0:00:05 > 0:00:07BIRD SONG
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Hello and welcome to Gardeners' World. Well, we've reached November
0:00:13 > 0:00:19and it does feel like the garden is slipping quietly away
0:00:19 > 0:00:22to the end of the year but there are a few bright moments both to be
0:00:22 > 0:00:26relished and also jobs to be done.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29And this week, I shall be gathering up fallen leaves
0:00:29 > 0:00:31to make the perfect leaf mould.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36Rachel will be celebrating leaves at East Bergholt Place in Suffolk,
0:00:36 > 0:00:40where she glories in the beauty of the spindle.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43And now we can't walk past this. That's so beautiful.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46- It's very special. - I'm coveting that one.- I know.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50And Carol visits RHS Rosemoor,
0:00:50 > 0:00:52where she's looking at a host of hollies.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown
0:00:58 > 0:01:01and the thing to remember is that a holly's for life,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04not just for Christmas.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06We'll also be planting too,
0:01:06 > 0:01:10turning my copse into a full-blown woodland garden.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32There can't be a garden, a street or a patch of park in the country
0:01:32 > 0:01:35that isn't covered with fallen leaves at the moment.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37There are two ways of looking at this.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40You can either say, "It's one of those terrible seasonal chores
0:01:40 > 0:01:42"that has all got to be tidied up,"
0:01:42 > 0:01:46or you can say this is a harvest.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50Leaf mould dramatically improves your garden.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Leaf mould is different to compost.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03Compost is very rich in nutrients
0:02:03 > 0:02:07and breaks down mainly by bacterial activity.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Whereas leaf mould is quite low in nutrients
0:02:11 > 0:02:16but fantastic for improving the structure of the soil.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20And I use it mostly as part of my potting compost.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23For example, bulbs always do really well in this.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Dry leaves break down much slower than wet ones
0:02:27 > 0:02:31so actually gathering them wet isn't a bad idea.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Having raked a pile of leaves, you want a couple of boards.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40They make lifting leaves so much easier.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Because it's hold in your hand, pull them together, hey presto!
0:02:45 > 0:02:49You can pick up a whole load and then you can just plonk them
0:02:49 > 0:02:51into the wheelbarrow.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01Now, there's one other really useful way of using these,
0:03:01 > 0:03:03which is to protect wildlife.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06If you've got a hedge and the leaves of the hedge are falling off,
0:03:06 > 0:03:12what I do is scrape them back in along the base of the hedge
0:03:12 > 0:03:14and that does a number of things.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18Obviously, it acts as a mulch for the hedge, which is good,
0:03:18 > 0:03:23but it also provides brilliant cover for insects, small mammals,
0:03:23 > 0:03:27reptiles and if there are enough leaves, they might even hibernate.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29So a very good form of cover.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33You're making your garden a little bit tidier
0:03:33 > 0:03:36but not too tidy to put off wildlife,
0:03:36 > 0:03:38which of course adds to the garden.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48The process by which a leaf like this
0:03:48 > 0:03:51can reach leaf mould like that...
0:03:51 > 0:03:56And this is the leftover leaf mould from last year,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59so this looks like this exactly 12 months ago.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01..is almost entirely fungal.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Just leaves and fungi and it will happen.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Now, we make a bay out of chicken wire
0:04:08 > 0:04:12and chicken wire is absolutely ideal because it lets lots of air in.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15But if they're at all dry, when you've a layer,
0:04:15 > 0:04:17water it and get them wet
0:04:17 > 0:04:21because the fungi needs moisture in which to work.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Now, this method is fine if you've got plenty of space
0:04:24 > 0:04:27but if you are short on space, and you've got some leaves
0:04:27 > 0:04:29you want to keep, there's another way of doing it.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36Gather up your leaves as normal and then put them into a polythene bag.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40Make sure they're thoroughly soaked and make some holes in the bag
0:04:40 > 0:04:42so any excess water can drain away.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Don't seal the bag but just fold it over
0:04:45 > 0:04:48then put it somewhere to one side where it can sit,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51out of the way for at least six months and maybe up to a year.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55At the end of that time, you'll have a bag of lovely leaf mould.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59A really good way of collecting leaves off grass
0:04:59 > 0:05:01is simply to mow them.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05Run the mower over the ground as though you were mowing the grass
0:05:05 > 0:05:07and that will collect the leaves up.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12It has the other advantage of chopping them up.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15It's often far too wet to mow at this time of year.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20Nevertheless, if you've got a solid brick or stone path,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23tip your leaves onto there and run the mower over them like that.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28All this is very practical and necessary
0:05:28 > 0:05:32but one mustn't forget that these leaves are beautiful
0:05:32 > 0:05:36at this time of year, especially when they're still on the trees.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39And Rachel has been to East Bergholt Place in Suffolk
0:05:39 > 0:05:42to admire the foliage, particularly of the spindle,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45and other members of the Euonymus family.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55With so many of the plants here really at their absolute peak,
0:05:55 > 0:06:00it's easy to be distracted but part of the reason for my visit is to meet
0:06:00 > 0:06:05a man who has a very special interest in a particular group of plants.
0:06:08 > 0:06:13Rupert Eley is the fourth generation of his family to garden here.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16His great-grandfather began to lay out these 20 acres
0:06:16 > 0:06:18at the turn of the last century.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Rupert is an expert plantsman
0:06:21 > 0:06:24and serves on several of the Royal Horticultural Society's
0:06:24 > 0:06:28plant committees and Euonymus are his passion.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33Rupert, you hold the national collection of deciduous Euonymus.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36What is it about them that you like?
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Well, I mean, this probably says it all.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42This is our native spindle, known as spindles
0:06:42 > 0:06:43because they've got hardwood
0:06:43 > 0:06:47and they were used for spindles is in the old days for spinning.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50You only have to look at that wonderful pink fruit,
0:06:50 > 0:06:54masses and masses of them, the orange seeds beginning to show here.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56They look at you like eyes.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58Also, very good autumn leaf colour.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00A very, very good native plant.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03I know you've got a very large collection here.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06How many different forms, species and hybrids have you got?
0:07:06 > 0:07:09We've got about 100 different forms.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12- And now we can't walk past this. - No, we can't.- That's so beautiful.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14What's that?
0:07:14 > 0:07:19This really brings another dimension to the spindles, the Euonymus.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23This is a form of bungeamus, from northern China.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27And really, it's very graceful, as you can see.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Wonderful, airy open plant.
0:07:29 > 0:07:36This fantastic hanging, glowing pink leaves really. Not troublesome.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Tough, Hardy. They don't mind the cold frost or anything like that.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41You say they're very easy to grow
0:07:41 > 0:07:45but what sort of conditions would you give them in an ideal world?
0:07:45 > 0:07:47In an ideal world, I think they would like
0:07:47 > 0:07:50a little bit of dappled shade, which this has got at the moment,
0:07:50 > 0:07:52and quite leafy soil.
0:07:52 > 0:07:57Looking through that with the light, it's very special.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59- I'm coveting that one.- I know.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03- Now, this one is just showing off. - I agree.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06It's another one we can't walk past. This is the trouble.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09- We could be here for days! - I don't mind. I'm perfectly happy.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Tell me about this one.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13This is a form of alatus,
0:08:13 > 0:08:15which you see available in garden centres quite a lot.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Very, very reliable autumn colour.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22This wonderful dark red but a tidy grower as well.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25It doesn't get more than, at the most, six foot.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Presumably, this would be a really good plant for a small garden.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Very much so.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33- This is a bit different.- Yes.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36This is Hamiltoniaus "Koi Boy",
0:08:36 > 0:08:38with the white popcorn like fruits really.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40- Yes.- A great contrast and different to what we've seen so far.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Then, of course, behind it here,
0:08:43 > 0:08:46we have another completely contrasting plant.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47We have Euonymus oxyphyllus.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Look at the size of these seed heads. They're enormous.
0:08:50 > 0:08:55- They are and very special. They're like works of art.- Beautiful.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Broken into segments like marbles and then they burst open
0:08:58 > 0:09:02and you get this wonderful orange seed looking at you.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10What's your favourite plant for autumn colour?
0:09:10 > 0:09:15- Probably Ostrya virginiana. - I can see why you like it.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19I like it for a number of reasons. A North American tree.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21I've known this tree my entire life.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24My great-grandfather would have planted about 1,900
0:09:24 > 0:09:26when the garden was first started.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30I, as a boy, used to walk past it frequently in my school holidays
0:09:30 > 0:09:33and I shall always remember in the autumn and the spring,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36when it has hornbeam-like flowers
0:09:36 > 0:09:38and then the wonderful colour in the autumn,
0:09:38 > 0:09:41and a lovely lacy layout of the branches.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44- I love that butter yellow colour. - It's an old friend actually.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48Do you think this autumn, because we had a pretty dreadful summer
0:09:48 > 0:09:52with all that rain, do you think this is going to be a good autumn for colour?
0:09:52 > 0:09:57I think we're going to have a good autumn actually. I have to say.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00All of the autumns are different in the garden but all are memorable.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01Yeah.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14Spindle is one of my favourite, most evocative woodland plants,
0:10:14 > 0:10:17but if you want to see more of Rachel's recommendations
0:10:17 > 0:10:18of different kinds of autumn colour,
0:10:18 > 0:10:20you can go to our website,
0:10:20 > 0:10:24where there is a wide range that you can see exclusively there.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Now, this is the copse, and it was coppiced last winter,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45which means that it was cut right to the ground.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48It's underplanted with all the normal British woodland
0:10:48 > 0:10:51coppice plants - bluebells, primroses, wood anemones -
0:10:51 > 0:10:52and they're lovely.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55But, I want to add more garden plants, and the plants
0:10:55 > 0:10:57I'm going to put in here are all adapted
0:10:57 > 0:10:59to growing in the shaded woodland.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04The first plant I'm going to put in is...
0:11:08 > 0:11:11It's got wonderful, sort of bright,
0:11:11 > 0:11:13lime yellow inflorescences,
0:11:13 > 0:11:14that go from April,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17right through into summer.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21And it's a very robust plant, that thrives in dry shade.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Now, this is a spreader.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27I'll put this down here, because that's pretty shady,
0:11:27 > 0:11:28and that can spread out.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31And I've got a few more which I'll make a group with.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35My second plant is another native.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39And this is an iris. Iris foetidissima.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Now, this is what you would buy
0:11:42 > 0:11:44in a garden centre, or a nursery.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47But, actually, a friend has given me
0:11:47 > 0:11:50a clump, which they divided.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53And it does show, really, the special thing about this plant,
0:11:53 > 0:11:54and those are seed heads.
0:11:54 > 0:11:59And that's what is so magical about this iris.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03And I should be able to get half a dozen plants out of this.
0:12:04 > 0:12:05OK, here it goes. Be brave.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Now, if I tease that out.
0:12:18 > 0:12:19These are the feeding roots,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21and these need to be underground.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25But the rhizome needs to be on the surface of the soil.
0:12:33 > 0:12:39If you are planting any of these shade-loving woodland plants -
0:12:39 > 0:12:42and by "woodland" I don't mean to say that you have to have a wood.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46It could be in the shade of a wall, or a fence, or a building.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48All this applies just as easily
0:12:48 > 0:12:50to a garden in the middle of a city,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52as it does in the middle of the countryside.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55If you're planting any of these, and you've got some leaf mould,
0:12:55 > 0:12:56now is the time to use it.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Don't add compost - they don't need a lot of nutrition -
0:12:59 > 0:13:03but leaf mould is absolutely perfect, so that's the stuff to add.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10Now, the third plant that I'm putting in today is a geranium.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12This is...
0:13:15 > 0:13:18It's another one that thrives in dry shade,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21and will spread and create carpets.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23A really good plant, this.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27Tough, adaptable, and wants to grow in these conditions.
0:13:27 > 0:13:32Now, all this, everything we're planting now, is for next year.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34We could wait six months to see this at its best.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37And, of course, this applies to bulbs, I suppose,
0:13:37 > 0:13:38more than anything.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42November is the month of tulip planting.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44And if you haven't yet planted all your tulips, well,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46here's some inspiration.
0:13:53 > 0:13:58I love tulips, because they are such a joy at this time of year.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00They can flower from really quite early on -
0:14:00 > 0:14:04the beginning of March, right through to the end of May.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08You get these amazing shapes and forms,
0:14:08 > 0:14:12and textures and contrasts, and subtleties,
0:14:12 > 0:14:14and the ability to mix and match,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18and treat it as an annual, or treat it as a permanent planting.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21And, I just love them.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38The most important thing about planting tulips
0:14:38 > 0:14:39is plant them in numbers.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Cram as many as you can fit in, because,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45if you dot them around, you won't get any impact, whatsoever.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47If they're in a pot, put as many as you can.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50If they're in bed, put as many as you can. Don't skimp on them.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00In these two beds, we've got more formal kind of planting,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02in the sense that we've got the box beds,
0:15:02 > 0:15:04but we've actually planted them in a more loose way,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06by mixing the colours.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08We've got a very beautiful
0:15:08 > 0:15:10'Couleur Cardinal', here,
0:15:10 > 0:15:11with the purple carried up
0:15:11 > 0:15:14from the stem, up through the tulip,
0:15:14 > 0:15:16veining through the red,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18which is picked up, fortuitously,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21by this one which is 'Havran'.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23And this is a good example, how we could actually pair this
0:15:23 > 0:15:27combination of tulips elsewhere in the garden, or maybe in a pot.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29And it's a way of experimenting,
0:15:29 > 0:15:31and gives us ideas of things to do in the future.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33These ones are actually planted quite shallow.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Because they're annuals, we've got to remove them
0:15:36 > 0:15:38and get rid of them at the end of the season.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42So, what we do in here, we actually lift whole blocks of soil,
0:15:42 > 0:15:45place them all out, and then put the soil back over.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46And it's about four inches.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Elsewhere in the garden, where it's more a permanent planting,
0:15:49 > 0:15:50we plant them very, very deep.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01When it comes to the mixed borders,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04we know exactly the colour schemes we have, and then we'll add
0:16:04 > 0:16:07different varieties, and leave them, and let them die down,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09taking out the seed head,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11to preserve the goodness within the bulb.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16This bed is a much more subtle form of planting.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Because we've got the backdrop of the black barn so close,
0:16:19 > 0:16:21we tried to use a very dark tulip.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24And then we've got some more subtle ones, like the 'Angelique' there,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27which is a good contrast with the dark.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30I found, in the past, if I just plant dark tulips on their own,
0:16:30 > 0:16:31the bed looks flat.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34It needs another colour, just to lift it.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Have a go. As a first try,
0:16:42 > 0:16:43I would really recommend 'Ballerina.'
0:16:43 > 0:16:46It is the most beautiful, reliable,
0:16:46 > 0:16:49lily-flowered tulip,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52and it smells of tangerine, and it's just divine.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57You can use them on a bright palette, a soft palette.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00You can use them in so many different ways,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03and to me they're just an incredible herald of things to come,
0:17:03 > 0:17:04and full of joy.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17Although I have already planted some tulips in pots,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20I'm not ready to plant tulips in the ground yet,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23because, most of them go into the Jewel Garden,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25and that needs clearing and tidying up
0:17:25 > 0:17:27before we can get the bulbs in.
0:17:27 > 0:17:28But there's no real pressure.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30November is the ideal month, but as long as you get
0:17:30 > 0:17:33your tulips in the ground by Christmas,
0:17:33 > 0:17:37they'll come up and flower fine next spring.
0:17:37 > 0:17:42Now, I don't know if you know this plant, but this is a tree dahlia.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45It's already been touched by frost, so, very soon is going to
0:17:45 > 0:17:49have to be cut down, lifted and bought in, but, before I do that,
0:17:49 > 0:17:53I just want you to see how lovely it can be as a foliage plant.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56They do flower, but only in a really hot summer,
0:17:56 > 0:18:00and then the flowers are quite small, in August and September.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01But I don't mind.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03I don't mind the fact that they're without flowers,
0:18:03 > 0:18:07because they add something that no other plant does in the borders,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10and they just get better and better, until the frost hits them.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12Then you cut them down, bring them in to store them,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16and pull them out again, and plant them after the last frost next year.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Now, if you're not planting tulips, and you're not growing tree dahlias,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22here are some other jobs you can be getting on with this weekend.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26At this time of year,
0:18:26 > 0:18:29brick and stone paths can become incredibly slippery.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31This is because of the algae that forms on them.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Now, there are lots of products you can buy two get rid of
0:18:34 > 0:18:37this algae, but be careful to choose one that's not harmful
0:18:37 > 0:18:41to plants or animals, and then simply follow the instructions.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44As your rhubarb leaves finally die back, clear them away,
0:18:44 > 0:18:46and take them to the compost heap.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50Weed around the crowns, and then mulch as generously as you can,
0:18:50 > 0:18:52either with compost or well-rotted manure.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55But, be careful not to cover the crowns themselves,
0:18:55 > 0:18:57cos that may rot or burn them.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59However, the more generous you are with the mulch now,
0:18:59 > 0:19:03the better your harvest will be next spring.
0:19:03 > 0:19:08As we move through November, it's worth going through your borders
0:19:08 > 0:19:12to remove any dying or fallen leaves that are smothering plants.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15If they're left they can stop the light and air getting in
0:19:15 > 0:19:18and cause the core of the plant to rot.
0:19:18 > 0:19:23So clear round each plant and remove the debris to the compost heap.
0:19:36 > 0:19:43I've got an e-mail here from Lee Dawson in Johnstone in Scotland
0:19:43 > 0:19:48which says, "Last year, I tried to store dahlias for the first time.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51"Out of seven, only one took
0:19:51 > 0:19:54"and the flowers have been terrible, to say the least.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56"Am I doing something wrong or missing a trick?"
0:19:56 > 0:20:00Well, it is difficult to say about these things without seeing them,
0:20:00 > 0:20:04but if you store dahlias so that they dry up,
0:20:04 > 0:20:08the chances of them flowering next year or growing at all are slim.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12And that's what you're looking to avoid when you're storing them.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15So if you remember, last week, I lifted them,
0:20:15 > 0:20:17and I've dried them out,
0:20:17 > 0:20:20and the idea is not to dry them out deeply or properly
0:20:20 > 0:20:23but just get rid of the superficial moisture.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27So now that we've got these clean, slightly dried-off tubers,
0:20:27 > 0:20:33the art of storing them is to keep them frost-free but not dried up.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40I've got a crate here which, if I line it with newspaper,
0:20:40 > 0:20:45just to stop any protective layer falling through,
0:20:45 > 0:20:47and simply place the tubers,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50either with a bit of soil around them or washed off,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53doesn't really make any difference.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56In they go like that.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01And then just cover it over with old potting compost
0:21:01 > 0:21:03or vermiculite or even sand will do.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13And as long as the whole crate doesn't freeze,
0:21:13 > 0:21:15these will store perfectly well.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23Just pop that there.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26A little bit of water.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Now those can go under there,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35because this greenhouse is always kept frost-free but cool.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39Ideally, the temperature will be between freezing -
0:21:39 > 0:21:41doesn't need to be much warmer than that -
0:21:41 > 0:21:43and say a maximum of about 10 degrees.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46And if they can be kept in the dark, so much the better.
0:21:46 > 0:21:47Check them about once a month,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50give them another water if it's getting very dry,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53and then next March I'll pull those out
0:21:53 > 0:21:56and we'll start thinking about provoking them into growth
0:21:56 > 0:21:57with a little bit of heat,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00and then we can take cuttings and start that cycle again.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03But we won't get flowers from these till next summer.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06However, Carol has been to RHS Rosemoor in Devon,
0:22:06 > 0:22:10where she is enjoying their collection of plants,
0:22:10 > 0:22:13which are at their prime right now.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27"Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown."
0:22:27 > 0:22:30This is Ilex aquifolium, our native holly.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35It's probably our most common evergreen tree.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37It's a magic tree.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41It's surrounded by all manner of myth and legend.
0:22:41 > 0:22:46Pagans believe that the year is ruled by two tree kings.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51In summer, it's the turn of the Oak King. He holds sway.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54But as autumn changes into winter,
0:22:54 > 0:22:57then the reign of the Holly King begins.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Gardeners love hollies for all sorts of reasons.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10Sometimes it's for their beautiful foliage,
0:23:10 > 0:23:14sometimes it's for the gorgeous berries that festoon their branches
0:23:14 > 0:23:17in every kind of colour.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20And sometimes it's for their architectural forms.
0:23:20 > 0:23:26Holly is about so much more than a prickly evergreen with red berries.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32To look at the incredible
0:23:32 > 0:23:35and diverse range of hollies on offer, I've come to explore
0:23:35 > 0:23:39the national collection at RHS Rosemoor in North Devon.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Jonathan Hutchinson looks after the collection here and knows
0:23:44 > 0:23:48just what diverse characteristics hollies have to offer.
0:23:49 > 0:23:54They're all very individual. There's a huge range within the genus.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56- A plethora of hollies.- Yes.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00And as well as being different, you use them
0:24:00 > 0:24:03- in all sorts of different ways, too.- Yes, we do.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05They've got quite a range of uses within the garden,
0:24:05 > 0:24:09from the informal right down to the very formal.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16I mean, you can use holly as a sort of ingredient
0:24:16 > 0:24:20in your native hedge, and you can use it just as a hedge itself.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24- Yes. Yes.- But this is a most unusual way of using it.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28Yes. I don't think it's something that people have often seen,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31where you've got Ilex aquifolium 'JC van Tol'
0:24:31 > 0:24:33and Buxus sempervirens,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36and the fact that one seems to creep its way up through another,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38it produces a really nice tapestry.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42Occasionally you get the odd berry that's hiding in the foliage.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45- A hint of red. - In amongst the foliage.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48- Which you would expect from holly. - Yes.
0:24:53 > 0:25:00So this is another of those more than 100 Ilex aquifolium.
0:25:00 > 0:25:05Yes, this is Ilex aquifolium 'Handsworth New Silver'.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Variegated plants aren't always my favourite,
0:25:07 > 0:25:10but this one I do like because it's just on the edge
0:25:10 > 0:25:12and it really defines the green leaf.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15And you've got lovely purple stems and fruits
0:25:15 > 0:25:19- that are just starting to turn. It's lovely.- Isn't this a holly too?
0:25:19 > 0:25:23This is also another holly. This is Ilex verticillata.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25It's a North American species
0:25:25 > 0:25:29and not only doesn't it have prickles, it's also deciduous,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32so it's like a sort of double whammy
0:25:32 > 0:25:34of pretending not to be anything like a holly
0:25:34 > 0:25:36that you would imagine it to be.
0:25:36 > 0:25:41- And the sort of holly that you could grow in any ordinary garden.- Yeah.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45Perfectly easy to grow, and really good,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49novel bit of cut stem for Christmas.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51- And the blackbirds will thank you too.- Yes. Yes.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Try and get there before they do.
0:26:03 > 0:26:09Tiny leaves and a really short habit of growth and black berries -
0:26:09 > 0:26:12would you take this for a holly? But it is.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15It's Ilex crenata from Japan,
0:26:15 > 0:26:20and this one's called Ilex crenata 'Convexa',
0:26:20 > 0:26:23because each of these lovely little leaves is curved
0:26:23 > 0:26:28both that way and crossways, so it's almost like an inverted spoon.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32It's been used quite a lot as substitute for box
0:26:32 > 0:26:36when box blight is a problem. I think it's absolutely charming
0:26:36 > 0:26:38and it's the sort of plant
0:26:38 > 0:26:41you can really imagine fitting into your garden.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53Most of us want a holly that's covered in red berries.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57Well, you really couldn't do better than this.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00This is Ilex aquifolium 'Pyramidalis'.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04It's been awarded the Award of Garden Merit by the RHS,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07so you know it's going to make a brilliant tree.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09And just look at it.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13Dark glossy leaves and loaded with brilliant red berries.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15In most cases, you need
0:27:15 > 0:27:20both male and female trees to ensure a good set of berries on the female,
0:27:20 > 0:27:25but in this case, it does it itself. It's self-fertile,
0:27:25 > 0:27:31and almost invariably you get this beautiful set of luscious berries.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37Some hollies have giant leaves, and some have tiny ones.
0:27:37 > 0:27:44Some are dwarf trees and some are enormous great majestic specimens.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48And the thing to remember is that a holly is for life,
0:27:48 > 0:27:49not just for Christmas.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58It isn't far till Christmas, but we have got Bonfire Night,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00of course, coming this week.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04And what I would say is that if you've been building a bonfire
0:28:04 > 0:28:07over the last weeks and months,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10just bear in mind that hedgehogs are going into hibernation now,
0:28:10 > 0:28:15and if you've had a heap building up over the last few weeks and months,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18it's the perfect place for them to go and nest in.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20So just check it.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Have a wonderful Bonfire Night
0:28:22 > 0:28:25and I'll see you here next week at our normal time of 8.30.
0:28:25 > 0:28:33And that's the last programme of the series. Till then, bye-bye.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:49 > 0:28:52Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk