0:00:04 > 0:00:08Springtime, when the days lengthen
0:00:08 > 0:00:09and signs of change
0:00:09 > 0:00:10are everywhere.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12LAMBS BLEAT
0:00:13 > 0:00:15There's not a corner of the British Isles
0:00:15 > 0:00:18that doesn't warm to the arrival of spring.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21It's our most extraordinary season, for one big reason -
0:00:21 > 0:00:25it's a time of astonishing growth and regeneration.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28From pond life to birdlife,
0:00:28 > 0:00:30from the scent of fresh blossom,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33to our smallest mammals reawakening, after months of hibernation.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39We'll be bringing you the most remarkable stories
0:00:39 > 0:00:41of this wonderful time of year.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46Tales of survival, endurance and occasional indulgence.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Join us for this special week of programmes,
0:00:50 > 0:00:52as we celebrate the secrets of spring
0:00:52 > 0:00:55here on Countryfile Diaries.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12Spring - it's a season that provides the essential ingredients
0:01:12 > 0:01:17of water, warmth and light that combine to ignite all of our senses.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19LAMB BLEATS
0:01:19 > 0:01:23More than 900 years ago, the New Forest here in Hampshire
0:01:23 > 0:01:26was the favourite hunting ground of William the Conqueror.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Now, it's the perfect place to hunt down the sights,
0:01:29 > 0:01:31sounds and scents of spring.
0:01:31 > 0:01:38And Keeley is meeting a man who says he can taste all of them.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41The actual sound of the name daffodil gives me a taste
0:01:41 > 0:01:42of corned beef.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49On the Yorkshire coast, Margherita meets a man on a mission
0:01:49 > 0:01:52to make wildlife sites accessible for all.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54Look at this, you can look for miles!
0:01:55 > 0:01:57And we'll be catching up with Paul
0:01:57 > 0:02:00as he breathes new life into his Wiltshire smallholding.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04Today, he is getting to grips with how to grow his own heritage apples
0:02:04 > 0:02:07with a little expert help.
0:02:07 > 0:02:08How big will it be?
0:02:08 > 0:02:11- These ones will be full-size fruit trees.- That's great.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18For most of us, the coming of spring
0:02:18 > 0:02:21means that our senses are bombarded with all kind of new fragrances,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24the fantastic smells of blossom.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28In fact, it's said that you can actually develop a nose for spring.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30But can that be possibly true, Keeley?
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Well, do you know what, John?
0:02:32 > 0:02:34There might be a bit more to it than just an old wives' tale.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37We recognise the smell of spring, like you say,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41with the beautiful smell of blossom, but what if there was something else
0:02:41 > 0:02:43that we can't see, but we can still smell?
0:02:43 > 0:02:46- But...where would that come from, then?- Down here, John.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Beneath our feet...in the soil.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53As the weather heats up, plants release oils into the soil
0:02:53 > 0:02:55and bacteria's released in there, too.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58And this has a smell to it and we call that petrichor.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01I'm pretty sure there'll be some keen gardeners out there
0:03:01 > 0:03:04- that know what I'm talking about. - That very earthy smell.- Absolutely.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06But how does it get, then, from the earth into the air?
0:03:06 > 0:03:09Well, it is down to a very simple concept
0:03:09 > 0:03:12that water droplets can carry aromas with them.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15Now, recent studies show that when a raindrop hits the ground,
0:03:15 > 0:03:18it creates tiny microscopic bubbles.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21It's these tiny little bubbles that carry the smell with them.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23And, do you know what? Some scientists actually think
0:03:23 > 0:03:25that we might appreciate that smell
0:03:25 > 0:03:27because our ancestors needed rain for survival.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Of course, those smells become more abundant in spring
0:03:30 > 0:03:33when temperatures rise and those good old April showers.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35So now we know more clearly
0:03:35 > 0:03:38just why we have these wonderful fragrances in springtime.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41But is it possible to put those smells into a bottle?
0:03:41 > 0:03:44I went to the West Coast of Scotland, to find out.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59I'm meeting renowned biochemist George Dodd,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02a world authority on the science of sense,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04whose nickname is Dr Smell.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10- Good morning.- How are you, George? - Fancy meeting on a beach like this!
0:04:10 > 0:04:13- Welcome to the Highlands. - Thank you very much.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16What's it like to be known as Dr Smell...
0:04:16 > 0:04:18- Well... - ..in the nicest possible way?
0:04:18 > 0:04:19You just get used to it.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23In truth, I was born downwind of Guinness' brewery in Dublin.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26I always say it's the wonderful, tangy aroma
0:04:26 > 0:04:28that stimulated my sense of smell.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30And what a perfect place here to smell the ocean.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33In the spring, the ocean warms up very quickly here.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37The algae, the green seaweed, begins to bloom
0:04:37 > 0:04:40and that emits a very telltale aroma of spring,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42particularly for birds.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Literally, you have the cleanest air in the world.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47You know, it's coming across 3,000 miles of Atlantic Ocean
0:04:47 > 0:04:50from America and it's filtered and clean.
0:04:50 > 0:04:51You can't beat it, John.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54You know, we were designed to smell the world,
0:04:54 > 0:04:56but sadly very few of us do.
0:04:56 > 0:05:01Do you think it's possible, then, to smell the different seasons?
0:05:01 > 0:05:02Oh, absolutely.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05There's a sensory smelly triad here
0:05:05 > 0:05:08of green smells and herby smells
0:05:08 > 0:05:09and woody smells.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14Those blended together give you that inimitable freshness of spring here.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Let's go find some woody smell, shall we?
0:05:16 > 0:05:19There a nice wood up here and the green, look!
0:05:20 > 0:05:23'George is also a master perfumer
0:05:23 > 0:05:26'and his triad of smells has inspired him
0:05:26 > 0:05:30'to create a scent that captures spring in the Highlands.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32'First up, it's the green smells.'
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Pluck a little bit and have a sniff.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Hold it up to your nose.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40That's one of the most important biological molecules for humans.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43That's the smell of spring as the earth warms up,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46to tell us the vitality of life is coming back
0:05:46 > 0:05:49along with the green... You get the green note on top of the earth.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52- Now that's a much softer smell, isn't it?- Much softer.- Yep.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55A magical molecule called geosmin -
0:05:55 > 0:05:57"geo" from earth, the Greek for earth,
0:05:57 > 0:05:59and "osmic" is the Greek word for smell.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Natural green smells are happy.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03We're biologically engineered to respond,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06to feel good feeling.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08I must say I feel quite happy now.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Where shall we go next?
0:06:12 > 0:06:14'Next, it's the smell of Highland wood,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18'although I discovered that this time my nose isn't as finely tuned as George's...'
0:06:21 > 0:06:23- So what am I supposed to be smelling?- That's...
0:06:23 > 0:06:26It's a very faint, but very deep woody smell.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31- No, nothing at all there, George, I'm afraid...- Yeah.- ..for me.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34- We'll have to give you some smell-training lessons.- Yes!
0:06:37 > 0:06:40'Overlooking Loch Ewe lies the last component
0:06:40 > 0:06:42'in George's trio of spring smells.'
0:06:44 > 0:06:47This is unique, this is Highland myrtle,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49these are miniature myrtle.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51These are only found, these plants...
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Only found in the Highlands, where they grow wild.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57Oh, goodness me, smell that, smell that!
0:06:57 > 0:06:58I mean, it leaps out at you.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02- It's a lovely green resin-y smell. - Oh, it does! Fantastic smell.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06'Down by the loch, it's time to put to the test
0:07:06 > 0:07:09'whether those three distinctive smells of spring
0:07:09 > 0:07:14'can be bottled. Adrian Hollister was one of George's biochemistry
0:07:14 > 0:07:16'students in the 1970s.'
