0:00:06 > 0:00:07BIRDS TWITTER
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Hello, boy.
0:00:09 > 0:00:10Hello.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Hello, and welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Well, spring has definitely moved into summer,
0:00:15 > 0:00:17and it's brought with it
0:00:17 > 0:00:20the most fantastic display of flowers here at Longmeadow.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22I don't think I've ever seen it look better.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25But as well as enjoy it as much as possible,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28I'm also now planning for later in summer.
0:00:28 > 0:00:29So, in tonight's programme,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32I will be planting up containers for late summer colour,
0:00:32 > 0:00:35working in the borders to make sure they come through well,
0:00:35 > 0:00:37as well as planting out my tender vegetables.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40Now, Carol too is thinking of later in the year,
0:00:40 > 0:00:43and she's answering some of your dilemmas about propagation
0:00:43 > 0:00:46by giving us a masterclass in softwood cuttings
0:00:46 > 0:00:48down at Glebe Cottage.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51It's so satisfying
0:00:51 > 0:00:54when you see those little roots coming out of the bottom of the pot
0:00:54 > 0:00:58and you know that your cuttings have been successful.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01There's no question that one of the highlights
0:01:01 > 0:01:04of last weekend's celebration was the flotilla down the Thames.
0:01:04 > 0:01:09Rachel de Thame designed the floral decorations for the royal barge.
0:01:09 > 0:01:15And we followed her preparations as she got ready for the big day.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19It's a really huge team dedicated to make this happen,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22and I'm just honoured to be one of them.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Before we do anything else, just have a look at this,
0:01:40 > 0:01:43because these Meconopsis are giving me so much pleasure at the moment.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46I bought these plants at Malvern last year.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48It's Meconopsis sheldonii
0:01:48 > 0:01:51and they have the most wonderfully electric,
0:01:51 > 0:01:53slightly chilly blue flowers.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57The idea is to get them to spread, but I'll do the propagation later.
0:01:57 > 0:01:58But for the moment,
0:01:58 > 0:02:02I'm just revelling in the beauty of their flowering.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23These pots in the wall garden were planted up with tulips in November.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25They flowered beautifully,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27completely happy with their performance.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31But once a tulip's done its stuff, it's a pretty raggedy affair.
0:02:31 > 0:02:32There's a great debate
0:02:32 > 0:02:35about whether to treat tulips as annuals or perennials,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38and I think in a pot, you should treat them as annuals.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41They do their stuff, they're fantastic, and then you move on.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45But if I want to be able to reuse them at all,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47I need to take them out carefully.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50You want to try and leave the foliage on tulips if you can,
0:02:50 > 0:02:52cos that's going to feed back into the bulb.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56So, just the same reason as you don't cut them off when they're in the ground,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59try not to break them when you're lifting them out of the pot.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04This is a variety called Nicholas Heyek,
0:03:04 > 0:03:09which had a slightly creamy cast
0:03:09 > 0:03:11but were fundamentally white.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13Really good tulip.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23It's important to look after these tulips
0:03:23 > 0:03:25to get the best from them next year.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29The best thing that you can do is to keep them warm and dry.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34They come from very shaley hillsides with baking sun,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37and you need to replicate that - above 20 degrees, if you can.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42Now, you'll see in here there are a number of different bulb sizes,
0:03:42 > 0:03:48and we got an e-mail from Kathleen Brassington - I've got it here -
0:03:48 > 0:03:52who asks whether she can grow on her small bulbs.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54"How should I keep, look after or store them
0:03:54 > 0:03:57"so they grow big enough to produce flowers?"
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Well, like this, Kathleen.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01When they've dried out, separate them out,
0:04:01 > 0:04:03so you can see that this big bulb here
0:04:03 > 0:04:08is going to be your main flower for next year.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Put the smaller ones into pots, label them
0:04:11 > 0:04:13and grow them on in a sunny place next year,
0:04:13 > 0:04:15taking off the flower heads as they come.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19And then after about three years - it can take that long -
0:04:19 > 0:04:22they will bulk out and produce really strong flowers
0:04:22 > 0:04:24that you can use that bulb and plant it where you like.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32Now, the tulips gave a really dramatic display,
0:04:32 > 0:04:34but if you've got a big pot like this, you need drama.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37And what I've got here is certainly going to do that.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40This is a tray of annual climbers.
0:04:40 > 0:04:41They're tender,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44but they will give a really good show later on in summer.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46I've got two types.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50We've got Ipomoea 'Morning Glory'.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Now, this flowers for early in the morning,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55they last till the afternoon, then the flowers die.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59Next day, it does it all over again, and it'll do it every day for weeks on end.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04But what I'm going to use for this pot is this -
0:05:04 > 0:05:07it's Cobaea scandens, the cup and saucer plant.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10It has beautiful flowers.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12They start out white and green, and then as they age,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15they turn a sort of mauvey purple.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Very dramatic -
0:05:17 > 0:05:19and will grow to 20 feet tall,
0:05:19 > 0:05:21from seeds sown in March or April,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24and then they hit their flowering stride in August,
0:05:24 > 0:05:26right through to the first frost.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30They like a slightly more moisture retentive soil than the tulip,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32so I want to swap the soil around a little.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51A little bit more out.
0:05:53 > 0:05:54There we go.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Now, this is sieved garden compost.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Annuals do all their work in one go, so they need food.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15So, the best start we can give 'em, the best display we'll get.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39Now, I've put six canes in to give it a bit of structural strength.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43But in fact, I'll only put in three plants and that'll be plenty.
0:06:43 > 0:06:44One plant would do the job.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47But I'm going for overkill because I want maximum effect
0:06:47 > 0:06:49AND because I've got the plants.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53Packet of seeds gave me about 20, so I'll have some spare.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57And I'm going to bring some along to Gardeners' World Live for the Living Wall.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59That will have three aspects.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01There'll be sunny, shade and a wildlife aspect.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05So, if you've got any plant that would fit that bill,
0:07:05 > 0:07:08and practically every plant does, then bring it along.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Got some spares, bring 'em along to Gardeners' World Live
0:07:11 > 0:07:13and then we can add them to the Living Wall
0:07:13 > 0:07:17and we'll build up this fantastic vertical garden.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Right, my vertical gardening is about to be fantastic.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37I will keep that well watered, giving it a good soak
0:07:37 > 0:07:40at least once a week, and if it's very hot, almost daily.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44And then by late summer, it should be smothered with leaf
0:07:44 > 0:07:46and, of course, those fabulous flowers.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50I grew these from seed, but you can take cuttings in late summer,
0:07:50 > 0:07:52and then overwinter those,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55so I'll probably do that and use that as my stock for next year.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Talking about cuttings, Carol is down at Glebe Cottage,
0:07:58 > 0:08:04answering all your questions on how best to take cuttings at this time of year.
0:08:10 > 0:08:15It's just at this time of year that lots of we gardeners
0:08:15 > 0:08:17think about taking cuttings from our plants,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20and we've had loads of inquiries from viewers.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Miss A Moscrop from Northampton wants to know,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28is it really important what time of year she takes her cuttings,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31and does she put plastic bags over everything?
0:08:31 > 0:08:35And she wants to know about lavender in particular.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38But Colin Stanforth, from Northumberland,
0:08:38 > 0:08:41has made an inquiry that's a bit more specialist.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44He wants to know how you take cuttings of clematis.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54Well, one of the reasons for taking cuttings of plants
0:08:54 > 0:08:56is that you get uniform plants.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01What you're creating is clones. There's some ideal material here.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05Just little, short, stubby shoots
0:09:05 > 0:09:08that are strong and robust.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10And it's got a heel.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13All I've done is actually pulled it from the plant.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16So, if you nip the top out
0:09:16 > 0:09:18to get the cutting to concentrate on making roots,
0:09:18 > 0:09:22rather than spending all that energy going upwards.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26And then just neaten the base of your cutting up,
0:09:26 > 0:09:32and then just gently dibble your cutting in close to the edge.
0:09:32 > 0:09:33Clay pots are porous,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36which means these cuttings are going to drain really well,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40and they need some air in there to take root.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43So, you want nice, gritty compost.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47And then what I'm going to do is dress the whole thing...
0:09:47 > 0:09:48with some grit.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Keep weeds down, keep moisture in.
0:09:53 > 0:09:54That's it.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57I'm going to give it a thorough drenching
0:09:57 > 0:09:59with a fine rose on my watering can.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02But I'm not going to cover it with a plastic bag.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Sometimes that's a good idea with very fleshy leaves,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08to keep the turgidity in the cuttings.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12But with soft-leaved subjects, you're just encouraging rot,
0:10:12 > 0:10:14so leave it alone.
0:10:14 > 0:10:21You can do these sort of cuttings with sages, lavender, rosemaries,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24all those sort of things, and lots of perennials at this time of year.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26But clematis is a bit different.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30In this case, you take your cutting internodally,
0:10:30 > 0:10:34so in-between those two nodes.
0:10:34 > 0:10:39And I'm going to cut it right back to there first of all.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42And then this is the most important piece.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46I'll cut it in-between the nodes
0:10:46 > 0:10:48and we've got two brand-new clematis there.
0:10:49 > 0:10:54I'm just going to plunge that right down in this pot
0:10:54 > 0:10:57until those buds, that join,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00is actually flush with the top of the compost.
0:11:00 > 0:11:01That's really important
0:11:01 > 0:11:04because the cutting will actually start making new roots
0:11:04 > 0:11:08from just below that leaf node.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18It's easy to increase most shrubs at this time of year too.
0:11:18 > 0:11:24This is a beautiful Sambucus, an elder,
0:11:24 > 0:11:25called 'Thundercloud'.
0:11:25 > 0:11:30And it's full of lovely young shoots which are just right for doing this.
0:11:30 > 0:11:35At this time of the year, wood on a shrub like this is quite soft -
0:11:35 > 0:11:38you can bend the whole thing over -
0:11:38 > 0:11:41and people refer to these as softwood cuttings
0:11:41 > 0:11:43or sometimes greenwood cuttings.
0:11:43 > 0:11:48So, all I want to do is snip right under there.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52Big, beautiful cuttings.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54Get them straight into the plastic bag
0:11:54 > 0:11:56so they stay lovely and turgid and fresh.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Cut with a really sharp knife below a leaf node,
0:12:06 > 0:12:11making a cutting a few inches long, and nip out its growing tip.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16A pot this size will accommodate four cuttings comfortably.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21Make holes with your dibber, right up to the edge of the pot.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25Push each cutting in to below the bottom pair of leaves.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29If you can provide bottom heat, it'll root rapidly,
0:12:29 > 0:12:31but if you can't, just water it well
0:12:31 > 0:12:36and make sure it's in a place where it's not in full baking sun.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Well, this is an example
0:12:40 > 0:12:44of what that's going to look like in a year's time.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48These were exactly like that - little short cuttings.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50I'm just going to turn it all over.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Oh... Oh, look at that!
0:12:59 > 0:13:03So, each one of these is going to be its own little shrub.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07So, all that remains to do is to split them up.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11And as long as each one ends up with plenty of root,
0:13:11 > 0:13:13it should establish really well.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17And even though they're in full leaf,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19because they've got such established roots,
0:13:19 > 0:13:25they'll hardly know that they've moved from one pot to another.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29Let them establish in the pots for...oh, a couple of months
0:13:29 > 0:13:33and then you can put them straight out in the garden.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36And next year, you'll be able to take cuttings from them.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40This time of the year, the garden's so bountiful.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44There are so many plants you can take cuttings from,
0:13:44 > 0:13:49whether it's perennials, sub-shrubs, shrubs themselves, or climbers.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51And it's so satisfying when you see
0:13:51 > 0:13:54those little roots coming out of the bottom of the pot
0:13:54 > 0:13:57and you know that your cuttings have been successful.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16I like the way the Jewel Garden is looking.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19It's got real pizzazz and zing to it,
0:14:19 > 0:14:24and yet still the colours are sumptuous and full and elegant.
0:14:24 > 0:14:25And at this time of year,
0:14:25 > 0:14:29this is where the famous Chelsea chop comes in.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Now it's called the Chelsea chop because the chopping
0:14:32 > 0:14:37happens after Chelsea Flower Show which is always the end of May.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41The Chelsea chop is pruning in order to extend the flowering period
0:14:41 > 0:14:43of certain herbaceous plants, for example,
0:14:43 > 0:14:47this Lysimachia, this is Lysimachia ciliata 'Firecracker'.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49It has lovely chocolate leaves and then they have
0:14:49 > 0:14:54small yellow flowers and they appear round about July
0:14:54 > 0:14:56and will last for a month to six weeks.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59but if I cut it back or parts of it back,
0:14:59 > 0:15:04I can stagger that flowering. That applies to any of the late-flowering herbaceous perennials.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07If you cut some of them back now,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10you stagger the flowering and make it last much longer.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Now, of course, there are different ways of doing that.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17If you've got a big clump like this, you can cut parts of it back.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21so what I could do is take this area here,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23and just cut it in half.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Cut across...
0:15:27 > 0:15:32..and take handfuls and I'm just reducing it by half its height.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38It's going to stimulate more side shoots.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41Those side shoots will have flowers,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44so there'll be lots of flowers but they'll take time to bud up.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48So, when those are flowering, those buds won't yet be open,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51but when those are dying down,
0:15:51 > 0:15:53these will start to flower and that will grow up,
0:15:53 > 0:15:57so immediately I've just got a bit of rhythm and extended the work.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Now what I could do, if I wanted to go even further,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02is go across to this side,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05and cut it harder, right down to the ground.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11Now immediately this one clump has got three phases,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13three phases of flowering.
0:16:17 > 0:16:22Now by cutting the Lysimachia back, I've revealed the Helenium,
0:16:22 > 0:16:24so I can see that more clearly.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28Heleniums are a very good subject for the Chelsea chop.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30You can see this is growing nicely
0:16:30 > 0:16:32and will grow up to about this height,
0:16:32 > 0:16:34but if I was just to take a little bit out,
0:16:34 > 0:16:38that will stagger it cos I've got other Heleniums in this area.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41I don't need to worry about where I cut, just take a handful,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44and just trim off the top, like that.
0:16:44 > 0:16:45I'll get more flowers as a result
0:16:45 > 0:16:48but they'll come a week or two later..
0:16:49 > 0:16:54..and you could do this just as easily with sedums, with phlox,
0:16:54 > 0:16:56with Echinacea.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Any of the late-flowering herbaceous perennials
0:16:59 > 0:17:01will respond well to this type of treatment.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Now the biggest event this season, if not this year,
0:17:19 > 0:17:23was the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and whilst we all shared in it,
0:17:23 > 0:17:28Rachel took an active role because she designed the floral display
0:17:28 > 0:17:31on the Queen's barge in the flotilla last weekend.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35We followed her progress as she prepared for the big day.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41This is, without doubt, one of the most exciting,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44but also most daunting projects I've ever tackled.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Certainly for the last seven-and-a-half months
0:17:47 > 0:17:53I have been living, breathing, even dreaming about the Queen's barge.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55It's taken over my life completely
0:17:55 > 0:17:58and one thing's for sure, there can be no second chances.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01It's got to be absolutely perfect on the day.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06And at over 200 feet long,
0:18:06 > 0:18:11this barge, called the Spirit of Chartwell, dwarfs these polytunnels.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14With a team of planters and florists,
0:18:14 > 0:18:18I've been in secret to adorn her with over 1,000 plants
0:18:18 > 0:18:20and 90 floral garlands.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24The deck is being embellished with plants and includes those
0:18:24 > 0:18:27that represent the national emblems of the British Isles.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31The side rails are being festooned with vibrant cut flowers.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33At the stern, there'll be
0:18:33 > 0:18:36a traditional knot garden of clipped box.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38'To help bring my designs to life,
0:18:38 > 0:18:42'I've enlisted the help of artist and designer, Kitty Arden.'
0:18:42 > 0:18:47Kitty, it's so nice to see some colour, cos it's been so rainy.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51- Fabulous! So these are the flowers for the garland.- Yes, these are.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54These are English garden roses, very nice and heavily scented
0:18:54 > 0:18:58- and absolutely fabulous.- Which is exactly what we want, isn't it?
0:18:58 > 0:19:01I was initially a bit worried about these being a tiny bit pink,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04but, actually, I think when they, with the peony...
0:19:04 > 0:19:06- It'll make it a little bit darker. - ..it'll work.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08I must say, the garland...
0:19:08 > 0:19:11- because this is one we made for a trial on the river...- Yeah.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13..several weeks ago, and though it's dried to a crisp,
0:19:13 > 0:19:17- it still looks pretty good.- Even dried, it looks fantastic, I think.
0:19:17 > 0:19:18I'm very pleased with that.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Of course, if it rains,
0:19:20 > 0:19:22everything in the garland will thrive in the rain,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24so we're not worried about that at all.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27I'm feeling very positive about this, about this aspect of it.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29I'm going to have a look now and see
0:19:29 > 0:19:31how Mark's getting on with the knot garden.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37Mark Fane, who's renowned for building gold-medal-winning show gardens
0:19:37 > 0:19:40is mocking up the knot garden, here on the nursery,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42before it's moved aboard the barge.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46Dare I say, Mark, I can see a knot garden emerging?
0:19:46 > 0:19:47I think so.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51We were going to leave it until we get it on the boat to clip it,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54- but I think you can get a pretty good feel...- Yeah.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56..for how the shapes are beginning to emerge.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59This is looking good - I'm pleased with that.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02- Excellent.- I'm slightly more concerned about how we're going
0:20:02 > 0:20:04- with the planted beds on the lanterns.- Absolutely.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08- Let's go and have a look at our plants...- I agree with that.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11- ..and rather lack of flowers.- We'll have duck and dive a little bit
0:20:11 > 0:20:15on the plant selection, but we've got lots to choose from.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19- As long as we represent all the different parts of the country, then we'll be fine.- Yeah. OK.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23Well, I'll give you hand and we'll try a few of these things out.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33I think that will work very well, actually.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35I think the height's looking good.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38All we need now is to make sure it's in flower on the day.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41Mark, it WILL be in flower, reassure me!
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Yes, boss!
0:20:43 > 0:20:45You heard it. It's on tape.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53In a secret location, two days before the pageant,
0:20:53 > 0:20:58the Spirit of Chartwell is undergoing its transformation into a royal barge.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03'Since last autumn, a dedicated team of artists and craftsmen
0:21:03 > 0:21:07'have been working towards making it the centrepiece
0:21:07 > 0:21:09'of a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.'
0:21:09 > 0:21:13It's so exciting, the adrenaline's really pumping,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17and I think we all feel it's coming along now, we're getting there.
0:21:17 > 0:21:22I think if we have got enough, we could put them a smidgeon closer.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26'Thankfully, all the flowers are in bloom,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28'and Kitty Arden and her army of florists
0:21:28 > 0:21:31'have been working round the clock
0:21:31 > 0:21:34'to make up the garlands and the other floral arrangements.'
0:21:36 > 0:21:40We've stuck to these colours of the rich red, with the peonies,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44and coming through into the roses - this one is called Munstead Wood.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50We've got lots of lavender, so we've got fragrance.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53I really wanted it to be perfume for the Queen when she's on board.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56We've got achillea here, which just brightens everything up.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00'The plants are being glued down to stop them moving at all
0:22:00 > 0:22:02'while the boat is in transit.'
0:22:02 > 0:22:04The Thames is an aggressive river.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08I'm not going to watch on television one of our roses just keel over.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Then we've got the two thrones here
0:22:11 > 0:22:14for the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
0:22:14 > 0:22:15I'll do a bit of snipping later,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18just to make sure there aren't any stray bits
0:22:18 > 0:22:21that are peeking out behind people's heads.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24I think it needs to come down a little bit.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27That's it, a little bit more.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29- Down a bit?- Come and have a look.
0:22:29 > 0:22:30It looks really fantastic.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33One thing's for certain,
0:22:33 > 0:22:37the eyes of the world are going to be on this royal barge
0:22:37 > 0:22:41when we come to the pageant and it's incredibly exciting.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44It's also been a labour of love for so many people.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47It's a really huge team dedicated to make this happen.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49I'm honoured to be one of them.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55'The Royal Standard being raised to show the presence
0:22:55 > 0:22:57'of the Queen.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02'The Duke of Cambridge accompanied by Michael Lockett,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05'inspecting the floral arrangements,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07'on the royal barge -
0:23:07 > 0:23:09'all designed by Rachel de Thame.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11'And aren't they beautiful?'
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Well, it was certainly worth all the effort,
0:23:24 > 0:23:28because it would not only have been enjoyed by Her Majesty
0:23:28 > 0:23:32and everybody present on the day but millions around the world, so really well done.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Now, not nearly in the same class is my top veg, but I'm pleased with it.
0:23:36 > 0:23:37It's developing.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Now certain things inevitably happen beyond your control.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42That's not a bad thing, so, for example,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45the parsley, which is biennial, is desperate to go to seed.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Keep nipping it off, but actually that's had its day,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50and I'll dig that out in a few days' time
0:23:50 > 0:23:52and replace it with new seed.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Talk about going to seed, the garlic here is going to seed,
0:23:56 > 0:23:58along with all the onion crops
0:23:58 > 0:24:00and I notice other people have got the same problem.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02It is a bit of a problem.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05You can see here seed heads forming on these shallots
0:24:05 > 0:24:07and that's because we had such a wet April,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11followed by such a hot, dry period in May
0:24:11 > 0:24:14and that irregularity of water supply has made it
0:24:14 > 0:24:18put its energy into producing seed and if you leave it,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21it means that the bulb won't form so well,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23so it's a good idea to take them off.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24That's simple enough -
0:24:24 > 0:24:28just literally take off the top, like that.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33The leaves of the potatoes are fine and they've come up through the earthing up.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36By the way, a little tip about potatoes
0:24:36 > 0:24:39don't waste time watering them until the flowers form,
0:24:39 > 0:24:41when there's a decent show of flowers,
0:24:41 > 0:24:42give them a really good soak
0:24:42 > 0:24:45because the energy will go into forming tubers,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48whereas at the moment, it will just go into forming more foliage.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53Broad beans, in flower, they will form beans very quickly.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57Now I've got one side of runner beans, 'Scarlet Lady',
0:24:57 > 0:25:00which I grew in pots and planted out
0:25:00 > 0:25:02and the other side...not,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06and the truth of that is that quite a few of my seeds I sowed in pots didn't germinate.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Now it's not too late to sow
0:25:10 > 0:25:15any climbing bean or any tender bean, for that matter, directly.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Doesn't matter if you don't have plants, they'll catch up.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21The soil should be nice and warm and they will grow fast.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24It is a temptation always,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26with any tender plant,
0:25:26 > 0:25:28to somehow feel you've got to get ahead
0:25:28 > 0:25:30and you've got to be early.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33It's to be resisted. Much better to make use of the back end,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36as they say, the warm weather we get in October
0:25:36 > 0:25:41than risk the chilly weather that we often get at the end of May
0:25:41 > 0:25:42or even the beginning of June.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44So I'm not to worry about this.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Now those are 'Scarlet Lady'.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49I'm going to put in here 'White Lady' and that should up.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51So just loosen the soil off a bit
0:25:51 > 0:25:55and there's plenty of muck in there that I put, so once they get going,
0:25:55 > 0:26:00they'll have a good feed and two seeds to each station.
0:26:00 > 0:26:01So one...
0:26:03 > 0:26:04..two,
0:26:04 > 0:26:09and then I'll weed out the weakest of the two.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11The great thing to remember about growing runner beans
0:26:11 > 0:26:14is that they like moisture, particularly at their roots,
0:26:14 > 0:26:17so always add plenty of organic material
0:26:17 > 0:26:20in a trench under their feet, so the roots can get down in there
0:26:20 > 0:26:23and that will hold the moisture to feed them
0:26:23 > 0:26:25and if you are watering your vegetables,
0:26:25 > 0:26:26make sure they get it first.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Now that's only a small job,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31but it's done and here are some more you can do this weekend.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39The beginning of June is the best time
0:26:39 > 0:26:42to trim any box hedges or topiary.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45This will give any new growth a chance to harden off
0:26:45 > 0:26:49before the earliest possible frost
0:26:49 > 0:26:52as well keeping your garden looking really trim
0:26:52 > 0:26:53all summer long.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Now is the time to prune Group 1 clematis,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02such as clematis Montana, Armandia, alpina,
0:27:02 > 0:27:04or as I'm doing here, macropetala.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06There's no special way to prune them -
0:27:06 > 0:27:08shears will do the job fine.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Just tidy them up to suit the space that you have and the new wood
0:27:12 > 0:27:14will ripen and produce next year's flowers.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22Squashes and pumpkins look good and taste delicious,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24but they do need a lot of room and sunshine
0:27:24 > 0:27:26to grow successfully,
0:27:26 > 0:27:29however they can be grown in a container if it's big enough.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33Also make sure the compost is really rich -
0:27:33 > 0:27:37rotted manure or garden compost is almost essential.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Choose a variety that doesn't grow too big,
0:27:39 > 0:27:41and then give it room
0:27:41 > 0:27:44either to spill over the container and spread on the ground
0:27:44 > 0:27:46or support behind it.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04I've got celery and celeriac here -
0:28:04 > 0:28:07both of which are to be planted out now.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13I don't know why celeriac has never caught the popular British imagination.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16On the continent, it's grown and eaten everywhere.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20It has all the flavour of celery and the advantages for cooking of a root vegetable.
0:28:20 > 0:28:26Now next Friday, we're Gardeners' World Live at the NEC in Birmingham
0:28:26 > 0:28:28and I'll be there with Carol, Joe and Rachel,
0:28:28 > 0:28:32so come along, enjoy the show and see us.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35So see you then. Bye-bye.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd