Episode 5 Kitchen Garden Live with the Hairy Bikers

Welcome to Kitchen Garden Live with The Hairy Bikers

It's Friday already and we're sad to say it's our last day

here on this little oasis that is our edible garden,

right in the heart of the largest flower show in the world.

So, time to tell everyone what's coming up.

Call The Midwife star Charlotte Ritchie joins us.

She's currently treading the boards in the West End,

but has found the time to swing by and see us for some

We go behind the scenes of another stunning garden here at the show.

Designer Jon Davies gave Dave the tour of his creation,

which is the ultimate antidote to urban living and especially

interesting because almost every plant in it has an edible quality.

Meanwhile I got the chance to meet more foodie suppliers,

Colin and Natasha - a father and daughter team who run

a garlic farm on the Isle of Wight and gave me the lowdown

on all things garlic - elephant, smoked, black, white!

And they have loads of great advice on how you can grow your own.

And cooking with garlic is guest chef Chantelle Nicholson,

who has set up, run and cooked in some of London's

best restaurants - Marcus Wareing's right-hand

She has a passion for cooking on an open fire, so will be

showcasing her skills on our barbecue.

Plus we meet Robin Gill, who shows us that living

in a busy city shouldn't stop you growing your own produce.

His urban rooftop kitchen garden provides plenty

of delicious fresh herbs, spices, vegetables and even honey

for the seasonal British restaurant downstairs.

He's got loads of tips on growing in pots rather than plots.

But first, our guest of honour today is the lovely Charlotte Ritchie.

She plays wide-eyed Barbara Gilbert in the smash hit series

Call The Midwife, which was voted Best Period Drama

Hello, Charlotte! Good to see you. Thank you for having me.

A pleasure. Everybody knows you are on George

Calombaris but you are currently treading the boards at the west end?

Yes Yes, I am. What is it called? The

Philanthropist. I have two weeks left. I never imagined it would end.

It is funny when you are in that groove? It is such a strange

routine. I have never done anything so long and doing it every night. So

strange! How many of Call The Midwife have you don? I've done

three. I'm going back at the end on series seven.

And you got married had?! I did! What was it like with so many stars

like Pam Ferries and Jenny Agutter? It was great.

You had to play it down? Yes, almost to the point where I was rude about

it. But I had to play it down. Show I was not fussed but I was really,

really excited. And with the TV and the live

performances, every other night or every night? It is every night. It

is completely different having an audience. When they don't respond to

you, you know about it! Which do you prefer? I don't know. I got used to

doing the same thing, so doing this every night and making it

interesting is the thing. We'll be back with

Charlotte in a moment. First though, the last

of our behind-the-scenes tours of the stunning show gardens

with incredible edibles This one isn't officially

a show garden. It belongs in the "gardens

for a changing world" category. It's all about swapping order

and structure for nature and spontaneity, which suits me down

to the ground. So I went along to meet

its designer, Jon Davies. Jon, this is your first show garden?

It is the first show garden. What was the inspiration for the

garden? It is based onnedible, from the trees, the ground cover, the

roots, there are all different levels offedibles, trying to bring

this type of garden back to London. To show not only can you have a

beautiful space but you can eat a lot of that.

How much of it issedible? About 80% of it.

You have to start from the soil up? We have been using the culture of

perennials, interesting varieties that you keep coming back Bihar

vesting it. Keep it under control by taking the roots or the leaves from

it, the flowers, etc. I would love to look around but you

have a special request? This is full of alternative lawn covers so you

have to come in bare feet to really feel it.

Let's go. Fantastic! Can you feel it? Back to nature! That is lush.

This is a tudor vegetable very much in fashion before potatoes came

over. Is it hardy? Yep it will last for

years and years. These are ostrich ferns, in the spring, as they

unpurl, you can harvest them. They look amazing and you can cook them

with garlic and put on pizzas, they are a Japanese delicacy.

There are lots offedible flowers there.

There is rosemary there... Please. Why is it everything from the ground

is stronger and nicer. That would be wonderful with the lamb. Anything

else? How about fennel. Yeah! Even the flowers are edible.

That is gorgeous, the flowers are delicious but it's the bulbs that we

are using. I would love to see what you have

going on. Come over.

Join us. Thank you.

This is one of the most amazing gardens I have seen. I have my

fennel, rosemary, and I've also got to give me feet an airing! We have

the gold for best garden for a changing world. Well done, Jon. Jon

is here for an early lunch. So, dude, what delength tables have we

got? Fennel is the hero of the day. There is fennel, lamb. Also a salad.

Almost vegetarian but fennel goes well with the oranges. So we have to

crack on. If you can help me out here.

Let's chop the fennel nice and thin. Chop it through thinly. The idea

with the fennel and lamb, because the lamb's meaty, it has a really

distinct flavour. We want the any seed flavour.

Charlotte, you are doing well! I was just laughing at myself, so that is

kind of you to say! Not at all. What was food like growing up? Well, I

think that mum is watching it was delicious! So good! You can always

rely on your daughter! And my dad. My mum is an amazing cook and my dad

who got into it a little more recently.

Tell us, who else is in The Philanthropist? Tell us the cast.

While you are chatting I am adding sliced onions, butter and stock.

Tell us about the cast? There are seven of us. Some of the names that

people might know, Simon Bird, Lily Cole, and it has been a pleasure. It

is sad it is coming to an end soon. But it's been great. A variety of

people coming from different back grounds of comedy and that sort of

stuff. Now, I am making the salad.

What is Simon Kallio likes a a director? Oh, yes! I saw him in

Mozart when he was playing Amadeus. He was a very young man then but,

by, God, the energy of the man. So much energy, it is intimidating! We

have here salt, pepper, fennel, butter, onions and rosemary. We are

adding the lamb stock in here and then... What we are going to do,

now, look at this, look at this beauty. A lovely, lovely leg of

lamb. Really simple. Keep it simple. We are just going to pour lovely

olive oil over it, spring it will with salt and pepper and then stick

it on top of our veggies. It's expensive lamb now but it is

really an event. The red onions have I soaked them in

cold water, for a salad like this, it takes the sting out of them. I do

this with my mother-in-law with the grapefruits, segmenting them

properly, so there are no pithy bits in there. I was reading when you

were a little girl, there was an acting thing, something about a

panda nose? Oh, I used to sit in the washing basket and I would read

stories and tell stories to my panda bear.

Is it true that your parents tried to shout you down? Yes, I competed.

I was a bit of a loud mouth! Yeah, my family are quite argumentative

and loud, so you had to shout to be heard.

And so many of your family are in the business? My grandmother and

granddad but my mum and dad do a variety of things. My brother plays

the guitar. He is Luke, he is amazing.

You sing with him, you do a Car penter's turn? We did but it is

difficult to get schedules together. Now, we have some dressing. This is

oil and vinegar, this is lovely with the salad, to cut it like this, you

don't get the pith. It is a great salad for breakfast.

And so the lamb is in the barbecue for two hours so, we could be here

for a while chatting! Now, because we have our lovely garden, I'm off

to get the fennel so it is lovely and fresh! Charlotte, tell us about

the singing? I used to be in a band called Four Angels, it was a

quartet, we would stand in white dresses.

It was pretty good! You did har honis? We Z

You did sell over a million copies of your record? We did but I don't

have anything to show for it! It was great though because we were lovely

friends. Now, by the magic of television, I

know I said that I needed to be there for two hours cooking with the

lamb but actually, it doesn't! How has that happened?! I put another

one in two hours ago! It shows what you can do here with the

imagination! Look at this, it is like a frog's dandruff! Oh, look at.

This you know, we do meat really well in the UK.

Look at. This I'm going to come over there.

Hot something coming through... Look at that. Oh, my God.

Good grief. Let's move the salad there.

So, this fennel has almost gone to a confit. It is slow-cooked with all

of the lamb juices. Some would say this is the best bit.

Look at that. Wow! You know what I'm going to do, in readiness for us

nibbling... You want me to get out of the way? No, you don't move, I

will stand here to carve. If you use your own herbs, and

plants, you cab use even more and it will taste great! You grow a few

herbs, Charlotte? I did have a LAVH an dish... Oh, that is not a herb?!

Yes, it is! Well, it died quickly. I don't know how to keep plants alive.

There are plenty of tips here. Jon, come and have a nibble.

Let me add some of the lovely cooking liquor over the top. Please,

dig in. Ladies first... I'll get some of the

salad. What do you think? That is a great

combination. From garden to plate. How wonderful.

Lovely. With the orange too. Isn't it lush! We don't have to Call

The Midwife for this one. Now, while we finish, here are more

fabulous folk who have visited our garden.

These gardens are amazing. It looks fantastic. Just the notion that you

can pick all this stuff and just throw together a delicious salad. I

will try to replicate that at home. My success rate is not fabulous, but

I'm enthusiastic. It depends on how much work I have got as well. My

advice to myself is to grow things, just through the seeds in, see what

happens, because it is better than nothing. My problem is I never know

when it is ready, when to harvest it, so it does tend to sit. Coming

here fills you with inspiration, seeing beautiful gardens, lots of

different plants. It is the perfect place to be if you are thinking of

redesigning your garden. I think we've all been inspired by this

garden. I have six different varieties of French beans.

Right, time to meet the last of the foodie

It's a good job I'm not a vampire, because Colin and Natasha

are a father and daughter duo who are the largest producers

I am blown away by what you have got here. The garlic here is probably

one of the vote widest available in Europe, and it takes you from

Eastern Europe to Kazakhstan, we bring the selection of our very

best. Is it easy to grow? Anybody can grow beautiful garlic in their

garden anywhere in the UK. I would like to taste some black garlic, and

something tells me there may be a little spot of that about. Sounds

like a great idea. Black garlic is a normal garlic bulb that has been

slow cooked in a low temperature oven for six weeks. Six weeks?! The

flavour is completely different. All of the varieties of garlic here, if

you prepare them in a different way, that impart different flavours.

Inside the garlic clove, you have various different flavours that

work. The bulb doesn't smell of much until you cut into it. When you

crush it, you create a chemical reaction. If you want to get hot

flavours, you crush it and bring out all of the sweet flavours when you

roast it. Superb. I have never had garlic beer before. It is black

garlic beer. What do you think? That is amazing! Really, really good. Are

there particular garlics that you sell more than others? Elephant

garlic is big, so people wanted, it makes a statement. Can I take two of

these? Please, those are the elephant garlic, they have just been

harvested. Thank you. Well, that was informative. Off to the kitchen!

Luck at the size of our alliums! I'm Spartacus! No, I'm Spartacus!

Colin and Natasha are standing by, ready to delve into a dish full

And the lady tasked with creating it is guest chef

What are we going to be cooking? We are going to have a summary

vegetable dish, we have ricotta, aubergine and this amazing elephant

garlic which we will put on top, and a green chilli and herb salsa.

Take the top off, make it nice and thin because it has to go on the

grill. You can tell she is a professional chef, she has put us to

work straightaway! And your restaurant is in Covent Garden? Yes,

it is in the West End, buzzing. And you were with Marcus Wareing to ten

years? 14. He is such a fantastic character. He is full of life. Full

of life, and a great person to work for. We start with the salsa, which

has some green chilies, mint coriander, some line. We will infuse

this milk with some rosemary and bay leaf is, split it with lemon juice

which creates the home-made ricotta. You have the flavour, with

vegetarian dishes like this, you need to work harder to get the

balance and depth of flavours. We need to get the aubergine on. We

have got miso paste, says in oil, little water to make a paste. Brush

that over and put it on the grill. You had better be paying attention

in the crowd, because we will be testing you later on! Exactly, and

the wonderful garlic which we have got as well. I will get these on.

And then Dave, you are an herb chopping duty. I'm off. You are very

fond of cooking over an open fire? I'm from New Zealand, so it's what

we do. So I have got dill, basil, coriander. I have got everything

here. And we have some green chilies, some lime, some oil, and

that will make the salsa to go over the top of the aubergine. There is a

large Geordie basting here! Tell us about elephant garlic. As you have

seen over there, it is a whopper. It is actually part of the leak family,

not the garlic family, so it is not quite as pungent, and it is a strain

of white garlic that we all use a lot of, but it has a wonderful

sweetness to it. So we have got some on the grill that we prepared

earlier. We so have! It is cooler at this end of the kitchen. We will

bash all this up, get the flavours out of it, some garlic in there as

well, and some lime, get that all going. I have to say, this is a

simple but absolutely beautiful brushing blaze for this, so good. It

smells fantastic. And your new book, is it totally Vigo and? It is, it is

out next April, I'm finishing at the moment. All about Regan food, plant

-based food, which I think chefs sometimes forget about. Or find a

little bit challenging, so hopefully we will be able to... I have to

admit, we were lucky to be able to taste this dish in our rehearsals,

and it was stunning. And it can be created without the ricotta, which

makes it truly vegan, which is why miso is a good seasoning to use, as

well. It is a salty beast. This smells fantastic. Get this all

nicely ground up. Obviously at home or in the restaurant we would use a

blender, but we are outside! It is alfresco. Do you go back to New

Zealand much, or is it impossible with the restaurant? It is a little

bit tricky, but it is such a beautiful place, but it does take a

little bit long to get there. Amazing place, New Zealand, amazing

people, fantastic rugby team, great produce, epic. And everything is

growing in our gardens, and the gardens here, everything growing is

so inspiring. It is, and you see today everybody is so interested

here at Hampton Court, and it is great to see everyone really getting

involved in it, and the more we can all do, the better. Guys, I am doing

quite well here on the barbie. Let's grab that garlic, we can potentially

get some of that. Look at that. There is the big reveal, look at

that, beautiful. It is like a ham hock, use a vegetarian! That's

wrong! How long would it need a regular oven? I would give it a good

20-30 minutes. I am coming over! And on the barbecue that will take about

three quarters of an hour? It depends how powerful it is. Are you

fussy about presentation? Not at all. Let's just maybe tweak its just

a little bit. Just burning, don't worry about me!

LAUGHTER If you want to grab one of those

cloves of garlic, we can get bruising over the top, and I will

grab some of those flowers of the elephant garlic, because they have

an amazing sweetness and flavour. Would you like me to ooze? Please

do. That garlic is so soft. Beautiful. You can do the scatter.

There we go. One more little dollop and we will take it over. Perfect.

You have definitely got a treat. Good to see you again, that was

fascinating. That looks amazing. I think you will love that, Charlotte.

It is so lovely. Squeezed just beautifully. The experts squeeze!

And elephant garlic is really good value in terms of what it gives you.

And people buy quite a lot of it, because it is great value, isn't it?

It is, and it is better to grow it in your garden.

Now, time to hear from some more celebrities who have

turned their hand to gardening - with varying levels of success.

My grandparents were huge gardeners. I dug up my grandad lilac bush after

he passed away, and my grandmother's red rose bush, and both of them have

moved from every house I have been in. There is something really

British and quintessential about being able to go in the garden and

potter about and things like that. My mum has a lovely garden, she has

planted lots of lovely things, and then the bulldog, Harry, he eats the

flowers. When I was a child, my dad gave me my own little plot but I

could do what I wanted to do with, so I would grow sweet peas, some

vegetables, and I absolutely loved it, and that is where my love of

gardening started. And now with my little girl, she is two and a half,

she has her own sweet pea patch, and she loves it, and they just burst

into flower. She is so excited about it, so it is a really good way to

get children excited about gardening from an early age. We are back with

Charlotte Ritchie. We have Simon Lycett here, he is basically florist

to the stars. Not only is he brilliant

with blooms, but he can even create He is going to make you a bouquet

which is edible and beautiful, but he has 90 seconds to build a while

we chat! OK. Every single one of these is edible, and many of them

are grown here behind us, these lovely begonias, and also I have a

few from my garden here. Well done, Simon. Do you find these days you

are eating more plant -based food than ever? I am vaguely sliding down

towards eating less meat. I used to only eat meat, and also just bland

food, so the more vegetables I eat, the more my taste palette changes.

You have a minute left, Simon. Going back to Call The Midwife, tell us

about the haunted house. I think I am the only one who really thinks it

is haunted. There is one toilet where the door is always shut even

though nobody is in there, and you just get this feeling, I can't

believe I'm saying this out loud, but we were going to try, someone

wanted to do a challenge where we all stayed overnight in Nonatus

House, it is an old military house, I don't really believe in ghosts,

but I wouldn't do it. It is to feeling, it is a place, but I do

love it. Come on, tired of! Is he going to do it? Nine, eight, seven,

six, five, four, three, two, one... Don! Thank you. So, a big bite out

of that, Charlotte! Simon, which are the vegetables in this bouquet?

Pretty much everything, cornflowers you can eat, lavender you can eat,

although I'm never sure about it. Marigolds, Dianthus, pea shoots

which taste just like peas. And did you know broad bean leaves taste of

broad beans as well, see you can have those in? And they are

fantastic. And look into this, this bouquet which looks magnificent, we

have clap, aubergines, artichokes. It is such an eclectic mix, and it

is lovely. And it is another aspect of decorating, and if you can grow

it and arrange it, and then eat it afterwards, it is a double whammy.

And such a creative thing. You are a very clever man. And it smells nice.

Have you had a nibble? I have, at the pea shoots. Do you have problems

getting back into the 21st-century? Sort of. Every time someone says

cut, I am back. It is just hard to stay serious.

All this week we've been showing you kitchen gardens of chefs

who believe in the benefits of growing their own produce

To prove that you don't need to live in the country and have acres

of land to grow your own, we sent our cameras to the rooftop

kitchen garden belonging to chef Robin Gill in the heart

I've two restaurants in Clapham. Both close by to one another. The

main ethos is to grow as much as we can ourselves. The first restaurant

we opened we had a rooftop, so we used every bit of it.

A little oasis in the middle of Clapham k common. There are lots of

boxes, it is the perfect contraption for growing. There are holes in the

bottom. There is netting and then soil and then the seeds. Jess has

recently joined us. She is working as a chef with us.

As a young chef it is amazing to grow what you are cooking. It is not

often you get this opportunity. Especially in London. The flavour of

the herbs are better than anything I'm buying or would buy. It is a

very big job at the beginning of the season. So in March you have to turn

around the soil, get rid of the weeds, get the fresh soil in and do

a whole lot of planting. In the other restaurant we are lucky enough

to have been given plots of land by the council, which we use to grow as

much as we can for that restaurant too. This is normal sorrel. We use

this as a way of getting acid into a dish, so rather than using lemon

juice or vinegar. It is pure acid flavour. You can see it is going to

seed. If we were to harvest this, we could plant it in different

locations. Mint is one of the easiest things to

grow. I have a few different varieties a that I grow. They all

have a different flavour. This is black peppermint. It is

super-strong. It is peppery. This one here with the white tonight is

pineapple mint it is a little more fruiter and delicate. And here is

apple mint it is photer again, lighter and more citrusy. This is

fresh English peas and apple wood smoked eel. With a whole lot of

apple mint, pineapple mint, broad fennel and rocket. All you need is

seeds, soil, suitable containers and get out there and plant. You don't

need the space. There are window boxes up on the ledge. Just grow.

Grow what you like, it will change the way you cook!

Robin's taking a break from the kitchen, and we're

going to tempt his taste buds with a dish inspired by his garden.

Yes, we thought it was time for a pud.

So we're using that marvellous mint and making a truly summery dessert ?

The dressing has rum, ginger and maple syrup with creme fraiche and

vanilla but lots of mint. I'm showing you how to make mint sugar.

Which is great. So I better get cracking.

Guess where I am? On the barbecue again! So, we are going to barbecue,

pineapple and melon. Who would have thought it, Car men

Miranda! Cut off in me prime! We are taking off the skin, or the outer

flesh off the pineapple. . You can have that after with a

little bit of sherry, and you'll be laughing. I like asking this, if you

were a biscuit, what would you be? Good question, I would abchocolate

chip cookie. Why? It is simple with a little bit

of something! It's my favourite. Hobnob?! Yes, and he's a ginger nut!

I was in a comedy in 2012. I loved it. Such a good job.

Do you prefer telly or live theatre. I like to do a mix. I think that the

variety is the spice of life! . I can't believe I said that! But it is

true! You did and it's true! I should coin it. I like doing both.

It is nice to have a change. Once I get bored I hope that I can do

another. Having a job is just nice as well! Now, I'm building up the

syrup, I need the mint and I have you'dles of mint here. Lots of

varieties, don't ask me what telebut they are very minty! Well, you know

what I mean! To be speaks fibbing, Mr King, I have apple mint and only

grainate mint. Wow! So, to that water, I'm doing a

flavour transfusion. This is for the syrup. It needs to go on the

barbecue to reduce it. Don't be frayed of putting pans on

the Barbie! If you wondered how we kept the fires hot it is Bear Grylls

double! He comes in with a blow pipe and quietly goes and there he is...

That is smashing. A big hand for Ed. He's been hotter than me all week.

And he actually trained with Bear Grylls! Can you imagine going on

holiday with Bear Grylls. One of the guys in my cast did that show with

Bear Grylls. To Nicaragua? I don't think that I could handle it.

I would want to sleep! Now, get your limes, roll them like that, and you

will get more juice. In this heat they are desperate to

yield up their loveliness. Charlotte, do you time to spend with

us? No, I have time. My sister worked at Hampton Court Palace. Now,

the sugar, I need a pestle and mortar. You put the mint in and

pound it with sugar. Maybe I'll get Ed in and bring us

the sugar instead of working on the blow pipe! Ed! Never mind the blow

pipe! Go and get some sugar. God I love him. His mother loves him! I as

reading that you like commando gardening! Ed! Thank you, Ed! A big

round of applause! So, the sugar goes in there and you pound the mint

with it, and you end up with mint sugar. Mmm! So, what is guerrilla

gardening? It is taking public spaces that aren't used and making

them really beautiful. Like roundabouts and bits around paving

stones. I worked in Bristol with people,

there are 40 gardens in Bristol. Everybody is welcome to help

themselves to the produce. They're great. They don't get vandalised,

the people respect the gardens. It is great as there's a sense of

community. These are doing really well.

Robin, did you commando your roof? Yes, it is a little dangerous but!

And I have some vanilla bean here, just slice through and scrape down

the middle for the lovely seeds. . How are you doing, mate? I'm fine.

Robin, you got help from the council for your garden? When we opened the

second restaurant, we wanted to carry on the sim philosophy as the

first one where we had the rooftop. But we didn't have the land. We had

something like that, we got some guerrilla land! Or stealing! Sorry,

Rob, I have taken the fruit off the barbecue, and look at the colour on

that, mate. Beautiful.

That's great. And the melon goes surprisingly

well. The fruit has caramelised on the

Barbie. Now, I have this great sugar and

dress it now with the sugar and now some of this wonderful vine Allah

creme fraiche. Come on, Robin.

Come on over. -- vanilla.

Look, here are the cocktails. No, it's iced tea! Anything with a

flower, I think it's a cocktail. It is great.

What do you think of that, guys? So good. Delicious. I love the

barbecued fruit. And the mint goes through it with

the barbecue, it goes as a dish. It is a little special. And you can do

it so easily. And when you pick your own, it is so nice to see you do

that. Si, I have had one of the most

memorable weeks of my life, I will be forever thankful for. This garden

is so inspiring, the chefs have been great and the people and the guests,

it has been wonderful. Going backwards and forwards, I have

spent a fortune coming here but also, I've met Gregory Porter... And

I've met Charlotte Richie! I'm afraid that's all we've got time

for, and it's our last Thank you to all our guests -

Charlotte Ritchie, Jon, Chantelle, Natasha, Colin,

Robin, Jess and Simon - We hope we've all inspired you to

grow and cook your own at home. Don't forget all the recipes

from the show are on the Even though it's our last show,

Saturday Kitchen will be coming live from this wonderful garden tomorrow

morning at 10am with Matt Tebbutt.