Pennod 4 Garddio a Mwy

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-A warm welcome to Garddio A Mwy.

-It feels very strange here.

-The caravan that was our home

-for five years has gone.

-Last week, the lorry came

-to transport it away.

-It leaves a big space

-that needs to be filled.

-But I won't be

-creating a new bed here today.

-I'm in Denbigh,

-creating a new border...

-..for a young family

-in need of a low-maintenance garden.

-I'll take advantage of the

-microclimate in the new polytunnel.

-And Meinir creates a salad of weeds

-with naturalist Bethan Wyn Jones.

-All that on Garddio A Mwy.

-Some weeks ago, we decided to turn

-the garden's untidiest corner...

-..into a dedicated cooking area.

-A lot of work has been done

-since I started on the job.

-After marking a circle,

-I concreted metal posts into place.

-A sheet of zinc sheets

-then encircled the posts...

-..and this was filled in

-with rubble and slate waste.

-The next step

-was to compress everything...

-..to create a firm base

-for the cooking bench.

-This is where we are now.

-The bench is in place,

-and it's simple enough.

-There will be another section here.

-That's where the sink will go.

-Over here, I have two gas hobs.

-The gas bottles

-will go under the worktop.

-They'll be hidden by more

-metal sheets on the front here.

-That'll look nice.

-Over here, we'll have the barbecue.

-I've been looking for ideas

-about ways to do this.

-I saw a good one on Pinterest...

-..where the barbecue

-is set into the bench.

-That's my first job.

-I've got a lot of sawing to do...

-..but it'll all be worth it.

-When I finish this kitchen...

-..I'll be experimenting

-with fresh garden produce.

-But I won't be experimenting as much

-as Meinir is in her garden.

-Weeding.

-We all have to do it.

-And even though

-I like dandelions myself...

-..even I don't want them everywhere.

-But you mustn't forget

-that some weeds can be very useful.

-Today, I'll forage for edible plants

-and weeds to make a salad...

-..with the help of someone

-who understands these things...

-..Bethan Wyn Jones.

-This is a useful weed, Bethan.

-Yes, and quite common everywhere.

-We can certainly eat dandelions.

-I'm sure that you, like me,

-used to call it pee-the-bed.

-Indeed I did.

-There's a good reason for that.

-It is a very strong diuretic...

-..so we need to be careful

-not to eat too much of it.

-I've got mint, Bethan.

-We can pick some of it

-to go into the salad.

-There isn't much else here.

-Well, you do have this.

-The hawthorn.

-People certainly ate this

-in days gone by.

-Only the fresh young leaves.

-The ones right at the tip,

-not the older leaves.

-They're of no use.

-What do they taste like?

-They don't taste of anything much...

-..but they have been eaten

-through the centuries.

-People also ate

-the haws, the berries.

-They were actually eaten

-more than the leaves.

-But it's still in flower now.

-We'll have to wait until autumn

-to collect the haws.

-It just tastes of leaf!

-Yes, nothing much.

-You can also eat forget-me-not.

-These wonderful blue flowers.

-They'll certainly add colour

-to the salad.

-Very nice.

-Pretty.

-Fennel is certainly worth having.

-This will make

-a very useful addition to the salad.

-We'll leave the garden now.

-You'll find lots of edible plants

-and weeds in hedgerows too.

-It's illegal to pick bluebells,

-but they aren't edible anyway.

-Neither is the campion...

-..and certainly not foxgloves,

-which are poisonous.

-We can eat this,

-or the leaves, at least.

-This is cow parsley.

-But you have to be very careful.

-Cow parsley

-is very similar to hemlock.

-It's dangerous to mistake them.

-Hemlock is poisonous.

-They gave Socrates

-hemlock to drink...

-..after he had been

-sentenced to death.

-It's a terrible way to die.

-The body starts to freeze,

-in a way...

-..literally from the toes up.

-Socrates would have been fully aware

-of what was happening to him.

-But this is alright.

-But this is alright.

-

-Are you sure?!

-Yes, I'm positive!

-We're safe to take some of this.

-We also take

-a few nasturtium leaves...

-..some wild yarrow...

-..and Bethan says that fuchsia

-flowers don't taste too bad.

-We'll see.

-After washing everything,

-they're ready to eat.

-Bethan, this is a feast.

-Bethan, this is a feast.

-

-It's not too bad, is it?

-We'll start with these,

-the fuchsia flowers.

-We have to remove the pistil

-and the stamen before we can eat it.

-OK.

-OK.

-

-Off we go.

-Do you know what? This is nice.

-I'm not a salad girl

-at the best of times...

-..but this is tastier

-than a normal salad.

-Yes, it is very tasty.

-I've eaten it all.

-Did you enjoy it?

-Yes, seriously now.

-Nia and Dylan Jones and

-their children live in Denbigh.

-Nia wants help with this bare patch

-at the front of the house.

-But I do have some ideas

-about how to solve her problems.

-We'll see if she likes them.

-Good morning, Nia. How are you?

-Fine, thanks. And you?

-Fine, thanks. And you?

-

-Yes.

-So, is this the garden?

-So, is this the garden?

-

-Yes, it is.

-I see that you have

-removed the lawn.

-We didn't. Dad actually did it

-while we were off on holiday!

-That's nice. Dads are very handy!

-He's great. He does a lot for us.

-What are the problems?

-This time last year,

-the builders used this area...

-..to store bricks and to mix cement

-when we had an extension built.

-It hasn't had much attention...

-..so we decided to remove the lawn

-and make something of it.

-The soil is shallow

-and planting space is at a premium.

-I envisaged a central border

-with a timber surround.

-We'd plant in the central area,

-adding compost and soil there.

-Then we'll add more slate chip

-down either side...

-..to create a triangle, in a way.

-..to create a triangle, in a way.

-

-Oh, I see.

-It's hard to dig near the tree

-because of the roots.

-It's a bit confined

-when we bring the car in.

-A solid base at the side

-would be quite handy...

-..to stop mud

-being carried into the house.

-Perfect with the children!

-We've got a lot of work to do.

-Will you help me carry the timber?

-Will you help me carry the timber?

-

-It's the least I can do.

-I've chosen plants

-tolerant to dry conditions...

-..because of their proximity

-to the tree's roots.

-Lavender and rosemary

-will give a wonderful aroma.

-First, we need to dig along the edge

-in order to put the timber in place.

-I'll get started.

-I'll get started.

-

-And I'll make a cuppa.

-That would be lovely. Thank you.

-I start

-by digging up the flower bed..

-..and making room

-for the timber edges.

-This has been harder

-than I expected.

-But this section is now ready...

-..for me to put

-the timber edge in place.

-For edging like this, it's better to

-pay a bit more for treated timber.

-It won't rot as quickly

-as untreated timber.

-The soil here

-is very shallow and compacted...

-..and the tree's roots

-are everywhere.

-That's why I'm using the timber

-to raise the soil level.

-After the break, we'll line either

-side of the bed and get planting...

-..with the help

-of a pair of little hands.

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-Nia and Dylan Jones

-got in touch with us...

-..when they needed more colour

-in this bare patch of garden.

-Because the soil was poor

-and riddled with tree roots...

-..I dug up a diagonal border...

-..and laid membrane

-and slate on either side.

-I've chosen

-to lay slate waste by this tree...

-..but this doesn't mean

-that you can't plant under trees.

-Meinir will tell you more.

-One choice you have

-with an overhanging tree...

-..and poor soil

-with a lot of roots...

-..is to plant bulbs.

-It can't be easier.

-All you need are a crowbar...

-..and some bulbs.

-Make a hole with the crowbar.

-Not too deep.

-Compost in the hole first...

-..bulb in, and more compost.

-These bluebells needed to be moved

-from another part of the garden.

-You could also use other plants

-that like shade, such as primroses.

-Divide them

-and plant in the same way.

-Make a hole with a crowbar,

-add compost and in they go.

-Other plants you can plant that way

-include native snowdrop bulbs.

-They'll provide early-year colour.

-Throw in an anemone rhizome,

-which will flower a little later.

-After the bluebells

-and primroses die out...

-..small foxgloves would flower

-happily here throughout the summer.

-If you choose your plants

-or your bulbs carefully...

-..you could get all-year colour

-even in a difficult area like this.

-Things are moving on here.

-The next step, before planting,

-is to add more compost to the bed.

-Close the door for me.

-Here's a cuppa, Sioned.

-I've brought Beca to help.

-I'm ready for a cuppa.

-Lovely. Thanks.

-Lovely. Thanks.

-

-Are you coming to help?

-We need help because we have

-lots of planting to do.

-Before we start, I just need

-to add more compost to the soil.

-This will add

-more nutrients to the soil.

-It hasn't had much added,

-given that it was under a lawn.

-You could plant bulbs

-in the autumn...

-..to have tulips and so on

-in the spring.

-Or daffodils.

-Yes, they'd be nice here.

-Are you still busy, Beca?

-As for planting,

-is there a specific pattern?

-Do you count the plants?

-I don't follow a pattern.

-I prefer a more informal look.

-I'm going to focus

-on clusters of plants.

-They'll form one cluster...

-..then we'll have another one here.

-It's not a set pattern.

-This dark-leaved Heuchera

-will provide a lovely backdrop.

-This is catmint, or Nepeta.

-Can you smell it? Do you like it?

-It is nice.

-These are pinks,

-and they're pretty.

-They match your top

-and your wellingtons.

-I've chosen a mix of evergreen

-and perennial plants.

-Plants that look after themselves,

-on the whole.

-I hope it'll be easier

-for you to tend now.

-It's great. Thank you so much.

-You can water them often.

-If you want more information

-about what I've planted...

-..or if you need advice about

-a similar job, go to our website.

-I'll leave you to do the watering.

-Tips From The Nursery

-These are Hydrangeas,

-which are coming back into fashion.

-The big flowers last all summer,

-and come in a variety of colours.

-Pinks, blues and whites.

-They're also becoming popular

-as wedding flowers.

-They're fairly easy to grow,

-to be honest.

-You only have to remember

-to give them plenty of water.

-If you want flowers that last

-all summer, go for a Hydrangea.

-The cooking bench

-is starting to take shape.

-The hole has been cut out.

-The sink is in place.

-Now for the crowning glory.

-Putting the barbecue in place.

-Perfect.

-All that's left to do now

-is to put the poles in place...

-..and attach the sail.

-It'll be nice

-to have a sail overhead...

-..because, as you know, it always

-rains once you light the barbecue.

-I'm really looking forward...

-..to cooking and eating

-our first meal as a family...

-..out here in the garden.

-But in order to have

-a variety of things to cook...

-..I have to do more planting.

-That's just what I'll be doing

-in the polytunnel in a minute.

-First, more from Wil Gibbon,

-a gardener at Aberglasney.

-Today, I'm getting the sweet peas

-from the greenhouse.

-They've hardened off

-in a cold frame during the winter.

-They have acclimatized now

-and are ready to go out.

-This was once a pigsty.

-It's been turned into a glasshouse.

-It fits nicely into the garden.

-This is the kitchen garden.

-We grow things

-for the restaurant here...

-..so that visitors

-get a taste of the garden.

-It's nice to see people visiting.

-It's a sign

-that summer's on the way.

-We're planting the sweet peas here.

-They'll climb up this net.

-When they come into bloom,

-we'll pick the flowers...

-..and put them in the tearooms.

-They have a lovely aroma.

-People will take a bunch or two

-home with them from the shop.

-We have just over a hundred

-varieties here.

-The one I'm planting here

-is Prince Edward of York.

-There we are.

-Another row done.

-In two months, they'll hopefully

-have grown up this net.

-It's time for a cup of tea now.

-I'm sure that Sioned would love

-to discuss sweet peas with Wil.

-As you can see,

-ours are doing particularly well.

-Sioned can enjoy the flowers

-earlier this year...

-..which is the reason

-for having a polytunnel.

-It extends the growing season.

-But Sioned isn't the only one

-to benefit from it.

-I'm commandeering this section...

-..to grow vegetables that require

-a longer growing season.

-Things like melons.

-My melons

-weren't very successful last year.

-The ones I grew in the greenhouse

-grew to the size of tennis balls.

-This year,

-I'm relying on the polytunnel.

-This variety is an ogen,

-not unlike a cantaloupe.

-I'll be happy with something bigger

-than a tennis ball.

-They'll go in the back over there.

-I'm experimenting

-with sweet potatoes this year.

-I've never grown these before.

-You use them

-as you would any other potato.

-I'm going to try them in foil

-on the new barbecue.

-These are tropical plants.

-Unlike other potatoes, you can't

-grow them from a seed potato.

-You have to buy young plants.

-You can grow them from seed,

-but it's difficult, apparently.

-These will go in the front here.

-Next, I have this.

-This is Stevia.

-A lot of people grow this

-because it's incredibly sweet.

-I can't describe how sweet.

-You have to try it.

-People pick the leaves

-and dry them...

-..then add them to their cuppa

-or their cereal or what have you.

-The children love this,

-as you can imagine.

-I'll plant a couple

-in the front here.

-They say...

-..that this plant is excellent

-for diabetes sufferers.

-I'm also planting some peppers.

-I've bought a variety

-of different peppers.

-Some yellow ones...

-..a sweet variety

-called Sweet Banana...

-..the usual red and green types...

-..and over here, Apache.

-Apparently,

-it's great in a stir-fry.

-This can go at the front here.

-Of course, peppers need

-some kind of frame up which to grow.

-You also need to be aware

-of slugs and snails.

-Peppers are so tasty...

-..but it's not just us

-that think so.

-I hope that will be enough variety

-to use in the new kitchen.

-I'll be out with a head torch later

-to look out for slugs and snails.

-That's it for another week.

-I hope this fine weather continues.

-I hope you didn't take up

-too much space in the polytunnel.

-Only the tiniest corner to grow

-vegetables for the new kitchen.

-I hope to be cooking there

-next week.

-Until then, enjoy the gardening.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

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