0:00:05 > 0:00:08Springtime, when the days lengthen
0:00:08 > 0:00:10and signs of change are 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 > 0:00:54here 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 > 0:01:22More than 900 years ago, the New Forest here in Hampshire
0:01:22 > 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.
0:01:33 > 0:01:38But one of our most fragrant and emblematic symbols of spring is under attack.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Jules finds out why our native bluebells
0:01:43 > 0:01:45could be extinct by the end of the century.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50On the Yorkshire coast, Margherita meets a man on a mission
0:01:50 > 0:01:54to make wildlife sites accessible for all.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Look at this, you can look for miles!
0:01:57 > 0:01:59And we'll be catching up with Paul
0:01:59 > 0:02:02as he breathes new life into his Wiltshire smallholding.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06Today he is getting to grips with how to grow his own heritage apples
0:02:06 > 0:02:08with a little expert help.
0:02:08 > 0:02:09How big will it be?
0:02:09 > 0:02:12- 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 > 0:02:23means that our senses are bombarded with all kind of new fragrances,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26the fantastic smells of blossom.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30In fact, it's said that you can actually develop a nose for spring.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32But can that be possibly true, Keeley?
0:02:32 > 0:02:33Well, do you know what, John?
0:02:33 > 0:02:36There might be a bit more to it than just an old wives' tale.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38We recognise the smell of spring, like you say,
0:02:38 > 0:02:40with the beautiful smell of blossom,
0:02:40 > 0:02:45but what if there was something else that we can't see, but we can still smell?
0:02:45 > 0:02:47- But...where would that come from, then?- Down here, John.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Beneath our feet...in the soil.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55As the weather heats up, plants release oils into the soil
0:02:55 > 0:02:57and bacteria's released in there, too.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00And this has a smell to it - and we call that petrichor.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04I'm pretty sure there'll be some keen gardeners out there that know what I'm talking about.
0:03:04 > 0:03:05- That very earthy smell.- Absolutely.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08But how does it get, then, from the earth into the air?
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Well, it is down to a very simple concept
0:03:11 > 0:03:13that water droplets can carry aromas with them.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Let me show you.
0:03:15 > 0:03:16Take a look at this video.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Now recent studies show that when a raindrop hits the ground
0:03:19 > 0:03:22it creates tiny microscopic bubbles,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25and it's the force of that raindrop hitting the ground
0:03:25 > 0:03:29that forces the water and the droplets to come back out into the environment.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32They are a little bit like bubbles in a glass of champagne,
0:03:32 > 0:03:33only much, much smaller.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36It's these tiny little bubbles that carry the smell with them.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38So when heavy showers hit the soil,
0:03:38 > 0:03:42- that releases this very special smell of spring.- Exactly.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45And the perfect conditions for it would be a long spell of dry weather.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49And, do you know what? Some scientists actually think
0:03:49 > 0:03:50that we might appreciate that smell
0:03:50 > 0:03:53because our ancestors needed rain for survival.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Of course, those smells become more abundant in spring
0:03:55 > 0:03:59when temperatures rise and those good old April showers.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01So now we know more clearly
0:04:01 > 0:04:03just why we have these wonderful fragrances in springtime.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07But is it possible to put those smells into a bottle?
0:04:07 > 0:04:10I went to the West Coast of Scotland to find out.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27I'm meeting renowned biochemist George Dodd,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30a world authority on the science of sense,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32whose nickname is Dr Smell.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38- Good morning.- How are you, George? - Fancy meeting on a beach like this!
0:04:38 > 0:04:41- Welcome to the Highlands. - Thank you very much.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44What's it like to be known as Dr Smell...
0:04:44 > 0:04:46- Well... - ..in the nicest possible way?
0:04:46 > 0:04:47You just get used to it.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51In truth, I was born downwind of Guinness' brewery in Dublin.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54I always say it's the wonderful, tangy aroma
0:04:54 > 0:04:56that stimulated my sense of smell.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58And what a perfect place here to smell the ocean.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02In the spring, the ocean warms up very quickly here.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05The algae, the green seaweed, begins to bloom
0:05:05 > 0:05:08and that emits a very tell-tale aroma of spring,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10particularly for birds.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Literally, you have the cleanest air in the world.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16You know, it's coming across 3,000 miles of Atlantic Ocean from America
0:05:16 > 0:05:18and it's filtered and clean.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20You can't beat it, John.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22You know, we were designed to smell the world,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24but sadly very few of us do.
0:05:24 > 0:05:29Do you think it's possible, then, to smell the different seasons?
0:05:29 > 0:05:30Oh, absolutely.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33There's a sensory smelly triad here
0:05:33 > 0:05:36of green smells and herby smells
0:05:36 > 0:05:37and woody smells.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42Those blended together give you that inimitable freshness of spring here.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44Let's go find some woody smell, shall we?
0:05:44 > 0:05:47There a nice wood up here and the green, look!
0:05:49 > 0:05:51'George is also a master perfumer
0:05:51 > 0:05:54'and his triad of smells has inspired him
0:05:54 > 0:05:58'to create a scent that captures spring in the Highlands.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00'First up, it's the green smells.'
0:06:00 > 0:06:02Pluck a little bit and have a sniff.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Hold it up to your nose.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08That's one of the most important biological molecules for humans.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11That's the smell of spring as the earth warms up,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14to tell us the vitality of life is coming back
0:06:14 > 0:06:17along with the green... You get the green note on top of the earth.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20- Now that's a much softer smell, isn't it?- Much softer.- Yep.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23A magical molecule called geosmin -
0:06:23 > 0:06:25"geo" from earth, the Greek for earth,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27and "osmic" is the Greek word for smell.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29Natural green smells are happy.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32We're biologically engineered to respond,
0:06:32 > 0:06:34to feel good feeling.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36I must say I feel quite happy now.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Where shall we go next?
0:06:40 > 0:06:42'Next it's the smell of Highland wood,
0:06:42 > 0:06:47'although I discovered that this time my nose isn't as finely tuned as George's...'
0:06:49 > 0:06:51- So what am I supposed to be smelling?- That's...
0:06:51 > 0:06:54It's a very faint, but very deep woody smell.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59- No, nothing at all there, George, I'm afraid...- Yeah.- ..for me.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03- We'll have to give you some smell-training lessons.- Yes!
0:07:05 > 0:07:08'Overlooking Loch Ewe lies the last component
0:07:08 > 0:07:10'in George's trio of spring smells.'
0:07:13 > 0:07:15This is unique, this is highland myrtle,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17these are miniature myrtle.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19These are only found, these plants...
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Only found in the highlands where they grow wild.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Oh, goodness me, smell that, smell that!
0:07:25 > 0:07:27I mean, it leaps out at you.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31- It's a lovely green resin-y smell. - Oh, it does, doesn't it! Fantastic smell.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34But, you know, George, the frustration, I think,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38is that people at home can't smell all the aromas that we're smelling.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Ah, give them two, three years - we're working on it.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43In my research group, at the University of Warwick,
0:07:43 > 0:07:46we are putting the age-old dream of smelly television into practice.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49Really? So that could really happen, could it?
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Smelly telly is around the corner?
0:07:52 > 0:07:55'Down by the loch, it's time to put to the test
0:07:55 > 0:07:58'whether those three distinctive smells of spring
0:07:58 > 0:08:00'can be bottled...
0:08:00 > 0:08:04'Adrian Hollister was one of George's biochemistry students in the 1970s.'
0:08:05 > 0:08:07Hello, Adrian.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10- Ah, John.- How are you? Good to see you.- Good morning.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14'He now owns and runs the perfume business that George set up.
0:08:15 > 0:08:20'And I spot some unexpected additions to that basic triad of smells...'
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Amongst your bottles here are things that I would never associate
0:08:24 > 0:08:27with spring in the Highlands, like pineapple and coconut.
0:08:27 > 0:08:32Well, pineapple, we have pineapple broom, grows not very far from here.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36We have gorse and if you walk through a thick gorse bush
0:08:36 > 0:08:38you will smell coconut.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40So what else has got to go in now, then?
0:08:40 > 0:08:43We've got Atlantic Clean Air.
0:08:43 > 0:08:44I've never seen that before!
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Yeah, I can smell a sea breeze.
0:08:50 > 0:08:51'But will the finished blend
0:08:51 > 0:08:55remind me of my sensory walkabout with George?'
0:08:55 > 0:08:57So this is the final product.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59This is the final product...
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Springtime in the Highlands...
0:09:01 > 0:09:03- Springtime in the Highlands. - ..in a jar.
0:09:05 > 0:09:06Yes, yes, I'll buy that.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09I'll buy that as the Highlands in a bottle.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11- Here's is a bottle I bottled earlier for you, John.- Oh!
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Thank you.
0:09:24 > 0:09:25Now here's an interesting fact.
0:09:25 > 0:09:2979% of Britons say they'd like to spend more time
0:09:29 > 0:09:30visiting the countryside.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32So what's holding them back?
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Well, in some cases,
0:09:34 > 0:09:37it could simply be that the places that they want to go to
0:09:37 > 0:09:39just aren't accessible.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42But one man is on a crusade to change all that.
0:09:42 > 0:09:43Margherita reports.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Last spring more than a quarter of us
0:09:49 > 0:09:52headed to the countryside to take in the clean air,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55tackle hills and mountains or witness some wildlife wonders.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01But for an estimated 6.5 million people in the UK
0:10:01 > 0:10:02with restricted mobility,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05not all of these experiences are within easy reach.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10Gates, hurdles, rough terrain,
0:10:10 > 0:10:14all make it difficult for people with a disability to access nature.
0:10:15 > 0:10:20Two years ago the RSPB decided to create a disabled sea view
0:10:20 > 0:10:24at Bempton Cliffs Bird Reserve on the East Coast of Yorkshire.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30It was kick-started by RSPB area manager Roy Taylor.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Roy, what are your biggest concerns for accessibility?
0:10:36 > 0:10:37Look at this place.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42This is one of the largest seabird colonies in the UK.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Wildlife can add so much to a disabled person's life.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47If you can't get to it,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50how can your life be enriched by being outside in this place?
0:10:50 > 0:10:51How can you connect with wildlife?
0:10:51 > 0:10:53At various places I take my wheelchair,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55you're holding on for dear life.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58The adventure is staying in your wheelchair,
0:10:58 > 0:11:01it's not absorbing all these natural sights and sounds around you.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05So, actually, to be able to come along and just be so relaxed
0:11:05 > 0:11:06and feel safe.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Roy has always been an active outdoors man.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14But three years ago he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease
0:11:14 > 0:11:16which left him in a wheelchair.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Driven by his own love of nature,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22he set out on a countryside revolution.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24His plan?
0:11:24 > 0:11:28To get rid of anything preventing access to the outdoors for everyone.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31To do that, he went on an epic journey,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34raising funds and awareness.
0:11:34 > 0:11:35Well, it was fun.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37We went from coast to coast.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39We started off in Southport
0:11:39 > 0:11:42and we did 215 miles in ten days.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44We had to lift the wheelchair over a few things.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46We had to take a few diversions.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48So it's all been good fun.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51'Now Roy's hard work is beginning to pay off -
0:11:51 > 0:11:56'Bempton Cliffs is the first of many nature reserves to be transformed,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59'and the rewards are instantaneous.'
0:11:59 > 0:12:02It's taken two years to get to this point.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Wow, look at it, it's amazing, isn't it?
0:12:04 > 0:12:08You're perched on top of 250,000 seabirds,
0:12:08 > 0:12:12one of the best wildlife spectacles anywhere in the world.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15And you can get right on top of it, look right down to it
0:12:15 > 0:12:17and it's a walk in the park to do it.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20You can't get better than that, can you?
0:12:20 > 0:12:24'Roy's discovered that simple changes make a big difference -
0:12:24 > 0:12:27'lowering handrails, repairing muddy footpaths
0:12:27 > 0:12:29'and providing mobility scooters
0:12:29 > 0:12:33'all help to make inaccessible places become welcoming
0:12:33 > 0:12:35'for everyone to enjoy.'
