0:00:02 > 0:00:05BIRDSONG
0:00:05 > 0:00:07Hello, welcome to Gardener's World.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Now, right at the end of May,
0:00:09 > 0:00:13when we can still cling on to the last shreds of spring,
0:00:13 > 0:00:19but with summer to come, is I think the best moment of the year.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23The Jewel Garden is taking on its summer clothes.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27The intensity of the colour from the Allium 'Purple Sensation'
0:00:27 > 0:00:30and the mauve-blue of the Iris sibirica
0:00:30 > 0:00:34against the electric yellow-green of the
0:00:34 > 0:00:35hops and the Sambucus
0:00:35 > 0:00:38and the Euphorbia, and the other splashes of colour coming through.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42All that is signalling that summer is coming.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46Of course what it means is that the spring flowers are largely done.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50And I will be moving the tulips on and replacing them
0:00:50 > 0:00:53with flowers for later on in the year.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Whilst I'm nursing an injured knee
0:00:58 > 0:01:01and undertaking light duties at home, Carol is out
0:01:01 > 0:01:05and about paying a return visit to our inexperienced gardeners
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Dan and Dom and helping them to create a delicious
0:01:08 > 0:01:10and productive vegetable plot.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Before you know where you are you'll be out here picking stuff
0:01:14 > 0:01:17all the time and eating it in your beautiful cottage garden.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20What could be nicer?
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Carrie Thomas has the national collection of Aquilegias
0:01:23 > 0:01:28and we visit her garden in Swansea to celebrate this glorious flower.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31There's no end to the variations.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34I think for the rest of my life I will still be enamoured of them
0:01:34 > 0:01:37because there is always something new to chase after.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42And you don't need a garden to make a dramatic floral statement.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45When we started the first set of baskets on the ground level
0:01:45 > 0:01:49people started noticing and we went from there to the chimney tops.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54And I shall be reviewing my home garden
0:01:54 > 0:01:56and adding in some more favourites.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13Throughout April this pot was flowing with three tulips,
0:02:13 > 0:02:17'Ballerina', 'Cairo' and 'Burgundy', but they're all done now.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21What they now need to do is to slowly die back so all
0:02:21 > 0:02:25the goodness can go into the bulb hopefully for next year's flower.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28And also we are tying up an expensive and nice pot.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32So I want to take these out and replace them.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38So I can lift the whole thing out. They may just pull out.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43I don't think they will. I'll have to lever them out. This is a tricky part of the process.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45But if you try and work them
0:02:45 > 0:02:47out of the pot without damaging any of the top growth -
0:02:47 > 0:02:51it's really important that this is allowed to die back naturally.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54And if it gets a good baking in the sun, if we have weather like
0:02:54 > 0:02:59we do today, that's the best way to ensure good tulips for next year.
0:03:05 > 0:03:10There they go. And you can see there's a lot of root on that.
0:03:10 > 0:03:15I'm going to put those in there and that's a good bulb.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19You can see the little bulbules either side.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Those little ones will not produce any flowers next year,
0:03:23 > 0:03:28but will get bigger over a period of two, three or four years.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33So these go in the pot and I've got a plan for those later on.
0:03:33 > 0:03:38Now this lovely pot is free and not tied up till next spring
0:03:38 > 0:03:46so we empty it completely out into there and basically start again.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49What I'm going to plant in there are dahlias.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52This is 'Arabian Night'.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56You want a nice big strong plant and a big display.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59The soil I'm using for dahlias is very different to the soil
0:03:59 > 0:04:00I was using for tulips.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04Tulips love really good drainage and they don't need much,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07if any, nutrition. It's all in the bulb.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09So that had a lot of grit in it.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13Dahlias on the other hand like a much richer soil.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16This is our home-made potting compost
0:04:16 > 0:04:20and it's 30 percent sieved garden compost, so it's rich.
0:04:23 > 0:04:28It doesn't matter what you're growing, it is important if you're changing
0:04:28 > 0:04:33from a spring to a summer display in a container to change the soil.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38Because even if it's the same kind of plant the compost will be exhausted.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41This is a plant that I've grown from cuttings,
0:04:41 > 0:04:45and I keep my dahlias for years and years. I'm going to put
0:04:45 > 0:04:50that in just below the surface level and then we just pack around it.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56I'm using dahlias, but there are lots of other plants that you
0:04:56 > 0:04:59could, and I have used, for the same effect.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02Lilies do really well in pots.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Really it's a question of maximising the value
0:05:05 > 0:05:08and use of a lovely terracotta pot.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Whilst it's been occupied by one display there is another
0:05:11 > 0:05:15coming along in a much cheaper, less glamorous pot.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18And that will now stay and occupy this space until November,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21and of course November is when we plant tulips,
0:05:21 > 0:05:25so the cycle just keeps going round and round.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28And you can use that with containers with a whole
0:05:28 > 0:05:31range of plants. It's a form of bedding.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Now we have a garden and the bedding is part of the display,
0:05:36 > 0:05:40but Gerry O'Brien in West London doesn't have a garden.
0:05:40 > 0:05:46But he does have a fantastic display composed entirely of bedding plants.
0:06:02 > 0:06:07'I have been a landlord for 30 years. And it's been a wonderful time.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09'It really has been my life.'
0:06:16 > 0:06:19I'm from a lovely village at home in Ireland in County Clare.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23We're lucky I suppose, we grew up in the countryside.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26We had one field and it was always a meadow.
0:06:28 > 0:06:29And that was just glorious.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34The bees, butterflies and all that.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37And I thought, "It would be lovely to have a little bit of this
0:06:37 > 0:06:38"here in London.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43"I'm going to get some plants, some hanging baskets, just to give it a little bit of colour."
0:06:47 > 0:06:49I wish I had a real garden.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52I wish I had some grass under my feet that I could feel,
0:06:52 > 0:06:56but I think this makes up for it in a big way. Yes.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15Love begonias and there's about three different types there, the pink,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17the yellow
0:07:17 > 0:07:18and the orange.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21And then we have the sophenia, petunia.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23We have the lobelia.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26And the fuschia, I love fuschia as well.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31You see them together and it just gives you a lift.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34It really does, every time I look up and look at them, it just,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36it just does something to you. Yes.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42When we started the first set of baskets on the ground level,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44people started noticing and I thought, isn't that lovely?
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Then you look up a little bit further and you say,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49well, I think there's room for another lot.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52And we went from there to the chimney tops.
0:07:52 > 0:07:53HE LAUGHS
0:07:53 > 0:07:55You can't go any further than that!
0:07:57 > 0:08:00I'm always looking to see if there's any spot,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04anything, we can put an extra pot or a window box or a hanging basket.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07I really don't think there's any space left. There really isn't!
0:08:07 > 0:08:08HE LAUGHS
0:08:11 > 0:08:14'We have the conservatory downstairs
0:08:14 > 0:08:16'and that used to be just an old garage.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20'And I've got about 200 hanging plants in there.
0:08:20 > 0:08:25'Mostly ivies and ferns, hanging, because they survive better.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29'We go to the garden as such, outdoor,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31'so we've got the garden indoors, you know.'
0:08:39 > 0:08:41We have to water twice at night time,
0:08:41 > 0:08:44about midnight, one o'clock in the morning and again at five in the morning
0:08:44 > 0:08:47before the sun comes up and gets at them.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50And then we have to go on to the chimney tops with our hose.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53When you water, you smell...
0:08:53 > 0:08:56You get, it's a fantastic feeling, it really is. It's just glorious.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Well, we've won some great awards over the years.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07We've won the Brighter Kensington and Chelsea Scheme, 11 years running.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09We've won London in Bloom.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11London in Bloom, three years.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15It's terrific, isn't it, to get recognition for what we do?
0:09:28 > 0:09:34I have to say that I LOVE the exuberance of Jerry's display.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38It's a kind of celebration of life and the more of it, the merrier.
0:09:40 > 0:09:45Now, you can see I've dug a trench, opened out the clump of tulips
0:09:45 > 0:09:47and spread them out along.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49And it's really important to give them
0:09:49 > 0:09:52a sunny spot with good drainage.
0:09:52 > 0:09:58Tulips come from sun-soaked, mountainous hillsides in Turkey
0:09:58 > 0:10:00and that whole Central Asia area.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03And whilst they can be covered with snow in winter,
0:10:03 > 0:10:05which then melts and gives them water,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08they are baked by really hot sun in summer.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11So, maximum sunshine, maximum drainage
0:10:11 > 0:10:14and if you've got any doubt about how much drainage to put in,
0:10:14 > 0:10:15put in more.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18And then next March and April, they'll start to come up
0:10:18 > 0:10:21and flower and give you cut flowers for the house.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23You're not wasting anything.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Neither the terracotta pot, the bulbs, or even spare bits of ground.
0:10:27 > 0:10:28Now, these tulips
0:10:28 > 0:10:32and all the other cut flowers that I will add in throughout the summer
0:10:32 > 0:10:36are growing cheek by jowl with vegetables and shrubs
0:10:36 > 0:10:40and trees and climbers, and that's all part of the cottage garden mix
0:10:40 > 0:10:43and I think that gives it real charm.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45But this week on our visit to Dan and Dominique,
0:10:45 > 0:10:49which she's been doing all year and will continue right through to the end of the growing season,
0:10:49 > 0:10:53Carol is focusing just on vegetables.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Dan and Dom have spent the past few months working hard
0:10:58 > 0:11:00to create their dream family garden.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04And at the centre of their plan was an area to relax.
0:11:05 > 0:11:06Last time I was here,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09we created cottage-style borders around the lawn.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14Since then, Dan and Dom have been out and about,
0:11:14 > 0:11:18gathering together their favourite veg plants and seeds
0:11:18 > 0:11:21and getting the frames of their raised beds ready.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27And today, we're going to fill them.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Today, it's all about veg.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34- It's looking phenomenal. It really is.- Good.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37The chickens were here before. We've left the gravel.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39Will that be a problem with anything we're growing?
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Not at all. Gravel's going to provide drainage.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44I'm glad that you followed my suggestion,
0:11:44 > 0:11:48made these paths nice and wide, because access is all-important.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50So, last year when you had your raised beds,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52you filled them full of compost.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54It seemed like the easiest way to do it.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Which is what a lot of people do, but of course, this year?
0:11:58 > 0:12:00Yes, we have taken your advice.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03We've gone and got what looks like an enormous amount of topsoil.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06The whole advantage of topsoil, as opposed to that
0:12:06 > 0:12:09bought in compost is that it's alive.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13So all those micro-organisms, all those worms, will get to work
0:12:13 > 0:12:15and really make your soil fertile.
0:12:15 > 0:12:21It'll go on, then, year after year. You've also got some muck.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23Yes, we've got a few bags left over from doing the borders.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Before we decide what to fill with water, what are you going to
0:12:26 > 0:12:30- grow? Because different crops need different conditions.- Leeks.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34- Beetroot.- Yeah. Carrots - we've always done before.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38All those rooty things, the carrots, the beetroot,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41parsnips perhaps, all those kind of things love good
0:12:41 > 0:12:45free-draining soil but they don't want high fertility.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48They don't want fresh muck anywhere near them
0:12:48 > 0:12:51because it makes the roots fork.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55So what else? The usual stalwarts to my mind are courgettes.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59- Yeah, definitely.- Two plants will give you ample yield.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02- They need high fertility so lots of muck underneath them.- OK.
0:13:02 > 0:13:07For salads and onions, these two beds are going to need some
0:13:07 > 0:13:11muck in underneath and then loads of that really good topsoil.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15So all that remains is to start filling these beds up.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17- So, after you.- OK.- Great stuff.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24Each raised bed will have at least 70% topsoil.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27This will keep its structure as it contains clay and rock.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Compost is made purely from organic material.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36Recycling theirs from last year will lighten the mix.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39'For some of the hungrier crops,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42'we're getting a good helping of manure.'
0:13:42 > 0:13:44Phoar! Lovely stuff!
0:13:44 > 0:13:47'And making sure it's all mixed together before planting.'
0:13:51 > 0:13:54So this is your really fertile bed.
0:13:54 > 0:14:00Brilliant, loads of muck underneath and this lovely substantial topsoil.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02The first courgette.
0:14:02 > 0:14:08- Just bung it down. Firm it in where the edge of the pot was.- Yeah.
0:14:08 > 0:14:13What you can do is make a little burrow like that, so that
0:14:13 > 0:14:18when you water, all the water is going to go down into the roots.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21- OK.- This is your climbing bean,
0:14:21 > 0:14:25so it is coming right at the back here.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27I'm going to put four in.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30The whole idea is verticality!
0:14:30 > 0:14:32We'll make use of this space as well.
0:14:32 > 0:14:38I'm going to plant these quite deep because these are fairly big beans.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42Whereas your lovely little ones can go along there.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Not too deep because it's only a little seed.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50- Bob's your uncle. Onto roots... - Right.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52# ..my vegetables
0:14:52 > 0:14:55# I'm gonna chow down my vegetables
0:14:55 > 0:14:59# I love you most of all...
0:14:59 > 0:15:02# My favourite vegetables. #
0:15:02 > 0:15:04So, perfect position for carrots, full sun,
0:15:04 > 0:15:08lovely free-draining soil and no muck.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12I like sowing my carrots two little rows at a time.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14When you come to thinning out,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17you want to do it with as little disturbance as possible
0:15:17 > 0:15:22because carrots smell and carrot fly can zoom in.
0:15:22 > 0:15:27Once you get them in your carrots, that's it. You've had it.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30In a couple of weeks you'll see them germinate.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33About that time you can start thinking about sowing another couple of growths.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36So, a couple of these double rows of carrots,
0:15:36 > 0:15:38they are going to be enough for us for the year?
0:15:38 > 0:15:41- It depends how much you love carrots.- Depends how many we eat.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44- Yeah, it does. I love salads. Can we do those?- Yeah.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52I've brought you these few plants of rocket that I grow in modules,
0:15:52 > 0:15:57just to start you off. Perhaps put them on one of these edges.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01With salads it's hugely important to keep on sowing
0:16:01 > 0:16:04because you don't want big old plants,
0:16:04 > 0:16:06you want nice fresh stuff all the time.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08Planting distances aren't crucial.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11You can mix flowers in, put in marigolds,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13anything that's nice and open
0:16:13 > 0:16:16and will attract pollinators for things that need it.
0:16:16 > 0:16:21Before you know where you are, the whole garden will be flowering,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24fruiting. You'll be out here picking stuff all the time
0:16:24 > 0:16:28and eating it in your beautiful cottage garden.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30- What could be nicer?! - Sounds great. Yeah!
0:16:32 > 0:16:37Dan and Dom's veg plot promises to be a productive and beautiful space.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Something that will give the entire family enjoyment
0:16:40 > 0:16:42and nourishment throughout the year.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48Sewing and harvesting regularly will ensure it plays an important
0:16:48 > 0:16:50role in their family garden.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02I realise that if you haven't done much before,
0:17:02 > 0:17:04vegetable growing can seem daunting,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07but don't be put off because now is a really good time to start
0:17:07 > 0:17:10growing veg, even if you've never done it before.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14Sow some seed and you'll have a delicious harvest before very long.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18Even if you're not growing vegetables at all,
0:17:18 > 0:17:21here are some jobs that you can be getting on with this weekend.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Now Chelsea Flower Show has finished for another year,
0:17:31 > 0:17:33it's time for the Chelsea chop.
0:17:34 > 0:17:39This means cutting back clumps of summer flowering herbaceous
0:17:39 > 0:17:42perennials by between a third and a half,
0:17:42 > 0:17:45which will stagger and spread their flowering
0:17:45 > 0:17:50season as well as giving you extra texture and varying heights.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02Cordon tomatoes should be pruned regularly now by pinching out the
0:18:02 > 0:18:07side shoots that grow very vigorously on the angle between
0:18:07 > 0:18:09the main stem and the leaves.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14By doing this you're concentrating the plant's energy
0:18:14 > 0:18:18into the trusses of fruit which are slowly beginning to develop.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28At this time of year, a lot of us have a mass of seedlings ready to go
0:18:28 > 0:18:32in the garden, but the garden isn't necessarily ready to receive them.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Don't let them get pot bound.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Take them out of the plug or pot
0:18:38 > 0:18:42and check to see the roots are not too constricted and nicely formed.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Pop them on into a larger container,
0:18:45 > 0:18:47it doesn't have to be too big,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50just enough room to let them grow on for another few weeks.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54Then, when the garden is ready, you can plant them out where you want.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14There's certainly no room to add many more plants at the moment
0:19:14 > 0:19:16here in the Jewel Garden.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19But spaces will appear and the plants will be ready as and
0:19:19 > 0:19:21when they do.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25But for the moment who would want to replace these lovely aquilegias?
0:19:27 > 0:19:31This really is a beautiful and intense purple.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35They do crossbreed terribly easily so a pink one which shouldn't be
0:19:35 > 0:19:38here in the Jewel Garden has popped up, but I haven't got the heart
0:19:38 > 0:19:40to remove it.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43That's what aquilegias do. They pop up all over the garden.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47Wherever possible, we leave them and let them do their thing.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50They are very easy to grow in any soil and in almost any condition.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53But Carrie Thomas in Swansea is much more disciplined about her
0:19:53 > 0:19:56aquilegias because she has a passion for them
0:19:56 > 0:19:59and breeds dozens of beautiful new varieties.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04I'm Carrie Thomas
0:20:04 > 0:20:08and I've got the national collections of aquilegias in the UK.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13I've been collecting since I started gardening.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16But particularly the last 20 years,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19I've really gone in for all of the different types of cultivars
0:20:19 > 0:20:23and that culminated in having enough to have the national collection.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28I just love the daintiness of the flower, the way it is put together.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Very different and very extraordinary.
0:20:34 > 0:20:40Aquilegia probably comes from aquila in Latin for eagle.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43And it's said that it's probably to do with the spurs
0:20:43 > 0:20:47and hooks on them, which look rather like the talons of an eagle.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51Of course the common name, Granny's Bonnet, is easy enough to understand.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Our native Columbine comes from dove.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58It actually looks like a circle of five doves in the flower.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Aquilegias are found in just about all of the Northern
0:21:03 > 0:21:08hemisphere, from Japan to North America, and the good
0:21:08 > 0:21:12news about aquilegias is that they couldn't care less where they grow.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16They are very easy in any type of soil as long as there is not
0:21:16 > 0:21:18standing water in the winter.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21Perhaps best of all, they're slug proof.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27The bumblebees here are pretty cheeky.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31They can't be bothered going in the business end if there's a shortcut.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35This one has bitten a hole through this spur and look
0:21:35 > 0:21:39at that, they're getting the nectar directly from the end of the spur.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49For somebody that likes breeding, aquilegias are a gift
0:21:49 > 0:21:52because not only will just about all of the cultivars mix
0:21:52 > 0:21:55and match quite happily, between them,
0:21:55 > 0:21:59but you can get the species to interbreed and that is quite unusual.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03I've got several ultimate goals when I am hybridising.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07In this case I want to get more yellow into these double forums.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Sometimes I may go for the height of the plants,
0:22:09 > 0:22:14whether that's high or low. I might go for scent.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18I might go for the different coloured leaves we can have.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21First of all I have to choose the right mother plant.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24So if I use this one, definitely no pollen on it
0:22:24 > 0:22:30so I can just start to tease away the petals. We don't need those.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33That's for attracting the bees.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36And we're going to be doing the bees' jobs for them.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40Then I need to take off all of the stamens,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43the male part of the flower.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47When I've done that, what I'm left with is the female part.
0:22:48 > 0:22:53But I'm ready now to choose the father plant and when I've got
0:22:53 > 0:22:58that pollen, I need to transfer it onto the female parts of this planet.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02This is where I'm just going to dabble the ends of the stigmas -
0:23:02 > 0:23:05the female part - into the pollen.
0:23:05 > 0:23:06That's beautiful.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13When this seed is set, then I need to go around and collect it.
0:23:20 > 0:23:26This is the result of seed from about 30 different parent plants,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29and from this I select the ones that I'm going to keep
0:23:29 > 0:23:33and the ones I want to breed from, and the ones that perhaps I've got
0:23:33 > 0:23:36enough of and I'm willing to let go.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38I rather like this one.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42I've got a nice strong yellow, plenty of petals.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47I rather like all of these long spurs coming out of the back.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Yep, I reckon this one is going to go back into my collection.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52So I'll definitely be keeping this one.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01There is no end to the variations.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04I think for the rest of my life I will still be enamoured of them
0:24:04 > 0:24:06because there will always be something new.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Always something new to chase after.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13I do warn that if you get drawn into aquilegias, you may never stop
0:24:13 > 0:24:15and I don't think I ever will either.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25BLACKBIRD SINGS
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Obviously aquilegias are at their very best now
0:24:33 > 0:24:37and Carrie's garden is open this weekend and for the next two weeks.
0:24:37 > 0:24:42So if you can get down there, do go and visit and get inspired.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45All the details are to be found on our website.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50In the Jewel Garden, the allium flowers are looking fantastic.
0:24:50 > 0:24:51That's what we grow them for.
0:24:51 > 0:24:56But here in the herb garden, another allium is Elephant garlic.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59We grow it because it's got these huge bulbs,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02which are very subtle and delicious.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06What's noticeable is they are now developing flower heads.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08This is a bad idea.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12You want to remove any flower heads on garlic because the plant
0:25:12 > 0:25:16will take the energy away from the bulb and put it into the seed.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19We can salvage the bulbs by cutting off
0:25:19 > 0:25:22the flower heads before they develop too much.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29In an ideal world you won't harvest garlic until the leaves really
0:25:29 > 0:25:34start to turn yellow and die back, very similar to the tulips.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38The herb garden here, which was only made last year and is
0:25:38 > 0:25:40based around four raised beds,
0:25:40 > 0:25:44has changed our growing of herbs at Longmeadow dramatically.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47We've always had trouble with Mediterranean herbs, it is
0:25:47 > 0:25:50very wet, heavy, cold soil.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54In winter, thyme, sage, rosemary, marjoram have struggled
0:25:54 > 0:25:57and often died.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Now with these raised beds, which have got a huge amount of grit,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04stone and terracotta to improve the drainage in them, they are thriving.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08The thyme bed is fantastic. We've never had such good thyme.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12In this bed I did have parsley,
0:26:12 > 0:26:17and now I'm going to plant out two of my favourite herbs.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22The first is French tarragon. You get French or Russian tarragon.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25French tarragon is the one to grow if you're cooking with it.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29The taste is infinitely better. It is wonderful with chicken or fish.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32But it's not hardy.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35So I dig it up and bring it into the greenhouse in winter.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Once it starts to grow back and has been hardened off,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41it can go out into the bed. Simply plant it in
0:26:41 > 0:26:44good, well-drained soil in a sunny position.
0:26:45 > 0:26:50It's sitting in cold wet soil which does most damage to
0:26:50 > 0:26:55Mediterranean herbs. Plant that in the ground.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00That will grow nice and big and give us plenty of material to cook with.
0:27:03 > 0:27:08This is Lemon verbena and it has such a lemony fragrance.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Just a few leaves with boiling water poured on it
0:27:12 > 0:27:16and you have a refreshing, delicious tea.
0:27:16 > 0:27:21So we plant that next to the tarragon.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26That'll be brought in in winter as well.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35Of course if you live in the south and it's warm and sheltered,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38you may well be able to grow these plants over winter.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42But if like me, you have heavy, wet, poorly drained soil,
0:27:42 > 0:27:46and it can get pretty cold here then it's not worth the risk.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49Take it in and protect it over winter and then plant it out once
0:27:49 > 0:27:50the risk of frost has passed.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Also, because it's been growing inside,
0:27:53 > 0:27:55you've got really nice strong growth.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57It makes fabulous tea.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01That's it for this week. Hopefully next week I'll be a bit more mobile.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05And because it's the 70th anniversary of D-Day,
0:28:05 > 0:28:07there are special programmes
0:28:07 > 0:28:10and we are on at the later time of nine o'clock.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12I'll see you then. Bye-bye.