Gardeners World S51e06 20-04-18
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00Hello, welcome to Gardner's World.
00:11These irises were fantastic in February.
00:14This is Iris George, really good, rich purple colour.
00:18But now they're long gone and the foliage is slowly dying back and feeding into the
00:23bulb to provide next year's flowers.
00:26And that ties up a really nice little terracotta pan.
00:30So what I'm doing is taking them out and I will plant that into a border as a group.
00:36And that means I now have a pot which I can use for seed.
00:40So I'm recycling the plants and recycling the pot.
00:47On today's programme, Mark Lane has two spring container recipes to add a touch of class
00:53to both a sunny and a shady spot.
00:56Now when you think about planting up any container, think about different layers.
01:01And Adam embarks on a brand new project to help a family in Leicester transform their
01:07new build garden.
01:08Between us we've got so many ideas, but I just don't know where to start.
01:14And I shall be planting more bulbs, but this time summer flowering ones, in my writing
01:18garden and also sowing vegetable seeds in a variety of containers that are alternatives
01:24to plastic.
01:45Carol went to visit Bodnant some weeks ago, where the winter colours were really spectacular
01:51and none brighter or stronger than from the dogwood.
01:54Now dogwood has this fabulous bark, it's iridescent and illuminated from within.
02:00But you only get that in new wood.
02:03So it needs pruning regularly to stimulate new growth.
02:07And the time to do it is right now.
02:09When you start to see the new leaves appearing, that's the time to cut.
02:14And then there'll be rapid regrowth, and then December, January, February, March, even
02:19April of next year, you'll have that iridescent glow.
02:22And you can do this a number of ways.
02:25You can either prune a whole plant right back every two or three years, but then you don't
02:32have anything to see during the summer, or you can prune part of a plant right back.
02:36As long as you cut back to living growth, it will regrow strongly.
02:48This large yellow dogwood is Cornus Flavirumare.
02:54And it's a really good shape, but it's getting a bit of a tangle.
02:57So I'm going to cut some of it out to thin it.
03:00It's worth pointing out that when you do prune as hard as this, there is a sacrifice, and
03:05that's the flowers.
03:07You can see here, the flower buds are forming.
03:10Personally, I think the bark is much more dramatic, and it's the reason that you grow
03:15the plants rather than the flowers themselves.
03:25And a little bit there.
03:28It's astonishing how easily dogwood and willow take from cuttings at this time of year.
03:34If you just use the material you pruned, you can create dozens of new plants.
03:39But you can make it easier by taking off side shoots.
03:44In this case, I'm going to take that off, prune that off, prune that, and take that
03:52off there.
03:53Now, that's the basis for a nice strong shrub, and I want to bury that at least four inches,
04:00and it wouldn't matter if I buried it right up to there.
04:03So push it into soft ground, and it goes down in.
04:10That's nice and strong, and that's it.
04:12That's all you have to do.
04:14Now, while I'm here, it's worth having a look at these tree ferns, Dixonia antarctica.
04:22I planted these last summer.
04:24They thought they looked fantastic.
04:27Wrapped them up last autumn against possible cold.
04:30What I hadn't reckoned on was cold of minus 14 degrees.
04:36So there is a real risk that that night of very hard frost in December killed them.
04:42I'm going to unwrap the extra layer of hessian I put around it, and then the fleece.
04:49The whole point has been to protect the junction between the leaves and the top of the trunk.
04:55Doesn't matter at all that these have died back.
04:56That's perfectly OK.
04:57So I'm going to cut those back.
04:59What I want to see is signs of new growth, and until new growth comes, I won't know if
05:05it survived the winter.
05:08But I'm not in a hurry into anything, because it could easily take another month before
05:14anything grows, and I won't give up on it until June.
05:20It doesn't look great, I have to say, and that's sad, because these are expensive, lovely
05:26plants.
05:27Come on.
05:40Look at that.
05:41Fantastic.
05:42That's so good, to see a green frond.
05:44If there is one green frond, it's alive.
05:48Obviously I will need to protect that if we get another hard frost.
05:53Inevitably, we put so much of ourselves into a garden.
05:57We have a precious plant, and we want it to come through winter, because over the years
06:02you do put your life into your garden.
06:05I've been here 25 years now.
06:08However, many of us find ourselves, and I certainly have in the past, of confronting
06:13a garden that is just part of a building site.
06:17There's no sign of a garden in any shape or form there.
06:22For many people, that is very daunting indeed, and they just don't know where to begin, which
06:28is why Adam is setting out to help people who are starting from scratch.
06:35As a multi-Chelsea gold medal winner, few people are better qualified.
06:46Last year, over 150,000 new builds popped up around England.
06:51For me, that is exciting, because it means there are opportunities to create new gardens.
06:58I think for a lot of people, they're comfortable with setting out their houses and the decoration,
07:03but they open those patio doors, and they become quite fearful of that space outside.
07:10But I'm going to demonstrate to you how to create a garden from scratch.
07:21Hello, Flo.
07:22Hello, Adam.
07:23Lovely to meet you, mate.
07:24Lovely to meet you.
07:25Hi, Adam.
07:26Hello, you alright?
07:27Nice to see you.
07:28Yes, thank you.
07:29Who's this then?
07:30Yash.
07:31Yash.
07:32Yash, say hello.
07:33Hello, mate.
07:34You alright?
07:35Say hello.
07:36Come on.
07:37Come on in.
07:38Have a look at our garden.
07:39Have a look at our garden, yeah?
07:40Yeah.
07:41Amit and Vibhuti live with baby Yash in a new build that they've had for two years.
07:43So far, they have created a terrace and put in a small sleeper wall, but haven't really
07:49thought beyond that.
07:51So this is it?
07:52Yes.
07:53This is it.
07:54What do you think?
07:55That's quite overpowering, isn't it?
07:56Definitely.
07:57And that wall at the back there?
07:58How does it make you feel when you come out here?
08:00I don't.
08:01I don't come out here, just purely because I don't actually enjoy this space.
08:05I think the first thing I see is that, and that's all I see.
08:09It takes away from the work that Amit's done already.
08:11It needs a massive transformation, and I just don't know where to start.
08:15Why do you not think you know where to start?
08:17Because between us, we've got so many ideas, but they don't all fit together.
08:22I'm sure that we can create something that works.
08:25That would be amazing.
08:26We'd love an extension of our home to be like outside, whereas in right now, the home stops
08:33at these doors.
08:34Yeah.
08:35When you're creating a garden from scratch, the first thing you can do is draw up a practical
08:40list of what you really want from your garden.
08:44I think entertaining's definitely key.
08:48Being Asian, we have large families, and there's always get-togethers.
08:51On average, how many people entertain?
08:52If we get all the family around, we're looking at about 20 to 30, at least.
08:57Yeah, so realistically, part of that entertainment is going to be inside and outside, isn't it?
09:01Outside, yes.
09:02Otherwise, if we lay you a terrace for 30 people, that's the whole garden.
09:08I think the other thing is, having Yash, it's important that he's got somewhere to play
09:12as well, but I think most importantly for me is that it looks beautiful.
09:17Yeah.
09:18A little bit more welcoming, really.
09:20What about anything like sheds, washing lines?
09:23I want mine a little man cave, but I don't think that's going to be possible.
09:27No, it's not.
09:28I can tell by the look.
09:29It's not going to be possible.
09:32So for your practical list, think about things like, how much time have you got to look after
09:36the garden?
09:37What do you really need from the space?
09:40How many people do you want to sit on a terrace?
09:42Next, create what I call an individual list, which reflects your personal taste.
09:48What do you both love?
09:49Shapes you like, colours you like?
09:51I've got this feel of a tropical kind of sense, palms, bright colours as well.
09:56Yeah, strong colours.
09:57Yeah, strong colours.
09:58Yeah, yeah, yeah.
09:59I mean, that gives it more of a visual.
10:00He's already smiling.
10:01Brilliant.
10:02But it's like being at home.
10:03Seriously.
10:04We look like chocolate and cheese.
10:05The whole country will be looking and going, yeah, this is it.
10:09I understand.
10:10This is what goes on.
10:11So now you tell me.
10:12I like neutrals.
10:13You like neutrals.
10:15Take inspiration from books, magazines and the internet.
10:19Work out what colours, shapes and styles you like.
10:22Really think about the atmosphere that you want to create in your space.
10:27Before we start, any idea on budget?
10:29We've said about £1,000.
10:30If we're going to spend that kind of money in the garden, it would be lovely to be able
10:34to utilise the garden for its seating or anything all year round.
10:39So I don't know.
10:40There's a bit of a challenge for you.
10:41Yeah.
10:42I don't control the weather.
10:43I can do a lot of things but not control the weather.
10:46The first step before you lift any turf is to measure up.
10:52We start measuring at the corner there.
10:54So we call this a running line, which is because there's fixed measurements.
10:57So you're on 0 and then the edge of the house, 2 metres.
11:04This is why I shouldn't be doing this.
11:06What, because you can't hold the tape measure?
11:08Yes.
11:09Exactly.
11:10This might seem an awful lot of work, all these sort of measurements, but for me that's
11:14one of the most important things you do when you're creating a garden is start to measure
11:17the space.
11:18It's really being able to take the measurements to produce yourself a scale plan so you can
11:24really start to understand that space.
11:27Right, fella, what's that one?
11:30That's 9.3, Adam.
11:32Brilliant.
11:331.4.
11:34As well as these measurements, it's really important to understand where the sun comes
11:38up and where it goes down, and it's not just because of the plants, it's where do you want
11:43to sit in the garden?
11:44Is it in shade?
11:45Is it in sun?
11:464.5, Adam.
11:47It's crucial to find out what kind of soil you have so you know what plants you can grow.
11:55So get yourself a soil testing kit.
11:59We've learnt that amids and vibuti have alkaline soil, but all that's left to do now is get
12:06your design on paper.
12:09First I'm tackling that towering back wall.
12:13If we did just pick one climber that you like and we worked it and just gave you a green
12:19backdrop to the garden and then we paint the fence, that's, I suppose, the first problem.
12:25The next one for me is, we talked about entertaining an awful lot of people.
12:30Where we are at the moment, this is north-facing, so as we know, because we're sat here at the
12:33minute, it's cold.
12:35And I think even at times of the summer, it's still going to be cold.
12:39So I'd quite like to get you out further into that space.
12:44If we start to sit people back in this corner, the focal point then we get is all the way
12:49across there.
12:50So if we just actually have a look now, this is all very, very posing, but if we look down
12:55towards the houses, it feels a lot softer, yeah?
12:59But also you're going to get evening sun down there.
13:02So this is maybe another area to sit.
13:05To deal with the fact of here behind us, this is very high and that van looks like it's
13:09coming into your garden, maybe put a tree up there.
13:15And then I think we need to be really brave.
13:17That building looks really overpowering and I think if we put a tree there, that'll start
13:21to soften that and bring that down into this garden.
13:27If you're planting trees to hide an eyesore, think about the shape you need to deal with
13:32the problem.
13:33So in a few weeks' time, we'll be starting to dig things up, all right?
13:38We.
13:39Oh, we.
13:40Oh, it's started already.
13:41We.
13:42Digging.
13:43Yes, we will be digging.
13:44We will be digging.
13:48What a cracking couple they are.
13:50They're really excited about the next part of this journey.
13:53Next time here, we're really going to get stuck in.
14:08Sometimes I have to remind myself that this garden was a bare field attached to a rough
14:15building site when we moved here.
14:17And I think the best advice that Adam gave is take your time.
14:21There's no hurry.
14:23But we will be following the progress of that garden as he makes repeated visits over the
14:28next few months.
14:30I get lots of letters about pruning hydrangeas and I think it worries people, but actually
14:35they're very simple indeed.
14:38Most hydrangeas, like this one, this is hydrangea macrophylla veitchii, can be left over winter
14:44and the old flowers die back.
14:46And as you see, the new buds start to grow, you can trim it back.
14:50But all you need to do is cut off the old flower heads and then just tidy it up.
14:55So if I go around this, here we've got a flower head here, just cut back to a bud beneath it.
15:00This one here, cut back there.
15:02Now this in the middle, I'm going to take right out because it's a bit weedy.
15:08There is a hydrangea, a hydrangea paniculata, that flowers on new growth and that means
15:15that you can cut it back really quite hard in early spring.
15:19But the majority of hydrangeas flower on older growth, so you don't want to cut it back too
15:24hard.
15:26That'll do.
15:31So I've tidied it up, any crossing old damaged branches have been removed, I've taken off
15:36all the old flower heads and that won't need pruning again at all until next March or April.
15:45Now what we want from hydrangeas of course is late summer flower, flower that actually
15:49can last right through into autumn.
15:52But at this time of year, particularly after the spring that we had, summer can seem like
15:57a distant dream.
15:58But Mark Lane in his own garden shows that you can create really dramatic containers
16:05that give us a full taste of strong summer colour.
16:20This is my garden and I absolutely love it.
16:23And I love my borders, they're contemporary, they're wild and naturalistic.
16:31And while the gardens are still asleep, it's so important to have containers in your garden.
16:38They add moveable colour and they add interest throughout the whole year.
16:47I'm going to plant another couple, one for a sunny location, one for a more shady spot.
16:56Using containers made from recycled apple boxes, they're widely available where I live in Kent.
17:03Obviously choose whatever container takes your fancy, but if you're using shrubs, go
17:08for something really deep so that the roots can go down and spread.
17:13Many containers fail because there's not enough root space, so they get constrained and they
17:18just don't survive.
17:22With a line in the box to protect the wood, don't forget some holes for drainage.
17:27I've added polystyrene for crocks and filled it with a multi-purpose compost.
17:36I'm starting with my shady container.
17:39Now when you think about planting up any container, think about different layers.
17:47And then think how you're going to see it.
17:49So think about different angles and then give it a theme.
17:53I want this one to evoke wonderful memories of walking through the Sandringham Estate.
17:58So this one is going to have a woodland theme.
18:06I'm going to start with this beautiful ornamental cherry, Prunus incisa coho nomai.
18:12I love this.
18:14It's absolutely abundant and floriferous.
18:17It's just a froth of white flowers.
18:20Now this would normally go in a sunny position, but it does also do pretty well in a partially
18:25shaded site, so I'm using it for this woodland theme.
18:29And it will add really good height for the back of the container.
18:34It will slowly grow to about a metre and a half tall, giving a delicious dappled effect
18:39on the plants below.
18:45Next up is this lovely Mahonia aquifolium.
18:50It has the most beautiful sulphur yellow flowers that just smell of lily of the valley.
18:58And it has these beautiful purple and green leaves.
19:02They look a bit like a holly leaf and they're just absolutely stunning.
19:07And they'll catch any of the tiny bits of light that come through in a shaded area.
19:12And it will look perfect right in front of this ornamental cherry.
19:19I think you'll all agree that any shady container needs a fern.
19:24And who wouldn't love this stunning Dryopteris atrata?
19:28And just look at it.
19:30The fronds are just so tactile and they'll add wonderful texture.
19:36I'm planting it here because they create a backbone to the container.
19:40This vibrant green will make the other colours sing.
19:48I'm also adding the tightly curled fronds of the Copper Shield Fern.
19:53And just imagine the leaves of this narrow Heart's Tongue Fern, glistening in the morning dew.
20:00Together they add vital structure and balance to the container.
20:10Time for some more colour.
20:12Think of woodland edges and I automatically think of Brunnera Macrophylla Jack Frost.
20:18And to mimic nature, I'm planting it at the rim of the container.
20:22Another two plants are Vinca and Pulmonaria.
20:26They will just fit in with this scheme beautifully.
20:28The Pulmonaria, it has mottled silvery leaves which will pick up the Brunnera leaf.
20:34And then it has these delicate pink-blue flowers.
20:38And of course, what do pink and blue make?
20:40They make purple.
20:41So they will then pick out the wonderful Mahonia leaf.
20:46And then the Vinca, that will just tumble down the front of the container.
20:51And if you're lucky, it will flower throughout the whole of the year.
20:56To complete the look, I've added some of my favourite spring plants.
21:01Grape Hyacinth, Erythronium, Cowslip and Native Primrose.
21:08They'll make me happy every time I see them.
21:11I love this shady container because of the textures and the movement and the colours.
21:18This is spring in a shaded container.
21:30This is a container for a sunny spot.
21:32It evokes memories of this wonderful holiday that I had in Ischia in Italy.
21:37And it is just beautiful.
21:40Clear blue waters and purples and pinks by the waterside.
21:46At the back, I've added the Ribes Sanguinum, with its pink blossoms dripping from the branches.
21:53This is a shrub that should be better known.
21:56It's Lauripetellum chinense varubrum, or the more descriptive fire dance.
22:01It has the most beautiful bright pink flowers, which are the colour of my scarf.
22:07And they're like ribbons, and they contrast wonderfully against the purple shiny leaves.
22:13Cordyline, with its long strappy purple leaves, reflect the Heuchera and Lauripetellum.
22:20And add an architectural element, as do the yellow tree heath.
22:25Amongst that, I've dotted the luscious deep colours of Anemone and Primula.
22:32And another great plant is Ranunculus.
22:35And I really love this shocking pink one right at the front.
22:40They remind me of rosebuds or peonies.
22:43They're just beautiful, and can be easily found at garden centres at this time of year.
22:50To balance out the almost acid colours are the pure white Hyacinth carnegie, and the
22:56snowy white anemone.
22:59They're like little lightbulbs, illuminating the whole scheme.
23:03And there we have it, a spring container to remind yourself of holidays and warmer
23:08months to come.
23:23Well certainly the prospect of bright summer days filled with colour is tantalising.
23:30But a bit of spring colour wouldn't go amiss, but it will happen.
23:32I have this feeling it's about to unfold.
23:38Come on Nigel, come on.
23:53Now this year, I'm trying to use as little plastic as I can in the garden at Longmeadow.
23:59And in seed sowing terms, there are alternatives, and I've been trying some, and I've got some
24:03more here.
24:05You can reuse loo roll holders.
24:09These normally go on the compost heap here, and they do rot down very well.
24:13But there's no reason why you can't sow into them, and they make a good deep plug or container.
24:20And that's ideal for plants like legumes, which need a nice straight deep root run.
24:26So I'm going to use some of those.
24:28And if we fill that up, they will wedge each other into place.
24:33And then I will fill those with compost, and it is coir-based, there's no peat involved.
24:42OK.
24:44Now, I'm going to sow a legume into there.
24:46But this is one I've never grown before.
24:48It's called edamame.
24:49It's a Japanese bean.
24:50You may have had it in a Japanese restaurant, or if you've been to Japan.
24:53You don't eat the pod, you just eat the bean.
24:56But these are soybeans, and they're delicious and highly nutritious.
25:00And they do apparently grow well in this country.
25:03Two seeds in each.
25:04And then if one doesn't germinate, the other will come good.
25:08Right.
25:09I'll just cover those over with a trickle of compost.
25:16And I will plant them inside the loo roll, because that will quickly biodegrade.
25:21So you don't have to lift them out.
25:22The whole thing goes into the ground as a unit.
25:25Right.
25:26Put a label on there.
25:30So that can go in the greenhouse to germinate, and then we're ready to plant out in the middle
25:35of May.
25:36I want to make some pots now.
25:39And these have been around for quite a few years, and I think it's fair to say not taken
25:44terribly seriously, because everyone's just used plastic.
25:47Well, now their time has come, I think.
25:49And it's a great way of recycling newspaper.
25:53That's about the right length.
25:55So if you cut your paper, so it overlaps about double its length.
26:01Just roll it along like that, fold the end over, and then the base has a divot sticking
26:10up.
26:11And by screwing it into that, that just tightens it all together, slides it off, and there
26:18is a little container.
26:20And in essence, all that we're doing is making a container to hold a seed and some soil long
26:27enough for it to establish a root system.
26:32It used to be a bit of a worry about heavy metals in the ink, particularly coloured inks.
26:38But actually, that is no longer a problem.
26:40It's not used in the printing process, so don't worry about it.
26:47There we go.
26:50This is a really good form of recycling, and apart from buying the kit, which doesn't cost
26:57very much, it's going to cost you absolutely nothing.
27:00And then, just fill them with compost, and I thought we'd sow some courgettes.
27:09Now, this is a variety called Gold Rush.
27:12It's got lovely yellow skin.
27:14And in my experience, once they start producing fruit, they produce very quickly and they
27:21get large very quickly, and they're much nicer eaten small.
27:24That goes in there like that, one to each.
27:30The one thing that these will need, particularly the courgettes and all cucurbits, is heat
27:35with which to germinate.
27:37Above a radiator on a windowsill is absolutely fine, or in a porch.
27:41If you can get a propagator, and you can get heated propagators, that's perfect.
27:45And I use a heated mat, and that has transformed our seed sowing here at Longmeadow.
27:50But any of those will do the job.
27:56Now, a few weeks ago, we started our Every Space Counts competition, and we asked you
28:03to send in pictures of your garden as long as it was no bigger than six metres by six
28:07metres, and hundreds of you did so, so thank you very much indeed.
28:10However, I have to say, one or two were just a little bit eccentric.
28:15However, our team of judges, consisting of the garden designer James Alexander Sinclair,
28:20who of course is also an esteemed and long-standing Chelsea judge, a producer from this programme,
28:26Louise Hamden, and Adam Frost, went through them all and came up with a short list of
28:33five finalists.
28:34Tonight, we're going to show you the first of those five.
28:40My name's Mike.
28:47I'm from Hackney in East London.
28:49I've lived here for 12 years, and I started working on this garden about eight years ago.
28:56When I first moved in, I decided to treat this garden just like any other room in the
29:01house, but instead of furnishing it with chairs and tables, I used plants instead.
29:08Originally, I had some decking, there was some grass, and some small borders around
29:14the edges, so I turned the grass over, put down some weed suppressant, and slowly built
29:19up what you see now.
29:23I suppose my inspiration for the garden comes from the countries I visited on holiday, where
29:28you find yourself surrounded by palms, bananas, and other exotic plants, and I wanted to recreate
29:33that back at home in London.
29:36Fortunately, I'm surrounded by these high walls, which creates its own microclimate
29:40and gives me ideal growing conditions for most of the plants that I've got here.
29:45I did some research into these plants and found that many of them were winter-hardy,
29:49low-maintenance, but most importantly, evergreen too.
29:53I tried to make sure that the plants that were in pots were drought-tolerant, so I went
29:57for cycads and agapanthus for all-year-round interest, and for a splash of colour in summer,
30:03I've got cannas and gingers popping up.
30:07The goal of my design in this garden was to stimulate the senses and also to inspire people.
30:14I wanted people to have to brush past leaves and duck under bushes and plants to have to
30:20see everything.
30:21I wanted an area that had scent and an area that had sounds as well.
30:28I think the key to an interesting small garden is making the best use of the space available
30:32to you.
30:36And I found that going upwards with my planting allowed you to do this, and at the same time
30:40it also gives you space underneath for under-planting, which allows you to add smaller plants and
30:46give you more colour throughout the season.
30:48I use big structural plants like the bamboos, the fatsia and the bananas to make the whole
30:55space look a lot bigger.
30:59I enjoy the whole garden really, but scattered around it there are little mementos of the
31:04places I've been to.
31:06There's a couple of lizards from Bali, there's a tortoise there from California, some bits
31:12from Mexico.
31:14My garden's special to me because it's a reminder of the places I've visited.
31:21It's a nice place to have breakfast in the morning, and after a long day in the city
31:26and stressed out, it's nice to return here and feel like you're on holiday again.
31:31It's just a really nice place to relax.
31:43We'll be showing the other four gardens over the next four weeks, and then you'll get a
31:47chance to vote on which one you think should be the winner.
31:50And the result of that vote will be announced at Gardener's World Live in June.
31:57There's no question that this has been one of the latest springs I can remember for a
32:01long time, and the garden is yet to burst into spring glory, but there are one or two
32:07treasures to be found.
32:08One of my favourites is here, down the end of the spring garden.
32:13This is the snake's head fritillary, and it likes it down here because this is one of
32:18the dampest bits of the whole garden.
32:20When it floods, it comes right in.
32:22And these are spring bulbs that positively need damp conditions.
32:28So if you've got a part of the garden which you want some spring colour, but it's no good
32:32for tulips or daffodils or crocuses or the ground's too wet, put in some snake's head
32:37fritillaries, and they will come up, they will love it, and every year they will astonish
32:42you with their exotic beauty.
32:56The thing is, we're all so desperate for colour under these grey skies, and it's really quite
33:02raw and chilly today.
33:04You kind of feel like the garden has gone into a kind of hold.
33:08But the truth is, plants are growing well.
33:12Look here in the jaw garden.
33:13The alliums and the tulips have put on a mass of foliage, and they're just regulating themselves
33:19so that the flower buds are there, and as soon as the sun comes out, then they'll open.
33:24And it's important not to think that somehow the garden doesn't need any attention.
33:28Because there is foliage growth, and because things are happening, you need to keep on
33:32top of it too.
33:33So for example, these clematis, this is group 3 clematis, it's viticella.
33:38It was cut back about three weeks ago, and you can see there's plenty of new, good growth
33:42on that.
33:43So keep on top of tying in all clematis, roses, anything that's quietly growing under these
33:50grey skies.
33:51Now, we've still got lots to come on tonight's programme.
33:56Blo Hedlund scales new heights as she goes down to Westenbert to help out with tree work
34:02at the Arboretum.
34:05But first, we pay a visit to Hever Castle, where despite a grey, rainy day, the daffodils
34:13were looking superb.
34:16But they've been working there to extend the daffodil season, and Nick Bailey has been
34:21to meet the man behind that project.
34:35Narcissus have to be one of our nation's best-loved and most adored plants, and of course, they're
34:41better known as daffodils.
34:43And as they emerge in our parks and gardens and sway in the breeze and reveal these beautiful
34:49trumpets, it's a sure sign that spring, in theory, is in full swing.
34:55I'm here at Hever Castle in Kent to meet a legend who's dedicated his life to this genus.
35:06Johnny Walkers is a champion grower who's been exhibiting award-winning displays over
35:11the last 30 years, winning a staggering 35 RHS gold medals in the process.
35:18It's no wonder he's earned himself the nickname, The Man with the Midas Touch.
35:23In recent years, Johnny has been responsible for selecting a wide range of high-performing
35:27daffodil varieties to thrive here.
35:32Hello, Johnny.
35:33Hello, Nick.
35:34Hello, Nick.
35:35Nice to finally meet you.
35:36Good to see you.
35:37You're clearly a man who's passionate about Narcissus.
35:40What first drew you to them?
35:41My father was a bulb grower, so that's all I've ever known, all my life.
35:46And then I decided to specialize in daffodils because there's such a wide range of different
35:53types and so, you know, it's just a superb flower to have.
35:57I guess most people think of them as these fairly sort of straightforward yellow flowers,
36:02but they're really, really diverse.
36:04There are 13 different divisions and the divisions denote the characteristics of the flower,
36:09of the variety.
36:10The cyclaminous types, for instance, Division 6, have the swept back petals that make them
36:15look as though they've been in a wind tunnel.
36:18The large flaring ones, the ordinary yellows, for instance, they'll be trumpet type.
36:25But if you get a Division 4, double daffodil, of course, that cup is all mixed in with the
36:30petals as well.
36:31So something like Rip Van Winkle, where you've got masses of...
36:34That's right, yeah, all sorts of, yeah, spiky bits almost, you know.
36:39Now I understand you've been looking to diversify and increase the range of different Narcissus
36:44that they've got growing.
36:45How many have you managed to inject in?
36:47We've actually brought in 23 new varieties this year.
36:51We've brought in things like Ceiling Wax here, which is a very early flowering variety.
36:57It's the starting point of broadening the season here, so that there's always something
37:04to see for at least eight weeks, probably even ten.
37:07And it is a wonderful flower, isn't it?
37:10It looks like the weather's finally picking up.
37:12Well, I think you could be right, actually, Nick.
37:21Here's one that's a little bit more unusual, a variety called Ice Follies.
37:25I think it's a really beautiful form, and what always interests me with Narcissus is
37:30people so often just look at the front of the flower, but actually I think there's lovely
37:34things going on at the back as well, as that green's fusing into yellow in this particular
37:39cultivar, and then into cream, and it really makes it quite a special plant, doesn't it?
37:44I note that this is growing in really quite damp, almost wet conditions, but that's not
37:49the sort of typical advice for Narcissus, is it?
37:52No, our normal advice for planting daffodils would be in a moisture-retentive, well-drained
37:57soil, you know, no extremes.
37:59But here you see, they're growing on the side of the bank here, and some of those roots
38:03must almost be in water permanently, so they're very good at adapting to the conditions that
38:08they're in.
38:09This poor fellow's not been planted, but you know, there's foliage already beginning to
38:13grow there, because all the energy's already in the bulb, ready for it, and there's the
38:17flower bud, already there.
38:20So this is why it's so important to make sure that you don't cut your leaves off too early,
38:25because they need to feed back into that bulb and charge it up with energy for the next
38:29season.
38:30Absolutely.
38:31You must leave it a minimum of eight weeks after flowering, before you do anything with
38:35it, and definitely don't tie it in knots or anything like that, because once you fold
38:39them over, you've broken the leaf, so there's only 50% of it working, as opposed to 100%.
38:46And bulbs need feeding as well.
38:47I normally recommend a dose of a low-nitrogen fertiliser, so that you get good results
38:53from them.
39:02Johnny, we've come through to this gorgeous Italian ape part of the garden, and I believe
39:06you've got a fantastic recommendation for Narcissus in pots.
39:09Yeah, well we've got here one called Jetfire, which is one of my favourites for pot work.
39:16This is a Division 6, or Cyclominius type, and you can see how the petals are swept back.
39:21And the beauty of that, of course, is it means that the cup is well pronounced, and you can
39:26see the colour of it, so it stands out at a distance as well.
39:29So this is one that I really love in containers.
39:32Now obviously these are flowering in springtime.
39:34What would you recommend to get sort of extension at the other end of the season, so flowering
39:38in April and May time?
39:40Well, I'd probably go for Minnow, which is again ideal for containers, but you can also
39:45plant it in the border, multi-headed, little flower, it's a very pretty little thing.
39:50But the ultimate end of season one, of course, has to be Poeticus Recurvis, Pheasant's Eye.
39:56This has got a wonderful fragrance, it's just a wonderful flower.
40:00Now people always ask me what's my favourite plant, and it's always impossible to answer,
40:05but I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you the same question.
40:07What is your favourite Narcissus?
40:09It's like asking me which is my favourite grandchild.
40:11Right.
40:12We have got one over here that's grown in containers that I think is pretty good, and
40:17one that I wouldn't want to be without.
40:22This is Tate-a-Tate, it's good for containers, it's good in the border, on the rockery.
40:27I've actually got it under-planted in roses, because this time of the year, because the
40:31roses are just a load of sticks, they're just beginning to shoot out, lifts that area tremendously
40:37and what could be a very dull area of the garden looks absolutely superb.
40:41Well, that's brilliant advice, Johnny.
40:44It's been such a pleasure looking round with you today and gleaning just a bit of knowledge
40:48about Narcissus from you, so thank you very much.
40:50I've enjoyed it very much as well, thank you.
41:02I was really hoping that this daffodil, Thalia, in the writing garden would be at its best
41:09for today, but actually only about a third of the flowers are out and it's really special,
41:16because it's almost white.
41:17The writing garden is intended to be fundamentally a white garden, although there are touches
41:21of yellow and touches of pink.
41:23And as Nick was saying, the rear view, looking down on the back, is almost as good as the
41:28front.
41:29The truth is it's been so cold and grey that most of them are still closed.
41:34They'll probably be at their best in a week or so's time.
41:37But the snowflakes are looking really good and as you look at it and you think it's the
41:41daffodils, in fact it's the snowflakes that are adding most of the white and they've taken
41:46really successfully.
41:47But I've got a couple of bulbs which will flower long after daffodils have been and
41:52gone and been forgotten for a year.
41:55The first is a whopper.
41:58This is a crinum, crinum paulii album, and it grows into a great six foot tall plant
42:07with great lily-like flowers and strapping leaves and has an amazing scent which tends
42:14to come out at the end of the day, so you have a hot August day and then the warm velvety
42:20night air is fused with its fragrance.
42:24I've also got a bulb from South Africa which will flower again in July, August.
42:31It looks like a daffodil but this is a galtonia, galtonia candycans, the summer hyacinth.
42:37This will grow about three, four foot tall and then these bells of white flowers hang
42:41down from it, something between a giant snowflake and hyacinth, and this also will add that
42:47white sense of bulbous sort of outpouring of flower later on in the year.
42:55So now is the time to plant these summer bulbs.
43:09Now these crinum need space so I'll only get three in this area here, maybe four at a pinch.
43:15Both these plants, the galtonia and the crinum, like to be moist but at the same time they
43:22like good drainage so I've got a bucket of grit.
43:26Now, they don't want to be planted too deep and I might have to enlarge it a bit with
43:38my trowel.
43:39Right, let's take that out.
43:45So the bulb, the top, wants to be about flush with the soil.
43:51So it can be a little bit deeper and I want room for the gravel to go underneath it.
43:56And then that, so that will go in there like that.
44:13Then we can just backfill around it.
44:23Now, I've got a stick at the back, I'm just going to mark that, and that is going to grow
44:29right up, it's going to grow as tall as me, lush flowers, and it'll add real drama to
44:35the back of the summer boulder.
44:41It is important that when you're planting these bulbs to think carefully where you want
44:45them because they don't like being moved.
44:48And they are reasonably long-lived so it's worth taking trouble and they're hungry.
44:55If you've got thin soil, load on the compost.
44:58You don't necessarily have to dig it in but you can just layer it as a thick mulch and
45:02then in winter they are fairly hardy but they will benefit from a thick mulch of something
45:09like bracken or straw or compost if you've got it over the top of them to add protection
45:16against frost and also that will work in the soil and feed it.
45:23Right, that's a little group of big plants at the back here and I'll put another one
45:30over on the other side.
45:31But now I want to plant the Galtonia and I'm going to put those in clumps on the other
45:36side of the garden where it's a little bit more sunny.
45:40This is a good place, behind the Buddleia.
45:54Make a hole and because these are rather smaller bulbs I don't need to dig down any further
46:05and the depth of the bulb planter and if I do them in groups of three and five all the
46:10way along I'll get that rhythm of these white hanging flowers which will flow through the
46:18border in summer.
46:23Well in this day and age most of us have gardens that are rather smaller than we would like
46:27and certainly gardens come in every possible shape and size but I do think the grandest
46:32horticultural concept is an arboretum.
46:36To set out a collection of trees on a large landscape doesn't just mean growing things
46:42in big space, it means thinking in big expanses of time.
46:48And last week Flo Hedlum went down to Gloucestershire to visit one of our most famous arboretums.
46:57Welcome to Westenbert, the National Arboretum, one of the finest collections of trees and
47:02shrubs in the world.
47:04You can think of this place as a huge museum where you can discover and learn more about
47:10trees.
47:11But I'm not just here for the scenery, I'm here to work, I'm going to join the team that
47:20maintains and nurtures the arboretum.
47:22I'm going to roll my sleeves up and get busy, it's going to be fun.
47:28First up, I'm meeting with Mark Ballard, who is the curator.
47:32Hey Mark.
47:33Hey, how are you doing Flo?
47:35Yeah, I'm good, I'm good.
47:36Nice to see you.
47:37This place is absolutely stunning.
47:39When was the arboretum actually established?
47:42We say 1829, Robert Stoner Halford started this all from scratch, believe it or not.
47:47So where we stood now is arable farmland but he had a great passion for plants, a great
47:53passion for garden design, it was a time when plants were being discovered and brought back
47:58from all over the temperate world.
47:59So the arboretum grew and evolved and it's constantly moved forwards ever since.
48:05So tell me about this old oak tree.
48:08Well it predates the arboretum, so it's more than 200 years old.
48:12You can see from how it's grown tall and straight, obviously once upon a time it was surrounded
48:16by probably other trees here.
48:18We have a special affection for it, we refer to it as the master's oak and it's a wonderful
48:23tree.
48:24Yeah, it is majestic.
48:26And sometimes we have to get up there and work it high and actually believe it or not
48:30we have a tree that needs some work at height, so we have a challenge for you coming up.
48:34Oh really?
48:35Yes.
48:36Yes!
48:37For my first task, Andy Bryce will be showing me the ropes.
48:42He's one of the arborists who helps maintain the arboretum on a daily basis.
48:48Wow that's a big tree.
48:49This is a Scots pine?
48:50It is, it's one of our native pines here in the UK, Pinus sylvestris.
48:5420 years ago a big limb fell out of it and what's been left over the years is the cavity.
49:00There's some decay in there, so we want to pop up there, have a look in there and see
49:03what's going on.
49:04Right, well let's do it.
49:05Shall we?
49:06Let's go up.
49:09As you pull down, really thrust your hips up, because then that's helping just to...
49:14Alright, like that.
49:21That's it.
49:24That's hard work, isn't it?
49:25You don't need to go to the gym.
49:26It's a wonderful body, isn't it?
49:28We've got another 30 feet to go as well.
49:30Oh god!
49:31I'll tell you what, there is an easier way.
49:33Is there?
49:34We'll get the chair picker in.
49:35Yes!
49:45You see this is where the face cut, the chainsaw cut was many, many years ago.
49:49And we look inside and there's all this detritus and decayed wood, you can even see all the
49:54old tree rings.
49:55You can see the rings, good, yes.
49:58This outer ring of wood that's been put on every year is more than enough to compensate
50:03for this big hole here.
50:04So it's keeping it healthy?
50:06It's keeping it upright and strong and flexible.
50:08Right.
50:09Now I don't want to say that the tree knows of this hole here, but it reacts to this loss
50:14of internal strength by putting on this new live wood on the outside.
50:18As a kind of protection.
50:19That's right.
50:20So this tree's going to be here for a while then, you think?
50:22I reckon so.
50:23This will be here for a good few more years, yes, definitely.
50:25Brilliant.
50:28Now on to some tree planting.
50:30I'm meeting Head Arborist Richard Townsend and Propagator Penny Jones.
50:34Penny, what's the name of the tree we're going to plant today?
50:39Today we've got a Chrysolepis chrysophylla.
50:41It's a member of the oak and beech family and it comes from Oregon in the United States.
50:47Right, and what's the common name?
50:49Its common name is a giant chinkapin.
50:52Right, and it's evergreen.
50:54It is an evergreen, yes.
50:56Some interesting leaf colour there I can see.
50:58Yes, got a golden underside to the leaf.
51:01I understand this plant was grown from seed, is that right?
51:04Yes, it was collected by a member of our tree team in 2015.
51:09How long has that plant been in propagation then?
51:12This germinated in 2016.
51:14And is this the first one that we're planting?
51:16This is the first one from that collection that we're planting, yes.
51:19How exciting.
51:21Richard, how deep are we going to go to plant this tree?
51:24So if you were to offer that plant into the hole,
51:27we try to plant the plant slightly mounded, only a bit,
51:32to allow for a bit of sinkage, 99 times out of 100.
51:35The reason for poor health on plants is because they're too low.
51:39How do you decide where to plant?
51:42In this sort of landscape, we use evergreen for backdrop
51:45to set off things like camellias and magnolias.
51:49Right, isn't it time to plant this baby?
51:51Oh, it is.
51:52Good, right, let's do it.
52:03Brilliant, I think that's the job done, isn't it?
52:05Yeah, just the cage, that's done,
52:07because I don't want to get eaten overnight with some rabbits.
52:10It feels really good to have done that
52:12and to just plant something that is for the future.
52:15I know, yeah, it's brilliant, thanks very much.
52:17My pleasure, it's been great.
52:30Now, the job I'm doing here is sowing yet more bulbs.
52:33It's a very bulby time of year,
52:35but these are going to be edible shallots.
52:39This was top-dressed with compost last autumn,
52:44and that's worked in.
52:45And what shallots like is a nice rich soil but good drainage,
52:49which means that raised beds are absolutely ideal for them
52:53if you've got heavy soil like we have here.
52:55So this is perfect.
52:58And I'm just removing bits of sticks and stone
53:01that were in the compost.
53:04And you grow them from sets.
53:05You can grow them from seed, but it's much easier from sets.
53:08Now, a set is an immature bulb.
53:11You have onion or shallot sets,
53:13and this is a variety called longaw, and you can see.
53:18They're called longaw because they're long.
53:20And the beauty of shallots is that they have really good sweet taste,
53:25and you put one set in the ground and it will clump up
53:29and can produce half a dozen to a dozen small bulbs.
53:33They're not great big ones like onions.
53:36They're very easy to grow, they store very well,
53:40and you grow them in exactly the same way as onions.
53:44On a raised bed, I can put them in a grid,
53:46and I'm going to use the board to keep the lines straight,
53:49and space each set about nine inches apart,
53:54and push them in the ground so just the top is showing.
53:58And it goes without saying, pointy end sticking up,
54:01and the flatter end, which has got the plate
54:03from which the roots come, go into the ground.
54:06This is a job that you do want to get on with.
54:10There's no point in doing it until the weather is right
54:12and the ground is right, but I would suggest that
54:16as soon as your soil is ready, this is something you should do.
54:21And there's no reason why you can't grow them in a container either.
54:26One of the problems that you might encounter
54:31is that birds can see the top sticking out the ground
54:34and they pull them out.
54:35And I've actually caught them in the act.
54:37They just get hold of that and yank it out the ground.
54:39So what you can do is cover them until they're growing strongly.
54:45And once you see strong top growth,
54:47that means the roots are in the ground
54:49and it literally tethers them.
54:51The birds might try and pull them, but they won't get far
54:53because the roots are holding them.
54:56For every one you put in, you can potentially get 10 back.
55:01So a small batch of sets that you buy
55:05should give you a really good harvest.
55:07And certainly when I fill this bed up,
55:09that will supply us in shallots for a full 12 months.
55:13Now, this is a job that I have done
55:16as early as late February or March,
55:20but over the last few weeks, it's been really tricky.
55:23You do what you can when the weather allows.
55:26But assuming there are windows of opportunity for you this weekend,
55:30here are some jobs for you.
55:38Sunflowers are one of our most popular plants
55:41and now is the time to sow them.
55:43And they come in many different shades.
55:45I'm sowing a variety called claret,
55:47which is a beautiful burgundy colour and ideal for my jaw garden.
55:52Whatever colour, sow them in pots.
55:55I'm reusing old plastic pots filled with a good compost.
55:59I sow two seeds per pot,
56:01intending to weed out one of them when they both germinate.
56:05Cover the seeds over, put them somewhere warm and water them.
56:09And they should be ready to plant out round about the beginning of June.
56:17Epimediums are one of the best spring flowers for dark, shady places.
56:23However, they can easily be hidden by last year's foliage.
56:27So this should be removed at the base
56:30to reveal these delicate plants in all their glory.
56:36A month ago, I put some dahlia plants on a heated mat
56:39to stimulate them into growth to make cuttings.
56:42And now those shoots are ready.
56:44Use a sharp knife and sever the shoots as close as possible to the tubers.
56:50Cut off any lower leaves and bury them in a gritty compost.
56:55Cut off any lower leaves and bury them in a gritty compost
57:00so at least an inch or two of the stem is under the soil.
57:04Put them in a warm place and keep them misted
57:07until you see signs of strong growth, and then they can be potted on.
57:17After we showed the frog spawn some weeks ago,
57:21there was quite a lot of activity on social media and letters and things.
57:24People worried about the cold weather killing it off.
57:28Well, certainly here at Longmeadow, it's absolutely fine.
57:31The pond is shimmering with tadpoles,
57:33and I know that once we get a little bit of warmth,
57:36they will very quickly become little baby frogs, which is wonderful.
57:40And the pond is looking good.
57:42The marsh marigolds are at gaiety.
57:44The irises are growing really strongly.
57:48And I love the way that the stone is developing this covering of moss.
57:54I get so many letters about people how to get rid of moss and lawn.
57:59Well, I'd like to see how we can encourage moss.
58:02The more, the better.
58:04It looks absolutely beautiful, and we should celebrate it.
58:08But there's no more time for moss or anything else, I'm afraid.
58:11That's it for this week.
58:13But I'll be back at Longmeadow at the same time next Friday.
58:18So until then, bye-bye.
58:43© transcript Emily Beynon