Mulch Ado About Nothing Mr Bloom's Nursery

There is a place

Not far from here

I'm sure you know it

It's ever so near

Come down the path

And you will see

A little gate

To Mr Bloom's Nursery!

Hello!

# This is my allotment

# There's such a lot to see

# With my Compostarium

# There is no place I'd rather be

# Have you been here before or not?

# Let me show you what I've got

# A spade, a fork, my wheelbarrow

# Cabbage, runner beans Tomatoes and a marrow

# A watering can A trowel, some seeds

# Radish, lettuce A couple of weeds

# With my veg and plants

# I can sing and dance

# See them sprout Watch them grow

# Pop along and say hello

# There's so much they can teach us all

# We'll laugh and learn We'll have a ball

# It's such a special place to be

# In my veggie nursery. #

-Hello, Margaret.

-Oh! Hello, Raymond!

Ooh, what have you got there? Looks like a pile of treasure!

-It's my collection of trinkets.

-Trinkets? What are they?

Oh, you know, necklaces and bracelets, hair clips and ribbons...

Except...there's something missing!

Ooh, dear. What have you lost?

My big blue hair clip with the big bow on it.

-Ooh, wait a minute. I think Joan might be able to help.

-Oh, yes!

Joan? Margaret's missing her big blue hair clip with a big bow on it.

Ye-e-s?

-Could you help us look for it?

-Raymond?

-I think that might be my hair clip in Joan's hair.

-Oh, do you think so?

But yours is big and blue with a big bow on it, and, er...

Oh, yes. That probably is it, isn't it?

Oh, I'm a silly squash.

You found it, Raymond! Oh, thank you!

But the Wee MacGregors gave it to me as a present.

I'm sure they wouldn't have taken it from your collection.

WEE MACGREGORS SNIGGER

Ah, well... Well, I'll take off the hair clip, then.

You cheeky MacGregors! That's my treasure!

WEE MACGREGORS MUTTER

Ooh, looks like we'll have to find a safe place for it.

COMPO TOOTS AND BUBBLES

Oh! The tiddlers are here! Maybe they can help.

HE LAUGHS

Tiddlers! Come on in!

Eh, it's good to see you. And who have we got?

We've got Cain, Jack and Ingrid. Are any of you tiddlers hungry?

-TIDDLERS: Yes!

-Ho-ho! That's good.

Cos I've got some lovely sandwiches, here.

-Made them earlier on. 'Ere, they don't look very nice, do they?

-No?

They look a bit dry. Argh! Oh, my goodness! What's that in there?

-A slug.

-A slug, that's right!

-We can't eat them when that's got the slug on!

-That's right,

and they're dry... I think I made a mistake. What have I not done?

-HE GASPS

-Put the lid on!

-I didn't put the lid on, did I?

-No.

-No.

-Oh, deary me. That's right.

The lid, it acts like a barrier, doesn't it?

Cos you put it on and it keeps everything nice and fresh inside,

and it keeps out unwanted intruders like our friend, here, Mr Slug.

COMPO TOOTS

Oh! I think that was Compo.

Maybe he's got something for us. Do you want to go and see, Ingrid?

-What did Compo bring you?

-Five bread rolls.

-Bread rolls? Oh.

But if only we had some food that we could put inside them.

You know, something like tomatoes or lettuce, cucumbers...

-Where are we going to find anything like that?

-All around!

-Oh! All the vegetables in my nursery?

-Yes!

Ho-ho, that's right! So, I tell you what,

let's go and see what we can find. Come on!

-Hey... Look, tiddlers, what have we got here?

-Lettuce!

Yes, some lovely lettuce. Oh.

Does this soil look dry or wet to you?

-TIDDLERS: Dry.

-It does, it looks very dry.

And what do we have here?

-A weed.

-That's right, Ingrid. It's a weed. An intruder in the bed.

But in fact, it's like that intruder in my lunchbox, isn't it?

That slimy slug? You know what we need?

We need a lid for the lettuce patch, don't we?

Now, do you think the lid from my lunch box would do the job?

TIDDLERS: NO!

It wouldn't, would it? Now, a lid for the soil

is a thing called mulch. Mulch is one of my favourite words.

Mulch! Why don't we say it together?

ALL: Mulch. Mulch! Mulch!

-I've got some mulch right here. Would you like to see?

-Yes.

-Yes.

This is the mulchiest mulch you're ever likely to find in my nursery,

and mulch, it's made up of, well, dried grass clippings

or little bits of wood and old, dead plants.

Well, I tell you what, it might be a bit mucky for us,

but it's great for these plants, cos what you do is you spread it out

in between them all and it acts as a barrier.

-So, do you think you tiddlers could lend me a hand?

-TIDDLERS: Yes!

Let's see your wiggly fingers in your gloves.

We need to take out the bad things, like the weeds.

Here comes the good stuff. In it goes.

So, this is what I'd like you to do, tiddlers.

You get your hand - your big, digger hand - and it goes in.

You put it down and then I'd like you to spread it

amongst the lettuce plants, so the lettuces can poke through,

and the mulch creates a barrier.

That's it. Cover the soil really well,

but leave a little gap around each lettuce.

Hey, top work there, tiddlers. Now, I don't know about you,

but after all that work, I feel like a sandwich. Let's get them ready.

In we go. Mm!

I've got one left. I'm going to take this,

save it for later and put it in my lunchbox.

-What do I need to remember to do?

-TIDDLERS: Put the lid on!

You're right. Let's put that lid on.

-COMPO CHIMES AND HOOTS

-Mm... Hey.

We haven't forgotten you, Compo.

Right, tiddlers. Sandwiches down. It's feeding time.

# Grass and weeds And leaves from trees

# Thistles that prickle And petals that tickle

# Brown stuff, green stuff Sticky stuff, icky stuff

# Crunchy bits, munchy bits Snappy bits, sappy bits

# Yesterday's yums Chopping board crumbs

# It's not fussy what's in its tum

# My awesome Compostarium! #

TING! ALL: It's full! Hooray!

Hey, hold on, tiddlers. Here goes Compo!

COMPO CLATTERS AND CHIMES

THEY GIGGLE

COMPO BUBBLES

-Now. Would you tiddlers like to meet the veggies?

-TIDDLERS: Yes!

-# Meet the veggies

-We're the veggies

# They grow here in my nursery

-# Meet the veggies

-We're the veggies

-# And we love Mr Bloom

-That's me! #

Right, Sir Colin of Run-Around-A-Lot. Shall we go on another adventure?

-Adventure bean!

-Yeah!

Come on, tiddlers, let's go see what's going on.

Ooh, ooh, ooh! Hello, Mr Bloom. Hello, tiddlers!

-Hello there, Raymond. Hello, Colin.

-Hello, Mr Bloom and tiddlers...

No, we're not Colin and Raymond. We're brave knights.

-Colin is Sir Colin of Run-Around-A-Lot.

-O-o-oh.

-And what's your name?

-I am Sir Raymond Allotment-A-Lot!

Now, Sir Colin, how about

-another adventure going through the swamp?

-Oh, swampy bean!

Oh, no, no. We've done that already.

Er... How about we go to the caves and find a dragon?

-Oh, ye...

-No, no, we've done that already, lots of times.

-Yeah. Oh...

Bored bean.

Broad bean? No, Colin, you're a runner bean.

No, BORED bean.

Oh, you're bored? Oh, dear. Well, that won't do, will it, tiddlers?

No.

We've been having adventures all morning,

but we've done everything, so we're bored now.

-Ooh, dear.

-Ooh, ooh!

-COMPO BUBBLES AND TOOTS

-Hey, hey, hey.

Sounds like Compo's got an idea. Shall we go and see what it is?

-TIDDLERS: Yeah!

-Ha-ha! Come on then, tiddlers.

Ooh! And what do you think this is for? What could we make with these?

-A castle!

-How do you fancy that, Raymond?

Do you fancy playing Knights And Castles?

-Yes, please, Mr Bloom!

-Ooh, excited bean!

Right, tiddlers. Let's get as much as we can carry. OK.

-Let's flip that one round, like this. There we go.

-Ha-ha-ha!

How about... Like that?

-What else have you got down there, Ingrid?

-Grass.

Ooh, it's very green isn't it?

Oh, wow! Oh, that looks brilliant!

-Oh, thank you, tiddlers!

-Ha-ha! Even more excited bean!

-Mr Bloom?

-Oh, hiya, Margaret!

Eh, Jack, should we go and see what Margaret wants?

You two tiddlers, you stay and play with Raymond and Colin.

-Hello, Margaret.

-Hello. Hello, Jack.

-Hi, Margaret.

-How are you today?

Well, I'm a bit sad, really.

One of my necklaces has broken.

Oh, dear. How did that happen?

The Wee MacGregors were playing with my trinkets

and I think it might have happened then.

Oh, dear. Those cheeky Wee MacGregors. Hmm...

Well, I tell you what, Margaret.

I'm sure we could help make another one. Don't you think, Jack?

-Yep.

-Maybe Compo's got some extra bits and bobs for us.

-Yeah.

-Shall I take a look? Oh, here we go.

Eh, what... What have we got in here, Jack?

-A bucket.

-A bucket of...?

-What's in the bucket?

-Beads.

-Aw!

-And the beads have holes in.

-Why do you think they have holes?

-To go on the string.

-Could we make Margaret a new necklace?

-Yeah.

-Er, I think I'd like to start with pink.

-There's two pink ones.

-Oh, lovely.

-OK.

-What colour do you think would be good, Jack?

-Blue.

-Blue? Is there a blue one?

-Yeah.

-Where's the blue one?

-Pop the blue one on...

-Which colour next, Margaret?

-Um...

How about...sunny yellow?

-Two?

-Two sunny yellows.

WEE MACGREGORS MUTTER

Look at those cheeky Wee MacGregors.

They're helping themselves to that jewellery.

Isn't that terrible?

Terrible? None of it goes with tartan! It'll look awful.

No, no, I mean...

-HE SIGHS

-Never mind.

WEE MACGREGORS MUTTER

Hey, tiddlers, we're over 'ere.

Oh, hello. I really love these colours in my necklace.

Would you give me a help to put it on?

The Wee MacGregors are at it again!

What...? Argh! Caught you!

-SHE LAUGHS

-Wait a minute. Where's it all gone?

Er, what's happened, Margaret?

I'm missing a necklace, a bracelet AND a hair clip.

I'll tell you what, it sounds like we need some brave knights

to go off in search of treasure. What do you think, tiddlers?

-TIDDLERS: Yeah!

-Hey, Sir Colin of Run-Around-A-Lot

and Raymond of Allotment-A-Lot, could you help us?

-Oh-ho, yes! We're ready for another adventure.

-Yeah! Brave knight bean!

Right then. Let's go!

Can you see my bracelet anywhere at all?

It's green and it's got silvery bits on.

Is it behind that wheel thing?

What? What are we looking for?

It's a green necklace with green beads on.

There! I've got it.

Oh, Cain, thank you. You've found it.

Oh...

-Found it!

-Oh, well done. Hurray! Well done, Ingrid!

Ooh, maybe in the plant pot, Jack.

-Ah!

-Have you found it? Yay!

Well done, Jack! You're a good finder!

Oh, thank you, Cain. Thank you, Jack.

Thank you, Ingrid.

-Well done. Margaret's treasure is all safe again.

-Yay!

But how are we going to stop the Wee Macgregors from having another go?

-TIDDLERS: In the castle!

-We can put the treasure in the castle?

It's got high walls... Ingrid, grab the treasure.

Come on, tiddlers, let's put it in the castle.

-Hey!

-TIDDLERS: Hey!

-Hey, you know what?

This castle is making me think of mulch.

Mulch? What's mulch?

I know what mulch is.

Mulch is leaves and grass and dried-up bits of wood.

Well done, Ingrid. That's right.

It's sort of like a barrier, and it goes on top of the soil

and it keeps the good things in and the intruders out.

This castle's a bit like that, don't you think?

Yeah, cos it keeps Margaret's treasure safe inside,

and all the intruders like the Wee Macgregors out.

-TIDDLERS: Yeah!

-The treasure's all safe and sound.

-Oh, it's clever!

WEE MACGREGORS MUTTER

BAGPIPES PLAY

-What do you think they're doing, tiddlers?

-Making a plan?

-Trying to get up on the castle.

-Trying to get up on the castle?

-But they can't.

-Do you think they can make it?

-No.

-Oh, no.

-Oh, no, no.

-I think it's too high.

-Wow! What an amazing castle!

-Oh, 'ello, Sebastian.

Do you like the castle, here? The tiddlers made it,

and it's keeping Margaret's treasure all safe.

It is now safe and sound.

And talking of sound, it is time for a song!

-Woo!

-Yay!

-Are you ready for a dance and a boogie?

# We had to give the soil A mulch covering

# We found it helps to keep Bad things out and good things in

# We learned that sometimes things Need protection

# So I think we all deserve

# To sing and dance And have some fun

# La la-la la-la-la-la

# La la-la la-la-la

# La la-la la-la-la-la

# La-la-la la-la-la

# La la-la la-la-la-la

# La la-la la-la-la

# La la-la la-la-la-la

# La-la-la la-la-la

# We've had a busy day

# How the time flies

# So now you veggies Must be bedded down

# For the night. #

Come on, Margaret, Colin, Raymond, Joan and Sebastian.

Settle down, you cheeky Wee MacGregors. Time for bed.

-Have you had a fun time?

-Yes.

-Yeah, me too.

-Thank you ever so much for my special necklace.

-Did you like it?

I didn't just like it, Jack. I LOVED it!

# Night-night, veggies

# Sleep tight, veggies

-# And listen to my gentle tune... #

-Night-night, Ingrid.

-Goodnight.

# Night-night, veggies

# Sleep tight, veggies

# We'll see you again soon. #

Shh...

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd