A Sense of Spring Countryfile Spring Diaries

Springtime, when the days lengthen

and signs of change are everywhere.

LAMBS BLEAT

There's not a corner of the British Isles

that doesn't warm to the arrival of spring.

It's our most extraordinary season for one big reason -

it's a time of astonishing growth and regeneration.

From pond life to birdlife,

from the scent of fresh blossom

to our smallest mammals reawakening after months of hibernation.

We'll be bringing you the most remarkable stories

of this wonderful time of year.

Tales of survival, endurance and occasional indulgence.

Join us for this special week of programmes

as we celebrate the secrets of spring

here on Countryfile Diaries.

Spring - it's a season that provides the essential ingredients

of water, warmth and light that combine to ignite all of our senses.

LAMB BLEATS

More than 900 years ago, the New Forest here in Hampshire

was the favourite hunting ground of William the Conqueror.

Now it's the perfect place to hunt down the sights,

sounds and scents of spring.

But one of our most fragrant and emblematic symbols of spring is under attack.

Jules finds out why our native bluebells

could be extinct by the end of the century.

On the Yorkshire coast, Margherita meets a man on a mission

to make wildlife sites accessible for all.

Look at this, you can look for miles!

And we'll be catching up with Paul

as he breathes new life into his Wiltshire smallholding.

Today he is getting to grips with how to grow his own heritage apples

with a little expert help.

How big will it be?

-These ones will be full-size fruit trees.

-That's great.

For most of us, the coming of spring

means that our senses are bombarded with all kind of new fragrances,

the fantastic smells of blossom.

In fact, it's said that you can actually develop a nose for spring.

But can that be possibly true, Keeley?

Well, do you know what, John?

There might be a bit more to it than just an old wives' tale.

We recognise the smell of spring, like you say,

with the beautiful smell of blossom,

but what if there was something else that we can't see, but we can still smell?

-But...where would that come from, then?

-Down here, John.

Beneath our feet...in the soil.

As the weather heats up, plants release oils into the soil

and bacteria's released in there, too.

And this has a smell to it - and we call that petrichor.

I'm pretty sure there'll be some keen gardeners out there that know what I'm talking about.

-That very earthy smell.

-Absolutely.

But how does it get, then, from the earth into the air?

Well, it is down to a very simple concept

that water droplets can carry aromas with them.

Let me show you.

Take a look at this video.

Now recent studies show that when a raindrop hits the ground

it creates tiny microscopic bubbles,

and it's the force of that raindrop hitting the ground

that forces the water and the droplets to come back out into the environment.

They are a little bit like bubbles in a glass of champagne,

only much, much smaller.

It's these tiny little bubbles that carry the smell with them.

So when heavy showers hit the soil,

-that releases this very special smell of spring.

-Exactly.

And the perfect conditions for it would be a long spell of dry weather.

And, do you know what? Some scientists actually think

that we might appreciate that smell

because our ancestors needed rain for survival.

Of course, those smells become more abundant in spring

when temperatures rise and those good old April showers.

So now we know more clearly

just why we have these wonderful fragrances in springtime.

But is it possible to put those smells into a bottle?

I went to the West Coast of Scotland to find out.

I'm meeting renowned biochemist George Dodd,

a world authority on the science of sense,

whose nickname is Dr Smell.

-Good morning.

-How are you, George?

-Fancy meeting on a beach like this!

-Welcome to the Highlands.

-Thank you very much.

What's it like to be known as Dr Smell...

-Well...

-..in the nicest possible way?

You just get used to it.

In truth, I was born downwind of Guinness' brewery in Dublin.

I always say it's the wonderful, tangy aroma

that stimulated my sense of smell.

And what a perfect place here to smell the ocean.

In the spring, the ocean warms up very quickly here.

The algae, the green seaweed, begins to bloom

and that emits a very tell-tale aroma of spring,

particularly for birds.

Literally, you have the cleanest air in the world.

You know, it's coming across 3,000 miles of Atlantic Ocean from America

and it's filtered and clean.

You can't beat it, John.

You know, we were designed to smell the world,

but sadly very few of us do.

Do you think it's possible, then, to smell the different seasons?

Oh, absolutely.

There's a sensory smelly triad here

of green smells and herby smells

and woody smells.

Those blended together give you that inimitable freshness of spring here.

Let's go find some woody smell, shall we?

There a nice wood up here and the green, look!

'George is also a master perfumer

'and his triad of smells has inspired him

'to create a scent that captures spring in the Highlands.

'First up, it's the green smells.'

Pluck a little bit and have a sniff.

Hold it up to your nose.

That's one of the most important biological molecules for humans.

That's the smell of spring as the earth warms up,

to tell us the vitality of life is coming back

along with the green... You get the green note on top of the earth.

-Now that's a much softer smell, isn't it?

-Much softer.

-Yep.

A magical molecule called geosmin -

"geo" from earth, the Greek for earth,

and "osmic" is the Greek word for smell.

Natural green smells are happy.

We're biologically engineered to respond,

to feel good feeling.

I must say I feel quite happy now.

Where shall we go next?

'Next it's the smell of Highland wood,

'although I discovered that this time my nose isn't as finely tuned as George's...'

-So what am I supposed to be smelling?

-That's...

It's a very faint, but very deep woody smell.

-No, nothing at all there, George, I'm afraid...

-Yeah.

-..for me.

-We'll have to give you some smell-training lessons.

-Yes!

'Overlooking Loch Ewe lies the last component

'in George's trio of spring smells.'

This is unique, this is highland myrtle,

these are miniature myrtle.

These are only found, these plants...

Only found in the highlands where they grow wild.

Oh, goodness me, smell that, smell that!

I mean, it leaps out at you.

-It's a lovely green resin-y smell.

-Oh, it does, doesn't it! Fantastic smell.

But, you know, George, the frustration, I think,

is that people at home can't smell all the aromas that we're smelling.

Ah, give them two, three years - we're working on it.

In my research group, at the University of Warwick,

we are putting the age-old dream of smelly television into practice.

Really? So that could really happen, could it?

Smelly telly is around the corner?

'Down by the loch, it's time to put to the test

'whether those three distinctive smells of spring

'can be bottled...

'Adrian Hollister was one of George's biochemistry students in the 1970s.'

Hello, Adrian.

-Ah, John.

-How are you? Good to see you.

-Good morning.

'He now owns and runs the perfume business that George set up.

'And I spot some unexpected additions to that basic triad of smells...'

Amongst your bottles here are things that I would never associate

with spring in the Highlands, like pineapple and coconut.

Well, pineapple, we have pineapple broom, grows not very far from here.

We have gorse and if you walk through a thick gorse bush

you will smell coconut.

So what else has got to go in now, then?

We've got Atlantic Clean Air.

I've never seen that before!

Yeah, I can smell a sea breeze.

'But will the finished blend

remind me of my sensory walkabout with George?'

So this is the final product.

This is the final product...

Springtime in the Highlands...

-Springtime in the Highlands.

-..in a jar.

Yes, yes, I'll buy that.

I'll buy that as the Highlands in a bottle.

-Here's is a bottle I bottled earlier for you, John.

-Oh!

Thank you.

Now here's an interesting fact.

79% of Britons say they'd like to spend more time

visiting the countryside.

So what's holding them back?

Well, in some cases,

it could simply be that the places that they want to go to

just aren't accessible.

But one man is on a crusade to change all that.

Margherita reports.

Last spring more than a quarter of us

headed to the countryside to take in the clean air,

tackle hills and mountains or witness some wildlife wonders.

But for an estimated 6.5 million people in the UK

with restricted mobility,

not all of these experiences are within easy reach.

Gates, hurdles, rough terrain,

all make it difficult for people with a disability to access nature.

Two years ago the RSPB decided to create a disabled sea view

at Bempton Cliffs Bird Reserve on the East Coast of Yorkshire.

It was kick-started by RSPB area manager Roy Taylor.

Roy, what are your biggest concerns for accessibility?

Look at this place.

This is one of the largest seabird colonies in the UK.

Wildlife can add so much to a disabled person's life.

If you can't get to it,

how can your life be enriched by being outside in this place?

How can you connect with wildlife?

At various places I take my wheelchair,

you're holding on for dear life.

The adventure is staying in your wheelchair,

it's not absorbing all these natural sights and sounds around you.

So, actually, to be able to come along and just be so relaxed

and feel safe.

Roy has always been an active outdoors man.

But three years ago he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease

which left him in a wheelchair.

Driven by his own love of nature,

he set out on a countryside revolution.

His plan?

To get rid of anything preventing access to the outdoors for everyone.

To do that, he went on an epic journey,

raising funds and awareness.

Well, it was fun.

We went from coast to coast.

We started off in Southport

and we did 215 miles in ten days.

We had to lift the wheelchair over a few things.

We had to take a few diversions.

So it's all been good fun.

'Now Roy's hard work is beginning to pay off -

'Bempton Cliffs is the first of many nature reserves to be transformed,

'and the rewards are instantaneous.'

It's taken two years to get to this point.

Wow, look at it, it's amazing, isn't it?

You're perched on top of 250,000 seabirds,

one of the best wildlife spectacles anywhere in the world.

And you can get right on top of it, look right down to it

and it's a walk in the park to do it.

You can't get better than that, can you?

'Roy's discovered that simple changes make a big difference -

'lowering handrails, repairing muddy footpaths

'and providing mobility scooters

'all help to make inaccessible places become welcoming

'for everyone to enjoy.'

When I first came to Bempton Cliffs a couple of years ago,

your wheelchair view was a plank of wood, when everyone else could see above it.

Look at this, you can look for miles!

Roy, what should I be looking out for today?

Well, most people that come here want to see puffins.

And puffins are incredibly cute.

But for me, the stars of the show are these big guys,

these gannets.

These beautiful creamy yellow heads,

these long effortless wings with the black tips.

They look like they could just cruise effortlessly for miles.

-And look at this long line of them on the cliff here.

-Yeah, got it.

12,500 nesting pairs crammed onto these cliffs.

How does it feel to take in that view

at the end of two years at work?

It makes you feel better.

Look at this gannet. You can almost see its eye as it's going past you.

That's how close you are to these birds.

And how do you feel knowing that

this is hopefully the way forward across the UK?

Well, I guess my biggest hope is... I get so much pleasure from this,

I find it inconceivable that other people wouldn't enjoy it.

Thousands and thousands of people who might be sitting at home thinking,

"I can't get out to see places like this,"

can take a look at this and say, "Yes," and come and see it

because they'll be blown away.

There is still room for improvement across the UK

to make off-the-beaten-track routes accessible for all.

But sites like these really are showing us the way

and heading in the right direction.

And, after all, in spring, when nature's woken up

and come out to play

it really is time to get out there and enjoy the fun.

GANNETS CRY

Many of us can't get enough of the sights and sounds of springtime.

But doctors now recognise there's a growing number of people

for whom this season can be all too much.

Keeley's searching out a truly multisensory experience...

The smell of the fresh rain,

the sound of the birdsong,

the sight of blooming flowers

and the taste of that first stem of asparagus.

For most of us it brings joy to our senses,

but for some it can all be just too intense.

In fact, 4% of Brits have a trait known as synaesthesia.

It is a neurological phenomenon

where a sensation in one of the senses, such as hearing,

triggers a sensation in another, such as taste.

Some celebrities have reported having this secondary sense

from the artist David Hockney to Happy man Pharrell Williams

and singer Lady Gaga.

It sounds extraordinary, but around one in 20 of us have this kind of super sense -

an amazing ability that some don't even realise.

Meet James Wannerton. He's had synaesthesia all his life.

He doesn't just see spring, he tastes it.

The season spring has got a beautiful taste

of a thin piece of bread with margarine on it.

The dawn chorus is exactly like eating melted green wine gums.

'For James, this multisensory affair in spring

'can be a lot to take in.'

-Hello there, James.

-Hello.

So, tell me, what is synaesthesia?

Synaesthesia is probably best described

as being a mixing or blending of the senses.

You may touch something and you might taste something at the same time, as well.

Or a synaesthete may see a colour and hear a sound.

Are there lots of different types?

Yes, there's quite a few.

There's probably around 60+ types of synaesthesia

that have been documented and checked and researched so far.

Mine is simply a case of hearing a sound

and it gets instantly translated into a taste.

It's not just an association, it's a real mouth feeling...

It's as if I am actually eating something.

It's another dimension.

So spring is a time where there's lots of changes,

we're seeing lots of new things,

we're smelling lots of new things.

What is spring like for you?

Spring's a...tremendously stimulating time for me.

It's one of the joyous things about synaesthesia,

because being out in spring gives me...

Well, it intensifies everything.

It sort of brings it all closer to me.

The whole thing is absolutely amazing.

'But it's not all as exciting as it might sound.

'Sometimes beautiful things can give an unpleasant flavour...'

These daffodils,

they actually cause quite a big conflict with me synaesthetically

because of the colour of the plant

and then because of the name of the plant.

The actual sound of the name "daffodil"

gives me a taste of corned beef.

So when I look at a daffodil,

I'm getting a taste of corned beef

and I am also getting this horrible tangy...

wine gum kind of taste over the top of it.

Um...and it's not nice.

You must be sick to the back teeth of it!

They are everywhere at the moment!

It's an assault on the senses.

'As president of the thousand-strong UK Synaesthesia Association,

'James is far from being alone.

'But scientists reckon around 2.5 million people in Britain

'have some form of synaesthesia.

'After 20 years of research, this neurological trait which blends the senses

'is now recognised in more of us than ever before.

'Researchers at Sussex University are now examining the effects of the condition

'and new ways to diagnose it.'

I've walked around Bolton Abbey lots of times before,

but I've never really thought about it in terms of senses,

so I wonder if James might be able to give me a taste

of what it would be like for him.

So, James, there are lots of things going on here at the moment.

I can hear the water behind us, I can hear the birds singing.

There are some sheep over there and every now and again they let off a baa.

There's lots going on here.

How are you experiencing this?

Well, I'm experiencing it much the same as you are.

I can hear the sounds, I can smell the smells of spring.

But also I get a very strong taste, as well.

Taste association.

That river is tremendous.

It's a cross between lemonade and cream soda.

It's just fizzy and...

Tree bark, it tastes like flaky chocolate.

So it's something to do with, you know, the...

Yeah, I can see that, the texture, the texture...

I can hear sheep.

That's giving me a taste that I can only describe

as being like, um, you know, cottage pie -

-minced beef with potato on top.

-Oh, cruel!

Oh, yes. I'd never picked that up!

Oh, we can't have that, that's terrible!

KEELEY LAUGHS

This is the first time I've been here

and it's - I have to admit, it's a fantastic place,

it's very, very, very sensory.

That building over there, the Priory, which, by the way,

tastes of apples and bits of almond,

that's what the actual place tastes like.

Arches, funnily enough - and rather apt in this case -

-give me a taste of Yorkshire Pudding.

-That's a really odd association.

-It is, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Is there anything specifically around here that you're finding unpleasant?

Well, there is, yeah, cos I heard a dog barking earlier.

That gave me a very strong taste of that stuff you get

-at the bottom of electric kettles.

-Like limescale?

-Yes, oh, yeah...

-Right at the back of the throat.

-Would you be without it?

-Would you rather not have it?

-No, it's...

I mean...it's a fundamental part of who I am.

It the way I think, it's the way I act,

everything is based around taste. So, no, definitely not.

'It's opened my eyes to a whole new dimension of spring's beauty,

'sights and sounds sensed in an entirely different way...'

BEE BUZZES

'Hm, I wonder what summer tastes like.'

One springtime scent that's in danger of becoming a distant memory -

possibly in the space of a single generation -

comes from our native bluebell.

Jules is about to investigate...

It's is a classic sign of spring.

British woodlands awash with a sea of bluebells.

But all is not well.

Our native bluebell is in trouble,

and it's all down to a Spanish invader.

Well, it's thought that in a good year,

some 42 acres of the New Forest can be covered by bluebells.

And it's a popular springtime spectacle

for both visitors and tourists alike.

But it's now thought that our beautiful native species is being overtaken

thanks to the good old Victorians,

who introduced a rival into their gardens.

The Spanish bluebell.

It's believed that around one in six British broadleaf woodlands

now have a mixed or hybrid native and Spanish bluebell population.

Sarah Stebbing from the Woodland Trust

fears for the future of our native bluebell.

How have they managed to take over in such a prevalent way today?

They've been introduced to people's gardens over a long period of time now.

When people, if they are taking them out of their gardens,

by not disposing of them properly,

the Spanish variety will hybridise with our native bluebell.

'But what I want to know is

'how on earth can you tell the difference between the two varieties?'

-This, I gather, is the Spanish imposter.

-Indeed it is.

There's quite a few differences in their characteristics.

The first thing is the Spanish bluebell is a much paler blue,

whereas our native bluebell,

if we look at one here, is much darker, richer - almost violet blue.

-They're much daintier, aren't they, the native species?

-They are.

The Spanish ones have a much more upright, stiffer appearance

and our native bluebells have this very distinctive slender stem

and a much more drooping, nodding look to them.

Another difference is the colour of the pollen.

The Spanish bluebell has a greeny-blue colour to it,

whereas our native bluebell has a creamy-white-colour pollen.

The shape of the flowers is also different.

It is a much more open bell shape, almost a cone shape,

on the Spanish species.

It's a much more delicate bell shape on our native bluebell.

The petals curl back almost completely on themselves.

For me, one of the great joys of spring is walking through a wood like this one

and enjoying that lovely scent that comes off of bluebells.

-Can the same be said for the Spanish?

-No, unfortunately not.

The Spanish bluebell doesn't really have much of a scent at all.

-It is a bit dull, actually, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Impressive as it looks, it is a bit boring in terms of its scent.

Indeed, the native bluebell has a lovely, sweet scent

and when it is making a carpet, such as it is through this woodland,

it's an unmistakable sign of spring.

This bluebell is special.

'Nearly half of all those found around the world

'are here in the UK.'

What advice would you give to anybody who wants to ensure

that the British native species survives

and outplays the Spanish imposter?

Well, the first thing to do is have a look at the bluebells that you have in your garden

and work out which of the varieties that you've got.

If you do remove them from the garden,

making sure you dispose of that material responsibly.

And if you wish to plant some native bluebells,

is going to a reputable supplier

who will be able to supply you with the British bluebell.

So we can all do our bit to ensure that scenes like this one

that surrounds us today

will be around for many more springtimes to come.

Yes, protecting ancient woodlands

and the areas that we find our bluebells

is certainly something we can all do.

Spring is an ideal time for planting,

but it's reckoned that 90% of our traditional orchards in England and Wales

have been lost since the 1950s.

Now Paul Martin, who's a sort of fledgling smallholder,

has decided to do his bit by planting his own heritage orchard.

But, first of all, he has to find the right fruit trees.

After years of hard graft, my once derelict smallholding

is slowly taking shape.

This spring, I'm learning how to turn the land

into a home for wildlife

and for producing food for the family.

We've now got Wiltshire Horn sheep settling into their home

out in the field.

Time for me to turn my attention to growing food to feed the family.

The next spring project is all about Grow Your Own

and, in this case, it's Britain's favourite fruit - apples.

When we first moved here, I was chuffed to bits to discover

that this is a lovely old apple tree and it produces wonderful cookers,

and towards the end of the summer,

we get a great harvest from this one.

So we decided to make our chicken enclosure around this,

cos obviously they can eat the windfalls.

This grand old apple tree has whet my appetite for Wiltshire apples.

And now that we have heritage sheep on the land,

what we really need is a heritage orchard...

Fortunately I know a man who can help me out -

a local fruit farmer, Chris Good,

who can show me what apple trees I can grow in my new orchard.

Traditional orchards cover 24,000 hectares of Britain

and are incredibly important for British wildlife.

Yet, despite that fact,

we've still lost 90% of this amazing habitat in the last century.

Early spring is the perfect time to plant saplings before the buds begin to bloom.

And if anyone can help me choose a variety, Chris can.

Chris, you've got a fantastic orchard,

I guess there's around, what, 80-odd trees here?

-We've got 65 different varieties here.

-Gosh!

You must be a connoisseur!

Well, not to start with.

We picked out names that meant something to us.

Either we'd lived there or we knew people or the name itself.

They're all old heritage varieties.

So you're never short of apples, are you?

No. Sometimes we feel we're disappearing underneath them!

-I want you to help me out with a good heritage local variety.

-Right.

Well, there are three or four that are growing well -

one in particular, Mary Barnett,

planted by Mary Jane Barnett on her wedding day in 1920 in Steeple Ashton.

We've also got down there Roundway Magnum Bonum.

I know Roundway, that was where the great cavalry charge was, wasn't it?

-There you go.

-Cromwellian times, yeah. I can see that from my house.

That was grown by a Mr Joy, the gardener in Roundway Park -

obviously a grand house there at one time.

I mean, that's a brilliant starting point,

that's history that I can then relate to everyone that comes around

-and pass on the knowledge, hopefully.

-Good.

'What's great is that most of these varieties

'also come from the same era as our house in the 1800s.

'But before I make my final choices, the real test is in the taste.'

Oh, I like this. Look at all these bottles.

'I'm taking home bottles from half a dozen Wiltshire varieties,

'as well as a few forgotten national favourites...'

We've got Mary Barnett that we were talking about.

I think until my orchard gets going you've got a regular customer.

Excellent. We'd be more than happy to see you.

'I think I've got a pretty good idea which trees I want -

'some forgotten classics and some rare local heroes.

'It's time to see what the real experts think.

'I hope they like my choices.'

-Hi, guys.

-Hi, Daddy.

Apple juice has arrived.

-Cheers!

-Ready, Meredith?

-That's really nice.

-Oh, it tastes earthy!

-Oh, it does, doesn't it?

-That's nice.

That's got a nice bitter taste to it.

I like the Steeple Ashton one, but I think Burn's Seedling,

this last one we had.

-Is that your favourite?

-No, the first one.

The first one? Steeple Ashton.

'But there's a problem.

'The rarest local varieties that I've selected -

'Roundway Magnum and Dredge's Fame -

'aren't available fully-grown anywhere in the country...

'so I'll need to grow my own

'by grafting the roots from a standard root stock variety

'with cuttings or scions from each of our heritage trees.'

Shall we give it a go?

'And here to show me how is Orchard Project Officer

'Megan Gimber from People's Trust For Endangered Species.'

Megan, I'm really excited because I've never seen this done before.

It's actually a lot easier than you'd think it would be.

It's essentially just cutting up some root stocks,

cutting up the scion wood and sticking them together, creating a whole new tree.

-So the root stocks you pick up from any good garden centre?

-Yes.

You choose your root stocks depending on what size tree you want eventually.

So looking at those root stocks, how big will it be?

-These ones will be full-size fruit trees...

-Oh, brilliant!

..because these ones are nice and big, they live the longest

-and they're the best for wildlife.

-That's great.

Right, OK, so, how does it work?

What we want to do is we want to do a sloping cut in this.

So that's the layer that's going to fuse the root stock with the scion material.

Right, that's the layer between the white bit and the green bit.

It is, it's just below the bark.

Yep, that looks all right.

-Now we want to do the same on a piece of scion wood.

-Right.

Now we need to do the tongue cuts

and this basically locks the scion and the root stock in contact,

cutting a little cut in here.

-So rock the knife rather than pushing it down.

-Wow!

-This is why you need a sharp knife.

-Yes.

You're so cool when you did that.

It's kind of like... I can't believe that.

-And then they lock into each other.

-The tongues should lock into each other...

Perfect, that looks perfect.

-It's amazing how they hold together under tension, isn't it?

-Yeah.

So what we want to do now is wrap them up to hold them together,

chop the scion woods down to one or two or three beds,

label them and pot them.

Fantastic.

And with any luck, this will produce a nice big tree

that you can plant out next year.

'I won't get to plant these in my new orchard just yet -

'they need to be potted and protected until the following year.

'But with regular watering to allow the roots to spread,

'these will be a real treat for next spring.

'To kick-start my orchard this year,

'I have managed to find a two-year-old pre-grafted Victorian classic -

'the Sturmer Pippin.

'And for £20 per tree,

'these are ready to plant today.'

Well, that's the Sturmer Pippin safely in.

Obviously keen to get fruit from it in a few years' time,

but also keen to encourage more wildlife.

Well, orchards are fantastic for wildlife.

They're what you call mosaic habitats,

which means they've got elements of woodlands,

elements of pastureland, wildflower meadow...

All these habitats are great for biodiversity,

-but, actually, altogether in an orchard, it's better than the sum of its parts.

-Really?

It's a fantastic habitat for animals, yeah.

I know it doesn't look like much right now,

but this time next spring,

the three Victorian favourites will be joined

by five of the very best from Wiltshire,

and then you could say I've got the makings of a good old-fashioned English orchard

with some real local history.

That's a great start.

But now Paul is going to have to wait patiently to see his apples.

If it's seasonal produce you are after,

there's one spring vegetable you can pick right now.

You've only got an eight-week window.

Adam is on the Merseyside Coast searching for the spring secrets of asparagus...

Gardeners amongst you will know that the key to growing good asparagus

is free-draining sandy soil.

And up here in Formby, they've been cultivating asparagus for 200 years.

And you certainly don't get much sandier than this.

It's incredible to think that just 80 years ago

this sand dune system was home to a thriving asparagus industry.

But now there is just one farmer left.

David Brooks is the fourth generation of his family to grow asparagus here.

-Good morning, Adam.

-Good to see you.

I cannot believe this soil, or lack of it - it's just sand, isn't it?

-Sand, yes.

-And would this have been sand dunes at one time?

It would have been, yeah.

Farmers in the 1930s, asparagus growers have flattened this ground here

and made it into asparagus field.

-How do you stop the wind blowing it all away?

-Um...

We struggle at times, and sometimes it does blow away,

but we feed it with plenty of organic matter.

And you really want the sand to be warm, do you, then?

Yes, if the sand's warm like when you're on holiday on the beach,

then, definitely, we can cut every day, then.

And where do you send it all, then?

We're well-known in the local area for it,

so your local Formby people come to the farm shop for it.

We'll have that one.

ENGINE STARTS

Asparagus growing here in Formby was at its height in the 1930s,

but loss of land and changing tastes put paid to the industry.

These days, demand for asparagus is booming.

Production is moving from the small-scale cash crop sold at the farm gate

to a huge commercial activity.

Down in the Wye Valley in Herefordshire,

Chris Chinn is growing 1,000 acres of the stuff,

producing around a fifth of all British spears bought in our supermarkets.

So just take me through the process.

How are they deciding which ones to cut and which not to?

So these guys basically... Asparagus grows so quick,

it will grow a spear in a day in nice conditions.

-So it grows almost...while you're looking at it.

-Yeah, almost.

If you leave a stick in the ground next to it

and go back a few hours later, it will grow a few centimetres an hour,

so you will have seen the growth.

Incredible, isn't it?

Anything that's shorter, we'll leave,

and by tomorrow when we walk back through this field,

it will have grown a spear.

So this is asparagus season, but you're trying to extend that.

Yes, we have been asked by our customers to extend the season

because the public are buying asparagus all year round.

So, yes, what we are going to do is go and have a look and see how we are achieving it.

OK, let's go and see.

So this chap here is just putting the poly cloches back over.

What this allows us to do is to start earlier in the year.

So traditional dates are 23rd April from an open field.

With these little mini cloches here, we can start somewhere nearer the beginning of April,

-so an extra few weeks of production.

-And is that important?

Yes, it's really important because everyone's waiting and waiting

all the way through the cold winter for the first green veg of the year.

By doing this sort of system,

we can deliver it that few weeks earlier

and start to replace the imports that are being flown in from abroad.

Just pop your hand underneath.

And already...this has only just gone on,

the sun's come out and it's hot.

It's 30 degrees underneath there.

'So that's how he produces asparagus earlier in the year.

'But Chris can also harvest it later, as well.

'Traditionally you never pick asparagus after Midsummer's Day.

'That's because the plant needs time in the summer months

'to carry on growing into a fully-formed fern.

'This has to happen so that the plant can photosynthesise the sun's energy,

'feeding the roots which will then throw up more spears the next year.

'But Chris has now found a way of harvesting asparagus

well into the autumn

'and it's all about getting energy into those roots earlier in the year.'

It's this that is storing the energy.

This is the real crop that we're growing,

and the spears that are coming up through are the asparagus spears that you know and love.

This time of year, this is what we're expecting,

-but here you've got ferns.

-So what's happening here?

These spears started to grow in the springtime,

when it got warm enough, and instead of cutting them off

at the point where they looked like an asparagus spear, we've let them grow.

And they've started to branch out and they're in fern.

So we're now getting the sun's energy into the root system

at this time of year

and then at the end of August we'll chop that down

and in September and October we'll get a harvest from them.

-There's quite a science behind it, isn't there?

-Yes, there really is.

I've actually got something else that's new to the UK

-that I want to show you now.

-OK.

It's all go here, isn't it?

Beneath these sheets is something being grown commercially in the UK

for the very first time.

So here we are, that's some white asparagus.

If you pull this cover over,

these little babies are asparagus,

exactly the same as the green,

but buried in a heap of earth

and with a little plastic cap on the top like plastic to stop it photosynthesizing,

so it still stays white.

To harvest this, when you see the spear, you dig down a little bit,

get this long asparagus white knife in...

and just pop it off and there's your spear.

-Goodness me, it's quite an art, isn't it! Shall I try it?

-Yes, absolutely.

-Is this quite exciting and new, then?

-Yeah, this is really new.

It's very popular in Holland and Germany,

but here this is the first white asparagus.

Does that look about right?

-Yes, looks like it. There we go.

-Look at that, like an expert!

-A little bit short, but...!

-THEY LAUGH

-You've got a bit more to practise on now.

-Thank you.

We're celebrating spring in the New Forest in Hampshire.

More than 200 square miles of wild open heath, woodland and coast.

For centuries, people and animals have lived side-by-side here -

historic rights allow thousands of animals

to roam and graze freely in the forest.

They help shape the landscape.

One of the oldest residents, the New Forest Pony,

is on a rare-breed watchlist,

but every care is being taken to make sure this breed lives on.

Jules now joins the locals for an important date

in theirs and the ponies' spring diary...

Good boy.

Well, after the long dark days of winter,

spring is the perfect time to gather together all of the stallions for an annual inspection.

It's also a chance for their owners to have a good catch up.

'All the ponies in the New Forest are owned by locals known as commoners.

'They have an ancient right to graze animals on the open common.

'These pony inspections are crucial for male ponies.

'Only those who make the grade will be released back into the forest

'to breed and add to the bloodline.

'Jonathan Gerrelli is one of five agisters, or forest wardens,

'responsible for the welfare of the ponies out on the heath -

'some of which belong to him.'

-But it is like the OK Chorale, isn't it?

-It very much is.

What are you looking for?

They have to be purebred registered New Forest stallions,

they have to come and pass this extensive vetting and judging procedure

to make sure they're the right type,

so we know the foals we're producing out here

will be hardy - good strong hardy foals, that will thrive in the forest.

I've got a young stallion here today and he will come up for selection.

Hopefully he'll get picked to be turned out.

Well, I can't wait to see how the day unfolds. Cheers, see you later.

'As the inspections get underway,

'commoner and chairman of the New Forest Livestock Society

Lucinda Lang will be my guide.'

So this is Michael. Michael's one of our handlers for the Livestock Society.

Hello, Michael, nice to see you.

Are you hoping this is going to go through the inspection successfully?

-Yes, he's come here today, he's in good order, looks well.

-COLT WHINNIES LOUDLY

We'll have to see if the judges like him.

Well, Michael, we wish you the best of luck today.

What's the name of your noisy colt?

He is called Mike the Knight!

-Mike the Knight?

-That is correct.

-THEY LAUGH

'The young males up for selection have to be scrutinised.

'Any signs of being too tame and they'll be out of the running.'

-He's got a lovely shape through his neck, hasn't he?

-Yes.

Once they're happy that they've seen everything,

they'll ask Mike to walk around the ring.

It's a good opportunity to see them moving freely.

You get to see the stride and actually see their true frame.

'Just 15 of these ponies will run with 5,000 mares in the forest.

'Exhausting as the ratio may sound,

'these stallions have a serious job to do,

'ensuring future generations of the breed thrive.'

Some years ago we used to have 100 stallions out on the forest

and typically they would be out there all year round.

But gradually, you know, we were having more and more foals,

more and more unwanted ponies.

The forest actually decided to put something in place

to reduce the number of stallions, which then means less foals.

That's actually helped to improve our herd.

It's really interesting, this idea that the stallions are hand-picked.

So many people will look around here and think,

"Oh, the ponies are left to their own devices."

-And I suppose for many years they were.

-They were.

But actually the careful management now of these bloodlines

really are ensuring that they remain a viable,

-yet popular sustainable rare breed.

-Yes, yes.

'The first results are in.'

So, Michael, how did it go with Mike the Knight?

-He looked beautiful in the ring.

-Yes, he did look good.

-Unfortunately, he was referred today.

-Was he?

Yes, so that means that he didn't get a straight fail,

but he gets the opportunity to come back in September and have another stab at it.

Gosh, those standards are high, aren't they?

They are high. Unfortunately.

That's why we have these, so, um, what can I say?

'Next it is Lucinda's turn.

'Her family have been New Forest commoners for generations.

PONY WHINNIES

'Her father Brian has seen a lot of changes in his time.'

We've got... The welfare people come here twice a year

and go around the forest and look at our animals.

I think now, over the years,

yes, things have improved greatly, really.

'Unfortunately, Lucinda's pony hasn't made it through, either.

'But Jonathan has had better luck.

'His yearling has been accepted amongst the ranks of the elite.'

Well, Jonathan, that's it for you for this year.

Another inspection over.

-How has it gone, do you think, over all?

-Very well, yes.

I'm pleased at how it's all gone.

A good number of colts forward and very pleased with the quality, as well.

'It's fascinating to see the community effort

'that goes into safeguarding the New Forest Pony.

'And to think that these horses hold the future of their breed in their hands...

'Or should it be hooves?'

PONY WHINNIES

And that's it for today.

We'll be back again at the same time tomorrow,

when we'll be meeting a tiny beetle that can make or break a harvest...

I have to look at these fields every day

because if you let these things get out of control,

they will take the whole crop out in a couple of days.

And Margherita discovers why this is not just the season for spring chickens -

it's also for turkeys. SHE LAUGHS

Hope you can join us then. Bye for now.