0:00:02 > 0:00:04BIRDSONG
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Now, we've had a few sharp frosts here at Longmeadow,
0:00:14 > 0:00:17and I think it's time to bring pumpkins in.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21You want to leave them out to get as much as the autumn sunshine as possible, which ripens them,
0:00:21 > 0:00:23but they don't like it too cold.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25So, to make sure they store well,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28I think it's time to get them out of the cold.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31You can see...there's one here that's had a bad time of it.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33But I've got a couple here that are good.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37Anyway, it'll soon be Halloween, so the timing is right.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Now, this week, Joe is visiting a garden in Central London
0:00:50 > 0:00:53that shows how good design and clever lighting
0:00:53 > 0:00:57can maximise all the potential of even the smallest space.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Every square inch has been used imaginatively
0:01:02 > 0:01:04to bring the indoors outside.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Carol is in Pembrokeshire looking at willows.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Now, these look wonderful in the wild,
0:01:12 > 0:01:14but also there are many variations
0:01:14 > 0:01:17that can look spectacular in any garden.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20The willow family is huge, it's enormous -
0:01:20 > 0:01:22there are hundreds of species!
0:01:22 > 0:01:25And I shall be lifting the tender plants
0:01:25 > 0:01:28that gave me such a good display in containers over summer
0:01:28 > 0:01:31and replacing them with winter-flowering plants
0:01:31 > 0:01:33and bulbs for next spring.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45This is my main pumpkin patch.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Pumpkins are delicious, they store really well,
0:01:48 > 0:01:52they taste good and they're fantastic winter food.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54So I want to make the most of what I've got.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Now, when you're harvesting them,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00it is important to cut them, not yank them.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04And, also, to keep a good piece of stem. Now, that REALLY matters.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Because they won't store nearly so well if you cut the stem off.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09That's where the rot gets in.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11So when you're cutting them off,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15make sure you've got a nice length of stem like that.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19And the other point is, even though they've got quite a hard skin,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21look after them, treat them carefully.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Because they can bruised and, if they bruise, they won't store.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Now, it's not a particularly good harvest,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46but there's plenty of potentially delicious food there -
0:02:46 > 0:02:49pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie and, my favourite, just roast pumpkin.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Cut them into segments, or pieces, stick them in the oven
0:02:52 > 0:02:55with a scattering of thyme and a bit of oil - absolutely delicious!
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Now, a few weeks ago, I cut all the leaves off,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02and I got an e-mail in response to that
0:03:02 > 0:03:05which shows I may have been missing a trick all these years,
0:03:05 > 0:03:09because Gallia Arup wrote to me from Zimbabwe and said,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12"I'm from Zimbabwe and we cook the foliage
0:03:12 > 0:03:14"and eat it as you do spinach.
0:03:14 > 0:03:19"And they are scrummy. And have tons of iron."
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Perhaps next year, even if there are no fruit,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25maybe it's worth growing pumpkins just for the foliage.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28And if you want that recipe, you can get it from our website.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45Now the thing to do is just find a sunny spot,
0:03:45 > 0:03:49so they can have a nice sunbathe.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52And the whole point of laying them out
0:03:52 > 0:03:57is to get the skins to harden as much as possible.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Because the harder the skin, the longer they'll last.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03And even some of the thinner-skinned ones
0:04:03 > 0:04:05should last for at least three months.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09If we get hard frosts later in the week, they'll have to come in.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11But even a couple of days will do good.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15There we are. Let's hope we get some sunshine.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Now, I planted these pots up last May
0:04:29 > 0:04:33and they're filled with tender plants -
0:04:33 > 0:04:36cannas, dahlias, two different types of cosmos, and nasturtiums.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41Now these all will be killed by temperatures below about minus five.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43So I think it's time to move on.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Not least because I want to use the pots -
0:04:46 > 0:04:48I want winter colour and colour for next spring -
0:04:48 > 0:04:51and I need to start planting those up now.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54However, you can leave dahlias in
0:04:54 > 0:04:56until the tops are completely blackened.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58That won't kill them.
0:04:59 > 0:05:04With dahlias, just cut them back so that they're manageable.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14Dahlias have tubers, and it's the tubers they've developed this year
0:05:14 > 0:05:17that will feed next year's flowers.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19So, I'm going to rootle around... to try and take these out
0:05:19 > 0:05:22with the least damage possible.
0:05:23 > 0:05:28There we go. Can you see here, the potato-like tubers?
0:05:28 > 0:05:29Now that can go into there.
0:05:31 > 0:05:32Now the cosmos...
0:05:34 > 0:05:36There we go.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42The cannas have got fleshy roots.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45I want to bring up as much root as possible
0:05:45 > 0:05:48because that is storing next year's food.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Come on, you. Come on. There we go.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56And it is the roots that we're going to preserve over winter.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00These are unimportant, and can be cut back to make life easier.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05I'll be storing these tender plants later on.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07But I'm going to replant these pots first.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11I used a rich compost in the summer, but it will be totally exhausted now,
0:06:11 > 0:06:15and must be removed and replaced before I can begin replanting.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20First thing I like to do when planting bulbs,
0:06:20 > 0:06:24is get large plants in and then I can work round them.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26The largest plants here are the wallflowers.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29The same ones I planted last week - Blood Red.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32I'm putting them right at the edge, so there's an element of spillage.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36These, of course, are grown from seed.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38And I'll put one in the middle.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Around those, I'm going to put the tulips. I've got two types.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45The first is an old favourite, called Flaming Parrot.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Parrot tulips have these wonderful raggedy edges.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51It's like this fire-burst of colour.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Absolutely fabulous tulip!
0:06:53 > 0:06:57I'm going to put these in. Nice and deep.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00And the other one is a new tulip on me, this is Aladdin.
0:07:00 > 0:07:05This is always upright and stately. And elegant.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11And these will grown up through the planting I am putting on top of it.
0:07:11 > 0:07:17I've got here pansies and violas. And you can see the difference.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Winter-flowering pansies are big flowers, floppy petals.
0:07:21 > 0:07:27And the violas which you could say are more modest, more muted.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Less powerful. But it's not true, I prefer them.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33You get more flowers - they just keep coming back and back.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36And they're tougher, they're hardier.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40It's practically impossible to stop them flowering in any weather.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44We'll put these fairly close to the edge.
0:07:44 > 0:07:49There's no way this is pretending to be subtle, sophisticated planting.
0:07:51 > 0:07:52There's a time and a place for that.
0:07:54 > 0:07:55And here it isn't.
0:07:55 > 0:08:00The roots need a chance to establish in the pot.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02And for the roots to grow at their very best,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05they don't need to support flowers, which is the most demanding thing.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08So by taking this crop of flowers off,
0:08:08 > 0:08:13you're giving the roots a chance to grow really strongly and well.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16And you'll get new flowers within a week or two,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19and many, many more flowers over a longer period as a result.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23So this is a truly important thing to do.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27If you have a large garden,
0:08:27 > 0:08:31then even big pots blend into the picture.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34And this is particularly true if it's a country garden.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38But if you have a small, urban back garden,
0:08:38 > 0:08:40then you do need to pay attention to every detail.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42And Joe has been to visit a garden in Central London
0:08:42 > 0:08:45which is superb example of that.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56A small, shady garden can be challenging to design.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01But one effective idea is to turn it into an outdoor living area.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04In this garden in Notting Hill,
0:09:04 > 0:09:07every square inch has been used imaginatively
0:09:07 > 0:09:09to bring the indoors outside.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14This private urban garden is just eight metres by ten,
0:09:14 > 0:09:16and it inventively exploits every design rule
0:09:16 > 0:09:19to get the most out of the space,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22As well as providing a backdrop to be enjoyed both day...
0:09:24 > 0:09:27..and night.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31It's designed around three distinct living spaces,
0:09:31 > 0:09:35linked by limestone paving, water and planting.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Now in a small urban garden like this,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42every plant has to really earn its keep.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44And this is a fantastic choice of a small tree,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47breaking up the eye-level in the middle of the garden here -
0:09:47 > 0:09:48Amelanchier lamarckii.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52I've got one in my own garden - a multi-stemmed version too.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55A lovely sculptural form all through the winter.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00Then it's got very early white spring flowers followed by bronzy foliage.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03And then you get fruit, which the birds love later in the year,
0:10:03 > 0:10:07and in a week or so, it will covered by flamey orangey-red foliage.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11Lots of interest all through the year. A fantastic choice.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13You can stay there for many years to come!
0:10:17 > 0:10:18In a small garden,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21it's a good idea to make the boundaries a real feature.
0:10:23 > 0:10:28In this space, the linear fencing makes the garden feel bigger,
0:10:28 > 0:10:32and provides an attractive backdrop for the planting.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36They've gone for a nice, slick look using slatted cedar timbers
0:10:36 > 0:10:39laid horizontally all the way around,
0:10:39 > 0:10:41and because the boundaries all have the same finish,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45it creates a lovely harmonious, cohesive look to the space.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47You don't have to splash out loads of cash,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50you can get softwood timber and maybe stain it.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55But this cedar... Well, it's classy, and it'll last a lifetime.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01To find out how this outdoor room was created,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04I caught up with garden's designer, Charlotte Rowe.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08This can only be described as a very cool garden.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12- It's very cool.- Wouldn't mind it myself really.- Nor me.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16And you're blurring the indoors and the outdoors. How have you done that?
0:11:16 > 0:11:19We were able to work really closely with the architect
0:11:19 > 0:11:21and interior designers and the client.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24So, for example, we wanted a pale stone out here.
0:11:24 > 0:11:25We used limestone a lot.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29We were able to make sure that the same stone was used inside and out.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32So it's completely seamless right the way through the ground floor.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Then the colour palette used inside - a soft, browny colour -
0:11:36 > 0:11:38we were able to bring that out here.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Using it in the pots there, in the furniture here.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44But also we were wanting to reflect this wonderful capsule.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49The use of the materials on that - the copper and the timber.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51And that was reflected in the garden, as well.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53The glass balustrade is so effective.
0:11:53 > 0:11:58If you'd had something blocking the eye, from indoors to outdoors, it would ruin the effect.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Absolutely. When you come out, you have a through-view to the garden.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Nothing is stopping the view. It's fantastic.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07Glass is what we always prefer, because it just looks amazing,
0:12:07 > 0:12:09and it isn't difficult to maintain.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11It just gives it a completely seamless look.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14We like to divide the garden up in urban gardens
0:12:14 > 0:12:16because it makes the space look bigger.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19So we put the water feature here, and were able to make a journey through -
0:12:19 > 0:12:22intersects through the Amelanchier lamarckii,
0:12:22 > 0:12:24to the sitting area, and to the dining area.
0:12:24 > 0:12:25You don't make a space look bigger
0:12:25 > 0:12:28by having narrow beds at the side and a patch of lawn in the middle.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32You do it by being more inventive with the space,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34and breaking it up a bit and creating a journey.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42This outdoor room maximises every inch of space.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45But as day falls to night,
0:12:45 > 0:12:50garden lighting transforms it into a magical setting.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56It's really tempting to put big, bright lights all over the garden,
0:12:56 > 0:12:59but it's not good for wildlife
0:12:59 > 0:13:01and it's not good for the look of the garden, too.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05What we're really looking for is something pretty low-key,
0:13:05 > 0:13:09creating ambient light that drifts nicely through the whole space.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14Level changes and steps should be lit for practical reasons.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Use energy efficient LEDs
0:13:16 > 0:13:19to gently sweep light across the paving surface.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24Down-lighters are great for emphasising design details.
0:13:26 > 0:13:31And up-lighters are really good for raking across textures of tree trunks and walls.
0:13:31 > 0:13:36But remember to subdue the light levels to keep things really moody.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40And water lights enhanced the depth of this contemporary pond,
0:13:40 > 0:13:46creating a lovely shimmering light that indirectly illuminates the garden.
0:13:47 > 0:13:52Using garden lighting takes the idea of an outdoor room to greater heights,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55one that you can enjoy both day and night.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07I think the really important thing if you've a tiny garden
0:14:07 > 0:14:12is to make the places you sit in attractive, so you want to go there.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16Anyway, now I must deal with these plants
0:14:16 > 0:14:19and get them properly stored.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26Now the three basic plants here -
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Cosmos atrosanguineus, dahlia and the canna -
0:14:29 > 0:14:33all have slightly different ways of seeing them through the winter.
0:14:33 > 0:14:38If we take the chocolate cosmos first...it's still in good nick.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41There are buds on there, flowers that will go on growing,
0:14:41 > 0:14:44so I'm going to put this into an individual pot
0:14:44 > 0:14:50so I can keep it flowering outside until the risk of frost is really there.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52I want to make the most of it.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54It doesn't have to be cut back necessarily.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59You're not looking to store its roots in particular,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02but it can be kept as an entire plant.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Then, when it's finished flowering, you just cut it back a bit,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09and pop the whole pot into a frost-free place.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12A cold frame will do the job ideally.
0:15:12 > 0:15:17So that's the easiest of the lot. Next up...
0:15:17 > 0:15:18is the canna.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22You can see, this has got big, fleshy roots,
0:15:22 > 0:15:26and you can see there are shoots coming from it.
0:15:26 > 0:15:31As the temperatures drop we want to keep it alive, keep it happy,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34but suppress its desire to grow.
0:15:34 > 0:15:35And the important thing is to keep it moist.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37Not let it dry out too much.
0:15:37 > 0:15:44Just get a bag. I use old potting compost bags. And pop it in.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50And this will keep in the moisture, keep it dark.
0:15:50 > 0:15:55Now that can be put anywhere that is frost-free and not too warm.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58But, of course, do remember to label it. Really important.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01This is where dahlias come in.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05Because if you have a dahlia, like this one,
0:16:05 > 0:16:09which is Bishop of Llandaff, just cut it back a little bit more,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13so we can take that back like that and like that.
0:16:14 > 0:16:19All this extra growth, cos we don't need it and it's not going to stay.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24That is ready to dry out, but we don't want it to dry out completely.
0:16:24 > 0:16:30So the best thing to do is leave it where the soil can start to dry,
0:16:30 > 0:16:34the top growth can dry off, so plenty of ventilation.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38It's really important to label dahlias.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41You'll THINK you'll remember what it is, but you won't.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Not if you're anything remotely like me!
0:16:43 > 0:16:46That can sit for a week.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48In a week's time,
0:16:48 > 0:16:51I'll show you what the next stage of storing dahlias is.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56But here are some other things you can do right now, this weekend.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Although the changing colour of trees and their foliage
0:16:59 > 0:17:03is one of the glories of the season,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06it does bring with it a few problems for pond-owners.
0:17:06 > 0:17:11Because leaves in the water will sink, decompose and add nutrients
0:17:11 > 0:17:15and that, in turn, will feed weed and algae next season.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17So clear them out regularly.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21It's one of those jobs it's better to do little and often.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Good for a piece of quiet contemplation.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29If you're growing tender bulbs, like Galtonia or Eucomis,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31they need lifting or protecting -
0:17:31 > 0:17:34as they'll only be hardy to a few degrees of frost.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Dig them up and take them in under cover.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Trim off any loose leaves
0:17:39 > 0:17:43and either pot into a very free-draining compost
0:17:43 > 0:17:45and put them somewhere dry, like the greenhouse,
0:17:45 > 0:17:51or simply let and the bulbs dry out and store them in a cool place.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55If you have young salad plants growing,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58they do need some protection if they're to last till next spring.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01This is where cloches are useful.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Place cloches over the plants, but don't close the ends.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07Ventilation is just as important as protection.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12Right, that should protect them.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15The leaves are started to stream off the trees,
0:18:15 > 0:18:20but some trees and shrubs look fantastic with their bare silhouettes
0:18:20 > 0:18:23and willows, or at least some of them,
0:18:23 > 0:18:25are right there amongst the best of them.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41I suppose the way that most of us think about willows
0:18:41 > 0:18:44is in the spring, as pussy willows,
0:18:44 > 0:18:48adorned with these delightful, fluffy yellow catkins.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51But the willow family is huge, it's enormous.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53There are hundreds of species,
0:18:53 > 0:18:57scattered all over the Northern Hemisphere.
0:18:57 > 0:19:02And there are 19 or so that are native to the British Isles.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06And some of them are trees.
0:19:06 > 0:19:07This is the common willow.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10It's Salix cinerea.
0:19:10 > 0:19:15And the closer you get, the more you're aware of the magical life
0:19:15 > 0:19:19that's happening along these deeply-fissured branches.
0:19:19 > 0:19:25All manner of soft mosses and beautiful lichens.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29And every so often, here and there along the branches,
0:19:29 > 0:19:34are these little colonies of the most exquisite tiny toadstools.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Absolutely magical!
0:19:38 > 0:19:42We can't all find a space for something this big,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44but the great thing about willow
0:19:44 > 0:19:48is that there are so many varieties and forms to choose from.
0:19:54 > 0:19:59Here in West Wales, Dave Clark has amassed a diverse collection
0:19:59 > 0:20:02of more than 300 different willows.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Which one did you start with?
0:20:07 > 0:20:10We started with some of the viminalis, some of the bigger ones,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12and a few of the basket willows.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16The viminalis are the stronger-growing ones.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19And it was used a lot, especially in parts of Wales,
0:20:19 > 0:20:21as a framework for coracles.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25If you take a piece of willow and wrap it round your fist,
0:20:25 > 0:20:28- if it doesn't break, then you can use it.- Yeah.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32So how long have people been making baskets then?
0:20:32 > 0:20:36When they were doing Hadrian's Wall, they found a basket when they were excavating there.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39So some of these willows may have been brought over by the Romans.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Yes. Almost certainly they were.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48You've got willows that grow into bushes,
0:20:48 > 0:20:50willows that grow into trees.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53You've got willows which rabbits don't like.
0:20:53 > 0:20:54Which are those?
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Most of the purpureas, you've got, because they're bitter.
0:20:57 > 0:21:02They have a high salicin content, which is where aspirin came from.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06So the rabbits are going to leave it alone unless they've got a headache!
0:21:06 > 0:21:10But I want a willow that's going to be brilliant for wildlife.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13- What would you recommend? - I think Sekka is the best one.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15- It only produces a bush.- Yeah.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18All the branches twist and go backwards
0:21:18 > 0:21:20and forwards on themselves.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23It attracts all the birds because nothing can get at them.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26It has nice, bright, shiny leaves right the way up until December.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28You've sold it!
0:21:32 > 0:21:36- One of the things about willows is how easy it is to make more.- It is.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39And if you look at these little brown spots,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42- that's where the roots will come from.- Right.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45So how many cuttings would you take from something like that?
0:21:45 > 0:21:47Out of this one, I'd only take two.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50The cuttings are about ten inches, but the interesting thing is
0:21:50 > 0:21:55that if you planted this in the grass, you'd expect to see
0:21:55 > 0:21:59between 18 inches and two foot of growth in the first year.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02If you took a rubbish bag outside and put on the grass first
0:22:02 > 0:22:05and went round it with a spade and pushed it into the grass,
0:22:05 > 0:22:07and then planted that in the middle,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10that would put out between seven and nine foot.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Right. That different? Just because of the competition from the grass.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Just because the competition from the grass.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30Wouldn't you just love this in your garden?
0:22:30 > 0:22:33This is Salix alba 'Yelverton'.
0:22:33 > 0:22:38And you achieve this wonderful, glowing orange colour
0:22:38 > 0:22:40by cutting it hard back.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Come March, or the beginning of April,
0:22:43 > 0:22:47if you cut it down to the ground, up will come these lovely new shoots.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50This is just a year's growth.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52At first, that new growth is green,
0:22:52 > 0:22:58but as autumn changes to winter and temperatures begin to plummet,
0:22:58 > 0:23:02it manifests these beautiful orangey-red stems.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04Positively sizzling!
0:23:06 > 0:23:11In contrast to all those delightful willowy willows,
0:23:11 > 0:23:13you come across something like this.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15This is Salix magnifica,
0:23:15 > 0:23:21with its resplendent thick, solidly-textured leaves.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24And these gorgeous dark-red stems.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28Some willows are superbly sensual.
0:23:28 > 0:23:34If you touch the back of the leaves of this lovely Salix candida,
0:23:34 > 0:23:38they're soft and fluffy, covered in down.
0:23:38 > 0:23:43And so, too, are the stems. As soft as a deer's new antlers.
0:23:43 > 0:23:49And once these leaves have fallen, it reveals these beautiful stems
0:23:49 > 0:23:52and these buds swell and become quite round.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54They're next year's catkins.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58And I suppose that's the thing about willows.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00It's not just what they are at the moment,
0:24:00 > 0:24:02but what they're going to become
0:24:02 > 0:24:05in all those various stages that they all go through.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10And the anticipation of those lovely fluffy catkins next spring.
0:24:11 > 0:24:16If you want more ideas about willows for your garden, go to our website.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Willows are lovely and they grow fantastically well round here,
0:24:32 > 0:24:38but just one word of caution is because they grow so easily from cuttings,
0:24:38 > 0:24:40there is a temptation to put them in everywhere
0:24:40 > 0:24:43and that's what I did when we first came here to Longmeadow,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46especially down by the dam garden.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49And they go on growing, they become big trees.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52And after about ten years, they're really quite difficult to move.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54So, although they're easy to grow,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57they're a little more difficult to get rid of,
0:24:57 > 0:24:59so choose your site carefully.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05Now, IF it was dry, I'd be planting broad beans now,
0:25:05 > 0:25:06out in the vegetable garden.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10But the chances of it being dry here at Longmeadow in autumn
0:25:10 > 0:25:13are pretty remote. At the moment, it's absolutely sodden.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17We've got heavy soil, it's a low-lying area and we've had a lot of rain.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20The result of that is it could be wet right through till next spring,
0:25:20 > 0:25:24which means that I wouldn't be able to get my broad beans out.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27It doesn't mean to say that I can't sow broad beans.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30They grow very well in pots and then can be planted out as young plants
0:25:30 > 0:25:35as late as next March or April. I've collected my own seed.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39These are the seeds of Crimson Flowered broad beans.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41They're beautiful plants.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45These lovely cherry-magenta coloured flowers.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47And the beans are good to eat.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51You just let the plant get mature and it looks as though it's died.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53And then you harvest the brown pods
0:25:53 > 0:25:58and inside are the slightly dried-up beans,
0:25:58 > 0:26:00which of course is what you want.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02You need to dry them a little bit more.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05And what I do is simply spread them out in a seed tray
0:26:05 > 0:26:07and leave them for one or two weeks.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09You know they're ready when,
0:26:09 > 0:26:13if you press them with your fingernail, there's no give.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Now these would stay ready to sow for at least a year.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20Perfectly good to leave these to sow direct into the ground next spring.
0:26:20 > 0:26:21But I want to get ahead.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27Use a potting compost rather than a seed mix
0:26:27 > 0:26:31because these might well stay in the pot for nearly six months.
0:26:31 > 0:26:37So they need a little nutrition. And then just plant one seed per pot.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Push it in like that.
0:26:39 > 0:26:44And of course if you can sow them outside, prepare the soil,
0:26:44 > 0:26:50sow them about nine inches apart and then let them germinate.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53The problem with having them outside is mice love them.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57So in many ways, growing them in pots is a lot easier.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11Now these will be perfectly happy in the cold frame without any extra heat.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15The reason that cold frames work so well
0:27:15 > 0:27:19is that they can protect plants from wind, rain
0:27:19 > 0:27:21and, to a certain extent, cold
0:27:21 > 0:27:24because when you close them down, they're nice and insulated.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28But it is really important to open them up
0:27:28 > 0:27:31and let the plants harden off from being exposed to the air.
0:27:47 > 0:27:52# We're only making plans for Nigel
0:27:54 > 0:27:57# We only want what's best for him... #
0:27:59 > 0:28:04Now, Nigel has been off the programme.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06He's been off games for a few weeks.
0:28:06 > 0:28:11And lots and lots of you have written, emailed, tweeted,
0:28:11 > 0:28:13all wanting to know where is he and how is he.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16He's here and he's fine.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18He had a freak accident, leaping for a ball
0:28:18 > 0:28:23and he damaged his spine rather badly and that affected his legs.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26But, through amazing treatment and recuperation,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29he's recovering very well indeed.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33We're expecting him to return to complete fitness by next spring.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37Which is when he will be back in the garden again, won't you, Nige?
0:28:37 > 0:28:40And I'll be back next Friday as normal.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43So join me then. Bye bye. Come on, Nigel.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd