0:00:02 > 0:00:06Welcome to Gardeners' World. The best thing about this time of year, regardless of the weather,
0:00:06 > 0:00:10is every day, there seem to be more and more little signs of spring.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12I love the way the hawthorn starts to appear almost
0:00:12 > 0:00:17erratically as forerunners of what is to come.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19Another thing that has appeared in the last few days,
0:00:19 > 0:00:23which I am as relieved about as pleased,
0:00:23 > 0:00:26because everybody told me it wouldn't work, and these
0:00:26 > 0:00:29are the wood anemones that I planted on the surface of the ground.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Last September, the ground was such that I couldn't get into it at all.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36I had read about a new technique and thought I would try it,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38which is just to scarify the soil,
0:00:38 > 0:00:43place the wood anemones on the surface and cover them with compost.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46That's what I did, absolutely no sign of anything
0:00:46 > 0:00:47until about a week ago,
0:00:47 > 0:00:50and here we are - beautiful flowers,
0:00:50 > 0:00:53and plenty more to come, it's a good technique.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55We have lots going on in tonight's programme.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57One of the virtues here at Longmeadow,
0:00:57 > 0:00:59we've got lots of room to do things in.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01But if you've got limited space,
0:01:01 > 0:01:06one thing you must do is maximise the effect of any walls or fences,
0:01:06 > 0:01:08and I will be planting up a wall here
0:01:08 > 0:01:11with a tiny strip of soil beneath it.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Joe is continuing his masterclass in design, and this week,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17he is looking at the layout of our gardens.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Play around with different shapes and how they relate to each other,
0:01:21 > 0:01:25this is an exciting part of garden design.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27If you live in the South or the South East,
0:01:27 > 0:01:29you will know there is a drought going on
0:01:29 > 0:01:31and it is likely to continue through the summer.
0:01:31 > 0:01:37But Carol is looking at ways of turning that situation into an advantage.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41I love and adore the plants that actually enjoy
0:01:41 > 0:01:43growing in those sort of conditions.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57I'm planting out some aconites.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01But I got the tubers last summer
0:02:01 > 0:02:05and they are a funny little bag of odd looking things, and I put them
0:02:05 > 0:02:09into these plugs and kept them in a cold frame over the winter, and you can see
0:02:09 > 0:02:11that they have formed nice plants
0:02:11 > 0:02:14with a good root system. Now I'm planting them out.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16If you have got aconites or snowdrops,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19now is the time to lift them, divide them
0:02:19 > 0:02:21and replant them to spread a group.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24You can see, I am using a bulb planter,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27it just takes out a neat hole.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31You take the plant out of the pot or the plug...
0:02:33 > 0:02:36..and then, just carefully squeeze it in.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40What I want to do is develop a really nice
0:02:40 > 0:02:43carpet of aconites around this chestnut.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Of course, this is going to look really good
0:02:46 > 0:02:49on a horizontal plane, but I've got a piece of the garden
0:02:49 > 0:02:53that is all vertical, it is really constricted and small,
0:02:53 > 0:02:55just the other side of the Walled Garden.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00The wall in question is west facing,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03and although the border beneath it is very narrow,
0:03:03 > 0:03:08the wall's excellent aspect makes it ideal for almost any climber.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14A west facing wall has a rich, warm glow to it and plants love it.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18In fact, I think it is the best orientation for any plant, better
0:03:18 > 0:03:22than a south facing wall, because it is warm but it is also wet.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25All the rain comes in so that plants don't dry out,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28as they can on a south facing wall.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30So, this is ideal for growing climbers up.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35The first thing when you prepare any planting against a wall
0:03:35 > 0:03:37is you must have a support, before you plant it.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42I have put in wire, supported by hook and eyes, really securely
0:03:42 > 0:03:46drilled into the wall so they can take the weight of mature plants.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49And the plan is to have a couple of good roses
0:03:49 > 0:03:53that will smother the wall, then also clematis.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57This week, I'm starting with the roses.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59I have chosen two, one is 'New Dawn',
0:03:59 > 0:04:02the other is 'Madame Alfred Carriere'.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05What is particularly good about them is,
0:04:05 > 0:04:07they adapt to poor growing conditions.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11They are good for poor soil, whereas some roses need a bit more mollycoddling.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15The first one, 'Madame Alfred Carriere', is a Noisette rose
0:04:15 > 0:04:20and it has got a fascinating story behind it, because it started in America.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24There was an American rice farmer in Carolina
0:04:24 > 0:04:26and he bred this rose and he liked it,
0:04:26 > 0:04:28so he gave it to his neighbour,
0:04:28 > 0:04:31who was a French immigrant, a Monsieur Noisette.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35He grew some seedlings, liked them and sent them to his brother
0:04:35 > 0:04:38in Paris and thought, these are definitely a new kind of rose.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43And he named it, in his brother's honour, Noisette roses.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46And they had masses of flower, they grew really strongly
0:04:46 > 0:04:50and were crossed with other roses and became enormously popular.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54And 'Madame Alfred Carriere' is, I think, the best of the bunch.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56Now, I do know that it is hard to know
0:04:56 > 0:05:00what to choose sometimes. I have chosen a couple of roses here
0:05:00 > 0:05:03that will work in these particular conditions.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06The best way to find out about plants is to see them growing.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10But hopefully, see them growing in a garden, so you can imagine
0:05:10 > 0:05:13what it would look like in your own garden at home.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16And the best place to do that is in a national collection.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21Last summer, we went to Moor Wood near Cirencester,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24which has the national collection of rambler roses.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34We started it back in 1983.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39The garden was rather rundown and it needed something to resuscitate it.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42A friend suggested we have one of the national collections
0:05:42 > 0:05:45they were starting, and I said, what would be a good idea?
0:05:45 > 0:05:49He said, rambler roses. And we have been collecting ever since.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53We don't want to do proper, regimented gardening,
0:05:53 > 0:05:57we want to do much more wild landscaping, really.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00And the ramblers really are a wonderful focus.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08A rambler flowers on old wood, so you prune it after it has flowered,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11i.e. in the summer, usually July or August.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15And a climber flowers on new wood, so you prune it in the spring.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18And that is my sort of working definition.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22People think they are all singles, but actually,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25there are doubles, there are sprays.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29Well, I planted 'Apple Blossom' against the house, it is a vigorous
0:06:29 > 0:06:33variety and it hit the gutter in three years worth of growth.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Rampant is the word, I would say.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39We have to hack her back really hard, often, otherwise,
0:06:39 > 0:06:43- she would have overtaken this side of the house.- She would be in the windows!
0:06:43 > 0:06:45But she is a beautiful colour, so we love her.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48- And she flowers for a long flowering season.- Good flowering.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57Well, this is a wonderful rambler called 'Goldfinch'.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00And it has a number of good characteristics,
0:07:00 > 0:07:04one of which is that it is thornless, so when you are pruning it,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06you don't get cut to ribbons.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11And it's very pretty, yellowy, apricot-y, perhaps, fading to cream.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Lovely rose. And doesn't grow too big.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17And so perfectly well-behaved, never steps out of line.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20A lovely, natural looking, small-scale rose.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22Very good small rambler.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33This beautiful rose, 'Dawson's Rose', is actually
0:07:33 > 0:07:35a source of contention with my husband,
0:07:35 > 0:07:39because he longs for it to cover the whole apple tree,
0:07:39 > 0:07:41and I long for it to be a blend of the two.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44So, we have a battle. But after the flowering,
0:07:44 > 0:07:46I do have a very hard cut back,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48and it is a wonderful rose, it flowers its heart out
0:07:48 > 0:07:52and looks glorious with the fruits coming.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00This is a glorious one, beautiful, painterly colours.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02It is called 'Madame Alice Garnier'.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07And it is quite small, quite compact, could do well in a smaller garden.
0:08:07 > 0:08:12And it will throw a second crop of flowers
0:08:12 > 0:08:15if you don't set about pruning it in July.
0:08:22 > 0:08:28They are one big burst of flower, glorious burst of flowering,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30and we actually prefer it that way,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32they do flower their hearts out for three weeks.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36And it is like the strawberry season, you get this glorious show,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38then it's over and you look forward to the next year.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41There are early ramblers and late ramblers,
0:08:41 > 0:08:45so you can spread the season and enjoy their moment of glory.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48And when they go over, wave them goodbye and say,
0:08:48 > 0:08:50see you again next year.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57Now, that is a stunning garden.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01But you can get a piece of it just with a few roses.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Because the great thing about ramblers and climbers, too,
0:09:04 > 0:09:07is that they are so generous with their charms,
0:09:07 > 0:09:13they spill and flow and froth and make life much richer as a result.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17I have just planted 'Madame Carriere', which is a climber.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20You can usually distinguish a climber from a rambler
0:09:20 > 0:09:23because ramblers tend to have much more vigorous growth
0:09:23 > 0:09:27and flower only once, with lots of small blooms.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Climbers, however, often flower repeatedly
0:09:29 > 0:09:32and respond well to being tightly trained.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36However, the next rose I shall plant is a rambler called 'New Dawn'
0:09:36 > 0:09:40that breaks the rules, because it behaves like a climber.
0:09:42 > 0:09:48'New Dawn' was bred in the 1930s and from the day it was released to
0:09:48 > 0:09:52the public, it has been one of the most favourite roses that there is.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Partly because it is beautiful, but mainly because
0:09:55 > 0:09:59it just goes on and on, it starts flowering in June and will continue
0:09:59 > 0:10:01producing new blooms until the frost kills them.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04So, planting, of course, is simple.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08Dig a hole - if the soil was better,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11I would dig a deeper hole than I am going to,
0:10:11 > 0:10:15but it's going to have to cope with the conditions we give it.
0:10:18 > 0:10:23Now, the key thing to planting roses, or replanting roses,
0:10:23 > 0:10:26is in this tub. Because this is mycorrhizal fungus.
0:10:29 > 0:10:34And the fungi are contained in this clay-like medium.
0:10:36 > 0:10:41Mycorrhizal fungi occur naturally in healthy soil, but you can give
0:10:41 > 0:10:44your plants a boost when you plant them by adding some more.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47The fungi attach themselves to the plant's roots
0:10:47 > 0:10:50and spread out, making a network of fine fibres,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53which in effect increases the total surface area
0:10:53 > 0:10:56through which water and nutrients can be absorbed by the plant.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03Now, I used to think that its action was triggered by moisture.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05That doesn't seem to be the case,
0:11:05 > 0:11:09it's actually triggered by contact with the roots of the plant,
0:11:09 > 0:11:14in other words, it's the plant that triggers the fungus into action.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17So, the best way to apply is not to sprinkle it into the hole,
0:11:17 > 0:11:22but just hold it over the hole and sprinkle it over the roots,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25so it is touching the wet roots and will stick to them,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28so any that miss the roots then goes into the hole.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33You don't need a huge amount, just enough to get things going.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36And it is also particularly good in poor soil,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39which is going to be fairly deficient in the fungi.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Now, pop it in the hole and then just backfill around it.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Now, if you have got any straggly shoots at this stage,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51they should be pruned back.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Even though you want a tall climber, now is the time to prune it
0:11:54 > 0:11:56so you get good, strong growth from the base.
0:11:56 > 0:12:01In fact, this plant is fine - four good shoots and these will grow out.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03And it may look pretty inadequate now,
0:12:03 > 0:12:07just a few sticks in brown soil, but that will grow vigorously.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15And then, having given it a good drink,
0:12:15 > 0:12:19the important thing to do is give it an equally good mulch.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21And mulching does three things.
0:12:21 > 0:12:27It keeps in moisture, it suppresses weeds, particularly annual weeds,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30and it feeds the soil and improves the soil structure.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33So if there is one thing you do in your garden in spring,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36mulching is probably the most useful,
0:12:36 > 0:12:41particularly if it is going to be very dry, and for a lot of us,
0:12:41 > 0:12:42we are already in drought.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45The South East, the East of the country and spreading across,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49there is quite serious drought already and it is probably going to get worse.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53And I suspect that most of us will have to deal with
0:12:53 > 0:12:57drought at some stage, either this year or in coming years.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01However, it needn't necessarily be a major problem, as Carol shows
0:13:01 > 0:13:06in her own garden that drought sometimes can be an opportunity.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19We often hear from viewers from all over the country who share
0:13:19 > 0:13:24the same problem, that of dry conditions, drought.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28Now, I garden in the South West
0:13:28 > 0:13:32and my soil is heavy clay and we haven't got a drought yet, but nonetheless,
0:13:32 > 0:13:37I love and adore the plants that actually enjoy growing
0:13:37 > 0:13:41in those sort of conditions. So, 30 years ago, I built
0:13:41 > 0:13:43this great big raised bed,
0:13:43 > 0:13:45and it is built with local stone
0:13:45 > 0:13:48but within it are two to three feet of rubble and on top
0:13:48 > 0:13:54of that, rather poor soil with lots and lots of grit added to it.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57This enables me to grow plants that will grow in any sort of dry
0:13:57 > 0:13:59and droughty condition.
0:14:02 > 0:14:07Just look at this pulsatilla with these soft, furry leaves.
0:14:07 > 0:14:12Not just the stems and leaves but the flowers too which are covered in this thick fur.
0:14:12 > 0:14:19And that fur collects water and takes it right down to the root.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Some plants though have developed quite different techniques.
0:14:22 > 0:14:28This cotoneaster draped over the top of the wall has tiny leaves
0:14:28 > 0:14:31so it loses very little moisture through them.
0:14:31 > 0:14:36And how about this for an example of the strategy of tiny leaves?
0:14:36 > 0:14:42This is a Whipchord hebe and the leaves are so reduced
0:14:42 > 0:14:45they are hardly recognisable as leaves at all.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50And of course, very little moisture is lost through their surfaces.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55There are other plants with narrow leaves like this euphoribia.
0:14:55 > 0:15:01This characias wulfenii grew from all around the Mediterranean, the Iberian coast -
0:15:01 > 0:15:05conditions where it's really dry and well-drained.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07And there are plants like this,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10look at this verbascum, that everybody knows,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13because it seeds itself around our gardens.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17And both the back and the front of the leaves is covered in fine
0:15:17 > 0:15:23hairs which prevents the sun from scorching the cuticle of the leaf.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Well, I've got lots of plants on here
0:15:25 > 0:15:28but there's always room for a few more
0:15:28 > 0:15:33and I think this time of year you really want to zhush things up.
0:15:33 > 0:15:38There's a whole list of gorgeous plants that have adapted
0:15:38 > 0:15:41themselves to withstand drought conditions.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Like this sempervivum with its thick, fleshy, leaves.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48Each one is a self-contained natural reservoir.
0:15:48 > 0:15:55Alpine plants like this Encrusted Saxifrage will also relish an arid situation.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59And I'm going to introduce a bit of softness into this bed
0:15:59 > 0:16:05with Stipa tennerisama, a fine bladed grass that will form a perfect backdrop.
0:16:06 > 0:16:13It's a very light, really light compost and I know this isn't
0:16:13 > 0:16:17going to settle in there so I'll take quite a lot off here.
0:16:17 > 0:16:24It looks a bit sort of extreme, but breaking a grass's roots will,
0:16:24 > 0:16:30at this time of year, will persuade it to make new root and move out.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33It should settle in really quickly.
0:16:33 > 0:16:38It's a good idea when planting perennials in dry borders to improve the soil
0:16:38 > 0:16:44and boost its moisture retention by adding loads of organic matter.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46But you don't have to go to huge expense
0:16:46 > 0:16:50when trying to cover a large, dry area.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54There are plenty of ways of creating new plants for free.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Well, one of the plants that loves this situation is one called
0:16:58 > 0:17:04Primula auricular 'Old Mustard'. And the leaves are covered in flower,
0:17:04 > 0:17:10another device to protect the leaf from the hot baking sun.
0:17:10 > 0:17:15And I cannot resist but make a few extra plants from it.
0:17:15 > 0:17:20And all I need do is pull these apart.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Out they'll come with these great big long roots.
0:17:23 > 0:17:28So, each one will go into its own little clay pot,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31I could plant them straight into the ground immediately but I think I'd
0:17:31 > 0:17:38rather make sure each one gets settled into a pot first of all.
0:17:38 > 0:17:43Firm it in. And then finish the top off with some grit.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47So that the rosette, when it opens up,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50will be sitting on the surface of the grit.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53And if you want extra colour at this time of year,
0:17:53 > 0:17:58just a sudden splash, then you can use some of the bulbs that inhabit
0:17:58 > 0:18:03this kind of place in the wild, small crocuses and irises,
0:18:03 > 0:18:09there's a lovely iris called 'Katharine Hodgkin' which would be ideal in here.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14But to finish this off now, all I need is to mulch it.
0:18:14 > 0:18:20The most appropriate mulch is grit. And it looks pretty good!
0:18:27 > 0:18:31Gardening in dry and droughty conditions is just one problem
0:18:31 > 0:18:32gardeners experience.
0:18:32 > 0:18:37And if you've got a particular problem or dilemma from planting
0:18:37 > 0:18:42to propagation, why not contact me via the Gardeners' World website?
0:19:01 > 0:19:02Good boy!
0:19:02 > 0:19:06Now these four borders are the grass borders.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09And the grasses dominate not just the way they look
0:19:09 > 0:19:12but the way we garden them.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15In effect, we leave them all winter, a tiny bit of a tidy up
0:19:15 > 0:19:18and they are allowed to slowly die back
0:19:18 > 0:19:22and the structure of the plants remains stark and dominant.
0:19:22 > 0:19:27I think that looks lovely, but now is the time to remove all that
0:19:27 > 0:19:30so the new growth can be at its best.
0:19:30 > 0:19:35Not all grasses are treated the same way, but it's simple.
0:19:35 > 0:19:41Remember, if they've got straight upright stems like this miscanthus,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43they can be cut right back to the ground.
0:19:43 > 0:19:49If they have floppy growth like this Stipa gigantea
0:19:49 > 0:19:52and they've also got some green growth,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54they shouldn't be cut back but just teased out.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58Get your hands in and comb them.
0:19:58 > 0:20:04Just pull out all the loose growth, it's coming out
0:20:04 > 0:20:05and that's all they need.
0:20:05 > 0:20:11And you can do it... You can see some green growth coming through
0:20:11 > 0:20:14so we'll weed that out.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18And this pheasant grass is really easy to grow,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21there isn't much dead in that.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24But in front of it you see we've got this little miscanthus
0:20:24 > 0:20:26that we can cut back.
0:20:26 > 0:20:33So, I get in there and cut at the base.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Like that.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40And it's important to cut now and not leave it
0:20:40 > 0:20:44because if you cut the top off the new growth, it remains cut off.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48And you get a curious shape to it.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51If there is more detail you want to know about grasses
0:20:51 > 0:20:56or anything else in the garden, go to our website and find it there.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04As a loose heap of strawy material, this will take years to compost down
0:21:04 > 0:21:07but if you chop material like this up
0:21:07 > 0:21:10and then mix it with very green matter like grass clippings
0:21:10 > 0:21:12or kitchen waste, it makes brilliant compost.
0:21:12 > 0:21:17The point of this area is that we have the formal structure
0:21:17 > 0:21:23with loose growth, I want it to grow back as vigorously as possible.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26And from conception, that was the idea.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29That's the important thing with any garden, plan how you want it
0:21:29 > 0:21:31and work towards that end.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33And Joe in this week's Design Masterclass
0:21:33 > 0:21:37is looking at the layout of our gardens.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Great garden design is about combining aesthetics
0:21:43 > 0:21:46with practical solutions.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Over five weeks, I'm taking a close look at six very different real
0:21:50 > 0:21:55gardens that beautifully illustrate the principles of good garden design
0:21:55 > 0:21:58and with the help of my sketchbook and my own ideas, I am attempting to
0:21:58 > 0:22:04explain these principles and show you how to make your garden a success.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06Last time I talked about boundaries.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10Now I am looking at how to make your space work for you with garden layouts.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16When you're thinking about your garden layout,
0:22:16 > 0:22:18get it down on paper.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22Play around with different shapes and how they relate to each other.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25And it's really fun. This is an exciting part of garden design.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29I always start thinking about the lines people follow as they
0:22:29 > 0:22:33walk through the garden and that's going to be decided by your style.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Formal or informal.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40Say you're a formal person and you want a formal style garden.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44The movement through the garden will be very much up and down.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46The eye will be drawn straight through.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49That gives you a nice line of symmetry
0:22:49 > 0:22:53and from that we can impose geometric shapes onto the space itself.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57And I like to use strong geometry because it helps define
0:22:57 > 0:23:01the garden space and hold it together and give it structure.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04With an informal garden we're trying to create more movement
0:23:04 > 0:23:07through the garden and use the width.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11So, draw a line across it, you can see more flow
0:23:11 > 0:23:15and it creates more of an informal movement.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19All the areas outside of these areas will be planted up and help
0:23:19 > 0:23:24soften it and by breaking a garden up into three seems to work quite well.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27If you break it up into two, you have one area or the other
0:23:27 > 0:23:29but with three you've got more interest
0:23:29 > 0:23:34and a transition between the first one and the last one.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43This garden layout is incredibly simple
0:23:43 > 0:23:45and that's what makes it work so well.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49It's divided into three main areas - the terrace,
0:23:49 > 0:23:54the lawn in the middle and the back area of gravel and paving.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58What this garden's got is great balance and good proportion.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07If you want to create a fluid design consider using circles because they
0:24:07 > 0:24:11impose strong geometry on the garden, hold it together all year round.
0:24:11 > 0:24:12At the same time,
0:24:12 > 0:24:17the eye constantly moves around so it never quite knows where to stop.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Here, there are three circles throughout the garden
0:24:20 > 0:24:22all connected somehow.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23This one overlaps the other
0:24:23 > 0:24:27and there's a path leading through to the pond.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30And the whole look is really effective.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35No matter what the size of your garden,
0:24:35 > 0:24:38I really like this geometrical approach.
0:24:38 > 0:24:43This small urban garden is divided into three offset circles.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46I think it shows how, in a small space, breaking up the area
0:24:46 > 0:24:49and packing it full can actually make the garden seem bigger
0:24:49 > 0:24:54because there's more to slow the eye down and keep your attention.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01So, once you have your shapes and their basic arrangement, size comes into play.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04I like to make sure the different areas allow
0:25:04 > 0:25:08plenty of space for how they will be used.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12When it comes to seating areas, be particularly generous.
0:25:12 > 0:25:19I lay out the terrace, seating area, to work with the size of table
0:25:19 > 0:25:23and chairs I know will be bought and then add another chair's width
0:25:23 > 0:25:28onto it so when everybody's sitting down there is plenty of space for all.
0:25:30 > 0:25:35All these gardens have great examples of a nice balanced layout.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38They allow appropriate space for each area
0:25:38 > 0:25:43and keep things simple by working with one geometric shape.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46It gives the gardens a real sense of structure.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49To make your garden really work, you need to choose the right
0:25:49 > 0:25:53materials for the different areas you've created and that's what
0:25:53 > 0:25:57I'll be talking about next time when we look at landscaping.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07This is not only a good time of year to plant roses
0:26:07 > 0:26:11but also to prune them, particularly hybrid teas or shrub roses.
0:26:11 > 0:26:17The basic thing to remember about these is they flower on new growth.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20So after pruning you get reinvigorated growth
0:26:20 > 0:26:23and that's what bears the flowers.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27If you grow them in a border like this one,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30this is William Shakespeare, a fabulous modern shrub rose,
0:26:30 > 0:26:34beautiful flowers but the growth is irregular.
0:26:34 > 0:26:40What I want is a strong framework to see those flowers held up around
0:26:40 > 0:26:45waist height and to achieve that end I need to encourage new growth.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48And the harder you cut, the more vigorous the growth.
0:26:48 > 0:26:54The logic is if you want strong growth, cut weak stems hard.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58You can see here that's a nice strong growth,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01but this is fairly weedy.
0:27:01 > 0:27:06There's a little bud. Just cut above it.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09Like that. This stem is strong, this one's weak.
0:27:09 > 0:27:15To balance it I'm taking the weak one down to the ground. There we go.
0:27:15 > 0:27:20It seems slightly counterintuitive but it works.
0:27:20 > 0:27:26Now, you may not grow roses but here are some jobs you can do in your garden this weekend.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31If you have a greenhouse, you won't be using it for tomatoes
0:27:31 > 0:27:34and other tender veg for a little while.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38It's a good time now to sow or plant out some salad crops.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42These temporary crops will grow quickly and you can harvest them
0:27:42 > 0:27:46and enjoy them whilst there is little else in the garden.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50But you don't need a greenhouse to raise masses of seedlings
0:27:50 > 0:27:54for your vegetable garden or flower borders.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57All you need is a small seedbed. Remove all weeds and stones,
0:27:57 > 0:28:01add some grit if the soil is heavy and rake it smooth.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05And sow the seeds in rows, being sure to label them clearly.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13Go on...
0:28:17 > 0:28:22That's it for this week, don't forget Sunday is Mothering Sunday
0:28:22 > 0:28:26and there's no nicer present than a bunch of flowers from the garden.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28In four days' time, it's the first day of spring.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30Everything is getting better!
0:28:30 > 0:28:34I'll see next Friday. Bye-bye.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd