0:00:07 > 0:00:10Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13And it's holiday time, it's high summer,
0:00:13 > 0:00:17and tonight we've got a 60-minute programme to celebrate that fact.
0:00:17 > 0:00:22Wherever you are, whatever you do, the best way of enjoying this time of year
0:00:22 > 0:00:25is simply to get outside into the garden.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32At this time of year, salvias are one of the stars of the garden
0:00:33 > 0:00:37and with such a wide variety, there's bound to be one that catches your eye.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42I like to think that I know my onions, but actually,
0:00:42 > 0:00:45my crop has turned into a bit of a disaster.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Joe is heading off to Newby Hall
0:00:48 > 0:00:52to marvel at one of the most amazing borders in Europe.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Each side is 140 metres long,
0:00:56 > 0:01:00so in total we've got 280 metres of herbaceous planting.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Now that's a lot of plants.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07We find out from the curator at RHS Wisley,
0:01:07 > 0:01:10the perfect way to prune wisteria.
0:01:10 > 0:01:15And Carol is at her home with ideas for freshening up our borders
0:01:15 > 0:01:19to keep them looking fantastic for the rest of summer.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23Then she's off to the big city to discover some hidden gardens
0:01:23 > 0:01:27for you to visit, all just for the price of a travel card.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33The whole thing is so carefully conceived,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36and yet it's a place to lose yourself.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Now, the dry garden
0:01:56 > 0:01:59is happily baking away in the summer sunshine,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02and that's good for a lot of the plants that are here,
0:02:02 > 0:02:04but none more so than bearded irises.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07But, of course, they've done their thing, they're long gone.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10You can see I've got a clump of them here
0:02:10 > 0:02:12with these lovely glaucous leaves,
0:02:12 > 0:02:15They are one of the most spectacular spring flowers. I love them.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19I love their voluptuousness and the intensity of colour.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Where the rest of spring is slowly and charmingly
0:02:23 > 0:02:29easing into the year, these just flower out with incredible passion.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32But they're getting a bit congested
0:02:32 > 0:02:35and now is a really good time to lift irises, divide them
0:02:35 > 0:02:37and replant them, and that way,
0:02:37 > 0:02:40they'll flower much better next year.
0:02:40 > 0:02:45And this is very, very, stony, dry soil,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47and they're completely happy in it.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49So if you're planting bearded irises,
0:02:49 > 0:02:54give them as much sunshine as you can and don't worry about rich soil.
0:02:54 > 0:02:59Drainage is the key thing. Irises have a big rhizome
0:02:59 > 0:03:03which stores the goodness but underneath that are the roots.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05So when you lift them,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08you want to make sure you don't damage the roots.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10There we go. Right.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Let's pull that out.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16Right.
0:03:16 > 0:03:17There we go.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20That's a good clump of irises.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23We can break that up and make new plants.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26People think of the rhizomes as the roots, they're not.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30The roots are underneath. So if I get my knife...
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Actually, this is coming off now in my hand.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Right. There's a good plant.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39We can see it's got healthy leaves, it's young,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42it's got good swollen rhizomes,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45and then the roots underneath, coming down.
0:03:45 > 0:03:46That's a nice new plant.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07That clump has given me 13 separate plants.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11Enough for three new vigorous groups,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14or clumps,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17but before that, I must find a space to put them.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Now, the dry garden is deliberately allowed to fill itself up
0:04:20 > 0:04:22with self-seeded plants.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25One of the side-effects of letting things seed themselves,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29which we do willingly, is that occasionally something takes over
0:04:29 > 0:04:32and dominates everything else, and this year, it's Honesty.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34which is a lovely plant and I want it in this border,
0:04:34 > 0:04:38but not quite to the extent that we've got it.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42And this area here is perfect for putting in the iris,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46and this is a really good time of year for editing your beds.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50You can see the size, the shape and the colour of what you'd like them to be.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54Actually, a lot of plants will move surprisingly easily.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Let's get a bucket.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00I can move these, I don't need to throw them away,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02I can just rehouse them.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05There you go.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08Put that in there.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11And if you haven't got anywhere to put plants, of course,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13you can give them to friends,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16take them to a car-boot sale, give them to charity.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21Don't just consign them to the compost heap automatically.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23Right, that's given me a nice space
0:05:23 > 0:05:27which I can immediately fill with my irises.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41I want to position these so that this rhizome
0:05:41 > 0:05:46gets as much sunshine as possible so they want to be facing that way.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49There's south, so the sun will hit them all day.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51And if I put that in there like that,
0:05:51 > 0:05:57I'm just burying the roots but keeping the rhizome above ground...
0:05:58 > 0:06:00..like that.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Now, one of the things that you'll notice if you do that,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06there's hardly any anchorage at all
0:06:06 > 0:06:10and the weight of the leaves is already leaning that back
0:06:10 > 0:06:15so it's a good idea to cut the leaves back, right back like that.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19That also means that these roots that have been ripped up
0:06:19 > 0:06:23out of the ground, however carefully you've dug them, and are damaged,
0:06:23 > 0:06:27have less to do and then you get that harmony of the leaves
0:06:27 > 0:06:31feeding the rhizomes and the roots, and the roots feeding the leaves
0:06:31 > 0:06:33and the plant will get its own balance.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55Now, this is a job that is a good idea to get on with,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58because you can do it as early as the beginning of July
0:06:58 > 0:07:00and now we're getting into August,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02it's something that if you get it in the ground,
0:07:02 > 0:07:05it gives them a decent enough time
0:07:05 > 0:07:07to develop new roots before winter comes.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27The garden is pretty much as good as it's going to get
0:07:27 > 0:07:31at this time of the year, and I think the most important thing to do is just enjoy it.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35There's not a lot you can do to change things anyway
0:07:35 > 0:07:40but what you can do is important, and I love that fingertip approach
0:07:40 > 0:07:44that's necessary now, rather than the big hands-on stuff
0:07:44 > 0:07:46that is appropriate at other times of the year.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50And it's just that kind of gardening that Carol has been doing
0:07:50 > 0:07:53down at Glebe Cottage.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01It's at this time of year that the garden's at its peak,
0:08:01 > 0:08:06everything's burgeoning, flowers are looking wonderful.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09At the moment, this border's having a bit of a lull.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12It's been magnificent with geraniums,
0:08:12 > 0:08:15it's going to be again with all these asters
0:08:15 > 0:08:18and phlox to take over, but at the moment,
0:08:18 > 0:08:21the plant that your eye immediately goes to
0:08:21 > 0:08:23is this veronicastrum.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25It's magnificent.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29But even its performance is being marred slightly
0:08:29 > 0:08:32by the presence of all these Cirsium heads.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35This has been beautiful, this big, crimson thistle,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38but right now, it's rather tatty.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41And people would say, "It's the thistle,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43"why don't you leave the seed heads?
0:08:43 > 0:08:45"The birds will come and feast on them."
0:08:45 > 0:08:47But they won't, because there's no seed in there.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50And what's more, on wet days, the whole thing
0:08:50 > 0:08:54looks positively soggy.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56So what I want to do is take these stems down,
0:08:56 > 0:09:00right to the ground, there's no point faffing about,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03taking bits off here and there, cos that stem has finished flowering
0:09:03 > 0:09:09so if I take decisive action and cut it right back to the ground
0:09:09 > 0:09:12and just get rid of it, that's going to mean
0:09:12 > 0:09:17this plant will put all its energy into producing some new flower stems
0:09:17 > 0:09:23which, with a bit of luck, should start to appear in September or so.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Also, you can shear the foliage if you want to as well,
0:09:27 > 0:09:32but I think that just cutting these stems is all that's needed now.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35And if you think that's drastic,
0:09:35 > 0:09:39wait till you see what I am going to do to these poppies.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Now, these are oriental poppies
0:09:41 > 0:09:44and they've been beautiful, great, big, opulent blooms.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47But I'm not just going to cut those flower stems down,
0:09:47 > 0:09:51I'm going to take my shears,
0:09:51 > 0:09:56and I am going to shear the lot right to the ground, everything,
0:09:56 > 0:10:00old foliage, tatty new foliage,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03flower stems, everything, just...
0:10:06 > 0:10:09..absolutely straight across there.
0:10:10 > 0:10:11And within a matter of weeks,
0:10:11 > 0:10:16this poppy's going to rise like a phoenix from the ground.
0:10:16 > 0:10:21There'll be a whole brand new set of leaves, lovely fresh foliage,
0:10:21 > 0:10:25which is going to fill this rather big gap.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29'And that's quite a lot of herbage,'
0:10:29 > 0:10:32but this is never going to look good.
0:10:32 > 0:10:37'But this will. Some water, possibly a little bit of feed,'
0:10:37 > 0:10:41and the whole thing will be as good as new.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Freshened up for the rest of the summer.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53'Helping other plants maintain their performance needn't be so brutal.
0:10:53 > 0:10:58'Many plants, especially those with a branching habit like Cosmos,
0:10:58 > 0:11:02'or those who carry their blooms in trusses, like many roses,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05'can make fresh displays for months.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09'Dead-heading is all-important.
0:11:09 > 0:11:15Removing spent flowers means plants devote all their energy into flower production.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19'What's more, the fresh new flowers
0:11:19 > 0:11:21'are unmarred by anything dead or dying.'
0:11:25 > 0:11:27All over this yellow and blue garden,
0:11:27 > 0:11:33I indulge myself in daylilies, and this latest one to open is Hyperion,
0:11:33 > 0:11:38and I love the yellow ones, cos all of them have got a gorgeous scent,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41but I don't need any tools for this at all.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43Just to make these look pristine,
0:11:43 > 0:11:48just break these dead flowers gently.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50They almost sort of fall off.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52And I don't want to nip into that flower head,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54because I think that's ugly.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57I think that structure there is just so beautiful
0:11:57 > 0:12:00with these new buds coming on, too.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03And this is part of it, really, where those spent flowers have been,
0:12:03 > 0:12:06so I just go over the whole thing,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09and it is the sort of job you need to do daily,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12because they're what they say they are,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15each flower only lasts for a day.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18But to appreciate those green buds
0:12:18 > 0:12:21and these big open lemon trumpets,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25what a difference it makes just to clean these old flowers off.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Whilst you're on a garden housekeeping mission,
0:12:29 > 0:12:33attending to a few little jobs can make a big difference.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37'Trim off the brown flowers from Alchemilla mollis
0:12:37 > 0:12:40'to leave the beautiful lime-green froth behind.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42'If you don't want them to seed everywhere,
0:12:42 > 0:12:47'then take the shears to them later when all the flowers have faded.
0:12:47 > 0:12:52'Simply removing any dead stems freshens up the whole picture,
0:12:52 > 0:12:57'and it gives up-and-coming plants a real opportunity to shine.'
0:13:10 > 0:13:12These buds are looking a bit more spruced now.
0:13:12 > 0:13:13There's still plenty to do,
0:13:13 > 0:13:19but the Astrantia 'Roma' that were standing in pots all along this path,
0:13:19 > 0:13:24I've decided to take out and replace it with this lovely little Viola cornuta 'Alba'.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27It's a charming plant, this, and just from one plant,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30I've managed to make loads of them.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33And they'll go on flowering for ages and ages
0:13:33 > 0:13:36and bring a real bit of sparkle to the border.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38There's still so much happening here.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42The Acanthus is just majestic at the moment,
0:13:42 > 0:13:46but I think putting these little white Violas all along the path
0:13:46 > 0:13:50is going to move this whole border into the next phase.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05This is all destined for the compost heap.
0:14:06 > 0:14:11And what you have is a typical mix of the sort of thing that any garden's going to get,
0:14:11 > 0:14:15which is fairly dry material,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17which is quite hard and almost woody,
0:14:17 > 0:14:22and then leaves that are tough, mixed up with very, very wet grass.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26Look at that, you can squeeze the moisture out of that.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Let me show you what the compost is like that we finish with here.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34This is the final bay.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36This heap has been made up from the compost
0:14:36 > 0:14:39that we've accumulated since Easter.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42And you can see that that's nice.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44Good to handle.
0:14:44 > 0:14:50So I want to turn this barrel-load in to that nice compost
0:14:50 > 0:14:52as quickly as I can,
0:14:52 > 0:14:57and the absolute central secret of making compost is to turn it.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01I need to get in there and get dirty.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Quite important when you do this
0:15:09 > 0:15:12just to let some air get into it to throw it up.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16You can see the steam that's coming out,
0:15:16 > 0:15:22and that heat, it's an incredible furnace of animal activity
0:15:22 > 0:15:28converting dying life into this rich, vital material.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32This garden absolutely depends on its fertility
0:15:32 > 0:15:36and its health, on good compost.
0:15:41 > 0:15:48I always feel that any gardener that finds the need to go to a gym
0:15:48 > 0:15:51is probably not turning their compost enough,
0:15:51 > 0:15:53because it's hard work!
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Here you are, it didn't take long.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06Nice little bit of exercise.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Now, if that looks like too much work,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12and not worth the result, just bear two things in mind.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15One, you don't have to do it on this scale.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17You make it in a dustbin, just empty the dustbin out,
0:16:17 > 0:16:19tip the dustbin over, and put it back in
0:16:19 > 0:16:22and you're doing exactly the same as what I've done here.
0:16:22 > 0:16:28And two, turning it dramatically speeds up the process.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30You could have a lovely, rich,
0:16:30 > 0:16:34sweet-smelling compost by the autumn.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37That is the secret of making really good compost.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Onions, or at least the edible Allium family,
0:17:02 > 0:17:04are amongst the oldest of all crops grown by man,
0:17:04 > 0:17:06and certainly one of the most universal.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08There's not a society in this world
0:17:08 > 0:17:10that doesn't grow an onion if they can,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13and they're pretty easy to grow.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16And the ones that I've got here, which are shallots, garlics, onions,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19are doing very well, but I want to plant out some more,
0:17:19 > 0:17:21which are leeks.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24And if you've got leeks, it's worth getting on with it,
0:17:24 > 0:17:28because we're getting to the end of the leek-planting season.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32So I'll prepare this piece of ground to put them in.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36By the way, this rake has got a double front to it.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38I've only had it this year, and it's very good.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40It's called a hand hoe, and I can recommend it.
0:17:43 > 0:17:49I've grown my leek seedlings in pots and in plugs,
0:17:49 > 0:17:53although traditionally they were always grown on a seedbed outside
0:17:53 > 0:17:55and you can do that very well.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58This is a variety called Carentan,
0:17:58 > 0:18:02and I'm going to plant these in the traditional method,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05which is to use a dibber.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Just make a hole at about six inch spacing...
0:18:10 > 0:18:14..along a line or a board.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Inevitably, the hole back-fills a little,
0:18:20 > 0:18:24but that doesn't matter too much in the first instant.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30You take your leek seedlings,
0:18:30 > 0:18:32and you can see these have got good roots,
0:18:32 > 0:18:37break them open, and put a seedling in each hole.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40There you are.
0:18:40 > 0:18:45Nice, good root system, healthy young plant.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49But obviously a leek will grow to really quite a monstrous size,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51though they don't have to to eat them.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53When you put them in a hole, just pop them in,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56swizzle them round, and leave them in,
0:18:56 > 0:18:57don't backfill them.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01This way is certainly the best technique
0:19:01 > 0:19:03if you want nice big leaks...
0:19:04 > 0:19:06..because they grow to expand out into the hole,
0:19:06 > 0:19:09and because they're in a hole underground, they blanch them,
0:19:09 > 0:19:14so you get a good white stem, which is sweeter.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16And then, when you plant them,
0:19:16 > 0:19:20instead of firming round and getting the soil up around the necks,
0:19:20 > 0:19:22you simply water them in.
0:19:36 > 0:19:37So much for the conventional method.
0:19:37 > 0:19:42And I could fill the whole of this space with leeks like that.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44But there's another way of growing them,
0:19:44 > 0:19:46and I tend to use this method much more,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48which is to grow them in root trainers,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51or deep plugs, like this,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54and then plant the whole caboodle out in one go.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57Just make a hole, and pop it in.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01And the reason for that is that nobody ever eats just one leek.
0:20:01 > 0:20:02You dig up two, three, four, more,
0:20:02 > 0:20:06so if you have a clump growing together, you dig up the clump.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08And that's it.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Very easy, you just take what you need as you go along,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12and these I plant with a trowel
0:20:12 > 0:20:14and just pop them in the ground as normal.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Both techniques have their pros and cons.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23Individual holes, you get a bigger leek.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25If you plant them in groups, there's less handling.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27They both taste just as good.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37And they'll be ready to eat from autumn
0:20:37 > 0:20:39right through the winter to next spring.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42However, I've got other alliums that are ready to harvest now.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46You know garlic is ready to harvest
0:20:46 > 0:20:51when the leaves turn yellow, and also when it starts to seed.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55You can see here that every stem is setting a flower bud.
0:20:55 > 0:21:00You could cut those off if the leaves were perfectly green and flush, but they're not.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04The signs are that whatever is on the ground won't get any better,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07and to be honest, I don't know what this crop's going to be like.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09But there's only one way of finding out - dig it up.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13The key to harvesting garlic is to dig it, don't pull it.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18If you pull it, you risk damaging the roots.
0:21:20 > 0:21:25There we go. There's a bulb underground.
0:21:25 > 0:21:26Two together.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29I want to keep as many of those roots intact as possible
0:21:29 > 0:21:33because if I break the place where they touch the bulb,
0:21:33 > 0:21:35they won't store nearly so well.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Let's put that down.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42They're not huge.
0:21:44 > 0:21:49But the critical thing is that they've formed into separate cloves.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53Sometimes you'll find that bulbs will be solid.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56There'll be just one large clove.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59Usually that's because they've gone in the ground too late.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02They haven't had enough cold weather.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04There's two there.
0:22:08 > 0:22:15To store these, I want to dry them as thoroughly as possible.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19Best place to dry garlic is in the soil where they're grown.
0:22:19 > 0:22:24And if it's a really sunny week, that's the easiest way to do it.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27But if there's any risk of rain,
0:22:27 > 0:22:29it's worth bringing them in undercover.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33If you've got a greenhouse, that's really good.
0:22:33 > 0:22:38It makes the greenhouse smell beautifully garlicky.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40Otherwise put them on racks indoors.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Shallots, onions - they're looking good.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48They'll be ready in a few weeks. Garlic, very happy with.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50Leeks in the ground,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53so far everything rosy in the onion garden.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Except if you come down to the ornamental veg garden,
0:22:56 > 0:22:58things are not looking so good.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07These are the same onions grown at the same time, in the same way
0:23:07 > 0:23:10as the ones in the top vegetable garden.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13They're a complete disaster.
0:23:13 > 0:23:20The problem is actually in the soil. This is onion white rot.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23You can see that it completely inhibits the growth of the onions.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27In fact, the onions themselves are perfectly edible
0:23:27 > 0:23:29as long as they're firm.
0:23:29 > 0:23:34Dig up some shallots, I'll just reach in, take these here.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37They come out of the ground, the roots are completely rotted away.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40There, you can see on that one it's very clear.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42There's a white fungus.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46That's at the base of the bulb, where the roots join the plate.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49The roots rot, and because the roots rot,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52the top growth rots back, dies back,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54and therefore the bulb can't grow.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56And if I cut that in two...
0:23:56 > 0:23:59..without cutting my fingers off...
0:24:00 > 0:24:03..you'll see that it's completely healthy.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07You can eat that, no problem at all. Just cut out any of this fungus.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11It won't do you any harm. It's clearly really bad news.
0:24:11 > 0:24:12This is not good.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16It means I can't grow garlic, onions, shallots or leeks
0:24:16 > 0:24:19in the whole of this vegetable garden.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23The good news is that alliums are the only plants to be affected.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27So I can grow anything else in this plot. That's what I'll do.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30I'll clear this, keep the bulbs that I can eat and use them up,
0:24:30 > 0:24:34burn the rest of the material rather than compost it,
0:24:34 > 0:24:38and plant it up and try and make the best of the bad situation.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43So the first thing to do is just clear these away.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46I've got two containers,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50one for those onions and shallots that I can eat
0:24:50 > 0:24:53and one for the rubbish.
0:24:53 > 0:24:54Like that.
0:24:54 > 0:24:59I need to keep this bed onion-free for at least five years.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02But the good news is there are plenty of other things
0:25:02 > 0:25:04I can plant straightaway in the bed -
0:25:04 > 0:25:07kale, spring cabbage,
0:25:07 > 0:25:09any of the lettuces or French beans will all go well.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13I'll just freshen it up with a little compost before planting.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22All these little bits and pieces I'll burn,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24but we'll eat all those.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27This kind of job is hardly glamorous, but it has to be done.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30But Joe has got himself a really good gig this week.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32He's visiting Newby Hall.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34I know it's good because I've been there.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51Something of a landmark here at Newby
0:25:51 > 0:25:53are these huge herbaceous borders.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56They're the longest in Europe.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Each side is 140 metres long,
0:25:58 > 0:26:03so in total we've got 280 metres of herbaceous planting.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Now that's a lot of plants.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10They were first laid out in the 1930s by Major Compton.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12The formal hedges both enclose the long vista
0:26:12 > 0:26:14and act as a windbreak to create the ideal conditions
0:26:14 > 0:26:18for all these herbaceous plants to thrive.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29This is a classic herbaceous border,
0:26:29 > 0:26:31the way it's been planted in blocks,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35all looking like the plants are holding each other up anyway.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37But it's a very exciting plant combination, too.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41We've got geranium patricia here spilling over the path,
0:26:41 > 0:26:44this vertical accident of this loosestrife
0:26:44 > 0:26:46spiking its way through there,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49and then we move into the more sort of gold colours, the oranges,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52day lily at the front, heleniums, and then tiering up
0:26:52 > 0:26:56to the eupatorium at the back, which looks like it's holding itself up
0:26:56 > 0:26:59but actually there's some very clever black netting
0:26:59 > 0:27:01been staked all through the back of this border
0:27:01 > 0:27:04where the taller plants have grown through it
0:27:04 > 0:27:06and are now being supported.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15And right now in late July they look particularly splendid,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18pretty much as perfect as herbaceous borders can be.
0:27:18 > 0:27:23Well, you'd think so anyway. But actually their days are numbered.
0:27:23 > 0:27:28'Come this autumn, a major restoration project gets underway
0:27:28 > 0:27:31'that will see these borders change dramatically.'
0:27:36 > 0:27:39'Mark Jackson, head gardener, has been here for 20 years.'
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Now, the big question not only on my lips
0:27:42 > 0:27:47but surely on all the visitors to this garden is why?
0:27:47 > 0:27:49Why do you want to rip up these beautiful borders
0:27:49 > 0:27:51and start all over again?
0:27:51 > 0:27:52They look amazing.
0:27:52 > 0:27:53All borders need renovation
0:27:53 > 0:27:57to some degree or other, lifting and dividing.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01- Nothing stands still, obviously. - Exactly.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03Many of the plants are at that stage
0:28:03 > 0:28:05where there's quite a lot of work required.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08There's also an aspirational side, if you like.
0:28:08 > 0:28:13We believe we can make this border even better than it is now.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15Also, there's the personal side.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19This is a family home and we have a new generation.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23- They want to stamp their mark? - They will do, yes.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26How different are the new borders going to be to what we see here?
0:28:26 > 0:28:27We want to bring
0:28:27 > 0:28:31a slightly more modern feel to it without going too far.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34There'll certainly be some colours that may disappear
0:28:34 > 0:28:36to allow new introductions.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38There's so many good plants out there.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41Which ones? You can tell me. Which ones are going?
0:28:41 > 0:28:43the geum Princess Juliana
0:28:43 > 0:28:47is probably one that we're going to lose and we'll be moving.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51Right, Princess Juliana is gone. Yeah, yeah, OK. No oranges.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53The achillea filipendulina,
0:28:53 > 0:28:56the gold plate, we'll probably take out as well.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58OK, no oranges, no yellows.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01We'll use yellows, but softer yellows.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03Is there a naturalistic feel you're aiming for?
0:29:03 > 0:29:08They're more sort of muted, more natural colours, nothing too garish.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11I think it will soften to some degree.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15The polemonium sonias bluebell, which is a Carol Klein plant...
0:29:15 > 0:29:17- That's going to stay? - He's safe.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19Carol, you're all right.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22Yes, that is one of your favourites, the polemonium.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24At the moment it's daunting, it is challenging.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26I am a little apprehensive.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29We're sticking our heads above a parapet, and if we get it wrong,
0:29:29 > 0:29:32both the family and the visitors will let us know.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43'Of course, gardeners are really just custodians of a piece of land
0:29:43 > 0:29:45'for a certain amount of time.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47'Those borders are going to take years
0:29:47 > 0:29:49'to develop to look really mature.'
0:29:49 > 0:29:53But in here there's a garden that changes year on year.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56'Here at Newby Hall they call it the autumn garden.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00'But right now it's a salvia collection that's stealing the show.'
0:30:06 > 0:30:11So salvias are loving and protected micro-climate in this walled garden.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15Loads of colour and loads more to come right through the autumn.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17How many have you packed into this small space?
0:30:17 > 0:30:20There are 40 varieties, 45 varieties of salvia.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24There's been 1,000 plants planted in the garden this year.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27And do you replant the garden every year?
0:30:27 > 0:30:29We do it every year.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33We can't run the risk of them not being hardy enough to come through the winter.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37- So it's like a bedding scheme, really?- It is like a bedding scheme.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41Do you come up with a plan? How do you go about planting it all out?
0:30:41 > 0:30:45I don't come up with a plan, well, not on paper. I come up with a plan in my head.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48You look at the colour associations.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51I know what they look like,
0:30:51 > 0:30:53I know how tall they're going to grow,
0:30:53 > 0:30:56so it's all up here. It's all up here.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59It certainly works because they do partner other very well, don't they?
0:30:59 > 0:31:03They look really nice with variations in height and colour.
0:31:03 > 0:31:08If you don't have all this space and you can't grow 45 different varieties of salvias,
0:31:08 > 0:31:13which ones would you recommend, ones that you couldn't live without? Show me the good ones.
0:31:17 > 0:31:18Wow.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21This has got an incredible colour, hasn't it? So intense.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24That's salvia microphylla, Cerro Potosi,
0:31:24 > 0:31:27which is such a vibrant, vibrant pink.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29It's a very good height as well, actually.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33Yeah, it's a good height, good colour, one of my favourite.
0:31:33 > 0:31:34It's got scented foliage.
0:31:34 > 0:31:39- Yeah, it does.- Yeah, I like that. I suppose it's not to everybody's taste, but I like it.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42You get used to it when you're working with them all the time.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Some really good blues, aren't there?
0:31:51 > 0:31:55Yeah, we have got the salvia uliginosa which will grow up to five or six feet.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57It's a really good back-of-the-border plant.
0:31:57 > 0:32:02You can use it a bit like verbena bonariensis, where you can grow plants round and through it.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04You can see through it.
0:32:10 > 0:32:15- There's one called Newby Hall, isn't there?- Yes, just around this corner.
0:32:15 > 0:32:20It's not such a bright red but it was bred by Jamie Compton.
0:32:20 > 0:32:26- We feel we ought to grow it.- What's this blue one?- We're not quite sure.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29- But it's too good a colour for us not to be growing it!- Fair enough.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32- We'll figure out what it's called eventually.- Caught you out!
0:32:32 > 0:32:35Yes, yes.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38If you think you can name this mystery salvia,
0:32:38 > 0:32:42the Newby Hall gardeners can be contacted via our website.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48JAZZY FLUTE INTERLUDE
0:32:55 > 0:33:01I'm clearing away poppies from these borders. Not all of them,
0:33:01 > 0:33:06- because the poppy heads themselves are- so- architecturally beautiful
0:33:06 > 0:33:11and I want to keep those into winter and then the birds will eat them and the seeds will drop
0:33:11 > 0:33:14and that will stimulate new growth. Some I've marked.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18I've marked that with a piece of string because the colours are particularly good
0:33:18 > 0:33:20and we'll harvest those seeds.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24But I want a bit of space, and by pulling them up, that's exactly what I get.
0:33:24 > 0:33:29At first it looks a bit empty and chaotic,
0:33:29 > 0:33:33but in any border, certainly in mid-summer, an empty space
0:33:33 > 0:33:37is an opportunity for a new plant, particularly those that respond to warmth,
0:33:37 > 0:33:43those that come from near the tropics. I've been raising them in the greenhouse on the cold frames.
0:33:43 > 0:33:49Just as at Newby Hall, one of my favourites are salvias, a whole mass of them,
0:33:49 > 0:33:52but a few of them work very well in the dual garden.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55In fact, there's one I've had for ages that I want to show you.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02I've treasured this Salvia guaranitica for over 15 years now.
0:34:02 > 0:34:08I renew it by taking cuttings every summer. I know the thought of taking cuttings can put people off.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11But in fact, it's incredibly easy.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15With salvias, you're looking for side shoots. If you grow tomatoes
0:34:15 > 0:34:18you're familiar with the side shoots that you remove.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21You can see on this plant there's a side shoot.
0:34:21 > 0:34:25Between the leaf and the stem, a shoot growing off
0:34:25 > 0:34:30about 50-60 degrees. As long as it doesn't have a flower on the end
0:34:30 > 0:34:34it will make a really good cutting. I'll just snip that off.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39There.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43Pop that straight in the bag.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47The bag just conserves the moisture, stops it drying out too fast.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49We'll take another one while we're about it.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00Actually, I saw yet another one. I snip in at the base like that.
0:35:01 > 0:35:06We'll put that in. This is a good time of year to take salvia cuttings.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10In the next couple of months, because it'll be producing lots of side shoots,
0:35:10 > 0:35:15they'll root easily, the plant will get established, you can then over winter it
0:35:15 > 0:35:21and next spring you'll have good, strong plants ready to go in the garden after last frost.
0:35:21 > 0:35:26Then you're away. That will produce more material and you'll never need to buy salvia again.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28And you can have dozens of them.
0:35:31 > 0:35:37The whole process is simple but there are a few things to remember.
0:35:37 > 0:35:43First, use a compost that's very free-draining. I've got some mixed up here with lots of grit.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48If in doubt at all, add more grit.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51I'll just do one at a time.
0:35:54 > 0:36:01If I left all those leaves on, they'd lose moisture quicker than they can develop roots to feed it back again.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05So the first thing to do is take the leaves off. A sharp knife is very useful.
0:36:07 > 0:36:13Cut that cleanly there and there. I'm going to leave two leaves,
0:36:13 > 0:36:17and that's a good rule for all cuttings.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20We've got two leaves like that.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23These are nodes where the leaves join.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26With salvias you can take inter-nodal cuttings,
0:36:26 > 0:36:27which means cut them anywhere.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30We're going to do a nice, clean cut, like that.
0:36:30 > 0:36:36We've got a clean end. Cutting seems to take much more readily
0:36:36 > 0:36:40if they go between the pot and soil rather than directly into the soil.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43Just ease it in, don't force it. We don't want to damage the cut end
0:36:43 > 0:36:45which is where the roots will come from.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50Where we have leaves like that...
0:36:50 > 0:36:53actually, those two big leaves could come off.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58Got a clean end there.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00Put that one in over here.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11This is it. There's no magic. I'm not using years of experience or skill.
0:37:11 > 0:37:16Anybody could do this. Take that off there. I think we'll lose that leaf.
0:37:16 > 0:37:21And that leaf. We'll reduce the size of those.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25If you think there's too much foliage,
0:37:25 > 0:37:30cut that and that in half, and it will lose less moisture. That's all we're doing.
0:37:32 > 0:37:37Cut that there.
0:37:37 > 0:37:38Push that in.
0:37:40 > 0:37:46Next, water it thoroughly and put it somewhere which isn't in direct sunlight,
0:37:46 > 0:37:50because it might get too dry, but with sunshine.
0:37:50 > 0:37:54Plenty of light but some protection to keep it fairly moist.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56It doesn't mean soaking it with a watering can,
0:37:56 > 0:38:00just that the air needs to be quite moist. Number of ways of doing that.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03You can put a polythene bag around it.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06The danger is you can have too much moisture and condensation.
0:38:06 > 0:38:12But it's very useful if you're going away. Or you can mist it with a mister two or three times a day
0:38:12 > 0:38:14and that will be adequate and will take.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17As it is, I put all my cuttings in the greenhouse.
0:38:30 > 0:38:36These cuttings that I took in spring will make a good show in this space.
0:38:37 > 0:38:44Salvia guarnitica does like fairly rich, heavy soil.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47Most salvias like good drainage.
0:38:47 > 0:38:53As long as they get full sun there are very few soils they won't grow in.
0:38:55 > 0:39:00If you plant in groups, odd numbers, tend to look more natural,
0:39:00 > 0:39:05immediately you can use small plants to create a big impression.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08And you can get a big impact in the border,
0:39:08 > 0:39:12and if you've got plants, you can do it with 11 or 13,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16and it's really dramatic. And it all comes from little cuttings.
0:39:18 > 0:39:23As well as Salvia guarnitica, there are dozens of other beautiful salvias,
0:39:23 > 0:39:26and here are a few you can grow at home.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29Cambridge Blue is one of my favourites.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31The flowers are an incredible colour
0:39:31 > 0:39:36and it looks just as good in a pot or a border.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41Indigo Spires is rather taller, reaching about four to five foot,
0:39:41 > 0:39:45and will flower constantly from June to November.
0:39:49 > 0:39:54Salvia oxyphora can take some tracking down, but it's worth the effort,
0:39:54 > 0:40:00because its crimson, furry flowers are beautifully scented and irresistible for insects.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08Still to come, Carol is visiting gardens in central London,
0:40:08 > 0:40:11where she's found some real gems. And the best thing is that
0:40:11 > 0:40:12they are all free.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14And here at Longmeadow,
0:40:14 > 0:40:17I'll be tasting my first tomato of the season.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33I get a lot of letters, asking about pruning in general,
0:40:33 > 0:40:35and a surprising amount of them
0:40:35 > 0:40:38about pruning wisteria specifically.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41I've got a batch of e-mails at the moment.
0:40:41 > 0:40:46Wisteria always seems to cause problems in some form or other.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48For example, Denise Sowden,
0:40:48 > 0:40:51you've written and said that you have a white wisteria - at least,
0:40:51 > 0:40:54you think it's going to be white - which you bought and has grown
0:40:54 > 0:40:58perfectly well for the last four years, but it's never flowered.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01So is there anything you can do to encourage it to flower?
0:41:01 > 0:41:05Jim Nuttall, you've written saying you have an amethyst wisteria,
0:41:05 > 0:41:07and it's flowered from day one.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09The problem is, you don't know how to prune it.
0:41:09 > 0:41:14So, we thought we'd go to RHS Wisley and find the best way
0:41:14 > 0:41:18to prune wisteria to get maximum flowering,
0:41:18 > 0:41:20and who better to tell us that
0:41:20 > 0:41:23than the top man, the curator, Colin Crosbie.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30Wisteria's one of the most wonderful
0:41:30 > 0:41:34and beautiful of all-flowering climbers.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37I love them because they've got masses of flowers
0:41:37 > 0:41:39for a short period of time in the spring,
0:41:39 > 0:41:42and then the scent is just to die for.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44They're truly, truly magnificent.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51Wisteria's a member of the pea family,
0:41:51 > 0:41:54and they originate from Japan and China.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57They grow really well in our gardens.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01However, for some gardeners, they can be quite frustrating.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07One of the most frequently-asked questions we have
0:42:07 > 0:42:12in Wisley Garden is, how do you prune wisterias to encourage flowering?
0:42:12 > 0:42:16It's actually very simple, and happens in two stages.
0:42:16 > 0:42:20The first stage is the summer pruning to remove all these long,
0:42:20 > 0:42:23vigorous growths that you see at the present moment.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26What you have to do is actually count six buds
0:42:26 > 0:42:30from where the old wood is, and that's where you make your cut.
0:42:30 > 0:42:35It sounds very harsh, but it's not. Here I am, I'm counting six buds.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39One, two, three, four, five, six. And then pruning.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42This actually helps to encourage the flower-bud initiation.
0:42:42 > 0:42:48This is a job that you might need to do two or three times during
0:42:48 > 0:42:51the summer months, cos all the shoots that you've pruned,
0:42:51 > 0:42:55they won't re-grow, but you might find other shoots that suddenly start growing.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58So, two or three times during the summer,
0:42:58 > 0:43:01whenever you see these long, leggy growths,
0:43:01 > 0:43:04just give it a haircut, pruning back to the six buds.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25With the pruning, I always start at the bottom
0:43:25 > 0:43:28and work my way up to the top of the plant.
0:43:31 > 0:43:33Once you've finished the summer pruning,
0:43:33 > 0:43:37then the next stage of the pruning is to come back in late January,
0:43:37 > 0:43:42early February time, and all these little spurs of branches that
0:43:42 > 0:43:47you've pruned back to six buds, you then prune back to two buds.
0:43:47 > 0:43:52So, in January, February time, you come back to two buds.
0:43:54 > 0:43:56They'll be really fat and juicy,
0:43:56 > 0:43:59and that's them swelling up as flower buds.
0:44:11 > 0:44:14Most people are used to seeing wisterias
0:44:14 > 0:44:16growing against walls and up houses.
0:44:16 > 0:44:21However, in small gardens, you can train them up a wooden post,
0:44:21 > 0:44:23and this gives you a standard wisteria.
0:44:23 > 0:44:25Wonderful when it's covered in flowers,
0:44:25 > 0:44:28and it's treated and pruned in exactly the same way.
0:44:30 > 0:44:34Now, if you really want to encourage your wisteria to flower well,
0:44:34 > 0:44:38you feed it with a high-potash fertiliser during the summer months,
0:44:38 > 0:44:40cos this encourages flowers.
0:44:40 > 0:44:42You don't want to use a nitrogen fertiliser,
0:44:42 > 0:44:45cos this'll just give you lots of long, fleshy growth.
0:44:51 > 0:44:54It's important when choosing a wisteria that you go for
0:44:54 > 0:44:56a named plant which has been grafted.
0:44:56 > 0:45:00The graft is very obvious at the bottom of the plant.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02Sometimes you will still see
0:45:02 > 0:45:04a little bit of the rubber tape round about it.
0:45:04 > 0:45:08These are more likely to flower from a younger age in the garden.
0:45:08 > 0:45:11Unnamed or seedling varieties of wisteria,
0:45:11 > 0:45:15you could wait sometimes 20 years until they flower.
0:45:40 > 0:45:44I confess, I've been itching to pick some of these tomatoes
0:45:44 > 0:45:47over the last week, but I've left them
0:45:47 > 0:45:50just so we can celebrate doing the first harvest.
0:45:50 > 0:45:52They are ready.
0:45:52 > 0:45:56These are part of the grafted tomatoes that I grew as a trial.
0:45:56 > 0:45:58Planted these out. We've got some grafted
0:45:58 > 0:46:01and some non-grafted from the same varieties,
0:46:01 > 0:46:03so as well as seeing how they're growing,
0:46:03 > 0:46:05I want to see how they taste, too.
0:46:05 > 0:46:08This is a variety called Conchita.
0:46:08 > 0:46:14This one here, which is grafted, and then this one, which is non-grafted.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17Noticeably thinner, but the same sort of height,
0:46:17 > 0:46:19and seems to have the same amount of fruit.
0:46:19 > 0:46:22So superficially, there's no real noticeable difference
0:46:22 > 0:46:26at this stage in the year between grafted and non-grafted.
0:46:26 > 0:46:29But I suppose the important thing is to do the taste test.
0:46:29 > 0:46:32So, if I pick one here from a grafted fruit,
0:46:32 > 0:46:35and we've got a non-grafted in my right hand.
0:46:35 > 0:46:36These are both Conchita.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39To look at, you can see no difference whatsoever.
0:46:41 > 0:46:42Let's have a bite into the grafted.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47Mmm! Juicy.
0:46:49 > 0:46:53The first thing I'd say is that a tomato eaten warm
0:46:53 > 0:46:57in the greenhouse, straight off the vine, fantastic.
0:46:57 > 0:47:02You should never chill tomatoes. That tastes really good.
0:47:02 > 0:47:04OK, now the non-grafted.
0:47:08 > 0:47:12That's ungrafted, and it's slightly less sweet, slightly more acidic.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15Actually, it's got a little bit more flavour,
0:47:15 > 0:47:18but a little bit more tartness with it.
0:47:18 > 0:47:20Clearly, this is a matter of personal taste.
0:47:22 > 0:47:26It could just be that the grafted one is a little bit further ahead.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29Really, what you've got to consider is,
0:47:29 > 0:47:33we paid 9.99 for three grafted plants.
0:47:33 > 0:47:369.99 will buy you three packets of seed,
0:47:36 > 0:47:39which would give you a minimum of 30 plants.
0:47:40 > 0:47:41I have to say, in my opinion,
0:47:41 > 0:47:43there's not ten times the difference.
0:47:43 > 0:47:45In other words, it's not worth it.
0:47:45 > 0:47:49But it's lovely, they're both lovely.
0:47:52 > 0:47:56Picking your own produce is always deeply satisfying.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59These tomatoes, despite coming in every shape and size,
0:47:59 > 0:48:01will taste delicious.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13Whilst at this time of year there is so much to enjoy
0:48:13 > 0:48:16in our own gardens, it's also the perfect time
0:48:16 > 0:48:18to get out and visit others.
0:48:22 > 0:48:24Carol has been doing just that.
0:48:24 > 0:48:28She's chosen the unlikely destination of central London.
0:48:34 > 0:48:38In London, the parks and gardens are a green refuge from the stress
0:48:38 > 0:48:41and clamour of the city streets.
0:48:41 > 0:48:46But for the keen gardener who wants to do more than find somewhere
0:48:46 > 0:48:49to eat their sandwiches, where should they go?
0:48:52 > 0:48:55First stop, Regent's Park.
0:49:00 > 0:49:04These formal bedding schemes in Regent's Park really do
0:49:04 > 0:49:08represent the pinnacle of this kind of art.
0:49:08 > 0:49:11Even at the height of the popularity of such schemes
0:49:11 > 0:49:14during the Victorian era,
0:49:14 > 0:49:18these would have won accolade after accolade.
0:49:18 > 0:49:21And do you know, whatever your taste in horticulture,
0:49:21 > 0:49:26when you see something done with this amount of finesse
0:49:26 > 0:49:31and magnificence, you just have to admit it's brilliant.
0:49:38 > 0:49:42Also in Regent's Park is the garden of St John's Lodge,
0:49:42 > 0:49:46sometimes known as the secret garden.
0:49:46 > 0:49:48Obviously, I'm not going to tell you where it is,
0:49:48 > 0:49:52but I'll give you a clue - head for the park's Inner Circle.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55The house is private, but since 1994,
0:49:55 > 0:49:59the garden's been open to the public.
0:49:59 > 0:50:03It's laid out in line with the lodge and has all the elements
0:50:03 > 0:50:05you'd associate with
0:50:05 > 0:50:08a quintessential English formal garden.
0:50:08 > 0:50:11Strong geometry contrasts with soft planting.
0:50:11 > 0:50:18Clipped hedges, arches and paths lead the eye to benches and statues.
0:50:18 > 0:50:21Over in Hyde Park, near to Knightsbridge tube station,
0:50:21 > 0:50:27is one of the city's newest and most temporary gardens.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29And it couldn't be more of a contrast.
0:50:29 > 0:50:34This black monolith is the Serpentine Gallery's new Pavilion.
0:50:35 > 0:50:38Designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor.
0:50:39 > 0:50:43Inside, shielded by a corridor, is the courtyard.
0:50:45 > 0:50:51And in the centre, a garden designed by the renowned Piet Oudolf.
0:50:52 > 0:50:56In previous years, this Pavilion space has been
0:50:56 > 0:50:57used as an opportunity
0:50:57 > 0:51:02by architects to display their talents, to show what they can do.
0:51:02 > 0:51:05But this year, it's a bit different.
0:51:05 > 0:51:09It's very much a collaboration between the architect
0:51:09 > 0:51:11and the gardener.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14It's wonderfully successful.
0:51:14 > 0:51:16As soon as you come in here,
0:51:16 > 0:51:21this great black structure separates you from the outside world.
0:51:21 > 0:51:26And the garden itself, it's such an entity. It's a painting.
0:51:26 > 0:51:31The colour palette here is restrained, it's simple,
0:51:31 > 0:51:35and the darkness of the whole structure is picked up
0:51:35 > 0:51:39in the stems of the Eupatorium and these glorious monardas.
0:51:39 > 0:51:43The whole thing is so carefully conceived,
0:51:43 > 0:51:47and yet it's a place to lose yourself.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50It's a different sort of reality.
0:51:53 > 0:51:55If the Pavilion is as modern as can be,
0:51:55 > 0:51:58my next destination positively oozes history.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02A short walk from Monument tube
0:52:02 > 0:52:05is the church of St Dunstan's-in-the-East.
0:52:05 > 0:52:09It was bombed during the Blitz, with only the tower
0:52:09 > 0:52:12and a few walls surviving.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14In the 1960s, it was decided not to rebuild it,
0:52:14 > 0:52:17but to open it as a garden.
0:52:17 > 0:52:21Today, hydrangeas and ornamental vines clothe the walls,
0:52:21 > 0:52:27while figs, ferns and magnolias grow around the nave.
0:52:27 > 0:52:30The juxtaposition of growth and decay makes for
0:52:30 > 0:52:33the most atmospheric of spaces.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39Near Temple tube station is the Inner Temple,
0:52:39 > 0:52:42where hundreds of barristers have their chambers.
0:52:42 > 0:52:46Tucked in one corner is a very surprising courtyard.
0:52:49 > 0:52:53In an enclosed space like this, what would you expect to find?
0:52:53 > 0:52:58Formality, tradition, boxed balls, perhaps, and straight lines.
0:52:58 > 0:53:00But not a bit of it.
0:53:00 > 0:53:04Instead of that, you're greeted by this incredibly modern garden,
0:53:04 > 0:53:08where a few simple plants are allowed to be themselves,
0:53:08 > 0:53:12seed themselves and head for the sky.
0:53:13 > 0:53:18It's a daring solution to challenges lots of city gardeners face.
0:53:18 > 0:53:23Low rainfall, bright sun bouncing off the buildings and poor soil.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25I love it.
0:53:26 > 0:53:30But the main attraction at the Inner Temple is its three-acre garden.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33Down on the lawn are some beautiful old trees.
0:53:33 > 0:53:37London planes, mulberries,
0:53:37 > 0:53:42and one of my favourites, this stunning chitalpa.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47At the top of the garden are new borders, island beds,
0:53:47 > 0:53:49brimming with annuals,
0:53:49 > 0:53:53and some of the best you're likely to see anywhere.
0:53:54 > 0:53:58The planting is soft, romantic, feminine,
0:53:58 > 0:54:02and yet completely original.
0:54:02 > 0:54:04It has this dreamlike quality,
0:54:04 > 0:54:09in complete contrast to the solidity of the buildings that surround it.
0:54:09 > 0:54:14And it's not just barristers who can enjoy this beautiful place.
0:54:14 > 0:54:16It's you and me too.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20If you're planning a visit to London,
0:54:20 > 0:54:24the Inner Temple Gardens are open to the public weekdays only,
0:54:24 > 0:54:29between 12 and three, but may be closed for special events.
0:54:29 > 0:54:33Regent's Park and St Dunstan's are open all year,
0:54:33 > 0:54:38though St Dunstan's is closed for three days over Christmas.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44Finally, the Serpentine Pavilion will be in Hyde Park
0:54:44 > 0:54:51until 16th October, and it's open every day from ten until six.
0:54:55 > 0:54:59Here are some other gardens outside London that are also free.
0:55:01 > 0:55:05The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh is world renowned
0:55:05 > 0:55:07for its vast collection of plants,
0:55:07 > 0:55:09and with over 70 acres of garden to explore,
0:55:09 > 0:55:11there is always something to see.
0:55:11 > 0:55:15Sheffield Botanical Gardens are well worth a visit, too,
0:55:15 > 0:55:18and their borders look amazing at this time of year.
0:55:18 > 0:55:20And if you're on holiday down in Devon,
0:55:20 > 0:55:23why not call in at the University of Exeter?
0:55:23 > 0:55:26Streatham Campus is an unexpected treat.
0:55:27 > 0:55:30For more details, go to our website.
0:55:39 > 0:55:40Have a look at this.
0:55:42 > 0:55:46You know how, often, when you buy parsley or any other herb in
0:55:46 > 0:55:48a pot, if you look at it carefully, you'll see
0:55:48 > 0:55:51it's lots of little seedlings, none of which are very big.
0:55:51 > 0:55:54But if you grow it yourself, this is what it should be like.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57It should be a big plant, and if you rummage in there,
0:55:57 > 0:56:01you can see the individual plants are really quite substantial,
0:56:01 > 0:56:02and they have a deep taproot.
0:56:02 > 0:56:06It's a member of the carrot family, and it wants to be substantial.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09The advantage of that is you can make lots of cuttings
0:56:09 > 0:56:12and it grows back, it'll last for months and months.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14And you can be generous with it.
0:56:14 > 0:56:19You can take yourself a really... decent clump of parsley, and you can
0:56:19 > 0:56:24make pesto with it, you can do all sorts, and it looks lovely.
0:56:24 > 0:56:28Now is a really good time to sow parsley, and if you plant it
0:56:28 > 0:56:32out in September, it will last all winter, into next spring.
0:56:34 > 0:56:36And there are lots of other jobs
0:56:36 > 0:56:38that we could be getting on with this weekend.
0:56:40 > 0:56:44Now is the best time to make new strawberry plants from old.
0:56:44 > 0:56:47They're throwing out runners very vigorously,
0:56:47 > 0:56:50and if you follow the runner from the parent,
0:56:50 > 0:56:51you come to a plantlet.
0:56:52 > 0:56:55Peg this first plantlet down.
0:56:55 > 0:56:59You can either do this over the soil or fill a pot with compost
0:56:59 > 0:57:00and peg it onto the compost.
0:57:01 > 0:57:04After about three weeks, this will have developed vigorous roots
0:57:04 > 0:57:08of its own, and it can be cut free from the parent
0:57:08 > 0:57:11and provide you with a new plant to replenish your stock.
0:57:13 > 0:57:17With the warm, wet weather, weeds are growing really fast,
0:57:17 > 0:57:19and to keep your paths clear,
0:57:19 > 0:57:23you can use the traditional old knife method.
0:57:23 > 0:57:25This is thorough, but time consuming.
0:57:25 > 0:57:28Strimming has an instant effect, and is quicker,
0:57:28 > 0:57:31but the weeds also return quickly.
0:57:33 > 0:57:37Or there's my favourite method. Burning will kill the top growth,
0:57:37 > 0:57:38weaken the roots
0:57:38 > 0:57:41and keep the weeds at bay for a month or more.
0:57:43 > 0:57:46Dahlias are starting to look magnificent,
0:57:46 > 0:57:49but unfortunately, earwigs think they taste rather good, too.
0:57:49 > 0:57:53The best way to deter them is to provide a resting place for
0:57:53 > 0:57:56the earwigs during the day, because they're nocturnal.
0:57:56 > 0:57:59If you set up an upside-down pot on a bamboo cane
0:57:59 > 0:58:02and fill the pot with straw, the earwigs will go in at dawn
0:58:02 > 0:58:05and you can come along and remove them, along with the straw,
0:58:05 > 0:58:08and take them as far away from your dahlias as possible.
0:58:08 > 0:58:11But don't kill them, cos they do a lot of good,
0:58:11 > 0:58:12particularly eating aphids.
0:58:13 > 0:58:19Hopefully, that'll prove irresistible to any passing earwigs.
0:58:19 > 0:58:21And that's it for tonight's programme.
0:58:21 > 0:58:23I'm afraid we shan't be back next week,
0:58:23 > 0:58:27because it's the athletics, but join me here at Longmeadow
0:58:27 > 0:58:30in two weeks' time at the normal hour of 8.30.
0:58:30 > 0:58:32Until then, goodbye.
0:58:37 > 0:58:41Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:41 > 0:58:44E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk