0:00:02 > 0:00:06Hello, welcome back to a new series of Gardeners' World.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09We will be with you now for the rest of the gardening year.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13But at this point in the season, as winter comes to an end,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16the garden is changing almost by the hour.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20New things are appearing every moment. For example, look at this.
0:00:20 > 0:00:25This hellebore was completely closed just earlier this morning
0:00:25 > 0:00:29and now it has opened up, this incredible, slatey plum colour.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33And what I love about this time of year is that you come out
0:00:33 > 0:00:37and greet old friends and are just drawn into the garden.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42And as usual, I am joined by Carol, Joe and Rachel.
0:00:44 > 0:00:49Carol will be spending some of her time in her own garden in Devon.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52And this year, she will also be out and about, looking
0:00:52 > 0:00:57for relatives of our garden plants growing in their natural habitat.
0:00:57 > 0:01:02Just look at this, it's absolutely magical!
0:01:02 > 0:01:06Joe is starting out this year with a series of design masterclasses
0:01:06 > 0:01:11to help us all make the most of our gardens, whatever size or shape they are.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15Now, we all want to have as much winter colour as we can get in our gardens.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19This week, Rachel gets some ideas from a Hampshire garden that is
0:01:19 > 0:01:23filled with colour and fabulous fragrance right through the winter.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Well, it's been a winter of extremes.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42We have had drought in the South East,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44intense rain in the North West,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47but in the middle of the country, it's been pretty normal.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49We have had some snow and ice,
0:01:49 > 0:01:50but on the whole, we have been able
0:01:50 > 0:01:53to get out on most days and do some work.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57One of the biggest jobs we have done is to cut down the coppice.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Now, this is part of the coppice that is left,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04made up of hazels that have been growing uncut
0:02:04 > 0:02:08for the last seven or eight years, with these multi-stems.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11But, for the whole of that side and half of this side,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14we have cleared it right down to the ground.
0:02:14 > 0:02:15It has flooded light in,
0:02:15 > 0:02:19and you can apply the technique to any corner of the garden.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23All the flowers beneath respond by growing really well,
0:02:23 > 0:02:25and then the shade gradually builds up,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28then you can cut it back again whenever you like.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31So you are controlling the light and as a result,
0:02:31 > 0:02:36you get a really beautiful balance of trees, shrubs and flowers.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45One of the additional benefits of taking the coppice down
0:02:45 > 0:02:49is that it should let a lot more light into the Jewel Garden.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53And although it is fairly empty now, we know from last year
0:02:53 > 0:02:56that by June, July and on into late summer,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59this will be packed with colour.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02And one of the benefits will be that the shrubs
0:03:02 > 0:03:04that we planted last year will be much bigger.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07However, just because they are going to get bigger
0:03:07 > 0:03:09doesn't mean they don't need pruning.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12And buddleia does much better
0:03:12 > 0:03:15if it's pruned really hard in early spring.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Now, this is Buddleia davidii.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Butterfly bush.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Wonderful, rich, purple flowers,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25but those flowers are carried on new growth.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28So the answer is to remove most of last year's growth.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31You can see that, down the stem,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35there are all these new buds growing along the length of it.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39And it would be completely safe to cut down to the very bottom.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43Because this is in the middle of a border and we have hedges around
0:03:43 > 0:03:45and there will be other plants hiding the bottom,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47I am going to cut a bit higher up.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49We'll take a cut there.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54Then the smaller bits, we can cut right off.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Now, all the vigour of the plant is going into the new shoots,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00the ones which are going to carry the flowers.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08This is also the perfect time of year to prune clematis.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13I know people get confused by clematis pruning.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17There's one little rhyme that helps make it easier.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20That is, if it flowers before June, don't prune.
0:04:20 > 0:04:25But the later flowering clematis, like this one here,
0:04:25 > 0:04:27produces its flowers on a new growth.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31Now, I could, like buddleia, prune this right at the base.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34Again, because it is in the middle of a border,
0:04:34 > 0:04:37I want to leave about a foot or two,
0:04:37 > 0:04:41so all the flowers appear above the plants that grow around them.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49The one principle of all pruning is, cut to something.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Don't just hack away indiscriminately,
0:04:51 > 0:04:53go back to a bud or a leaf or a node.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56So I can get in there and just cut.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00Obviously, if you are inheriting a garden
0:05:00 > 0:05:01or you are not sure
0:05:01 > 0:05:05when it flowers or what type of flower it is, don't prune at all.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Just watch it, make a note of when it flowers
0:05:08 > 0:05:10and then next spring, you will know
0:05:10 > 0:05:13whether to give it a really good hack or to leave well alone.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36The most flower-filled part of the garden at this time of year
0:05:36 > 0:05:38is the Spring Garden.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43At the beginning of the year,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46the snowdrops and hellebores gradually appear.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51Then their place is taken by the early spring bulbs and perennials.
0:05:51 > 0:05:56Following on from them is a froth of cow parsley and tulips,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59under the developing canopy of foliage.
0:05:59 > 0:06:04One of the key spring garden plants in the first few months of the year
0:06:04 > 0:06:07is this, winter flowering honeysuckle.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11At first glance, it looks rather scruffy.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14It's got twiggy branches and tiny flowers.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16But what flowers they are!
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Hardly anything smells better
0:06:20 > 0:06:22than Lonicera fragrantissima.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23Now, I need to get
0:06:23 > 0:06:25more fragrance into Longmeadow,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28and I will be working on that over the year.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31But winter fragrance is especially treasured.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34And Rachel has been to a garden in Hampshire which is packed
0:06:34 > 0:06:36with winter scented plants.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47If you think gardens can be dreary places between October
0:06:47 > 0:06:50and March, well, think again.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Here at the Sir Harold Hillier Winter Garden,
0:06:53 > 0:06:57there is an incredible range of breathtakingly colourful
0:06:57 > 0:07:00winter flowering plants that will brighten up
0:07:00 > 0:07:02even the gloomiest winter day.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Many winter flowering shrubs give us
0:07:07 > 0:07:10that early injection of zingy colour,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13but what these delicate little blooms lack in size,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15they most certainly make up for in scent.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19But which one is best for which situation?
0:07:19 > 0:07:24This Hamamelis "Aphrodite" is looking spectacular at the moment,
0:07:24 > 0:07:25it's like a firecracker!
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Actually, it's a really good plant all the way through the year.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30You get new growth produced,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32new stems in the spring, then they ripen
0:07:32 > 0:07:35and gradually produce buds, then in the autumn,
0:07:35 > 0:07:41fantastic foliage colours, a really good autumnal display.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45In the winter, well, slowly the buds burst and you've got
0:07:45 > 0:07:49these fantastic, shaggy flowers that look almost otherworldly.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51This particular shrub has been flowering now
0:07:51 > 0:07:54for nearly two months, which is extraordinary.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58And the fragrance is... Oh, well,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01it's citrusy, but almost with a bit of spice in it, too.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04I just think, the most fantastic plant.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09Plant a hamamelis where you will enjoy it the most,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12either near the house so you can enjoy its fiery blooms,
0:08:12 > 0:08:17or next to a path so you catch its heady scent as you walk past.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Many winter flowering shrubs have small blooms,
0:08:22 > 0:08:26because anything bigger would be battered by the weather.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Instead, they have an intense perfume
0:08:29 > 0:08:32to lure pollinating insects, like hibernating bumblebees,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36who on a warm day will leave the nest to forage for food.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Well, here is a shrub you are likely to see
0:08:40 > 0:08:42plenty of bees buzzing around.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46Wintersweet, Chimonanthus praecox. This one is called "Maruyama".
0:08:46 > 0:08:50It's got that really unusual sort of fresh, almost lemony colour flowers.
0:08:50 > 0:08:55It comes from China and actually, it's very much threatened over there
0:08:55 > 0:08:56because of deforestation,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59so all the more reason to grow it in your garden here.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Now, it gets pretty big
0:09:01 > 0:09:04and it's not a thing of great beauty in the summer.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07So a good suggestion would be to grow it as a wall shrub.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10And in fact, I've grown it with Clematis viticella through it,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12so you get that second season of interest.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15But actually, here in the middle of winter, when you get
0:09:15 > 0:09:19a day like this, and it's this fragrant, that's all that matters.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26But not all scented winter flowerers bloom on bare stems.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Evergreen shrubs that come from the forests of China
0:09:28 > 0:09:32and South-East Asia make useful ground cover in the garden.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36The evergreen Sarcococca hookeriana will tolerate dry shade,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40and its tiny flowers, which really aren't
0:09:40 > 0:09:43much to look at, pump out a rich, vanilla scent.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49But the Daphnes are renowned for having the sweetest
0:09:49 > 0:09:51and most intense fragrance.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Many are evergreen, and in a sheltered spot in winter,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56Daphne bholua "Jacqueline Postill"
0:09:56 > 0:10:00will infuse the entire garden with its delicious perfume.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Now, it needs a bit of shelter, really, to thrive, and also,
0:10:05 > 0:10:09it doesn't like being pruned, so choose your spot carefully first,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12to make sure it's got room to breathe
0:10:12 > 0:10:14and then let it do its thing.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19All these cheerful winter flowering shrubs can tolerate light shade,
0:10:19 > 0:10:23and will flower on the frostiest of days.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Although, some like a bit of shelter, with their knockout scent,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29they definitely deserve a place in the garden.
0:10:39 > 0:10:44Obviously, winter scented plants are at their very best right now.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47And we should enjoy them for that.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49But there's an awful lot to do in the garden in March,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52which won't show any kind of harvest for months.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54And certainly, that's true of soft fruit,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58and if you want to grow some soft fruit, now is the time to plant it.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02The ones I particularly want to grow more of are raspberries.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04A fresh raspberry, you just go out into the garden
0:11:04 > 0:11:07and pull it off that white cone, put it in your mouth,
0:11:07 > 0:11:12and it has that wonderful bursting fruity sensation. Heaven!
0:11:13 > 0:11:16I've already put up a structure to support
0:11:16 > 0:11:18more summer fruiting raspberries.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20It's a fairly sturdy affair. Good, strong posts.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23A cross tie beam, to stop them moving inwards.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25And I've put wires along here.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27You do need something spaced regularly
0:11:27 > 0:11:30up the height of the structure, to support the cane.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32They're very floppy, and quite heavy,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35and if they blow around, you can damage them.
0:11:35 > 0:11:40Now, raspberries like good drainage, plenty of moisture,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43they take a little bit of shade, and they don't mind coolness.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51They're just little brown sticks. And that's fine.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56What we're after, is a nice, strong central stem
0:11:56 > 0:11:59with a root system. You see, there's a good one.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02You notice the roots are very shallow,
0:12:02 > 0:12:04they grow almost horizontal.
0:12:04 > 0:12:10And planting them is easy enough. I'm just scraping away the soil,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13planting it slightly below the surface and firming it in.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Eventually, that'll produce five or six stems,
0:12:16 > 0:12:20so it'll spread out, so I need to allow enough room for the next one.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24And the closest you can reasonably do is about 18 inches.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26Now, this is a variety called Glen Moy,
0:12:26 > 0:12:31one of the earlier summer fruiting varieties. It's very reliable.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Absolutely delicious, and highly recommended.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38And what I'm doing is, I am adding Glen Moy and Glen Ample,
0:12:38 > 0:12:42and Glen Ample follows on from Glen Moy, a few weeks later.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45And so that staggers the production.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49There's always a saying at this time of the year, you're planting,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51your hands are filthy, and you have to get your knife out
0:12:51 > 0:12:55of your pocket, so your pocket becomes full of dirt.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00And as well as summer fruiting raspberries,
0:13:00 > 0:13:02I shall also be planting autumn fruiting varieties
0:13:02 > 0:13:05in exactly the same way.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23A really important part of planting raspberries in particular, is mulch.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27Almost anything will do, as long as it's not mushroom compost,
0:13:27 > 0:13:29which is too alkaline.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32And the real virtue, apart from feeding them,
0:13:32 > 0:13:34is it keeps the roots cool.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37It stops them being baked by the sun.
0:13:37 > 0:13:42And because they're hard to weed, it keeps weeds down
0:13:42 > 0:13:47and keeps moisture in, so it's just doing a lot of good work.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51The main thing is not to be intimidated by growing raspberries.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Give it a go. Remember that they're just a bramble, really.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57And in fact, in Elizabethan times,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00raspberries were collected from the wild
0:14:00 > 0:14:04and people carefully cultivated blackberries in their gardens.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08And this year, Carol is going to be going out into the countryside,
0:14:08 > 0:14:12looking for plants growing in their natural environment, so that then
0:14:12 > 0:14:16we can take from watching them, how best to grow them in our gardens.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28Ever since I was a tiny little girl, I've been fascinated
0:14:28 > 0:14:30by wildflowers, and the older I get
0:14:30 > 0:14:32and the more into my gardening I become,
0:14:32 > 0:14:37the more I realise just how much I can learn from them.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42This week, I'm in Essex, rummaging through Hatfield Forest,
0:14:42 > 0:14:47an ancient mediaeval hunting forest, just outside Bishops Stortford.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50I'm on the hunt for one of the most iconic flowers
0:14:50 > 0:14:53of the season, the hellebore.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59At this bleak, barren time of year, you would expect them all
0:14:59 > 0:15:02to be hiding, waiting for the spring to arrive.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06But even now, some of these beautiful wild flowers
0:15:06 > 0:15:09are beginning to disport themselves,
0:15:09 > 0:15:14and just look at this! It's absolutely magical!
0:15:14 > 0:15:16This is Helleborus foetidus.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20It's one of our only two native hellebores.
0:15:20 > 0:15:25And these lovely, leaden leaves, make this beautiful base
0:15:25 > 0:15:30for these big sprigs of bright, lime green flowers.
0:15:30 > 0:15:35And each of these bell-shaped flowers is just rings of scarlet.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40And there they are! Just doing their thing and getting on with it,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42and saying, this is our time of year.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Their stunning shapes and exotic colours, their hardiness
0:15:49 > 0:15:54and early flowering, have made hybrids of Helleborus orientalis
0:15:54 > 0:15:56a popular choice in our gardens.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Helped along by growers like Lorna Jones,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05who has bred her own remarkable hellebore collection.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11It's so clear, Lorna, looking around,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14that this is an absolute obsession, isn't it?
0:16:14 > 0:16:16Yes, well, I've always been a keen gardener,
0:16:16 > 0:16:21and when I got my first garden at 18, I got my first two hellebore plants.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Gradually, over the years, I started hybridising.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27It's obviously a very slow thing,
0:16:27 > 0:16:32and it can take me three generations to really get any results.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34And that can be a decade.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37And although a plant might be an improvement on the parent,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40it might very well not be, so it's a case of selecting
0:16:40 > 0:16:42those few plants that come through that are better.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45So, what is it you're looking for in the hellebore?
0:16:45 > 0:16:47The shape of a flower,
0:16:47 > 0:16:52being really perfect, I like the nice, round flower shape.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54The actual stature of a plant,
0:16:54 > 0:16:57so whether it's upright or in the case of this one,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00where it is sort of hanging over slightly, that's something...
0:17:00 > 0:17:03It's got dodgy deportment, this, hasn't it?
0:17:03 > 0:17:07It's got a tendency to go like that. Individual flowers, Lorna.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Are really beautiful, yes.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13For me, a hellebore has to have a slightly pendulous head,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16I mean, that's what it's all about, with the sun
0:17:16 > 0:17:18- coming through those sepals. - Yes, certainly,
0:17:18 > 0:17:22the sun brings out the dark colours very nicely.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24So I always recommend they're planted,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27if you have a heavy clay soil, to plant them
0:17:27 > 0:17:30where at least some sun will get to them during the day,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33because it does really set off the reds and slate blues.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35I think they need moisture, that's the thing.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38If they're in the sun, they need to be in a moist position.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41If you have sandy soil, then it's not going to be good in full sun.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46The great majority of your plants are forms of Helleborus hybridus.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50But we've got nothing like this in the wild, have we?
0:17:50 > 0:17:53There are two types that grow in Britain.
0:17:53 > 0:17:54Foetidus and viridis,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57which is now more correctly called occidentalis.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02I've been crossing hybrid plants with the species plants to get
0:18:02 > 0:18:05something that's hopefully small but very vigorous,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09- and this is an example of one of the plants I've produced.- So pretty!
0:18:09 > 0:18:13- It's got that very, very wildy look about it.- It has.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16And it's got very pretty little flowers, when you look into them,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20- the purple and green.- And it's very nice stature, altogether.- Yes.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22It really is pretty.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28Lorna has been harvesting the pollen from a colony of occidentalis
0:18:28 > 0:18:32that she found growing not far from where she lives.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35And she's shared their secret location with me.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41This plant has sort of seeded itself
0:18:41 > 0:18:44all over this piece of scrubby woodlands.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47And did you ever see a plant that was
0:18:47 > 0:18:50so perfectly in tune with its situation.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Of course, the two have evolved together.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57In the summer, this whole place will be full of nettles
0:18:57 > 0:19:00and you won't be able to see this little hellebore.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03And that's part of this evolution.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Then, it needs the shade.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09Right now, it appreciates all this light
0:19:09 > 0:19:12and insects can come in and pollinate it.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16If we look closely at the sort of soil
0:19:16 > 0:19:21and situation that our wild flowers grow in,
0:19:21 > 0:19:23and try and emulate those conditions
0:19:23 > 0:19:28when we're growing their cultivated cousins in our own gardens,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31then we should be able to grow them successfully and give them
0:19:31 > 0:19:33just what they need to thrive.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Now, this year, Carol will also be dealing
0:19:42 > 0:19:45with your horticultural headaches.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48So if you've got anything that you're struggling with,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51be it from propagation to planting, contact her via our website.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Now, this is done.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57Not a lot to see for it, but next year the taste should be fantastic.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01I see this as an investment in delicious food.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06Now, let's go and look at something a little bit more dramatic.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11Winter is a really good time to take stock of the structure
0:20:11 > 0:20:14of the garden and see the bones clearly and, from that,
0:20:14 > 0:20:18to make decisions about changes to the design and the layout.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21And this winter, we've made one really big change.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27We've dug a big hole for a pond.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Now this still is the damp garden.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34Over winter, all the plants were taken out and potted up
0:20:34 > 0:20:37so they can come back in again. And then the pond was dug,
0:20:37 > 0:20:39creating different levels so we can have marginal plants,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42a nice deep bit in the middle for water lilies,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46all the shelves at different heights will take different planting.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49It feels like an exciting prospect
0:20:49 > 0:20:51and we'll be filming this right across the year
0:20:51 > 0:20:55as gradually it takes shape and becomes fully itself.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58But the next step is to put in a liner.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00That's certainly a two-man job.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Now the person I'll get to come and help me will be Joe,
0:21:03 > 0:21:07but I need to be fairly quick because, although I want his muscle
0:21:07 > 0:21:10and perhaps his advice while he's here, Joe is a garden designer
0:21:10 > 0:21:13and this year, he's doing a garden for Chelsea.
0:21:13 > 0:21:14Over the next five weeks,
0:21:14 > 0:21:19he's going to be looking at five different aspects of garden design.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Great garden design is about combining aesthetics
0:21:26 > 0:21:29with practical solutions.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32In this series, I'm going to work through the key design elements
0:21:32 > 0:21:35that you'll find in any successful garden.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38All these elements are there to be controlled and manipulated,
0:21:38 > 0:21:42The trick to making your garden a success is to make everything work together.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44So how do you do that?
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Personalise your space, have a vision
0:21:47 > 0:21:49and be true to it at every stage.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Over the next few weeks, I'll be taking a close look
0:21:52 > 0:21:54at six different gardens of all shapes and sizes
0:21:54 > 0:21:59that illustrate beautifully all the elements of good garden design.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02This week, we're starting with boundaries.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09I'm beginning with boundaries because they define the garden setting
0:22:09 > 0:22:13and the space you have to work within.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16The smaller the garden gets, the more important the boundaries are,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20because the ratio of boundary to garden space increases
0:22:20 > 0:22:24and in a town or city setting, your boundaries can provide seclusion
0:22:24 > 0:22:27and privacy from the neighbouring buildings.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31Now here, there's some oversized hedges at the back,
0:22:31 > 0:22:35but I really like the way it relates to the house, the same height
0:22:35 > 0:22:38of the building, so they become living pieces of architecture.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41There's a big block of Portuguese laurel at the back there
0:22:41 > 0:22:45and over here, we've got holly and it just subtly breaks it up.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49We've got a contrast with the way the light plays on the texture
0:22:49 > 0:22:50of the evergreen foliage.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57You may want to let plenty of sun into the garden
0:22:57 > 0:23:01so, low or high, the perfect hedge height will be the balance
0:23:01 > 0:23:03you chose between light and privacy.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Green boundaries are wonderful for melting away
0:23:07 > 0:23:09the edges of your garden.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11So if you have hard edges, like walls and fences,
0:23:11 > 0:23:16grow evergreens against them to create a softer, more soothing space.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21If you need an instant and economic boundary,
0:23:21 > 0:23:23I think fences can be great.
0:23:23 > 0:23:29Open wood structures keep the garden lighter in feel and reduce costs.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33If you get on with your neighbours, they can work in urban and rural settings.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Trellising is also a great choice for a slightly more open boundary
0:23:36 > 0:23:38that can be softened with planting.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Trellising can be customised to look really stylish,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45especially in a contemporary setting.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52Now, you may have or have inherited some ugly boundaries
0:23:52 > 0:23:55in your garden, but don't feel you've got to live with them forever.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58There's loads of ways of cosmetically treating them
0:23:58 > 0:23:59to visually enhance the garden.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Something like this. This is heather screening.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06It comes in rolls, it's really lightweight and pretty economic too.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09You can get them in heather like this or willow or bamboo.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12So think about how it works with the style of your garden.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14In design terms,
0:24:14 > 0:24:18I like the way that it harmonises the boundaries in general.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21It's a dark backdrop to the planting in front,
0:24:21 > 0:24:25so it really sets off the green, say, of that akebia quinata.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27But also it's a good textural material too,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30adding even more interest.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34If you've got great boundaries like this, they're adding value.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37Don't cover them up, leave them exposed.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41But maybe not entirely exposed, because here there's some ivy
0:24:41 > 0:24:43which is breaking it up, softening it a little bit.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46But also the areas of brick that you can see
0:24:46 > 0:24:48add a lovely rhythm to the garden
0:24:48 > 0:24:50and stop the whole garden feeling too static.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57If you're lucky enough to have a beautiful view from your garden,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00you could just use a mound like this as a boundary,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03which would still define the edge of the garden but allow you
0:25:03 > 0:25:06to borrow from the landscape beyond.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Whether you inherit them or create them yourself, making the most
0:25:10 > 0:25:14of your boundaries will go a long way towards creating a great garden.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Make your boundary choices with the bigger picture in mind
0:25:17 > 0:25:19and you'll be one step closer
0:25:19 > 0:25:22to creating your own beautifully designed garden.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30Once you've defined your space and set the tone for the garden,
0:25:30 > 0:25:34you need to start thinking about how you're going to use it.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38We're going to look at that next time when we explore garden layouts.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47This is the Hungarian grazing rye that I sowed
0:25:47 > 0:25:52after we lifted the potatoes in August.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54It's served a number of purposes.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Partly to keep weeds down, because it's filling the space,
0:25:57 > 0:26:01partly because it will fertilize the plot as the green of the top growth
0:26:01 > 0:26:03and the extensive roots rot down,
0:26:03 > 0:26:07but mainly because it improves the soil structure.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09This is a very heavy, claggy end of the garden.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13I've found in the past that Hungarian grazing rye
0:26:13 > 0:26:15opens the soil out.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21Now, the idea is just to bury it.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28Don't try and tidy it up too much, but you can see the roots of this.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32There's a lot of root that comes off the plant
0:26:32 > 0:26:36and it's that that's doing the work. A lot more is left in the ground.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45There is some magic in working the soil.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49It's been a long winter. It's been cold, it's been wet,
0:26:49 > 0:26:53and to get out with the sun shining and just turn that soil over...
0:26:53 > 0:26:54and smell it.
0:26:54 > 0:26:59It's alive. It makes me feel more alive.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Right, I'll leave that for at least three weeks
0:27:16 > 0:27:18and then, some time in April,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22That will be ready to rake over and sow seeds into.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Now that's done, here's some other jobs to get on with this weekend.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36This is a busy time of year for seed sowing,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39but some seeds need sowing more urgently than others.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Chillies and peppers come top of that list
0:27:41 > 0:27:45because they're slow to germinate and develop as seedlings.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Fill a seed tray with a general purpose peat-free compost
0:27:48 > 0:27:51and scatter the seeds thinly over it.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55Then cover them with a light layer of compost.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59Give them a soak and then put them in a warm place.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01If, like me, you stored
0:28:01 > 0:28:04some summer flowering bulbs in the dry,
0:28:04 > 0:28:08now is the time to wake them up.
0:28:08 > 0:28:13The best way to do that is to take them out and give them a soak.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17This won't produce a dramatic reaction, but will trigger growth.
0:28:17 > 0:28:22Then, in a month or two's time, they'll be ready to plant outside.
0:28:24 > 0:28:25Well, that's it for today.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29We've had a perfect day today, really beautiful.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31But don't forget that at this time of year,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34the weather can change in an instant to practically anything.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37So be a bit cautious with your tender plants still.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40But whatever the weather's like, I'll be back here next week
0:28:40 > 0:28:43and look forward to seeing you then. Bye-bye.
0:28:43 > 0:28:44Come on, lad.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd