0:00:12 > 0:00:14Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Now, at this time of year,
0:00:16 > 0:00:19even though it's been a long time coming,
0:00:19 > 0:00:23that combination of heat and flowers in their prime
0:00:23 > 0:00:25is perfect to create lovely scent,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28and tonight's programme is just filled with fragrance.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30I'll be making an area in the walled garden
0:00:30 > 0:00:33to maximise the possibilities of scent.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37Carol goes in search of the scent of roses, both in the wild
0:00:37 > 0:00:40and in the collection at Dutton Hall in Lancashire.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Isn't this just magnificent?
0:00:43 > 0:00:48And the scent is light and apple-like. Delicious.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53Rachel is visiting the RHS garden at Harlow Carr
0:00:53 > 0:00:56to see their fabulous display of aromatic plants,
0:00:56 > 0:00:59and the incredible collection of sweet peas.
0:00:59 > 0:01:00And I'll be propagating herbs
0:01:00 > 0:01:02in the herb garden here at Long Meadow.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24This is our herb garden,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27which we've used for years in a very basic way,
0:01:27 > 0:01:29just growing enough herbs for the kitchen.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31But we revamped it last year.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34And to be honest, out of all the garden,
0:01:34 > 0:01:38this has probably suffered most for the rain that we had,
0:01:38 > 0:01:40because Mediterranean herbs in particular
0:01:40 > 0:01:42really don't like hot, wet weather.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45They're just not designed to cope with it.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48They like baking sun and really good drainage and quite poor soil.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51One of the problems of too lush conditions
0:01:51 > 0:01:55is that they get incredibly lanky, and you can see how in here.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57This is a disgrace, I admit it.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00As a herb garden, this has not worked out.
0:02:00 > 0:02:01You can see how this marjoram -
0:02:01 > 0:02:03marjoram and oregano are the same plant -
0:02:03 > 0:02:05has grown incredibly lanky,
0:02:05 > 0:02:09and shaded out the thyme, which has died back.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13A little bit of growth on that. But thyme hates shade of any kind.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17Another one lost here. Disastrous, really.
0:02:17 > 0:02:22Even this rosemary has got this classic dieback.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Rosemary hates having wet roots.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29Now, I'm going to cut back in here and take some cuttings
0:02:29 > 0:02:31to give me fresh stock, which I'm then going to plant
0:02:31 > 0:02:34elsewhere in the garden, where it has a better chance.
0:02:42 > 0:02:47Marjoram will regrow perfectly well. I love marjoram.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51It's great chopped up in a tomato sauce.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54You can add it, really, to flavour anything.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56It's got that particular...
0:02:57 > 0:03:01..hot oiliness, and it's that oil that we love.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03You need sun to bring the oils out.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06I like to leave the fennel,
0:03:06 > 0:03:10because the seeds are really the bit that I like to harvest most.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Fennel seeds, either on their own,
0:03:12 > 0:03:15a nice aniseedy taste that you can just munch,
0:03:15 > 0:03:19or else with pork of any kind, are absolutely fantastic.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23And of course, you can add the foliage to fish.
0:03:23 > 0:03:29It's got that particular... aniseedy taste and fragrance.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33But they're magnificent plants too. Absolutely lovely.
0:03:33 > 0:03:38Now, there are a number of ways of growing many of these herbs.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41And now is the perfect time to take cuttings.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43First of all, you need to find a healthy plant.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45I've put some in a planter here,
0:03:45 > 0:03:48and deliberately mainly filled it with grit.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52And they're fine, growing perfectly happily in the right conditions,
0:03:52 > 0:03:54so that's a good starting point.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57The second thing to look for is a nice,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00upright stem that is not flowering.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03What we need to do is hunt. There we are.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07That's a non-flowering stem, so we'll take that.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Always put cuttings straight into a bag,
0:04:15 > 0:04:19and the chances of them taking are increased hugely.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21That's all really good cuttings material.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23Get down the bottom, cut that off.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27It looks fairly flimsy, but that's all right.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29That will root perfectly well.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31And herbs at this time of year
0:04:31 > 0:04:34have got fresh new growth that's slightly hardened off,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36so they're semi-ripe cuttings.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40And this is the perfect time to propagate from thyme,
0:04:40 > 0:04:47rosemary, sage, any of these Mediterranean, slightly woody herbs.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50Do it now, and you'll have a good set of plants next year.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14On a day like today, where it's warm, speed is of the essence.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Hence the importance of the bag to stop evaporation.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Essentially, all cuttings
0:05:22 > 0:05:26need the growing tip, some leaves and some stem, and that's it.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30The first thing to do is cut it down to size a bit.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33You do need a sharp knife,
0:05:33 > 0:05:38and a nice, flat surface, and make your cut just below a leaf node.
0:05:38 > 0:05:43So in this case, we can go there, and just cut.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46And then carefully strip off some leaves.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48Not too violently, because that will tear it
0:05:48 > 0:05:50and then you get wounds.
0:05:50 > 0:05:51That's fine.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57We need to put that into a potting mix that is really well drained.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59I've added lots of perlite. Grit will do just as well.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02I just happened to have some perlite spare.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05And then put it in at the edge of the pot.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08That's not critical, but it does seem to help.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10I think it's to do with drying out.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14The plastic pot stops it drying out so much.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16You can go right round the edge.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20I'm burying it about three-quarters of the way
0:06:20 > 0:06:23down the length of the stem.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28Right, I want to get these under cover. A quick label.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Water them lightly, and then I'm going to put them
0:06:30 > 0:06:34under my mist propagator, but you do need to spray them.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37If you don't have a mist propagator or even a mini propagator,
0:06:37 > 0:06:40put them in a polythene bag.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43If you put the polythene bag over the top, remember,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46if you put it over like this, if I can find the hole,
0:06:46 > 0:06:50you put the polythene bag over the top and support it
0:06:50 > 0:06:51so it's not collapsing on it.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53And then every day, turn it round,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55so you don't get a build-up of condensation,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59which will rot the plants. But if nothing else,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01just keep spraying it with a mist sprayer of water
0:07:01 > 0:07:03two or three times a day,
0:07:03 > 0:07:05and that will go a long way to stop it dying off.
0:07:05 > 0:07:06Right, let's get it in now.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23Well, Mediterranean plants have had a tough year so far.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Making more should set me up to do better next year.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29But some herbs have had a really good time,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31and none have done better than mint.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37We've got various mints around the garden,
0:07:37 > 0:07:41but you can see that this Moroccan mint is loving it.
0:07:41 > 0:07:42This, of course,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45is the mint they make the delicious tea out of in North Africa.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47We've got Eau-de-Cologne mint there, and in other places
0:07:47 > 0:07:51we've got apple mint, spearmint and peppermint, all of them
0:07:51 > 0:07:55really happy in this wet, lush weather that we've been having.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59These are actually planted in pots and sunk in the ground,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01because if mint takes root,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03it can take over, and it's difficult to get rid of.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06However, for all its robustness,
0:08:06 > 0:08:10there is a potential problem for garden mint.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13We went along to RHS Wisley to find out more about it.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23The beetle is 7mm in length. It's a shiny, dark blue colour.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25You're likely to find it on mint plants,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28either possibly on the upper surface of the leaf,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31or more likely feeding or hiding underneath the leaf.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33In the worst-case scenario,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36it is a pest which will cause noticeable damage,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40to the extent that people may have to take control measures against it.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42What you're looking for is holes in the leaves.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47It was recorded for the first time as a breeding beetle in Britain
0:08:47 > 0:08:51from a garden in Newington in Kent in July of last year.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57As far as we know, this is a specific pest of mint plants,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00i.e. mint, the species, both wild and cultivated ones.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04We don't think it will feed on anything else in gardens.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07The blue mint beetle has a typical life-cycle for beetles.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09The females will lay eggs.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12Those eggs hatch out into soft-bodied larva,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16rather globular appearance, with a black head and a blackish-grey body.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18And the larvae, like the adult beetles,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21will feed on the foliage of mint plants.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26In Britain, we now have two species of mint beetle.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29There's the green mint beetle, which is native to Britain.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32It's not a major pest of mint in gardens.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34It's perhaps more common on wild mint
0:09:34 > 0:09:37growing alongside rivers, lakes and so on.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Whether or not the blue mint beetle is going to be worse,
0:09:40 > 0:09:42we don't know yet. It's still early days.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45We're still waiting to see whether or not it will spread,
0:09:45 > 0:09:49and if it does spread, how abundant it becomes on garden mint plants.
0:09:50 > 0:09:51How you tackle this pest
0:09:51 > 0:09:55depends partly on how big a clump of mint you've got.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58If it's a small clump, it's feasible just to search the plant,
0:09:58 > 0:10:00pick off the adults and larvae as you find them,
0:10:00 > 0:10:02and that will keep the damage down to a low level.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05If you need to use a pesticide,
0:10:05 > 0:10:09there is an organic chemical called pyrethrum, which you can use.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12That should be reasonably effective against the larvae,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15but maybe less so against the adult beetles.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19There are also synthetic pesticides, which are approved for use on mint
0:10:19 > 0:10:24and these include chemicals like lambda-cyhalothrin and deltamethrin.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26At the moment, we still don't know
0:10:26 > 0:10:29how big a problem blue mint beetle is going to be.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31So this is where the public can help us.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34They can send us records, and this will give us
0:10:34 > 0:10:37a better impression of what is happening with this insect.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46If you think you've got blue mint beetle,
0:10:46 > 0:10:47you can contact the RHS via our website.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Now, there's plenty to do in the garden
0:10:49 > 0:10:52without worrying about pests and diseases.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Here are some jobs to get on with this weekend.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03My lavender has had a miserable time of it so far this wet summer.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07However, by cutting lavender back now, you rejuvenate it
0:11:07 > 0:11:12and give it a chance to perform again before summer is out.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16Be careful not to cut back into last season's wood,
0:11:16 > 0:11:17because there's a risk of dieback.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Just leave a little bit of this year's growth.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29I suspect, like me, that you've got out of the habit of watering.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34But don't overlook regular watering of containers.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37The plants are full-grown. They're doing a lot of work
0:11:37 > 0:11:39and making huge demands on their roots,
0:11:39 > 0:11:43so make sure they have a good water at least once a week,
0:11:43 > 0:11:44even if the weather is wet.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Parsley is an invaluable herb
0:11:53 > 0:11:56that you can grow and eat all year round.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58If you sow some seeds now,
0:11:58 > 0:12:02you'll provide yourself plants to take you right through winter.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04You can sow them direct outside,
0:12:04 > 0:12:06but I prefer to sow them in a seed tray or plugs,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09raise individual seedlings so that they're strong
0:12:09 > 0:12:13and healthy, and then plant them out in about six weeks' time.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32A job that I tackle at this time of year, every year,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34is pruning back these espalier pears.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37Now, the point is
0:12:37 > 0:12:40that all restricted forms of apples and pears,
0:12:40 > 0:12:42whether they're espaliers, cordons, fans,
0:12:42 > 0:12:47or just bush or dwarf trees, need summer pruning,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50and this is to hold their form.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52If you prune in summer, it restricts growth.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Prune in winter, and it encourages growth.
0:12:57 > 0:12:58So if you want espaliers,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01it's something you have to do regularly.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07At this time of year, it's not all about being busy in the garden.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11It's time to have some fun too, and visiting other gardens
0:13:11 > 0:13:14is both really enjoyable and also very informative.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Rachel's gone up to RHS Harlow Carr,
0:13:17 > 0:13:21where they have a fabulous collection of aromatic plants
0:13:21 > 0:13:23and really good sweet peas.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34When I arrived early this morning, these philadelphus,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37or mock orange, were already pumping out the perfume.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39You knew that it was there before you reached it.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43As you see, this is a very large double-flowered variety,
0:13:43 > 0:13:45and I think this is the best place for it,
0:13:45 > 0:13:47somewhere towards the back of the border,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50because you don't need to be up close in order to get that fragrance.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52When it finishes flowering,
0:13:52 > 0:13:54those stems can be a bit ungainly.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56The leaf isn't terribly interesting.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59So you could grow something like a Clematis viticella through it
0:13:59 > 0:14:01to give you a second season of interest.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08I grow this rose in my own garden, where it gets much taller,
0:14:08 > 0:14:12but depending on how you prune and how open the situation is,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16you can keep it low and then it's a perfect partner for lavender,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19also an essential for summer fragrance.
0:14:19 > 0:14:20This one is called Peter Pan.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22It's nice and low-growing,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25which makes it a perfect edging for the front of a border.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Here at RHS Garden Harlow Carr,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32sweet peas are integral to the summer display.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35I met up with curator Elizabeth Balmforth
0:14:35 > 0:14:37to get some real tips from the top.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Even in a bad year, this hasn't been a great year for sweet peas,
0:14:43 > 0:14:44and look at them - beautiful.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47We have had a particularly good year where others have struggled.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52In terms of the cultivation of sweet peas,
0:14:52 > 0:14:54the soil is probably the most important aspect,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57because if you imagine all of that top growth they put on
0:14:57 > 0:15:00during the season and the amount of flower they're going to produce,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02they really need to get their roots down.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05An open structure is what they desire most.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08As long as you can keep it moist through the season,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10it's really important.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13I love these soft, pastel colours
0:15:13 > 0:15:15but this one at the end,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17it's drawing me to it.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21It's the colour, almost, of an old lady's lipstick.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26I don't mean that in a bad way but it's got that punchy red.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30- You're telling me that's not in your make-up bag?!- No, it's not!
0:15:30 > 0:15:32I know exactly what you mean!
0:15:32 > 0:15:33Yeah, it's beautiful.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36That's one called Restormel.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Actually, the scent is pretty good on that.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52One of the best things about sweet peas is you should pick them often
0:15:52 > 0:15:54so that you get more of them.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56Yes, exactly.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58It always evokes memories of childhood.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01I used to go out and pick with my mum.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06I'd bring them in and the pine kitchen table, which was clean,
0:16:06 > 0:16:08was full of pollen beetle!
0:16:08 > 0:16:09THEY LAUGH
0:16:09 > 0:16:13But the real trick is to put them in a shed before you bring them in.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17They'll migrate towards the light and you'll be clear of pollen beetle
0:16:17 > 0:16:22and can sit at your table and the scent will waft around the room.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24You get all the fragrance and not the beetles inside.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27This is a lovely variety.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30Again, another small flower and not very frilly,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33in fact, not frilled at all.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36- You're a lover of the Grandiflora as well.- I might be.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38This is the way I'm leaning.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54You can grow dwarf sweet peas in a container like this one.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56This is the Cupid Series.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58It makes that blend of purples and pinks,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01which means you can enjoy that wonderful fragrance
0:17:01 > 0:17:05so quintessentially part of a summer garden,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07not only in a place the size of Harlow Carr
0:17:07 > 0:17:09but in the smallest plot.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22I like my sweet peas to be as tall as possible.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25There's something about the height they have.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27The crucial thing is that they're fragrant.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31That perfect scent is an integral part of the whole flower.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Scent is what I want to get into this area.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36This is where we sit.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40The sun quite neatly divides into morning sun here,
0:17:40 > 0:17:42so it's great for an early-morning cup of tea in the sunshine
0:17:42 > 0:17:45and then, from lunchtime onwards, it's in shade.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49On this side, you get the afternoon and evening sun
0:17:49 > 0:17:52and you can sit and lap it up.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Wherever you have stone, you'll always have
0:17:55 > 0:17:59the potential for more heat and more fragrance
0:17:59 > 0:18:00because the heat bounces off the stone,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02heats up the oils in the plants
0:18:02 > 0:18:04and somehow the scent gets caught.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08You want to create the most fragrant parts of the garden where you sit.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11That could be more than one place but you want to
0:18:11 > 0:18:14really pack the scent around seats.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Far better to have one area
0:18:17 > 0:18:20that is really rich with fragrance
0:18:20 > 0:18:22than just dots all over the garden.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25That's what I'm trying to do here. We've had lilies,
0:18:25 > 0:18:28we've got scented-leaf geraniums and these are all fantastic
0:18:28 > 0:18:31but I wanted a bit more, particularly to go on into autumn.
0:18:31 > 0:18:32I've got some climbers here.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36This is Trachelospermum jasminoides.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39I've never grown this before. I've often admired it
0:18:39 > 0:18:42in other people's gardens and love the fragrance.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45When it's in full glory, it can cover a wall,
0:18:45 > 0:18:46this mass of flower that repeats.
0:18:46 > 0:18:52It's a little tender but if I put it here,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54where the figs were,
0:18:54 > 0:18:59it's going to get full sun, perfect south-facing sunny walls.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01I've got a slightly hardier jasmine.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04For some reason, I've not grown a jasmine in this garden.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06I've had it in previous gardens.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08We all love jasmine.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10It's familiar because it's used in various things.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14It's on the edge of being cloying but the right side -
0:19:14 > 0:19:16rich and strong and seductive.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20Before I plant, I'm going to add some grit.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22As a rule of thumb, you'll never go wrong improving the drainage
0:19:22 > 0:19:26for any plant that loves being baked in sunshine.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29As an example, we've got some marjoram
0:19:29 > 0:19:31growing out of the wall.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34You think of the marjoram in the herb garden we saw
0:19:34 > 0:19:36that was growing lank and falling all over the place.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39This has got pure lime.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41There's no soil of any sort in there at all
0:19:41 > 0:19:43and it's completely upright and happy.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46That's a pretty good clue for what it likes.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Right.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02When I plant a border, I'm thinking about all the colours.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04I'm thinking about the relationship between colours,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06the effect of colours.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08I guess we should do that with scents as well.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11What will scents work like with each other?
0:20:11 > 0:20:13What effect do they have on us?
0:20:13 > 0:20:18I'm wondering if we ought to be working the mix of scents
0:20:18 > 0:20:21with the same skill that we work our colours
0:20:21 > 0:20:23rather than just bunging them in.
0:20:37 > 0:20:43What I'm constructing here is a highly artificial exercise in scent.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45There's nothing wrong with that - that's what we do in our gardens.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48We create an environment, fine-tuning it,
0:20:48 > 0:20:53tweaking it to make it exactly as WE want for us.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55Carol has been in search of a scent
0:20:55 > 0:20:58that couldn't be more natural.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10BIRDSONG
0:21:13 > 0:21:17Roses are amongst the most romantic and iconic of plants.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20For centuries, they've been seducing gardeners
0:21:20 > 0:21:23with their heady scents and their sumptuous petals.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27They come from all over the northern hemisphere
0:21:27 > 0:21:31but the rose that we hold close to our hearts
0:21:31 > 0:21:33is our own wild rose.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43There are a handful of species in the British Isles
0:21:43 > 0:21:47but the most widespread and the most familiar
0:21:47 > 0:21:50is our dog rose, Rosa canina.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54It spreads itself along hedges, scrambling all over the place,
0:21:54 > 0:21:56and if it meets a tree,
0:21:56 > 0:21:59off it goes, descending into its branches.
0:21:59 > 0:22:05It's these simple, single flowers, which are so emblematic.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09It is the national flower of England.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18This is the red rose county of Lancashire.
0:22:19 > 0:22:24Standing at the top of a picturesque Ribble Valley is Dutton Hall,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27a 17th century manor whose garden is filled with
0:22:27 > 0:22:30over 200 different species of roses.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34Rich in colour and heady with scent.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38And this is the red rose of Lancaster,
0:22:38 > 0:22:41otherwise known as the apothecary's rose
0:22:41 > 0:22:45because it was used hugely medicinally and herbally
0:22:45 > 0:22:50probably in many cases just to disguise some of the bad smells
0:22:50 > 0:22:52that were around at that time.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55It has the most beautiful perfume.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59It's robust, strong, has lovely foliage.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03If you're into white roses,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06then I suppose you could go for the white rose of York
0:23:06 > 0:23:09but it's tall, gangly in comparison.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11Just doesn't have that scent.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13I know which one I'd choose.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Roses come in all shapes, sizes and scents.
0:23:18 > 0:23:23Away from the geometric formality of the front terrace of Dutton Hall,
0:23:23 > 0:23:27the roses have been left to relax into their surroundings.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Isn't this just magnificent?
0:23:31 > 0:23:37This is Rosa 'Betty Sherriff'. It's got big, open, loose clusters
0:23:37 > 0:23:39of single flowers.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44It's the same simple flower formation as our dog rose.
0:23:44 > 0:23:49The roses themselves, opening from little pink buds,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52pink at first and then fading to white.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57You get this great cascade of bloom.
0:23:57 > 0:24:02The scent is light and apple-like, delicious.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Both that and the fact that these flowers are so open,
0:24:05 > 0:24:09they're drawing in the insects from all around.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16The garden has been created by Cathryn Perry.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20The ramblers are brilliant at scrambling where they want to.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Judging by the roses she has here,
0:24:23 > 0:24:27she has a fondness for the older and more aromatic varieties.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30I used to grow roses commercially.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37Just some of these were budded in the ground and never lifted.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40- So you've left them?- I've left them.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43And them made a garden around them.
0:24:43 > 0:24:48What in particular is it that attracted you to roses so much?
0:24:48 > 0:24:53As a child, we had more modern roses in the garden.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57I had not come across the old-fashioned ones.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Then when I did, looking at other people's gardens,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03I realised that there were all these roses
0:25:03 > 0:25:05that were far from stiff and rigid
0:25:05 > 0:25:07and pointed buds.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09There were these big, flat flowers, there were single,
0:25:09 > 0:25:11there were giant single ones.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13It's so varied.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19Old roses are so much more refined and subtle.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27When I first moved to Glebe Cottage, one of my burning ambitions
0:25:27 > 0:25:31was to grow old roses and in particular, this one.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33This is Rosa alba 'Celeste'.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36I'd read all about it, the beauty of its flowers,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39the perfection of its buds.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42The sort of shape that you feel
0:25:42 > 0:25:46the people who have bred hybrid teas have been trying to attain.
0:25:47 > 0:25:52All alba roses have really tough foliage
0:25:52 > 0:25:54and they're really disease resistant.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01As for the scent, it's beyond words.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Just a few weeks ago, I harvested my first new potatoes from here,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24everything looked great.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28Now look at it. It's been afflicted by blight.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31You can see these chocolate spots appear on the leaves
0:26:31 > 0:26:36and then, in a matter of days, the whole thing is withered.
0:26:36 > 0:26:42Blight is a fungal infection. You need high humidity and heat.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44We've had JUST that. It's common across the country.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46I'm getting stories of people getting it.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50The thing to do is to remove all the foliage
0:26:50 > 0:26:53and dig up potatoes, dry them out, and then eat them.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56They'll be good to eat but they may not store very well.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00Once you've removed the foliage, it is best to burn it if you can.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03Otherwise, take it to your local green waste collection
0:27:03 > 0:27:04for them to dispose of.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Don't grow potatoes in here next year.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10But you wouldn't want to because of the natural rotation.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14If the weather is dry, you can leave the potatoes in the ground
0:27:14 > 0:27:15for up to a week.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18But it's probably a good idea to get them out
0:27:18 > 0:27:19as quickly as possible.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Before I do that, though, I want to show you another kind of blight
0:27:22 > 0:27:24that's a bit more serious.
0:27:29 > 0:27:30Now look at this.
0:27:32 > 0:27:38Here we have one, two, three, four patches of box blight.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40There are two types of box blight.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44There's Cylindrocladium buxicola and Volutella buxi.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46But the net effect is the same.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49The plant collapses in on itself and dies back.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53Once it's here, it's unlikely to disappear very quickly.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56You can't spray specifically for it,
0:27:56 > 0:27:57even if you want to.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01Your best bet is to clean it all out and leave it. Don't feed it
0:28:01 > 0:28:05because all you're doing is getting soft growth that is more prone.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09If you've had blight, I'd be interested to hear from you.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Box blight is one of those things we are all learning about
0:28:12 > 0:28:14all the time.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16However, first job I'm going to do,
0:28:16 > 0:28:20is cut out all the material, pick up every scrap of stuff
0:28:20 > 0:28:23and disinfect my secateurs.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27Hopefully, it doesn't spread. But it's not all doom and gloom.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30There's lots of lovely things in the garden so enjoy yourself
0:28:30 > 0:28:32and I'll see you back here next Friday. Bye-bye.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd