:29,080
but what makes it truly special
is the new leaves that have this
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00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:33,080
beautiful sort of salmon quality
to them as they emerge.
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00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:36,000
Now, it likes similar conditions
to its little brother,
135
00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:38,320
but you're going to need
quite a big bathroom.
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00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,680
This is Oceaniopteris gibba.
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00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:56,200
It's one of the very best
tropical ferns.
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00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:58,680
It comes from Fiji and it's
a relative baby
139
00:08:58,680 --> 00:09:00,680
compared to other tree ferns.
140
00:09:00,680 --> 00:09:02,800
It'll go up to about
1.5 metres high.
141
00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,520
Now, of course, coming
from the tropics means
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00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,240
that it needs an absolute minimum
of 15 degrees,
143
00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,760
so it's ideal for a conservatory
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00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,040
that you keep sort of
high levels of moisture in.
145
00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:15,960
Now, in terms of keeping it happy,
146
00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,640
it wants to be in
a fairly dappled shade,
147
00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:20,520
it needs a quite acidic soil
148
00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,040
and in terms of
the compost that you use,
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00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:27,640
something like a well composted
bark would work extremely well.
150
00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:30,120
And for me, the thing
that makes it really special,
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00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:32,840
really beautiful,
is these unfurling crosiers,
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00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:36,200
having this beautiful sort of
peach-flesh tone to them.
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00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,200
What a lovely exotic fern.
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00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:44,040
Bringing newly discovered ferns
back to the UK was a delicate
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00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,840
and often frustrating task
for early plant hunters,
156
00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,520
who couldn't always
ensure their survival.
157
00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:54,880
The invention of Dr Ward's ingenious
Wardian case was a breakthrough.
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00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:59,360
This glazed box, or mini glasshouse
provided enough essential light
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00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:03,240
and humidity for plants to survive
many months on long journeys,
160
00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:05,440
and for ferns in particular,
161
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it protected them from
the salt-laden winds
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00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:09,400
they'd experience at sea.
163
00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:16,840
It also gave botanists clues on
how to cultivate fern species
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00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:20,840
and enable them to flourish in
giant glasshouses like this one.
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00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:27,440
So, Alice, we're surrounded by
these fabulous ferns,
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00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:29,400
such range and diversity.
167
00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:31,640
They're one of the most ancient
plants, aren't they?
168
00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:34,960
Yes, so ferns evolved about
400 million years ago,
169
00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,640
so well before flowering plants.
170
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So they were around at
the time of the dinosaurs.
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They were around in time
of the dinosaurs
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in some different forms, yeah.
Amazing.
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00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:45,120
And just looking at
the range here,
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00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:47,560
they do have certain
commonalities, don't they?
175
00:10:47,560 --> 00:10:49,960
Because, of course,
they don't produce a seed.
176
00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:53,440
No, so they reproduce
from spores on their sori,
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00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:57,560
on the underside of the fronds
and the spores come out of there.
178
00:10:57,560 --> 00:10:59,840
I mean, this patternation
is beautiful,
179
00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:03,000
but this is literally it getting
ready to propagate itself. Yep.
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00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,800
The spores are being produced
in these little bodies on the
181
00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:12,320
back of the leaf and they basically
float out into the atmosphere.
182
00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,560
They need to then land
in a pretty moist environment
183
00:11:15,560 --> 00:11:17,840
and then they go through
the most extraordinary
184
00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:20,360
and complex life cycle in order
185
00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:23,000
to produce a brand-new
little baby fern.
186
00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:26,560
When it comes to propagating,
187
00:11:26,560 --> 00:11:31,600
either hardy ferns or the tropical
ferns that we grow as house plants,
188
00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,640
there's a lot more straightforward
techniques that you can use.
189
00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:38,960
Some ferns like
woodwardias will make a bulbil
190
00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:40,480
on the underside of the frond,
191
00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,040
which sort of weighs
down the tip of the plant
192
00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:45,680
and then they'll then root out
and sort of make another plant.
193
00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:48,520
And then they sort of travel around
like that. So they leapfrog along.
194
00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:50,760
So it's almost like stolons
in a strawberry... Yes.
195
00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:53,560
..that it can sort of, you know,
make its way across the landscape.
196
00:11:53,560 --> 00:11:54,760
Yes.
197
00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:58,680
If you think about some
of our hardy ferns,
198
00:11:58,680 --> 00:12:00,680
things like the shuttlecock fern,
199
00:12:00,680 --> 00:12:04,480
that's very simple to deal
with in spring. It's just a case of
200
00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:08,520
digging up a complete plantlet and
moving it elsewhere in the garden.
201
00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:16,960
It would be very easy to assume that
ferns all come from cool, damp
202
00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:21,000
forest situations, but of course,
their distribution is global.
203
00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:25,200
And this, down here,
comes from tropical Africa.
204
00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:27,120
And it's called Pteris dentata
205
00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:32,640
and the reason for its name refers
to these particularly dentate
206
00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:34,160
or marked leaves,
207
00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:37,240
which have got that lovely
tooth-like quality to them.
208
00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:38,800
Now, for me,
209
00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,720
what makes it special as a fern
is it has this very, very
210
00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:46,000
light limey colour to it, which is
a beautiful contrast to other ferns.
211
00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:49,400
And an added bonus is it keeps
producing leaves all the way
212
00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:52,400
through the year,
so it's got that lovely freshness.
213
00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:55,680
Now, in terms of growing it
at home, it's a tropical fern,
214
00:12:55,680 --> 00:12:58,040
so it needs to stay plus ten.
215
00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:00,480
It'll very happily grow in
a cool conservatory,
216
00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:02,240
and like most other ferns,
217
00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:05,040
if you mist it once a day,
you'll keep it a very happy.
218
00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:27,080
This extraordinary Angiopteris
is one of the plants
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that was clearly around during
the time of the dinosaurs.
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00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:34,120
You can just imagine Triceratops
making its way through this
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00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:36,480
mass of huge foliage.
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00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:39,120
Now, it's a plant
that comes from Madagascar,
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but it's also spread across, through
to the South Pacific islands,
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00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:46,400
and there are two things that
make it truly extraordinary.
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00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:51,640
First of all, these fronds, these
leaves, will go up to 8m long,
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so it's truly, truly vast.
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00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:57,320
And secondly, it has
the most extraordinary
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00:13:57,320 --> 00:13:59,200
spore distribution technique.
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00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:03,080
And the spores actually explode
off the back of the leaves.
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00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:05,920
The other thing that I love
about this plant is the base of it.
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Look at these, they literally
look like dinosaur feet.
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Ferns are adapted to such
a wide range of environments
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that there's sure to be one
which will thrive in your home.
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I think what blows my mind
about ferns is to think that
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some of those plants were around
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00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:53,240
when dinosaurs were walking
the Earth.
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And I think Nick's right.
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You'll find one that suits a lovely
little shady spot in your garden.
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What I'm doing here is
dealing with what the wind
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00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:07,560
and the rain has done,
clearing things up.
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But I'm just mulching
as I go through,
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and I'm using composted bark
and I'm putting about 40-50 mm on,
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00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:19,840
which is just shy
of a couple of inches.
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Because this polystichum -
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00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:24,440
and though it's quite happy in
slightly drier conditions,
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00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:26,280
the soil here is not great.
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00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,040
So, not only will
I help keep the weeds down,
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keep the moisture in,
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but I'll improve the soil
over a period of time.
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00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:35,680
And it's a great time to do it.
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00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:37,920
Because the ground is wet
after a lot of rain,
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I know that I'm going to actually
contain that moisture in the soil.
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00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:51,560
And now, we're off to visit
the first of your gardens
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00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:53,360
and we're going to meet a viewer
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00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:56,360
that does not let anything
in her garden go to waste.
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00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:06,760
Hello, my name is Haruna and this is
my garden in South London, Dulwich.
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00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:16,840
One of the best things about it
is this huge oak tree,
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which is actually not in my garden.
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00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:22,000
It gives me masses of shelter
and privacy,
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00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,560
there's loads of wildlife in it
and I love it.
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00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,240
The leaves collect behind my shed
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00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:33,960
and produce an inexhaustible
supply of leaf mould.
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00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:36,600
I can use it sieved to make compost
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00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:41,840
and I can use it also unsieved
just as a mulch around my plants.
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00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:48,280
I garden on very heavy clay,
so I need a soil conditioner
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00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:52,400
such as this to break up the soil
and improve the structure.
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00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:58,040
And this is the lovely leaf mould
that I'm left with.
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00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:05,280
My children are grown-up now
so they no longer need the swings,
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00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:09,360
so I decided to plant a raised bed
beneath the swings
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00:17:09,360 --> 00:17:13,120
and use the structure
as a support for canes.
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00:17:13,120 --> 00:17:17,240
This is my front garden,
and here I grow chives,
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00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:23,280
different varieties of thyme,
Swiss chard, oregano, marjoram
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00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,920
and different varieties of sage
and not forgetting the rosemary.
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00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:32,400
When you pick or rub the plants
together, it releases the oils
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00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:34,280
and the smell...
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00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:34,280
SNIFFS
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00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,000
..is absolutely sensational.
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00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:41,000
During the lockdown, I put a sign
up on the fence inviting
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00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,000
people to come in and
take their own herbs for free.
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00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:50,400
I really hope you liked some
of the ideas in my video. Goodbye.
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00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:06,080
Haruna, you look like you are
creating some cracking stuff.
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00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:09,440
And I will tell anybody, if you've
got the room, then actually,
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00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,040
creating leaf mould is fantastic.
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00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:14,120
I call it garden gold.
285
00:18:14,120 --> 00:18:17,760
And talking about leaf mould
and growing medium in general,
286
00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:22,000
you might have read or heard
in the press over the last 4-6
287
00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:25,000
weeks that the Government are going
to phase out the use of peat.
288
00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:27,160
So, if you're used
to gardening with peat
289
00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:29,440
and you've been doing it
for years on end,
290
00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:33,080
this is now a different material
that you will be working with
291
00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:34,720
in the long term.
292
00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:39,440
But as a gardener,
can you garden without peat?
293
00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:41,400
Yes, hand on heart, I think you can.
294
00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:43,440
I've been doing it
for a long, long time.
295
00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:46,680
I've had some disasters
and I've had some real successes,
296
00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:52,640
but I've got myself to a place where
I can happily garden without peat.
297
00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:54,960
And I thought it would be
interesting just to get
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00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:59,600
my hands on a few bags of different
peat-free multipurpose composts
299
00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:01,320
and see what they were like.
300
00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:06,600
And even I was slightly blown away
by the difference in them.
301
00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:08,280
I put my hands in these,
302
00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:10,960
straight away, you can see
that these mixes are made
303
00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:12,440
of different materials.
304
00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:14,560
Here I can see that
there is wood fibre in there,
305
00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:16,360
there's even some soil.
306
00:19:16,360 --> 00:19:20,120
And moving here, I can see
there's a bit of horticultural sand,
307
00:19:20,120 --> 00:19:22,320
composted bark.
308
00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:28,600
And then here, I can see the coir
in it straight away, composted bark.
309
00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:32,360
But also, the texture of them
is changing and I go across to the
310
00:19:32,360 --> 00:19:36,880
end, here, and this is a lot
coarser and there's grit in it.
311
00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:40,760
But they are all multipurpose
composts, which means that you
312
00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:45,360
and me will go into the garden
centre and we'll pick up a bag
313
00:19:45,360 --> 00:19:48,360
and we'll think that it's going
to do every single job.
314
00:19:48,360 --> 00:19:51,240
And in reality, it doesn't always.
315
00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:54,280
So if you think about seeds,
to start with, well,
316
00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:57,200
I'd be looking probably for
a finer compost, so actually,
317
00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:00,840
if I was going to choose,
I'd probably go to this one.
318
00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:03,440
It's quite fine and I probably
won't have to sieve it.
319
00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:07,280
But then, if I went across
and this is what I had, well,
320
00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:09,320
that's fine,
I'd just sieve it through
321
00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:11,240
and I'd make myself a fine seedbed.
322
00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:14,240
So, for me, I'd use it as the base.
323
00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:17,560
That's my starting point,
that's the main medium that I'd use.
324
00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:20,080
And then I'd think about it
a bit like baking a cake.
325
00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,360
I can't bake a cake
just with flour,
326
00:20:22,360 --> 00:20:25,080
so I have to add other ingredients.
327
00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:28,960
So I've got my cupboard full
of ingredients and depending on,
328
00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:32,160
you know, the sponge or the
chocolate brownie or whatever it is
329
00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:35,800
that I want to make - yeah, I do
bake a little bit - I'll add to it.
330
00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:40,440
So, I've got some horticultural sand
and then horticultural grit.
331
00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:42,400
They all do slightly
different things.
332
00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:45,440
Perlite, which is basically
a volcanic rock.
333
00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:47,880
And then I've got topsoil.
334
00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:50,120
Most of it I get in a bag.
335
00:20:50,120 --> 00:20:53,960
And also composted bark.
So that's my ingredients
336
00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:57,280
that I start to add to
my peat-free mixes.
337
00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,000
So, first thing.
338
00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:00,600
We're in the garden,
339
00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:04,160
we want to pot something on and we
want to keep it there longer term.
340
00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:07,040
The first thing I'm going to do
is just take a random
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00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:11,800
peat-free mix and we've got
one pot of that.
342
00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:14,280
And think about the hosta,
what does it love?
343
00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:18,120
Probably a decent amount
of moisture around its roots.
344
00:21:18,120 --> 00:21:21,040
So what I'm going to do is
I'm going to add, at the moment,
345
00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:27,560
about half a pot of topsoil
and then see what that's like.
346
00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:31,520
I think, yeah,
that's not too bad at all.
347
00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:34,960
Now what I'm going to do is add
a little bit of composted bark
348
00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:39,800
and I think that'll actually help
with the moisture retention.
349
00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:44,920
And also, I can already feel
that, you know,
350
00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:47,200
it'll hold the moisture
really, really well.
351
00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:51,200
What I am going to do is just
do another half a pot -
352
00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:53,640
I hope you're writing this down -
353
00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:55,600
of peat-free compost.
354
00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:57,200
Let's get that in.
355
00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:01,000
So now, look, we've got a nice mix
356
00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:03,080
ready to go.
357
00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:04,800
So now, let's take our pot...
358
00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:09,560
..a little bit of mix
in the bottom, there,
359
00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:12,160
and I'm making sure
the pot's not too big.
360
00:22:14,360 --> 00:22:17,600
And then I'm just going
to fill in around the sides.
361
00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:19,720
But you can see I'm thinking
about the plant
362
00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:21,920
and I'm thinking
about the conditions
363
00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:26,520
that it might want to be in
in the long term.
364
00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:30,760
So that's potting up.
365
00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:34,280
Another thing we do at this time
of year is taking cuttings.
366
00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:37,280
For cuttings, in reality,
I want to keep it nice and open.
367
00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:40,680
So I might possibly go
to gravel, but I don't now,
368
00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:42,240
I tend to use perlite.
369
00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:47,840
We use about 60-40,
so about 40% of the perlite.
370
00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:49,280
And it might sound like a lot,
371
00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:51,600
but I'm going to keep
this nice and open.
372
00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:56,480
And to test it, once I've done...
373
00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:00,720
..squeeze and it falls open.
374
00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:04,000
I know now that will be
nice and open
375
00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,480
and the roots will
get going quickly.
376
00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,320
So, there you go, that's just
a couple of jobs that you might
377
00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:12,240
do in the garden and how
I would use peat-free to do it.
378
00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,280
And it is just my take.
379
00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:17,880
What I do know is
over the last 30 years,
380
00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:22,600
using peat-free hasn't really
affected what I get from my garden.
381
00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:31,200
And now, we are going to catch up
with wildlife gardener
382
00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:33,680
Kate Bradbury in
her own garden, showing us
383
00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:37,640
exactly what we can do at this time
of year to encourage wildlife.
384
00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:49,560
When our gardens start buzzing,
385
00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:53,280
it's so satisfying knowing we're
providing good food and homes
386
00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:55,280
for the insects.
387
00:23:55,280 --> 00:24:00,280
But when I built my pond, my dream
was for newts, toads and frogs.
388
00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:04,200
Frogs are the next layer
up in the food chain
389
00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,120
and definitely a gardener's friend.
390
00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:12,120
They breed in ponds and will sniff
out a new one to see if it suits.
391
00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:18,440
And guess what? The frogs found my
pond for the first time this spring
392
00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:21,280
and laid masses
and masses of frogspawn.
393
00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:24,520
And now, my pond is full
of tadpoles.
394
00:24:27,360 --> 00:24:30,360
Eggs and tadpoles make
great food for other species,
395
00:24:30,360 --> 00:24:33,720
so only about one in 50
grows into a froglet.
396
00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:37,960
And when the froglets emerge
from the pond in midsummer,
397
00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:42,320
they need damp, dark habitat
to shelter from predators,
398
00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:45,040
which is why I've made them
this log pile, which is
399
00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:46,400
less than 2m away from the pond.
400
00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:48,200
But then, when they're in
the garden,
401
00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:52,000
they in turn eat loads of pests
and other beasties, like small slugs
402
00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,280
and snails, flying insects
and beetles.
403
00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:58,880
So it's a win-win situation
for the frogs and the gardeners.
404
00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,200
I fringed the end of the pond
with plants like crane's-bill
405
00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:06,240
to give the froglets cover
as they clamber out.
406
00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:08,640
But I'm hoping this water
forget-me-not and brooklime
407
00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:10,520
will also attract new visitors.
408
00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:16,760
The reason they're here is because
newts use them to lay their eggs.
409
00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:20,760
Unlike frogs and toads, newts lay
eggs individually and they fold
410
00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:26,080
them into the leaves of plants like
brooklime and water forget-me-not.
411
00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:29,400
So I've planted in the hope
that I can attract newts
412
00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:31,120
to come to the garden.
413
00:25:31,120 --> 00:25:34,120
They're not here yet,
but just like the frogs,
414
00:25:34,120 --> 00:25:36,240
if you build it, they'll come.
415
00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:38,560
And when they do come,
I'll know they're here,
416
00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:42,080
because the leaves of these
plants will be folded over -
417
00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:44,800
each one of them containing
a little newt egg.
418
00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:51,320
As most amphibians walk into
your garden, the more gaps under
419
00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:55,720
gates or holes in walls you can
give them, the happier they'll be.
420
00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:58,000
In a little garden, providing homes
421
00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:02,480
and food all year can be
a challenge, but there are tricks.
422
00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:05,360
This pulmonaria has been feeding
bees in the spring.
423
00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:07,840
But now it's gone over
and, by cutting it back,
424
00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:10,560
I can fit in new pollinating plants.
425
00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:14,440
So this is poached egg plant.
426
00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:16,800
It's an annual with
white and yellow flowers -
427
00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:19,360
absolutely beloved of solitary bees.
428
00:26:19,360 --> 00:26:21,880
I'm going to plant a few
just around the pulmonaria here.
429
00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:23,720
It's going to fluff up,
it's going to flower,
430
00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:26,280
it's going to provide loads
of nectar and pollen and then,
431
00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:28,560
when the pulmonaria needs
the space back,
432
00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:31,080
these will have gone over
and I can just whip them out.
433
00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:34,560
I grow loads of these. They're
really easy to grow from seed.
434
00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:37,400
They're so useful for bees
and I can just dot them
435
00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:40,080
around whenever there's a space
that needs filling.
436
00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:43,080
They'll definitely go here, too,
437
00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,840
once I've chopped back this
leggy Cerinthe, or honeywort.
438
00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:51,200
And since I've built my garden,
it's also inspired neighbours to
439
00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:54,080
plant up theirs,
so there's even more colour nearby.
440
00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:02,040
It's really heartening to see
441
00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:04,920
all these brilliant
bee-friendly flowers in action.
442
00:27:06,360 --> 00:27:09,440
As well as making more space
for plants, there are ways to
443
00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:13,600
provide even more flowers and,
this year, I'm on a new mission.
444
00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:17,440
This is a hanging basket
with a twist,
445
00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:20,400
because I've made it
specifically for wildlife.
446
00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:22,160
It's a bit of an experiment.
447
00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:25,360
I've got a bit of red clover
in the middle and, then,
448
00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:28,280
draped around the edges, I've got
more poached egg plant.
449
00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,760
Then, tucked into the sides here,
I've got bird's-foot-trefoil,
450
00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:36,080
which I'm hoping will just
drape down like big curtains.
451
00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:37,800
This is just coming into flower now.
452
00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:40,320
The poached egg plant here has got
loads of buds on it.
453
00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:43,240
It'll probably be in flower
for between four and six weeks.
454
00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:45,160
But for the bees that come after,
455
00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:48,400
I'm planting up a second
hanging basket with smaller plants,
456
00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:51,240
which will carry the season through
and provide bees with
457
00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:54,280
a really good source of pollen
and nectar until late summer.
458
00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:57,440
Bird's-foot-trefoil is
a really good all-rounder,
459
00:27:57,440 --> 00:28:00,800
loved by bees and the caterpillars
of the common blue butterfly.
460
00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:08,520
This is red clover, which is
a fantastic bee plant.
461
00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:11,680
And the flowers are composite
flowers and they have long
462
00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:13,600
corollas, or flower tubes,
463
00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,160
so they're perfect for
long-tongued bumblebees.
464
00:28:17,360 --> 00:28:21,080
So the really big, fat bumblebees
you see going into foxgloves, those
465
00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,440
are called garden bumblebees
and they've got really long tongues.
466
00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,480
And the little gingery ones
are called common carders.
467
00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:31,560
They're the ones that will visit
the red clover - hopefully -
468
00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:33,200
in my hanging basket.
469
00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:50,960
And I've put it here
because I'm a bit of a bee geek
470
00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:53,520
and it's right next to
my bee hotels.
471
00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:56,840
And not only do I want to look
at the bees visiting the flowers
472
00:28:56,840 --> 00:28:58,800
and going straight to the bee hotel,
473
00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:01,880
but I'm hoping it might attract
new species, too.
474
00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:08,840
First, though,
I'll have a well-deserved sit down.
475
00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:12,480
The most important thing
I've learned since creating this
476
00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:16,920
wildlife garden is that you have
to take time to sit and enjoy it.
477
00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:20,760
Because that's how I get to learn
so much more about the wildlife
478
00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:24,800
that's already here, as well as see
the new species when they arrive.
479
00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:54,120
Kate, I totally agree with you.
480
00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:57,680
And I promise, I do actually
sit down occasionally
481
00:29:57,680 --> 00:29:59,560
and enjoy the garden.
482
00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:03,640
But I've been thinking -
if I had to pick one favourite thing
483
00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:06,960
about creating this garden,
it's got to be the wildlife
484
00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,840
that comes in
and enjoys this space with me.
485
00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:16,480
And this is a bee hotel.
It's actually mark 2.
486
00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:19,880
I put one up last year, which is
just along there. And I put so much
487
00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:24,880
research into the mason bee and the
size of the hole that you needed.
488
00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:27,360
And I needed to sand it out
and make sure it was clean
489
00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:29,280
and it pointed the right direction.
490
00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:33,640
Put it up and within two weeks,
a leafcutter bee had moved in.
491
00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:39,720
And I'm hoping that this gets
occupied very soon.
492
00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:46,720
I think us, as gardeners,
we know how important the spaces
493
00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:49,080
that we create are for wildlife.
494
00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:50,760
But so do young people.
495
00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:55,520
Also, so do BBC Radio 2, because
they're running a competition
496
00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:57,720
called the Big Bee Challenge.
497
00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:01,880
And it's for young people from
six years old to 12 to design
498
00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:05,760
a garden that will encourage
and provide for bees.
499
00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,920
And the winner will have
their garden built
500
00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:12,520
at an NHS unit for young people.
But you haven't got long.
501
00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:17,000
The competition closes on Monday,
the 5th of July at 6pm.
502
00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:19,880
Have a look on our website.
All the information is on there.
503
00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:23,280
But please, please,
get stuck in. Have a go.
504
00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:25,480
You never know, you might win it.
505
00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:31,240
Now, still to come on
today's programme...
506
00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:34,440
We visit the Isle of Man,
507
00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:38,680
where its unique climate makes it
a paradise for gardeners.
508
00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:43,160
We have the Gulf Stream
running past us, so we don't get
509
00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:45,960
the cold temperatures
that you would associate
510
00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:47,920
with other parts of the UK.
511
00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:50,120
I think people are
extremely surprised
512
00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:51,720
by what we are growing here.
513
00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:56,720
And for those that want to squeeze
a little bit more from their space,
514
00:31:56,720 --> 00:31:59,440
I'll be building a window box.
515
00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:02,640
But first, we meet a viewer
that has transformed their backyard
516
00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:04,280
using pots.
517
00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:11,760
Hello, everybody, my name is Julia
518
00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:14,480
and I live in Barton-under-Needwood
in Staffordshire.
519
00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,520
Today, I thought I'd show you
some of the things that I've been
520
00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:22,720
doing in my backyard.
521
00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:25,760
So up until a few months ago,
my backyard
522
00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:28,600
was really just all
brick and pavers.
523
00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,040
But what I really want to do
is create this almost little
524
00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:32,800
Mediterranean pot garden.
525
00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:37,280
This is my herb area, which is
underneath my kitchen window.
526
00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:43,600
I'm not so great with watering my
hanging baskets, so I've done grass
527
00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:48,680
hanging baskets this year, which
are actually looking really good.
528
00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:51,560
I've also found a massive love
for hostas.
529
00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:55,880
I've always liked hostas and I had
about five or six in the back
530
00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:58,400
garden that were getting rather big,
531
00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:01,280
so all these ones, this year,
you can see
532
00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:04,600
have been divided off six plants.
533
00:33:07,560 --> 00:33:11,640
That was an old Christmas tree that
was bought to go in my office
534
00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:15,760
last year, and I've salvaged it
and it's doing really, really well.
535
00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:21,400
This is my little sanctuary,
at the moment,
536
00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:26,640
where I can just come of a morning
or an evening and have a cup of tea.
537
00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:28,280
It's been really good, as well,
538
00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:32,560
because it's taught me how I can
make use of plants that are getting
539
00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:37,800
rather squashed and crushed under
bigger plants within my garden.
540
00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:43,800
So this space that, before, was
really not very interesting is now
541
00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:46,320
a real lovely, cosy haven.
542
00:33:56,760 --> 00:34:00,680
Julia, I thought your hostas
looked absolutely fantastic.
543
00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:02,080
They're a lot better than mine.
544
00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:05,520
Mine have been absolutely mullered
by the slugs and the snails.
545
00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:10,280
Now, not a lot of people know this,
but during the winter months,
546
00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:14,840
I actually enjoy locking myself
in the shed and carving -
547
00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:17,880
making things out of timber
and stone.
548
00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:22,000
So, this year, I came up with
an idea for some window boxes.
549
00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:24,720
So I'm going to show you something.
This might be a little awkward,
550
00:34:24,720 --> 00:34:27,920
because obviously,
he's not going to move.
551
00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:32,360
There we go. It's a box that's got
a series of sections in it.
552
00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:35,120
You could put a pot in there
quite simply, or,
553
00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:38,080
what I'm going to do
is plant each space
554
00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:41,960
and then, when something goes over,
you can actually tease it out
555
00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:44,480
without disturbing everything else.
556
00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:46,280
He's definitely not going to move!
557
00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:49,120
So I don't know how quite how
we're going to do it.
558
00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:51,400
Come on, little fella.
559
00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:55,080
Right, down there, good boy.
560
00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:58,760
So, you're going to need a front
and you're going to need a back.
561
00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:03,080
The timber that I've used is oak,
but you could do this with
562
00:35:03,080 --> 00:35:07,240
soft wood, paint it
and detail it as you want.
563
00:35:07,240 --> 00:35:10,000
Thickness-wise,
I've gone for 2cm thick
564
00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:13,000
and then the depth of my timber
565
00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:14,800
is actually 20cm.
566
00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:17,280
That depth is great
for the planting,
567
00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:19,720
but also, to put a pot in, as well.
568
00:35:19,720 --> 00:35:24,080
And then, the length of this
is actually 113cm long.
569
00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:28,720
So each compartment
is 20cm by 20cm.
570
00:35:28,720 --> 00:35:32,720
And that allows me
to put my ends inside my timber.
571
00:35:32,720 --> 00:35:34,880
It's going to be a lot
better for the timber
572
00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:37,360
and actually, visually,
just looks better.
573
00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:42,360
Then, my dividers are actually,
obviously, 20cm from front to
574
00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:45,400
back, but they're only 17cm high.
575
00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:49,640
So you can properly just see that
I've set them down very slightly.
576
00:35:49,640 --> 00:35:54,680
So that when the box is planted, it
still looks like one complete box.
577
00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:05,840
So fix at each end
578
00:36:05,840 --> 00:36:07,760
just to hold everything in place.
579
00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:16,120
Once you've got the sides,
the back and the base in place,
580
00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:18,760
the whole thing holds together
really well.
581
00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:25,680
So once I've got my back
and my base and my sides on,
582
00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:28,200
I can then offer up the front.
583
00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:38,440
So for me, the brass screws
on the front
584
00:36:38,440 --> 00:36:44,200
just give it a lovely bit
of detail.
585
00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:48,440
Right, so, the divides
are going in.
586
00:36:56,480 --> 00:37:00,040
So ultimately, the divides have got
four fixings -
587
00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:01,600
two front and two back.
588
00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:15,040
So, there you go.
That's the last one and it's solid.
589
00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:18,800
The last little detail, which is
slightly indulgent, is the carving.
590
00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:23,600
Just to create a bit more interest
591
00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:24,960
all the way along.
592
00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:32,720
I honestly do get the same thing
from this that I get from gardening.
593
00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:40,440
There you go.
594
00:37:40,440 --> 00:37:43,200
All I need to do now is
drill a hole in each compartment
595
00:37:43,200 --> 00:37:45,000
just for drainage.
596
00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:48,080
But while I'm doing that, we've got
another chance to catch up with
597
00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:52,000
Roger Butler from Kent,
who does love a hydrangea.
598
00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:03,600
Well, I started growing plants
when I was eight.
599
00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:07,400
My aunt grew chrysanthemums
and dahlias, and I quite liked them
600
00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:09,480
and I started growing them myself.
601
00:38:09,480 --> 00:38:13,040
And since then, I've moved onto
growing trees and then shrubs
602
00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:17,160
and hydrangeas have become
a bit of a speciality.
603
00:38:22,520 --> 00:38:25,720
The interest in them commercially
sort of exploded
604
00:38:25,720 --> 00:38:29,040
about eight, ten years ago
and for five years, we've been
605
00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:33,960
expanding our range and growing
more and more different types.
606
00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:36,640
And I think we've picked a winner.
607
00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:38,720
They're not grannies' plants
any more.
608
00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:43,520
They give such a wide range
of colour.
609
00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:46,000
They start flowering
naturally in the spring
610
00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:49,680
and you've got colour right the way
through till the autumn.
611
00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:55,280
The bunch of hydrangeas that
I've just cut features some
612
00:38:55,280 --> 00:38:58,840
mopheads, which is this type
of hydrangea,
613
00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:03,600
and two lacecaps
and one double-flowered variety.
614
00:39:03,600 --> 00:39:05,840
This one here is a mature flower
615
00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:07,880
of a variety called Berlin.
616
00:39:07,880 --> 00:39:10,320
The next one here is Glam Rock,
617
00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:13,640
which was the plant of the year
a few years ago.
618
00:39:13,640 --> 00:39:17,520
In America, they call it Pistachio,
which I think is quite appropriate.
619
00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:21,080
I've got a small-petalled variety,
which is Ayesha -
620
00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:23,000
again, a mophead.
621
00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:27,400
This is Rotkehlchen,
a German variety - lacecap.
622
00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:30,840
Very nice, reliable,
quite easy grower.
623
00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:34,960
In England, lacecaps sell better
than mopheads and,
624
00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:37,960
on the Continent,
they struggle to sell the lacecaps
625
00:39:37,960 --> 00:39:39,760
and everyone wants a mophead.
626
00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:41,360
But I like them all.
627
00:39:41,360 --> 00:39:46,880
I'm sorry - you're going to struggle
to pin me down to one variety.
628
00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:02,720
Well, the unusual thing is
that the soil decides
629
00:40:02,720 --> 00:40:04,520
the colour of the plant.
630
00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:07,680
These two plants here
are the same variety -
631
00:40:07,680 --> 00:40:09,920
they're Magical Revolution.
632
00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:13,640
And the only difference
between these two plants is
633
00:40:13,640 --> 00:40:15,920
the compost that
they are growing in.
634
00:40:15,920 --> 00:40:19,760
This pink plant has been growing
in an alkaline soil, whereas the
635
00:40:19,760 --> 00:40:22,520
blue one is growing in an acid soil
636
00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:25,120
with added aluminium sulphate.
637
00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:27,600
Of course, if you grow it
in a container, it's easy to
638
00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:29,800
control the soil pH.
639
00:40:29,800 --> 00:40:33,080
And if you plant them in
your garden, it's pretty much
640
00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:37,280
pot luck as to what colour
they'll be in the coming years.
641
00:40:37,280 --> 00:40:40,080
They'll probably stay blue
or pink for the first year, but,
642
00:40:40,080 --> 00:40:45,200
as the soil affects them, they'll go
to whatever the soil type allows.
643
00:40:47,800 --> 00:40:51,040
Your best bet, if you want
a hydrangea that stays the same
644
00:40:51,040 --> 00:40:53,000
colour, is to plant a white one,
645
00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:56,200
because the acidity or alkalinity of
the soil doesn't affect the colour.
646
00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:10,080
The word hydrangea comes
from Greek
647
00:41:10,080 --> 00:41:13,280
and it comes from two words -
one of them for "water"
648
00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:16,000
and the other for
"vessel" or "container".
649
00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:19,240
So it's giving you a clue
they need quite a lot of water.
650
00:41:19,240 --> 00:41:22,160
If you want to grow the very best
plants, they need to be
651
00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:25,960
in slight shade
in a very organic compost,
652
00:41:25,960 --> 00:41:28,800
and they are quite hungry.
They need quite a lot of feed.
653
00:41:33,160 --> 00:41:36,120
Paniculatas are fine in full sun
654
00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:39,600
and they'll grow virtually
on most soils.
655
00:41:39,600 --> 00:41:41,960
Some of them grow to 10ft, 12ft.
656
00:41:43,520 --> 00:41:46,960
I love my plants
and I grow a lot of plants.
657
00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:50,080
My wife sometimes says to me
that I won't sell some of the plants
658
00:41:50,080 --> 00:41:52,680
on the nursery because I like them
so much.
659
00:41:52,680 --> 00:41:56,520
And she's right.
She's absolutely right.
660
00:42:09,720 --> 00:42:14,560
Roger, I agree with you. They're not
a granny's plant any more.
661
00:42:14,560 --> 00:42:18,120
I'm partly saying that
because I absolutely love them
662
00:42:18,120 --> 00:42:20,320
and I can't stop buying them.
663
00:42:20,320 --> 00:42:22,920
So, window box.
664
00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:25,560
I've gone back to the box
that I made earlier.
665
00:42:25,560 --> 00:42:28,600
This has been oiled,
so it will last that bit longer.
666
00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:32,560
I'm going to plant this up
with a series of herbs.
667
00:42:32,560 --> 00:42:35,720
The first thing I'm going to do is
just put some horticultural grit
668
00:42:35,720 --> 00:42:37,920
in the bottom of each.
669
00:42:37,920 --> 00:42:41,120
What you don't want is the water
sitting at the bottom -
670
00:42:41,120 --> 00:42:44,280
partly for the wood,
but also the roots on your plant.
671
00:42:47,480 --> 00:42:51,320
And then, I've done a really
sort of good, gritty mix.
672
00:42:51,320 --> 00:42:55,400
So most of these herbs like
well-drained conditions.
673
00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:57,920
There's probably about 40% grit
674
00:42:57,920 --> 00:43:01,280
and the rest is a peat-free compost.
675
00:43:01,280 --> 00:43:03,600
The first thing I'm going
to put in is the sage.
676
00:43:05,120 --> 00:43:08,000
Obviously, because I've got
the compartments, I'm always going
677
00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:10,880
to contain the roots,
which means it'll contain
678
00:43:10,880 --> 00:43:14,360
the size of the plants. But they'll
last quite a long time in here.
679
00:43:14,360 --> 00:43:17,640
And when I feel they're starting
to get really contained within
680
00:43:17,640 --> 00:43:22,120
this confined area, what I will do
is I'll start feeding it.
681
00:43:22,120 --> 00:43:25,720
So I will liquid feed this
probably twice a year.
682
00:43:25,720 --> 00:43:28,960
The next one I'm going
to put in is the marjoram.
683
00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:31,440
I know they're just
a simple little herb mix,
684
00:43:31,440 --> 00:43:33,320
but what I'm trying to do
685
00:43:33,320 --> 00:43:35,160
is just vary the foliage again.
686
00:43:38,160 --> 00:43:40,000
The next one is rosemary.
687
00:43:40,000 --> 00:43:42,400
This will be a plant
that you'll read the label
688
00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:44,520
and think it's too big for this,
but it won't be.
689
00:43:45,760 --> 00:43:48,440
You can start to see the whole
thing coming together.
690
00:43:53,320 --> 00:43:57,160
Now, this is just a thyme.
It's called Silver Posie.
691
00:44:00,040 --> 00:44:04,000
You could grow all sorts in here.
692
00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:07,200
The lovely thing with this
is that you can chop and change.
693
00:44:07,200 --> 00:44:09,880
You know, I could tease that out,
put something else in
694
00:44:09,880 --> 00:44:12,600
if that got too big.
Don't need to disturb these.
695
00:44:12,600 --> 00:44:16,760
Whereas, actually, one box, they
would all start to mat together.
696
00:44:16,760 --> 00:44:20,040
Now, I'm going
to put some parsley in.
697
00:44:20,040 --> 00:44:23,240
Parsley doesn't need it
so well drained.
698
00:44:23,240 --> 00:44:26,040
I think that's the last
little trick -
699
00:44:26,040 --> 00:44:29,920
is that you can control the compost
type, your mix types,
700
00:44:29,920 --> 00:44:31,680
in every single container.
701
00:44:31,680 --> 00:44:35,200
So here, I've used a mix
that's got composted bark in it
702
00:44:35,200 --> 00:44:37,000
and less gravel.
703
00:44:41,520 --> 00:44:46,120
And there you go, that's the last
little one going in there.
704
00:44:56,360 --> 00:44:59,800
What's lovely is it just keeps all
the compost in place,
705
00:44:59,800 --> 00:45:04,080
but really sets the plants off.
706
00:45:04,080 --> 00:45:05,280
There you go.
707
00:45:06,960 --> 00:45:09,040
I hope that's given you a few ideas.
708
00:45:09,040 --> 00:45:11,320
I have just the spot for it.
709
00:45:11,320 --> 00:45:13,640
I'm going to get someone
to help me move it there
710
00:45:13,640 --> 00:45:16,400
and I'm not going to water it
until it's finally in place,
711
00:45:16,400 --> 00:45:20,320
because it will, at that point,
be a little bit heavy.
712
00:45:20,320 --> 00:45:25,160
Now, we're off to the Isle of Man
to see a rather beautiful garden.
713
00:45:28,560 --> 00:45:32,440
I'm Adam Quayle and we're at the
Milntown estate on the Isle of Man.
714
00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:38,760
I've been garden manager
for the last four years
715
00:45:38,760 --> 00:45:40,920
and I absolutely love working here.
716
00:45:44,760 --> 00:45:48,200
The grounds have undergone
a considerable transformation.
717
00:45:48,200 --> 00:45:51,560
The walled garden was actually,
originally, an orchard.
718
00:45:51,560 --> 00:45:54,320
All there was
was the large camellias
719
00:45:54,320 --> 00:45:57,240
and rhododendrons which were around
the perimeter.
720
00:45:57,240 --> 00:46:01,720
Everything inside has been planned
and planted in the last eight years.
721
00:46:04,880 --> 00:46:09,080
The microclimate on the Isle of Man
has influenced what we are
722
00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:13,240
growing here, and being so far
north, you wouldn't associate that.
723
00:46:13,240 --> 00:46:16,160
We have the Gulf Stream
running past us,
724
00:46:16,160 --> 00:46:19,720
so we don't get the cold
temperatures that you would
725
00:46:19,720 --> 00:46:21,800
associate with other
parts of the UK.
726
00:46:24,480 --> 00:46:27,200
We have Dodonaea viscosa Purpurea,
727
00:46:27,200 --> 00:46:29,960
with its lovely, lush
purple foliage.
728
00:46:31,240 --> 00:46:35,560
We have Echium pininanas
with their beautiful, tall
729
00:46:35,560 --> 00:46:39,480
flower spikes that are just
laden with bees.
730
00:46:41,120 --> 00:46:43,920
We can grow Aeonium arboreum.
731
00:46:43,920 --> 00:46:45,680
Their hardiness zone is H1c,
732
00:46:45,680 --> 00:46:48,920
which you would only be putting them
out in the summer months
733
00:46:48,920 --> 00:46:52,360
in other parts of the UK,
but we overwinter them outside.
734
00:46:54,120 --> 00:46:57,720
So here we have some
Aeonium arboreum cuttings.
735
00:46:57,720 --> 00:47:00,000
It's a semi-succulent.
736
00:47:00,000 --> 00:47:04,600
And we will take all
the bottom growth from them
737
00:47:04,600 --> 00:47:08,160
and then that would be
our cutting ready.
738
00:47:08,160 --> 00:47:11,560
What I'll do, though, is set these
aside for a day
739
00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:15,440
to let the actual cut heal over
to stop infection.
740
00:47:15,440 --> 00:47:20,440
Now, what I would do is
some horticultural grit,
741
00:47:20,440 --> 00:47:21,840
compost mix,
742
00:47:21,840 --> 00:47:24,600
make a hole.
Just a few cuttings in each.
743
00:47:27,520 --> 00:47:29,520
Now, you'll leave this.
744
00:47:29,520 --> 00:47:31,520
You'll give it a good water after
745
00:47:31,520 --> 00:47:33,760
and then you'll leave it
for six weeks
746
00:47:33,760 --> 00:47:36,000
and this will have rooted.
747
00:47:36,000 --> 00:47:42,320
And what you're left with is
a nice, healthy aeonium plant.
748
00:47:42,320 --> 00:47:44,920
You see all the foliage has come
back on the bottoms.
749
00:47:47,920 --> 00:47:50,080
I think people are
extremely surprised
750
00:47:50,080 --> 00:47:51,640
by what we're growing here.
751
00:47:51,640 --> 00:47:54,560
They usually ask a lot of questions
on how we can grow it
752
00:47:54,560 --> 00:47:56,280
and what special things we do.
753
00:47:56,280 --> 00:47:59,880
Do we fleece the stuff over
the winter, do we wrap them,
754
00:47:59,880 --> 00:48:01,560
do we bring them in?
755
00:48:01,560 --> 00:48:03,880
And fortunately, we don't need to.
756
00:48:07,280 --> 00:48:09,320
So here we are in the Jungle Walk -
757
00:48:09,320 --> 00:48:12,120
this being one of my favourite
areas in the garden.
758
00:48:12,120 --> 00:48:16,400
It's an architectural element
that we've added to this area.
759
00:48:16,400 --> 00:48:19,480
We've planted Dicksonia antarctica
760
00:48:19,480 --> 00:48:21,280
with its bare stems
761
00:48:21,280 --> 00:48:24,600
and its beautiful
lime-green foliage.
762
00:48:24,600 --> 00:48:29,160
And then, we've underplanted
the entire area with dominating
763
00:48:29,160 --> 00:48:32,800
leaf forms such as
Astelia Silver Shadow.
764
00:48:32,800 --> 00:48:35,080
We've got libertia
765
00:48:35,080 --> 00:48:38,400
and various forms of pulmonaria.
766
00:48:38,400 --> 00:48:41,440
Another unusual tender plant
that we have
767
00:48:41,440 --> 00:48:43,040
is Geranium reuteri.
768
00:48:43,040 --> 00:48:45,160
It was Geranium canariense,
769
00:48:45,160 --> 00:48:47,920
due to the fact that it comes
from the Canaries.
770
00:48:47,920 --> 00:48:50,880
And that grows prolifically
on the Isle of Man,
771
00:48:50,880 --> 00:48:53,000
but particularly in these gardens.
772
00:49:04,600 --> 00:49:08,120
So here we have the Fuchsia
magellanica - considered to be
773
00:49:08,120 --> 00:49:11,840
the Manx fuchsia, just because
it's naturalised so well.
774
00:49:11,840 --> 00:49:14,720
It was brought over in about 1850
775
00:49:14,720 --> 00:49:19,560
and then it's just spread from there
into the woodlands, the hedgerows.
776
00:49:19,560 --> 00:49:21,760
It's done so well on the island,
777
00:49:21,760 --> 00:49:24,840
because we do not have
the cold winters.
778
00:49:24,840 --> 00:49:28,440
So they will just keep going
and going and going.
779
00:49:28,440 --> 00:49:31,920
And we have some 12-15ft specimens.
780
00:49:33,600 --> 00:49:36,640
Say you've got a large fuchsia
in your back garden
781
00:49:36,640 --> 00:49:40,120
and you're unsure
what to do with it, you can
782
00:49:40,120 --> 00:49:43,440
elevate the whole lot and you'll be
able to underplant, then.
783
00:49:43,440 --> 00:49:46,600
So if you want to plant shade-loving
plants, then you can do so
784
00:49:46,600 --> 00:49:48,720
and it's making an area
more accessible.
785
00:49:48,720 --> 00:49:52,000
So what I'll be doing is pruning off
all the lower growth
786
00:49:52,000 --> 00:49:55,000
and lifting the canopy.
787
00:49:55,000 --> 00:49:57,920
And you continue that up
788
00:49:57,920 --> 00:50:03,160
until you're happy with
the elevation on the plant.
789
00:50:06,000 --> 00:50:09,760
I particularly like the fact
that you can see the stems.
790
00:50:09,760 --> 00:50:12,080
It gives you
an architectural element.
791
00:50:16,080 --> 00:50:22,200
My ambitions for Milntown is that
we create this place of beauty
792
00:50:22,200 --> 00:50:24,600
to put something in place that
793
00:50:24,600 --> 00:50:27,680
future generations
can come to appreciate.
794
00:50:29,560 --> 00:50:33,560
Wow. They're foxes. Are we going
to do some weeding?
795
00:50:33,560 --> 00:50:35,600
I have three small children.
796
00:50:35,600 --> 00:50:39,800
My young girl, Evie, she's only
two and a half and she comes out
797
00:50:39,800 --> 00:50:44,120
and she helps me weed and she loves
getting her hands dirty.
798
00:50:44,120 --> 00:50:47,040
Dig, dig. No. Dig.
799
00:50:47,040 --> 00:50:49,000
Ah, you're doing a good job.
800
00:50:49,000 --> 00:50:51,320
Yeah. Aren't you? Yes.
801
00:50:51,320 --> 00:50:53,280
Yeah. Dig. Dig!
802
00:50:53,280 --> 00:50:55,280
Dig, dig.
803
00:50:53,280 --> 00:50:55,280
HE CHUCKLES
804
00:50:57,720 --> 00:51:01,400
When I first started at Milntown,
it was a job.
805
00:51:01,400 --> 00:51:03,920
Then it became my passion.
806
00:51:03,920 --> 00:51:05,920
Then, my hobby.
807
00:51:05,920 --> 00:51:09,320
And then I moved,
I got a cottage on site
808
00:51:09,320 --> 00:51:11,560
and then it became
the place that I live.
809
00:51:11,560 --> 00:51:13,400
It's amazing.
810
00:51:16,000 --> 00:51:18,240
I wouldn't live anywhere else.
811
00:51:18,240 --> 00:51:20,000
Or work anywhere else.
812
00:51:34,000 --> 00:51:36,840
Now, that is a garden
that I need to pay a visit to.
813
00:51:38,120 --> 00:51:40,480
But aren't we lucky in the UK
814
00:51:40,480 --> 00:51:44,880
to have that huge variation
in conditions, which allows us
815
00:51:44,880 --> 00:51:47,840
to grow so many varieties of plants?
816
00:51:47,840 --> 00:51:49,840
Last year, I took a bit of a gamble
817
00:51:49,840 --> 00:51:52,560
and planted some ginger
in the garden -
818
00:51:52,560 --> 00:51:55,320
mulched it and crossed my fingers.
819
00:51:55,320 --> 00:51:58,800
And I thought, because of the winter
we'd had, I'd lost it.
820
00:51:58,800 --> 00:52:02,480
And one morning, I came out
with a cup of tea and I saw it.
821
00:52:02,480 --> 00:52:05,800
And this ginger was coming out
and I gave it a little jump.
822
00:52:05,800 --> 00:52:09,280
So what I've got is I've got
one, two, three clumps.
823
00:52:09,280 --> 00:52:11,000
And I've got some more over there.
824
00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:14,280
So I want to add this one
just to keep that rhythm going.
825
00:52:20,360 --> 00:52:22,280
So I think
826
00:52:22,280 --> 00:52:25,600
that's going to work
really well in there -
827
00:52:25,600 --> 00:52:27,840
that contrast between
those two foliages.
828
00:52:30,280 --> 00:52:32,640
And again, if you didn't want
to plant something like this
829
00:52:32,640 --> 00:52:35,960
in your garden, it works well
in a pot
830
00:52:35,960 --> 00:52:37,800
for a bit of late colour.
831
00:52:37,800 --> 00:52:42,080
And I'd love to tell you
the variety of my gingers,
832
00:52:42,080 --> 00:52:44,600
but I lost the labels.
833
00:52:44,600 --> 00:52:48,440
If you want to do something like
this and put it in the garden, just
834
00:52:48,440 --> 00:52:54,280
check out how hardy it is, because
some are a lot hardier than others.
835
00:52:54,280 --> 00:52:57,320
So there you go. I'll just give that
a really good watering in.
836
00:52:57,320 --> 00:53:00,480
But you can see, as that grows
and fills this space,
837
00:53:00,480 --> 00:53:04,280
the contrast between those two
leaves is going to be fantastic.
838
00:53:04,280 --> 00:53:08,000
And even looking back towards you,
with the little quaking grass,
839
00:53:08,000 --> 00:53:10,800
that is a combination I think
is going to work really well.
840
00:53:15,880 --> 00:53:20,120
And now, we're off to Epsom in
Surrey for the last of your gardens.
841
00:53:20,120 --> 00:53:21,640
And we're going to meet a viewer
842
00:53:21,640 --> 00:53:24,040
that has grown one
of my favourite climbers.
843
00:53:30,360 --> 00:53:32,640
Hi, I'm Jane and this is my garden.
844
00:53:32,640 --> 00:53:34,800
I'd like to show you my wisteria.
845
00:53:34,800 --> 00:53:37,880
It's a white wisteria,
probably a floribunda,
846
00:53:37,880 --> 00:53:42,240
and it starts here and it goes
all the way around the house
847
00:53:42,240 --> 00:53:43,920
and half the garden.
848
00:53:49,680 --> 00:53:53,560
I planted it 27 years ago
and it's very special to our family,
849
00:53:53,560 --> 00:53:55,800
because it first flowered
five years later on the birth
850
00:53:55,800 --> 00:54:00,120
of my youngest daughter. And it's
flowered every year ever since
851
00:54:00,120 --> 00:54:02,080
in May and June.
852
00:54:03,880 --> 00:54:06,760
This is the sheer weight
of the white wall.
853
00:54:06,760 --> 00:54:09,280
Full of bees buzzing around.
854
00:54:09,280 --> 00:54:12,080
There must be about 100 bees or so
in there at the moment.
855
00:54:14,040 --> 00:54:16,600
And then I've managed to extend it
along the back of the house
856
00:54:16,600 --> 00:54:18,520
and down the fence.
857
00:54:18,520 --> 00:54:20,760
And I don't know where
it's going to stop yet.
858
00:54:24,560 --> 00:54:27,480
The smell is absolutely amazing.
859
00:54:27,480 --> 00:54:30,080
The perfume is wonderful.
860
00:54:30,080 --> 00:54:33,520
And this is my favourite place
to sit
861
00:54:33,520 --> 00:54:38,600
with a cup of tea, because we can
see up into the wisteria.
862
00:54:40,520 --> 00:54:43,040
And then you can see through
to the white wall
863
00:54:43,040 --> 00:54:45,080
and the rest of the garden.
864
00:54:45,080 --> 00:54:47,280
It's so magical to be
in this tunnel.
865
00:54:49,400 --> 00:54:51,320
Thank you for watching and I hope
866
00:54:51,320 --> 00:54:52,880
you've enjoyed it and goodbye.
867
00:55:10,000 --> 00:55:14,720
Jane, you seem to be getting as much
joy from your wisteria as I do mine.
868
00:55:14,720 --> 00:55:18,160
But I would say yours
really is a cracker.
869
00:55:18,160 --> 00:55:22,520
Mine's gone over now, but as
that goes, something else arrives
870
00:55:22,520 --> 00:55:25,960
and for me, at the moment, it's this
little collection in front of me.
871
00:55:25,960 --> 00:55:27,640
You've got the astrantia.
872
00:55:27,640 --> 00:55:31,400
Lovely sort of white, paper-like
flower with a pink flush.
873
00:55:31,400 --> 00:55:33,080
Grasses coming up through it.
874
00:55:33,080 --> 00:55:35,280
But my favourite bit is the way
875
00:55:35,280 --> 00:55:38,920
that the seed heads
of the geum have sat
876
00:55:38,920 --> 00:55:41,520
amongst the astrantia.
877
00:55:41,520 --> 00:55:45,320
The only problem is - this pulling
me because of its beauty -
878
00:55:45,320 --> 00:55:49,600
means that this rheum at the back
here has caught my eye.
879
00:55:49,600 --> 00:55:51,560
It needs a little bit of work.
880
00:55:51,560 --> 00:55:55,760
You could say I've been sharing that
with slugs and snails.
881
00:55:55,760 --> 00:55:58,440
But, if you look closely in there,
882
00:55:58,440 --> 00:56:00,560
you can see there's new growth.
883
00:56:00,560 --> 00:56:02,600
So what I'm going to do
is cut that back,
884
00:56:02,600 --> 00:56:06,200
give it a mulching around and it'll
come good later on in the season.
885
00:56:06,200 --> 00:56:07,680
But while I'm doing that,
886
00:56:07,680 --> 00:56:10,080
here's something you can be doing
at the weekend.
887
00:56:20,200 --> 00:56:22,320
Hardy geraniums like Geranium phaeum
888
00:56:22,320 --> 00:56:25,520
can look a little bit untidy
after they've finished flowering -
889
00:56:25,520 --> 00:56:28,200
like this one that's flopped
over the path.
890
00:56:28,200 --> 00:56:30,560
But if you chop them hard back,
891
00:56:30,560 --> 00:56:32,320
right down to the ground,
892
00:56:32,320 --> 00:56:35,920
they'll put on a new flush of growth
in a matter of weeks.
893
00:56:43,360 --> 00:56:46,160
It's not too late to get some kale
going for winter.
894
00:56:47,680 --> 00:56:49,360
I like to start mine off in a tray
895
00:56:49,360 --> 00:56:51,920
of compost which I water beforehand.
896
00:56:51,920 --> 00:56:54,240
Sprinkle the seed over the top
897
00:56:54,240 --> 00:56:56,720
and lightly cover
with a fine layer of compost.
898
00:56:58,240 --> 00:57:00,680
Germination will only take
a few days
899
00:57:00,680 --> 00:57:03,160
and there's no need
to provide any heat.
900
00:57:06,880 --> 00:57:10,080
To spruce up your garden
and help prevent grass from invading
901
00:57:10,080 --> 00:57:13,800
your borders, it's worth giving
the lawn edges a regular trim.
902
00:57:15,600 --> 00:57:18,360
I use a pair of
long-handled shears for the job.
903
00:57:18,360 --> 00:57:21,280
But garden shears
would work just as well.
904
00:57:36,480 --> 00:57:39,440
Is there anything that says
summertime more than
905
00:57:39,440 --> 00:57:41,840
strawberries and cream? I think not.
906
00:57:41,840 --> 00:57:44,680
But also, something else
that says summertime to me
907
00:57:44,680 --> 00:57:46,000
are the flower shows.
908
00:57:46,000 --> 00:57:48,120
And you'll be pleased to know that
909
00:57:48,120 --> 00:57:51,400
the RHS Hampton Court Palace
Garden Festival is back.
910
00:57:53,720 --> 00:57:55,920
And the coverage starts
next Wednesday,
911
00:57:55,920 --> 00:57:58,920
and I, for one,
am chuffed to pieces,
912
00:57:58,920 --> 00:58:02,360
because it will be lovely for me
to catch up with some old friends.
913
00:58:02,360 --> 00:58:04,600
So, hopefully, I'll see you there.
914
00:58:05,600 --> 00:58:07,720
That is about it from us.
I hope you've enjoyed
915
00:58:07,720 --> 00:58:10,560
the last couple of weeks,
because I have really loved
916
00:58:10,560 --> 00:58:12,840
sharing the garden with you.
917
00:58:12,840 --> 00:58:15,440
Monty will be back next week
at nine o'clock.
918
00:58:15,440 --> 00:58:17,800
In the meantime,
look after yourselves.
120940
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