Pennod 16 Garddio a Mwy

-*

-A warm welcome to Garddio A Mwy.

-I'm at the Erddig Apple Festival.

-I hope to turn some of our orchard

-apples into a marvellous juice.

-In Pont Y Twr,

-Sioned creates a new border.

-Meinir comes face to face

-with a pine marten in Ceredigion.

-Naturalist Bethan Wyn Jones

-forages in hedgerows.

-Welcome to Garddio A Mwy.

-It's sad to see

-the sweet peas coming to an end.

-But they've given me stock

-all summer and looked gorgeous.

-If I want the same

-fine flowers next year...

-..believe it or not,

-now is the time to prepare.

-I'm going to sow seeds.

-I have packs of seeds.

-I've put compost in pots.

-I'll put five seeds in each one.

-They're fairly big pots.

-Sweet pea roots

-don't like being disturbed.

-They'll be happier

-in a long pot like this.

-The seeds are very small,

-but I'll put five in each pot.

-One goes in each corner

-and one in the middle.

-I'll cover them

-with a layer of compost.

-That's about half an inch thick.

-I'll press it down.

-I've collected a few seed pods

-from my garden plants.

-I'll open the pod.

-I'll take these out

-and plant them too.

-I'll have a combination

-of what I already have...

-..and new ones too.

-This is a bit of an experiment,

-to see if they'll grow.

-I'll cover these

-with compost in the same way.

-You could sow sweet peas

-out in the garden in spring.

-But if you do this now,

-your crop will have a head start.

-These will bloom in June.

-The garden plants will bloom later.

-It will extend the growing season.

-This only takes two minutes.

-Next summer, you'll be very glad

-you took time to sow sweet peas.

-The pleasure and scent

-they provide in summer is superb.

-There's nothing better

-than a walk in autumn...

-..even in the rain.

-Flowers are still blooming.

-There are still fruits

-in the hedgerows too.

-They're great to eat.

-These autumn fruits

-are ripening nicely.

-They're rose hips.

-They've been used medicinally

-and contain a lot of Vitamin C.

-Tea can be made with them

-to treat sore throats and coughs.

-Naughty boys found

-an use for them too.

-They would open the hips.

-They're full of seeds.

-Each one has a very sharp edge.

-If stuffed down a shirt back...

-..they're very itchy.

-They're better

-than any itching powder.

-We tend to be

-rather dismissive of nettles.

-But they've been used

-as medicinal plants...

-..more than almost any other plant.

-The Romans used them.

-They cut a long piece

-and whipped the skin with them...

-..to get rid of rheumatism.

-It worked, apparently.

-I'm not quite sure how.

-Maybe whipping the skin

-with nettles was so painful...

-..they didn't feel the rheumatism.

-Nettles have been used to treat

-many ailments and conditions...

-..like headaches,

-goitre and dandruff.

-Women also use it

-to make hair shiny.

-I must admit,

-the most remarkable use...

-..was by men putting

-it in their socks...

-..as a method of contraception.

-I've yet to meet anyone

-who has tried this.

-But I'd like to hear if anyone has.

-The greater celandine

-also has medicinal properties.

-In Welsh, it's "melynllys",

-the yellow plant.

-It's also called "llysiau'r wennol",

-the swallow's plant...

-..because it usually blooms

-when swallows return in mid-April.

-It has been used to treat warts.

-I'll cut a stem.

-An orange coloured juice flows out.

-This was put on the wart.

-Gradually, it would fall off.

-Another name, "llym y llygaid",

-sharp eye, is used in Glamorgan.

-I didn't understand why...

-..until I learnt it could be used...

-..to clear cataracts.

-When a cataract grows on the eye,

-sight is reduced.

-By using this, sight improved...

-..and became sharper once more.

-So "llym y llygad", sharp eye,

-is an excellent name.

-When you go for a walk

-in the countryside...

-..you never know what you'll see.

-I've been lucky enough

-to see a wasps' nest.

-They're very busy

-and very sensible too.

-Across the road...

-..there's a flowering ivy.

-There's plenty of nectar

-and pollen for them.

-They say that when ivy blooms...

-..it's the first sign

-that autumn has arrived.

-It's 4.30am.

-I'm in Cwm Rheidol, expecting a crew

-from the Vincent Wildlife Trust.

-They have driven

-all the way from Scotland...

-..with a rather special cargo.

-They're wild animals, pine martens,

-and very rare in Wales.

-They were caught in Scotland

-where their numbers are high.

-Jen McPherson has driven all night

-to bring them one by one...

-..to these release cages

-in Cwm Rheidol.

-They're carefully put in the cage.

-It will be opened in a few days.

-While they get used

-to their new home in Wales...

-..the Trust will leave food

-and drink in the cage for a time.

-I asked Jen why pine martens

-were such an important species.

-They're one

-of our native carnivores.

-So they're part of our native

-biodiversity. They should be here.

-We think numbers got so low as

-a result of woodland clearances...

-..and predator control,

-which used to take place a lot more.

-But now, there's been

-a lot of woodland planting.

-The habitat has greatly

-improved for pine martens.

-We think they've got

-a good chance now.

-A few hours later, after dawn...

-..I met Josie Bridges,

-who works for the Trust...

-..and volunteer Rhys Gwynn.

-We're looking for a pine marten that

-has been released in the forest.

-When was this animal released?

-It's one of last year's animals.

-It came from Inverness, Scotland.

-Twenty came here last year.

-Twenty more will arrive this year.

-The process is almost over,

-with 16 already here.

-To see how the pine martens

-cope in their new homes...

-..the Trust puts

-a radio collar on them.

-This device searches for

-and recognizes...

-..the collar's radio signal.

-Each collar is unique...

-..so we know which

-pine marten we hear.

-We'll probably hear one.

-SOUND ON DEVICE

-SOUND ON DEVICE

-

-Hey!

-Bingo!

-That's Number 21.

-So this is Number 21.

-To have a better idea

-exactly where it is...

-..the big aerial

-comes out of the van.

-In this way, the pine martens'

-location can be monitored.

-They check there's enough food in

-the area, if there are offspring...

-..and how the pine martens

-cope in their new forest.

-SOUND ON DEVICE

-SOUND ON DEVICE

-

-There it is!

-So it's here somewhere.

-It's sheltering from the rain.

-It could be watching us

-from the trees.

-They are in danger, for example

-from foxes and birds of prey...

-..and in the past,

-from big estates...

-..that wanted to protect

-birds reared for shooting.

-Twenty were moved here last year

-and twenty more this year.

-Has it been successful?

-Very. Most have survived.

-It's a good sign, demonstrating

-that the habitat is ideal.

-What kind of habitat do they need?

-What kind of habitat do they need?

-

-It's quite varied.

-The name pine marten

-shows they like trees especially.

-They have long, strong claws

-that hook on trees.

-Climbing a tree is no problem.

-They'll eat anything.

-This time of year,

-they eat blackberries.

-But they eat a variety

-of things, including mice.

-They can adapt to different

-habitats quite easily.

-There's been a lot of talk

-about this project.

-If the pine marten

-lives in a habitat...

-..the number of grey

-squirrels might be reduced.

-Do they hunt and eat grey squirrels?

-There's clear

-photographic evidence...

-..that the pine marten

-eats grey squirrels.

-That might be a good thing.

-The grey squirrel causes quite

-a lot of damage to forestry...

-..and affects bird

-populations by eating eggs.

-It will be interesting to see

-what this relationship will be.

-They are fast.

-They belong to the badger, otter,

-weasel, stoat and polecat family.

-They make their home

-in a variety of places.

-They take over a squirrel's nest

-and have their young there.

-They make homes in rocks

-or holes in trees.

-There aren't many old trees

-with holes in them any more.

-This project

-provides boxes for pine martens.

-Have they had any young?

-Yes, three have.

-They mate in summer.

-The eggs aren't implanted in the

-uterus until the following January.

-The young are born in spring when

-there is plenty of food for them.

-It looks good for the pine marten.

-It looks good for the pine marten.

-

-I think so, if it's left in peace.

-An important and successful

-part of the project...

-..is contacting people...

-..who have a vested interest

-in the projects' aims.

-That has provided

-a firm foundation for success.

-With luck, the pine marten

-population will increase and thrive.

-.

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-Pont Y Twr's orchard is very young.

-Our twenty apple trees

-are three or four years old.

-For the first time this year, we've

-had a crop worth talking about.

-I have a variety of apples here.

-People in the know say...

-..a mixture of apples

-produces the best juice.

-Is this true?

-We'll find out in Erddig.

-Erddig Hall was built

-in the late 17th century...

-..for Denbighshire High Sheriff,

-Josiah Edisbury.

-This is one of the National

-Trust's most impressive properties.

-But we're not interested

-in the hall, but the garden.

-It's the 26th Erddig Apple Festival

-this year.

-There's a good reason why

-the festival takes place here.

-Apart from the parkland

-in front of the house...

-..there's also a 13-acre

-walled garden.

-Some of the hundreds

-of apple trees are very old.

-Erddig Hall has one of nation's

-most significant historical gardens.

-Selwyn Jones has been a volunteer

-for many years.

-How old are the trees?

-These were planted 15 years ago.

-There must be a lot of work

-to maintain them.

-We prune a little in summer.

-We prune right back in winter.

-We have to do it twice a year...

-..so they bear fruit.

-There are 180 different

-apple trees here.

-Yes. There are more than

-150 in the exhibition itself.

-This incredible variety...

-..acknowledges gardeners'

-creativity, past and present.

-Here's a fine selection of apples.

-The espalier tree is interesting.

-Yes, and unique.

-This is the Happy Rose apple.

-These apple trees grew here...

-..in Roman times.

-Romans developed

-the different types of apples.

-That's right.

-Before the Romans brought apples...

-..only crab apples grew here.

-We didn't have a variety.

-The biggest

-is an interesting shape.

-This is a Cat's Head apple.

-Some of the apples

-are named after animals.

-This is a Pig's Nose apple.

-I've heard about this.

-I recognize this small one.

-It has russet coloured skin.

-It has russet coloured skin.

-

-It's an Ashmead's Kernel.

-It's Glyn's favourite apple.

-He's the head gardener.

-We'll sell a lot of them

-over the weekend.

-During the festival?

-During the festival?

-

-Yes.

-I've brought along different apples.

-I have no idea what they are.

-I think one of them is unique.

-Could Glyn identify it?

-He's the expert.

-Perfect! Thanks, Selwyn.

-It's a little bit soft.

-I wouldn't say it was a Cox.

-You can feel that vinous flavour

-in the background coming through.

-There's a little bit of russeting

-around the top.

-There's quite a lot of Welsh

-varieties around.

-I'm not over-familiar with them.

-This would resemble perhaps

-a variety called Suntan...

-..which is the seedling of Cox.

-Suntan is very appropriate

-for a sunny day in Erddig.

-One thing I want to do here

-is apple pressing.

-I know just the man.

-Pleased to meet you, Alan.

-Alan Barret runs an apple pressing

-company in Cumbria.

-He brought his own equipment.

-Thanks, Alan. Cheers.

-Oh, wonderful.

-There's nothing like it.

-I'll be happy here all day.

-Mmm.

-Have you recently moved and want

-to put your stamp on the garden?

-Or do you want to transform

-an area in your garden?

-People think summer

-is the time to be out gardening.

-Now is ideal

-for planting new plants...

-..so they take root before winter.

-Our next project is a new border.

-This is seven metres long

-and four metres across.

-I've put a water pipe around it.

-There's a reason for this.

-It's a good way of outlining the

-border before you start to cutting.

-I'd recommend this tool

-when it's time to cut.

-It's a half-moon lawn edger.

-It's easier to use than a spade.

-This might be an obvious point.

-But it's vital to identify

-what sort of soil you have.

-This is very light soil.

-It's also quite sandy.

-You can buy pH soil tester kits

-in your local garden centre.

-It's worth doing

-so you know what you have.

-It's important to prepare the soil.

-I turned and weeded it...

-..at least four times.

-I also added manure.

-I let it settle for four weeks.

-It's important to know

-where the sun is during the day.

-I know it rises over there...

-..and goes down that side

-by mid-afternoon.

-It's quite open.

-Perhaps walls or trees

-throw shadows on your new border.

-Make sure you buy the right plants.

-There is a huge variety of plants...

-..for shaded or sunny areas.

-Make sure you buy the right plants.

-I'll start by planting

-these lovely trees.

-They are Jacquemontii silver birch.

-I chose them because they provide

-interest all year round.

-The bright green leaves

-turn yellow in the autumn.

-They lose their leaves

-to reveal lovely branches.

-The trunks are interesting. They

-are bright white all year round.

-People wash them

-so they look even brighter.

-I bought a cluster of three because

-they're more effective like this.

-They look like three striking

-statues.

-Last but not least

-are these two stumps.

-I'm not the only person who has

-sat here. Aren't they wonderful?

-The texture and colour are lovely.

-They'll create a structure...

-..for the new border.

-They look like statues, too.

-They'll provide height

-before the plants establish.

-Next week,

-I'll be planting in my new border.

-Until then, enjoy the gardening.

-S4C Subtitles by Gwead

-.