0:12:36 > 0:12:39When I first came to Bempton Cliffs a couple of years ago,
0:12:39 > 0:12:43your wheelchair view was a plank of wood, when everyone else could see above it.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Look at this, you can look for miles!
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Roy, what should I be looking out for today?
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Well, most people that come here want to see puffins.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53And puffins are incredibly cute.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56But for me, the stars of the show are these big guys,
0:12:56 > 0:12:57these gannets.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01These beautiful creamy yellow heads,
0:13:01 > 0:13:05these long effortless wings with the black tips.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09They look like they could just cruise effortlessly for miles.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11- And look at this long line of them on the cliff here.- Yeah, got it.
0:13:13 > 0:13:1712,500 nesting pairs crammed onto these cliffs.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21How does it feel to take in that view
0:13:21 > 0:13:23at the end of two years at work?
0:13:23 > 0:13:25It makes you feel better.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29Look at this gannet. You can almost see its eye as it's going past you.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31That's how close you are to these birds.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34And how do you feel knowing that
0:13:34 > 0:13:37this is hopefully the way forward across the UK?
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Well, I guess my biggest hope is... I get so much pleasure from this,
0:13:41 > 0:13:44I find it inconceivable that other people wouldn't enjoy it.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Thousands and thousands of people who might be sitting at home thinking,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50"I can't get out to see places like this,"
0:13:50 > 0:13:53can take a look at this and say, "Yes," and come and see it
0:13:53 > 0:13:55because they'll be blown away.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02There is still room for improvement across the UK
0:14:02 > 0:14:05to make off-the-beaten-track routes accessible for all.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08But sites like these really are showing us the way
0:14:08 > 0:14:10and heading in the right direction.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12And, after all, in spring, when nature's woken up
0:14:12 > 0:14:14and come out to play
0:14:14 > 0:14:17it really is time to get out there and enjoy the fun.
0:14:17 > 0:14:18GANNETS CRY
0:14:20 > 0:14:24Many of us can't get enough of the sights and sounds of springtime.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27But doctors now recognise there's a growing number of people
0:14:27 > 0:14:30for whom this season can be all too much.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Keeley's searching out a truly multisensory experience...
0:14:35 > 0:14:37The smell of the fresh rain,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39the sound of the birdsong,
0:14:39 > 0:14:41the sight of blooming flowers
0:14:41 > 0:14:44and the taste of that first stem of asparagus.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48For most of us it brings joy to our senses,
0:14:48 > 0:14:51but for some it can all be just too intense.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56In fact, 4% of Brits have a trait known as synaesthesia.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58It is a neurological phenomenon
0:14:58 > 0:15:01where a sensation in one of the senses, such as hearing,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04triggers a sensation in another, such as taste.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09Some celebrities have reported having this secondary sense
0:15:09 > 0:15:12from the artist David Hockney to Happy man Pharrell Williams
0:15:12 > 0:15:15and singer Lady Gaga.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20It sounds extraordinary, but around one in 20 of us have this kind of super sense -
0:15:20 > 0:15:23an amazing ability that some don't even realise.
0:15:23 > 0:15:28Meet James Wannerton. He's had synaesthesia all his life.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32He doesn't just see spring, he tastes it.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35The season spring has got a beautiful taste
0:15:35 > 0:15:38of a thin piece of bread with margarine on it.
0:15:38 > 0:15:43The dawn chorus is exactly like eating melted green wine gums.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47'For James, this multisensory affair in spring
0:15:47 > 0:15:49'can be a lot to take in.'
0:15:49 > 0:15:51- Hello there, James.- Hello.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54So, tell me, what is synaesthesia?
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Synaesthesia is probably best described
0:15:57 > 0:15:59as being a mixing or blending of the senses.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03You may touch something and you might taste something at the same time, as well.
0:16:03 > 0:16:08Or a synaesthete may see a colour and hear a sound.
0:16:08 > 0:16:09Are there lots of different types?
0:16:09 > 0:16:11Yes, there's quite a few.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15There's probably around 60+ types of synaesthesia
0:16:15 > 0:16:19that have been documented and checked and researched so far.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23Mine is simply a case of hearing a sound
0:16:23 > 0:16:25and it gets instantly translated into a taste.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28It's not just an association, it's a real mouth feeling...
0:16:28 > 0:16:29It's as if I am actually eating something.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31It's another dimension.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34So spring is a time where there's lots of changes,
0:16:34 > 0:16:35we're seeing lots of new things,
0:16:35 > 0:16:37we're smelling lots of new things.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39What is spring like for you?
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Spring's a...tremendously stimulating time for me.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46It's one of the joyous things about synaesthesia,
0:16:46 > 0:16:50because being out in spring gives me...
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Well, it intensifies everything.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54It sort of brings it all closer to me.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57The whole thing is absolutely amazing.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00'But it's not all as exciting as it might sound.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03'Sometimes beautiful things can give an unpleasant flavour...'
0:17:03 > 0:17:04These daffodils,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07they actually cause quite a big conflict with me synaesthetically
0:17:07 > 0:17:09because of the colour of the plant
0:17:09 > 0:17:11and then because of the name of the plant.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14The actual sound of the name "daffodil"
0:17:14 > 0:17:16gives me a taste of corned beef.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18So when I look at a daffodil,
0:17:18 > 0:17:21I'm getting a taste of corned beef
0:17:21 > 0:17:24and I am also getting this horrible tangy...
0:17:24 > 0:17:28wine gum kind of taste over the top of it.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Um...and it's not nice.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32You must be sick to the back teeth of it!
0:17:32 > 0:17:34They are everywhere at the moment!
0:17:34 > 0:17:37It's an assault on the senses.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40'As president of the thousand-strong UK Synaesthesia Association,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43'James is far from being alone.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47'But scientists reckon around 2.5 million people in Britain
0:17:47 > 0:17:50'have some form of synaesthesia.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54'After 20 years of research, this neurological trait which blends the senses
0:17:54 > 0:17:58'is now recognised in more of us than ever before.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02'Researchers at Sussex University are now examining the effects of the condition
0:18:02 > 0:18:05'and new ways to diagnose it.'
0:18:05 > 0:18:08I've walked around Bolton Abbey lots of times before,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11but I've never really thought about it in terms of senses,
0:18:11 > 0:18:13so I wonder if James might be able to give me a taste
0:18:13 > 0:18:15of what it would be like for him.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18So, James, there are lots of things going on here at the moment.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21I can hear the water behind us, I can hear the birds singing.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25There are some sheep over there and every now and again they let off a baa.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27There's lots going on here.
0:18:27 > 0:18:28How are you experiencing this?
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Well, I'm experiencing it much the same as you are.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35I can hear the sounds, I can smell the smells of spring.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39But also I get a very strong taste, as well.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Taste association.
0:18:41 > 0:18:42That river is tremendous.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45It's a cross between lemonade and cream soda.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47It's just fizzy and...
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Tree bark, it tastes like flaky chocolate.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52So it's something to do with, you know, the...
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Yeah, I can see that, the texture, the texture...
0:18:54 > 0:18:56I can hear sheep.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59That's giving me a taste that I can only describe
0:18:59 > 0:19:01as being like, um, you know, cottage pie -
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- minced beef with potato on top. - Oh, cruel!
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Oh, yes. I'd never picked that up!
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Oh, we can't have that, that's terrible!
0:19:09 > 0:19:10KEELEY LAUGHS
0:19:10 > 0:19:13This is the first time I've been here
0:19:13 > 0:19:15and it's - I have to admit, it's a fantastic place,
0:19:15 > 0:19:17it's very, very, very sensory.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21That building over there, the Priory, which, by the way,
0:19:21 > 0:19:24tastes of apples and bits of almond,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27that's what the actual place tastes like.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Arches, funnily enough - and rather apt in this case -
0:19:30 > 0:19:33- give me a taste of Yorkshire Pudding.- That's a really odd association.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35- It is, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Is there anything specifically around here that you're finding unpleasant?
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Well, there is, yeah, cos I heard a dog barking earlier.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43That gave me a very strong taste of that stuff you get
0:19:43 > 0:19:47- at the bottom of electric kettles. - Like limescale?- Yes, oh, yeah...
0:19:47 > 0:19:49- Right at the back of the throat. - Would you be without it?
0:19:49 > 0:19:52- Would you rather not have it? - No, it's...
0:19:52 > 0:19:54I mean...it's a fundamental part of who I am.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57It the way I think, it's the way I act,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00everything is based around taste. So, no, definitely not.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05'It's opened my eyes to a whole new dimension of spring's beauty,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08'sights and sounds sensed in an entirely different way...'
0:20:08 > 0:20:10BEE BUZZES
0:20:10 > 0:20:13'Hm, I wonder what summer tastes like.'
0:20:15 > 0:20:19One springtime scent that's in danger of becoming a distant memory -
0:20:19 > 0:20:22possibly in the space of a single generation -
0:20:22 > 0:20:24comes from our native bluebell.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Jules is about to investigate...
0:20:29 > 0:20:32It's is a classic sign of spring.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36British woodlands awash with a sea of bluebells.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38But all is not well.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40Our native bluebell is in trouble,
0:20:40 > 0:20:42and it's all down to a Spanish invader.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48Well, it's thought that in a good year,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52some 42 acres of the New Forest can be covered by bluebells.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55And it's a popular springtime spectacle
0:20:55 > 0:20:58for both visitors and tourists alike.
0:20:58 > 0:21:04But it's now thought that our beautiful native species is being overtaken
0:21:04 > 0:21:06thanks to the good old Victorians,
0:21:06 > 0:21:08who introduced a rival into their gardens.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13The Spanish bluebell.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16It's believed that around one in six British broadleaf woodlands
0:21:16 > 0:21:21now have a mixed or hybrid native and Spanish bluebell population.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Sarah Stebbing from the Woodland Trust
0:21:25 > 0:21:29fears for the future of our native bluebell.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33How have they managed to take over in such a prevalent way today?
0:21:33 > 0:21:37They've been introduced to people's gardens over a long period of time now.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39When people, if they are taking them out of their gardens,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42by not disposing of them properly,
0:21:42 > 0:21:46the Spanish variety will hybridise with our native bluebell.
0:21:46 > 0:21:47'But what I want to know is
0:21:47 > 0:21:52'how on earth can you tell the difference between the two varieties?'
0:21:52 > 0:21:55- This, I gather, is the Spanish imposter.- Indeed it is.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58There's quite a few differences in their characteristics.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01The first thing is the Spanish bluebell is a much paler blue,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03whereas our native bluebell,
0:22:03 > 0:22:06if we look at one here, is much darker, richer - almost violet blue.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09- They're much daintier, aren't they, the native species?- They are.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13The Spanish ones have a much more upright, stiffer appearance
0:22:13 > 0:22:17and our native bluebells have this very distinctive slender stem
0:22:17 > 0:22:20and a much more drooping, nodding look to them.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Another difference is the colour of the pollen.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27The Spanish bluebell has a greeny-blue colour to it,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30whereas our native bluebell has a creamy-white-colour pollen.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33The shape of the flowers is also different.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36It is a much more open bell shape, almost a cone shape,
0:22:36 > 0:22:38on the Spanish species.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42It's a much more delicate bell shape on our native bluebell.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45The petals curl back almost completely on themselves.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49For me, one of the great joys of spring is walking through a wood like this one
0:22:49 > 0:22:52and enjoying that lovely scent that comes off of bluebells.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55- Can the same be said for the Spanish?- No, unfortunately not.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59The Spanish bluebell doesn't really have much of a scent at all.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01- It is a bit dull, actually, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Impressive as it looks, it is a bit boring in terms of its scent.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Indeed, the native bluebell has a lovely, sweet scent
0:23:06 > 0:23:09and when it is making a carpet, such as it is through this woodland,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12it's an unmistakable sign of spring.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15This bluebell is special.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18'Nearly half of all those found around the world
0:23:18 > 0:23:20'are here in the UK.'
0:23:21 > 0:23:24What advice would you give to anybody who wants to ensure
0:23:24 > 0:23:27that the British native species survives
0:23:27 > 0:23:29and outplays the Spanish imposter?
0:23:29 > 0:23:33Well, the first thing to do is have a look at the bluebells that you have in your garden
0:23:33 > 0:23:36and work out which of the varieties that you've got.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38If you do remove them from the garden,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41making sure you dispose of that material responsibly.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44And if you wish to plant some native bluebells,
0:23:44 > 0:23:45is going to a reputable supplier
0:23:45 > 0:23:48who will be able to supply you with the British bluebell.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51So we can all do our bit to ensure that scenes like this one
0:23:51 > 0:23:52that surrounds us today
0:23:52 > 0:23:55will be around for many more springtimes to come.
0:23:55 > 0:23:56Yes, protecting ancient woodlands
0:23:56 > 0:23:58and the areas that we find our bluebells
0:23:58 > 0:24:01is certainly something we can all do.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Spring is an ideal time for planting,
0:24:06 > 0:24:11but it's reckoned that 90% of our traditional orchards in England and Wales
0:24:11 > 0:24:14have been lost since the 1950s.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Now Paul Martin, who's a sort of fledgling smallholder,
0:24:17 > 0:24:22has decided to do his bit by planting his own heritage orchard.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25But, first of all, he has to find the right fruit trees.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30After years of hard graft, my once derelict smallholding
0:24:30 > 0:24:32is slowly taking shape.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35This spring, I'm learning how to turn the land
0:24:35 > 0:24:37into a home for wildlife
0:24:37 > 0:24:39and for producing food for the family.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45We've now got Wiltshire Horn sheep settling into their home
0:24:45 > 0:24:47out in the field.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Time for me to turn my attention to growing food to feed the family.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55The next spring project is all about Grow Your Own
0:24:55 > 0:24:58and, in this case, it's Britain's favourite fruit - apples.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05When we first moved here, I was chuffed to bits to discover
0:25:05 > 0:25:08that this is a lovely old apple tree and it produces wonderful cookers,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10and towards the end of the summer,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12we get a great harvest from this one.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15So we decided to make our chicken enclosure around this,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17cos obviously they can eat the windfalls.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22This grand old apple tree has whet my appetite for Wiltshire apples.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25And now that we have heritage sheep on the land,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28what we really need is a heritage orchard...
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Fortunately I know a man who can help me out -
0:25:33 > 0:25:35a local fruit farmer, Chris Good,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38who can show me what apple trees I can grow in my new orchard.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45Traditional orchards cover 24,000 hectares of Britain
0:25:45 > 0:25:48and are incredibly important for British wildlife.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Yet, despite that fact,
0:25:50 > 0:25:54we've still lost 90% of this amazing habitat in the last century.
0:25:56 > 0:26:01Early spring is the perfect time to plant saplings before the buds begin to bloom.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05And if anyone can help me choose a variety, Chris can.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Chris, you've got a fantastic orchard,
0:26:08 > 0:26:10I guess there's around, what, 80-odd trees here?
0:26:10 > 0:26:13- We've got 65 different varieties here.- Gosh!
0:26:13 > 0:26:15You must be a connoisseur!
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Well, not to start with.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19We picked out names that meant something to us.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Either we'd lived there or we knew people or the name itself.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24They're all old heritage varieties.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26So you're never short of apples, are you?
0:26:26 > 0:26:29No. Sometimes we feel we're disappearing underneath them!
0:26:30 > 0:26:33- I want you to help me out with a good heritage local variety.- Right.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36Well, there are three or four that are growing well -
0:26:36 > 0:26:38one in particular, Mary Barnett,
0:26:38 > 0:26:43planted by Mary Jane Barnett on her wedding day in 1920 in Steeple Ashton.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45We've also got down there Roundway Magnum Bonum.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49I know Roundway, that was where the great cavalry charge was, wasn't it?
0:26:49 > 0:26:52- There you go.- Cromwellian times, yeah. I can see that from my house.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55That was grown by a Mr Joy, the gardener in Roundway Park -
0:26:55 > 0:26:57obviously a grand house there at one time.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00I mean, that's a brilliant starting point,
0:27:00 > 0:27:02that's history that I can then relate to everyone that comes around
0:27:02 > 0:27:05- and pass on the knowledge, hopefully.- Good.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09'What's great is that most of these varieties
0:27:09 > 0:27:13'also come from the same era as our house in the 1800s.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17'But before I make my final choices, the real test is in the taste.'
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Oh, I like this. Look at all these bottles.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24'I'm taking home bottles from half a dozen Wiltshire varieties,
0:27:24 > 0:27:28'as well as a few forgotten national favourites...'
0:27:28 > 0:27:31We've got Mary Barnett that we were talking about.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34I think until my orchard gets going you've got a regular customer.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38Excellent. We'd be more than happy to see you.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41'I think I've got a pretty good idea which trees I want -
0:27:41 > 0:27:44'some forgotten classics and some rare local heroes.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48'It's time to see what the real experts think.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50'I hope they like my choices.'
0:27:50 > 0:27:52- Hi, guys.- Hi, Daddy.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54Apple juice has arrived.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59- Cheers!- Ready, Meredith?
0:27:59 > 0:28:02- That's really nice. - Oh, it tastes earthy!
0:28:02 > 0:28:05- Oh, it does, doesn't it? - That's nice.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07That's got a nice bitter taste to it.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11I like the Steeple Ashton one, but I think Burn's Seedling,
0:28:11 > 0:28:12this last one we had.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16- Is that your favourite? - No, the first one.
0:28:16 > 0:28:17The first one? Steeple Ashton.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19'But there's a problem.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21'The rarest local varieties that I've selected -
0:28:21 > 0:28:23'Roundway Magnum and Dredge's Fame -
0:28:23 > 0:28:28'aren't available fully-grown anywhere in the country...
0:28:28 > 0:28:30'so I'll need to grow my own
0:28:30 > 0:28:33'by grafting the roots from a standard root stock variety
0:28:33 > 0:28:38'with cuttings or scions from each of our heritage trees.'
0:28:38 > 0:28:39Shall we give it a go?
0:28:39 > 0:28:42'And here to show me how is Orchard Project Officer
0:28:42 > 0:28:45'Megan Gimber from People's Trust For Endangered Species.'
0:28:45 > 0:28:48Megan, I'm really excited because I've never seen this done before.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51It's actually a lot easier than you'd think it would be.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53It's essentially just cutting up some root stocks,
0:28:53 > 0:28:57cutting up the scion wood and sticking them together, creating a whole new tree.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00- So the root stocks you pick up from any good garden centre?- Yes.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03You choose your root stocks depending on what size tree you want eventually.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06So looking at those root stocks, how big will it be?
0:29:06 > 0:29:08- These ones will be full-size fruit trees...- Oh, brilliant!
0:29:08 > 0:29:11..because these ones are nice and big, they live the longest
0:29:11 > 0:29:13- and they're the best for wildlife. - That's great.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15Right, OK, so, how does it work?
0:29:15 > 0:29:18What we want to do is we want to do a sloping cut in this.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22So that's the layer that's going to fuse the root stock with the scion material.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25Right, that's the layer between the white bit and the green bit.
0:29:25 > 0:29:26It is, it's just below the bark.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31Yep, that looks all right.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35- Now we want to do the same on a piece of scion wood.- Right.
0:29:35 > 0:29:36Now we need to do the tongue cuts
0:29:36 > 0:29:40and this basically locks the scion and the root stock in contact,
0:29:40 > 0:29:42cutting a little cut in here.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45- So rock the knife rather than pushing it down.- Wow!
0:29:45 > 0:29:47- This is why you need a sharp knife.- Yes.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49You're so cool when you did that.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51It's kind of like... I can't believe that.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55- And then they lock into each other. - The tongues should lock into each other...
0:29:55 > 0:29:57Perfect, that looks perfect.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00- It's amazing how they hold together under tension, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04So what we want to do now is wrap them up to hold them together,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07chop the scion woods down to one or two or three beds,
0:30:07 > 0:30:08label them and pot them.
0:30:12 > 0:30:13Fantastic.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16And with any luck, this will produce a nice big tree
0:30:16 > 0:30:18that you can plant out next year.
0:30:18 > 0:30:23'I won't get to plant these in my new orchard just yet -
0:30:23 > 0:30:27'they need to be potted and protected until the following year.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30'But with regular watering to allow the roots to spread,
0:30:30 > 0:30:32'these will be a real treat for next spring.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36'To kick-start my orchard this year,
0:30:36 > 0:30:40'I have managed to find a two-year-old pre-grafted Victorian classic -
0:30:40 > 0:30:41'the Sturmer Pippin.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43'And for £20 per tree,
0:30:43 > 0:30:45'these are ready to plant today.'
0:30:46 > 0:30:48Well, that's the Sturmer Pippin safely in.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51Obviously keen to get fruit from it in a few years' time,
0:30:51 > 0:30:53but also keen to encourage more wildlife.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56Well, orchards are fantastic for wildlife.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58They're what you call mosaic habitats,
0:30:58 > 0:31:01which means they've got elements of woodlands,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04elements of pastureland, wildflower meadow...
0:31:04 > 0:31:06All these habitats are great for biodiversity,
0:31:06 > 0:31:10- but, actually, altogether in an orchard, it's better than the sum of its parts.- Really?
0:31:10 > 0:31:13It's a fantastic habitat for animals, yeah.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20I know it doesn't look like much right now,
0:31:20 > 0:31:22but this time next spring,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24the three Victorian favourites will be joined
0:31:24 > 0:31:27by five of the very best from Wiltshire,
0:31:27 > 0:31:31and then you could say I've got the makings of a good old-fashioned English orchard
0:31:31 > 0:31:33with some real local history.
0:31:33 > 0:31:34That's a great start.
0:31:36 > 0:31:41But now Paul is going to have to wait patiently to see his apples.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43If it's seasonal produce you are after,
0:31:43 > 0:31:46there's one spring vegetable you can pick right now.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48You've only got an eight-week window.
0:31:48 > 0:31:53Adam is on the Merseyside Coast searching for the spring secrets of asparagus...
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Gardeners amongst you will know that the key to growing good asparagus
0:31:58 > 0:32:01is free-draining sandy soil.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05And up here in Formby, they've been cultivating asparagus for 200 years.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07And you certainly don't get much sandier than this.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13It's incredible to think that just 80 years ago
0:32:13 > 0:32:18this sand dune system was home to a thriving asparagus industry.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20But now there is just one farmer left.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26David Brooks is the fourth generation of his family to grow asparagus here.
0:32:28 > 0:32:29- Good morning, Adam.- Good to see you.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33I cannot believe this soil, or lack of it - it's just sand, isn't it?
0:32:33 > 0:32:36- Sand, yes.- And would this have been sand dunes at one time?
0:32:36 > 0:32:37It would have been, yeah.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41Farmers in the 1930s, asparagus growers have flattened this ground here
0:32:41 > 0:32:43and made it into asparagus field.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47- How do you stop the wind blowing it all away?- Um...
0:32:47 > 0:32:49We struggle at times, and sometimes it does blow away,
0:32:49 > 0:32:52but we feed it with plenty of organic matter.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55And you really want the sand to be warm, do you, then?
0:32:55 > 0:32:59Yes, if the sand's warm like when you're on holiday on the beach,
0:32:59 > 0:33:02then, definitely, we can cut every day, then.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04And where do you send it all, then?
0:33:04 > 0:33:07We're well-known in the local area for it,
0:33:07 > 0:33:10so your local Formby people come to the farm shop for it.
0:33:10 > 0:33:11We'll have that one.
0:33:14 > 0:33:15ENGINE STARTS
0:33:15 > 0:33:20Asparagus growing here in Formby was at its height in the 1930s,
0:33:20 > 0:33:23but loss of land and changing tastes put paid to the industry.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27These days, demand for asparagus is booming.
0:33:27 > 0:33:32Production is moving from the small-scale cash crop sold at the farm gate
0:33:32 > 0:33:34to a huge commercial activity.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Down in the Wye Valley in Herefordshire,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Chris Chinn is growing 1,000 acres of the stuff,
0:33:43 > 0:33:46producing around a fifth of all British spears bought in our supermarkets.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49So just take me through the process.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52How are they deciding which ones to cut and which not to?
0:33:52 > 0:33:55So these guys basically... Asparagus grows so quick,
0:33:55 > 0:33:58it will grow a spear in a day in nice conditions.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01- So it grows almost...while you're looking at it.- Yeah, almost.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03If you leave a stick in the ground next to it
0:34:03 > 0:34:06and go back a few hours later, it will grow a few centimetres an hour,
0:34:06 > 0:34:08so you will have seen the growth.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10Incredible, isn't it?
0:34:10 > 0:34:11Anything that's shorter, we'll leave,
0:34:11 > 0:34:14and by tomorrow when we walk back through this field,
0:34:14 > 0:34:16it will have grown a spear.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20So this is asparagus season, but you're trying to extend that.
0:34:20 > 0:34:25Yes, we have been asked by our customers to extend the season
0:34:25 > 0:34:27because the public are buying asparagus all year round.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31So, yes, what we are going to do is go and have a look and see how we are achieving it.
0:34:31 > 0:34:32OK, let's go and see.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38So this chap here is just putting the poly cloches back over.
0:34:38 > 0:34:43What this allows us to do is to start earlier in the year.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47So traditional dates are 23rd April from an open field.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51With these little mini cloches here, we can start somewhere nearer the beginning of April,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54- so an extra few weeks of production. - And is that important?
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Yes, it's really important because everyone's waiting and waiting
0:34:57 > 0:35:00all the way through the cold winter for the first green veg of the year.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02By doing this sort of system,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05we can deliver it that few weeks earlier
0:35:05 > 0:35:09and start to replace the imports that are being flown in from abroad.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11Just pop your hand underneath.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14And already...this has only just gone on,
0:35:14 > 0:35:16the sun's come out and it's hot.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18It's 30 degrees underneath there.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22'So that's how he produces asparagus earlier in the year.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25'But Chris can also harvest it later, as well.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33'Traditionally you never pick asparagus after Midsummer's Day.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37'That's because the plant needs time in the summer months
0:35:37 > 0:35:40'to carry on growing into a fully-formed fern.
0:35:41 > 0:35:46'This has to happen so that the plant can photosynthesise the sun's energy,
0:35:46 > 0:35:49'feeding the roots which will then throw up more spears the next year.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55'But Chris has now found a way of harvesting asparagus
0:35:55 > 0:35:57well into the autumn
0:35:57 > 0:36:01'and it's all about getting energy into those roots earlier in the year.'
0:36:03 > 0:36:06It's this that is storing the energy.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08This is the real crop that we're growing,
0:36:08 > 0:36:13and the spears that are coming up through are the asparagus spears that you know and love.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16This time of year, this is what we're expecting,
0:36:16 > 0:36:19- but here you've got ferns. - So what's happening here?
0:36:19 > 0:36:21These spears started to grow in the springtime,
0:36:21 > 0:36:24when it got warm enough, and instead of cutting them off
0:36:24 > 0:36:28at the point where they looked like an asparagus spear, we've let them grow.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31And they've started to branch out and they're in fern.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34So we're now getting the sun's energy into the root system
0:36:34 > 0:36:35at this time of year
0:36:35 > 0:36:38and then at the end of August we'll chop that down
0:36:38 > 0:36:42and in September and October we'll get a harvest from them.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45- There's quite a science behind it, isn't there?- Yes, there really is.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47I've actually got something else that's new to the UK
0:36:47 > 0:36:49- that I want to show you now.- OK.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52It's all go here, isn't it?
0:36:53 > 0:36:57Beneath these sheets is something being grown commercially in the UK
0:36:57 > 0:36:58for the very first time.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03So here we are, that's some white asparagus.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05If you pull this cover over,
0:37:05 > 0:37:07these little babies are asparagus,
0:37:07 > 0:37:09exactly the same as the green,
0:37:09 > 0:37:11but buried in a heap of earth
0:37:11 > 0:37:15and with a little plastic cap on the top like plastic to stop it photosynthesizing,
0:37:15 > 0:37:16so it still stays white.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20To harvest this, when you see the spear, you dig down a little bit,
0:37:20 > 0:37:23get this long asparagus white knife in...
0:37:23 > 0:37:26and just pop it off and there's your spear.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29- Goodness me, it's quite an art, isn't it! Shall I try it? - Yes, absolutely.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32- Is this quite exciting and new, then?- Yeah, this is really new.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34It's very popular in Holland and Germany,
0:37:34 > 0:37:36but here this is the first white asparagus.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38Does that look about right?
0:37:38 > 0:37:42- Yes, looks like it. There we go. - Look at that, like an expert! - A little bit short, but...!
0:37:42 > 0:37:45- THEY LAUGH - You've got a bit more to practise on now.- Thank you.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53We're celebrating spring in the New Forest in Hampshire.
0:37:53 > 0:37:58More than 200 square miles of wild open heath, woodland and coast.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03For centuries, people and animals have lived side-by-side here -
0:38:03 > 0:38:06historic rights allow thousands of animals
0:38:06 > 0:38:09to roam and graze freely in the forest.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11They help shape the landscape.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16One of the oldest residents, the New Forest Pony,
0:38:16 > 0:38:18is on a rare-breed watchlist,
0:38:18 > 0:38:23but every care is being taken to make sure this breed lives on.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26Jules now joins the locals for an important date
0:38:26 > 0:38:30in theirs and the ponies' spring diary...
0:38:32 > 0:38:34Good boy.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36Well, after the long dark days of winter,
0:38:36 > 0:38:42spring is the perfect time to gather together all of the stallions for an annual inspection.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45It's also a chance for their owners to have a good catch up.
0:38:46 > 0:38:51'All the ponies in the New Forest are owned by locals known as commoners.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54'They have an ancient right to graze animals on the open common.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59'These pony inspections are crucial for male ponies.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03'Only those who make the grade will be released back into the forest
0:39:03 > 0:39:05'to breed and add to the bloodline.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12'Jonathan Gerrelli is one of five agisters, or forest wardens,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16'responsible for the welfare of the ponies out on the heath -
0:39:16 > 0:39:17'some of which belong to him.'
0:39:19 > 0:39:23- But it is like the OK Chorale, isn't it?- It very much is.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25What are you looking for?
0:39:25 > 0:39:28They have to be purebred registered New Forest stallions,
0:39:28 > 0:39:32they have to come and pass this extensive vetting and judging procedure
0:39:32 > 0:39:34to make sure they're the right type,
0:39:34 > 0:39:37so we know the foals we're producing out here
0:39:37 > 0:39:40will be hardy - good strong hardy foals, that will thrive in the forest.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43I've got a young stallion here today and he will come up for selection.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45Hopefully he'll get picked to be turned out.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Well, I can't wait to see how the day unfolds. Cheers, see you later.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55'As the inspections get underway,
0:39:55 > 0:39:58'commoner and chairman of the New Forest Livestock Society
0:39:58 > 0:40:00Lucinda Lang will be my guide.'
0:40:03 > 0:40:06So this is Michael. Michael's one of our handlers for the Livestock Society.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08Hello, Michael, nice to see you.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Are you hoping this is going to go through the inspection successfully?
0:40:11 > 0:40:15- Yes, he's come here today, he's in good order, looks well. - COLT WHINNIES LOUDLY
0:40:15 > 0:40:17We'll have to see if the judges like him.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19Well, Michael, we wish you the best of luck today.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21What's the name of your noisy colt?
0:40:21 > 0:40:23He is called Mike the Knight!
0:40:23 > 0:40:25- Mike the Knight?- That is correct. - THEY LAUGH
0:40:28 > 0:40:31'The young males up for selection have to be scrutinised.
0:40:31 > 0:40:35'Any signs of being too tame and they'll be out of the running.'
0:40:35 > 0:40:39- He's got a lovely shape through his neck, hasn't he?- Yes.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42Once they're happy that they've seen everything,
0:40:42 > 0:40:45they'll ask Mike to walk around the ring.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49It's a good opportunity to see them moving freely.
0:40:49 > 0:40:54You get to see the stride and actually see their true frame.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59'Just 15 of these ponies will run with 5,000 mares in the forest.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07'Exhausting as the ratio may sound,
0:41:07 > 0:41:10'these stallions have a serious job to do,
0:41:10 > 0:41:12'ensuring future generations of the breed thrive.'
0:41:15 > 0:41:19Some years ago we used to have 100 stallions out on the forest
0:41:19 > 0:41:22and typically they would be out there all year round.
0:41:22 > 0:41:27But gradually, you know, we were having more and more foals,
0:41:27 > 0:41:29more and more unwanted ponies.
0:41:29 > 0:41:34The forest actually decided to put something in place
0:41:34 > 0:41:39to reduce the number of stallions, which then means less foals.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42That's actually helped to improve our herd.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45It's really interesting, this idea that the stallions are hand-picked.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47So many people will look around here and think,
0:41:47 > 0:41:50"Oh, the ponies are left to their own devices."
0:41:50 > 0:41:52- And I suppose for many years they were.- They were.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55But actually the careful management now of these bloodlines
0:41:55 > 0:41:59really are ensuring that they remain a viable,
0:41:59 > 0:42:03- yet popular sustainable rare breed. - Yes, yes.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05'The first results are in.'
0:42:05 > 0:42:07So, Michael, how did it go with Mike the Knight?
0:42:07 > 0:42:10- He looked beautiful in the ring. - Yes, he did look good.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12- Unfortunately, he was referred today.- Was he?
0:42:12 > 0:42:14Yes, so that means that he didn't get a straight fail,
0:42:14 > 0:42:18but he gets the opportunity to come back in September and have another stab at it.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20Gosh, those standards are high, aren't they?
0:42:20 > 0:42:22They are high. Unfortunately.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25That's why we have these, so, um, what can I say?
0:42:27 > 0:42:30'Next it is Lucinda's turn.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33'Her family have been New Forest commoners for generations.
0:42:34 > 0:42:35PONY WHINNIES
0:42:35 > 0:42:39'Her father Brian has seen a lot of changes in his time.'
0:42:39 > 0:42:44We've got... The welfare people come here twice a year
0:42:44 > 0:42:47and go around the forest and look at our animals.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49I think now, over the years,
0:42:49 > 0:42:51yes, things have improved greatly, really.
0:42:51 > 0:42:56'Unfortunately, Lucinda's pony hasn't made it through, either.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58'But Jonathan has had better luck.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01'His yearling has been accepted amongst the ranks of the elite.'
0:43:03 > 0:43:07Well, Jonathan, that's it for you for this year.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09Another inspection over.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11- How has it gone, do you think, over all?- Very well, yes.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14I'm pleased at how it's all gone.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18A good number of colts forward and very pleased with the quality, as well.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23'It's fascinating to see the community effort
0:43:23 > 0:43:27'that goes into safeguarding the New Forest Pony.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31'And to think that these horses hold the future of their breed in their hands...
0:43:31 > 0:43:33'Or should it be hooves?'
0:43:33 > 0:43:35PONY WHINNIES
0:43:39 > 0:43:41And that's it for today.
0:43:41 > 0:43:43We'll be back again at the same time tomorrow,
0:43:43 > 0:43:46when we'll be meeting a tiny beetle that can make or break a harvest...
0:43:46 > 0:43:49I have to look at these fields every day
0:43:49 > 0:43:51because if you let these things get out of control,
0:43:51 > 0:43:54they will take the whole crop out in a couple of days.
0:43:54 > 0:43:58And Margherita discovers why this is not just the season for spring chickens -
0:43:58 > 0:44:00it's also for turkeys. SHE LAUGHS
0:44:02 > 0:44:05Hope you can join us then. Bye for now.