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Hello, Adrian.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22- Ah, John.- How are you? Good to see you.- Good morning.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26'He now owns and runs the perfume business that George set up.
0:07:27 > 0:07:32'I spot some unexpected additions to that basic triad of smells.'
0:07:32 > 0:07:36Amongst your bottles here are things that I would never associate
0:07:36 > 0:07:39with spring in the Highlands, like pineapple and coconut.
0:07:39 > 0:07:44Well, pineapple, we have pineapple broom, grows not very far from here.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48We have gorse and if you walk through a thick gorse bush
0:07:48 > 0:07:50you will smell coconut.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52So what else has got to go in now, then?
0:07:52 > 0:07:54We've got Atlantic Clean Air.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56I've never seen that before!
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Yeah, I can smell a sea breeze.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03'But will the finished blend
0:08:03 > 0:08:07remind me of my sensory walkabout with George?'
0:08:07 > 0:08:09So this is the final product.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11This is the final product...
0:08:11 > 0:08:12Springtime in the Highlands...
0:08:12 > 0:08:15- Springtime in the Highlands. - ..in a jar.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Yes, yes, I'll buy that.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21I'll buy that as the Highlands in a bottle.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23- Here's is a bottle I bottled earlier for you, John.- Oh!
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Thank you.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Now here's an interesting fact.
0:08:37 > 0:08:4079% of Britons say they'd like to spend more time
0:08:40 > 0:08:42visiting the countryside.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44So what's holding them back?
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Well, in some cases,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48it could simply be that the places that they want to go to
0:08:48 > 0:08:50just aren't accessible.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53But one man is on a crusade to change all that.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Margherita reports.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00Last spring, more than a quarter of us
0:09:00 > 0:09:03headed to the countryside to take in the clean air,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07tackle hills and mountains or witness some wildlife wonders.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12But for an estimated 6.5 million people in the UK
0:09:12 > 0:09:14with restricted mobility,
0:09:14 > 0:09:16not all of these experiences are within easy reach.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Gates, hurdles, rough terrain,
0:09:21 > 0:09:25all make it difficult for people with a disability to access nature.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31Two years ago, the RSPB decided to create a disabled sea view
0:09:31 > 0:09:35at Bempton Cliffs Bird Reserve on the East Coast of Yorkshire.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42It was kick-started by RSPB area manager Roy Taylor.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Roy, what are your biggest concerns for accessibility?
0:09:47 > 0:09:49Look at this place.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53This is one of the largest sea bird colonies in the UK.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Wildlife can add so much to a disabled person's life.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58If you can't get to it,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01how can your life be enriched by being outside in this place?
0:10:01 > 0:10:03How can you connect with wildlife?
0:10:03 > 0:10:05At various places, I take my wheelchair,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07you're holding on for dear life.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09The adventure is staying in your wheelchair,
0:10:09 > 0:10:13it's not absorbing all these natural sights and sounds around you.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15So, actually, to be able to come along and just be so relaxed
0:10:15 > 0:10:17and feel safe.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Roy has always been an active outdoors man.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26But three years ago, he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease
0:10:26 > 0:10:27which left him in a wheelchair.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Driven by his own love of nature,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34he set out on a countryside revolution.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36His plan?
0:10:36 > 0:10:40To get rid of anything preventing access to the outdoors for everyone.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43To do that, he went on an epic journey,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45raising funds and awareness.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Well, it was fun.
0:10:47 > 0:10:48We went from coast to coast.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53We started off in Southport and we did 215 miles in ten days.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55We had to lift the wheelchair over a few things,
0:10:55 > 0:10:59had to take a few diversions, so it's all been good fun.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02'Now, Roy's hard work is beginning to pay off -
0:11:02 > 0:11:06'Bempton Cliffs is the first of many nature reserves
0:11:06 > 0:11:10'to be transformed, and the rewards are instantaneous.'
0:11:10 > 0:11:13It's taken two years to get to this point.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Wow, look at it, it's amazing, isn't it?
0:11:15 > 0:11:19You're perched on top of 250,000 sea birds -
0:11:19 > 0:11:22one of the best wildlife spectacles anywhere in the world.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26And you can get right on top of it, look right down to it
0:11:26 > 0:11:28and it's a walk in the park to do it.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31You can't get better than that, can you?
0:11:31 > 0:11:35'Roy's discovered that simple changes make a big difference -
0:11:35 > 0:11:38'lowering handrails, repairing muddy footpaths
0:11:38 > 0:11:40'and providing mobility scooters,
0:11:40 > 0:11:44'all help to make inaccessible places become welcoming
0:11:44 > 0:11:46'for everyone to enjoy.'
0:11:47 > 0:11:50When I first came to Bempton Cliffs a couple of years ago,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53your wheelchair view was a plank of wood, when everyone else could see
0:11:53 > 0:11:57above it. Look at this, you can look for miles!
0:11:57 > 0:11:59Roy, what should I be looking out for today?
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Well, most people that come here want to see puffins.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04And puffins are incredibly cute.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07But for me, the stars of the show are these big guys,
0:12:07 > 0:12:08these gannets.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12These beautiful creamy yellow heads,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15these long effortless wings, with the black tips.
0:12:15 > 0:12:20They look like they could just cruise effortlessly for miles.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22- And look at this long line of them on the cliff here.- Yeah, got it.
0:12:24 > 0:12:2812,500 nesting pairs crammed onto these cliffs.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31How does it feel to take in that view
0:12:31 > 0:12:34at the end of two years at work?
0:12:34 > 0:12:36It makes you feel better.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Look at this gannet. You can almost see its eye as it's going past you.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42That's how close you are to these birds.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45And how do you feel knowing that
0:12:45 > 0:12:48this is hopefully the way forward across the UK?
0:12:48 > 0:12:52Well, I guess my biggest hope is, I get so much pleasure from this,
0:12:52 > 0:12:55I find it inconceivable that other people wouldn't enjoy it.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Thousands and thousands of people who might be sitting at home
0:12:58 > 0:13:01thinking, "I can't get out to see places like this,"
0:13:01 > 0:13:04can take a look at this and say, "Yes," and come and see it,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06because they'll be blown away.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12There is still room for improvement across the UK
0:13:12 > 0:13:17to make off-the-beaten-track routes accessible for all.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20After all, in spring, when nature's woken up and come out to play,
0:13:20 > 0:13:24it really is time to get out there and enjoy the fun.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26GANNETS CAW
0:13:26 > 0:13:32Many of us can't get enough of the sights and sounds of springtime.
0:13:32 > 0:13:33Doctors recognise there's a growing number
0:13:33 > 0:13:36for whom this season can be quite overwhelming.
0:13:36 > 0:13:41Keeley's gone in search of a truly multisensory experience.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43The smell of the fresh rain,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46the sound of the birdsong,
0:13:46 > 0:13:48the sight of blooming flowers
0:13:48 > 0:13:51and the taste of that first stem of asparagus.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55For most of us, it brings joy to our senses,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58but for some, it can all be just too intense.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03In fact, 4% of Brits have a trait known as synaesthesia.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05It is a neurological phenomenon
0:14:05 > 0:14:08where a sensation in one of the senses, such as hearing,
0:14:08 > 0:14:11triggers a sensation in another, such as taste.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16Some celebrities have reported having this secondary sense,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19from the artist David Hockney to Happy man Pharrell Williams
0:14:19 > 0:14:21and singer Lady Gaga.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24It sounds extraordinary, but around one in 20 of us
0:14:24 > 0:14:26have this kind of super sense -
0:14:26 > 0:14:30an amazing ability that some don't even realise.
0:14:30 > 0:14:35Meet James Wannerton. He's had synaesthesia all his life.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38He doesn't just see spring, he tastes it.
0:14:39 > 0:14:44The dawn chorus is exactly like eating melted green wine gums.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49'For James, this multisensory affair in spring
0:14:49 > 0:14:50'can be a lot to take in.'
0:14:50 > 0:14:52- Hello there, James.- Hello.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55So, tell me, what is synaesthesia?
0:14:55 > 0:14:58Synaesthesia is probably best described
0:14:58 > 0:15:00as being a mixing or blending of the senses.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03You may touch something and you might taste something
0:15:03 > 0:15:04at the same time, as well.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09Or a synaesthete may see a colour and hear a sound.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13There's probably around 60-plus types of synaesthesia
0:15:13 > 0:15:15that have been documented so far.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Mine is simply a case of hearing a sound
0:15:18 > 0:15:20and it gets instantly translated into a taste.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23It's not just an association, it's a real mouth feeling,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25as if I am eating something.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27What is spring like for you?
0:15:27 > 0:15:31Spring's a...tremendously stimulating time for me.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36Being out in spring gives me... Well, it intensifies everything.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39'But it's not all as exciting as it might sound.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42'Sometimes beautiful things can give an unpleasant flavour.'
0:15:42 > 0:15:45The actual sound of the name "daffodil"
0:15:45 > 0:15:51- gives me a taste of corned beef.- Oh. gosh!- So, when I look at a daffodil,
0:15:51 > 0:15:53I'm getting a taste of corned beef
0:15:53 > 0:15:56and I am also getting this horrible tangy,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59wine gum, kind of, taste over the top of it.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Um...and it's not nice.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06As president of the thousand-strong UK Synaesthesia Association,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09James is far from being alone. But scientists reckon
0:16:09 > 0:16:14around 2.5 million people in Britain have some form of synaesthesia.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19After 20 years of research, this neurological trait,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22which blends the senses, is now recognised in more of us
0:16:22 > 0:16:26than ever before. Researchers at Sussex University
0:16:26 > 0:16:28are now examining the effects of the condition
0:16:28 > 0:16:30and new ways to diagnose it.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34I've walked around Bolton Abbey lots of times before,
0:16:34 > 0:16:36but I've never really thought about it in terms of senses,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39so I wonder if James might be able to give me a taste
0:16:39 > 0:16:41of what it would be like for him.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44So, James, there are lots of things going on here at the moment.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47I can hear the water behind us, I can hear the birds singing.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50There are some sheep over there and every now and again
0:16:50 > 0:16:52they let off a baa. There's lots going on here.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54How are you experiencing this?
0:16:54 > 0:16:56That river is tremendous.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00It's a cross between lemonade and cream soda.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02It's just fizzy and...
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Tree bark, it tastes like flaky chocolate.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07So it's something to do with the...
0:17:07 > 0:17:08Yeah, the texture.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12This is the first time I've been here
0:17:12 > 0:17:15and it's - I have to admit, it's a fantastic place,
0:17:15 > 0:17:17it's very, very, very sensory.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20That building over there, the Priory,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23arches, funnily enough - and rather apt in this case -
0:17:23 > 0:17:27- give me a taste of Yorkshire Pudding.- That's an odd association.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30- It is, isn't it?- Yeah. Is there anything specifically
0:17:30 > 0:17:31around here that you find unpleasant?
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Well, there is, yeah, cos I heard a dog barking earlier.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37That gave me a very strong taste of that stuff you get
0:17:37 > 0:17:40- at the bottom of electric kettles. - Like limescale?- Yeah.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43- Right at the back of the throat. - Would you be without it?
0:17:43 > 0:17:45- Would you rather not have it? - No, it's...
0:17:45 > 0:17:47I mean...it's a fundamental part of who I am.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49It the way I think, it's the way I act,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52everything is based around taste. So, no, definitely not.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59It's opened my eyes to a whole new dimension of spring's beauty -
0:17:59 > 0:18:02sights and sounds sensed in an entirely different way.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04BEE BUZZES
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Spring is an ideal time for planting,
0:18:09 > 0:18:13but it's reckoned that 90% of our traditional orchards in England and Wales
0:18:13 > 0:18:16have been lost since the 1950s.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20Now Paul Martin, who's a sort of fledgling smallholder,
0:18:20 > 0:18:24has decided to do his bit by planting his own heritage orchard.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27But, first of all, he has to find the right fruit trees.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33After years of hard graft, my once derelict smallholding
0:18:33 > 0:18:35is slowly taking shape.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37This spring, I'm learning how to turn the land
0:18:37 > 0:18:39into a home for wildlife
0:18:39 > 0:18:41and for producing food for the family.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49The next spring project is all about Grow Your Own
0:18:49 > 0:18:53and, in this case, it's Britain's favourite fruit - apples.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57When we first moved here, I was chuffed to bits to discover
0:18:57 > 0:19:00that this is a lovely old apple tree and it produces wonderful cookers,
0:19:00 > 0:19:02and towards the end of the summer,
0:19:02 > 0:19:04we get a great harvest.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07This grand old apple tree has whet my appetite for Wiltshire apples.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10And now that we have heritage sheep on the land,
0:19:10 > 0:19:13what we really need is a heritage orchard...
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Fortunately I know a man who can help me out -
0:19:18 > 0:19:20a local fruit farmer, Chris Good,
0:19:20 > 0:19:24who can show me what apple trees I can grow in my new orchard.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27Traditional orchards cover 24,000 hectares of Britain
0:19:27 > 0:19:31and are incredibly important for British wildlife.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Early spring is the perfect time to plant saplings
0:19:35 > 0:19:37before the buds begin to bloom.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41And if anyone can help me choose a variety, Chris can.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45- We've got 65 different varieties here.- Gosh!
0:19:45 > 0:19:47They're all old heritage varieties.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49So you're never short of apples, are you?
0:19:49 > 0:19:51No. Sometimes we feel we're disappearing underneath them!
0:19:53 > 0:19:57But before I make my final choices, the real test is in the taste.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01Oh, I like this. Look at all these bottles.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05I think until my orchard gets going you've got a regular customer.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Excellent. We'd be more than happy to see you.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11It's time to see what the real experts think.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14I hope they like my choices.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17- Hi, guys.- Hi, Daddy. - Apple juice has arrived.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22- Cheers!- Ready, Meredith?
0:20:22 > 0:20:25- That's really nice. - Oh, it tastes earthy!
0:20:25 > 0:20:28- Oh, it does, doesn't it? - That's nice.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30That's got a nice bitter taste to it.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33I like the Steeple Ashton one, but I think Burn's Seedling,
0:20:33 > 0:20:35this last one we had.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Is that your favourite?
0:20:37 > 0:20:39- No, the first one. - The first one? Steeple Ashton.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42But there's a problem.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45The rarest local varieties that I've selected -
0:20:45 > 0:20:47Roundway Magnum and Dredge's Fame -
0:20:47 > 0:20:50aren't available fully-grown anywhere in the country...
0:20:50 > 0:20:53So I'll need to grow my own
0:20:53 > 0:20:57by grafting the roots from a standard root stock variety
0:20:57 > 0:21:01with cuttings, or scions, from each of our heritage trees.
0:21:01 > 0:21:02- Shall we give it a go?- Yes, sure.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05And here to show me how is Orchard Project Officer
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Megan Gimber from People's Trust For Endangered Species.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11Megan, I'm really excited because I've never seen this done before.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14It's actually a lot easier than you'd think it would be.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16It's essentially just cutting up some root stocks,
0:21:16 > 0:21:20cutting up the scion wood and sticking them together, creating a new tree.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22- So the root stocks you pick up from any good garden centre?- Yes.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26You choose your root stocks depending on what size tree you want eventually.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28So looking at those root stocks, how big will it be?
0:21:28 > 0:21:31- These ones will be full-size fruit trees...- Oh, brilliant!
0:21:31 > 0:21:34..because these ones are nice and big, they live the longest
0:21:34 > 0:21:37- and they're the best for wildlife. - That's great. How does it work?
0:21:37 > 0:21:40What we want to do is we want to do a sloping cut in this.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44So that's the layer that's going to fuse the root stock with the scion material.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Right, that's the layer between the white bit and the green bit.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49It is, it's just below the bark.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Yep, that looks all right.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57- Now we want to do the same on a piece of scion wood.- Right.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Now we need to do the tongue cuts
0:21:59 > 0:22:02and this basically locks the scion and the root stock in contact,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05cutting a little cut in here.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08- So rock the knife rather than pushing it down.- Wow!
0:22:08 > 0:22:10- This is why you need a sharp knife.- Yes.
0:22:10 > 0:22:11You're so cool when you did that.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14It's kind of like... I can't believe that.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17- And then they lock into each other. - The tongues should lock into each other...
0:22:17 > 0:22:19Perfect, that looks perfect.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22- It's amazing how they hold together under tension, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26So what we want to do now is wrap them up to hold them together,
0:22:26 > 0:22:29chop the scion woods down to one or two or three beds,
0:22:29 > 0:22:31label them and pot them.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36- Brilliant.- Fantastic.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38And with any luck, this will produce a nice big tree
0:22:38 > 0:22:41that you can plant out next year.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45I won't get to plant these in my new orchard just yet -
0:22:45 > 0:22:49they need to be potted and protected until the following year.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52But with regular, watering to allow the roots to spread,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55these will be a real treat for next spring.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58To kick-start my orchard this year,
0:22:58 > 0:23:02I have managed to find a two-year-old pre-grafted Victorian classic -
0:23:02 > 0:23:04the Sturmer Pippin.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06And for £20 per tree,
0:23:06 > 0:23:07these are ready to plant today.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11Well, that's the Sturmer Pippin safely in.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Obviously keen to get fruit from it in a few years' time,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16but also keen to encourage more wildlife.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18Well, orchards are fantastic for wildlife.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21They're what you call mosaic habitats,
0:23:21 > 0:23:23which means they've got elements of woodlands,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26elements of pasture land, wild flower meadow...
0:23:26 > 0:23:29All these habitats are great for biodiversity,
0:23:29 > 0:23:32- but, actually, altogether in an orchard, it's better than the sum of its parts.- Really?
0:23:32 > 0:23:35It's a fantastic habitat for animals, yeah.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42I know it doesn't look like much right now,
0:23:42 > 0:23:44but this time next spring,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47these three Victorian favourites will be joined
0:23:47 > 0:23:49by five of the very best from Wiltshire,
0:23:49 > 0:23:53and then you could say, I've got the makings of a good old-fashioned English orchard
0:23:53 > 0:23:55with some real local history.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57That's a great start.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05All this week we're celebrating spring
0:24:05 > 0:24:07in the New Forest in Hampshire.
0:24:07 > 0:24:13More than 200 square miles of wild open heath, woodland and coast.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17For centuries, people and animals have lived side-by-side here -
0:24:17 > 0:24:20historic rights allow thousands of animals
0:24:20 > 0:24:23to roam and graze freely in the forest.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24They help shape the landscape.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30One of the oldest residents, the New Forest Pony,
0:24:30 > 0:24:32is on a rare-breed watchlist,
0:24:32 > 0:24:37but every care is being taken to make sure this breed lives on.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Jules now joins the locals for an important date
0:24:40 > 0:24:43in theirs and the ponies' spring diary...
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Good boy.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Well, after the long dark days of winter,
0:24:50 > 0:24:56spring is the perfect time to gather together all of the stallions for an annual inspection.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59It's also a chance for their owners to have a good catch up.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04'All the ponies in the New Forest are owned by locals known as commoners.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08'They have an ancient right to graze their animals on the open common.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13'These pony inspections are crucial for male ponies.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16'Only those who make the grade will be released back into the forest
0:25:16 > 0:25:19'to breed and add to the bloodline.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26'Jonathan Gerrelli is one of five agisters, or forest wardens,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29'responsible for the welfare of the ponies out on the heath -
0:25:29 > 0:25:31'some of which belong to him.'
0:25:33 > 0:25:37- But it is like the OK Corral, isn't it?- It very much is.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39What are you looking for?
0:25:39 > 0:25:42They have to be purebred registered New Forest stallions,
0:25:42 > 0:25:46they have to come and pass this extensive vetting and judging procedure
0:25:46 > 0:25:48to make sure they're the right type,
0:25:48 > 0:25:50so we know the foals we're producing out here
0:25:50 > 0:25:54will be hardy - good strong hardy foals, that will thrive in the forest.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57I've got a young stallion here today and he will come up for selection.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Hopefully he'll get picked to be turned out.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Well, I can't wait to see how the day unfolds. Cheers, see you later.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09'As the inspections get under way,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12'commoner and chairman of the New Forest Livestock Society
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Lucinda Lang will be my guide.'
0:26:16 > 0:26:20So this is Michael. Michael's one of our handlers for the Livestock Society.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22Hello, Michael, nice to see you.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Are you hoping this is going to go through the inspection successfully?
0:26:25 > 0:26:29- Yes, he's come here today, he's in good order, looks well. - COLT WHINNIES LOUDLY
0:26:29 > 0:26:30We'll have to see if the judges like him.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Well, Michael, we wish you the best of luck today.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35What's the name of your noisy colt?
0:26:35 > 0:26:37He is called Mike the Knight!
0:26:37 > 0:26:39- Mike the Knight?- That is correct. - THEY LAUGH
0:26:42 > 0:26:45'The young males up for selection have to be scrutinised.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49'Any signs of being too tame and they'll be out of the running.'
0:26:49 > 0:26:53- He's got a lovely shape through his neck, hasn't he?- Yes.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Once they're happy that they've seen everything,
0:26:56 > 0:26:59they'll ask Mike to walk around the ring.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03It's a good opportunity to see them moving freely.
0:27:03 > 0:27:08You get to see the stride and actually see their true frame.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13'Just 15 of these ponies will run with 5,000 mares in the forest.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21'Exhausting as the ratio may sound,
0:27:21 > 0:27:23'these stallions have a serious job to do,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26'ensuring future generations of the breed thrive.'
0:27:28 > 0:27:31'The first results are in.'
0:27:31 > 0:27:33So, Michael, how did it go with Mike the Knight?
0:27:33 > 0:27:36- He looked beautiful in the ring. - Yes, he did look good.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38- Unfortunately, he was referred today.- Was he?
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Yes, so that means that he didn't get a straight fail,
0:27:40 > 0:27:44but he gets the opportunity to come back in September and have another stab at it.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46Gosh, those standards are high, aren't they?
0:27:46 > 0:27:48They are high. Unfortunately.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51That's why we have these, so, um, what can I say?
0:27:52 > 0:27:54'But Jonathan has had better luck.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57'His yearling has been accepted amongst the ranks of the elite.'
0:27:58 > 0:28:02Well, Jonathan, that's it for you for this year.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Another inspection over.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06- How has it gone, do you think, over all?- Very well, yes.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08I'm pleased at how it's all gone.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12A good number of colts forward and very pleased with the quality, as well.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18'It's fascinating to see the community effort
0:28:18 > 0:28:22'that goes into safeguarding the New Forest Pony.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26'And to think that these horses hold the future of their breed in their hands...
0:28:26 > 0:28:28'Or should it be hooves?'
0:28:28 > 0:28:30PONY WHINNIES
0:28:32 > 0:28:34And that's it for today.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36We'll be back again at the same time tomorrow.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39Hope you can join us then. Bye for now.