0:00:04 > 0:00:05'I'm Alys Fowler.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07'I'm a gardener and a writer.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13'I grew up in the countryside
0:00:13 > 0:00:16'but now my husband and I live in the city.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21'I get pleasure from simple things -
0:00:21 > 0:00:24'my chickens and home-grown food.'
0:00:26 > 0:00:28Two happy hens a handful of herbs.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30'And making things from what I find around me.'
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Oh, wow! See?
0:00:32 > 0:00:34'This is my garden -
0:00:34 > 0:00:37'a small Victorian terrace back yard,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40'around 20 foot by about 60.'
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Isabel, don't pee there!
0:00:42 > 0:00:45'This year, I'm experimenting.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49'I'm trying to avoid shop-bought fruit and veg and live off my own, home-grown produce.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53'But this won't be easy because I want my garden
0:00:53 > 0:00:55'to be as productive as it is beautiful.'
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Mmm. They're delicious.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04'Each week, I'll focus on different foods -
0:01:04 > 0:01:09'from runner beans to strawberries, apples to cucumbers, and even
0:01:09 > 0:01:13'edible flowers and show how anyone can grow,
0:01:13 > 0:01:15'cook and eat from their own garden,
0:01:15 > 0:01:17'even if you live in a city.'
0:01:30 > 0:01:32When planning my pretty and productive garden,
0:01:32 > 0:01:36I knew if I didn't devote most of it to growing vegetables, we'd starve.
0:01:36 > 0:01:41But I still wanted an island of indulgence too, and that meant fruit.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Fruit, particularly soft fruit, is a costly luxury
0:01:45 > 0:01:48bought from the shops and yet nothing could be simpler to grow.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51You plant it and you sit back and wait.
0:01:58 > 0:01:59In my limited space,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03I want to squeeze strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants
0:02:03 > 0:02:06alongside the apple tree that I've inherited,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09and I'm growing some fruit in pots for easy picking.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16Unlike vegetables, which you can pick within weeks,
0:02:16 > 0:02:18fruit requires a bit of patience.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22But it's worth the wait because you reap the rewards for years to come.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27And that's the point about fruit. Once you get them established,
0:02:27 > 0:02:31they are the most rewarding thing that you can put into your garden.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Although it is a bit of an investment -
0:02:33 > 0:02:35you don't get much on year one -
0:02:35 > 0:02:38it's year two, three and in the case of an apple tree,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41generations to come, that makes them so worthwhile.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45It doesn't matter how small your space is, you really can fit fruit into it.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49And it's not just about walking to the bottom of your garden and eating
0:02:49 > 0:02:53a fresh apple, or that first, fresh, ripe strawberry of the season.
0:02:53 > 0:02:58It's how you process the fruit so that you can have it all year round that matters.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04And I want to show how you can preserve fruit, home-grown
0:03:04 > 0:03:10or shop-bought, by turning it into jam, or rich fruity liqueurs,
0:03:10 > 0:03:16delicious, dried fruit leathers or sweet dried apple rings.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25One of my favourite fruits has to be raspberries -
0:03:25 > 0:03:29a little luxury that bursts into flavour on the tongue.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31There are two types of raspberries -
0:03:31 > 0:03:34those that fruit in July and those that fruit in September.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38I'm growing the autumn-fruiting sort in my garden.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42I've already got some raspberry canes growing on my fence
0:03:42 > 0:03:45and late winter is the time when they need attention.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48It's time to prune the autumn-fruiting raspberries.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51They are by far the most simple thing to prune,
0:03:51 > 0:03:56because all you need to do is, in February, cut them back about
0:03:56 > 0:04:00ten centimetres, 15 centimetres from the ground.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Then you cut all the canes back, like that.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07They will send up new canes,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10and that is what you will pick raspberries off in autumn.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14So you just chop the whole lot down, and that's it, job done.
0:04:14 > 0:04:20'However, I want to start enjoying my raspberries as early in the year as I possibly can,
0:04:20 > 0:04:21'so there's a little trick I know
0:04:21 > 0:04:25'to make some of my autumn-fruiting raspberries fruit early.'
0:04:27 > 0:04:30If you cut half of the canes down but leave half up,
0:04:30 > 0:04:34the ones that you leave will continue to go.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38Because they have a head start, these guys will fruit in July.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42You can't leave these canes and just never cut them,
0:04:42 > 0:04:44because you exhaust the plant.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48You cut one half one year, and the other year you flip it around
0:04:48 > 0:04:51and cut the other half back in February.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54So these ones will fruit in September,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57these ones will fruit in July.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01But my established raspberries won't give me the harvest I want,
0:05:01 > 0:05:04so I'm taking this opportunity to plant more.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07I've bought these autumn-fruiting canes from my local garden centre
0:05:07 > 0:05:09and I just pop them into the ground,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12making sure all of their spidery roots are covered with soil.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19A thick layer of multi-purpose compost will give them the early food they need.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23Then regular watering will be all they want in order to flourish.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Everyone loves strawberries and I'm no exception.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39I'm growing mine both in the garden borders and in pots.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45It's very easy to make a strawberry happy.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48All you really need is to give it a lot of light.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50They like a good amount of sun.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52They can take a degree of dappled shade,
0:05:52 > 0:05:56but they need sun to ripen those beautiful red fruit.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59And if you have strawberries in your garden, you have them for life,
0:05:59 > 0:06:03because they are constantly spreading themselves around.
0:06:03 > 0:06:04It's quite easy...
0:06:06 > 0:06:11..to start off new ones, just by separating them.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Strawberries tend to be not terribly long-lived.
0:06:15 > 0:06:20After about five years, they've kind of done as much as they can in terms of producing fruit.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22But as long as you keep dividing them,
0:06:22 > 0:06:24you will always have new plants,
0:06:24 > 0:06:29and I can't imagine a garden without strawberries.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31They are the taste of an English summer.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38For me, there's one fruit that reminds me of my Canadian family
0:06:38 > 0:06:42and that's eating blueberries on cornflakes for breakfast.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49They're also bursting with vitamin C, so all in all a must for my back garden fruit patch.
0:06:49 > 0:06:54But to grow successfully, you need to follow a few simple rules.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00Blueberries come from North America and in the wild,
0:07:00 > 0:07:03they grow in very acidic conditions.
0:07:03 > 0:07:04Like most people,
0:07:04 > 0:07:08I don't have acidic soil, but I'm not going to let that worry me.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13I'm planting two blueberry bushes in this old tin bath, filled with peat-free compost.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17And trust me, they'll thrive as long as I do three things.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20You keep them in the sun.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23You make sure that the compost is incredibly moist,
0:07:23 > 0:07:27which is why this bathtub is good. although it does have drainage,
0:07:27 > 0:07:29it holds a lot of moisture in the soil.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34Then, twice a year, I add rotted pine needles to the soil.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38And the pine needles are just acidic enough to keep them happy.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42The last thing to know about them is, they are much happier in pairs.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47If you just grow one blueberry on its own, you will get a crop, but it will be a very modest one.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52If you grow two, you have more cross pollinating opportunities and then you get bumper crops.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03May is a mad time in the garden.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07I'm constantly planting out young vegetables and then watering.
0:08:11 > 0:08:17But because I'm packing my fruit, flowers and vegetables together, I'm in danger of overcrowding.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21And that means suffocating shade that will strangle my seedlings
0:08:21 > 0:08:23and stop my fruit ripening.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28Time to be ruthless.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30One of the problems with this garden
0:08:30 > 0:08:33is that some things are really, really well established
0:08:33 > 0:08:36and they are kind of out-competing others.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Which means...
0:08:38 > 0:08:40I've got lots of clipping and pruning
0:08:40 > 0:08:43that I constantly need to do.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50As well as in pots, I'm growing most of my fruit in a small four by six
0:08:50 > 0:08:55foot space at the bottom of the garden, underneath my apple tree.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57Move, Iz', move.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06This is my prize at the end of the brick road.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11It's a small strawberry patch, so that I can come and sit
0:09:11 > 0:09:15in the afternoon sun and pick strawberries.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17And it's part of my...
0:09:17 > 0:09:21small and slightly rule-breaking forest garden,
0:09:21 > 0:09:26which is the idea that you mimic the natural forest ecology.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30So you have under-storey ground-cover plants like the strawberries,
0:09:30 > 0:09:32and then you have the raspberries,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34which are doing really well this year.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37And then some currants, which are the next storey up.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40And then you have an even bigger storey, which is the tree.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44And everything within it is supposed to be edible,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47but I sort of broke those rules and...
0:09:47 > 0:09:49I went for pretty things instead!
0:09:53 > 0:09:56I've got apples, which is very exciting.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02The beauty of the blossom is over, but it's served its vital purpose -
0:10:02 > 0:10:07to attract insect travellers laden with pollen from neighbouring fruit trees.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09That's the key to a bountiful harvest -
0:10:09 > 0:10:11fruit trees need pollinating partners.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Whilst growing fruit offers very few problems,
0:10:17 > 0:10:19you can suffer from gluts,
0:10:19 > 0:10:23as many things seem to ripen at the same time.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26And that's where preserving comes in.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28One ingenious way of keeping fruit
0:10:28 > 0:10:32is to dry it into leathers - chewy sheets of sweet,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35intensely flavoured fruit which are simple to make.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Mina Tahir lives in a flat in the outskirts of Bristol
0:10:45 > 0:10:49and she makes her fruit leathers with wild fruit that she forages for
0:10:49 > 0:10:52in and around her local neighbourhood.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57Sheer abundance of fruit up there, and mushrooms, and greens.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00It really is quite astonishing.
0:11:00 > 0:11:05There have been times when I've gone for weeks, eating all my meals consisting of wild foods,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08with the odd eggs and pasta and rice thrown in,
0:11:08 > 0:11:13but consisting really of just wild fruits and veg and all sorts.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17Today, I'm going to pick some plums
0:11:17 > 0:11:19that I'm going to use to make fruit leathers.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23These are bullaces - the smallest of the wild plums.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27These particular ones taste an awful lot like Victoria plums.
0:11:35 > 0:11:40To make fruit leathers, the fruit needs to be stewed, so that it becomes really soft.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42You only really use the pulp.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Once the fruit has been softened,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49it needs to be passed through a sieve if you've got one.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52This is the bullace leather.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55It's a really unappetising colour,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58but it tastes absolutely fantastic.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01You can sweeten it to taste.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04I'm using icing sugar, because it dissolves faster.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09You need to spread the pulp out evenly,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11so it all dries at the same rate.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Mina is using a specialist dehydrator, but I spread mine
0:12:14 > 0:12:21onto a non-stick baking tray and pop it into the oven on its lowest temperature for around eight hours.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24It's best if you leave the fan on.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31It goes really shiny, slightly tacky to the touch
0:12:31 > 0:12:33and then you peel it off.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37It's really bendy.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43To store it, all you do is tear it up...
0:12:46 > 0:12:48..into strips. Let's try a bit first.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Once it's dry, the flavours really intensify,
0:12:55 > 0:12:57then it's absolutely amazing.
0:12:57 > 0:13:03You get to experience the fruit in a completely different way to the way you'd normally experience it.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07There isn't anywhere I haven't foraged.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11On roadsides, in the middle of cities...
0:13:12 > 0:13:15There's always stuff there if you know how to look
0:13:15 > 0:13:17and what to look for.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25But it's not just foraged berries that make great leathers.
0:13:25 > 0:13:26Raspberries, apples,
0:13:26 > 0:13:31in fact all your garden-grown fruit are just as delicious.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39After an unseasonably hot May,
0:13:39 > 0:13:45a very wet June arrives, making the garden look incredibly lush.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52Whilst my salads and vegetables need constant picking,
0:13:52 > 0:13:56my fruit crops are still proving no bother at all.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59And what's more, I've got my very first harvest.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03The first strawberry of the season.
0:14:08 > 0:14:09And to the many to come.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13But not everything is looking as good as my strawberries.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17Underneath my apple tree in my little forest garden,
0:14:17 > 0:14:22my blackcurrant is suffering and I'm afraid it's entirely my own fault.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Because I was greedy and I wanted blackcurrants last year,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27I didn't pay any attention to the rules,
0:14:27 > 0:14:31which is you plant the blackcurrant in autumn or spring
0:14:31 > 0:14:34and then you chop it back, and you are ruthless.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37You say, "I will not have any blackcurrants on my first year."
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Then you get a lot of really strong, healthy growth,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42and then the next year you get a bumper crop.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45But because I was greedy and I wanted the blackcurrants,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48I thought, "Ah, it's probably one of those old-fashioned rules."
0:14:48 > 0:14:53And this year, I suffer, with a pathetic crop.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00So, anyhow, I might get a breakfast out of this if I'm lucky.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15The beauty of an edible and pretty garden is that you get to enjoy it
0:15:15 > 0:15:18and eat from it on a midsummer morning like this.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22And it's such a treat to gather a home-grown breakfast.
0:15:28 > 0:15:33Did you lay any eggs? Ah, thank you very much!
0:15:58 > 0:16:03It's late August. Most apple trees ripen in October, but my little tree
0:16:03 > 0:16:06is an early-fruiting variety called Discovery.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12You can tell if an apple's ready or not because
0:16:12 > 0:16:14when you tip them up...
0:16:14 > 0:16:17if they come off, they're ripe,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21and if they don't, they need to stay on just that bit longer.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25And it has the most beautiful child's-drawing red apples.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27But unfortunately, it's not a storer.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30You almost have to eat them straight off the tree.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42They're very sweet. They're just amazing, incredibly crisp.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49I've got too many to eat in one go, but one clever way to preserve
0:16:49 > 0:16:54their deliciously sweet flavour is to turn them into dried apple rings.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01Now, it's really simple.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03You just...
0:17:05 > 0:17:07..take out the middle.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13And then they need to be about a quarter of an inch thick.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19And then immediately into slightly salty water,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22because this keeps their colour.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26And discard any bruised bits or...
0:17:28 > 0:17:30..insect-damaged bits,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33because they immediately seem to start rotting on the cane.
0:17:37 > 0:17:38Do you like the apple?
0:17:38 > 0:17:40You're a funny dog!
0:17:42 > 0:17:44Do you want more?
0:17:44 > 0:17:51And the only other trick I've found is if you rub a little bit of sunflower or olive oil
0:17:51 > 0:17:55on the cane first, then it stops them from sticking onto the cane.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00You can make apple rings with any eating-apple variety.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02Just hang them in a warm place to dry
0:18:02 > 0:18:04and after two to three days they'll be ready.
0:18:07 > 0:18:12They should store for months in an airtight container.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16Mm, they're delicious.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23The other great thing about fruit gluts
0:18:23 > 0:18:26is they make perfect give-away gifts.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29For me, the long-standing tradition of crop swapping
0:18:29 > 0:18:31is due for a comeback.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36So when my friend Emily's mum announced a damson glut, it was
0:18:36 > 0:18:39time to pay a visit with a carton of Alice B and Gertrude's eggs.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43- Here are some eggs in return for damsons.- Thank you very much indeed.
0:18:43 > 0:18:44- Come on in.- Cheers.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46- Hello!- Hi!
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Cor, they all are up here, aren't they?
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Damsons are a delicious, tangy plum,
0:18:58 > 0:19:02great for all types of preserving and not often found in supermarkets,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05so if you don't have a neighbour with a tree or a farmer
0:19:05 > 0:19:09who'll bring them to market, try using plums as an alternative.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16My God, you've got tons!
0:19:18 > 0:19:20The rich, fruity flavour of damsons
0:19:20 > 0:19:25is really good infused with vodka to make a delicious sweet liqueur.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28So back at home, my friends and I set about making damson vodka.
0:19:30 > 0:19:31It's quite satisfying.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33It's a nice job. I like it.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35You start by pricking the skins
0:19:35 > 0:19:38to allow the flavour of the flesh to infuse with the vodka.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41The rich colour that follows comes from the skins.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45We're putting the sugar in here, and then we're going to put them in the pots?
0:19:45 > 0:19:49And then we'll just wash it out with vodka. It'll be fine in the end.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53For every pound of fruit add a pound of sugar to a litre bottle of vodka.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Measurement, measurement!
0:19:59 > 0:20:02As you can see, it doesn't have to be an exact science.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Smells lovely.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09Leave it to steep in an airtight jar
0:20:09 > 0:20:13and within three months it will be ripe to drink.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23I'm using the rest of the damsons to make a damson cheese.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26It's not really a cheese, it's more like a jam.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29My mum makes it every year, and I'm recreating her recipe.
0:20:33 > 0:20:38Put six pounds of damsons into a large saucepan with half a pint of water.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44Bring to the boil and then leave to simmer for about half an hour
0:20:44 > 0:20:46on a low heat until the damsons are soft.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53Pour through a sieve to puree the fruit and remove the stones.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57You'll need to add a pound of sugar to a pound of puree
0:20:57 > 0:20:59and let it dissolve.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01I think jam's much like preserving anything,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04because it's this idea that you have a cupboard full of...
0:21:04 > 0:21:05a season...
0:21:06 > 0:21:09..and that somehow makes you feel
0:21:09 > 0:21:11really safe.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15And that it's brightly coloured's quite good, as well.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21Keep stirring until the mixture becomes very thick,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24almost like a treacle so it comes away from the side
0:21:24 > 0:21:27and then pour it into sterilised jars or moulds.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Mm!
0:21:31 > 0:21:35Because damsons are kind of naturally quite tart...
0:21:35 > 0:21:38it's not as sweet as you think it's going to be.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41It's perfect, actually.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Damson cheese makes a delicious accompaniment
0:21:46 > 0:21:48to yoghurt or strong cheeses,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51so I'm giving away my spare pots as Christmas presents.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Consider them bottled love.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04And to make my gifts pretty, I want to customise them.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08I've heard about a Japanese leaf printing technique called hapazome.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18Late September arrives, and with it, leaves of a scarlet hue.
0:22:18 > 0:22:19Come on, Iz!
0:22:19 > 0:22:24I have a plan to print jam-pot covers using nature's bounty.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27My friend Grace is a hapazome expert,
0:22:27 > 0:22:31so she's joined me at my local park to gather our raw materials.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36So, what are the best leaves to look for?
0:22:36 > 0:22:39Well, you can have a go with any leaves, but the best leaves are
0:22:39 > 0:22:44ones with interesting shapes and, obviously, interesting colour variation at this time of year.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48So you don't want to get leaves that have dried out, basically.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50If it crinkles and breaks up, that's not good.
0:22:50 > 0:22:55There's going to be no moisture in there, and it's not going to come out on the fabric.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58The lovely thing about this is the zigzag on the edge of the leaf.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Hopefully, you'll be able to get...
0:23:00 > 0:23:02..to get all that definition.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15You could easily get quite a leaf fetish, couldn't you?
0:23:15 > 0:23:17Come on, Iz! Come on!
0:23:19 > 0:23:22For our leaf prints, we've chosen fleshy leaves
0:23:22 > 0:23:24with vibrant colours and strong shapes,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26like ferns and pine needles.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31And I've also picked some marigolds and violas from my garden.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36- Do you think I'll get it on the same stalk here or not?- Give it a go.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38I mean, give it a whack and just...
0:23:40 > 0:23:43The technique is straightforward enough,
0:23:43 > 0:23:45but the choice of fabric does matter.
0:23:45 > 0:23:50Natural fibres work best, because they easily absorb the colour that seeps from the leaves.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54OK. Are you ready?
0:23:54 > 0:23:58Right, yes, I'm ready. Oh, wow.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01See? You can get good effects.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04God, that's beautiful. All the veins in it!
0:24:04 > 0:24:07It's amazing, the detail, isn't it?
0:24:07 > 0:24:10It's just gorgeous the way it's such a different relief,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13the way the stem creates the different thing on each side.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20When totally dry, iron the material to fix the plant dye.
0:24:20 > 0:24:21That is really beautiful.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Oh, wow. See?
0:24:26 > 0:24:27Lovely.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37My early-fruiting apple tree is over.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40However, there are neglected apple trees
0:24:40 > 0:24:44across the country, in woodlands, parks and country lanes,
0:24:44 > 0:24:46all offering their own windfall gifts.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Thankfully, most apple varieties ripen in October
0:24:49 > 0:24:52and that's when you're likely to get gluts.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58- Isabel! - SHE WHISTLES
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Izzy! Thank you.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09So, this orchard is on a bit of land which is connected to my local park,
0:25:09 > 0:25:11and I always think it's such a shame
0:25:11 > 0:25:16to think of all this fruit just rotting because nobody can be bothered to go and pick it.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20And I've been allowed to pick up all the windfalls.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23And the great thing about windfalls is
0:25:23 > 0:25:25you wouldn't exactly want to eat this,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28but it's perfectly good for juicing.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30So you can use all sorts of
0:25:30 > 0:25:34less-than-perfect apples.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36There are so many apples here!
0:25:38 > 0:25:39It's great!
0:25:43 > 0:25:46So my plan is to offer a free apple-pressing service
0:25:46 > 0:25:50to all those who have more apples than they can shake a stick at.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57And I'm doing it at my local farmers' market.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08I'm joined by my friend Syd and his home-made apple press.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11There's a bit wedged in one corner, actually.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17The apple crusher is powered by an electric drill
0:26:17 > 0:26:19and the apple press, by two car jacks.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30The aim is to slowly squeeze the pulp between our wooden boards
0:26:30 > 0:26:33and then reap the liquid rewards.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40But it seems everyone's got a crush on our crusher.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Faced with its new-found fame, it's gone into meltdown.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Yeah, it's still running.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58We're slightly oversubscribed,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01and it's meant that we've broken the machine!
0:27:02 > 0:27:04So this bit is going to have to be done by hand.
0:27:13 > 0:27:14- Oh, it's good.- Yeah?
0:27:23 > 0:27:26I've been effortlessly gathering fruits from my garden since June.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30Yet, five months on, and I still have one lingering treat.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33It's November, and I'm still picking raspberries.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37Now, really, autumn-fruiting raspberries probably only produce
0:27:37 > 0:27:42into October, it's just that it's been so unbelievably mild.
0:27:43 > 0:27:49Traditionally, you used to wire your raspberries in so they stood upright like this.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52But I actually don't think there's any point
0:27:52 > 0:27:55unless space is a real issue, because if you let them hang over,
0:27:55 > 0:27:59the leaves naturally act as a foil and the birds
0:27:59 > 0:28:02never find the berries, whereas if you hold them up,
0:28:02 > 0:28:04it's quite clear where all the berries are.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09Isabel!
0:28:09 > 0:28:11Hello! Come on! Nicely...
0:28:11 > 0:28:13Nicely. Ooh!
0:28:15 > 0:28:18OK, one more for Gertrude.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Stop being a pig, Alice. No, it's for Gertrude. It's for Gertrude!
0:28:21 > 0:28:23Oi!
0:28:23 > 0:28:26Nicely! That's my finger.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30Some people would say that you're slightly pampered
0:28:30 > 0:28:32as far as chickens go.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36Next time, in my quest for a garden that
0:28:36 > 0:28:40tastes as good as it looks, I'll turn my attention to floral foods...
0:28:40 > 0:28:43fragrant lavender biscuits...
0:28:43 > 0:28:46There's nothing more summery than the smell of lavender biscuits.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50..potent home-made floral fizz...
0:28:50 > 0:28:53and fresh from my garden, an edible bouquet,
0:28:53 > 0:28:56a housewarming gift of home-grown herbs.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd