Episode 16 Gardeners' World


Episode 16

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Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World.

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And it's holiday time, it's high summer,

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and tonight we've got a 60-minute programme to celebrate that fact.

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Wherever you are, whatever you do, the best way of enjoying this time of year

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is simply to get outside into the garden.

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At this time of year, salvias are one of the stars of the garden

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and with such a wide variety, there's bound to be one that catches your eye.

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I like to think that I know my onions, but actually,

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my crop has turned into a bit of a disaster.

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Joe is heading off to Newby Hall

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to marvel at one of the most amazing borders in Europe.

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Each side is 140 metres long,

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so in total we've got 280 metres of herbaceous planting.

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Now that's a lot of plants.

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We find out from the curator at RHS Wisley,

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the perfect way to prune wisteria.

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And Carol is at her home with ideas for freshening up our borders

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to keep them looking fantastic for the rest of summer.

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Then she's off to the big city to discover some hidden gardens

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for you to visit, all just for the price of a travel card.

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The whole thing is so carefully conceived,

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and yet it's a place to lose yourself.

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Now, the dry garden

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is happily baking away in the summer sunshine,

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and that's good for a lot of the plants that are here,

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but none more so than bearded irises.

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But, of course, they've done their thing, they're long gone.

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You can see I've got a clump of them here

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with these lovely glaucous leaves,

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They are one of the most spectacular spring flowers. I love them.

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I love their voluptuousness and the intensity of colour.

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Where the rest of spring is slowly and charmingly

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easing into the year, these just flower out with incredible passion.

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But they're getting a bit congested

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and now is a really good time to lift irises, divide them

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and replant them, and that way,

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they'll flower much better next year.

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And this is very, very, stony, dry soil,

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and they're completely happy in it.

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So if you're planting bearded irises,

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give them as much sunshine as you can and don't worry about rich soil.

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Drainage is the key thing. Irises have a big rhizome

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which stores the goodness but underneath that are the roots.

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So when you lift them,

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you want to make sure you don't damage the roots.

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There we go. Right.

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Let's pull that out.

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Right.

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There we go.

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That's a good clump of irises.

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We can break that up and make new plants.

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People think of the rhizomes as the roots, they're not.

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The roots are underneath. So if I get my knife...

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Actually, this is coming off now in my hand.

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Right. There's a good plant.

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We can see it's got healthy leaves, it's young,

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it's got good swollen rhizomes,

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and then the roots underneath, coming down.

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That's a nice new plant.

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That clump has given me 13 separate plants.

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Enough for three new vigorous groups,

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or clumps,

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but before that, I must find a space to put them.

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Now, the dry garden is deliberately allowed to fill itself up

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with self-seeded plants.

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One of the side-effects of letting things seed themselves,

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which we do willingly, is that occasionally something takes over

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and dominates everything else, and this year, it's Honesty.

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which is a lovely plant and I want it in this border,

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but not quite to the extent that we've got it.

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And this area here is perfect for putting in the iris,

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and this is a really good time of year for editing your beds.

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You can see the size, the shape and the colour of what you'd like them to be.

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Actually, a lot of plants will move surprisingly easily.

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Let's get a bucket.

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I can move these, I don't need to throw them away,

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I can just rehouse them.

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There you go.

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Put that in there.

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And if you haven't got anywhere to put plants, of course,

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you can give them to friends,

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take them to a car-boot sale, give them to charity.

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Don't just consign them to the compost heap automatically.

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Right, that's given me a nice space

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which I can immediately fill with my irises.

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I want to position these so that this rhizome

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gets as much sunshine as possible so they want to be facing that way.

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There's south, so the sun will hit them all day.

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And if I put that in there like that,

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I'm just burying the roots but keeping the rhizome above ground...

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..like that.

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Now, one of the things that you'll notice if you do that,

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there's hardly any anchorage at all

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and the weight of the leaves is already leaning that back

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so it's a good idea to cut the leaves back, right back like that.

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That also means that these roots that have been ripped up

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out of the ground, however carefully you've dug them, and are damaged,

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have less to do and then you get that harmony of the leaves

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feeding the rhizomes and the roots, and the roots feeding the leaves

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and the plant will get its own balance.

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Now, this is a job that is a good idea to get on with,

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because you can do it as early as the beginning of July

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and now we're getting into August,

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it's something that if you get it in the ground,

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it gives them a decent enough time

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to develop new roots before winter comes.

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The garden is pretty much as good as it's going to get

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at this time of the year, and I think the most important thing to do is just enjoy it.

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There's not a lot you can do to change things anyway

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but what you can do is important, and I love that fingertip approach

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that's necessary now, rather than the big hands-on stuff

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that is appropriate at other times of the year.

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And it's just that kind of gardening that Carol has been doing

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down at Glebe Cottage.

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It's at this time of year that the garden's at its peak,

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everything's burgeoning, flowers are looking wonderful.

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At the moment, this border's having a bit of a lull.

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It's been magnificent with geraniums,

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it's going to be again with all these asters

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and phlox to take over, but at the moment,

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the plant that your eye immediately goes to

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is this veronicastrum.

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It's magnificent.

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But even its performance is being marred slightly

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by the presence of all these Cirsium heads.

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This has been beautiful, this big, crimson thistle,

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but right now, it's rather tatty.

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And people would say, "It's the thistle,

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"why don't you leave the seed heads?

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"The birds will come and feast on them."

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But they won't, because there's no seed in there.

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And what's more, on wet days, the whole thing

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looks positively soggy.

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So what I want to do is take these stems down,

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right to the ground, there's no point faffing about,

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taking bits off here and there, cos that stem has finished flowering

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so if I take decisive action and cut it right back to the ground

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and just get rid of it, that's going to mean

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this plant will put all its energy into producing some new flower stems

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which, with a bit of luck, should start to appear in September or so.

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Also, you can shear the foliage if you want to as well,

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but I think that just cutting these stems is all that's needed now.

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And if you think that's drastic,

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wait till you see what I am going to do to these poppies.

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Now, these are oriental poppies

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and they've been beautiful, great, big, opulent blooms.

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But I'm not just going to cut those flower stems down,

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I'm going to take my shears,

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and I am going to shear the lot right to the ground, everything,

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old foliage, tatty new foliage,

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flower stems, everything, just...

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..absolutely straight across there.

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And within a matter of weeks,

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this poppy's going to rise like a phoenix from the ground.

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There'll be a whole brand new set of leaves, lovely fresh foliage,

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which is going to fill this rather big gap.

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'And that's quite a lot of herbage,'

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but this is never going to look good.

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'But this will. Some water, possibly a little bit of feed,'

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and the whole thing will be as good as new.

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Freshened up for the rest of the summer.

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'Helping other plants maintain their performance needn't be so brutal.

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'Many plants, especially those with a branching habit like Cosmos,

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'or those who carry their blooms in trusses, like many roses,

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'can make fresh displays for months.

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'Dead-heading is all-important.

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Removing spent flowers means plants devote all their energy into flower production.

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'What's more, the fresh new flowers

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'are unmarred by anything dead or dying.'

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All over this yellow and blue garden,

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I indulge myself in daylilies, and this latest one to open is Hyperion,

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and I love the yellow ones, cos all of them have got a gorgeous scent,

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but I don't need any tools for this at all.

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Just to make these look pristine,

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just break these dead flowers gently.

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They almost sort of fall off.

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And I don't want to nip into that flower head,

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because I think that's ugly.

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I think that structure there is just so beautiful

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with these new buds coming on, too.

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And this is part of it, really, where those spent flowers have been,

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so I just go over the whole thing,

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and it is the sort of job you need to do daily,

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because they're what they say they are,

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each flower only lasts for a day.

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But to appreciate those green buds

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and these big open lemon trumpets,

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what a difference it makes just to clean these old flowers off.

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Whilst you're on a garden housekeeping mission,

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attending to a few little jobs can make a big difference.

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'Trim off the brown flowers from Alchemilla mollis

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'to leave the beautiful lime-green froth behind.

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'If you don't want them to seed everywhere,

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'then take the shears to them later when all the flowers have faded.

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'Simply removing any dead stems freshens up the whole picture,

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'and it gives up-and-coming plants a real opportunity to shine.'

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These buds are looking a bit more spruced now.

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There's still plenty to do,

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but the Astrantia 'Roma' that were standing in pots all along this path,

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I've decided to take out and replace it with this lovely little Viola cornuta 'Alba'.

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It's a charming plant, this, and just from one plant,

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I've managed to make loads of them.

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And they'll go on flowering for ages and ages

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and bring a real bit of sparkle to the border.

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There's still so much happening here.

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The Acanthus is just majestic at the moment,

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but I think putting these little white Violas all along the path

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is going to move this whole border into the next phase.

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This is all destined for the compost heap.

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And what you have is a typical mix of the sort of thing that any garden's going to get,

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which is fairly dry material,

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which is quite hard and almost woody,

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and then leaves that are tough, mixed up with very, very wet grass.

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Look at that, you can squeeze the moisture out of that.

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Let me show you what the compost is like that we finish with here.

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This is the final bay.

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This heap has been made up from the compost

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that we've accumulated since Easter.

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And you can see that that's nice.

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Good to handle.

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So I want to turn this barrel-load in to that nice compost

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as quickly as I can,

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and the absolute central secret of making compost is to turn it.

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I need to get in there and get dirty.

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Quite important when you do this

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just to let some air get into it to throw it up.

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You can see the steam that's coming out,

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and that heat, it's an incredible furnace of animal activity

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converting dying life into this rich, vital material.

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This garden absolutely depends on its fertility

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and its health, on good compost.

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I always feel that any gardener that finds the need to go to a gym

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is probably not turning their compost enough,

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because it's hard work!

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Here you are, it didn't take long.

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Nice little bit of exercise.

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Now, if that looks like too much work,

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and not worth the result, just bear two things in mind.

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One, you don't have to do it on this scale.

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You make it in a dustbin, just empty the dustbin out,

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tip the dustbin over, and put it back in

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and you're doing exactly the same as what I've done here.

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And two, turning it dramatically speeds up the process.

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You could have a lovely, rich,

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sweet-smelling compost by the autumn.

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That is the secret of making really good compost.

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Onions, or at least the edible Allium family,

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are amongst the oldest of all crops grown by man,

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and certainly one of the most universal.

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There's not a society in this world

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that doesn't grow an onion if they can,

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and they're pretty easy to grow.

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And the ones that I've got here, which are shallots, garlics, onions,

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are doing very well, but I want to plant out some more,

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which are leeks.

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And if you've got leeks, it's worth getting on with it,

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because we're getting to the end of the leek-planting season.

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So I'll prepare this piece of ground to put them in.

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By the way, this rake has got a double front to it.

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I've only had it this year, and it's very good.

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It's called a hand hoe, and I can recommend it.

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I've grown my leek seedlings in pots and in plugs,

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although traditionally they were always grown on a seedbed outside

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and you can do that very well.

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This is a variety called Carentan,

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and I'm going to plant these in the traditional method,

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which is to use a dibber.

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Just make a hole at about six inch spacing...

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..along a line or a board.

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Inevitably, the hole back-fills a little,

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but that doesn't matter too much in the first instant.

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You take your leek seedlings,

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and you can see these have got good roots,

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break them open, and put a seedling in each hole.

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There you are.

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Nice, good root system, healthy young plant.

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But obviously a leek will grow to really quite a monstrous size,

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though they don't have to to eat them.

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When you put them in a hole, just pop them in,

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swizzle them round, and leave them in,

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don't backfill them.

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This way is certainly the best technique

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if you want nice big leaks...

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..because they grow to expand out into the hole,

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and because they're in a hole underground, they blanch them,

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so you get a good white stem, which is sweeter.

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And then, when you plant them,

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instead of firming round and getting the soil up around the necks,

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you simply water them in.

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So much for the conventional method.

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And I could fill the whole of this space with leeks like that.

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But there's another way of growing them,

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and I tend to use this method much more,

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which is to grow them in root trainers,

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or deep plugs, like this,

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and then plant the whole caboodle out in one go.

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Just make a hole, and pop it in.

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And the reason for that is that nobody ever eats just one leek.

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You dig up two, three, four, more,

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so if you have a clump growing together, you dig up the clump.

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And that's it.

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Very easy, you just take what you need as you go along,

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and these I plant with a trowel

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and just pop them in the ground as normal.

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Both techniques have their pros and cons.

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Individual holes, you get a bigger leek.

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If you plant them in groups, there's less handling.

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They both taste just as good.

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And they'll be ready to eat from autumn

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right through the winter to next spring.

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However, I've got other alliums that are ready to harvest now.

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You know garlic is ready to harvest

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when the leaves turn yellow, and also when it starts to seed.

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You can see here that every stem is setting a flower bud.

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You could cut those off if the leaves were perfectly green and flush, but they're not.

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The signs are that whatever is on the ground won't get any better,

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and to be honest, I don't know what this crop's going to be like.

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But there's only one way of finding out - dig it up.

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The key to harvesting garlic is to dig it, don't pull it.

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If you pull it, you risk damaging the roots.

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There we go. There's a bulb underground.

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Two together.

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I want to keep as many of those roots intact as possible

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because if I break the place where they touch the bulb,

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they won't store nearly so well.

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Let's put that down.

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They're not huge.

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But the critical thing is that they've formed into separate cloves.

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Sometimes you'll find that bulbs will be solid.

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There'll be just one large clove.

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Usually that's because they've gone in the ground too late.

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They haven't had enough cold weather.

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There's two there.

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To store these, I want to dry them as thoroughly as possible.

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Best place to dry garlic is in the soil where they're grown.

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And if it's a really sunny week, that's the easiest way to do it.

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But if there's any risk of rain,

0:22:240:22:27

it's worth bringing them in undercover.

0:22:270:22:29

If you've got a greenhouse, that's really good.

0:22:290:22:33

It makes the greenhouse smell beautifully garlicky.

0:22:330:22:38

Otherwise put them on racks indoors.

0:22:380:22:40

Shallots, onions - they're looking good.

0:22:420:22:45

They'll be ready in a few weeks. Garlic, very happy with.

0:22:450:22:48

Leeks in the ground,

0:22:480:22:50

so far everything rosy in the onion garden.

0:22:500:22:53

Except if you come down to the ornamental veg garden,

0:22:530:22:56

things are not looking so good.

0:22:560:22:58

These are the same onions grown at the same time, in the same way

0:23:030:23:07

as the ones in the top vegetable garden.

0:23:070:23:10

They're a complete disaster.

0:23:100:23:13

The problem is actually in the soil. This is onion white rot.

0:23:130:23:20

You can see that it completely inhibits the growth of the onions.

0:23:200:23:23

In fact, the onions themselves are perfectly edible

0:23:230:23:27

as long as they're firm.

0:23:270:23:29

Dig up some shallots, I'll just reach in, take these here.

0:23:290:23:34

They come out of the ground, the roots are completely rotted away.

0:23:340:23:37

There, you can see on that one it's very clear.

0:23:370:23:40

There's a white fungus.

0:23:400:23:42

That's at the base of the bulb, where the roots join the plate.

0:23:420:23:46

The roots rot, and because the roots rot,

0:23:460:23:49

the top growth rots back, dies back,

0:23:490:23:52

and therefore the bulb can't grow.

0:23:520:23:54

And if I cut that in two...

0:23:540:23:56

..without cutting my fingers off...

0:23:560:23:59

..you'll see that it's completely healthy.

0:24:000:24:03

You can eat that, no problem at all. Just cut out any of this fungus.

0:24:030:24:07

It won't do you any harm. It's clearly really bad news.

0:24:070:24:11

This is not good.

0:24:110:24:12

It means I can't grow garlic, onions, shallots or leeks

0:24:120:24:16

in the whole of this vegetable garden.

0:24:160:24:19

The good news is that alliums are the only plants to be affected.

0:24:190:24:23

So I can grow anything else in this plot. That's what I'll do.

0:24:230:24:27

I'll clear this, keep the bulbs that I can eat and use them up,

0:24:270:24:30

burn the rest of the material rather than compost it,

0:24:300:24:34

and plant it up and try and make the best of the bad situation.

0:24:340:24:38

So the first thing to do is just clear these away.

0:24:410:24:43

I've got two containers,

0:24:440:24:46

one for those onions and shallots that I can eat

0:24:460:24:50

and one for the rubbish.

0:24:500:24:53

Like that.

0:24:530:24:54

I need to keep this bed onion-free for at least five years.

0:24:540:24:59

But the good news is there are plenty of other things

0:24:590:25:02

I can plant straightaway in the bed -

0:25:020:25:04

kale, spring cabbage,

0:25:040:25:07

any of the lettuces or French beans will all go well.

0:25:070:25:09

I'll just freshen it up with a little compost before planting.

0:25:090:25:13

All these little bits and pieces I'll burn,

0:25:190:25:22

but we'll eat all those.

0:25:220:25:24

This kind of job is hardly glamorous, but it has to be done.

0:25:240:25:27

But Joe has got himself a really good gig this week.

0:25:270:25:30

He's visiting Newby Hall.

0:25:300:25:32

I know it's good because I've been there.

0:25:320:25:34

Something of a landmark here at Newby

0:25:480:25:51

are these huge herbaceous borders.

0:25:510:25:53

They're the longest in Europe.

0:25:530:25:56

Each side is 140 metres long,

0:25:560:25:58

so in total we've got 280 metres of herbaceous planting.

0:25:580:26:03

Now that's a lot of plants.

0:26:030:26:05

They were first laid out in the 1930s by Major Compton.

0:26:060:26:10

The formal hedges both enclose the long vista

0:26:100:26:12

and act as a windbreak to create the ideal conditions

0:26:120:26:14

for all these herbaceous plants to thrive.

0:26:140:26:18

This is a classic herbaceous border,

0:26:270:26:29

the way it's been planted in blocks,

0:26:290:26:31

all looking like the plants are holding each other up anyway.

0:26:310:26:35

But it's a very exciting plant combination, too.

0:26:350:26:37

We've got geranium patricia here spilling over the path,

0:26:370:26:41

this vertical accident of this loosestrife

0:26:410:26:44

spiking its way through there,

0:26:440:26:46

and then we move into the more sort of gold colours, the oranges,

0:26:460:26:49

day lily at the front, heleniums, and then tiering up

0:26:490:26:52

to the eupatorium at the back, which looks like it's holding itself up

0:26:520:26:56

but actually there's some very clever black netting

0:26:560:26:59

been staked all through the back of this border

0:26:590:27:01

where the taller plants have grown through it

0:27:010:27:04

and are now being supported.

0:27:040:27:06

And right now in late July they look particularly splendid,

0:27:120:27:15

pretty much as perfect as herbaceous borders can be.

0:27:150:27:18

Well, you'd think so anyway. But actually their days are numbered.

0:27:180:27:23

'Come this autumn, a major restoration project gets underway

0:27:230:27:28

'that will see these borders change dramatically.'

0:27:280:27:31

'Mark Jackson, head gardener, has been here for 20 years.'

0:27:360:27:39

Now, the big question not only on my lips

0:27:390:27:42

but surely on all the visitors to this garden is why?

0:27:420:27:47

Why do you want to rip up these beautiful borders

0:27:470:27:49

and start all over again?

0:27:490:27:51

They look amazing.

0:27:510:27:52

All borders need renovation

0:27:520:27:53

to some degree or other, lifting and dividing.

0:27:530:27:57

-Nothing stands still, obviously.

-Exactly.

0:27:570:28:01

Many of the plants are at that stage

0:28:010:28:03

where there's quite a lot of work required.

0:28:030:28:05

There's also an aspirational side, if you like.

0:28:050:28:08

We believe we can make this border even better than it is now.

0:28:080:28:13

Also, there's the personal side.

0:28:130:28:15

This is a family home and we have a new generation.

0:28:160:28:19

-They want to stamp their mark?

-They will do, yes.

0:28:190:28:23

How different are the new borders going to be to what we see here?

0:28:230:28:26

We want to bring

0:28:260:28:27

a slightly more modern feel to it without going too far.

0:28:270:28:31

There'll certainly be some colours that may disappear

0:28:310:28:34

to allow new introductions.

0:28:340:28:36

There's so many good plants out there.

0:28:360:28:38

Which ones? You can tell me. Which ones are going?

0:28:380:28:41

the geum Princess Juliana

0:28:410:28:43

is probably one that we're going to lose and we'll be moving.

0:28:430:28:47

Right, Princess Juliana is gone. Yeah, yeah, OK. No oranges.

0:28:470:28:51

The achillea filipendulina,

0:28:510:28:53

the gold plate, we'll probably take out as well.

0:28:530:28:56

OK, no oranges, no yellows.

0:28:560:28:58

We'll use yellows, but softer yellows.

0:28:580:29:01

Is there a naturalistic feel you're aiming for?

0:29:010:29:03

They're more sort of muted, more natural colours, nothing too garish.

0:29:030:29:08

I think it will soften to some degree.

0:29:080:29:11

The polemonium sonias bluebell, which is a Carol Klein plant...

0:29:110:29:15

-That's going to stay?

-He's safe.

0:29:150:29:17

Carol, you're all right.

0:29:170:29:19

Yes, that is one of your favourites, the polemonium.

0:29:190:29:22

At the moment it's daunting, it is challenging.

0:29:220:29:24

I am a little apprehensive.

0:29:240:29:26

We're sticking our heads above a parapet, and if we get it wrong,

0:29:260:29:29

both the family and the visitors will let us know.

0:29:290:29:32

'Of course, gardeners are really just custodians of a piece of land

0:29:400:29:43

'for a certain amount of time.

0:29:430:29:45

'Those borders are going to take years

0:29:450:29:47

'to develop to look really mature.'

0:29:470:29:49

But in here there's a garden that changes year on year.

0:29:490:29:53

'Here at Newby Hall they call it the autumn garden.

0:29:530:29:56

'But right now it's a salvia collection that's stealing the show.'

0:29:560:30:00

So salvias are loving and protected micro-climate in this walled garden.

0:30:060:30:11

Loads of colour and loads more to come right through the autumn.

0:30:110:30:15

How many have you packed into this small space?

0:30:150:30:17

There are 40 varieties, 45 varieties of salvia.

0:30:170:30:20

There's been 1,000 plants planted in the garden this year.

0:30:200:30:24

And do you replant the garden every year?

0:30:240:30:27

We do it every year.

0:30:270:30:29

We can't run the risk of them not being hardy enough to come through the winter.

0:30:290:30:33

-So it's like a bedding scheme, really?

-It is like a bedding scheme.

0:30:330:30:37

Do you come up with a plan? How do you go about planting it all out?

0:30:370:30:41

I don't come up with a plan, well, not on paper. I come up with a plan in my head.

0:30:410:30:45

You look at the colour associations.

0:30:450:30:48

I know what they look like,

0:30:480:30:51

I know how tall they're going to grow,

0:30:510:30:53

so it's all up here. It's all up here.

0:30:530:30:56

It certainly works because they do partner other very well, don't they?

0:30:560:30:59

They look really nice with variations in height and colour.

0:30:590:31:03

If you don't have all this space and you can't grow 45 different varieties of salvias,

0:31:030:31:08

which ones would you recommend, ones that you couldn't live without? Show me the good ones.

0:31:080:31:13

Wow.

0:31:170:31:18

This has got an incredible colour, hasn't it? So intense.

0:31:180:31:21

That's salvia microphylla, Cerro Potosi,

0:31:210:31:24

which is such a vibrant, vibrant pink.

0:31:240:31:27

It's a very good height as well, actually.

0:31:270:31:29

Yeah, it's a good height, good colour, one of my favourite.

0:31:290:31:33

It's got scented foliage.

0:31:330:31:34

-Yeah, it does.

-Yeah, I like that. I suppose it's not to everybody's taste, but I like it.

0:31:340:31:39

You get used to it when you're working with them all the time.

0:31:390:31:42

Some really good blues, aren't there?

0:31:480:31:51

Yeah, we have got the salvia uliginosa which will grow up to five or six feet.

0:31:510:31:55

It's a really good back-of-the-border plant.

0:31:550:31:57

You can use it a bit like verbena bonariensis, where you can grow plants round and through it.

0:31:570:32:02

You can see through it.

0:32:020:32:04

-There's one called Newby Hall, isn't there?

-Yes, just around this corner.

0:32:100:32:15

It's not such a bright red but it was bred by Jamie Compton.

0:32:150:32:20

-We feel we ought to grow it.

-What's this blue one?

-We're not quite sure.

0:32:200:32:26

-But it's too good a colour for us not to be growing it!

-Fair enough.

0:32:260:32:29

-We'll figure out what it's called eventually.

-Caught you out!

0:32:290:32:32

Yes, yes.

0:32:320:32:35

If you think you can name this mystery salvia,

0:32:350:32:38

the Newby Hall gardeners can be contacted via our website.

0:32:380:32:42

JAZZY FLUTE INTERLUDE

0:32:460:32:48

I'm clearing away poppies from these borders. Not all of them,

0:32:550:33:01

-because the poppy heads themselves are

-so

-architecturally beautiful

0:33:010:33:06

and I want to keep those into winter and then the birds will eat them and the seeds will drop

0:33:060:33:11

and that will stimulate new growth. Some I've marked.

0:33:110:33:14

I've marked that with a piece of string because the colours are particularly good

0:33:140:33:18

and we'll harvest those seeds.

0:33:180:33:20

But I want a bit of space, and by pulling them up, that's exactly what I get.

0:33:200:33:24

At first it looks a bit empty and chaotic,

0:33:240:33:29

but in any border, certainly in mid-summer, an empty space

0:33:290:33:33

is an opportunity for a new plant, particularly those that respond to warmth,

0:33:330:33:37

those that come from near the tropics. I've been raising them in the greenhouse on the cold frames.

0:33:370:33:43

Just as at Newby Hall, one of my favourites are salvias, a whole mass of them,

0:33:430:33:49

but a few of them work very well in the dual garden.

0:33:490:33:52

In fact, there's one I've had for ages that I want to show you.

0:33:520:33:55

I've treasured this Salvia guaranitica for over 15 years now.

0:33:580:34:02

I renew it by taking cuttings every summer. I know the thought of taking cuttings can put people off.

0:34:020:34:08

But in fact, it's incredibly easy.

0:34:080:34:11

With salvias, you're looking for side shoots. If you grow tomatoes

0:34:120:34:15

you're familiar with the side shoots that you remove.

0:34:150:34:18

You can see on this plant there's a side shoot.

0:34:180:34:21

Between the leaf and the stem, a shoot growing off

0:34:210:34:25

about 50-60 degrees. As long as it doesn't have a flower on the end

0:34:250:34:30

it will make a really good cutting. I'll just snip that off.

0:34:300:34:34

There.

0:34:370:34:39

Pop that straight in the bag.

0:34:400:34:43

The bag just conserves the moisture, stops it drying out too fast.

0:34:430:34:47

We'll take another one while we're about it.

0:34:470:34:49

Actually, I saw yet another one. I snip in at the base like that.

0:34:560:35:00

We'll put that in. This is a good time of year to take salvia cuttings.

0:35:010:35:06

In the next couple of months, because it'll be producing lots of side shoots,

0:35:060:35:10

they'll root easily, the plant will get established, you can then over winter it

0:35:100:35:15

and next spring you'll have good, strong plants ready to go in the garden after last frost.

0:35:150:35:21

Then you're away. That will produce more material and you'll never need to buy salvia again.

0:35:210:35:26

And you can have dozens of them.

0:35:260:35:28

The whole process is simple but there are a few things to remember.

0:35:310:35:37

First, use a compost that's very free-draining. I've got some mixed up here with lots of grit.

0:35:370:35:43

If in doubt at all, add more grit.

0:35:440:35:48

I'll just do one at a time.

0:35:480:35:51

If I left all those leaves on, they'd lose moisture quicker than they can develop roots to feed it back again.

0:35:540:36:01

So the first thing to do is take the leaves off. A sharp knife is very useful.

0:36:010:36:05

Cut that cleanly there and there. I'm going to leave two leaves,

0:36:070:36:13

and that's a good rule for all cuttings.

0:36:130:36:17

We've got two leaves like that.

0:36:180:36:20

These are nodes where the leaves join.

0:36:200:36:23

With salvias you can take inter-nodal cuttings,

0:36:230:36:26

which means cut them anywhere.

0:36:260:36:27

We're going to do a nice, clean cut, like that.

0:36:270:36:30

We've got a clean end. Cutting seems to take much more readily

0:36:300:36:36

if they go between the pot and soil rather than directly into the soil.

0:36:360:36:40

Just ease it in, don't force it. We don't want to damage the cut end

0:36:400:36:43

which is where the roots will come from.

0:36:430:36:45

Where we have leaves like that...

0:36:470:36:50

actually, those two big leaves could come off.

0:36:500:36:53

Got a clean end there.

0:36:550:36:58

Put that one in over here.

0:36:580:37:00

This is it. There's no magic. I'm not using years of experience or skill.

0:37:070:37:11

Anybody could do this. Take that off there. I think we'll lose that leaf.

0:37:110:37:16

And that leaf. We'll reduce the size of those.

0:37:160:37:21

If you think there's too much foliage,

0:37:210:37:25

cut that and that in half, and it will lose less moisture. That's all we're doing.

0:37:250:37:30

Cut that there.

0:37:320:37:37

Push that in.

0:37:370:37:38

Next, water it thoroughly and put it somewhere which isn't in direct sunlight,

0:37:400:37:46

because it might get too dry, but with sunshine.

0:37:460:37:50

Plenty of light but some protection to keep it fairly moist.

0:37:500:37:54

It doesn't mean soaking it with a watering can,

0:37:540:37:56

just that the air needs to be quite moist. Number of ways of doing that.

0:37:560:38:00

You can put a polythene bag around it.

0:38:000:38:03

The danger is you can have too much moisture and condensation.

0:38:030:38:06

But it's very useful if you're going away. Or you can mist it with a mister two or three times a day

0:38:060:38:12

and that will be adequate and will take.

0:38:120:38:14

As it is, I put all my cuttings in the greenhouse.

0:38:140:38:17

These cuttings that I took in spring will make a good show in this space.

0:38:300:38:36

Salvia guarnitica does like fairly rich, heavy soil.

0:38:370:38:44

Most salvias like good drainage.

0:38:440:38:47

As long as they get full sun there are very few soils they won't grow in.

0:38:470:38:53

If you plant in groups, odd numbers, tend to look more natural,

0:38:550:39:00

immediately you can use small plants to create a big impression.

0:39:000:39:05

And you can get a big impact in the border,

0:39:050:39:08

and if you've got plants, you can do it with 11 or 13,

0:39:080:39:12

and it's really dramatic. And it all comes from little cuttings.

0:39:120:39:16

As well as Salvia guarnitica, there are dozens of other beautiful salvias,

0:39:180:39:23

and here are a few you can grow at home.

0:39:230:39:26

Cambridge Blue is one of my favourites.

0:39:270:39:29

The flowers are an incredible colour

0:39:290:39:31

and it looks just as good in a pot or a border.

0:39:310:39:36

Indigo Spires is rather taller, reaching about four to five foot,

0:39:370:39:41

and will flower constantly from June to November.

0:39:410:39:45

Salvia oxyphora can take some tracking down, but it's worth the effort,

0:39:490:39:54

because its crimson, furry flowers are beautifully scented and irresistible for insects.

0:39:540:40:00

Still to come, Carol is visiting gardens in central London,

0:40:040:40:08

where she's found some real gems. And the best thing is that

0:40:080:40:11

they are all free.

0:40:110:40:12

And here at Longmeadow,

0:40:120:40:14

I'll be tasting my first tomato of the season.

0:40:140:40:17

I get a lot of letters, asking about pruning in general,

0:40:290:40:33

and a surprising amount of them

0:40:330:40:35

about pruning wisteria specifically.

0:40:350:40:38

I've got a batch of e-mails at the moment.

0:40:380:40:41

Wisteria always seems to cause problems in some form or other.

0:40:410:40:46

For example, Denise Sowden,

0:40:460:40:48

you've written and said that you have a white wisteria - at least,

0:40:480:40:51

you think it's going to be white - which you bought and has grown

0:40:510:40:54

perfectly well for the last four years, but it's never flowered.

0:40:540:40:58

So is there anything you can do to encourage it to flower?

0:40:580:41:01

Jim Nuttall, you've written saying you have an amethyst wisteria,

0:41:010:41:05

and it's flowered from day one.

0:41:050:41:07

The problem is, you don't know how to prune it.

0:41:070:41:09

So, we thought we'd go to RHS Wisley and find the best way

0:41:090:41:14

to prune wisteria to get maximum flowering,

0:41:140:41:18

and who better to tell us that

0:41:180:41:20

than the top man, the curator, Colin Crosbie.

0:41:200:41:23

Wisteria's one of the most wonderful

0:41:260:41:30

and beautiful of all-flowering climbers.

0:41:300:41:34

I love them because they've got masses of flowers

0:41:340:41:37

for a short period of time in the spring,

0:41:370:41:39

and then the scent is just to die for.

0:41:390:41:42

They're truly, truly magnificent.

0:41:420:41:44

Wisteria's a member of the pea family,

0:41:480:41:51

and they originate from Japan and China.

0:41:510:41:54

They grow really well in our gardens.

0:41:540:41:57

However, for some gardeners, they can be quite frustrating.

0:41:570:42:01

One of the most frequently-asked questions we have

0:42:040:42:07

in Wisley Garden is, how do you prune wisterias to encourage flowering?

0:42:070:42:12

It's actually very simple, and happens in two stages.

0:42:120:42:16

The first stage is the summer pruning to remove all these long,

0:42:160:42:20

vigorous growths that you see at the present moment.

0:42:200:42:23

What you have to do is actually count six buds

0:42:230:42:26

from where the old wood is, and that's where you make your cut.

0:42:260:42:30

It sounds very harsh, but it's not. Here I am, I'm counting six buds.

0:42:300:42:35

One, two, three, four, five, six. And then pruning.

0:42:350:42:39

This actually helps to encourage the flower-bud initiation.

0:42:390:42:42

This is a job that you might need to do two or three times during

0:42:420:42:48

the summer months, cos all the shoots that you've pruned,

0:42:480:42:51

they won't re-grow, but you might find other shoots that suddenly start growing.

0:42:510:42:55

So, two or three times during the summer,

0:42:550:42:58

whenever you see these long, leggy growths,

0:42:580:43:01

just give it a haircut, pruning back to the six buds.

0:43:010:43:04

With the pruning, I always start at the bottom

0:43:230:43:25

and work my way up to the top of the plant.

0:43:250:43:28

Once you've finished the summer pruning,

0:43:310:43:33

then the next stage of the pruning is to come back in late January,

0:43:330:43:37

early February time, and all these little spurs of branches that

0:43:370:43:42

you've pruned back to six buds, you then prune back to two buds.

0:43:420:43:47

So, in January, February time, you come back to two buds.

0:43:470:43:52

They'll be really fat and juicy,

0:43:540:43:56

and that's them swelling up as flower buds.

0:43:560:43:59

Most people are used to seeing wisterias

0:44:110:44:14

growing against walls and up houses.

0:44:140:44:16

However, in small gardens, you can train them up a wooden post,

0:44:160:44:21

and this gives you a standard wisteria.

0:44:210:44:23

Wonderful when it's covered in flowers,

0:44:230:44:25

and it's treated and pruned in exactly the same way.

0:44:250:44:28

Now, if you really want to encourage your wisteria to flower well,

0:44:300:44:34

you feed it with a high-potash fertiliser during the summer months,

0:44:340:44:38

cos this encourages flowers.

0:44:380:44:40

You don't want to use a nitrogen fertiliser,

0:44:400:44:42

cos this'll just give you lots of long, fleshy growth.

0:44:420:44:45

It's important when choosing a wisteria that you go for

0:44:510:44:54

a named plant which has been grafted.

0:44:540:44:56

The graft is very obvious at the bottom of the plant.

0:44:560:45:00

Sometimes you will still see

0:45:000:45:02

a little bit of the rubber tape round about it.

0:45:020:45:04

These are more likely to flower from a younger age in the garden.

0:45:040:45:08

Unnamed or seedling varieties of wisteria,

0:45:080:45:11

you could wait sometimes 20 years until they flower.

0:45:110:45:15

I confess, I've been itching to pick some of these tomatoes

0:45:400:45:44

over the last week, but I've left them

0:45:440:45:47

just so we can celebrate doing the first harvest.

0:45:470:45:50

They are ready.

0:45:500:45:52

These are part of the grafted tomatoes that I grew as a trial.

0:45:520:45:56

Planted these out. We've got some grafted

0:45:560:45:58

and some non-grafted from the same varieties,

0:45:580:46:01

so as well as seeing how they're growing,

0:46:010:46:03

I want to see how they taste, too.

0:46:030:46:05

This is a variety called Conchita.

0:46:050:46:08

This one here, which is grafted, and then this one, which is non-grafted.

0:46:080:46:14

Noticeably thinner, but the same sort of height,

0:46:140:46:17

and seems to have the same amount of fruit.

0:46:170:46:19

So superficially, there's no real noticeable difference

0:46:190:46:22

at this stage in the year between grafted and non-grafted.

0:46:220:46:26

But I suppose the important thing is to do the taste test.

0:46:260:46:29

So, if I pick one here from a grafted fruit,

0:46:290:46:32

and we've got a non-grafted in my right hand.

0:46:320:46:35

These are both Conchita.

0:46:350:46:36

To look at, you can see no difference whatsoever.

0:46:360:46:39

Let's have a bite into the grafted.

0:46:410:46:42

Mmm! Juicy.

0:46:440:46:47

The first thing I'd say is that a tomato eaten warm

0:46:490:46:53

in the greenhouse, straight off the vine, fantastic.

0:46:530:46:57

You should never chill tomatoes. That tastes really good.

0:46:570:47:02

OK, now the non-grafted.

0:47:020:47:04

That's ungrafted, and it's slightly less sweet, slightly more acidic.

0:47:080:47:12

Actually, it's got a little bit more flavour,

0:47:120:47:15

but a little bit more tartness with it.

0:47:150:47:18

Clearly, this is a matter of personal taste.

0:47:180:47:20

It could just be that the grafted one is a little bit further ahead.

0:47:220:47:26

Really, what you've got to consider is,

0:47:260:47:29

we paid 9.99 for three grafted plants.

0:47:290:47:33

9.99 will buy you three packets of seed,

0:47:330:47:36

which would give you a minimum of 30 plants.

0:47:360:47:39

I have to say, in my opinion,

0:47:400:47:41

there's not ten times the difference.

0:47:410:47:43

In other words, it's not worth it.

0:47:430:47:45

But it's lovely, they're both lovely.

0:47:450:47:49

Picking your own produce is always deeply satisfying.

0:47:520:47:56

These tomatoes, despite coming in every shape and size,

0:47:560:47:59

will taste delicious.

0:47:590:48:01

Whilst at this time of year there is so much to enjoy

0:48:100:48:13

in our own gardens, it's also the perfect time

0:48:130:48:16

to get out and visit others.

0:48:160:48:18

Carol has been doing just that.

0:48:220:48:24

She's chosen the unlikely destination of central London.

0:48:240:48:28

In London, the parks and gardens are a green refuge from the stress

0:48:340:48:38

and clamour of the city streets.

0:48:380:48:41

But for the keen gardener who wants to do more than find somewhere

0:48:410:48:46

to eat their sandwiches, where should they go?

0:48:460:48:49

First stop, Regent's Park.

0:48:520:48:55

These formal bedding schemes in Regent's Park really do

0:49:000:49:04

represent the pinnacle of this kind of art.

0:49:040:49:08

Even at the height of the popularity of such schemes

0:49:080:49:11

during the Victorian era,

0:49:110:49:14

these would have won accolade after accolade.

0:49:140:49:18

And do you know, whatever your taste in horticulture,

0:49:180:49:21

when you see something done with this amount of finesse

0:49:210:49:26

and magnificence, you just have to admit it's brilliant.

0:49:260:49:31

Also in Regent's Park is the garden of St John's Lodge,

0:49:380:49:42

sometimes known as the secret garden.

0:49:420:49:46

Obviously, I'm not going to tell you where it is,

0:49:460:49:48

but I'll give you a clue - head for the park's Inner Circle.

0:49:480:49:52

The house is private, but since 1994,

0:49:520:49:55

the garden's been open to the public.

0:49:550:49:59

It's laid out in line with the lodge and has all the elements

0:49:590:50:03

you'd associate with

0:50:030:50:05

a quintessential English formal garden.

0:50:050:50:08

Strong geometry contrasts with soft planting.

0:50:080:50:11

Clipped hedges, arches and paths lead the eye to benches and statues.

0:50:110:50:18

Over in Hyde Park, near to Knightsbridge tube station,

0:50:180:50:21

is one of the city's newest and most temporary gardens.

0:50:210:50:27

And it couldn't be more of a contrast.

0:50:270:50:29

This black monolith is the Serpentine Gallery's new Pavilion.

0:50:290:50:34

Designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor.

0:50:350:50:38

Inside, shielded by a corridor, is the courtyard.

0:50:390:50:43

And in the centre, a garden designed by the renowned Piet Oudolf.

0:50:450:50:51

In previous years, this Pavilion space has been

0:50:520:50:56

used as an opportunity

0:50:560:50:57

by architects to display their talents, to show what they can do.

0:50:570:51:02

But this year, it's a bit different.

0:51:020:51:05

It's very much a collaboration between the architect

0:51:050:51:09

and the gardener.

0:51:090:51:11

It's wonderfully successful.

0:51:110:51:14

As soon as you come in here,

0:51:140:51:16

this great black structure separates you from the outside world.

0:51:160:51:21

And the garden itself, it's such an entity. It's a painting.

0:51:210:51:26

The colour palette here is restrained, it's simple,

0:51:260:51:31

and the darkness of the whole structure is picked up

0:51:310:51:35

in the stems of the Eupatorium and these glorious monardas.

0:51:350:51:39

The whole thing is so carefully conceived,

0:51:390:51:43

and yet it's a place to lose yourself.

0:51:430:51:47

It's a different sort of reality.

0:51:470:51:50

If the Pavilion is as modern as can be,

0:51:530:51:55

my next destination positively oozes history.

0:51:550:51:58

A short walk from Monument tube

0:52:000:52:02

is the church of St Dunstan's-in-the-East.

0:52:020:52:05

It was bombed during the Blitz, with only the tower

0:52:050:52:09

and a few walls surviving.

0:52:090:52:12

In the 1960s, it was decided not to rebuild it,

0:52:120:52:14

but to open it as a garden.

0:52:140:52:17

Today, hydrangeas and ornamental vines clothe the walls,

0:52:170:52:21

while figs, ferns and magnolias grow around the nave.

0:52:210:52:27

The juxtaposition of growth and decay makes for

0:52:270:52:30

the most atmospheric of spaces.

0:52:300:52:33

Near Temple tube station is the Inner Temple,

0:52:350:52:39

where hundreds of barristers have their chambers.

0:52:390:52:42

Tucked in one corner is a very surprising courtyard.

0:52:420:52:46

In an enclosed space like this, what would you expect to find?

0:52:490:52:53

Formality, tradition, boxed balls, perhaps, and straight lines.

0:52:530:52:58

But not a bit of it.

0:52:580:53:00

Instead of that, you're greeted by this incredibly modern garden,

0:53:000:53:04

where a few simple plants are allowed to be themselves,

0:53:040:53:08

seed themselves and head for the sky.

0:53:080:53:12

It's a daring solution to challenges lots of city gardeners face.

0:53:130:53:18

Low rainfall, bright sun bouncing off the buildings and poor soil.

0:53:180:53:23

I love it.

0:53:230:53:25

But the main attraction at the Inner Temple is its three-acre garden.

0:53:260:53:30

Down on the lawn are some beautiful old trees.

0:53:300:53:33

London planes, mulberries,

0:53:330:53:37

and one of my favourites, this stunning chitalpa.

0:53:370:53:42

At the top of the garden are new borders, island beds,

0:53:440:53:47

brimming with annuals,

0:53:470:53:49

and some of the best you're likely to see anywhere.

0:53:490:53:53

The planting is soft, romantic, feminine,

0:53:540:53:58

and yet completely original.

0:53:580:54:02

It has this dreamlike quality,

0:54:020:54:04

in complete contrast to the solidity of the buildings that surround it.

0:54:040:54:09

And it's not just barristers who can enjoy this beautiful place.

0:54:090:54:14

It's you and me too.

0:54:140:54:16

If you're planning a visit to London,

0:54:180:54:20

the Inner Temple Gardens are open to the public weekdays only,

0:54:200:54:24

between 12 and three, but may be closed for special events.

0:54:240:54:29

Regent's Park and St Dunstan's are open all year,

0:54:290:54:33

though St Dunstan's is closed for three days over Christmas.

0:54:330:54:38

Finally, the Serpentine Pavilion will be in Hyde Park

0:54:410:54:44

until 16th October, and it's open every day from ten until six.

0:54:440:54:51

Here are some other gardens outside London that are also free.

0:54:550:54:59

The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh is world renowned

0:55:010:55:05

for its vast collection of plants,

0:55:050:55:07

and with over 70 acres of garden to explore,

0:55:070:55:09

there is always something to see.

0:55:090:55:11

Sheffield Botanical Gardens are well worth a visit, too,

0:55:110:55:15

and their borders look amazing at this time of year.

0:55:150:55:18

And if you're on holiday down in Devon,

0:55:180:55:20

why not call in at the University of Exeter?

0:55:200:55:23

Streatham Campus is an unexpected treat.

0:55:230:55:26

For more details, go to our website.

0:55:270:55:30

Have a look at this.

0:55:390:55:40

You know how, often, when you buy parsley or any other herb in

0:55:420:55:46

a pot, if you look at it carefully, you'll see

0:55:460:55:48

it's lots of little seedlings, none of which are very big.

0:55:480:55:51

But if you grow it yourself, this is what it should be like.

0:55:510:55:54

It should be a big plant, and if you rummage in there,

0:55:540:55:57

you can see the individual plants are really quite substantial,

0:55:570:56:01

and they have a deep taproot.

0:56:010:56:02

It's a member of the carrot family, and it wants to be substantial.

0:56:020:56:06

The advantage of that is you can make lots of cuttings

0:56:060:56:09

and it grows back, it'll last for months and months.

0:56:090:56:12

And you can be generous with it.

0:56:120:56:14

You can take yourself a really... decent clump of parsley, and you can

0:56:140:56:19

make pesto with it, you can do all sorts, and it looks lovely.

0:56:190:56:24

Now is a really good time to sow parsley, and if you plant it

0:56:240:56:28

out in September, it will last all winter, into next spring.

0:56:280:56:32

And there are lots of other jobs

0:56:340:56:36

that we could be getting on with this weekend.

0:56:360:56:38

Now is the best time to make new strawberry plants from old.

0:56:400:56:44

They're throwing out runners very vigorously,

0:56:440:56:47

and if you follow the runner from the parent,

0:56:470:56:50

you come to a plantlet.

0:56:500:56:51

Peg this first plantlet down.

0:56:520:56:55

You can either do this over the soil or fill a pot with compost

0:56:550:56:59

and peg it onto the compost.

0:56:590:57:00

After about three weeks, this will have developed vigorous roots

0:57:010:57:04

of its own, and it can be cut free from the parent

0:57:040:57:08

and provide you with a new plant to replenish your stock.

0:57:080:57:11

With the warm, wet weather, weeds are growing really fast,

0:57:130:57:17

and to keep your paths clear,

0:57:170:57:19

you can use the traditional old knife method.

0:57:190:57:23

This is thorough, but time consuming.

0:57:230:57:25

Strimming has an instant effect, and is quicker,

0:57:250:57:28

but the weeds also return quickly.

0:57:280:57:31

Or there's my favourite method. Burning will kill the top growth,

0:57:330:57:37

weaken the roots

0:57:370:57:38

and keep the weeds at bay for a month or more.

0:57:380:57:41

Dahlias are starting to look magnificent,

0:57:430:57:46

but unfortunately, earwigs think they taste rather good, too.

0:57:460:57:49

The best way to deter them is to provide a resting place for

0:57:490:57:53

the earwigs during the day, because they're nocturnal.

0:57:530:57:56

If you set up an upside-down pot on a bamboo cane

0:57:560:57:59

and fill the pot with straw, the earwigs will go in at dawn

0:57:590:58:02

and you can come along and remove them, along with the straw,

0:58:020:58:05

and take them as far away from your dahlias as possible.

0:58:050:58:08

But don't kill them, cos they do a lot of good,

0:58:080:58:11

particularly eating aphids.

0:58:110:58:12

Hopefully, that'll prove irresistible to any passing earwigs.

0:58:130:58:19

And that's it for tonight's programme.

0:58:190:58:21

I'm afraid we shan't be back next week,

0:58:210:58:23

because it's the athletics, but join me here at Longmeadow

0:58:230:58:27

in two weeks' time at the normal hour of 8.30.

0:58:270:58:30

Until then, goodbye.

0:58:300:58:32

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

0:58:370:58:41

E-mail [email protected]

0:58:410:58:44

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