Pennod 2 Garddio a Mwy

-*

-April had a rather

-wet and windy start.

-I'm glad that May has arrived.

-It's the month the garden

-really starts to wake up...

-..as the sun's rays wake the seeds

-and bulbs from their slumber.

-I don't know about you,

-but I've delayed beans this year.

-I'm planting them this week.

-I'll also be making a herb garden.

-But there's more on Garddio A Mwy.

-Meinir looks for rare creatures

-in a river near Trawsfynydd.

-And we learn about

-this animal's link to wild flowers.

-When we moved here

-a few years ago...

-..I wanted to establish a rose bed.

-There are hundreds of species

-and thousands of cultivars.

-There's plenty of choice.

-Today, I'm going

-to plant Super Fairy.

-I don't see myself as a fairy,

-but I hope it will be happy here.

-I look forward to a having a cup

-of tea, sitting on the bench...

-..and watching the lovely, small,

-pink blooms growing over this.

-Let's plant.

-I've dug a hole.

-I mixed the soil with

-a little compost and fertilizer.

-The hole is a foot from the post.

-There's concrete lower down.

-Many people make this mistake.

-If you plant climbers

-near a wall or fence...

-..there's probably

-concrete underneath.

-So leave plenty of room

-for the rose roots to spread.

-I start by putting

-mycorrhizal fungi in the hole.

-It helps by creating a lot

-of tiny roots that spread out.

-They collect all

-the moisture and nutrients.

-They live between the roses' roots.

-I'll put four small scoops

-in the bottom of the hole.

-I soaked the rose overnight.

-It'll be easier

-to take it out of the pot...

-..and the roots will

-spread more easily.

-Right.

-Put it in a place

-where it can grow up a post.

-I'll put it a bit closer.

-I'll put the soil round it.

-I'm pressing on it quite a lot...

-..to make sure the roots...

-..are in contact

-with the mycorrhiza.

-This is a very healthy rose.

-All the new growth goes up,

-just what I want it to do.

-I want it to climb up this.

-It will grow about three metres

-and cover the frame.

-But if you buy one in a garden

-centre with side stems...

-..and new sideways growth...

-..don't worry, you can cut them off.

-All this needs is water.

-The thousands

-of cultivars have ensured...

-..that the rose is one of our most

-popular and varied garden plants.

-But what about the wildflowers

-in our environment...

-..with no-one to look after them?

-How do they survive, or do they?

-Meinir Gwilym went to learn about

-an exciting and pioneering project.

-At one time, wildflower meadows...

-..were a common feature

-in Britain's rural landscape.

-But that has changed.

-Between 1930 and 1990...

-..90% of them disappeared.

-But in 2012, in an attempt

-to halt the decline...

-..the pioneering Coronation

-Meadows project was launched.

-It was Prince Charles's idea...

-..to celebrate the 60th anniversary

-of his mother's coronation...

-..and establish

-new meadows across the UK.

-By the end of 2015...

-..27 meadows had

-been created in Wales.

-Tyddyn Afon on the banks

-of the River Conwy is one.

-There isn't much to see now.

-But by June, it will be

-full of wildflowers...

-..testament to a year of hard work.

-The first step was to get rid

-of all the coarse grass.

-Then the field had to be grazed.

-Sheep grazed here first, then two

-Highland cows continued the work.

-Next, a machine scarified

-the surface of the field...

-..then a tine harrow

-scarified it again.

-The next step was sowing.

-But seeds were needed.

-These came from

-an ancient meadow nearby...

-..to ensure the seeds were local.

-This is Moss Hill, a meadow

-in Penmachno rich in wildflowers.

-When the meadow was mown

-in late summer...

-..all the hay, containing

-thousands of valuable seeds...

-..was taken to Tyddyn Afon

-and scattered there.

-Dr Trevor Dines was

-responsible for the work.

-He's a botanist with Plantlife UK...

-..one of the Coronation

-Meadows project organizations.

-In your daily work, you teach

-people how to create meadows.

-Yes.

-But this meadow belongs to you.

-It's an exciting feeling.

-I usually advise people...

-..and tell them

-how to create new meadows.

-But this is a very special

-opportunity for me.

-So there's a bit of pressure.

-We had quite a mild autumn.

-Winter wasn't extremely cold.

-Did that help the seeds?

-Did that help the seeds?

-

-Yes.

-The conditions were perfect

-for the seeds to start to germinate.

-Can we see?

-Can we see?

-

-Of course. Now?

-Yes, please.

-Look.

-This is one

-of my favourite plants...

-..tormentil.

-It has very small, yellow flowers

-with only four petals.

-That's "milddail".

-Yarrow.

-I recognize that one.

-One leaf is broken up

-into many leaves.

-They're tiny leaves.

-It's very good

-for butterflies in late summer.

-It grows about this high,

-with white, fairly flat flowers.

-It's a landing platform

-for hoverflies and bees.

-Is there anything else here?

-If you look around,

-you can see many different plants.

-In this patch, there are one,

-two, three, four, five, six.

-There are many plants,

-which is what we want.

-There were lots of different plants.

-But Trevor was keen to show one of

-the meadow's most important plants.

-This is the yellow rattle.

-Another name is the meadow maker.

-Why?!

-Their roots lock

-on to the grass roots...

-..and take nutrients

-from the grass and keep it down.

-They make room

-for other plants to grow.

-So you're very happy to see it.

-It's absolutely marvellous

-to see it...

-..and this, and this!

-In the last weeks of summer...

-..I'll return to see

-how the meadow has developed.

-Trevor and I will visit

-more Coronation Meadows...

-..in different parts of the country.

-It's raining today, unfortunately.

-I wanted to plant carrots.

-But as all good gardeners know,

-never sow seeds in wet soil.

-But I have plenty to do.

-I'm going to plant beans,

-so I'll prepare the soil.

-At this time of the year, we think

-about when to sow seeds outdoors.

-There might be

-too much frost or rain.

-The most important thing

-is soil temperature.

-I've made a deep bed in the garden.

-All that means

-is that the soil slopes.

-The soil is deep...

-..so I can put plants

-closer together.

-The root grows straight down,

-rather than across.

-That means I get more vegetables.

-Another reason

-for having a deep bed...

-..is that the soil

-dries faster in spring.

-No-one is allowed

-to stand on this soil.

-I tell the children

-all the time not to stand on it.

-The reason for that

-is there's more air in the soil.

-Air warms up faster than water.

-So prepare, prepare, prepare.

-Once I've finished with the fork...

-..the rake comes out...

-..to make an open bed.

-It's very important for gardeners

-to get to know their soil.

-There's a very simple way to tell

-what type of soil you have.

-Take a handful of soil.

-If I can make a ball with it...

-..it means there's

-enough clay in it.

-If the soil was very sandy...

-..I couldn't do that.

-It would fall into pieces.

-That means there's

-a bit of clay in it.

-We want a bit of sand and clay.

-Perfect soil is

-somewhere in the middle.

-Break the egg in half.

-Try to make a small

-snake or sausage shape.

-Roll it like this.

-As you see, the soil

-is starting to break up...

-..because there's some sand in it.

-I'm very happy with this soil.

-I'm ready to make

-a frame for the beans.

-That's it.

-I've made the framework

-for the runner beans to climb.

-They're growing in the greenhouse,

-ready to plant out in May.

-In the meantime,

-I'll plant normal beans.

-I have a helper.

-Plant them two inches deep.

-Do you want to put one in?

-Come here.

-Cover it with soil.

-That's it.

-I put lime in this bed.

-Beans like fresh lime.

-Can you reach?

-That's a good way to do it!

-The seeds will enjoy a drink.

-Food grows better

-after being watered.

-They grow quickly, so we'll

-have fresh garden beans in June.

-Let's go.

-.

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-The River Eden near Trawsfynydd

-is home to a rare species.

-It easily lives

-for more than 100 years.

-It needs clean, clear water,

-like this river.

-The creature is

-the freshwater pearl mussel.

-The mussel colony

-lay undiscovered until 1997.

-At the time,

-there were around 1,300 here.

-By 2011, their number

-had fallen to about 500 or 600.

-They're under threat

-all over the world.

-Their number has fallen

-dramatically in the last 100 years.

-However, there's an effort

-to turn the tables.

-I'm meeting Elain Gwilym...

-..to hear what steps are

-being taken to protect the mussel.

-Why are the numbers decreasing?

-It's mainly due to changes

-in the way the land is used.

-The A470 cuts through the area...

-..resulting in

-hydrocarbon emissions.

-It enters the river system

-and affects the water quality.

-Foresting has been done here.

-The trees grown here

-make the land more acidic.

-This site of conifers

-was planted after WW2.

-Once conifers are felled...

-..minerals

-like nitrogen and phosphate...

-..aren't retained in the soil.

-They enter the river system.

-We're working with Life Project...

-..to counteract this.

-We've closed ditches...

-..and created filtering pools.

-This is one of eleven pools...

-..strategically positioned...

-..to filter water.

-There is too much sediment

-in the river.

-The sediment suffocates

-the mussel and fish habitats.

-The water comes from the top...

-..and flows out

-of the furthest corner.

-The water that flows out is cleaner.

-They've planted

-Phragmites australis here.

-It grows naturally in the area.

-Like sedges.

-Like sedges.

-

-Yes, common reed.

-The plant removes

-nitrogen and phosphates from water.

-This is the river.

-It's a Special Area Of Conservation

-due to the species that live in it.

-Do they need such a wide river?

-They can survive

-in very wide rivers...

-..or in a river

-that's only one metre wide.

-You've brought this along.

-This tool helps us

-to see the mussels underwater.

-Do you want to find one?

-Do you want to find one?

-

-Yes.

-Do they prefer the sides?

-Yes,

-hidden from view for protection.

-There's one there.

-You've seen one?

-You've seen one?

-

-Yes.

-I can see it!

-There's something white on its side.

-Can you take them out?

-I have a licence...

-..which allows me to handle them.

-Otherwise, it would be illegal.

-And this is it. It's huge!

-It's about 60 years old.

-The freshwater pearl mussel

-has a unique lifecycle.

-An adult can eject four million

-glochidia, or baby mussels.

-These flow in the water.

-They attach themselves

-to fish gills...

-..the gills of trout in this river.

-They will live on the trout gill

-for nine months.

-How big are they then?

-How big are they then?

-

-The size of a grain of salt.

-When the water temperature

-changes in June...

-..they'll fall off the gills

-.and land on the riverbed.

-They'll hide there for the first

-five years of their lives.

-This is the oldest part

-of the mussel.

-It grows from here out,

-like a tree.

-There's a new circle every year.

-What is the future for mussels?

-I hope it's better

-than three years ago...

-..before the Pearls In Peril

-project started.

-We monitor the water quality,

-and it is improving.

-With all this work,

-we can attract more fish here, too.

-Put it back.

-Put it back.

-

-OK!

-I'm worried about it.

-I can't tell you

-how it felt to find a mussel.

-I hope this rare, native species

-gets the help it needs...

-..to undo the destructive impact

-of people on its habitat and number.

-Who knows?

-With someone like Elain in charge...

-..the mussel we saw

-could live to be 100 years old...

-..in the River Eden.

-If you've no room

-for a vegetable garden...

-..grow herbs in pots

-or the windowsill.

-There are rules to follow

-if you want a herb garden.

-Locate it close to the house.

-I don't want to walk

-to the bottom of the garden...

-..when I want mint tea.

-I've made a raised bed

-so that I don't have to bend down.

-I like tea, so I'm planting mint.

-Sioned bought mint

-in a local garden centre.

-There are many varieties of mint.

-For instance, pineapple,

-orange or grapefruit mint.

-There's even chocolate mint.

-The main thing to remember

-is that mint spreads easily.

-It's a good idea

-to plant it in a pot.

-I like to see it spread.

-I'll be picking a lot of it.

-Mint likes nutrients.

-I'll need compost.

-Once you've chosen a spot,

-cover it with compost.

-Tap the pot.

-Place it carefully in the soil.

-Our family is fond of coriander.

-Coriander, like basil...

-..is an annual plant.

-It grows, flowers

-and seeds in a year.

-Sow throughout spring and summer

-for a continuous supply.

-Scatter the seeds.

-Coriander seeds are quite big.

-They're easy to see.

-Cover them...

-..with more compost.

-I need to protect the seeds.

-Quite simply...

-..use bubble wrap...

-..to cover the patch.

-Put a twig in each corner.

-Check it every few days.

-Once the seeds come through,

-remove the plastic.

-I look forward to making

-carrot and coriander soup.

-And that's it.

-Thanks for dropping by.

-Remember to sow more sweet peas

-for a regular supply.

-It's time to plant

-love apples indoors.

-So if you haven't yet,

-start planting those tomatoes!

-Until next week,

-enjoy the gardening.

-S4C Subtitles by Gwead

-.